Chinese Acquisition
The US needs a truth in origin and packaging law that requires the disclosure of Chinese involvement in any aspect of a product’s supply chain.
Under 50 U.S.C. § 403-3a, “under ordinary circumstances, it is desirable” that either the director or the principal deputy director of National Intelligence be an active-duty commissioned officer in the armed forces or have training or experience in military intelligence activities and requirements. Only one of the two positions can be held by a military officer at any given time. The statute does not specify what rank the commissioned officer will hold during his or her tenure in either position.
The US needs a truth in origin and packaging law that requires the disclosure of Chinese involvement in any aspect of a product’s supply chain.
Smithfield Farms, the largest pork producing farm in the USA was recently sold to China with the unanimous support of its stockholders. The hogs will still be raised here, but slaughtered and packaged for sale in China before being sent back to the USA. This includes labels of Morrell, Eckrich, Krakus, Cudahy, Premium Hams, Cook’s, Gwaltney, The same with many chickens. They can now be shipped there, but when they come back all that needs to be labeled is that they WERE RAISED IN THE USA. Not that they were processed in China!!! Our great FDA at work again. The chickens will be all processed and most sold to fast food restaurants for sandwiches, along with schools and supermarkets. The China slaughter and processing are not nearly equal to the requirements here.
Acting Director of National Intelligence
President Trump just named Ambassador Richard Allen Grenell (age 53), current ambassador to Germany to be the acting DNI. Before we discuss more, let’s review what the DNI does:
The United States Director of National Intelligence (DNI) is the United States cabinet level official required by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 to:– serve as head of the seventeen-member United States Intelligence Community– direct and oversee the National Intelligence Program– serve as an advisor, upon invitation, to the president of the United States and his executive offices of the National Security Council and the Homeland Security Council about intelligence matters related to national security– the director produces the President’s Daily Brief (PDB), a top-secret document including intelligence from all the various agencies, given each morning to the president of the United States. The PDB is seen by the president and other authorized individuals.
On July 30, 2008, President George W. Bush issued Executive Order 13470,[2] amending Executive Order 12333 to strengthen the DNI’s role.[3] Further, by Presidential Policy Directive 19 signed by Barack Obama in October 2012, the DNI was given overall responsibility for Intelligence Community whistleblowing and source protection.
Under 50 U.S.C. § 403-3a, “under ordinary circumstances, it is desirable” that either the director or the principal deputy director of National Intelligence be an active-duty commissioned officer in the armed forces or have training or experience in military intelligence activities and requirements. Only one of the two positions can be held by a military officer at any given time. The statute does not specify what rank the commissioned officer will hold during his or her tenure in either position.
The DNI has a staff comprised representatives of the seventeen component organizations that he/she oversees as their representation on the President’s cabinet.
Richard Grenell is President Trump’s new pick for the job. He’s an openly gay man with limited experience in the business but he is LOYAL to the president. And that means a great deal to President Trump. The staff does most of the heavy lifting. President Trump wants somebody he can trust overseeing the intelligence community. Expect the mainstream media to react with horror at the appointment.
Betelgeuse
Some feel as if the star is about to go nova. Other scientists predict that it will transform itself into a neutron star. The smart money is against a black hole, but truth is that we’re watching something that happened over seven hundred years ago and learning while we watch. (more here).
Betelgeuse is a red supergiant and one of the largest stars visible to the naked eye. If it was at the center of our Solar System, its surface would possibly extend as far as Jupiter. But all that seems to be about to change.
Twilight Zone
So we raise the animals, the Chicoms then ship them all live back to mainland China where they are slaughtered and shipped back to the USA for sale. Seems like a stupid idea to me.
The shipping costs are offset by the labor costs? Doubtful. Probably a scheme to create more jobs in China.
Okay, just shows (like Bloomberg) that being a successful businessman or business doesn't make you smart, or very bright for that matter. Idiot move. Have they not heard of the melamine deal a few years back? Now with COVID19, heck, just package that air up and send it here. Geniuses they are not.
This is analogous to Prius drivers professing how morally superior they are to the rest of us, fully failing to realize the cadmium is mined here, shipped to China for battery production, then finished batteries are shipped back and installed in their "green/sustainable" ugly wedge of a car. How is that cost-effective?
Purposely narrowing one's view helps obfuscate reality.
China lost almost ALL of its pigs to the African swine flu, and the Chinese as a nation, consume a lot of pork. I'm sure that some will be shipped back, packaged, and other will be consumed there. Irrespective, paying attention to packaging is a good idea, and avoiding all foods made, packaged, or prepared in China – especially fish – is a VERY good idea.
Nobody has a narrower view than the greenies. It's like paddling around in plastic kayaks, protesting this or that in harbors.
These days I pay very close attention to packaging and the origin of various foods. And quite frankly, the care taken has paid off and I feel much better eating a low carb diet with attention to the ingredients. And feeling better is what it's about.
A couple of notes- very often, products are packaged with a "Distributed by company A, Smithville USA" label- a cloaking device to lead people to think it is actually sourced in the US.
Also- I watched a bunch of Chinese cellphone video from Wuhan- there was a lot that was expected, like the homes being barred from the outside, street riots, giant wards filled with semi comatose people-
But there was something that struck me as an anomaly- the Chinese cops, by and large, engaged in close grappling of people, had nothing more than surgical masks on. Does that suggest they were in any fear of contagion? One could make the inference they were NOT concerned about it. Why?
Thanks for the warning, LL.
It's tough to know. The phrase "Chinese cops" can be misleading because the People's Armed Police (likely who you are referring to) are a component of the People's Liberation Army. Which means that they follow orders, or mutiny and are executed. They'll do what they are told to do without a whole lot of thought. Somebody will tell them that the mask will protect them and they'll believe it whether or not they do in their secret heart.
Mind boggling that our produce is shipped across the Pacific and processed in China then shipped back. Does the USDA inspect the slaughter houses and processing factories? Why does congress allow foreign companies purchase vital food processors? It would seem to me our food stocks are a National Security concern. But, We are talking about the Big Club of Oligarchs and chamber of commerce republicans.
Us as well…except for all the required Left-watching amusement popcorn, kinda throws off the diet balance a bit.