General |
Posted by Terence
Aug
21
2008
More on China’s (questionable) media freedom during the Olympic period – BBC’s Panorama have aired a program a couple of weeks ago titled “China’s Olympic Promise“, presented by John Sweeney and showing that media openness is still somewhat lacking despite the assurances of the central government. Yet again, this instead merely portrays the authorities making complete twits out of themselves, in particular the young minder who surely should be doing something more useful to society like driving a bus. Panorama will air again on BBC World this weekend.
On other news, ITN’s John Ray is bundled into a police van for merely doing his job and reporting protests – something he is entitled to do under the new rules stipulating press freedom. Clearly the police did not get the memo, and instead were being typically intrusive – yet another embarrassing scene for international television. But did it stop us from seeing the protests? No.
As for the local media? Obviously there has not been much change there, with the news being as orchestrated as ever during the Olympics period. Change is taking pace, slowly, but so far it doesn’t look like the Olympics has had much immediate impact on the local media.
I found this BBC News article both amusing and disturbing at the same time. The general gist: “A plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Germany after two British women tried to open a cabin door mid-flight”.
The aircraft was returning from Greek island Kos (now there’s a surprise – Brits on a beach holiday) when two drunk women in their mid twenties started being abusive. They are suspected to have smuggled alcohol on board.
For other passengers it was no doubt an early welcome to the UK – or for the fellow Brits, “welcome home” before landing.
People like these should have their passports confiscated. But not before sending them to a remote island. Twats.
It’s an embarrassment to Brits everywhere.
This is for all Chinese drivers out there – sorry, did not write this in English:
同一个世界，同一个梦想，但不同的交通规则！
对于老外或有国外暂住经年的人事来讲在中国比较难忍受和习惯的一点是目前的道路情况。在北京，上海，深圳，及很多其他大城市都非常堵车而尤其是北京目前地铁路线暂时还不够因此市民除了开车或堵巴士就没法周围走。但我的重点并不是这个：是说国内司机还没有达到一个国外素质标准而很多开车人士都不守交通规则。
在国外及根据中国法律红灯右拐该先停车，然后在没有行人或骑车人事的情况下才继续拐弯：优先权是让给行人。
十字路口左转应该首先开到路口中间偏左等候（但不要挡住对面车辆），然后在没有行人或其他车辆的时候才继续左转；弹道曲线该平坦而不应该影响有优先的车辆。当开车人事做好文明提高素质以后这两个制度可实际实现，而在北美都很方便。但在目前中国的情况下路口交通灯指示应该更直接（前，左，右都分清楚），而警察要多抓不守规则的司机。该抓的包括红灯右转或斑马线不让行人，转线不看车，路口左转等候超线等。
在中国按喇叭和小孩儿叫“狼来了”效果一样：没人会注意。太多人无需要时都按喇叭包括最讨厌是你过马路该有优先权时候司机还有胆敢按喇叭说你挡他路！这种才是该被抓的司机! 当然，在国内也有很多行人红灯过马路也不看车，这个也是很危险的。
我的梦想是在中国大城市内能安全的过马路而开车人事和骑车者或行人都可以互相尊重大家。这样才是一个“和谐社会”
General |
Posted by Terence
May
20
2008
For some reason my WordPress had been disabled for the past few months due to some bug (security breach?) that messed up the option settings. Only after digging around online did I find a solution – somehow the plugins path had changed and subsequently crashed every post I made.
This has finally been fixed, which means i’m back to writing boring blog entries again.
Be warned.
General |
Posted by Terence
Mar
23
2008
General |
Posted by Terence
Jan
18
2008
I mentioned back in August that I ordered a $150 Medison Celebrity laptop. Well, of course, it still hasn’t arrived.
In fact, medisonscam.info haven’t received theirs either,
and nor have Crave.
Apparently nobody’s has.
Well, some things sound too good to be true. And this was definitely one of them.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
There. I said it. Nevermind that most people in China don’t know what it’s all about, nor do most people even know when it is. And if the official media are discouraged from reporting Christmas or told not to talk too much about this strange foreign Christian festival, the shops are certainly learning how to cash in on it.
In Chinese of course, we say 圣诞快乐 (Trad: 聖誕快樂) – 圣诞 meaning ‘holy birth’. I often wonder how many people understand what this even means – or indeed how many believe that the holy birth is of Mao Zedong himself, incidentally born Boxing Day 1893.
In any event Christmas is hear to stay, and in this increasingly globalised city why not?
General |
Posted by Terence
Aug
15
2007
I have just put an order through for the USD $150 Medison Celebrity notebook. If not a scam, this would be the first successful attempt at creating a budget laptop; OLPC’s original attempt at a $100 laptop is now estimated to cost around $200, and delays have meant it won’t be released till later this year.
The specs are reasonable – a Celeron 1.5GHz with 256mb RAM and 40gb HDD. Wireless LAN and 14″ WXGA screen included. Although shipping and service charge (2checkout.com will charge approx. $15 for processing) are not included, this will still turn out to be a very cheap laptop.
If it exists.
I won’t join the speculation on whether this is a scam or not (I will find out sooner or later) – but in any case 2checkout.com withhold payment from Medison pending my satisfactory reception of goods. At this point, I don’t see how I can lose out, but with a price tag that low it’s a gamble worth going for.