(CN) Beware slugs: Athletes warned on Chinese meds

[Guest guest]

Is it my imagination, or is it so that every article coming out about China

in the past two weeks is a mixture of penises and slugs. Whether you are

going to the pharmacy or the momo shop or to the mall, it seems that¹s what

you are going to get. It appears journalists are just cutting and pasting

these stories together. Smacks of global racism to me...

Jigs in Nepal

 

 

On 8/8/08 1:17 PM, " Kim Bartlett " <anpeople wrote:

 

>

>

>

> Beware slugs: Athletes warned on Chinese meds

> Traditional remedies could trigger doping charges, officials warn

> Reuters

> updated 2:42 p.m. PT, Thurs., Aug. 7, 2008

> BEIJING - The oldest and biggest Chinese medicine store in Beijing is

> stocked with traditional ingredients like deer's penis, dried

> seahorses, fungi, and ginseng.

> At one end there is now a counter with signs warning athletes over

> centuries-old stimulants.

> With the majority of Chinese people taking traditional medicine to

> both keep them healthy and to cure illnesses, the government embarked

> on a campaign ahead of the Olympics to ensure there was no doubt over

> which drugs were off limits to athletes.

> Kong Yan Ping, vice-manager of a 339-year-old Tongrentang store near

> Tiananmen Square, said about 100 of the 1,200 natural ingredients

> used in traditional Chinese medicine were stimulants.

> From May 1 all vendors of these medicines were required to isolate

> any that could contravene the International Olympic Committee's list

> of prohibited drugs and put up warning notices.

> " Athletes should be careful with the drugs that include stimulants, "

> read the blue signs above and on the counter.

> Chinese Olympic officials have advised athletes not to take

> traditional remedies during the Aug 8-24 Games when the IOC will

> conduct 4,500 doping tests, up 25 percent on the Athens Games.

> Several athletes have previously been banned for illegal elements

> found in innocuous over-the-counter medicine.

> Chinese star basketball player, Yao Ming, is a strong believer in

> traditional medicine that dates back 2,000 years.

> He returned to China in April to seek advice from traditional Chinese

> medicine experts to help the recovery of an injured foot.

> " There is no reason to dismiss (traditional Chinese medicine), " he

> told reporters. " It's been used in our country for thousands of

> years. I don't think it's short on science. "

> Dr. David Baron, from the U.S.'s Temple University School of Medicine

> who worked at a doping control officer at previous Olympics, said

> this was no longer an issue just affecting Chinese athletes with

> traditional medicine getting more popular overseas.

>

> " Athletes other than just Chinese take traditional Chinese medicine

> ... the advice given to the athletes is to assume everything you put

> in your body could test positive, " he said.

> Kong, whose store is one of a chain owned by Beijing TongRenTang Co

> Ltd, said traditional Chinese medicine aimed to make the whole body

> run well, not just focus on one area, and treated everyone uniquely

> with no single quick fix.

> The 60 doctors at her store write different prescriptions for each

> patient which are mixed by hand.

> Boiling seahorses or deer penis in water and drinking the soup can

> help kidneys function better while sea slugs boiled or eaten whole

> can help the blood. Swallows nests benefit lungs.

> " Lots of Chinese people put powdered medicine into their wine as some

> medicines are absorbed better into the body if in wine, " she told

> Reuters during a tour of the store.

> " Most Chinese people still use traditional medicine which has

> benefited people throughout its 2,000 year history. "

> Copyright 2008 Reuters. Click for restrictions.

> URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26077967/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

>Is it my imagination, or is it so that every article coming out about China

>in the past two weeks is a mixture of penises and slugs...Smacks of

>global racism to me...

 

 

That's my impression. Part of the problem, though, is that

animal advocates have simultaneously done a terrific job of raising

awareness of dog-eating, cat-eating, & wildlife-eating in parts of

China, and a very poor job of effectively and accurately targeting

the particular locations and segments of society in which these

practices occur.

 

Consequently, much of the world has the impression that

" China " and " Chinese people " do things which are no more

representative of China & Chinese people than the redneck who goes

coonhunting with dogs & eats opossum stew is representative of the

U.S. & U.S. people -- and there is a hue and cry to boycott China in

contexts that make about as much sense as threatening to boycott the

U.S. over the practices of a minority of the older half of the white

male population of South Squatstopee, Mississippi (who are often the

same good old boys who used to party in their bedsheets.)

 

Meanwhile back in the noosepaper office, editors had to

figure out who to send to the Olympics. Most of them could only

spare one sportswriter at a time of year when the baseball pennant

races, NASCAR, & other U.S. & European summer sports are peaking in

interest, and the diversity and geographical scope of the Olympics

required sending multi-member teams.

 

Usually this sort of situation is resolved by looking around

the newsroom to see who else is expendable, and who else might be

able to pick up some good feature articles between athletic events.

 

If the Olympics had been held this time in Switzerland, the

second reporter on the team might have been the elderly weather gent

with an interest in cuckoo clocks.

 

Instead, editors said to themselves, " Hmm, what else is

happening in China? Well, I hear they eat dogs & other weird

stuff, " and in many cases ended up sending their weirdest

" Lifestyles " reporter, typically a " foodie " of adventurous tastes &

no ethics, whose usual beat is prowling nightclubs for celebrity

gossip.

 

So that kind of reportage is what we're seeing, which is in

turn reinforcing the stereotypes created in the first place largely

by geographically and culturally illiterate activists who persist

promoting the notion that people in one part of a large nation are

somehow responsible for what people who may even speak a different

language sometimes do, more than 1,000 miles away.

 

I happen to know several serious environmental reporters who

had hoped to get a chance to see China & pursue serious articles

involving animals & habitat, who are currently quite unhappy because

the recipients of the Olympic travel assignments were not the folks

who know that hot air rises & poop flows downhill, but rather those

who were willing to eat worms.

 

 

--

Merritt Clifton

Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

P.O. Box 960

Clinton, WA 98236

 

Telephone: 360-579-2505

Fax: 360-579-2575

E-mail: anmlpepl

Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

 

[ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent newspaper providing

original investigative coverage of animal protection worldwide,

founded in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes the

decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal protection organizations.

We have no alignment or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year;

for free sample, send address.]

[Guest guest]

Merritt's right - a whole country written off as eating anything with

it's back to the sky.

The targeting is happening - the peaceful protests in the streets in the

capitol where the Korean restaurants have grown, and in the major dog

and cat eating capitols too. The awareness of benefits of dogs in

society through therapy programmes - not perhaps convincing the

die-hards who will never give up their culinary habits but certainly the

younger population and those who might have been tempted to try. Some

good responses from people now saying they ate dog previously but won't now.

It's also useless and detrimental to our cause to sneer at the TCM

preparations. We know that the active ingredient in bear bile is

scientifically proven for example (just google Dr Clifford Steer), and

that birds nest soup has seen rigorous testing and endorsement from the

HK University. Empower the voice for replacing, not decrying, them. As

Merritt alluded to previously, criticism will fall on deaf ears and

shows a complete lack of understanding for a medicinal culture of

millennia, no matter how cruel we know it to be. The motivation and

change is coming from within China, from those who understand the issue

and arguments and intelligently articulate the concept of 'healing

without harm'. Jill

 

Merritt Clifton wrote:

>

> >Is it my imagination, or is it so that every article coming out about

> China

> >in the past two weeks is a mixture of penises and slugs...Smacks of

> >global racism to me...

>

> That's my impression. Part of the problem, though, is that

> animal advocates have simultaneously done a terrific job of raising

> awareness of dog-eating, cat-eating, & wildlife-eating in parts of

> China, and a very poor job of effectively and accurately targeting

> the particular locations and segments of society in which these

> practices occur.

>

> Consequently, much of the world has the impression that

> " China " and " Chinese people " do things which are no more

> representative of China & Chinese people than the redneck who goes

> coonhunting with dogs & eats opossum stew is representative of the

> U.S. & U.S. people -- and there is a hue and cry to boycott China in

> contexts that make about as much sense as threatening to boycott the

> U.S. over the practices of a minority of the older half of the white

> male population of South Squatstopee, Mississippi (who are often the

> same good old boys who used to party in their bedsheets.)

>

> Meanwhile back in the noosepaper office, editors had to

> figure out who to send to the Olympics. Most of them could only

> spare one sportswriter at a time of year when the baseball pennant

> races, NASCAR, & other U.S. & European summer sports are peaking in

> interest, and the diversity and geographical scope of the Olympics

> required sending multi-member teams.

>

> Usually this sort of situation is resolved by looking around

> the newsroom to see who else is expendable, and who else might be

> able to pick up some good feature articles between athletic events.

>

> If the Olympics had been held this time in Switzerland, the

> second reporter on the team might have been the elderly weather gent

> with an interest in cuckoo clocks.

>

> Instead, editors said to themselves, " Hmm, what else is

> happening in China? Well, I hear they eat dogs & other weird

> stuff, " and in many cases ended up sending their weirdest

> " Lifestyles " reporter, typically a " foodie " of adventurous tastes &

> no ethics, whose usual beat is prowling nightclubs for celebrity

> gossip.

>

> So that kind of reportage is what we're seeing, which is in

> turn reinforcing the stereotypes created in the first place largely

> by geographically and culturally illiterate activists who persist

> promoting the notion that people in one part of a large nation are

> somehow responsible for what people who may even speak a different

> language sometimes do, more than 1,000 miles away.

>

> I happen to know several serious environmental reporters who

> had hoped to get a chance to see China & pursue serious articles

> involving animals & habitat, who are currently quite unhappy because

> the recipients of the Olympic travel assignments were not the folks

> who know that hot air rises & poop flows downhill, but rather those

> who were willing to eat worms.

>

> --

> Merritt Clifton

> Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

> P.O. Box 960

> Clinton, WA 98236

>

> Telephone: 360-579-2505

> Fax: 360-579-2575

> E-mail: anmlpepl <anmlpepl%40whidbey.com>

> Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

>

> [ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent newspaper providing

> original investigative coverage of animal protection worldwide,

> founded in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes the

> decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal protection organizations.

> We have no alignment or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year;

> for free sample, send address.]

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for that insight into the nooserooms of American papers. No wonder

readership has gone way down and layoffs in print media is the top story of

the day. More examples of management bozos in action. But we should remain

diligent and keep who's left on staff on the straight and narrow via

reader's comments, which is a component of most papers online now.

Cheers,

Jigs

 

 

 

On 8/8/08 11:45 PM, " Merritt Clifton " <anmlpepl wrote:

 

>> Is it my imagination, or is it so that every article coming out about China

>> in the past two weeks is a mixture of penises and slugs...Smacks of

>> global racism to me...

>

>

> That's my impression. Part of the problem, though, is that

> animal advocates have simultaneously done a terrific job of raising

> awareness of dog-eating, cat-eating, & wildlife-eating in parts of

> China, and a very poor job of effectively and accurately targeting

> the particular locations and segments of society in which these

> practices occur.

>

> Consequently, much of the world has the impression that

> " China " and " Chinese people " do things which are no more

> representative of China & Chinese people than the redneck who goes

> coonhunting with dogs & eats opossum stew is representative of the

> U.S. & U.S. people -- and there is a hue and cry to boycott China in

> contexts that make about as much sense as threatening to boycott the

> U.S. over the practices of a minority of the older half of the white

> male population of South Squatstopee, Mississippi (who are often the

> same good old boys who used to party in their bedsheets.)

>

> Meanwhile back in the noosepaper office, editors had to

> figure out who to send to the Olympics. Most of them could only

> spare one sportswriter at a time of year when the baseball pennant

> races, NASCAR, & other U.S. & European summer sports are peaking in

> interest, and the diversity and geographical scope of the Olympics

> required sending multi-member teams.

>

> Usually this sort of situation is resolved by looking around

> the newsroom to see who else is expendable, and who else might be

> able to pick up some good feature articles between athletic events.

>

> If the Olympics had been held this time in Switzerland, the

> second reporter on the team might have been the elderly weather gent

> with an interest in cuckoo clocks.

>

> Instead, editors said to themselves, " Hmm, what else is

> happening in China? Well, I hear they eat dogs & other weird

> stuff, " and in many cases ended up sending their weirdest

> " Lifestyles " reporter, typically a " foodie " of adventurous tastes &

> no ethics, whose usual beat is prowling nightclubs for celebrity

> gossip.

>

> So that kind of reportage is what we're seeing, which is in

> turn reinforcing the stereotypes created in the first place largely

> by geographically and culturally illiterate activists who persist

> promoting the notion that people in one part of a large nation are

> somehow responsible for what people who may even speak a different

> language sometimes do, more than 1,000 miles away.

>

> I happen to know several serious environmental reporters who

> had hoped to get a chance to see China & pursue serious articles

> involving animals & habitat, who are currently quite unhappy because

> the recipients of the Olympic travel assignments were not the folks

> who know that hot air rises & poop flows downhill, but rather those

> who were willing to eat worms.

>