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Hi Ourania,
Astute responses interleaved below.
Michael

>>> They do indeed have a solid code of ethics in China regarding
>>> ''truth in advertising," Mike. It just doesn't happen to match
>>> yours. :-)

>> Would you kindly elaborate upon it.
>> Thanks.

> Actually, I was just pointing out the cultural chauvinism
> implicit in Mike's comment. What to Mike/us qualifies as
> "ethical" may not be even be an "ethical" consideration at all in
> another culture, or may even be deemed unethical or patently
> ridiculous in terms of that culture's standard business practices.

Yes, quite. But I was asking for the solid ethical standard (or foundation)
in China that you had mentioned; I wasn't doubting that there is one.
>
> But in any case, the labeling and advertising constraints in the
> U.S. are the results of legislation and most definitely not the
> result of ethics.

Which *should* somehow correlate to or reflect the ethics of the community
at large.

>Check out the label on a can of Campbell's
> SpaghettiOs, for example. It emphasizes how healthy that junk is
> for children (because vitamins are added). And Campbell's
> advertising for that product claims, "Now you can feel good about
> giving your kids what they are asking for!" because in addition
> to being delicious (!), it's so healthful and will help them
> grow. Then look at the ingredients. One small can contains over
> one gram of sodium! On top of it, the whole salty mess is just a
> glob of white flour and cheese and sugar. That's truth in
> labeling and truth in advertising? No. That's ethical? No.
> That's legal? Yes.

You've hit on something important here. I personally believe that the entire
concept of advertising is unethical because it polutes the environment,
whether that be our great outdoors or our peace of mind on the underground.
Further, advertising is in practice a no-holds-barred attempt to get me to
buy stuff, and that in itself is unethical. That's my humble opinion.
>
> Or look at an ad from GM that says you can buy a car at x% over
> invoice, or at employee discount prices, or whatever. Naturally,
> the ad doesn't mention the dealer pack, the "manufacturer's
> fees," etc., that result in the selling price being considerably
> (and invariably) much higher than what was advertised:
> unethical, untrue, and legal.

I agree so completely I'm jumping up and down.

> Our hubristic assertions about U.S. consumer protection (not to
> mention U.S. business "ethics") are misinformed. Our notion that
> other cultures' "ethics" are inferior to ours is, well, a
> misguided assessment, at best.

Are you suggesting that the only source of consumer protection is from the
gods? I'm not disagreeing, just asking, my hubristic assertions aside.

Sooooo......what about China? Perhaps you were just rambling, much like my
additions to your post here?

BTW, I'm drinking the very worst Feng Huang Dan Cong I've ever drunk. No
pretense to Dan Cong flavor, lousy leaf, overroasted, poorly made, crumby
taste, no fruitiness, no magnolia aroma, just harsh rough and nasty. I might
as well have Alex send me some of that river water he mentioned elsewhere.
Wanna know where I got this tea? It will be my secret, and you'll never
know. (You won't get any either unless you go *far* out of your way, so
don't worry.)

Hope this helps, but the tea's still cruddy.

Michael