Another Extreme Solution

Three Hong Kong reporters were beaten and arrested for dubious reasons in Xinjiang two weeks ago. The mistreatment and false accusations triggered protests and demands for clarification. Though I was angry and saddened by this incident, the first thing that came to mind was how to fight back.

As two of the detained reporters were getting beat up, the third reporter was able to record the incident with his camera. Unfortunately, the tape was confiscated during his detention. What to do?

Maybe the awesome TV show The Unit was still fresh in my mind, so I thought of covert operations. When reporters are in a sensitive area such as China, they should bring along a "covert reporter". This covert reporter will be outfitted with sophisticated spy glasses with a built in camera and microphone. If trouble arises, the covert reporter will spring into action and casually record the whole incident.

Regular TV stations can't officially release footage? I agree. The covert operation should stay secret. This covert operation must remain a secret for the sake of future missions. So instead of the TV station admitting it was their footage. First release it anonymously on a Chinese YouTube-esque website, then broadcast the video on the local news, claiming it was taken and uploaded by a random person on the scene. Let those violent keystone cops know that there's always someone watching.

Again, it's one of my bizzaro solutions to one of the world's troubles that will never happen. When you get beaten up and falsely accused of "inciting public disorder".

"Chinese People Suck" Revisited

Original post can be found here.

Mandy said...

Chinese people have a self concept of being "polite and modest". This is their national identity anyhow. I do think this rather ironic at times.

I have trouble knowing what to say when they say to me "Chinese people are more modest than westerners" (many Chinese I've spoken to feel Americans are "opinionated"). For Westerners, sharing ones personality, ones likes and dislikes, are a sign of friendship and trust/ a willingness to engage enthusiastically. To them it is seen as arrogance. Misunderstanding? Maybe.

I think they feel extremely fortunate to be, as they see it, of a more morally and culturally superior culture (I am reminded of this often).

Chinese tell me about the racist Americans that made black people sit at the back of the bus, then, in the same breath tell me they "don't like Indians because they are too dark". (BTW I am not American). There are different rules regarding what is PC and what is not. Perhaps some westerners share these kinds of prejudiced sentiments but they are sure as hell not going to voice this! This is an amusing point.

You have to be so hard and tough in China. I am far too much of a softy and friendly person I guess. People at markets manipulate and force one into situations one doesn't want to be. They do not take "No thank you" for an answer. I feel very uncomfortable with being cornered. In these setting the Chinese can be uncharacteristically confrontational. Wow. I avoid markets now as it is traumatic and I feel bullied (although maybe this IS a cultural misunderstanding on my part, I'm try to be diplomatic!)

People are guarded and they fight for their territory (spatially on trains etc but during bargaining too). I think it is related to the trauma of the revolution and the fact that there are toooo many people (upping competitive/grabbing mentality). The people are not very trusting- not just with westerners but with each other too.

The public behavior is not very refined to the Western eye and the Chinese are FIERCELY practical people (hence the supposedly rough tone during speaking- not a true indication of attitude). When I think of things from this perspective I don't really take offense to being pushed out the way by charging people rushing to the seat on the subway.(-:

While I DO want to tear my hair out sometimes, I have developed affection for a lot of people here in China!

Keep engagements light-hearted is the key here I think.

SEP 9, 2009 1:15:00 AM

Re: Mandy
Wow! This piece was written over three years ago and I still manage to get a response about once a year. At first I thought the title might be a little too strong, but now I'm kind of glad I used it. Perhaps I have a new found respect for the word, suck.

I first wrote this piece out of anger and disgust. I was unhappy that my own people were such an embarrassment. It's been three years and I admit that I haven't mellowed out one bit. Something has changed though. Instead of getting angry, I'm getting even. Instead of avoiding people or trying to snake my way through crowds, I find myself bumping people and giving a helpful nudge now and then. Rest assured, not everyone gets this type of treatment. I never push women or children, and I only bump the people who are doing something blatantly wrong like cutting the cue, or blocking the way for no reason. Hey, I even forgive those people with lazy feet who are unable to walk in a straight line.

In these three years I've seen worse examples than my plane debacle. There is a lot of wrong in China, and there are plenty of Chinese wrongdoers. At the same time there are some examples of good, and despite the title I used I think it is obvious that not all Chinese people suck.

Anyhow, followers of this blog will realize that I have moved on from this subject, as there are much bigger fish to fry. Bad manners are the least of China's worries. Defeating corruption and taking care of the underprivileged Chinese citizen takes precedence.

Thank you for your insightful comment.

Another Fallen Hero: 譚作人

From the Associated Press.

Another China activist charged with subversion

(AP) – Jul 31, 2009

BEIJING — A Chinese activist who questioned why so many schoolchildren died in 2008's massive earthquake has been charged with subversion and will stand trial in mid-August, his lawyer said Friday.

Tan Zuoren's trial is to begin Aug. 12 in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province where a devastating earthquake last year left nearly 90,000 dead or missing, said lawyer Pu Zhiqiang of Beijing's Huayi Law Firm.

Tan is accused of inciting to subvert state power, but it was not immediately clear what evidence will be brought against him, Pu said by telephone from Chengdu.

Beijing routinely uses the charge of subversion to imprison dissidents for years.
Following the 7.9-magnitude earthquake in Sichuan, Tan tried to investigate the collapse of school buildings in the quake and the number of schoolchildren killed, estimating at least 5,600 students were victims.

Tan had hoped to complete his investigation before the May 12 anniversary of the quake, but he was detained in late March, Hong Kong-based activist network Chinese Human Rights Defenders said earlier.

In May, the government finally released its own count of students killed in the disaster, putting the official toll at 5,335.

Critics allege that corruption-enabled shoddy construction caused several schools to collapse while buildings nearby remained intact — a politically sensitive theory that the government has tried to quash.

Officials blame the sheer force of the quake as the main cause of the number of flattened schools.

Pu said the charges appear to be linked to Tan's quake investigation as well as essays he wrote about the 1989 student-led demonstrations in Tiananmen Square that ended in a deadly military crackdown.

China has always reacted sharply to any challenges to its one-party system, but it is also cracking down on any dissent ahead of a gala celebrating the communist regime's 60th anniversary on Oct. 1.

Subversion. That's what most of China's greatest modern heroes are often accused of. Why? Because our great nation is so corrupt and backwards and too proud/afraid/stupid to admit that they fucked up.

Prostitutes: 1 Politicians: 0

From the Hong Kong Standard...

Poll gives prostitutes a leg up

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Prostitutes are considered more trustworthy in China than government officials and scientists, a survey suggests.

Sex workers are considered trustworthy by 7.9 percent of 3,376 respondents, putting them in third place after farmers and religious workers, Insight China magazine said.

"A list like this is at the same time surprising and embarrassing," the China Daily said yesterday in an editorial.

"The sex workers' unexpected prominence on this list of honor is indeed unusual."

The list showed scientists and teachers ranked "way below, and that government functionaries, too, scored hardly better."

Soldiers and students were ranked right after sex workers.

The editorial found it "worrisome" that there was a "dramatic drop in government credibility ratings."

More than 91 percent of the respondents admitted "they would take government data with a pinch of salt," it said.

"Given the constant feed of scandals involving the country's elite, this is not bad at all."

It added: "At least the scientists and officials have not slid into the least credible category, which consists of real estate developers, secretaries, agents, entertainers and directors."

Why why why why why am I not surprised.

I understand that defeating corruption is a daunting task. I know that this is not a job that can be accomplished quickly, but when your people (if this were a truthful national survey, I'll bet the number would be higher than 7.9%) trust prostitutes more than they trust government officials... YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM!

My brainstorming...

Instead of using the media to their advantage, the government tres to conceal pretty much everything. Why not use the media to put pressure on corrupt officials? Why not purposely leak information to expose local government criminals? Yes, it is difficult for good China officials to go against the flow and risk being ousted by their corrupt peers. So perhaps covert operations are in order. Leak information to the press, give them the freedom to expose the most corrupt officials, give covert protection to reporters who face danger.

Instead of creating secret "police" to "maintain peace" (the government has unlicensed, unofficial, unlawful, brutally violent secret police that beat up citizens for minor infractions), the good politicians should create secret police that exposes corruption and protects the whistleblowers. Naturally, the high up officials must be able to cut all ties with these covert operators in order to not arouse suspicion among their peers. I think with covert operations, the press, and internet bloggers working together, it is possible to defeat corruption and regain the faith of the people.

Anyways, that would be my dream anti-corruption operation. I'm almost 100% sure it will never happen.

Can Jonas Blane and The Unit beat corruption?

TSM 20th

The TSM anniversary has come and gone. There have been countless blogs, editorials, and articles about the 20th anniversary and what it means. So I'm not going to talk about the people who are still suffering from the incident, the ways China has been trying to hide the truth, or the way some have gone as far as attempting to deny the incident actually took place.

Simply, to me it was and still is as devastating as 9/11. TSM hurts more than 9/11 because the TSM has not yet been resolved. No one has taken responsibility for the death of (official death toll still not confirmed) the student protesters. Most protesters are still to this day forbidden from holding a job, receiving social benefits, entering the country, or have been jailed. What makes me angry, sad, and helpless is the fact that in 20 years, nothing has changed.

Pro Beijing folk are preaching forgive and forget, when the almighty Central Government won't even show the tiniest bit of forgiveness for the dead, those who try to mourn the dead, and the protesters who for the most part were trying to quash corruption and not fight for democracy.

I believe this is another misconception of TSM. Many believe that the students were dead set on making China a democratic nation. That is only partially true. The students pushed for democracy because it was a method of defeating corruption. Officials chosen by the people would have to be accountable for their actions. I know a lot of people are out there speculating whether China could have achieved today's success with a democratic system in place (in other words, if the students had gotten what they wanted*). Not to say that their arguments aren't relevant, but they don't mean that much to me. The stem of the problem then was corruption, and that fact has not changed: China is still extremely corrupt, and the people are suffering because of that.

The main concern of the students who protested are the same concerns I have for China today. Most of the students and disgruntled citizens had no intention of forcing democracy upon China. They were simply fed up and felt disenfranchised due to rampant corruption.

I don't believe that the TSM is the only outstanding issue facing China today. Heck, it isn't even one of the more important ones. Current issues corrupt officials, land ownership, secret police, freedom of speech, human rights... the list goes on. However, I feel it is necessary to remind China and the world that no one has forgotten about the TSM. It is necessary to remind China that killing unarmed students in cold blood is not acceptable, and no amount of national or economic success can erase this fact.

No Tube for You

YouTube blocked in China? It was only a matter of time. Am I surprised this happened after promises of a more "open" internet? No. China makes few promises, and has a problem with keeping them. Lies and contradictions are common place. Its these contradictions and lack of clarity that drove away the faith I had in this country years ago. Not that I don't have well wishes for China. I really want to see China do well, but not in the way that most people consider to be "well". Responding to the YouTube blockage, China had this to say:

"Many people have a false impression that the Chinese government fears the Internet. In fact it is just the opposite," the official, Qin Gang, explains. "China's Internet is open enough, but also needs to be regulated by law in order to prevent the spread of harmful information and for national security."

Another "Chinaism", another disappointment.

(Read more here)

Fallen Hero

廣東作家陳啟棠協助農民維權被秘密判刑

2009-01-05
曾協助南海山三鎮失地農民維權的廣東網絡作家陳啟棠，被關押一年多後遭秘密判刑兩年半。家人質疑審訊不公平。維權人士則批評中國政府以言入罪。（張麗明報道）

陳啟棠的妻子張月清向本台粵語組表示，她本周日致電法官，才得悉法院已於上周三開庭宣判，判處陳啓棠入獄兩年半。她仍未收到判決書，不能確定他被定罪是否被捕時所指控的招搖撞騙罪。她批評法院沒有通知家屬開審和宣判日期，令她失去與丈夫見面的機會，亦無法確定審訊過程是否公正。她說：我們一直都不知道。第一次開庭我已問他為甚麼不通知我們，他說他是成年人，不用通知家屬。他犯了甚麼大罪，可以不通知？

陳啟棠是於前年十月下班回家途中被公安人員帶走了，至今已被關押十四個多月。張月清說，在這一年多裡，家人一直無法與陳啟棠見面，完全不知道他在獄中待遇。家人原本聘請了律師為他辯護，卻收到陳啟棠的信件，表示他會自辯，毋須聘請律師。

張月清指，當局只允許陳啟棠寫信給家人，但信件都被監控，所以陳啟棠是否受到壓力才拒絕聘請律師，家人無從得知。她說：信是他寫的，但他是否受到壓力，我們不知道。寫信也只是家信，若談及案件或獄中情況，根本不能寄出。

張月清說，法官表示陳啟棠可於十天內提出上訴，若陳啟棠不提上訴，家人最快可於本周末安排與陳啟棠見面。她非常擔心丈夫的情況，呼籲國際社會關注，迫使中國政府儘快釋放他。

一直關注陳啟棠情況的廣東作家廖祖笙指責廣東當局，純粹因為陳啟棠發表文章和協助南海三山鎮失地農民維權而把他判刑。他說：肯定跟他寫的文章有一定關係。現在是暗無天日的時代，甚麼事情都可以發生。

陳啟棠是廣東佛山人，以筆名“天理”在網上發表文章，議論時政。前年三月，他和多名維權人士，包括郭飛雄和郭永豐等人，創辦《維權聯盟》，發放中國各地維權信息，協助公民維權。被捕前，他正積極關注佛山南海三山鎮失地農民維權情況，多名農民代表遭判刑，其中一人更在囚禁期間死亡。

本台周一曾致電佛山市中級法院和佛山市看守所，希望查詢陳啟棠的情況，但電話均沒有人接聽。

As Hong Kong stepped into the new year peacefully, more injustice took place in the Mainland.

On December 31st, activist Chen Qitang (陳啟棠) was secretly sentenced to two and a half years in prison on charges of impersonation and fraud. Chen is an internet writer in the Guangdong province, who was helping villagers in Foshan City resist land grabs. The charges made against him were likely falsified, as he angered developers and corrupt government officials for aiding the helpless peasants obtain justice.

When will this stop? With the internet and more brazen reporters, the whole world can see these injustices taking place. Does this incident only look funny to foreigners? Does the Central Government not see what's going on here? This is not petty crime. Chen's imprisonment stemmed from developers stealing plots of land from villagers to build multi million dollar structures. When will China decide that it has had enough of being the butt end of corruption jokes? Jokes aside, real people are suffering here. When they try to speak out, they are bullied and punished.

Again, China gets no respect from me until this blatant theft and injustice is put to a stop.

New Style of Corruption: The Puppet

扮港商也可騙得十七億元？
24.11.2008 潘小濤

有一宗跟香港有少許關係的國內法庭新聞，看過後讓人難以置信。

主角是只讀了小學的湖北木匠王細牛。不過，這位中年漢，卻憑著一間在香港註冊、登記資本只得一萬元的空殼公司，短短四年間，在國內商場翻雲覆雨，賺了十七億元，還包了六個「二奶」。難道中國真的遍地黃金？

這位假港商的賺錢秘訣，只得一個字，就是「騙」。更奇怪的是，他的謊言其實破綻百出，卻屢試不爽。法庭透露，二ＯＯ一年，王細牛得知寧夏自治區政府準備改造寧夏賓館，於是承諾出資4.56億元，並與區政府簽訂了投資合同。然後，他以扣押招標保證金、騙取銀行貸款及工程材料等，拿到五億，再以高息來公開集資，又獲得三點二億。僅在寧夏，他已得到逾八億元。

問題是，他是如何得知寧夏區政府要改建寧夏賓館呢？是誰給他信息，又是哪個官員決定與他簽定合同呢？法庭沒有說。

之後，王細牛轉戰內蒙古，聲稱要在內蒙首府呼和浩特市的建成「西北第一高樓」，樓高169米，投資額達53億元。當地市政府高度重視，列為07年內蒙古自治區成立60周年獻禮工程。為保證工程進度，剛建成四年的公安局大樓，還有市政府大樓、龍海商廈、第一人民醫院保健樓、公安局三棟宿舍樓等全被炸掉，讓路給此「西北第一高樓」。然而，王細牛的公司自始至終都沒有出資，那個所謂「西北第一高樓」很快成了爛攤子，甚至涉嫌非法集資。到這時內蒙古警方才開始調查王細牛。當時，他已得到各種貸款及集資逾九億元。

更甚者，他用了六個假名登記了張身份證，然後成立了六間空殼公司，並且用每個假名娶了一個老婆。

聽完這個故事，大家是否滿腹疑團，為甚麼這樣一個木匠，能令那麼多大官上當受騙？他騙回來的錢，究竟流向何處。我就懷疑，他是否只是木偶公仔，背後有官方背景的人控制他，否則不可能獲得那麼多政府工程的消息，而那些地方諸侯也不會那麼信任他！看國內的新聞，即使是法庭已判了案的新聞，也不能全信官方的版本呀!

It appears that corrupt Chinese politicians have found a new way to steal from the people. They've gotten smart. Instead of strong-arming the funds and concealing the crime with their authority, they employ a "puppet" to do their dirty deeds. When this puppet gets caught, they are free of any blame.

This case in point involves a middle carpenter with only an elementary school level education. This man, Wang Xiniu, managed to open a shell company in Hong Kong and proceed to con investors into giving him a grand total of RMB 1.7 billion within the very short span of four years. Through forged documents, he has six identities, and six wives to match.

Wang's building investment proposals were obviously flawed, yet they somehow got approved. How did this happen? How did an uneducated carpenter orchestrate such an elaborate plan and actually succeed in its execution? Wang has now been caught and been proven guilty in a court of law. However, no details behind his actions have been disclosed, and the whereabouts of the 1.7 billion yuan is still unknown.

One can only come to the conclusion that there is a higher power behind the scenes. The men behind the man are likely corrupt Chinese government officials. Only they would have the power to push for the approval of such shoddy construction proposals, and only they have the ability to prevent the courts from probing any further into the people behind Wang Xiniu. Meanwhile, Wang, who began as their puppet, is now their deliberate scapegoat. They knew that his ruse was built on sand and was destined to be uncovered. Now Wang takes all the blame, and the people's money will never been seen again.

Controversial legislator quits beauty pageant

BEIJING -- After public outcry, political figure, Yuan Jing, decides to quit the ongoing "Miss Chinese International" beauty pageant.

Yuan Jing, a controversial people's congress deputy who joined in a beauty contest, shows in this undated photo. [Sina.com] When she made the announcement last week, Yuan was ranked second among more than 1,000 candidates in the contest's preliminary section, which was held online.

"I'm too busy to continue the contest," the 22-year-old explained. "I have a heavy workload."

She does. Yuan is a deputy to the People's Congress, or legislature, of east China's
Jiangsu Province and an alternate member of the Chinese Communist Youth League Central Committee.

As a politician, Yuan's entry in the Hong Kong-based beauty contest, created controversy.

Opposition didn't come from fellow politicians but instead from Internet users throughout China.

"Being a People's Congress deputy means she represents the people. What she's supposed to do is to help improve people's livelihoods, not go for a beauty crown," said a user on a forum of sina.com, China's major Internet portal.

The beauty pageant, sponsored and aired by TVB, a leading television station in Hong Kong, is an annual contest generally held in January and February. Contestants are women born in China or of Chinese descent living abroad. Some participants become famous TV stars after participating.

Many people questioned how Yuan used her political status in the pageant. On her blog, she promoted her legislative titles.

Yuan defended the move, saying "I was only introducing myself to the public. It was a kind of resume. Besides, contestants naturally would try all means to win votes. Why can't I?"

Yuan said she didn't care much about the negative responses written about her on the Internet.

"I would walk my own way."

Not all the online comments were bad. Many people supported Yuan.

"She is a girl after all, young and pretty. Being a Congress deputy doesn't forbid her to participate in the pageant," an Internet user said.

"It's an open world," said another.

Yuan admitted she didn't expect to win so many votes during preliminary selection. It isn't known just how much her political status played a role in her popularity.

Yuan did say she thought twice about applying for the contest because of her job title but she went ahead anyway.

"I'm just a 20-something. I want to go for a beauty pageant -- that's a dream cherished deep in the heart of every girl, I guess. So, why don't I give it a try?"

Yuan denied she quitted because of social pressure.

"It's really because of my own tight work schedule," she said.

"If such opportunities present themselves before me in the future, I'll go for it again, definitely. I'm not only a People's Congress deputy, but also a vigorous young person."

In my opinion, China has much bigger fish to fry. Instead of bitching about a move that could possibly make Chinese politicians look hip and cool, they should focus on stopping corrupt officials from accepting bribes and abusing power. This article should be under the gossip column.

Please focus on the important issues! Stop corruption, not beauty pageants!

Well Deserved

Am I finally agreeing with China in something? China Vice President Xi Jinping gave a speech that was very critical towards Donald Tsang and the Hong Kong government, during his visit just this week. Hopefully, Xi had the same issues in mind as the ones I've been talking about during the past two years of Tsang's administration (the year after Tung Chee Wah, and the official year when he was "elected"/appointed).

Michael DeGolyer certainly had the same issues in mind. His opinion piece (above) lists all the issues I've talked about in this blog. DeGolyer's article really summarizes where Tsang has failed and where he should have paid attention. Most of Tsang's faults are really the result of negligence (i.e. ignoring the environment). Other faults come from what seems like a clear choice (i.e. choosing to shy away from the "assistant hiring debacle"), or poor management (i.e. typhoon aftermath in the New Territories).

Well, time for me to shut up. Just read the article.

Bravo to Xi for not allowing this trip to be just a PR pat-on-the-back for Tsang.

World's Worst Tourists

No longer are Americans the world's worst tourists. Sadly, China has taken the cake in this category. A French travel website surveyed 4000 hotel staff whom reflected that the worst tourists are those from China. India came in a distant second, and the French came in third. You can read about it here.

I guess this isn't really news. I have experienced the ignorant Chinese tourist first hand, and it is not pretty. Let's take away the spitting and squatting, since it's kind of a cultural thing. However, the lack of manners and lack of respect are actions I just don't understand. It is sad to see Chinese people (including many Hong Kong people) acting so selfish and disrespectful while in a foreign country.

Don't worry, things haven't changed completely. Americans were still voted as the loudest.

Sympathy

Last week, a kid from Beijing went to Shanghai, charged into a police station in Shanghai, and started killing police officers. The toll from his action was six dead, and four wounded. The curious thing about this incident, is that Chinese netizens are praising this kid as a hero. The story (or rumor) is that this kid was accused ot stealing a bicycle, arrested, and beaten, resulting in him having become impotent. This rampage was his revenge. Internet folk have created websites and tributes to the kid for his heroic actions.

The true horror of this story is that the rumored unjust treatment by the police, and the kid's motive for revenge are so believable. The netizens aren't gullible. They are just so accustomed to corruption and incidents of injustice that to them, the kid's accusations come as no surprise.

China's biggest enemy is still itself.

Safety First

Here we see Chinese soldiers preparing to defeat terrorists. No joke. These are undoctored photos, and they were published in a newspaper (in the third photo, you can see signs in the background stating this is a anti-terrorist training exercise). I'm guessing this is in preparation for the Olympics. This is also the dumbest shit I've seen in a long time.


Is a caption even necessary for this photo? What the hell? Soldiers on Segways? Is this their feeble attempt at being cool? It is failing miserably. This isn't even funny. It is very sad. Please stop.


What? So they're using flame throwers against terrorists? How is this even remotely useful in an anti-terrorist situation? You'll likely be facing a large crowd which will likely consist of innocent bystanders. Oh wait, but if you accidentally charbroil 100 innocent people, you can just block the media from reporting it. One hundred suddenly turns to one, and of course they'll say that one person was the terrorist.


What do we have here? This water truck is:
A) Spraying "terrorists" to disperse them.
B) Misting people because it's too hot.
C) Helping prepare for a new Olympic event: "rain sprints".

Oh! I get it now. They're spraying this water sprinkler style in order to extinguish the flames, in case all that flame-throwing gets out of hand. What else could it be? This weak sauce stream of water can't possibly stop a terrorist.

(Morons.)

Then again, these "anti-terror" drills are probably actually "anti-protester" drills.

Meh Olympics Side Story: Meh Torch

A newspaper decided that it was really important for the public to know the difference between the authentic, "priceless" Olympic torch, and a fake eBay Olympic torch. It is baffling as to why they felt the need to use half a page to cover this news. Then I realized why after seeing this chart.

They just HAD to emphasize that the torch is priceless (無價). Oooooo, that's right... another reminder of how sacred and important and amazing the 2008 Olympics is going to be.

Also laughable is how they spend half the article explaining that the real torch can be lit, while the fake torch cannot. I don't know why I need to know this. Perhaps they thought that people would be dissuaded from buying the fake torch if they knew they couldn't light up the flame and parade around their neighborhood.

However, what I find to be absolutely the most absurd thing is how China spent tens of millions of yuan (US$X,000,000) over the past two years to create the special fuel that can manage to stay lit on the Himalayas leg of the torch relay. I won't even talk about how much could be done with that money in rural China. How about using that money to invent something good for the nation? Perhaps create the first LED Olympic torch? Show off China's technological prowess after inventing the first electric Olympic torch. It would also show China's newfound care for mother nature. Instead, the torch rides in it's own private plane that spews CO2 like there's no tomorrow.

Fun fact: did you know that this Olympic torch emits 5,500 tons of CO2? Read about it here.

6.4 不忘

As people continue to cry over the Sichuan earthquake, let's not forget those who died in vain 19 years ago today, right smack in the heart of China: Tiananmen Square.



I usually keep quiet about this issue. Usually just post a picture or a news article. However, it seems like more and more people are forgetting about the Tiananmen Square Massacre. Survey says that more and more people (nearly 15%) now think that the Chinese government did the right thing when they deployed the PLA, which resulted in death of thousands of student protesters.

Maybe 19 years is a long time, and people are forgetting the blood, sweat, tears, and pain they saw on television. Perhaps it is some of the younger folk who didn't live through the incident, and pass judgement based on things they were told.

Remembering "June 4th" is no easy feat. You watch as less and less people attend the annual memorial events. It's like trying to promote democracy in China, or like getting China to admit they were wrong. It's like talking to a brick wall.

Nearly 20 years later, exiled former student protesters are still not allowed back in the country. Many former protesters are still in prison. The parents of dead protesters are closely watched, and they are not allowed to go anywhere near the Square to pray for their dead children.

Since China certainly hasn't forgotten about this date, why should we? Don't give China a free pass on this. Don't let people forget.

理智躲到檯底

Rational thought thrown out the window. A high school girl says they should save pandas instead of humans. CNN guy calls the Chinese thugs. Sharon Stone says the earthquake is karma. Not only have these people been condemned on the internet, silly internet folk have asked that these people be killed or hanged or whatnot.

You see this dumbshit happen all the time on the net. People hide behind their computers and do some extreme name-calling. It transfers into reality as well, like when Fenqing threw feces and paint on the house of a Chinese Duke University girl who pushed for peace talks with Tibet. In a country with little freedom of speech, this kind of behavior is not surprising. However, seeing it happen in Hong Kong really disappoints me.

Everyday, the local Hong Kong tabloids have an article interviewing pop stars about Sharon Stone. Every response is how her speech is unforgivable, blah blah blah. When did Sharon Stone's opinion suddenly start carrying weight?! Even if it did, what's the big deal? It is her opinion, and she certainly doesn't deserve to "die", or be "chopped into a million pieces", etc.

CNN host Jack Cafferty implied that Chinese people were "goons and thugs", which caused a typhoon sized stir. Again, I don't see what the big deal is. The author of the piece above said an American journalist she talked to chuckled that The Situation Room show is a "news show" and not a "news report", in response to Cafferty's comments. Goons and thugs was Cafferty's opinion. It doesn't actually mean that everyone in America (or CNN even) thinks that all Chinese are goons and thugs. It is Cafferty's right to have that opinion. Hong Kong people should be smart enough to know how important freedom of speech is, since we currently enjoy this right and hopefully will enjoy it for ever and ever. It's this peer-pressurish, pseudo-patriotic bullshit that's destroying the few things that make us more desirable than the Mainland.

The poor high school girl who thought pandas should be saved over humans may hold a different opinion, but it is her opinion to hold. Instead, she was not only condemned by her peers, her school actually punished her for speaking her mind. I just cannot believe people in Hong Kong have fallen to this level of ignorance. Students should be rewarded for speaking out, whether or not you agree with them. What the school should have done, was ask her to explain to her peers why she thought the pandas were worth saving over the humans. An easy answer would be that pandas are facing extinction, and humans are not. What part of that argument doesn't make sense?

Hiatus/Thoughts

Where in the world? Yes, I've been away. Spent nearly two weeks in the US. Was ablt to swing by the East coast for the first time in four years. Do I miss it? Sure. Parts of it... sometimes.

So I was in the US when the earthquake hit Sichuan. It's strange how when you're not anywhere near the epicenter of tragedy, you can easily remove yourself from it. The only report I really watched was on CNN, when they interviewed an American there by phone. Otherwise, it was pretty difficult for foreign journalists to gain access at the time. It's that age old news barrier in China: when you're there, you can't get foreign news; when you're not there, you can't get any accurate news from China. So it was pretty easy for me to continue my vacation, and not think much about the quake and its victims.

When I returned to Hong Kong, then I realized how crazy people were about the quake. Newspapers printing everything in black, everything was tragedy, tragedy, tragedy, death, destruction, hopelessness. The Hong Kong media just kept feeding people negativity, as if the victims needed everyone to share their grief. Anyone person or media outlet that didn't follow suit were be "condemned" or frowned upon. It's like "Fenqing" behavior: if you don't agree with them, you're the enemy; there's no room for discussion.

Maybe it was my absence during the quake, or maybe I'm just a heartless bastard. I didn't feel sad, and I didn't need psychological help. Sichuan was a mess, and tens of thousands were dead. Yet people around the world die everyday. Some suffering African nations are in even worse situations than the quake survivors. What about Myanmar? Suddenly, people stopped thinking about them.

There are so many examples of how people suffer day in day out (even in China), yet we never think of those people. I know it's wrong to say this, but it almost appears like it's fashionable to feel sad, and cry about Sichuan, and donate money. Yet how often in our daily lives do we think about the impoverished, those struck by tragedy and injustice? Why does it take a major tragedy, and a pushy media to get us to care? I am numb by what goes on in the world today. Sichuan just didn't faze me.

Before the quake, I saw a news show (The Pearl Report) about the Olympics, and Tibet, and China's human rights record, which people were protesting. They interviewed a man living in Beijing named Wang Zhi. Wang owned property, he had a good job, and a family. Regarding the protests against the Olympics, he couldn't understand them. He said that he "doesn't have the luxury to care about human rights". That made me sad. In fact, I was stunned by his comment.

Plenty of tragedy and injustice happens in the world around us. Unfortunately, we can't seemed to be bothered by it until it hits us with sledgehammer strength.

Political Olympics

A lot of people are saying, "don't politicize the Olympics", and that it should be about sports and nothing more. Well, don't tell that to China. They were the first ones to make the Olympic games political. How?

1. Who transports a torch on a private jet? That's right, the oh-so-precious Olympic torch was flown to Beijing in a private jet.
   


2. Then it was "greeted" by Zhou Yongkang (周永康), the head of the Political and Legislative Affairs Committee of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. He is the overall 9th ranked government official in the entire Chinese Communist Party. In other words, a real big shot. The last time China sent a high ranking official to greet at the airport was in 1998, when then President Bill Clinton visited China. Clinton's visit was significant, because it was the first time an American President visited China since the Tiananmen Square Massacre.
   


3. After being transported to the Tiananmen Square, the torch was greeted by a lavish ceremony, with general secretary Hu Jintao (胡錦濤), ceremoniously lighting and passing on the torch to hurdler, Liu Xiang (劉翔), as vice-president Xi Jinping (習近平) made a speech. It was done in the same manner as when the Kings of China prayed to the gods in ancient times, the most grand of events.

The whole point was to show the world how China is an economic leader and powerhouse. The torch is a symbol of China's recent success and achievement of the status of top world power. You'd have a hard time convincing me that this torch ceremony was not political.

A Case of 排華

What happened in Lhasa? The reason for violence, you ask? We've seen this all before in the Philippines and in Indonesia. "Overseas Chinese" becoming the targets of violence, with the perpetrators being the locals, or natives.

What people often forget, is that Tibet really isn't China. China wants everyone to think Tibet is part of China, when it's actually not. The easiest way to find out is to ask a native Tibetan (no, not a Chinese person living in Tibet) what he/she thinks Tibet is part of. It would be the equivalent of saying Hong Kong was part of Britain from the 1897 to 1997. Hong Kong was under British rule, but it was never ever not part of China.

In the end, what matters most is the perception fo the people. A good many Hong Kongers are pretty attached to Britain. Okay, maybe rooting for the national football team doesn't really count, but I digress. Tibetans do not consider themselves to be Chinese no matter how hard you try to spin it. The matter worsens when people from the Mainland (漢人) come to Tibet, take up land, open up businesses, make a ton of money, and slowly but surely replace the Tibetan culture with that of their own.

A people can only lie down for so long. I don't support violence of any kind, but what did people expect.

Silence is Golden

What foreigners notice about some Mainland Chinese is how loud they talk on the phone. There is probably an official explanation for this, but here is mine: the louder you talk, the higher your status is in society. Notice when in a meeting with Mainlanders, the highest ranked person will always answer his phone during the meeting, continue to talk without leaving the room, and talk loud. Perhaps a lower ranked person will answer and talk quietly. The lowest ranked person will either not answer or leave the room to answer.

To add insult to injury, the higher ranked personel usually have the loudest, most annoying ringtones. Naturally, they have them on full blast during meetings. I'd be surprised if they even know how to use the vibrate function on their phone.

Outside of the office, pretty much everyone has their voice and phone on super loud mode. My guess is that it stems from the same reason: to show stature. The boss in public just acts as if he's in the office, by talking loud as usual. The subordinates talk loud in public perhaps to release their frustration of not being able to do it in the office, or perhaps to show that they are their own boss once the work day ends.

Anyhow, it is a nuisance and another stain on the international image of China.