Kathyw Posted March 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 (edited) No not just whaling - they are renowned for their disgraceful treatment of animals. The think it's a waste to use anaesthetics on animals they are conducting experiments on. And their methods of euthenasia are barbaric beyond belief. I did think that things might have improved but a programme not that long ago about visisection was investigating different cultures attitudes to this horrible subject and things haven't changed. Edited March 17, 2008 by Kathyw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckey-lee Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 I know it's not a quick help,but it might help in the long run if we ALL stop buying cheap Chinese products and spend our precious pounds on local/national produced products,which in turn will also help our own econemy in the long run .I know,it wont be an easy task to try and change people's minds,we are after all creatures of habbit it will be a slow process ,but the more we spread the word,the faster this process will go ( doG, should I go into politics ? lol) Im in no way perfect but I am starting to be more aware these days of where the products I buy are from and how they have been made, this also goes for animaltested-products and envoirementally friendly products ,and dont forget, every little helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReikiAnge Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 I know it's not a quick help,but it might help in the long run if we ALL stop buying cheap Chinese products and spend our precious pounds on local/national produced products,which in turn will also help our own econemy in the long run .I know,it wont be an easy task to try and change people's minds,we are after all creatures of habbit it will be a slow process ,but the more we spread the word,the faster this process will go ( doG, should I go into politics ? lol) Yes you're right and I suspect I am a total hypocrite in respect of buying China-made products. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathyw Posted March 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 (edited) Welll said Chuckey-Lee. One small step. I don't know what difference my not buying chinese/japanese stuff has had but I know that I feel better. My dad wouldn't have japanese goods in our house because of the war and a friend of his who was in a japanese pow camp. Yet Dad would buy german goods. go figure. A very old friend of mine went to work in the fur industry when she left school. Even though for almost 30 years we met after work once a week to have dinner and chat, we never spoke about her job as I couldn't stand the thought of it. She knew of my involvement in anti fur groups but never spoke of it. About ten years ago my friend re trained to work in computors because the job she trained 5 years for was obsolete. No-one wanted fur coats any more and those who had them, instead of taking them in each year for alterations/storage were dumping them. Small steps. Edited March 17, 2008 by Kathyw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckey-lee Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 my Nan was in a Jap camp too and also didnt want to know about anything Japanese in her house. She actually kept a diary from her time there and parts of it got published ,I'd love to read it but sofar havent been able to get hold of it ps just for fun,have a look at all sorts around your house and where it's been made...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathyw Posted March 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 When having a move around or clear out I check as sometimes Ray buys stuff and if it has 'made in china' it's out. I check when I buy anything because I will not give that country one penny of my money. My only problem is I never give gifts away as I think it is wrong but someone bought me a set of ceramic canisters with the dreaded 'made in china' on them. I offloaded them to a charity shop as I just couldn't bear to have them on display. (I did tell the person what I had done and they just laughed. Just after our kitchen was finished Keara the owner of the Daccies who stay with us bought us a lovely set of canisters from france, they are similar to the other but definately made in France. Check the labels - hit china or japan where, it will soooner or later, hurt. Most of the stuff is junk (from china) anyway as far as I am concerned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathyw Posted March 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 (edited) post came up twice. Edited March 17, 2008 by Kathyw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckey-lee Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 "Most of the stuff is junk (from china) anyway as far as I am concerned." I totally agree there Kathy, you usualy end up buying the same item as a cheap copy from China/Japan as many times (or more) as a 'proper' one would have cost you,if that makes sence lol at your canisters, I didnt mean you personally have a look ,it was ment for eveyone in general Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tegk68 Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 (edited) Another thought on why we haven't helped Tibet, this time on the military front, is because I imagine we'd all be 'toast'. The OH tells me, so I'm not sure how accurate this is, that when the rest of the world showed interest in Tibet some years ago, the first thing the chinese did was train up a million or two high altitude soldiers and draft them to the borders of Tibet. Given that Tibet is in the Himalayan region and at high altitude, good access is very limited even from neighbouring countries. So the chinese had every access point sewn up. Foot soldiers from abroad would never have survived, neither from the shear numbers of the chinese or operating in such high altitude. The only real option from a military perspective would've been nuclear and no one wants that, not least because China has amassed a scary amount of nuclear weapons. There was a thought that by letting China into the international community that some of the ways of democracy would slowly rub off on them, by that I mean human rights, freedom of press etc. I think that that was part of the plan. A more softly, softly approach. Just remembered another point.... we are a Free Market Economy, so we produce, trade and consume any goods and services acquired without the use of force, fraud or theft. Individuals make the decision on who they trade with and not the government. This is what I believe we have signed up for. It is believed that the more economic freedom that is available the more civil and political freedoms a society will enjoy, which relates to the point/paragraph above. Embargos are therefore not taken lightly (there are rules/regulations in place - anyone point to exactly what these are?) and are usually as a direct result of the person in power. Being a Free Market Economy means that you as member have an individual right to choose who you trade with, products you consume etc. Edited March 18, 2008 by tegk68 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzeanna Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 I've been checking labels on clothes and everything else, and the amount of stuff with made in China on it is astounding. It doesn't seem to occur to the buyers of the stores in this country that if we come to totally rely on foreign made goods, if they then pull the plug, or raise the cost, we're stuffed! our own manufacturing industry has gone to almost nothing...and our farming is going the same way. In my opinion the Chinese government appears to consist of cruel calculating people...well, lets be honest, probably all men...who hold human and animal life in contempt. They force their own people to kill baby girls, which has led to a generation of men with no women to marry, eat dogs, kill tigers for supposed health tonics...why should we expect them to treat Tibet well? I'm disgusted that they are hosting the Olympics, I think every decent country should boycott them. They are rounding up and destroying cats as well as dogs before the Olympics, and putting out propaganda saying the cats give their children terrible diseases, so even what were loved family pets are being thrown out and killed. I don't believe a word of what they are saying of the latest trouble in Tibet..that only a few have been killed, I'm sure the true figures are much higher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tegk68 Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 (edited) Of course, for immediate effect there is always China's swan song, the olympics, a great window of opportunity for the world to show how they feel .... inaddition I am less concerned about boycotting the Olympics than trade - and thus possibly send millions of people in China to poverty and beyond -My new hero Spielberg pulled out as Art Director (think that was his job) recently, as we all know. That must've hurt. But it's not enough. I imagine the best way, and I'm sure there must be websites etc dedicated to this, is to hit the sponsors. Get them to rethink and pull out on the basis that they have seen no progress between China and Tibet etc. A quick look on the Beijing Olympics site has these sponsors listed: Coca cola Johnson and Johnson Kodak Visa Volkswagon Mac Donalds Samsung Adidas GE Omega Air china Panasonic Don't buy their products, don't support them at all. In fact write to them and tell them how you are not doing so and how appalled you are that they are involved in a country with such dreadful human rights etc..... Just a thought that is most likely churning away in a constructive fashion somewhere on the web already. All very obvious I know. My thanks to kathy for this thread and reminding me to get off my arse and do something. I think the above is what I'd prefer to do right now. Edited March 18, 2008 by tegk68 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tegk68 Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 I've been checking labels on clothes and everything else, and the amount of stuff with made in China on it is astounding. It doesn't seem to occur to the buyers of the stores in this country that if we come to totally rely on foreign made goods, if they then pull the plug, or raise the cost, we're stuffed! our own manufacturing industry has gone to almost nothing...and our farming is going the same way. Yes I agree with that, sadly. I don't believe a word of what they are saying of the latest trouble in Tibet..that only a few have been killed, I'm sure the true figures are much higher. and I suspect you're right with that, even more sadly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happylittlegreensquirrel Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 other links that are helpful are Vishttp://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2204672500 ( Facebook Group ) or http://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/ China invests in many countries, supplies cheap goods and develops links that cause dependancy , at the moment they are investing money into Sri Lanka ( whose own human rights record and policies on Journalists is not squeaky clean )l . The Dalai lama would like to visit Sri Lanka ( there are some very important Bhuddist relics and temples in Sri Lanka including Bhuddas tooth ) but the Sri Lanka Government will not allow him to visit for fear of upsetting the Chinese government. how many of us are using laptops or PCs now that have Chinese made components , I could not say mine does not as I really don't know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tegk68 Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 A list of sponsors and their contact details to send an email to with the suggestion that you will not be buying their products etc, if you're interested, can be found here: http://www.buyhard.fsnet.co.uk/putuporshutup.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathyw Posted March 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Thank you Tegs for the list and the email link. I shall be firing off letters and emails, I don't feel so helpless now. I mean although I felt 'satisfied' not buying chinese goods it never felt enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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