No one seems to have died from the scandal, though not from lack of trying, it seems. Looking over the business pages (something every member of the working class should do every day) I read last week that five employees of a firm which stands accused of selling expired – ugh! – meat to several fast food chains in China had been held by authorities.

Among those arrested is the company’s quality control manager.

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I’m not a big fan of the Chinese government, but they certainly know how to step in when businesses threaten consumer health and safety . . . at least Chinese consumer health and safety, I suppose.

Contrast that with any incident here in America, where folks may get sick or even die from business foul ups, and the most we can usually expect is a fine, or a stern look.

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Or, if it is really spectacular, like men burning to death, we may get members of Congress falling all over themselves to apologize to whichever corporate officers may have the misfortune to get called before some farcical Congressional “hearing,” which is usually only good for politicians to look tough on camera, or beat up on average citizens (when they aren’t being outright ignored) who dare to question the corporate good.

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Then again, Tokyo is in Japan, and not China

Over the headline in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette which read, “China arrests 5 in meat scandal: Expired-product sales were organized, safety agency says,” there is a picture of a worried looking little boy sitting down to a not-quite-so-happy-meal . . .

. . . in Tokyo.

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The mind boggles. Forget school, haven’t decades of Godzilla movies taught us all that Tokyo is in Japan?

That’s sort of like writing about the British royal family (the ever-photogenic parasites on the public purse) and including a photo of Joplin, Missouri.

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*****

Quote of the Day

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A book is a version of the world. If you do not like it, ignore it; or offer your own version in return. – Salman Rushdie

rsdrake@cox.net

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