Yingtan Dragon Boats, Update

The Seagull received an EMail from Charles Liu, which is attached blow:

Hi Jonathan. Just want to update you on the "Yingtan: Thousands of Dragon
Boats Destroyed" blog:

- Hundreds of dragon boats did race yesterday in Tanyin:

http://www.jx.xinhua.org/news_center/2006-05/31/content_7142844.htm

- The reason holes were cut in old boats was concern for safty. And
hundreds, not thousands, were kept out of water that way. Compensations were
given to the boat owners. Some US media have choosen to translate the
Chinese word "safety" as "security" to insinuate a political undertone, but
the news reports in China all points to basic concerns over water safety and
villagers/clans fighting over race results.

http://www.folkcn.org/news/class/xwjj/wh/043834351.htm

- The public opinion in China is pretty much against arbritary destruction
of private property, although necessity of
paternalistic/authoritarian/oppressive governance in China is entirely
debatable.

Here're some chinese search engine results worth taking a look:

http://www.baidu.com/s?wd=%BD%AD%CE%F7+%D3%A5%CC%B6+%C1%FA%D6%DB&cl=3

Regards,