back to article Five charged after fanboi sells kidney for iPad and iPhone

Five people have been charged in southern China with illegal use of a kidney after a teenage fanboi in the country sold one of his organs to buy a shiny new iPhone and iPad. Xinhua news agency reported that the five include Song Zhongyu, a surgeon from a provincial hospital in Yunnan province, Su Kaizong, who works in a …

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  1. Nuke
    Gimp

    Earmark a Darwin Award

    Is there a such a thing as a provisional Dawin award? That becomes a full version in due course?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      well

      They are the most desirable items other than a Ferrari.....

      A win, almost win situation, someone gets a life saving changing item, the other gets what is to him a life changing device?

      1. Tapeador
        FAIL

        Re: well

        If you think the latter two even vaguely equivalent, I suggest you ask that your brain be re-implanted.

        1. Thomas 4

          Cool!

          And when he's on dialysis later in life, he can tweet it from his iPhone and use his iPad to renew his 10 different types of medication online!

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        "They are the most desirable items other than a Ferrari....."

        Speak for yourself. For the tech savvy:

        Ferrari = A big Fiat

        Apple = Fischer Price computing devices for vacuous twunts

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Earmark a Darwin Award

      It's a kidney... they are one of the only redundant things in your body, if you're gonna sell a part it's a pretty obvious one to get rid of with no long term ill effects unless you get a problem with the remaining kidney, in which case, hope you've earnt enough to buy someone elses spare by then.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: one of the only redundant things in your body

        I'll keep my kidneys, but if anyone wants to make me a decent offer for an appendix or set of tonsils....

      2. This post has been deleted by its author

      3. MrZoolook
        FAIL

        Re: Earmark a Darwin Award

        "It's a kidney... they are one of the only redundant things in your body, if you're gonna sell a part it's a pretty obvious one to get rid of with no long term ill effects unless you get a problem with the remaining kidney"

        You contradict yourself. If you kidneys are redundant organs, there would be no market for selling them let alone a reason to be waiting one on the transplant list. Also, you could sell one and get the other taken out, appendix style, if it developed problems later... Being redundant you wouldn't need it anyway. Then you also wouldn't need to buy someone elses, you'd just have no kidneys with no long term effects whatsoever. In fact, you would just sell them both at first anyway.

        Kidneys != Redundant. If it did, nobody would ever need dialysis machines.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Earmark a Darwin Award

          I'm not sure redundant means what you think it does.

          It doesn't mean that you don't need it, just that there is some sort of spare/backup in place to take over if one fails.

  2. Bob Vistakin
    Devil

    m$ users sell their soul

    Apples toys pale in comparison.

    1. llewton

      Re: m$ users sell their soul

      actually both ms and apple consumers sell their souls, it's just that apple consumers apparently also sell their body parts.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: m$ users sell their soul

        Linux users sell their intellect so the can say thing over and over and try and take the moral hgh ground. I haven't heard an original thought from a Linux user in ages.

        Their brain os given over to hive mind

      2. Ted Treen
        Trollface

        Re: m$ users sell their soul

        But a REALLY savvy user (of any platform) would be like BOFH and sell someone else's body parts.

  3. Pooka
    Trollface

    So...

    I guess it's a little less than an arm and a leg....

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Seriously?

    I can't believe that the average Chinese person is any dumber than the average Brit, so why are they doing it? Is it because in China those at the bottom of the heap are so desperate to move up that they are willing to put their own lives in danger to obtain the symbols of wealth and success?

    Fuck me that's awful, if true.

    1. Martin Huizing

      Re: Seriously?

      He didn't sell his kidney for an iPad and iPhone but to pay off his gambling debt. What's a 17 year old boy to do with 22k rmb but to buy sth that will cheer him up... I feel bad for the lad being coerced into a situation like this.

      1. Richard 12 Silver badge

        Re: Seriously?

        I think it was the doctor who had the gambling debt.

        The teenager just wanted an iPad and has no idea of the consequences - like most teenagers.

        - When I was that age I built a zipline down a ravine with a couple of friends, and one of us swept through a holly bush when the brakeline snapped. So we tied the brakeline back together, tightened the zipline and had another few goes!

      2. Goldmember
        Thumb Down

        @Martin Huizing Re: Seriously?

        Read the article - the ringleader of the group was the one with the gambling debt:

        "and ringleader He Wei, who organised the operation to pay off his gambling debts."

        The kid was not coerced into anything, he's just a complete fucking idiot.

        1. Martin Huizing
          Facepalm

          Re: @Martin Huizing Seriously?

          Eh... sorry guys... should have read the article proper before posting. Please be gentle...

  5. ChrisM

    This is just stupidity

    What sort of moron does this for real, this is the stuff of urban legend and pub humour.... Apple is a very desirable product but this is just idiocy.

    And to forestall any comments, this isn't Apples fault, they sell the dream and their products cost an arm and a leg, but this is too creepy.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Stupid is as stupid does.

    "The illegal trade in organs is big business in China, where demand way outstrips supply. "

    Not a situation unique to China.

    Also, considering that China has the largest population in the world, it is only to be expected that, in absolute numbers, they will also have the largest number of stupid people, and consequently, stupid stories about stupid people.

    1. Annihilator
      Unhappy

      Re: Stupid is as stupid does.

      Quite. When travelling in India there were a number of people on the streets begging who I noticed were missing various limbs. I was told by a local that it was common for people to pay to remove limbs in order to generate more sympathy and increase their income via begging. The prominence of the missing limbs went some way to validate this claim.

      1. Philip Lewis
        Unhappy

        Re: Stupid is as stupid does.

        Jabberwocky

    2. skeptical i

      But largest population = most dead/ dying people = largest potential pool of organ donors, yes?

      Obviously, not every person dying in China will leave a harvest of usable organs (disease will get some, physically violent deaths will get others), so demand will probably always be ahead of supply, but "way outstripping"? Is there some cultural twitch over there that has people not donating organs?

      1. Jonathan Richards 1
        Stop

        @skeptical i re: cultural twitch

        Yes. You have put your finger on it. I am told that many people believe that unless their bodies are buried entire, they will not be re-incarnated. In that they have not dissimilar views to those of certain Christian sects, though they believe they are putting their resurrection at risk.

  7. llewton
    Linux

    that dear stylish boy whom the deities blessed with such appreciation of excellent design and fair price when it comes to hardware and software must sell his other kidney asap and put himself out of misery.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I don't get it

    When I was 17 I wouldn't have sold a kidney for any iDevice. However, a chance to schtup Jessica Alba and I'd be on the operating table before you could say randy teenager. Kids today have their priorities all arse about face.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I don't get it

      I'm always puzzled when people come out with this sort of thing. What exactly has Jessica Alba got that thousands of other women don't have?

      Note: I must confess to not knowing anything about this woman other than she is some sort of celebrity. I dont even know what she looks like but two things I am sure of. I'm not even the slightest bit tempted to look her up on google to find out and secondly there's probably more attractive, in all it's senses, females right here in the office.

      1. VinceH
        Facepalm

        Re: I don't get it

        " I'm always puzzled when people come out with this sort of thing. What exactly has Jessica Alba got that thousands of other women don't have?"

        Nothing. He was probably just naming an attractive woman that a large umber of readers would recognise to illustrate the humourously intended point that bagging a gorgeous, but out of reach woman should be a higher priority to a teenage boy than getting a couple of shiny new toys. That if you're going to put your life at risk, there are better things to aim for as a reward.

        Personally, I'd rather keep my organs - I'm rather attached to them. Badumtish!

        1. Ted Treen
          Angel

          Re: I don't get it

          Agreed..

          but the said Ms Alba as a pole dancer in 'Sin City' was quite exciting to this 62 yr old...

          Now if only I could remember WHY I was getting excited...

  9. Khaptain Silver badge
    WTF?

    One kidney less

    Now that the said donor has one less kidney, renal failure, a a little bit cash( not including the new medical fees), it would be ineresting to hear how important he feels that an Ipad/Iphone really is.

    The sad part is that this is what "marketing" is really all about, drumming up a frenzy of "wanton desire" for a product that has no intrisic value. It really is pretty damned sad that the human being can be reduced to such a level.....

    You could easilly replace ipad/iphone by any product that teenagers want or that is seen as the "HipThang".

    1. Dave 126 Silver badge

      Re: One kidney less

      Quite. Like the London riots... All these impoverished (financially, educationally, socially, possibly intellectually) people were stealing products they only wanted because a lot of effort had been put into creating that desire. Nike et al engineering a situation so as that they can relieve a less-than-well-off person of £100 for a pair of trainers....

      However, it seems there are plenty of rich people in China who can afford shiny toys and aiming marketing at them is fine... it's just that poor people will want to emulate them. Besides, Apples marketing department (the press and rumour mill) is not under their control.

  10. tkioz
    Facepalm

    It...

    ... had to be an Apple product didn't it?

    You never hear of someone selling a body part for Android or Windows Phone...

    Poor brainwashed Apple fanatics... No device is worth a kidney... except a portal gun.

  11. Snar
    Coat

    It's organ wrong in China

  12. Charlie Clark Silver badge

    This is David Lander

    Terrible if it's true.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuZ5tKucdfo&feature=relmfu

    1. kissingthecarpet
      Thumb Up

      Re: This is David Lander

      That link is down - 4oD have got the 1st series

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUxLh09XyGc

      The dodgy defence contractor episode is worth watching as well - thinks its from the mid-80s.

      1. Charlie Clark Silver badge

        Re: This is David Lander

        It's episode 6 of the first series - 4oD isn't available in Jormany - where an unscrupulous surgeon performs needless surgery on hapless patients including harvesting their organs for sale. David Lander was an excellent precursor to Chris Morris' Brass Eye satire of the documentary though there is a kind of innocence from the age before nowtrage.

        I'd like to say "life following art" but find the whole idea extremely disturbing: organ harvesting does unfortunately.go on.

  13. David 45

    Mad

    Stark staring barking mad. That is all.

  14. Yeah Right 2
    Devil

    Silly Doctor

    He would have gotten away with it if he had sold all of the kid. Well, except for the brain, that part belongs in the trash.

  15. Cunningly Linguistic
    Devil

    At least he'll have something to play with when in the hospital awaiting death.

  16. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Prison will do them well

    These two stupid to be on the street.

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    I WOULDNT SELL A KIDNEY FOR AN IPAD

    HOWEVER I WOULD GIVE A FOOT FOR A SHINY NEW BUICK

    1. kissingthecarpet
      Windows

      Re: I WOULDNT SELL A KIDNEY FOR AN IPAD

      What - the foot you were going to operate the pedals with? Also it may be the case that your foot would generate less exitement in the illegal transplant market than you might think. You'd probably have to pay them to remove your foot, in fact.

      1. The Indomitable Gall

        Re: I WOULDNT SELL A KIDNEY FOR AN IPAD

        You forget that most American cars have an automatic gearbox, so you only need one foot anyway.

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Probably wouldn't sell one of my kidneys for £2,000, £10,000 and we're probably getting down to business, saves a life and gives me some spending money. Where's the problem?

    Unless something goes wrong with my remaining kidney, but then my bodies full of so many non-redundant parts I envy the average duel processor, duel power servers. Also the mere mind boggling array of ways I could die makes worrying about increasing one factor silly. I'd still be far more concerned with getting hit by a vehicle in some unfortunate situation, or a house fire, or a gas explosion, or slipping down the stairs...

    The kidney is about the only thing I'd sell though.

  19. Steven Roper

    And nothing of value was lost

    so just stand back and let Darwin do his job.

  20. Mike Judge
    Stop

    important question

    Does he still have enough stength to wave his status symbol around?

  21. Armando 123

    Illegal Use of a penalty

    #85, offense. 10 yards, repeat second down

    (Already jonesing for NFL.)

  22. jake Silver badge

    I'm waiting on snopes.com commentary. I smell hoax.

    That said, when I was a teenager, I was learning how to run a Bridgeport CNC ... I didn't want to just use the shiny new toy; rather, I wanted to to know how to make the shiny new toy make stuff that I could use in RealLife[tm]. I did. PC boards from scratch was an early one. Pretty bracing for custom motorcycle frames followed soon after. Bultaco dirtbike engine parts soon followed. Then cross-draft heads for L-series Datsun engines. Today, I make one-off titanium plates for vets restructuring the bones of critters hit by cars ... All under computer control. And I control the computer, not vice-versa.

    I'll still be using what I learned 40 years ago in 40 years (and still using my Bridgeport, for that matter!). I doubt that anyone using anything iFad-ish has learned anything that they will still be using ten years from now. I can guarantee that iFads won't exist.

    Honestly, my mind boggles that folks think the flash[1] & glam is important. We are supposed to control the computer, people ... the computer isn't supposed to control us!

    [1] Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know.

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "Honestly, my mind boggles that folks think the flash[1] & glam is important. We are supposed to control the computer, people ... the computer isn't supposed to control us!"

    <snore> <snore> Yeah and when I were a lad we...

    Guess people also said PCs would never be of use - the reality is in a few years you may be using an iPad to control your CNC.

    The iPad is a tablet computer - but I guess if it's not an ageing 8086 running MS-DOS it's too modern for you. The iPad helps you learn - interactive / talking books, all sorts - try looking in many schools and even nurseries now - many have iPads - not because the kids or teachers want something 'glam' but because it's a great tool to help them learn.

    1. jake Silver badge

      @AC:09:14

      "the reality is in a few years you may be using an iPad to control your CNC."

      Uh ... no.

      "Tools" are not synonymous with "mass media distractions", no mater how hard marketing tries to convince me to the contrary.

      You bringing up toddlers being indoctrinated in iFadism only makes me sad.

  24. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Everyone has a price - his price was an iPad but if you ask yourself a question - would you accept £1,000, £25,000, £100,000, £250,000, £1,000,000 for a kidney - chances are 99.9% of people are somewhere on that line.

    Most people would probably rather think they were nearer the £1M mark but if you needed the money and didn't need the kidney?

  25. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    [1] Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know.

    Yeah, yeah, yeah we knew - you didn't even have to point it out. Flash, iFad oh I mean iPad <ho ho ho>.

    This article is nothing about the iPad 'controlling' anyone - it's about people who wanted the money to buy an iPad more than their kidney or virginity - I'm sure many people have sold more for less.

    1. jake Silver badge

      @AC:09:22

      And that's not Marketing controlling the mindset of the individual how, exactly?

  26. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    It's only a kidney or a shag - people will have been killed for less and as far as I can see both were not coerced. Basically the girl had a shag for £500 - probably a lot more than many people get ;) Don't even see why this is being linked to an iPad - if it had been £500 cash it would probably not have even made the news.

    The boy sold a kidney for £500 but what's *your* price - £5,000 maybe - £50,000 probably - £500,000 definitely?

    1. jake Silver badge

      @AC 09:28

      Not for sale.

      Will donate, if needed.

  27. Doug Glass
    Go

    What is it the lifeless say?

    "Without pictures it didn't happen."

  28. Nameless Faceless Computer User

    yea right

    If it sounds like an urban legend than it is an urban legend.

  29. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Bound to be some morons ...

    ... among a billion (10**9) people, given there is one born every minute.

  30. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Did you register as an organ donor?

    We've come for your liver

  31. Radio Wales

    Desire

    I don't feel attracted to an iPhone at any price (their advertising hype doesn't work on me) but I'd love a dollop of whatever it is they use that convinces kids that they're worth a body part..

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