The totally off-topic thread

[JohnK]

Just booked my first Fifth Freedom flight...

BKK-CAN on Kenya Airways... :shock:

A tag flight?

 

[JohnM]

Has anyone ever been to Iran ?
Anthony Bourdain in IRAN on Vimeo

No - but by all accounts, it is one of the nicest, friendliest places one could go to.

Maybe it's like saying: ever been to Rwanda? Yes - it is one nicest, friendliest places one could go to.

 

[Bindibuys]

Hope everything works out to your advantage Blackcat20

 

[Cruiser Elite]

So I'm off to China next week - my No. 1 trading partner's neice is soon to give birth - so he asks me can I bring some tins of baby formula for her. No doubt you will all know history of probs in this area in China and over the years I have taken 100's of tins over with me. Product below on special in WW 2 tins / $30.



So I go to WW Thrift Park last night and ask for assistance in getting box of 6 rather than taking 6 loose off shelves. Manager says sorry cannot sell you a 'full carton' as too many people taking it in bulk overseas. So I said I will just grab 6 loose of shelf - OK he says.

I go to check out and COC says 'Sorry - limit 2 tins per customer per day' - WTF. Lady imm in front me says I will buy 2 for you - so I flick her $50 and she pays for 2 - I pay for 2 - and COC puts other 2 aside. I then collect 2 and $20 change from helpful lady - thank her - then drive to WW Mentone and buy another 2. I did test staff there and asked for 6 but same answer 2 tins per customer per day.

How long has this been going on? I know I bought 6 tins in July to take over there.

 

[Pushka]

I guess it's understandable. There has to be infant formula available for babies here and if it is all disappearing in bulk then infants here are at risk. It's not like there's a choice if breastfeeding isn't an option. And it sounds like people must have been taking it off the shelves in massive quantities in order for supermarkets to risk losing the sale.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Yes understand all that but I was specifically asking does anybody know how long WW have been restricting sales to 2 tins per customer per day? Prolly best to akk WW next time I am in there huh?

 

[anat0l]

How long has this been going on? I know I bought 6 tins in July to take over there.

Been happening for a while. Different stores have different limits, some don't monitor it all the time, and in almost any case there's no rule that's visible anywhere about it.

Basically, as you mention, the limit is in place to avoid whole shelves of the stuff being scooped up, particularly by eager Chinese who bring it back to China where the quality of the formula is universally questionable (as it were). Often, what is taken home is not all for the host family but rather can be sold onto other people for fairly high (lucrative) prices.

Mainland Chinese swooped in on supplies in Hong Kong when the last melamine panic incident. The HK SAR wasn't really prepared for this and this resulted in a shortage of formula there.

 

[PLANT]

What is the going rate of formula from au in China these days...... As au dollar dropping......
.

 

[markis10]

Yes understand all that but I was specifically asking does anybody know how long WW have been restricting sales to 2 tins per customer per day? Prolly best to akk WW next time I am in there huh?

They introduced limits in Jan 2013, and have varied it since.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Apparently there is a sign in aisle at Thrift Park - will get a pic. Gee such a vexed problem - as much as I would hate to ever contribute to a situation where Australian children might face a shortage but just imagine how the Chinese mothers must feel thinking what they buy off the shelves there could be harming their babies.

Jeez this system is really going to screw JohnK with that team of ankle biters he has in Thai and was bragging about in the Aust $ thread!

 

[Pushka]

Apparently there is a sign in aisle at Thrift Park - will get a pic. Gee such a vexed problem - as much as I would hate to ever contribute to a situation where Australian children might face a shortage but just imagine how the Chinese mothers must feel thinking what they buy off the shelves there could be harming their babies.

Jeez this system is really going to screw JohnK with that team of ankle biters he has and was bragging about in the Aust $ thread!

Is breastfeeding discouraged in China? I know the same could be said here in Australia but for some reason would have thought breast feeding a much better option wherever possible.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

I would not have thought breast feeding there was discouraged - no idea - will ask next week.

 

[clazman]

I have to ask the question.... why dosn't someone export it in bulk?

 

[anat0l]

Is breastfeeding discouraged in China? I know the same could be said here in Australia but for some reason would have thought breast feeding a much better option wherever possible.

Actually wet nurses got a bit more demand when milk powder scandals took hold in China.

I'm not sure about breastfeeding and the status in China. Certainly, I have my reservations whether breastfeeding is accepted in public in China, thus necessitating powdered milk. Not to mention powdered milk is a lot more effortless than breastfeeding (my guess - mothers may correct me here), save for obtaining reliable formula.

Having no idea about motherhood and so on, is it possible for a child to be fed enough on breastmilk alone? Otherwise, even in the Western world there clearly still must be a reason for powdered milk, as it clearly isn't on the shelves to fill a small niche.

 

[Pushka]

The medicos will chime in but unless there are issues a child can be fed solely breast milk until at least 6 months old and solids can be introduced from there.

Unless there are issues then if I was concerned about the quality of local formula milk then breastfeeding seems a no brainer rather than rely on imported and expensive and scarce formula milk or use a risky product. It doesn't make sense to me.

 

[medhead]

I thought there were import limits into china as well

 

[clazman]

I guy in the office believes it relates to the size of some Asians b**bs not producing enough milk.... so i asked what did they do 100 years ago before formula?

 

[medhead]

Actually wet nurses got a bit more demand when milk powder scandals took hold in China.

I'm not sure about breastfeeding and the status in China. Certainly, I have my reservations whether breastfeeding is accepted in public in China, thus necessitating powdered milk. Not to mention powdered milk is a lot more effortless than breastfeeding (my guess - mothers may correct me here), save for obtaining reliable formula.

Having no idea about motherhood and so on, is it possible for a child to be fed enough on breastmilk alone? Otherwise, even in the Western world there clearly still must be a reason for powdered milk, as it clearly isn't on the shelves to fill a small niche.

Breast feeding is much easier, in theory. The only draw back is mother has to be awake to feed, whereas dad can do formula feeds at night while mum sleeps. Important in the case of a friend whose child slept for no longer than 40 minutes for the first 4 months.

Physiologically breast feeding is a nightmare. Production is based on previous demand leading to potential lag in supply and also overproduction. Expressing milk is an answer but that creates the hassles of sterilisation of bottles and equipment, as well as shelf life issues, that arise with formula feeding. Then there is the pain and hassles when stopping breast feeding. I can never look at cabbage in the same way.

I guy in the office believes it relates to the size of some Asians b**bs not producing enough milk.... so i asked what did they do 100 years ago before formula?

Which is complete rubbish. Size is not a direct indication of production. Not to mention breast get bigger when breast feeding. I know a few people who are very skinny and small who've had no problem breast feeding.

 

[amaroo]

I have to ask the question.... why dosn't someone export it in bulk?

Gina Rinehart's dairy investment contrasts with undervalued breast milk

And it's why the richest Australian is spending half a billion to build Hope Dairies from scratch. Bloomberg reports it'll take up 5000 hectares of Queensland farmland pumping out an extraordinary 30,000 tonnes of infant formula per year, all of it bound for China, gazumping Australia's present milk powder exports to China of 18,000 tonnes per year.

Gina Rinehart's dairy investment contrasts with undervalued breast milk

China's infants in Gina Rinehart's sights in baby formula push


The Chinese have their own plans...

CHINESE investment is flooding into Australia’s dairy industry, with four multi-million-dollar mega-deals in progress that are likely to see Chinese state-owned companies taking big stakes in all Australia’s largest dairy farming operations.

Cookies must be enabled. | The Australian

 

[Cruiser Elite]

I guy in the office believes it relates to the size of some Asians b**bs not producing enough milk.... so i asked what did they do 100 years ago before formula?

Or 5000yrs before formula - might I suggest you go back and tell the guy in your office that he is 'clearly not a breast expert'!