Even McDonalds On Sale

Tonight, I drove by a nearby Mcdonalds, saw the big banner saying, "$2 Big Mac, $4 Big Mac Meal!"

Wow, you know how thing goes when Mcdonalds is on Sale!

Chinese to Japanese: No More Cheap MICs

This is something new to me, export of food and foodstuff from China to Japan was down, even before the now notorious dumplings.

For example, peanuts from Shandong Province, a place called by much as "Japanese's food basket", (I contributed partly to that, too, as I was importing meat products from Shandong at a pace of one container per month), has stopped going to Japan even from last summer, at least half year before the pesticide containing dumplings were found.

The reason is that Chinese side has strengthened inspection system, and one victim is the Japanese snakes makers, espcially mid to small ones, who used to rely heavily on cheap Made in Chinas, now they are facing mounting pressure to survive. Turning to domestic peanuts is out of question, because the sky high cost is unbearable for many, and prices kept going higher as more and more demand for domestic ones.

I am not totally surprised, as Chinese economy is now a part of the global economy, with everything goes up and labor costs jump, the Chinese are becoming more aware of the markets outside of Japan.

Getting to the bottom of both the dumplings and the peanuts, is a clash of a fast rising and changing China with a changing as well but not quite catching up Japan, without a comprehensive overhaul of the current dealing, I will not surprised to see that one day more Chinese products look elsewhere for markets.

Cows and Fish fillets, Make me Want to be a Vegetarian

A distributing video show circulates between Japan and the U.S., strange enough, in which a slaughter house in Southern California uses handheld electric bar to force old and weak cows to stand up, and uses forklift to lift them to slaughter stations. I first found it from Japan's TBS news website a few weeks ago, now the video has made rounds and rounds, and it makes such a wave that USDA makes a largest recall of beef in American history. I wonder how many people will be further turn off by the inhuman treatment to the so-called "hamburger cows" and turn into a vegetarian, and how Japanese will even take pride in their Kobe beef and turn back on Kansans beef? Take a look at the video and Japanese news here.

Japan finds more products contains pesticides from China, this time in fish fillets.

Who put the poison in the dumplings?

Just when Chinese frozen foods were thrown out everywhere in Japan and outside, in London as well in NYC, Japanese police found out holes in one of the packages from the poisonous dumplings. All in a sudden, the whole thing took a turn, the attention now turns to who? Whodidit?

Have you even heard that Chinese leaders apologize to people for something horrible? First time ever, they lowered their heads, even a little, but a big step forward.

Maybe the next in line to apologize is the Japanese?


NYC opens a fashion show featuring all red, it is supposed to support the heart disease patients in America, however, I found that is very appropriate color for the coming celebration of Chinese New Year.(Photo source: Yomiuri Shimbun)

Have a great weekend!

The Dumplings sunk Chinese frozen foods repution in Japan

A four person Japanese family in Chiba, just outside Tokyo, enjoyed their fried dumplings at home, Kyoza, as they are call in Japan, are mostly made in China. Within the next 30 minutes, they were rushed into a nearby hospital. Food poison, they were told. Three people recovered quickly, however, five year old daughter was more serous and had to stay in hospital.

It is certainly something the Chinese didn't want to hear, especially most of the country are fighting a once in 50 year snowstorm, and next Thursday, everyone is supposed to celebrate the coming of Year of Mouse, and the Olympics.

However, Japanese are not easy to let it go, and the government has asked Chinese government to help to investigate. More cases and more victims are being reported, Is it going to develop a Kyoza war?

Jiaozi (dumplings in English, Kyoza in Japanese) is also a traditional food for most Chinese families to enjoy during the New Year, it indicates the celebration of the New, the better and lucky. I certainly hope most Chinese will find their dumplings won't cause so much trouble.

Even they do, does Anyone care?

Foutune Cookie-who invented, Japanese or Chinese?

Have you ever wondered that a stable in Chinese restaurants everywhere except in China, Fortune Cookies are invented by Japanese?

I find this article very interesting, Check out for more from the New York Times.