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China executes top food-and-drug official for corruption (Roundup)
Jul 10, 2007, 9:11 GMT
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Older Talkback
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Alas! We don't have such executions in India. It would be a treat to watch all our politicians getting executed for large-scale financial irregularities and for turning a blindeye towards them.
Check out SFDA's web site. The home page as well as 'Meet the Commissioner' page (app1.sfda.gov.cn/webportal/portal.po?UID=DWV1_WOUID_URL_54889635) still have a photograph of Zheng Xiaoyu and an upbeat message from him!
Hahahaha, it doesn't matter that they execute the most in the world, the fact is that there is too many of them in the first place. The state executes for things like tax fraud etc etc, things you would normally get a fine for in other parts of the world. They try and control the numbers of its population but oh well. They should have power to do that outside of their country. wahahahahahaha
oh just to add, its a good deterrent, maybe they should do that in conventionally corrupt places such as africa etc. :)))
Maybe this extreme punishment for a crime not involving violence will make some of the cry babies in America do some reflection about calling our country cruel and barbaric.
We attempt to pass capital punishment laws for police killers, child killers, rape/killers and the like only to have the libs cry that it is too severe and doesn't act as a deterrent blah blah. Who cares if it acts as a deterrent... it is a punishment for evil deeds to insure one doesn't do it again.
Death for corruption seems harsh to the western world, but people died for this man's sins..fair is fair I guess.
We are put here with a sense of fairness, judgement and survival of the fittest. Dead men tell no tales nor commit no crimes. R I P
The execution was a show trial, made for the appeasement of the western world. Its easier to kill than to reform. The charge of corruption is humorous.
Corruption is the way of life in China, thats why everything you do here requires a bribe.
The Chinese are a dirty, corrupt, desperate people as any would be in their situation. We are as the Indians, a swollen mass of human worms ready to break out upon the world by the billions and smother it in our feces.
Westerners have an excuse that trade will make us democratic and capitalist, but its just to make them feel good as they disembowel their own country’s workforce. They love asia because it is the next best thing to a Nazi forced labor camp. But in the long future we will dominate, and the western money will provide our republic with the weapons to reunify and to drive back those who claim our undersea resources. Then we will have their skins.
wow, if the ANC would do the same thing here, there would be only 4 or 5 ANC members left in the parlement !!!!
Roneida,if the sanctions you would like to impos on such crimes as corruption,a few heads would roll in the USA too.Are you aware that your own FDA is renered partly useless by the fructuous attempt of Monsanto to put in place their corporate lawyer in a key position to prevent crucial information regarding the effects of growth hormones added to livestock staple ?A survey concerning this problem was made by a reporter from FOX ,Jane Akre and revealed the negative side effects of growth hormones in the food chain .Due to the presure of Monsanto the reporters were fires from Fox,the investigation of the FDA disappeared in thin air and Monsanto continues to poison your nation .Which punishment exactly dud you have in mind ?Why can China act and not the USA .Could it be that corporate bizness is only more organised in the USA and better at corrupting the White House ?
Just a small correction concerning my previous post .There arec in fact two investigations concerning Monsanto .The one conducted by the FDA was about genetically engineered crops ,the FDA found some very disturbing evidence of sideeffects on consumers .Monsanto had the study disappear and has one of it's ex corporate lawyers inside of the FDA now to prevent other inquiries from being conducted .
Gabriel Christou, your are an idiot
This is crazy you don't kill someone who does something like this its in humane.
No your the IDIOT.............................................................
You are right this is a SHAM.
Grow up your acting like JERKS.
This is the Communist Party covering up shit. Dead men tell no tales.
I must agree with D the punishment does not fit the crime this is just a foolish example to the rest of the world.
This is something that you pay a huge fine for and possibly go to Jail but to kill someone over this is just horrible
You are both right as well as Kevin and Kelly this is just not right.
This is just totally disgusting and its so unfair This really bothers me.
You know dude you always have nasty things to say about the United States I have seen your posts on many different subjects and it always the same thing its rude. Get yourself a life ASSHOLE.
Yea this guy is just a weenie hiding behind his computer.
This jerk lives and plays in Belgium a CRAP HOLE.
I second that.
This is very true this guy takes pop shots at the United States when ever he can because hes JELLIOUS and ENVIOUS think about it.
RE:'Roneida,if the sanctions you would like to impos on such crimes as corruption,a few heads would roll in the USA too.Are you aware that your own FDA is renered partly useless by the fructuous attempt of Monsanto to put in place their corporate lawyer in a key position to prevent crucial information regarding the effects of growth hormones added to livestock staple ?'
I have you now, Tonny! You're actually a North Korean. Your stuff is starting to read just like the KCNA!
//www.kcna.co.jp/item/2007/200707/news07/10.htm#3
RE:'A survey concerning this problem was made by a reporter from FOX ,Jane Akre and revealed the negative side effects of growth hormones in the food chain.'
This cropped up a long time ago and was corrected.
RE:'Due to the presure of Monsanto the reporters were fires from Fox,the investigation of the FDA disappeared in thin air and Monsanto continues to poison your nation .'
Proof, Tonny! Proof! When you make these kinds of assertions you have to back them up with evidence, something you never do. Because you do this all the time, I am obliged to call you an evil lying little scut.
RE:'Which punishment exactly dud you have in mind ?Why can China act and not the USA .Could it be that corporate bizness is only more organised in the USA and better at corrupting the White House ?'
Oh, I don't have a problem with the Chinese sentencing this guy to death. He very likely poisoned and killed an uncountable number of Chinese and third-worlders all over the globe. What I have a problem with is them not keeping him around long enough to crack all the cases that should have been cracked. It makes me suspect that there were a good many important members of the Party who would have been implicated and are now going to get off scot free.
Right now in China, the corporations and the communist party are one and the same thing. It really is a 'Rollerball Universe' in China.
A few heads would roll in the United States Ill bet you thousands roll in BELGUIM oh but not the wonderful Tony's.
Why do you think you have the right to right to comment on China but nobody has the right to comment your own scandals ?It works both ways ,dont you think ?Seems only fair to me .Since the election of Bush your country seemed to have recieved a mandate from god himself (if I understood your president correctly) to impose americna law and standards allover the world .As a result I am merely pointing out that you do not even impose these standards upon yourselves .Or at least your government doesn't .You accuse me of antamericanism .Not so,I think I clearly defend the point of view of the majority of the american people .Which you do not belong to,get it ?
By the way about FOX as a reliable source of information www.projectcensored.org/publications/2005/11.html
No need to thank me...
China found itself a scapegoat, eh? Their lack of rules and regulations, and their corruption finally caught up with them. People all over the world are avoiding chinese products and food now. I'm pretty sure their whole country is embarrassed. How many other government officials should have been executed with this guy? I bet most of them. But at least they've tried to save face with the world. Let's see if they can actually follow the rules this time around and not poison all of us.....I'm still not buying any food from them for the time being, I'm going to the farmer's market and local butcher for the next few years. I just don't trust them, it's going to take awhile.
Hey you two! Tonny and Noharness--exchange phone numbers or something, you sound like best friends, call each other! Quit posting! Personally, I'm sure that I'm not the only one who's tired of your over-caffeinated bickering! Arguments never get the point across, they only make you look weaker than perhaps you really are. Both of you have alot of hatred inside you, find an outlet for it besides public domain already! And put the coffee cup down while you're at it!
That is so very tired of Tonny , and his taking every chance to downgrade the USA many times a day.He hates Americans ,anything made in America,and every aspect of American life
Ok we get it Tonny --you hate us---now go get a fxxkxxg life and do something to make your area of the world better.
RE:'Why do you think you have the right to right to comment on China but nobody has the right to comment your own scandals ?'
You and everyone else have every right in the world to comment on American scandals. I have not and will not challenge your right to do that and in fact would defend it to the death. However, that doesn't mean I will refrain from arguing with you when you say something silly or especially when you lie or make arbitrary assertions with no evidence to back your claims.
RE:'It works both ways ,dont you think ?'
So stipulated.
Re:'Seems only fair to me .Since the election of Bush your country seemed to have recieved a mandate from god himself (if I understood your president correctly) to impose americna law and standards allover the world .'
When have ever heard me brag about what a great guy George Bush is, Tonny? Show me one post that I have made that makes such a claim.
RE:'As a result I am merely pointing out that you do not even impose these standards upon yourselves .'
When it comes to food and drug standards we are a hell of a lot more strict than most other countries. That does not mean that the standards are always adequately applied in all cases. This does not grant you license to say that we never apply any standards or to accuse one company or bureaucracy without offering proof of your assertions.
RE:'Or at least your government doesn't .You accuse me of antamericanism .Not so,I think I clearly defend the point of view of the majority of the american people .Which you do not belong to,get it ?'
Oh, believe me, I seldom worry about belonging to a majority. I operate on the premise that I am in a minority of one.
RE:'By the way about FOX as a reliable source of information www.projectcensored.org/publications/2005/11.html
No need to thank me...'
I wouldn't dream of it. You should have posted this link with your argument.
Quoting Project Censored:'Back in December of 1996, Jane Akre and her husband, Steve Wilson, were hired by FOX as a part of the Fox “Investigators” team at WTVT in Tampa Bay, Florida. In 1997 the team began work on a story about bovine growth hormone (BGH), a controversial substance manufactured by Monsanto Corporation. The couple produced a four-part series revealing that there were many health risks related to BGH and that Florida supermarket chains did little to avoid selling milk from cows treated with the hormone, despite assuring customers otherwise.'
Okay, I happen to know that the first time this became a problem was way back in 1982. Overuse of BGH really can cause problems in humans, especially in young girls. I know about it from first hand experience, and believe me, dealing with it is not as straightforward as you might think. Was the milk in the supermarkets tested for high residuals of BGH? No answer and no test results provided.
RE:'According to Akre and Wilson, the station was initially very excited about the series. But within a week, Fox executives and their attorneys wanted the reporters to use statements from Monsanto representatives that the reporters knew were false and to make other revisions to the story that were in direct conflict with the facts.'
Okay, why aren't these statements quoted and how did they conflict with the facts? Evidence is not provided.
RE:'Fox editors then tried to force Akre and Wilson to continue to produce the distorted story. When they refused and threatened to report Fox's actions to the FCC, they were both fired.(Project Censored #12 1997)'
Given that we are talking about Fox, I would not be the least bit surprised if they DID want to run a distorted story, but we still need evidence. Unfortunately, the case drifted off into some matters of important Constitutional law and the underlying claim was never fully examined. Note the remainder of the article below:
'Akre and Wilson sued the Fox station and on August 18, 2000, a Florida jury unanimously decided that Akre was wrongfully fired by Fox Television when she refused to broadcast (in the jury's words) “a false, distorted or slanted story” about the widespread use of BGH in dairy cows. They further maintained that she deserved protection under Florida's whistle blower law. Akre was awarded a $425,000 settlement. Inexplicably, however, the court decided that Steve Wilson, her partner in the case, was ruled not wronged by the same actions taken by FOX.
'FOX appealed the case, and on February 14, 2003 the Florida Second District Court of Appeals unanimously overturned the settlement awarded to Akre. The Court held that Akre’s threat to report the station’s actions to the FCC did not deserve protection under Florida’s whistle blower statute, because Florida’s whistle blower law states that an employer must violate an adopted “law, rule, or regulation.' In a stunningly narrow interpretation of FCC rules, the Florida Appeals court claimed that the FCC policy against falsification of the news does not rise to the level of a 'law, rule, or regulation,' it was simply a 'policy.' Therefore, it is up to the station whether or not it wants to report honestly.
'During their appeal, FOX asserted that there are no written rules against distorting news in the media. They argued that, under the First Amendment, broadcasters have the right to lie or deliberately distort news reports on public airwaves. Fox attorneys did not dispute Akre’s claim that they pressured her to broadcast a false story, they simply maintained that it was their right to do so. After the appeal verdict WTVT general manager Bob Linger commented, “It’s vindication for WTVT, and we’re very pleased… It’s the case we’ve been making for two years. She never had a legal claim.”'
Notice the case was about whether or not these two people had a legal claim against Fox News, not about whether or not there were harmful levels of BGH in the milk being consumed by Floridians.
So we are still stuck about whether or not Florida dairy farmers are guilty of putting too much BGH in the diets of dairy cattle. If they are, Florida girls should be displaying a number of symptoms, precocious sexual development among others, just as my youngest daughter did back in the eighties.
Tonny, can you show us any more proof? This ain't it.
This execution is unspeakably barbaric.
Yes, Zheng Xiaoyu may very well have been a corrupt, perhaps even evil man. But he could not have done any damage in a vacuum. He was obviously part of a huge system that allowed his misdeeds to continue long enough to cause the damage it did. Where was the accountability? Where were the checks and balances? In such a huge, opaque bureaucracy, how can any one person be held at fault, except maybe those at the very top? And even then, due to the nature of the system, there's no way even they can really know everything that is going on.
Yes, we all feel frustration at government and bureaucratic misdeeds, and sometimes even mumble under our breaths, 'the people behind this should be shot.' But, in the end, it solves nothing, and just increases the fear and oppression of a system gone horribly wrong.
Would anyone in their right mind line up to take that man's job? Of course not-- which means that his successor will be either out of his mind, or will be forced into it and will constantly fear for his life. Great, just what we need in an important position, someone with a clear head-- NOT.
Yep. Definitely a larger problem going on in their country, and the person taking over for the executed? He's as corrupt as the dead one. But with the world watching them now, they'll have to watch their p's and q's. Is it too much to hope that they learn from this? Sorry, just dreaming.
Yes it does work both ways but you seem to have a major problem with us here In the U.S.A. How would you like It if someone constantly criticized your Country and believe me theirs allot to Criticize. Everyone of your posts are just plain mean worry about your own affairs and try to be nice to others.
A nice clash of arguments is good for the human brain .I enjoy reading Noharnes .But he need not worry about things I never said .Read again Noharness and try to do so with more subtelty .some of the arrows are not aimed at you nut at other posters .
But I stll dont understand why there is any need to accuse me of anti-americanism .I think my stance is that of the majority of americans .Those that accuse me belong to a small minority .What I appreciate from the USA,just for the sake of my own defense;the Simpsons,The Sopranos and a lot of good movies .Nuce people in New Mexico,Colorado,NYC,Boston,etc,etc.Some very great movie directors too,
About the health issues involving growth hormones;yuo missed the point ,the dairy farmers are not to blame .Monsanto is the curlprit .And what about a television network that claims the right to lie in court cases ?Isn't that an intolerable shame ?
RE:'A nice clash of arguments is good for the human brain .I enjoy reading Noharnes .But he need not worry about things I never said .Read again Noharness and try to do so with more subtelty .some of the arrows are not aimed at you nut at other posters .'
Fair enough.
RE:'But I stll dont understand why there is any need to accuse me of anti-americanism.'
Because you bash the US all the time, especially the underlying principles upon which the US is based.
RE:'I think my stance is that of the majority of americans .'
Not hardly.
RE:'About the health issues involving growth hormones;yuo missed the point ,the dairy farmers are not to blame .Monsanto is the curlprit .And what about a television network that claims the right to lie in court cases ?Isn't that an intolerable shame ?'
Yes, they are, or were in my daughter's case. The use of BGH is like the use of a great many things. More is not necessarily better. In Puerto Rico, where we had this problem, dairy farmer were overusing this stuff very badly. They were also putting so many additives in the eggs that the eggs tasted bad. We realized that we had a problem with the store-bought eggs right away and quit using them, but we were unaware of what was going on in the local dairy industry until we returned home (We were there for about two years). My eldest daughter never exhibited any symptoms, but it had a very pronounced effect on the youngest. Oh, and we learned of the cause for her illness from a news program, I think it was 60 Minutes.
If the dairy farmers are overusing this stuff, children in Florida, particular the little girls because girls are affected two to five times as often as boys, will exhibit the same symptoms my daughter did. Used responsibly, BGH does not hurt herds or customers, but if it is overused, both cattle and kids pay the price. It would not take much in the way of serious investigation to nail this down one way or another, but it must be done correctly or nothing gets changed.
I prefer calm opinions, rather than clash of arguments personally. But both of you bring up interesting points. Do you really mean the insults though? Or are you just stirring the pot Tonny?
that is the ultimate in accountability. what lesson is learned here? could we use a little of that in this country? well the truth is we don't execute enough hardened criminals as it is on death row and that is not much of a deterrent for criminals. if our justice system had the guts to follow through and not be so generous with appeals then maybe. if our justice system didn't allow the privilaged to buy their way out (or to be pardoned by the prez) then maybe it might keep every one in line.
Tonny you moron, you just essentially claimed he accused of things you didnt say yet he quoted you VERBATIM you drunken half-a-kraut. Go crack open another warm Becks and pretend you're a novelist.....nitwit.
re China: China is in LOVE with their new found cash. This execution is simply the equivalent of celebrities over here going into treatment when they do something moronic. Its all PR to show western business they wont tolerate substandard products.
They are at the exact point the USA was at in the early part of the 20th century. They are flush with cash and the corruption will get a lot worse before it gets better. Its all growing pains and at the very least its a fascinating look at the rise and eventual fall of another economic world power.
Sorry if I skip the ranters which I do not even understand but thre is not a grainof anti-americanism in my posts .None of my comments is directec at the people in the USA .Most of the time I am just creatin awareness that a lot of things are to be improved easily .The quoting of the Monsanto-Fox isuue is just there to prove to you that the crimes commited in other countries are very common in your own country too .But either go unnoticed or unchallenged .There is something cynical in a world proclaiming corrupt people need to be hung in China but rewarded in the USA with a nice position in the FDA in the USA.Why defend those that cheat on you .Isnt that the real anti-americanism .I think so as I do better at defending american values than those that accuse me of insulting them .
Sorry guys ,some more clarifications need to be added .Concerning health issues in the USA .It is not very correct to accuse dairy farmers for the use of toxic additives ,these guys are not free to administer what they want .THeir supplier has them tied with contracts .Agriculture is not a free enterprise anymore since a long time .It is an industry where no more market rules apply .Suppliers of seeds,staple,fertlizers,pestcontrol are mostly integrated companies ,subsidiaries of single coroporate biznes .To tell you how though life is for the farmers nowadays perhaps this little story about Monsanto 'yeas again ).THey have succesfully unraveled the gene structure in pigs and are now claiming these gene structures are their rightfull property .The aburd consequence of which is that if pigs are producing offspring somewhere in the world the farmer would have to pay Monsanto intellectual property .Explain to me how any company in the world can own mother nature .We are not debating genetically modified pigs here,merely natural pigs .This is to show you the absurd grip one single company can hold on the world economy .Do you think ethical standards hold any value for your own bizness .do you think they are any different from the Chinese ?And frankly do you believe exposing this ,or at least claiming to do so is anti-americanism ?I dont think so ,I am just pointing out that your country is no different from all others .The fact that it is more powerfull only makes it more dangerous .Since the introduction of neocon ideas at top levels of political power ,after the demise of the USSR the US government of BUsh claimed the right to intervene anywhere in the world where it deemed it's interest were in trouble ,without so much as even abiding international laws .The UN was fisposed of by these fine gentlemen as an inefficient thing of the past.
This has made the USA the most dangerous nation now ,spending gigantic part of it's revenues on weaponry that have nu use as it is useless in it's capacity to deal with new treaths .Eisenhower ;back in the fifties gave you a dire warning about the consequencesof the rise of the miltary industrial complex .Guess what,it happend in reality .A few companies now owe the USA ans reap the taxpayer's money to sell their weapons,gigantic amounts of money are diverted from posts where they would be more usefull like education and healthcare .Is it anti-americanism to reveal that ?Am I weakening the standards or the defense of the USA in doing so ?Give me a break guys,you should have done that youselves if you love your population .
Its unlikely that anyone will read this, but the opinion should be stated.
The death penalty for any one behavior is always barbaric and shows a lack of collective intellegence. Even though this individual was probably guilty for many things, he did not act on his own. Reasoning that assumes killing this man should restore trust in product safety, and in essence, trust in government agencies is flawed.
The childish message conveyed is...our expendable government servants care for your utmost safety. Please continue to trust and buy our products.
To MADMED who said 'that [execution] is the ultimate in accountability':
True accountability does not equal punishment for offenses. True accountability means that you have the information and feedback to correct problems long before they get so bad that anyone would even be talking about execution.
As low as my opinion might be of certain officials of my U.S. government, I at least believe that, overall, the threat of being fired, career-ending public humiliation, and (perhaps) jail time, along with at least a modicum of transparency to the system, is enough to keep most of the suits in line. Even then, there are still cover-ups to protect people (e.g. the 'Scooter' Libby case).
Imagine if the penalty for corruption in the U.S. was death. Watergate, Contragate, Monicagate, and Libbygate would pale in comparison to the cover-ups and lies that would ensue if folks like Bush and Cheney were fearing for their lives and not 'just' their careers, reputations, etc.
I personally respect politicians and bureaucrats who are willing to stand up and say 'I screwed up and will take responsibility.' Imagine if they faced the firing squad for it.
True accountability makes the system stronger and more honest. Threatening people with death for bureaucratic misdeeds can do nothing but make a bad system far worse.
Clarification: I meant to say in my second sentence:
'True accountability does not equal *overly harsh* punishment for offenses.'
Of course I believe in punishment for offenses. I just think the punishment should fit the crime.
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