CHINA

This Little Piggy Shortage

By Melinda Liu and Sam Seibert | NEWSWEEK
From the magazine issue dated Feb 11, 2008

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  • Posted By: amer @ 02/05/2008 12:36:30 AM

    You all need to stop the hate, i know we all got problems, if the rest of the world doesnt care much about our problems is because we only help other countries when our interests are at stake, not only that, but we have even stopped caring about ourselves by letting politicians get wealthier at our expense. Perhaps we need to start going out and protest about our high oil prices instead of blaming the rest of the world for not caring about us. By the way, do not blame people from other countries for the job shortage here in the U.S, if anything , you need to blame the american companies that take jobs out of the country. As far as the pork problem goes, i do agree with encycliamarie. Also, Mr. believeintheone and johnwinterone are being unrealistic, this life is about survival. People who disobey jesus and the prophets stay alive. Not only that but you dont practice what you preach, " jesus" was not a hater, and you sure sound like a hater, are you sure you dont eat pork?

  • Posted By: Dachshund44444 @ 02/03/2008 1:58:44 PM

    China suffered the worst famine of the 20th century. The thought of this occurring again is horrifying. One can blah-blah all day long about China's human rights policies, trade indiscretions, etc, but when it comes down to it, this is potentially about people going hungry, which anyone who would joke about it obviously never has lived through. Time to think about how to help.

    • Posted By: GreatDane @ 02/05/2008 12:18:56 AM

      Much of the famine you mention (if it's the 1958-62 event) was directly caused by the stranglehold of destructive decisions flowing from the eminent Chairman Mae. The lower level cadres and mid-upper level bureaucrats and ministers did not dare tell him the truth about the devastation happening throughout the country. They kept lying about production quotas being met and exceeded, even as people were starving to death by the thousands and they knew it. If there is another famine in the offing, it would be a completely different type of event, as cell phone photos and internet access prevents the Chinese government from controlling the population by lies alone (the best illustration of the new limits of lies is the snow storms in the last couple of weeks...they've tried some low intensity lying to minimize the public's awareness of how bad it is, and it's blown up in their faces)

  • Posted By: encycliamariae @ 02/04/2008 4:47:03 PM

    Perhaps am increase in grain prices would ease the trade imbalance with China. They can sell us cheap goods and we can sell them grain and pork.

  • Posted By: encycliamariae @ 02/04/2008 4:45:56 PM

    Perhaps an increase in grain prices would help ease the trade imbalance with China. They could sell us cheap goods and we can sell them grain and pork they desperately need.

  • Posted By: baldeagle7777 @ 02/04/2008 4:26:24 PM

    Let's not be so quick to condemn. We're not perfect either.

  • Posted By: U.S.A. no @ 02/04/2008 2:02:29 PM

    I am just plain tired of hearing about all these other countries and their problems. What about ours? We need to think of this country and say "NO" to all of the beggers.

  • Posted By: U.S.A. first @ 02/04/2008 2:00:17 PM

    So what if their pork sky rockets they didn't bat a slanted eye when our oil went out over $100 a barrel. Besides between China and Mexico , our own people are out of jobs. Take care of our own! It's time we said sorry no help from us. I am not the only American that feels that way. So many hands out for our money but I don't see any help from anyone in theirs to this country.

  • Posted By: U.S.A. first @ 02/04/2008 1:48:37 PM

    So what if their pork sky rockets they didn't bat a slanted eye when our oil went out over $100 a barrel. Besides between China and Mexico , our own people are out of jobs. Take care of our own! It's time we said sorry no help from us. I am not the only American that feels that way. So many hands out for our money but I don't see any help from anyone in theirs to this country.

  • Posted By: Ichigo @ 02/03/2008 1:02:48 PM

    If countries like our great US of A would help others with our over abundance instead of fighting... the world may become a better place.

    • Posted By: rebecarooni @ 02/04/2008 1:19:37 PM

      Saying that there is an overabundance to be shared is absurd when our own citizens go hungry.

  • Posted By: johnwinterone @ 02/03/2008 1:54:07 PM

    What kind of idiots eat detritovores? I mean pigs eat their own poop and the poop of others. To the Chinees I say it is a blessing in disguise that you are out of pork. YOu are what you eat. Pigs eat poop, therefore they are poop. The Chinees eat pigs, therefore they are poop too! How about a dung beetle for desert? I will be that is a delicacy too! Not to mention the religious implications of people who disobey Jesus and the prophets...

    • Posted By: rebecarooni @ 02/04/2008 1:18:32 PM

      Pigs don't eat poop. At least, I have never seen mine do it. Give them a chance and they will steer completely clear of poop. Unlike most dogs who scarf it up every chance they get.

  • Posted By: elsie-eye @ 02/04/2008 12:23:40 PM

    Smithfield is already shipping hogs to China by the container load. Further, hogs raised in this country are done so in extremely clean conditions and under tremedous restrictions with regard to feed, antibiotics, etc. Also, they don't have the hormones given to them that the beef/dairy industry uses, so it is a very healthful meat.

  • Posted By: believeintheone @ 02/03/2008 1:59:16 PM

    pork is one of the unclean meats. When will man learn that one is not suppose to eat everything that crawls or walks this Earth. Instead of use for food they should be used for eating the left over food that we throw out, this is what they were intended for in the first place.

    • Posted By: Ichigo @ 02/03/2008 2:45:51 PM

      Johnwankerone and believeintheone need a reallity check...

  • Posted By: JohnW. @ 02/03/2008 2:12:00 PM

    This looks like a market opportunity for our pork producers if the Chinese government actually allows the purchase of consumables from us. I get the feeling that they only want to buy that which aids their production.

    • Posted By: abn533 @ 02/03/2008 2:35:29 PM

      in ref. to the unclean meat comment wow check your facts there has been no illnesses related to foodborne contaminats of pork since the early 1950's. Pork is on a more strict diet than humans and have been for the past 40 years. They are fed specially made pig feed. This is why pork can be served medium-rare in this day and age. Don't like it don't eat it, but before you start to label something check your facts.

  • Posted By: AndyFox @ 02/03/2008 2:11:03 PM

    johnwinterone: The apostle Peter made clear that animals that were formerly unclean under Jewish dietary laws are now clean. The Jewish law is no longer applicable to Jesus Christ-followers. Jesus fulfilled the law, and there is no longer a need for the sybolism of the law. As far as the pig diet, pigs eat corn as far as I know, and anyway whatever an animal eats is DIGESTED and broken down by acid, enzymes, and bacteria into its basic components of proteins, lipids and sugers. Then it is absorbed into the bloodstream and used by the body.

  • Posted By: Mendel65 @ 02/03/2008 2:07:23 PM

    To johnwitnerone: And the US doesn't eat pork?

  • Posted By: johnwinterone @ 02/03/2008 1:55:21 PM

    What kind of idiots eat detritovores? I mean pigs eat their own poop and the poop of others. To the Chinees I say it is a blessing in disguise that you are out of pork. You are what you eat. Pigs eat poop, therefore they are poop. The Chinees eat pigs, therefore they are poop too! How about a dung beetle for desert? I will be that is a delicacy too! Not to mention the religious implications of people who disobey Jesus and the prophets...

  • Posted By: johnwinterone @ 02/03/2008 1:54:33 PM

    What kind of idiots eat detritovores? I mean pigs eat their own poop and the poop of others. To the Chinees I say it is a blessing in disguise that you are out of pork. YOu are what you eat. Pigs eat poop, therefore they are poop. The Chinees eat pigs, therefore they are poop too! How about a dung beetle for desert? I will be that is a delicacy too! Not to mention the religious implications of people who disobey Jesus and the prophets...

  • Posted By: clay123 @ 02/03/2008 1:34:16 PM

    any ideas to export pork to chinna

  • Posted By: amer @ 02/03/2008 1:12:59 PM

    Its not about the diseases, its not about bad luck either, pork was one of the most readily available sources of protein that the chinese could afford. I also think that some of their beliefs are getting the best of them. There is no such thing as bad or good luck , there are only consequences to actions. I also agree with Ichigo.

  • Posted By: amer @ 02/03/2008 1:09:19 PM

    Its not about the diseases, its not about bad luck either, pork was one of the most readily available sources of protein that the chinese could afford. I also think that some of their beliefs are getting the best of them. There is no such thing as bad or good luck , there are only consequences to actions.

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