Blacklist Whitelist

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the Communist Party announced on a conference held in Beijing on Dec 16, 2009 that the entire overseas Internet would be blocked. Instead of past practice of using a blacklist (on the list: Flickr, YouTube, Picasa, Wikipedia, Blogger, Twitter, to name a few) to filter out unhealthy information, a whitelist will be used to allow only selected sites going through the Great FireWall (GFW). Overseas websites must file a record to be white-listed.

The measure is hailed a critical step to protect our children from harmful information such as pornography and gambling, and to shield adult Internet surfers from junk EMails and computer viruses.

Collateral Damage of Obama's China Visit

Father of a stoned-child victim of the Sanlu Milk, Mr. Zhao Lianhai became a collateral damage of President Obama's China visit.

Although Zhao and Obama did not know or hear of each other, Beijing resident Zhao was arrested days from his home before Obama's visit because the authority was afraid Zhao, the organizer of an advocacy group for victims of Sanlu Milk, would petition the case to Obama.

Zhao was formally changed to provoking a fight, a weird charge indeed. Does the authority think Zhao would invite Obama to a duel? Or does the authority think Obama's rescue of Melamined Chinese kids could provoke a duel between Obabma and Hu?

The owner of the Sanlu Milk which poisoned hundreds of thousands of kids, killed dozens, were half Chinese government, half New Zealand company Fonterra. A Chinese court ruled that the company would operate under another name, Beijing Sanyuan. The same court ruled that the 'new' company does not have obligation for any compensation for medical expenses of sick kids.

Detainee Suicided in Custody

A detainee was suicided in custody at Xiaonan Police Station in Kunming, Yunnan Province.

Xing Kun, a small time thief caught wet was detained by the police. Days later, he was found dead in a jail room.

At first, Kunming police was not sure how did he commit suicide under continuous video surveillance. After three days of deliberation, the police decided that Xing died by hanging himself with a shoe tie. In a news conference three days after Xing's death, Kunming police had a story to tell reporters. Xing opened up his handcuffs with a sheet of face tissue, then hanged himself with a shoe tie at a dead spot of the video camera. The police can't explain how did Xing obtain the shoe tie because Xing's own shoe ties were removed when he was taken into custody.

Xing, a small time thief, had been caught and detained by police at least five times. This time he was accused of stealing $100, too low to warrant a court hearing. The maximum he might got would be less than one year of labor camp (different from jail time which must be handed down by a court) under police supervision. It's hard for his family to comprehend the motives of the suicide.

Many Chinese believed Xing was suicided by police, especially after the police refused to let the family take pictures of bruises and wounds found all over his body.

In an earlier incident, a detainee died when playing peek-a-boo with other inmates under custody of Kunming police. The Chinese name of the game 'duomaomao' became a most popular phrase in Chinese.

Gross Details Emerged from Court Filings

Another national idol stumped. No, we were not talking about Tiger Woods. Gross details of a strange workplace relationship in a top Wall Street firm emerged from court filings. The defendant is a national idol of many overseas Chinese students, Ping Jiang. Jiang is named the most notable alumni of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), a top ranking school famous for its small but elite science programs.

Jiang leads an all Chinese group at SAC Capital. One of his subordinates is Andrew Tong. A psychiatric evaluation posted at Deal Breakers revealed a 'strange' and gross working environment at the financial firm.

Tong, an analyst, was recruited by Jiang to his trading group, on a condition that Tong agreed to go through a training process, which would end at the time he made his first $10 million. Tong was told other members of Jiang's 20 some team also went through the said 'training program'.

The training program requires Tong to wear female clothing on daily basis, including all underwear, high heeled sandals and nail polish at workplace to make him 'less aggressive'. Tong was also asked to take female hormone (using his wife's birth control pills) to accompany the training. Tong must satisfy Jiang with a blow job at SAC during work hours before Jiang approves him to do one 'trade'. The report noted that if Jiang was not 'satisfied', a 'trade' would not be approved even after Tong performed the 'job'. At one point, Tong complained to Jiang that the female hormone made him impotent. To persuade Tong to continue taking the pills, Jiang 'choked' Tong from behind and insert dry erase markers (as in plural) into Tong's rectum. Tong admitted he got an erection as a result. At offices of SAC during work hours, Tong was constantly beat, kicked, or have Jiang urinate into his mouth in front of his colleagues. Jiang told Tong that the training program is a '...tradition of organizations working in an all male environment.'

Mr. Tong was not a no-body trying to survive on minimum pay. He quit from a doctoral program from Columbia University to make money. Before he joined Mr. Jiang's group, his annual salary was $250K plus bonus. He committed to the 'training' program because he wanted to make more money. He committed to the 'training program' for months because Mr. Jiang promised him once he went through, he would be allowed to trade independently and make millions of dollars himself.

Mr. Tong was informed that Brian Cohn, Mr. Jiang's supervisor and President of SAC, had approved the training program designed by Mr. Jiang. Cohn had a workplace behavioral psychologist Dr. Ari Kiev to evaluate the training program. Dr. Kiev observed Mr. Tong wearing feminine attire and found it acceptable.

When Tong finally complained to Elisabeth Go, an in-house counsel, and Margaret Belden, SAC's Human Resources Manager, the response was brief: "we know all about your accusations against Mr. Jiang .. we don't want to hear anymore details from you."

Mr. Tong was terminated on April 10, 2006, less than one year after he was recruited to Mr. Jiang's group at SAC.

When asked why he had abided with 'unusual' demands from Jiang, Tong cited Jiang as a national idol for USTC alumni who is powerful and successful. Tong said he would want to learn from Jiang and be as powerful and successful.

Judge Bernard Fried the New York State Supreme Court threw the lawsuit out because Tong "agreed to do so when SAC hired him, just like he agreed to glaze himself and jump out of a cake for the Big Guy’s birthday party."

Tong was born and raised in Shanghai. He graduated from Shanghai Communications University (SJTU). Tong came to the States in 1992.

Jiang was born in Jiangsu, a neighboring Province east to Shanghai. He graduated from USTC. Tong came to the States in 1989 and received a PhD degree in Chemistry from Princeton University. A 2007 Xinhua news featured Jiang as a top trader who made more than $100 million personal income in 2006.

Cohen

Top 10 Chinese Internet Incidents in 2009

• The Terminal reality show
  Chinese citizen Mr. Feng Zhenghu was kidnapped by Air Japan with brute force from Shanghai in November 2009. Feng refused to enter Japan and chose to camp in the airport. With one cell phone, Feng was able to update his twitter feeds to allow thousands of fans real time update of the development. Feng is a social activist who help poor city dwellers in Shanghai. The Chinese government was annoyed by Feng's frequent criticism and asked Japanese government to take Feng out of the country.
  
• Persecution of online criticism
  Multiple lawsuits were filed by prosecutors across country to deter online criticism to government officials. Some posters were thrown into jails.
  
• Caonima
  In defiant to the government's censorship in name of cleaning out indecent Internet contents, Chinese Netizens created new words by composition of forbidden characters.
  
• Qishima
  PedXing safety was brought into attention after Hangzhou police faked the real speed of the car which caused the death of a new college graduate. Qishima literally means 70 km per hour.
  
• Deng Yujiao
  Waitress Deng Yujiao was sentenced when resisting gang rape from communist officials. Deng became an icon of a lower level people's courage to stand off exploiting from the government.
  
• Officials behavior scrutinized
  A Henan senior official was quoted asking a reporter, 'Who do you stand by, the Party or the People?'
  A Nanjing official was singled out when one of his work picture was put online, in which he was seen smoking a $1000 dollar cigarettes.
  
• Mass network blocking and the defeat of 'Green Dam'
  All Web 2.0 sites were blocked in China, including Wikipedia, Twitter, Youtube, Pacasa, among others. The government also requires all computers sold in China must have a filter program Green Dam pre-installed.
  
• Under water traps
  The country was stunned after two college students died trying to safe drowned kids. It turned out each segment of the Yangtze River was controlled by a local savage company, who made money by killing swimmers than asking high price to savage their bodies.
  
• Farmsville popular among white collars
  Government employees are indulged with an online gardening program (usually found as add-on component at social networking sites), in which people plant in virtual world.
  
• Citizen challenge unfair treatment with help from the online community and courage to cut open own chest
  A Henan man opened up his chest to show journalists his miner's lung after denied treatment by government agencies.
  A Shanghai resident cut his fingers to vow he was innocent after being wrongfully caught a government sting operation.
  A Sichuan entrepreneur set herself on fire (and died) to protest government eviction for commercial development
  

Racial Violence Trageting Asian Students Reported at Philly High School

Asian students at South Philadelphia High School was attacked by black students in the school cafeteria. The school is comprised of about 70% blacks and 20% Asian. Victims said they noticed a group of African students gathering in the school cafeteria that day and was reluctant to go to lunch in fear for their safety. However, they were urged by school officials, mostly black, to go. Once they entered the school cafeteria, they were ambushed by black students. Before the school cafeteria attack, Asian students had been attacked many times by black students near and off campus.

The incident exposed yet another facet of prevailing school violence in troubled communities. No more than one month ago, a school child was beaten to death by fellow students on his way home in Chicago. Last week, a San Francisco girl was drugged and gang raped by 20 some fellow students on campus, with more watching. In both cases, African American students were abused by African American students. While the school officials in Philadelphia should examine over the handling of the racially charged attacks in Philadelphia, they should also look into how to attract African American students with interests and hobbies away from violence.

Gift Ideas for Your China Trip

It's shopping season again. While tourists from China swept through outlets for designer handbags and purses, electronic devices are also popular on their shopping lists.

IPhone was finally officially introduced to China market, but a western version is still more appealing. Apple removed the WiFi capability from its Chinese version product so that the user will not be able to post offending message with anonymous WiFi access.

Thinkpad had long been labeled a Chinese product after being acquired by Lenovo, a public company traded on NYSE, headquartered in the Raleigh, NC. Retail price of similarly configured Thinkpad laptop is priced twice as high in China as one in the US, even though they are built in China. Chinese government are bounded by regulations and patriotism aspirations to 'buy-Chinese'. But the real motivation is under-counter deals on lucrative kickback. Lenovo could care less on consumers retail in China, although they had to price competitively in the US.

So here are the suggestions for the trip to China:
1) An LV handbag to bribe the boss of your host agency;
2) A US version iPhone for your technical collaborator;
3) A high end (>$4,000) Thinkpad to sell on Taobao (China's eBay), and use the proceedings to fund your trip (a $1,000 round trip ticket, $400 to buy an iPhone, $2,000 on an LV purse). The deal will even leave you some changes to enjoy your night life in Beijing.

Take a note that you should never pay to be laid in China. You shall not look for them; they will find you. Get yourself a drink one of hundreds of western style bars. Don't surrender yourself to prostitutes, that totally missed the point of being physically on Chinese soil. Young college students are free, and usually cleaner. They will find you.

However, just in case you are determined to keep your innocence, here is our last tip: never agree to teach English (or using computer, less frequently used though) to a girl you run into on the street. Trust me, they don't need a senior system engineer to teach them how to use Microsoft Excel. Regardless what they say, keep a clear mind that you are not that great a teacher. Don't fall on free, and even if they offer to pay your for the time, they will make sure you pay back with your little Richard.

Courage of One Overseas Chinese Student

For an overseas student, it took more than academic knowledge and a moral high ground to challenge your professor in the classroom. Liao Wenxia was able to do just that, with courage and a belief that racism should not be left unattended in the name of free speech.

Liao, then a student at the University of Toronto pursuing her Master's Degree when a white professor David Waterhouse preached in a class she took that there was no appreciation of beauty in ancient Asia. Although there had been 8000 years of written literature before Waterhouse's ancestors in Europe learned to use utensils at dinner table (or cover their naked bodies in public), Waterhouse claimed only Caucasians were sophisticated enough to develop philosophical thinking.

Waterhouse's scholarship is laughable at the best. His 'study' found 'beautiful' was an exclusive European concept because that was the 'first aesthetic response in history" that Adam and Eve in Bible found the trees in the Garden of Eden 'pleasant to sight', yet the Japanese word and Indian word 'beautiful' did not originally mean what Adam and Eve felt.

Liao disputed Waterhouse's absurd theory. The classroom exchange on ancient philosophy didn't end in the classroom. Waterhouse downgraded her assignment score to a B. After Liao protesting the grade through a formal channel, Waterhouse changed it to a B+. Then, in an amazingly, incredibly bold move, Waterhouse quietly wiped out half of Liao's credit hours. When he got caught, Waterhouse claimed it was an unintentional mistake, then continued his chanting of how Caucasians knows better about 'beauty'. When Liao was applying for PhD study, Waterhouse impersonate as her program supervisor to weigh in his negative opinion.

It's not about racism because it so evident that no one could argue otherwise. Actually, no one did. However, it was the posture of an entitlement of a professor looking down on a student from different race and the tolerance of Waterhouse's colleagues at the University of Toronto totally disgusted the Seagull.

According to University of Toronto, Liao was expelled from the school because she made a life threat to Waterhouse. It happened when Liao, after learning Waterhouse secretly wiped out half of her credit hours, which was not only unethical but also illegal and in normal cases an offense so severe that one could be fired upon, told Waterhouse he couldn't get away from it. Waterhouse along with his white colleagues and white administrators at University of Toronto take a liberal interpretation of the words and claimed it was a life threat. The Seagull did not know how many white professors and white administrators at University of Toronto at the time actually endorsed Waterhouse's racism conduct, but what became the history was the fact that they chose to stood by who bears the same color of skin. Birds of a feather, flocking together, no wonder.

The incident happened back in 1991, though only recently it came to the attention of the Seagull. The segregation in higher education did not end overnight after the civil rights movement. Even today in the US, 50 miles apart in many places, there are one college for white and one college for black. There is a long way ahead for colored people to achieve an equal treatment status. It is especially difficult inside the ivy towers.

Curious readers will not be able to 'Google' the case. Searching 'Liao Wenxia David Waterhouse' returns nothing. However, you can go directly to two sites (LIAO'S HUMAN RIGHTS CASE IN CANADA AND USA:, A Chinese Proof: Racism and hypocrisy of the Western democracy) where Ms. Liao gathered an extensive pile of documents (including Waterhouse's paper on beauty, Liao's term paper, Waterhouse's remarks on her paper, court filings, etc.) surrounding the case, and made your own judgment.

Chinese was known as a race of obedience, who never complain about mistreatment. In history, Chinese must thank for Blacks for the Civil Rights movement, and thank Latinos for the attention to poor social status of new immigrants. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, every Chinese in the US should have Blacks and Latinos in their mind when they are allowed to sit in the same room with white superiors. However, Chinese should be worried: after Blacks and Latinos get what they want, who else can Chinese piggyback on? Ms. Liao has been fighting the one woman's battle for almost twenty years against racism in Canada and in the US, in courts of law and in the cyberspace. Overseas Chinese should also have Ms. Liao in their mind, on Thanksgiving Day.

Lost in Translation: Recommendation Letter Edition

An enraged Chinese professor posted a recommendation letter from a UIUC faculty five years ago. Professor Liu of Hunan University was encouraged on kind words on the letter, and offered a job applicant the position. However, the guy failed miserably as both an instructor and a researcher.

While regretted of making the decision five years ago, Professor Liu fiercely blamed the applicant's adviser who provided a recommendation letter upon request from Hunan University. Professor Liu posted a scan copy of the original letter, and underlined words that allegedly had misled him.

However, this may be a case of 'lost in translation' (between eastern and western cultures). Had Professor spent more time on English 099 (pre-college level), he would be able to smell the clues. It's so stale that he did not even need to sniff. Actually the simple fact that the adviser did not voluntarily provide a letter was an obvious sign that was hard to miss. Not to say the wordings were so obvious that one should kick himself for failed to read the meaning/mood of the letter.

Red lines were marked by Professor Liu to illustrate how the letter was misleading, but on the contrary, they were crystal clear and unumbiguous in the tone:
1) '..has a perfect academic record (straight A)..
No other letter for a doctoral recipient would emphasize on GPA, not from a research lab for sure.
2) '..contribution to the understanding ... led to three publications'. Three publications were not impressive at all for a physics major, not to say the adviser seemed to be reluctant to mention the title and journal of them.
3) '..is of importance..' This is probably the weakest way of praising the work might be of any significance.
4) The letter is simply too short.

In the conclusion paragraph of the letter, the adviser was straight forward as he could.
1) '.. is an intelligent and hard-working researcher.' This is an alert by itself since it was as far as the adviser was willing to go. Plus, it's the nice puddings to balance what he was going to say next:
2) '.. strong personality..'. Did you read this?
3) '..skill that will.., once he devote to it'. In other words, nothing had been observed, yet.
4) 'I 'think' he will be..' He was so unsure...

Professor Liu discussed in length on the returnee's job performance at Hunan University. Then Professor Liu went beyond his way to make comments on the returnee's relationship with students, females, and, his own father. It goes into details such as the guy forgot to zip after going to bathroom. It also cited tension between Professor Liu and the returnee throughout five years. Professor Liu credited himself on how he had helped the guy to get the job, bypassing all normal hiring procedures (no interview was conducted), then the associate professorship promotion, and finally transferring to another college. If the returnee was as terrible as Professor Liu described in the blog, to crash and burn in the classroom as early as his first semester, who did Professor Liu got him promoted to Associate Professor? If he was such as horrible person, why would Professor Liu helped him transfer to another college, after Hunan University wouldn't renew the contract? Now, why would Professor Liu disclose the ordeal in detail after it seems the guy would have nothing to do with him?

Why?

There is much left begging for an answer. Perhaps those again lost in the translation. Only this time, it was lost in the translation of Professor Liu's own mind.

学者刘全慧 发表于2009-11-21 22:01:19

拾穗记
一封UIUC教授对他学生在国内求职的推荐信

我这辈子最大的一个失败，是向学校推荐了一位不成器的海归。尽管过去了很多年，想起来还有点心有余悸。这位老兄在美国多年，博士毕业后在美国已经有了正式工作，不过拿的还是中国护照。由于“911”的缘故，一时回不到美国去了。后来我们才知道，他在申请湖南大学职位之前，已经在中国科学院两个研究所和另外一所大学工作过。

这位海归拥有一般人根本无法比拟的显赫出生和学术背景。简历中从中学、大学、研究生经历中一系列令人眩晕的记录，连我这位老江湖也无法自持。例如，他拿的是UIUC凝聚态物理博士学位。凝聚态物理是物理学中规模最大、影响最广的二级学科，而UIUC的凝聚态物理专业一直雄居全美第一，当然是国际上物理学研究的重镇。看到他的求职材料，我当时急切和兴奋的心情，只有“跣足而出”可以形容。如果不能及时引进，简直天诛地灭。仅仅靠数个电话，我就决定向学校全力推荐。要求学校所有的正常手续都从简，连正常的见面、试讲等必要的程序也免了。我和他的一位大学同学交流过，他告诉我，他的同学中有一群天才；不过若说谁可能会获得诺贝尔物理学奖的话，则非这位老兄莫属。他的导师对他的推荐，也算是上好了。如果和他讨论物理，很容易发现他的基础非常扎实，对物理学研究价值的把握也很有水平。

不过这位老兄在湖南大学的学术记录实在不光彩。

在进入湖南大学之后的第一个学期，他开设了《电磁学》一课。上课时经常将“我们美国、你们中国”等挂在嘴边，正经的课程内容讲授不多，有些个人习惯(例如上下拉裤子的拉链)也很不雅，......，学生非常反感，坚决要求更换。由于他是我极力引进的“红人”，系里也不敢轻易决定。我引进他之后就出国云游去了，系领导、学生等打电话发电邮追着我要我表态。经过核实后，我的震惊和失望无法形容。在接下来的五年内，我和他的交往更是一场噩梦。除了要我负担他的一些正常办公开支外，他不断问我借钱甚至直接要钱。理由很简单，是我引进他的，而他的工资不够花。要评职称，又不填表，一定要我帮他填好。我拼全力给他争取来的副教授职称后，他还根本不看在眼里。更要命的是，他没有做过认真的研究，唯一的论文就是把在博士论文的一些已经发表在国外的结果写得详细一点，然后发表在《物理学报》上。事实证明，我向学校举荐的是一位既不会上课，又不会做研究的“杰出人才”，经受的压力可想而知。最不可思议的是他目无尊长，在他口中，就连他老父亲都是“那小子”、“某某(他兄弟的名字)的父亲”，“我没有责任赡养他”等。

五年任期将满之际，学校决定不续聘。尽管学校保留了追讨所付出的住房补贴、安家费、科研启动费的权利，估计也会没有下文。尽管对他极度失望，我还是积极帮他找出路。我建议他去一所民办学校高就，并调离成功。民办高校当然不会研究物理，他也无意在物理行当中混下去，顺便彻底改行。听说新东家给的待遇不错。衷心希望他能从此洗心革面，从新做人，真正成为一位对社会和家庭有价值的人。

他博士论文导师给他湖南大学的推荐信如下。这封推荐信不是这位老兄求他老板所写，是湖南大学官方直接向UIUC了解情况时他导师的回复。

本文引用地址： http://www.sciencenet.cn/m/user_content.aspx?id=272838

Based on the information in the blog (the returnee republished his dissertation on the ACTA Physica AINICA), the seagull was able to identify the alleged 'unqualified' returnee to be Dr. Liang-Xin Li. Li was an associate professor in the Department of Applied Physics of Hunan University.

Li, Liang-Xin and Hu, Yong-Hua, 2004. Intersubband and intraband transitions of self-assembled quantum wires for the infrared detectors. ACTA Physica Sinica, p848-856, 54, 2.

Based on above information, the author of the recommendation letter is likely Dr. Yia-Chung Chang, a distinguished research fellow and director of the Research Center for Applied Sciences at Academia Sinica, Taiwan. Dr. Chang was professor of Physics at UICU from 1991-2008.

"The Terminal" as in Reality Show at Narita International Airport of Tokyo Japan

As in the 2004 movie, Feng Zhenghu was stuck in the terminal. Even worse, there's no McDonard to pick break crumbles. To be precise, Mr. Feng was stuck at the gate of the immigration pathway, only that Mr. Feng has a reversed problem: he did not want to enter Japan, despite a deal made by the Chinese and Japanese government.

Mr. Feng is not anti-government. He is a scholar who uses his writing to shed light on the life of poor people in China. Despite a strong economy as a whole, the per capital personal income of an average Chinese people falls blow all of its Asian neighbors such as Vietnam and Thai, and blow majority of the African countries. Mr. Feng annoyed the communist government simply because he reached his hands to poor people in the city he lives, Shanghai. To play down the possible political tone of his suffering, he cautiously not ask for coming back to China, but asking going back to Shanghai.

A Chinese citizen, Mr. Feng went to Japan for a short visit, but was denied entrance at Shanghai International Airport. Air Japan kidnapped Mr. Feng, by force at witness of hundreds of passengers on Nov 4, 2009, back to Japan under pressure from their business partnership in China.

Mr. Feng refused to enter Japan. He has since made eight attempted to return to China, but was denied and 'deported' each and every time.

An active human rights advocate, Mr. Feng had been persecuted by the communist government ever since the Tian'anmen Square Massacre in 1989. Even a three years jail time couldn't shut him silence. Mr. Feng had been a voice for poor people's welfare. The communist government adopted an innovative approach, to get a foreign company (Air Japan) to kidnap a Chinese citizen from Shanghai to Japan. The government had hoped Feng would stay in Japan in fear.

Mr. Feng believed he had committed no crime. He refused to enter Japan, and had been staying in the busy international arrival terminal at the Tokyo Narita International Airport for two weeks. The only way to move in the terminal is forward, to the immigration passage. The Japanese government at the request of the Chinese government has banned residents in Japan to provide food to Mr. Feng, counting Mr. Feng will move forward into Japan.

Each day, thousands of international travelers pass Mr. Feng's sitting place to enter Japan. If you are going to Japan, please bring Mr. Feng some food, toothpaste, etc. Thank you.

Mr. Feng's twitter account. Vidly video showing surroundings of the terminal. A detailed account of the ordeal.

Mr. Feng is a Chinese citizen. If Mr. Feng had committed any crime, the Chinese government should take him in and charge him accordingly. If Mr. Feng did not break any law, as a Chinese citizen, he is entitled to return to his home country. The incident had drawn attention from Japanese media as well as other media around the world.

When contacted by media, Japanese immigration official confirmed Mr. Feng was carried to Narita by Air Japan, but did not comment on the accusation of forceable kidnapping committed by Air Japan employees.

Dear Party, stop embarrassing yourself.

Air Japan, in a statement, criticized Mr. Feng for making a scene when he was kidnapped by force by Air Japan's employees to the flight back Japan. Air Japan was subsequently humiliated by the attending media in the press conference, and retracted the statement.

Japanese government played an unethical collaborator role in the incident. We can't ask much from Japanese government. However, stop making yourself a fool, like the communist Chinese government already did, in front of the world (in the least, in front of thousands of confusing international traveler passing Mr. Feng's spot).

How can you help?

• You can contact the Japanese government, or your nearby Japanese consulate and asked for Mr. Feng's case. Ask them why a civilized government will collaborate with the communist rugime. Ask them how come Air Japan get away from kidnapping a citizen by force from another country and carry him back even without a ticket? Although the Japanese government played a lesser role than the communist China, they probably are under higher level of scrutiny from their own citizens and the international society. They are also a capable party in the ordeal since Mr. Feng is now staying on Japanese soil.
  
• You can contact Chinese government or your nearby Chinese consulate. In additional, you should raise the case whenever there's an event of public relationship significance. For example, a TV show featuring a Chinese expert or a radio interview of a Chinese diplomat. Tell them feel free to shot Mr. Feng after he returns to China if they find him of violating any Chinese/Communist law. However, show the international community that China does have a legal system by following it.
  
• You can join twitter and follow Mr. Feng's feeds. Somewhere the communist government must be following the case, and make them fear when counting the number of people who are following the story.
  
• You can bring some food, cloth, books and batteries to Mr. Feng is you enter Japan through Tokyo International Airport. You can ask a friend to do it for you if you have a friend going there. Mr. Feng is stuck there in the international arrival terminal right before the immigration checkpoint, and it's hard to miss him.
  
• You can vote with your money by boycotting Air Japan. There are plenty alternatives to use on any international routes operated by Air Japan.
  
• Post the story on every venues you have access: Facebook, Youtube, to name a few. Ask your Chinese friends what do they think. Because of the effective media block and brainwash in the Chinese media world, an excellent job done by the propaganda branch of the communist government, less Chinese are aware of the incident than western readers.
  
• You can show off your art talent by making a song, video about the real world 'The Terminal' ordeal and upload it to popular video sharing site, such as YouTube. If you happened to live next door to Tom Hanks, you may asked them to re-do his popular movie, only this time based it on a true story. Although there is not much you can if you do not live in China or Japan, you can certainly make every communist diplomat's public life miserable. They will report through their chain of command, especially when it's not their personal fault.
  

Made-in-China Paint on Tian'anmen

Barely one month after the 60th anniversary of the Communist Regime, paint on the Tian'anmen is starting peeling off badly. The historic and political significant building was re-painted for the ceremony.

Xinhua News reported the renovation project was completed on September 10. Due to the sensitivity of the time and location, all labors must pass three layers of political examination and security clearance.

Tian'anmen is often seen as the symbol of ruling, or in ancient Chinese saying, the piece of land the emperor stood on. In west they say, the writing is on the wall, and now everyone saw it.

source

China Top 100

1

Tianhe-1, 563100, 24576, Changsha Institute of Technology, National Supercomputing Center Tianjin

25

BladeCenter HS21, 18146, 4048, IBM, GRI

35

Shenwei 4000A, 14180, 1344, National Parallel Computing Institute, CMA

46

SPPower4+, 10310, 3200, IBM, CMA

48

3000 BL460c, 10148, 2048, HP, GRI

49

3000 BL460c, 10117, 2048, HP, GRI

50

Shenteng 1800, 10114, 1984, Lenovo, GRI

51

Shenteng 1800, 10077, 1984, Lenovo, GRI

81

Cluster, 8216, 2560, Dawn, GRI

100

Cluster, 6809, 1024, Dawn, National Oceanic Bureau

Published Nov 1, 2009, by Mathematics and Software Chapter or the Chinese Software Industrial Association.

The format for above list is: Rank, Model, Rmax in GFlops, # of cores, Manufacture, Installation. The Seagull had the privilege of working with both GRI and CMA. The Tianhe-1 ranked No. 5 on the world Top500 list. Altogether 21 installations in China made it to the Top500 list.

The Insider's Note on Jingzhou Drowning Accident

[一声叹息]那段水域的死亡率有多高
xilei 发表于 2009-11-4 9:06:00


　　我生活在3个大学生死亡地方的江堤下的荆堤小区，直线距离100米内，在那块水域，有15年以上的游泳经验。每年夏天的暑假期基本上无一天例外的在那游泳。下雨也去，包括98年那年发洪水的时候也无例外的在那游。
　　
　　我只是看见现在网络上的大量抨击沙市人的素质低，什么见死不救的观点，忍无可忍的发表这篇文章，以我15年的亲身经验给大家分析过程。我没亲眼所见，不过我见过起码数百起宝塔河区域这样的事情，或者说是类似的。绝无夸张。
　　
　　长江水流方向是自西向东，宝塔河因为万寿宝塔的存在，所以在当年的长江改道，也没有完全的改去。现在这个地方就是类似一个独立的内河，而且因为长江的中心水流自西向东，碰见万寿宝塔的拦截就成了自东向西的流向，不懂的同学在草稿纸上画个图就能理解，图画完了认真点看不难发现，长江的主航线是自西向东，水文站（就是落水的那地方）岸边的水是自东向西，于是宝塔河的这块水域就是一个直径300米左右的大漩涡。而且事实确实如此，我下岸的时候以背对岸来说是从左到右的水流，一出宝塔河区域，水流就成了从右到左。所以这样的特殊水域，纵然是一个游泳高手，自己游可能不会发现那有多么困难，只要后来拉一个人起来，救人难度是很大的，而且以我个人20岁以前的经验，一旦被水冲到万寿宝塔下方，那就在那回不来了。必须听那些高手的指点，顺水出到长江航线，再往回游，不然，我就只能这么说上帝创造了你，他也准备收回你了。本人技术也许不够，所以20多年来，没一次能不顺水出去而直接回来（因为水太急）
　　
　　这是水流的区域，告诉大家，在这地方救人的危险性。

　　其次，说一下人为的因素，住在长江边上（主要是指宝塔河那里）的人都会在孩子小的时候这么教育“看见有人掉下去了千万别去救，不然你自己也要死”。看了这句话是不是觉得人性很残忍？不是的，这是事实，宝塔河边上每年死多少人大家知道吗？ 报纸，电视上？还是百度一下？去查下？ 20多对吗？告诉你们，我一个暑假平均每天都看见有人拉尸体上来，多的时候一天就看见拉出4，5具尸体.（一个救孩子的父亲，还有一个老奶奶带着2个孙子的尸体，以及一个从上游冲下来的，这是我看见的最多的一次）。所以，对那几个死亡20多的数据，看了笑一下也就算了。别当真。这一段是告诉大家，那段水域的死亡率有多高。
　　
　　说了半天还没说重点，这么时候说重点来了。差不多在8年前。在这段水域来了一票现在大家口中所谓的“渔夫”。他们开始来的时候专门打鱼，后来发展成了打捞死人，没记错的话在00年左右的时候一个死人的价格大约在2500-3000左右，便宜的时候好象有过 2000的样子。我能确定，他们不是沙市人。很简单口音不对，我和他们聊过。最开始只是单纯的拉死上来。只有2个小船。到后来，我在一次偶然的时候和冬泳队的那群职业帮子去救一个人，快速游出去的时候，那船也动了，我以为他们是准备等别人死了又来打捞的（那时候他们已经发展成了一个口号，“只捞死人，不救活人”），我们也没准备和他们说什么，毕竟社会没要求每个人都是雷锋，最多我个人看不下去而已。但是郁闷的是，我游出去的路线，与他们的船开的路线，居然很巧合的会在某一点重合。于是我不得不绕一圈，先顺水后逆水的绕过去。等我游到那溺水人的身边时候我的体力基本消耗2/3，剩下的体力要连自己带那个人一起拉回去，我一游到那边上就把游泳圈丢过去（我去长江无论什么时候都有一个用摩托车轮胎内胎做的游泳圈，且用麻木绳系在身上，不离身），那个溺水的人估计是看见我了，伸手就抓我，瞎抓了2下，马上一手扣死我的颈部，直把我搞得呛一口水几乎见上帝。最后靠着游泳圈，我还是活着回来，不然今年就是我的2周年祭日。可能大家会更早的听说我这个名字，也成了“英雄”。
　　
　　事后总结2条，第一，那票“渔民”的数学和流体力学真他妈学的好，真可谓一挡一个准。怎么没进中国科学院，真他妈的可惜。第二，以后再不搞这样的蠢事，算是上帝可怜我，没把我拉去陪他老人家。我实在没把握下次我出水救人还能活着见到第2天太阳，因为我救的人才14岁都有这么大的力气对我实施那“毁灭”性的一抓，真有后怕。

　　所以希望那些说沙市人都不见义勇为者自己心里有个底.不是没人去救的。如果真没人救，那里的死亡人数，我个人的保守估计起码翻一翻。
　　
　　最重要的一点就是那些所谓的发的帖子说的“黑幕”的那一些废话，我给你们说下什么叫真正的“黑幕”
　　
　　在人落水之后，“渔民”会马上活动起来，他们的船就开始发动，然后会在他们估计的路线上阻挡你的营救——是不是很像间接的故意杀人？可惜事实就是这样。
　　
　　然后当溺水的人沉下去之后他们马上会靠近那人，用网将那个人钩住（有的时候钩不住的那就没办法了），这个溺水的人就会被拖在船的后面，这时候溺水的人纵然清醒，也会在铁钩和网（那可不是一张小网，很有点重量的）的重量下，无法把头露出水面，即使没有清醒，从医学角度来说，溺水这么点时间也是能救活了。这就构成了谋杀。可惜啊取证太难。无法启动司法程序。等亲属去要求他们打捞尸体的时候，他们就会只专心谈价格，因为尸体的打捞他们不用关心，就在他们身后嘛.可惜你知道吗？不知道。你就必须接受那个价格。等价格谈好了，他们就开船绕一圈..然后回来，告诉你，人捞到了，该给钱了。最后看见的就是一个真正的死人了，无论是真死的，还是活着被“拖”死的。这才是真正的黑幕。这也是为什么这么多人却救不到几个人人，也是为什么一个3分钟就能完成的营救，却经常弄到15分钟之后还不能完成的原因。最后还弄个救的人死了，运气不好，救的人和被救的人都死了的结果。

LAST DAY! $10 donation can make a difference to a Chinese child in Need

Save Chinese Children (OSCCF) is a 501(c) organization aims to help sick kids to obtain medical assistance.

Overseas Chinese Education Foundation (OCEF) is a 501(c) organization aims to provide education opportunity to poverty kids.

Both organization are participating the Facebook/Causes Giving America Challenge. The challenge ends at 15:00 Friday Nov 6, 2009 EST (4:00 am Saturday Nov 7, 2009 Beijing Time). The challenge counts how many people (only once per day is allowed) donate to a charity and will award top 10 winners.

Unlike most other charities, both organizations boasts $0.00 operation cost in history of several years. Both are all volunteers organization and volunteers donates time as well as essential overhead. Donors can be assured that their money are 100% given out by these two organizations.

Click here to donate for OSCCF; click here to donate for OCEF.

It is the last day of the month long challenge. The last day is often the most important and decisive day in the making of history. Help Chinese children by giving $10. Your $10 could be the key to tip off $50,000 award to be used on Chinese kids. You do not need a facebook account to donate.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Notice the body dragged in water with one hand tied to the boat.

That body was one of two first year college students of the Yangtze University who sacrificed their own lives to save to kids fallen to the river. The local 'rescue and recover' company recovered the body, then bound them on the side of the boat waiting for a cash payment.


The time: Oct 24, 2009

The place: Jingzhou, Hubei Province

The white head: Mr. Chen Bo, CEO of the 'Yangtze Salvage Limited Inc.'

The company: Yangtze Salvage Limited Inc. was founded by a Wuhan businessman Mr. Chenbo in 2004. With help from local communist party, the company enjoys a market monopoly on the segment of Yangtze River along Jingzhou of Hubei Province. The place where the two kids drown took hundreds of lives each year.

It used to be a slow and shallow beach, but a big drop was dug a few years ago, which could not bee seen from the surface because of murky water. The picture was taken from the bank. Further into the river, the water is as high as barely covering one's feet. The two person in swimming trucks helped save six other students.

The rule is simple. Rule No. 1: no one shall rescue a drowning person out of the river in that segment. If a fisherman saves a person, he will be beat on his way home that night, and find his boat burned next morning. Rule No. 2: no one shall recover a body from the river in that segment, except the Company. National media who rushed to the scene reported that while several government agencies were called to the scene, including the Yangtze Maritime Affairs and paramilitary Fire Department, all refused to take action. Local police told the students to negotiate with the Company.

The Company charges a flat fee of 12,000 RMB Yuan ($2,000) per body in daytime and 18,000 RMB Yuan ($3,000) after sunset. 200 RMB Yuan goes to the fishing boat hired to conduct the work, while the rest goes directly to the Company.

Despite a national outrage, local police refused to investigate. The police chief told the reporters the incident showed lack of applicable laws and urge the national congress to make more laws. Two days later, the central government in Beijing ordered all national media to level the area, and prohibited further reporting on the case.

The bodies would stay in the river for another 4 hours after the picture was taken, before the students, professors and college administrators were able to collect the ransom in cash.

一条船上的人
from 韩寒 by 韩寒

今天在网络上看见了一张照片，因为照片是由上自下慢慢显示，所以在很长时间里都看见了一个老头气势滂沱站在船上，指点江山，后面跟着一个人，随从打点。这不就是我们领导考察的架势吗？等显示完整才看见船底下拖拽的尸体。

事情回到了湖北荆州的大学生救人事件。这个事情包括见人不久捞尸要钱的事情想必大家都已经非常了解。从这张照片里，我们可以解读出什么呢？

第一，根据报导，船主陈波垄断了荆州段的尸体打捞业务，其他打捞船过来便会受到威胁。所有的经验告诉我们，在中国，垄断行业只有两个可能，政府行为或者政府参与。当然，政府不会设立捞尸部，所以，陈波之所以能再当地垄断，和当地政府之间很有可能是有关系的。另外，更具照片的分析，陈波的举手投足以及后面随从人员的相貌形态，都颇有政府处级以上领导从业经验的风采。而且陈波一口咬定，捞尸费一定是12000元，少一分钱都不干，而且见钱才给人。如果是正常做生意，假设是你，捞三具尸体，36000元，你至少能够抹去零头吧，这是人之常情，况且遇见这样悲惨的事件，而且还是在英勇救人的情况下，任何人都会动容。我认为，陈波之所以一分不让，可能这12000元中，有相当的一部分是打点给他的后台的，如果你只收了5000元，很可能他还要倒贴。而之所以要看见钱才给人，表示他非常害怕别人不给钱。有三个尸体打捞上来，其中有一个真的不给钱，常人的反应都是继续要钱，实在要不到也没有办法，因为至少赚了 24000。但是陈波宁愿被人当模特狂拍照还不给尸体，除了此人道德品行恶劣以外，还可能是支持他垄断经营的后台知道打捞起的人数，按照人数收取打点费用，所以必须要收到这笔钱。

当然，我只是在猜测，我没有证据。大的大贪，小的小贪，官商公贪，不就这点鸟事吗。

还有一个可能性就是，这其实就是一家政府背景的企业，“荆州市长江水上打捞有限公司”，写的很清楚了，荆州市长。当然，这个也可以向荆州的吴局长了解一下。说不定大家都有股份。只有政府背景的公司才能又垄断又黑。

第二，这张照片中，陈波一伙人很明显犯下虐尸罪，敲诈勒索罪，故意或者过失杀人罪。因为首先，没有人可以证明被捞起来的必然是尸体，因为他尚未开具死亡证明，而且距离事发当时并没有超过一个理论上没有生还可能的时间，也许这个人没有死或者还有抢救的可能。你可以说我狡辩，我不需要证明他还活着，但你必须要有证据证明他已经死了。在对方生死不明的情况下，陈波等人阻止了对溺水者进行抢救的行为，已经形成了杀人罪。

第三，当地的公安，救护，消防部门完全有理由和能力对陈波进行强制性的行为，让陈波交还溺水者或者进行施救。连城管都能对商户下命令，何况公安呢，而当地的相关部门在事发现场的不作为，证明了他们和陈波之间非比寻常的关系。很有可能他们是一条船上的人，所以他们不能上一条船。

第四，这些都是倒钩案等一系列事件的衍生产品或者周边产品，那就是好人没好报，唯利是图，人情冷漠，这也是中国社会的缩影，有人需要帮助，再不帮一把就活不下去了，有人出手了，结果自己也被拖下水，岸上的好人干着急，磕头下跪都没有用，资源被垄断，没有利益驱动，你连个尸体都没有。

第五，建议中国的公民随身携带两万元，第一是因为最近物价飞涨，多带点钱总没错，第二是万一被倒钩需要交纳一万到两万的罚款。第三是如果有朋友落水或者自己落水，你可以将现金举过头顶，这样才会有半官方捞尸队对你进行打捞，如果你有幸被救，对方又非常有道德，把你和尸体当成了一个收费标准，那么你还有八千元可以在医院或者救护车上对自己进行抢救。

第六，建议从中小学生就开始进行游泳课的训练。会不会游泳应该作为毕业标准。当然，我到现在还没有学会游泳，必须也要去学习。需要取代的是什么课呢？不是将游泳课合并入体育课，体育课是一定要保留的，但是要取消思想政治课。我们上了十年的思想政治课，学习了这么多的鸟毛，除了建起了一个鸟巢以外，我们学到了什么？社会风气依然很差，这说明思想政治课从教育的角度来讲是完全失败的，而且因为内容枯燥，编写乏味，观点虚伪，文笔干涩。而作为洗脑专用课程，它无疑也是相当失败的，因为他需要强加背诵很多完全没有记忆点的内容，反而引起了无数青春期少年的反感，乃是过滤词的巨大失算。既然不能洗脑，那还不如去洗澡，所以，建议教委将所有的思想政治课改为游泳课，强身健体，还学会一项求生技能，这门课程一举从害人变成救人，功德无量。

Lynching upon Yangtze River

Three college students sacrificed their lives to rescue two drowning kids on the Yangtze River. Their bodies were dragged behind a boat of a local mafia with political connections in the water when their boss was negotiating ranson with the university administrators. Despite tearful pleas from 40 some students and professors at the scene, the mafia refused to release the bodies while waiting for the money to be retrieved in four hours.

An investigative report by the Shanghai TV presented the complete story to people outside for the first time.

The scene of the tragic accident was a popular tourist destination and busy fishing resource. When the two kids fell to the water by accident in bright daylight (2pm), however, no local people dare to rescue. A local mafia with political connections enjoys a monopoly in the body recovering business. They pocket 12,000 RMB Yuan ($2,000) to recover a body in daytime, and 18,000 RMB ($3,000) Yuan for a night job. Anyone dares to save drowning people will be attacked, their boats burned. Fishermen were blamed by initial media for leaving the scene after the accident, but actually they said they were fleeing so that not to get into trouble.

The college students who were holding a picnic were not from the local area so they did not know the rule. After getting the two kids out of the river, the human chain broke, and 9 students fell to the water. At this time, there were several boat right at the scene, as close as within 3 yards but they quickly drove away.

Half an hour later, local Maritime Affairs officials and local Paramilitary firemen (firemen in China are active duty armed police under the military, similar to the status of Coast Guard in the US) arrived the scene but all refused to get into the water, citing conflict of interests with the mafia.

40 minutes later, the mafia boats arrived. They soon found two drowned students. They did not remove them from the water to check, but rather tied their hands to the the boat, and dragged them behind in the water while they urged the other students and professors to raise money. The mafia insisted they would have to wait until the $24,000 cleared before they look for the third one. 12,000 RMB Yuan is a big sum of money and they do not have that much. Some students were sent back to the university to collect money. It took them 4 hours to get the money. However, it was about the evening, and the mafia now demand to trade at the 18,000 night rate.

At the end, students got bodies back after clearing the deal at price set by the mafia.

The Jingzhou police refused to charged the mafia even after the media exposure. The local police complained no law regulating this area and urge the government to make laws.

Capitalism on Deadly River

Three college students drowned when they were trying to rescue two kids from icy water. Chen Jishi, He Dongxu and Fang Zhao are all freshmen of the Changjiang University in Xiangfan, Hubei. In the afternoon of Saturday October 24, 2009, around 30 classmates were holding a picnic on the bank of Yangtze River. At 2:10, suddenly they heard crying "Somebody fell in water!" Two teenage kids were struggling in the river. They rushed to the scene. Most of them do not swim, so they formed a human ladder to reach to sinking kids. They saved the two kids. Moments later, the 'ladder' was broken by a wave and three of them lost their lives.

The place was a popular tourists destination. It was in bright day light. Many fishing boats were around. When one of the bodies were found, it was within three yards of one of the fishing boats.

A investigative report revealed fishermen refused to safe the drowning college students. They refused to throw a life jacket or even a wooden board when asked by other students. They were waiting.

They were waiting because at running rate, the price tag to lift one body is 12,000 RMB ($2,000). They were waiting to make some money. When University officials came, they were promised the money, but they only recovered two bodies. Then they stopped, and waited for a cash payment before they would recover the third body.

Chinese Education and Children Charities Led in Facebook Giving Challenge

OCEF (Overseas China Education Foundation) and OSCCF (Save Chinese Children) are leading in the Facebook Giving Challenge. Both organizations were actively involved in the Sichuan Earthquake relieve. Both organizations boasted zero overhead, as all formal members work on volunteering basis.

You can give to support education and well being of Chinese children, our future.

To Hell with LSU

The student government at the University of Mississippi passed a resolution to change the chant at the end of football fighting song from "South will rise again" to "To Hell with LSU". The old chant is seen by some as having implication in racial relations. A few years ago, the University quietly removed it's mascot of a Colonel Rebel. A black student commented to the Clarion Ledger, "You know, the South won't rise again."

The Ole Miss game has always been the biggest rivalry for LSU. Any incoming LSU coach is informed in orientation that they won't afford a loss to Ole Miss. However, With former head coach Saban jumping boat to Alabama, now the biggest rivalry is leaning to the Tides.

The two teams will play on Nov 21 in Jackson, Mississippi.

Should China Suspend Spending on Great Firewall (GFW)?

With help from US companies (Cisco, for example), the security ministry of China developed the most sophisticated and technical successful Great Firewall (GFW) project to block Chinese Netizens from obtaining and spreading information from the Net. Sites such as Youtube, Facebook, Wikipedia, Picasa, Blogger are blocked, along with others.

In the past 10 years, a conservative estimate of the cost of the project is around $20B RMB ($6.5B). If considering the majority of Chinese people online didn't care about the outside world, then the cost on individual Netizen is an astonishing $30,769 RMB ($5,000) per capital.

If you are one of the Chinese who flipped the 'wall' to read this article, you should feel satisfied after knowing that the government had spent $5,000 on you.

The study was done by Li Huafang.

You don't need to know Chinese to read these photos

If you are still wondering how come made in China goods are so dirt cheap, often even before cost, here is why: polution.

Tangshan Couple Jailed One Year After Kneeing to the National Flag

Liu Shuoxiang and Liu Fengqin are residents of Liuguantun Viliage, Liyuan Town, Kaiping District of Tangshan, Hebei Province. Feeling wronged by local officials, they went to the Tian'anmen Square, and kneed down to the national flag as a gesture of asking for justice on June 5, 2009.

They were arrested at the scene, and both were sent to labor camp by the local police for a one year term, starting July 31, 2009. Under communism legal system in China, police has the authority to send anyone to labor camp bypassing legal procedures.

The wife, Liu Fengqin was said to died of heart attack in the No. 1 Labor Camp of Hebei Province on September 25, 2009. The widowed husband is still in jail in the same labor camp. Relatives were not allowed to see her body, nor had they received any written notification on the death.

Chinese people enjoy the freedom of showing off their love to the communist regime most of the time, with exceptions. Memory recalls that shortly after the bloodshed crackdown of students protesting on the Tian'anmen Square in 1989, singing the national anthem and the communist party anthem was prohibited, because many students and Beijing residents sang the songs with confronting military troops, believing in they themselves represented the core value of the communist beliefs.

Internet Cafes Suspended in Shangdong

All 21 Internet Cafes across Guanxian had been suspended by the Communism Party as a preemptive measure after a mother and her infant were killed by local 'Family Planning' officials.

The woman was about to deliver the baby when government officials rushed to the deliver bed to inject lethal drugs to kill the infant. The mother fought fiercely to protect her baby, and it took eight communists and three injections to kill the baby. The mother bled to death in the process.

Both Phoenix Net (Beijing backed) of Hong Kong and the China Youth Daily in Beijing reported the suspension of public Internet cafes, with no mentioning of the death of woman and her infant. Some traditional media blamed the brutal practice of the 'family planning' agencies without elaborating details (West China Metropolitan, Info Yunnan. Details of the incident had been posted to every corner of the Chinese online world, such as Tianya. Spokeswoman of the Communist Party stated the local government acted within its legal power to regulate Internet Cafes, which had become a major distraction to school children from their coursework.

Chinese Premier Sat in Classes in Middle School

Premier Wen Jiabao sat in classroom through five classes at a Beijing Middle School in September. This week, he authored a paper on education. The paper is based on his classroom observations, and covers a broad range of topics, including pedagogical methods and scientific discussions.

Some critics sensed the incident a signal that Wen had been kept out of loop in the power circle. With nothing else to do, Wen went back to middle school. Actually, Wen was able to pick up a theoretical mistake in the Geography textbook.

In Chinese government architecture, Wen is the head of the central government. In the Party ladder, Wen is No. 3 or No. 4 (behind Hu Jintao, (Jiang Zeming,) Wu Bangguo.

Awakening Desire among South Koreans

Koreans had been known for their wild approach in sex in history. When Japanese occupation walked out of their barracks 100 years ago, they were shocked to see every Korean women had their breasts revealed in their entirety, though otherwise clothed. The Japanese swiftly issued an ordnance which effectively ended a thousand years Korean culture.

When Hyundai competes directly with Toyota and Samsung ravels SONY, Koreans are picking up their national confidence.

They used bomb to demolish a most magnificent palace built during the occupation a few years back. Last year, an official national committee sorted through historical document to compose a list of Korean 'collaborators' during the occupation. Those people and their decedents were prohibited from bidding for government contract. This year, a first ever 'nude beach' is set up to rock the Japanese as the capital of sex in the world.

All nude stage plays have become a new fashion that every Korean must see. On the menu next month, it's the all nude drama "When Professors Met Female Students". Commercials bragged out bright illumination on private parts with spot lights.

Ni Kuang Spoke on Why He Would Not Visit the Mainland

Ni Kuang, most known for his sci-fi fiction series 'Wei Sili', spoke out on why he wouldn't visit his homeland under Communism control.

Particularly, he argued against the assumption that democracy would come after economic development. Due to the Communism ideology, the newly created Chinese middle class who benefited from the political system who lean towards the system to seek even more personal gain.

倪匡：我不会回大陆

香港电台《薇微语》专访
文章日期：2009年9月29日

【明报专讯】倪匡，少年向往共产党平等、均富的理想，只身由上海北上内蒙古参加解放军，但失望地发觉军中生活阶级观念森严、特权处处。自己又因在零下四十度，被迫拆掉小木桥生火取暖而面临被指控破坏交通。面对可能判刑十年之灾，他走投无路下南逃他乡，历尽有家归不得之苦后，辗转流落香港。当年他高兴地躺在维多利亚公园草地上，深深呼吸自由空气，从此乐得做一个无灾无难的自由人。转眼五十多个寒暑过去，面对中华人民共和国六十周年国庆，倪匡除庆幸自己仍是自由人外，对祖国数十年变化及经济成长依然无动于衷，不愿「回去」一看，亦没有半句建言。受了伤害的心灵，只希望能够保障个人的自由。国家大事，自觉无力挽……

倪匡的态度不一定为别人所认同，但造成他这样态度的原因，共和国不可不加以思考。

■倪——倪匡
薇——《薇微语》主持李小薇

我和她水火不容

薇：近期流行说「请对镜头说你是否共产党」，你是否共产党？
倪：我当然不是。

薇：你还是很讨厌共产党？
倪：对，因为共产党极权。我钟爱自由，向往个体的思想，不得不讨厌共产的思想体系，一如水火不容的道理。

薇：但你当年对「她」迷恋过。
倪：1949年共产党建立政权时，全部中国人都被她迷住了。你看共产党由最初成立至建立全国政权，用了不足三十年工夫。如果得不到中国大多数人民拥护，她是不会成功的。

薇：你也是这样就信了她？
倪：当时以为中国从此有希望，但参加工作后，一看才知和想像不一样。去年中国有一本书是收集了1945年共产党的言论集，说明为什么要反对一党专政、一党专政万事不成、要怎样才有民主和言论自由。讲的全是毛主席的话和《新华日报》的社论。现在这书却成了禁书，即是说建国前共产党领导人说的话全部推翻掉。其实这些话与《零八宪章》的内容一样。

薇：你怎看到她的真面目？
倪：我到最普通的地方工作，她提倡平等，但原来阶级分明、上面的话下面的完全不能违反，与我的性格，格格不入。当年参加土地改革、斗地主，地主被判死刑，由我写判决书，我问死刑原因怎写，上面说写「地主」就可以。我说「地主」不是原因，应该说明地主犯了什么不法行为，例如强奸妇女等。上面硬说不用管，我无法接受，后来几乎要开会来斗争我。

薇：你最后妥协了？
倪：不妥协，下一回很容易是别人为我写死因报告呢！写「地主」已经不算奇怪，写「其他」的判死原因也有呢！

薇：你偷渡来港时曾吃老鼠？
倪：老鼠很好吃的，用火烧熟吃；还有吃蚂蚁蛋，一窝蚂蚁跑光后，剩下白白的蛋，我以为很不错，用手拿来吃，原来酸得很；把棉花煮熟也能顶得饿。

最坏的资本主义

薇：到香港后至今，对共产党有没有改观？
倪：有些改观。共产党有改变，不过是变得更坏，现在变成最坏的资本主义。所有大企业控制在官僚手上，官僚资本主义是最无情的资本主义，不会同情老百姓的。
现在最遭欺压是农民与工人，因为百分之零点七的人掌握百分之九十的资产。工人上午上班，下午回来时房子已被拆掉了，我宁愿在毛泽东时代大家都穷。让部分人富起来不是这样富法，富起来的要照顾未富的人，不可以反过来加倍压迫穷苦的人。现在新闻相片上可见煤矿老板用礼宾车送女儿上学，但路边却有衣衫破旧的小女孩……对比太强烈了，不能这样子。

薇：六十年来真的一点变化也没有？
倪：有变化但没有进步，只有愈来愈坏，所有人失去理想，只追求金钱，完全不顾道德底线，这是文革的后遗症。一些假商品完全冲破了最基本的底线，在报上看到连鱼身上都注些水增加重量。你能增加多少呢？底线全没了！

薇：有希望吗？
倪：我看不到。一个官僚贪污、一个环境污染就够，再过数十年中国连水都没得喝了。看网上照片，公共汽车上写着「吐痰请向外吐，提高个人素质」。 「向外吐」已经是提高个人素质了，这是完全没有保护环境的意识。

薇：有人说国家要先有经济发展才能讲民主。
倪：西方有这说法，但中国不同。西方理论是经济发展社会中产阶级，中产自然要求民主、自由；但中国是形成了中产阶级后，有钱的阶级却不要求政治民主，反而更加投靠极权，冀望得到更多利益。

薇：你有一个哥哥也是优秀共产党员，即是说除贪官污吏外，国内也有默默工作的人，这不也是希望所在吗？
倪：当然有，如果一个都无，不可能支撑到现在。如果七千万党员有三分一是贪官，即有二千多万是贪官。

薇：还有好的。
倪：但这样是没有用的。一些好人的努力成果会被另一批人拿走，或变成巩固一党专政的（力量）。

生日快乐？说不出口

薇：人家六十大寿，你不可以原谅一点？
倪：六十大寿就可以原谅，那我七十大寿是否什么都可干？ ……这与年纪无关。

薇：生日快乐都讲不出？
倪：她快乐时我不快乐，我希望她不快乐……我觉得她真是不快乐，而且可怜。我也很同情她，连放风筝也触动她的神经，放风筝有什么罪过呢？放上去又会怎样？其实她很坚强，但心里觉得脆弱，所以很可怜。没有人可以推翻她的，她即使全放开，让全中国人去骂，也骂不倒，政权是用枪打出来的。世界上有哪个武装力量可以推翻她的政权？她怕什么？

薇：香港可以做点什么吗？香港的自由可以感染内地吗？
倪：香港没有什么可做，顶多有机会就说几句话吧！但在强大的专政权力下，小百姓有什么可说呢？顶多如老子教小子：能吃一口就吃一口吧！要感染内地？一发声就会出事，例如四川地震校舍倒下，就连追问为什么这么多校舍倒下都不可以，真是太过分了。其实中国老百姓最好对付，只要不太过分都不造反，现在遍地都有人造反……伟大的毛主席说，哪里有压迫，哪里就有反抗，完全靠高压，反抗一定愈多。

今生不做中国人

薇：你会回去看一看吗？
倪：我不会回去的，我没有办法，我本来说过连香港也不回来……现在已经差不多到了极限的底线了。我本来没什么不开心的，如果回去一处自己不开心的地方又何必呢？

薇：你不想家吗？
倪：我从小在上海长大，上海人很少怀念家乡的。我自己家乡也未到过。如果我喜欢怀念，我在任何地方都会怀念香港。我在香港生活得最久了。有本书叫做《来生不做中国人》，是天下第一好书，但不够彻底。我说今生不做中国人，彻底失望。

薇：但你好多朋友都回去看看，查良鏞、黃霑、陶傑……
倪：是的，他们喜欢嘛。我始终觉得，所有不同想法都可以并存，所以我最讨厌与人辩论，最不喜欢统一意见了。不统一意见的人都可以做朋友。如果意见不同就不可以做朋友，那我自己都变成共产党了。

薇：你一生最执着最坚持什么呢？
倪：我坚持要有个人自由，人应该生活在一个有个体自由的社会中，身体不受伤害。我很幸运，在香港数十年，我的自由完全不受干扰，而且人人说我为所欲为。我当初来香港时，躺在维多利亚公园草地，完全没有人干涉，自出自入。

薇：你真是一个很开心的人。
倪：中国数千年历史，严格来说这三十年已经是中国盛世，死人算少又无战争。

薇：这即是有进步了吧！
倪：但这是没有用的，极权统治一日未改，一日靠上边在位人的态度而定，上边的人今日如此（当然好），但一念之间可以改变国家命运嘛！

■本文节录自香港电台电视节目《薇微语》第一集，主持李小薇专访倪匡，九月二十九日（星期二）晚上七时于亚洲电视本港台播出，港台网上广播站（http://tv.rthk.org.hk）提供视像直播及重温。

[文／《薇微语》监制谢志峰图／香港电台编辑／杨晴]

LUST, by Terence Kealey

LUST

Clark Kerr, the president of the University of California from 1958 to 1967, used to describe his job as providing sex for the students, car parking for the faculty and football for the alumni. But what happens when the natural order is disrupted by faculty members who, on parking their cars, head for the students' bedrooms?

The great academic novel of the 19th century was George Eliot's Middlemarch. The great academic novel of the 20th century was Malcolm Bradbury's The History Man. Both books chronicle lust between male scholars and female acolytes, and I expect that the great academic novel of the 21st century will describe more of the same. So, why do universities pullulate with transgressive intercourse?

When Willie Sutton was asked why he robbed banks, he is famously said to have replied, "because that's where the money is". Equally, the universities are where the male scholars and the female acolytes are. Separate the acolytes from the scholars by prohibiting intimacy between staff and students (thus confirming that sex between them is indeed transgressive - the best sex being transgressive, as any married person will soulfully confirm) and the consequences are inevitable.

The fault lies with the females. The myth is that an affair between a student and her academic lover represents an abuse of his power. What power? Thanks to the accountability imposed by the Quality Assurance Agency and other intrusive bodies, the days are gone when a scholar could trade sex for upgrades. I know of two girls who, in 1982, got firsts in biochemistry from a south-coast university in exchange for favours to a professor, but I know of no later scandals.

But girls fantasise. This was encapsulated by Beverly in Tom Wolfe's novel I Am Charlotte Simmons, who forces herself on to JoJo, the campus sports star, with the explanation that "all girls want sex with heroes". On an English campus, academics can be heroes.

Normal girls - more interested in abs than in labs, more interested in pecs than specs, more interested in triceps than tripos - will abjure their lecturers for the company of their peers, but nonetheless, most male lecturers know that, most years, there will be a girl in class who flashes her admiration and who asks for advice on her essays. What to do?

Enjoy her! She's a perk. She doesn't yet know that you are only Casaubon to her Dorothea, Howard Kirk to her Felicity Phee, and she will flaunt you her curves. Which you should admire daily to spice up your sex, nightly, with the wife.

Yup, I'm afraid so. As in Stringfellows, you should look but not touch. Be warned by the fates of too many of the protagonists in Middlemarch, The History Man and I Am Charlotte Simmons. And in any case, you should have learnt by now that all cats are grey in the dark.

So, sow your oats while you are young but enjoy the views - and only the views - when you are older.

•Terence Kealey is vice-chancellor, University of Buckingham, and the author of Sex, Science and Profits (2008).

from Free Republic, originally appeared on The Times Higher Education.

Returnee Committed Suicide

A civil engineering postdoc appointee of Zhejiang University ended his life by jumping over a building on September 16, 2009. Dr. Tu Xuxin graduated from Qinghua University with dual degree in civil engineering (2000) and law (2001) and received a PhD from Northwestern University in Chicago.

In the suicide note, Tu mentioned frustration in promotion process, but attributed the reason of suicide to family violence. Tu complained being abused by his wife Dr. Fang Xin and his parents in law.

A post on the popular Tianya forum alleged that Dr. Fang referred her husband as 'A Triple Void Product': no house, no car, no clout. Shortly after a phone conversation between Dr. Tu and Dr. Fang together with her parents, Dr. Tu jumped.

In Chinese community, a returnee is also referred to as a sea turtle, because the pronunciation of turtle is same as 'return'.

Chicken to Die For

A review on midnight chick wings peppered with reflection on his weakness of unwilling to take risk, the author of 'Chicken to Die For' got a university newspaper into the storm and himself into fear of life.

Kyle West, a student at University of Oklahoma was lured to a midnight chicken joint for 'best wings in the state of Oklahoma'. He patronized the place despite its a gangsters gathering place, and was quite impressed by the tasty wings. At the end, he concluded the spicy deliciousness lived up to its reputation and trip was well worth it. Had he not taken the risk, he wouldn't have had a bite of the one of a kind delicacy.

Because the trailer chicken joint located on an abandoned parking lot is the center of a Black community where murders and drive-by shootings frequent, the food review came under severe criticism for being 'racial provoking'. Although there's no exaggeration or misrepresentation of facts, the article was accused of 'embracing negative stereotypes'. The author was rebuked and the editorial board apologized. The food review was withdrawn. In other words, there are things you should not say in the United States, under the current political atmosphere.

Without further due, here is the original article in its entire length:

CHICKEN TO DIE FOR

Before going there, I thought there'd be one of two ways I would die by eating at Bobo's. One, the chicken itself, a delicious yet deadly combination of spicy, smoked chicken wings that are then deep fried and generously slathered with honey, a concoction that churned like acid in my gut the whole next day. The second way I thought I'd die was a driveby, because being white and naive, I thought I was the obvious target of gangsters and thugs. But the promise of the best fried chicken in the state of Oklahoma overcame my fear of death. Which, if you think about it, is saying a lot. I guess you could say Bobo's makes chicken that is literally to die for.

Bobo's sits in an abandoned parking lot, and is only open 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. Friday and Saturday. I had no idea how bad it would be. It sounds ridiculous, but the image of my body lying dead in a gutter loomed large. This was the reason I enlisted several of my friends come. We left Norman around 2 a.m. to get there around 2:30, the place's peak time where its clientele are the most interesting. Before arriving, I'd imagined my faithful friends and me walking quietly yet purposefully up to the trailer, getting our food and stealing away like phantoms into the night before the inevitable gangs descended upon our soft, suburban underbellies. But thankfully, things didn't turn out that way. It seemed like every gangster and wannabe gangster had been drawn here like iron filings to a magnet. I probably unfairly thought most of the honest people there were gangsters. Not that long ago Bobo's was the site of a drive-by where six people were injured. Looking at its neighborhood, it's not surprising -- Martin Luther King and NE 23rd is arguably the most dangerous part of OKC. Though my house is only five minutes from Bobo's, I had never been that far east on 23rd.

No one wanted to be the first to get out. We were nervous, but we hadn't yet figured out there was no real reason to be. Finally, we hopped out into the dusty lot, the loud beats of rap music reverberating from every dark corner where shady cars were parked. Even the massive floodlights mounted on Bobo's trailer couldn't reach those dark corners. Like a pack of wildebeests on a lion-filled savanna we clustered en masse toward the trailer. Its menu offered three items: "wings n' things," catfish, and shrimp. Everyone ordered wings n' things, and while waiting for our orders to arrive, we each privately pondered what "things" might be. Things turned out to be fries and deep fried dough sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, which, together with the wings, were smothered with Bobo's signature helping of honey.

Once we had our food, we retreated to the safety of the capitol steps, a two minute drive, to eat our wings n' things. Ironically, the capitol probably boasts more corruption than Bobo's parking lot ever could. But I'll spare you the politics. That night, we satisfied ourselves on the spicy, sweet goodness of deep-fried deliciousness, licking our fingers because apparently Bobo doesn't believe in napkins. Napkins are too polite for Bobo.

While uncomfortable, I know Bobo's was a good experience. It made me realize that I rarely take risks. Usually, I don't intentionally put myself in harm's way. It's counter to reason. But it's interesting that our ancestors quite possibly experienced true and physical danger every day. This is an element nearly absent at a public university where our greatest physical fear is probably getting run over by a bike. If I learned one thing from Bobo's, other than their chicken is the best I've had in Oklahoma, it's this: perhaps risk-taking isn't so counterintuitive. While probably not that great a risk, going to Bobo's made me feel more alive. It made me less afraid of being uncomfortable. It makes me discontent to sit, playing video games when I could be doing something more stimulating. Life is short, then we die might morning, as well be doing interesting things while we wait, like risking your life for fried chicken.

Kyle West in a professional writing senior.

BOBO'S CHICKEN

WANT TO TRY THE INFAMOUS EATERY FOR YOURSELF? THE DAILY'S LIFE AND ARTS STAFF GATHERED THE DETAILS. WHERE: 23 St. between Lottie and Martin Luther King WHEN: 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. each Friday and Saturday WHY: Because fried food tastes better at night. WHAT TO EXPECT: Plan on eating some of Oklahoma's best fried food while making memories you might never forget.

What If Annie Le Was Killed by One of Us?

"What if Annie Le was killed by one of us?" That's the question leadership of the Yale should have asked at the very beginning of the investigation. Otherwise, they would probably reconsider their initial offer of award for leads to the case.

Yale graduate student Annie Le was murdered in daytime in a Yale building. Her body was found stuffed in a wall of the same building last Sunday, the same day when she was supposed to be married. Yale officials' attitude saw a sharp turn once it became clear to themselves (while still not clear to the public) that the only suspect was a white dude. Yale president assured the campus that everyone were safe, while the killer was still at large on campus.

Despite the fact the Yale officials knew the killer, a white technician of the lab, was the only one person who last saw Annie Le alive, Yale allowed the white person to return to the crime scene to clean it out (as observed by co-workers and reported by news media). Both Annie Le and the white person used card-keys to enter an exclusive room. Annie Le never came out. Each time a card key is used, a distinctive message is recorded so that the owner of the key is traced. Yale had the information so they soon discovered the killer. While no arrested was made until one week later, the Yale officials went to public to say no one on campus was in danger. Police was not allowed to conduct a lock-down search of the building until Sunday, when Annie Le's body was found. Plenty of time was giving to the white killer to cleared up the mass, and he did.

Even after the New Haven police had made the arrest on Thursday, while co-workers testified the white dude had temper-control problem. Yale spokesman had the nerve to assert that they saw no sign to worry from the killer's past, which included being accused of raping just a few years ago.

When we all know the answers to the said question, Yale university showed the world its true color towards its own students, if they happened to have colored skin.

Don't Help Strangers, They Could be Shanghai Cops

For a moment, imagine you were driving to work on any busy morning commute. It was 7:45 and the red light just won't let it go. You may sign, you may swear, but suddenly a couple in shabby clothing opened your back doors and sat on your car. Before you recovered from the shock, they would tell you that the woman was suffering a severe stomach pain, and that they had been unable to hire a taxi for twenty minutes. They asked you to take them to the nearest hospital. They would beg you, and praise your ancestors for your kindness, but they wouldn't leave your car until you said okay.

Many drivers showed their kindness, but was arrested and beaten by the police at the 'hospital' entrance. They police would charge you for illegal operating taxi business. They would give you a 10,000 RMB ($1,600) fine or throw you in jail.

The mass 'sting' operation happened in Shanghai, where the police pockets millions of fines in the first day. It didn't last too long, because almost all drivers were alerted by their relatives and friends who had fell victims. Tens of thousands of Shanghai drivers had mobilized on the Internet to retaliate the brute violation of civil rights.

226 Days later, Shanghai is going to host the World Fair. Since the Shanghai government endorsed the police's operation, private car owners of Shanghai are launching a campaign to appeal the case to the attendees of the World Fair by sticking a bumper sticker which reads 'Don't Help Strangers, They Could be Cops'.

Lucky ball

Chinese people under the CCP's heavy handed dictation had been known for their stubbornness in playing lucky balls. It was no exception on the First 'Netizen Culture Festival' when a banner read 'Cross the Great Wall to the World'.

In the digital age, to educated westerns, the Great Firewall has replaced the Great Wall as the symbol of China, under the Party's suppression on information.

Onlien Discovery May Incriminalize Husband of Hiking Accident Victism

Chinese student Yin, Jing and her labmate a US student were killed in a hiking accident when the two were traveling in Jiuzhigou, China, a famous tourism location.

Days after the accident, while relatives and friends were still mourning for their lost, some people pointed out suspicious leads that suggest it might be a murder case. Yin's jealous husband who is in school in another state in the US was alleged to have hired a hit man to kill the duo because of extramarital affairs.

1) The husband has the motive. Yin dutifully kept updating a blog where she elaborate every details of her daily life since 2005. However, not even once was her husband mentioned in her thousands of blogs.

2) The American student could be seen in many photos Yin posted on the web. The facial expression suggested intimate relationship between the two.

3) Although Yin created her MSN Live blog when she was a married woman, she listed 'many people' as her 'significant other' in her online profile.

4) The husband made a lonely trip back to China in June, 2009.

5) Yin revealed in her blog on July 16, 2009 that her own mother was against her travel plan. She said she had been hiding the trip from her mother.

6) Someone from Mianyang, Sichuan (IP: 125.67.157.*) posted online requesting Yin's pictures and descriptions on August 10, 2009. Mianyang is the closest city to the scene of the fatal accident.

7) September 3rd, 2009. The duo were found killed by 'falling rocks'.

8) September 5th, 2009. Someone questioned the motive behind the inquiry made on August 10, 2009.

9) There is little to none media coverage in mainland on the accidental death of one American and one oversea Chinese students in China. These type of incidents are always big media hit. It's hard to imagine this is not intentionally handled by the police due to ongoing criminal investigation.

EeePC Shot

It's the EeePC baby!

Welcome Mr. Wu Bangguo

The No. 2 person in the power architecture in Communist China, under President Hu Jintao but above Premier Wen Jiabao, Mr. Wu Bangguo will visit the US.

The Seagull obtained two solicitation letters from different oversea Chinese organizations for volunteers to stand on side of road Wu's motorcade would pass. One offered $25 per head, the other offers two meal vouchers each. Both would provide transportation. The reimbursement schedule set by the Chinese embassy is a vivid reflection of Mr. Wu's political positioning, amazingly. Mr. Hu was priced at $50, while Mr. Wen $5.

Han Ethnics Took on The Street in Urumqi

Angry Han Ethnics took on the street in Urumqi to pretest the authority's Ostrich policy on ever intensifying terrorism activities.

Muslim Uyghur terrorists use poisoned syringes to stab random targets in public places such as in bus stations and grocery stores. Thousands of Han people had fell victims and many died at the scene. The public is angry because the communist government blocked the media coverage to paint a 'harmonic' society. The official Xinhua News only published a brief message in late night last Thursday, after months of bloody attacks on innocent people resulted in dozens of deaths. The government acknowledged 480 attacks in the past two months, citing people who went to hospital for treatment. Local residents claim the real figure of such attacks would be at least 10 times higher.

On Campus Cabin

A Philosophy and Computer Science double major student of the University of Buffalo had been working on his on campus cabin because he could not afford paying both tuition and rent for school housing. In the mean time, he had been spending nights in stairwells and hammocks.

As his cabin 80% complete and the Fall semester starts, the university demanded the student to 'clear the site'. 21 years old Brain Borncamp complied.

Who Is She?

The bad and the Ugly: American Students Perform Consistently in Years

Secretary Duncan reported that American students have performed consistently in the past few years, but that is not necessarily a good news, given the reality of American students falling far far behind the norm of the world.

A new (as refreshing as last week) study by the National Center for Education found US students lack in math and science.

The ugly part of the story, however, is that while American students scores the same in 2003 and 2006, the rest of the world are making significant improvement.

"We've sort of lost our way," said Secretary Duncan.

Journalist Fired After Reporting Fatal Therapy

A reporter was forced to resign after reporting fatal therapy to treat Internet addiction.

Corporal punishments such as beating and electric shock were used along with brain surgery to treat adolescent who were found addictive to Internet surfing. The 'doctors' working at such facilities were not certified. Thousands were treated, and some were never walked out of the prison like facilities.

After the media coverage, such 'Internet Addiction' Rehab were banned, and treatments were denounced illegal.

Still, the messenger was shot. The reporter and deputy chief editor of South Country Morning Daily (Nanguo Zaobao) was forced to resign because of his story on a wrongful death of one of the victims of such illegal centers.


15 years old Deng Senshan of Nanning, Guangxi Province was sent to one of said 'centers' by his father, hoping to stop his non-stop Internet surfing life style. Days later, the father received his son's body with bloods and bruises, cold.

Although even the authority deems the message to be authentic and prompt, the messenger must die so that no more bad news would be delivered. Chinese people are living in a harmonic society under the ruling of the communists Party, you know?

Interesting Figures on H1B Employers

Since 2001, Goldman Sachs has filed 1022 H1B petitions in Mathematics, made them the No. 1 Visa Sponspor in Mathmatics. Same can be said for Microsoft in Psychology with 111 petitions.

Online Courses

Many reputable but otherwise resource constrained schools had been refraining themselves from offering online courses, until they were seen rushing to the idea amid the economic downturn. There are the ORT (Online Or Not) Test that each school should exercise before a decision is made on whether a particular course should be allowed going online:

• whether offering it online significantly facilitate students attending;
  
• whether online contents enriched or elevated the core of the course.
  

A course could go online if it passes one of the Ort Test. However, if it passes neither, the school should not just go ahead because of monetary concerns as that may very well backfire in a not so long run.

Other thoughts: when a professor teaches, more or less he brings in the knowledge and methodology he absorbed from his PhD adviser. Assuming only a limited number of schools (300 or so in the US) produce PhD, we can count on teaching efficiency of any PhD recipient. However, when the entire higher education is rushing to online offerings, few current professors have been trained or even had any level of experiences of online offerings. Many are retooling from whoever have been conducting online education. Unfortunately, the majority of the said 'whoever' are for-profit institutions and community colleges, or bottom level schools otherwise. Following models of such bottom level schools will certainly not help maintaining quality or reputation. Instead, an efficient and cost effective way of training is giving each faculty who are interested in offering online courses a chance to take one at a first-class school, such as Stanford or MIT. If that's not possible, inviting professors from those schools to give a talk may also help.

Army Reserve Deployed by Wealthy Developer to Evict Villagers

Uniformed reserve soldiers were deployed by wealthy developer in Zhejiang Province to evict villagers from their homes so that a market could be built upon the land. Police and Para-military participation and accusations of brutality in civil commercial disputes are not new in the totalitarian communist county, but using military forces has been rather rare, until recently.

Historically Chinese rulers have been wary on loyalty of military forces. In Ming Dynasty, a wealthy patriot was executed for donating money to a troop, because only the emperor is entitled to giving to the military. During the relief effort of the Sichuan Earthquake in 2007, Chinese premier Wen Jiabao lashed out before reporters for his frustration dealing with troops. Although he is the head of the government and namingly No. 3 in the Party rank, the troop only answers to Mr. Hu Jintao, the Party Core and Chairman of the CCP Central Military Committee (CMC).

April 10, 2009, hundreds of reserved forces of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) were deployed to evict villagers to make room for a market to be developed by a real estate developer Mr. Shen Jinmu. A short video clip of the scene showed villager was beaten by uniformed soldiers. At least one senior citizen was seriously injured with multiple broken bones. Billionaire Shen hired the troop through the local government of Tongxiang, Zhejiang.

There are no Black Lung Patients in China

There were no homosexuals in Iran, as said the visiting Irian President Mahmound Ahmadinejad on a Columbia University forum in 2007.

There are no black lung patients in China despite the all well known work environment issues, as decided by the Chinese Comnunist Party.

A deadly struggle between seven black lung workers and the Party ended up deadly, as described in a recent story carried by the Nanfang Daily.

In the village of Dawu in Wanzhou of Chongqing, seven villagers set out to work in a factory in Wenzhou, Zhejiang in 1997. They were fired by the factory in 2002 when they were too ill to work. Seven came back with black lungs. They battled the legal system in the past five years. The result: five are already dead, and two are still not recognized as black lung patients. The Party boss of Chongqing, Mr. Bo Xilai, proudly stated that there were no black lung patients in Chongqing.

Dead bodies:
Xiang Yin,
Maochen, Qin,
Bin Xiong,
Shaojing Xiong (Bin Xiong's cousin),
Lunhua Mou,

Waiting to be dead, but not classified as black lung:
Zibing Pu
Yu Yin (Xiang Yin's little brother)

Toyota's Broken Axles

Japanese companies have long been accused for intentionally manufacturing products with inferior quality for Chinese market. A bunch of broken axles of Toyota cars just added to the evidents pool.

March 17, 2009, Ms. Zhang Yan of Nantong, Jiangsu was driving on a highway at around 60mph when she felt something was wrong about the Camry which she purchased less than on year ago on May 22, 2008. The car then spun off the road, but in a miracle it didn't bump into anything when it finally stopped. The rear right wheel was found 800 feet away, and the rear axle broken. It was a flat highway, and there was no scratches on the body. Apparently, the axle broke on its own.

It was not until Toyota refused to fix the car, and Ms. Zhang had to do some homework on the records of this model in Chinese market had she learned of the horrific history of broken axles on new Toyota Camry cars in China.

Zhang Jianguo of Beijing had his Camry axle broken when he was driving on Jing-Shi highway near Zhuozhou on May 22, 2009. The Toyota Camry was purchased July 2008.

On March 29, 2009, Mr. Huang Xinyuan of Shenzhen, Guangdong lost control when his Camry had two broken axles. The car was purchased on July 2, 2008.

Camry is not the one Toyota car that have been entangled with broken axles.

On January 26, the New Year's Day in Chinese lunar calendar, Mr. Li Jianming of Guangzhou, Guangdong was driving his Toyota Ritz, when the car lost control because of a broken axle. Toyota refused to have a third party agency examine the car because, ridiculously, Toyota had its own examination. The case was in the court of Huangpu, Guangzhou since June 23, 2009.

Berkeley Defends Torture

Christopher Edley Jr., the Dean of the Berkeley School of Law defends John Yoo's employment by saying, 'a tenured professor can be dismissed only for "commission of a criminal act which has led to conviction in a court of law and which clearly demonstrated unfitness to continue as a member of the faculty."'.

Dean Edley's arguments are wrong.

John Yoo as a lawyer was the hired gun for the Bush administration in writing up the CYA memos for the DoJ in which he redefined the torture as used in war.

Had the US lost the war, Yoo would have been tried and executed as a war criminal. Yoo got away from the international court not because he was innocent, but because he put the United States as shield. Consequently the image of the United States was permanently ruined. Many people suffered, and some died. More will suffer and die as a result. John Yoo knowingly and consciously performed this as a cheap hired gun for then DoJ leaders, consciously at the cost of the Country. The act and the harm it caused mounted to the level of treason.

In addition, Yoo is not suitable for continuing teaching at any capacity. As Scott Horton of Columbia Law School wrote, '.. Lawyers who act on the public stage can have an enormous impact on their society and the world around them....can also be vessels of horrendous injustice and oppression. Indeed they can formant and advance a criminal design....a generation of Berkeley grads to think that writing up CYA memos for political friends is an honorable and proper thing -- or at least something you can get away with, suffering no negative repercussions?...do little credit to the students and faculty at Boalt Hall.

Timothy Burke of Swarthmore College wrote, '.. Shouldn't this kind of approach to knowledge and scholarship disqualify someone for an academic post?'

Koreans are known for cruelty in war time. Civil protests in Korean constantly have items such as machetes, rocks and Molotov cocktails involved. Although Korean military hadn't won a battle in a long time, their army fought along the Japanese Imperial Army and the US army committed the most despicable war crimes against civilian in WWII as well as the Vietnam War.

Sino-US Internet Connection Crippled by Typhoon

Submerged cables between Shantou mainland and Tanshui Taiwan was cut by the Typhoon Morakot. The segment is part of the Asia-Pacific Cable Network 2 (APCN2) on or before August 12. The incident did not have big impact to the network traffics as there are alternative paths.

On or around August 17, one of the alternative paths was damaged near Busan of South Korea. At this time, a big proportion of mainland websites are inaccessible.

National Secret: Undocumented Babies Killed by Hospitals

Movie star Zhang Ziyi recently pled to entertainment reporters not to dig on her private life, because 'for your it's gossip, but for me it's my life'.

For everyone else what was revealed from a ten years old medical record is a taboo of national secret; but for Ms. Chen, it was her life forever without her own offspring. Her first baby boy, whom she was told born dead, was actually delivered alive but later killed by the hospital because she did not have proper document, the birth license. She had since unable to carry another baby.

In mainland China, one family is allowed to have one child. In addition, the couple must obtain a birth license before a child is born. It is an often troublesome procedure for many because each 'unit (the bottom level organization in charge of people's work, life, welfare etc.)' is only allocated a certain number of such licenses each year. If birth licenses run out before the end of year comes, then the options for married couples are either an abortion or carefully avoiding pregnancy. Sometimes it makes a laughable moment when co-workers have to coordinate their sex schedule so that they could fairly and wisely make use of the available birth licenses. Sometimes it became a sadden moment when some couples were told they would have to have an abortion, even when it's their first pregnancy.

Ms. Chen's pregnancy was not planned. She and her husband rushed the wedding when they found out Ms. Chen was pregnant. Before going to the hospital, they had envisioned the father could be arrested and they might have to pay a big fine. They were discussing selling the house to pay the fine. However, they didn't know and little was known to most people that the Health Ministry had a policy which dictated babies without the aforementioned 'birth license' would be secretly executed by the hospital. In China, fathers are not allowed in the delivery room, and mothers would be usually worn out to be alert of what's exactly happening. The baby would be quietly and decisively killed by the delivering doctors, and the mother would be told the child was born dead.

Ms. Chen has been a frequent visitor of fertility clinics in the past 10 years with no luck. About one month ago on July 31, 2009, when she was hospitalized for another fertility treatment at the No. 1 Ninghai Hospital, where the baby was killed tens years ago, a copy of the old medical record was accidentally given to her along with current records. That's when the national secret was leaked to Ms. Chen.


The time was 1999, and the hospital was the No. 1 Hospital of Ninghai (Address: 73 South Taoyuan Road, Ninghai, Zhejiang, 315600, PRC. Tel: +86 (574) 6557-8396. President: Fang Zhengming. Beds: 400) in Ningbo, a coastal city of Zhejiang Province. Three Obgyns were involved in the termination process. They are Drs. Jiang3, Wang and Jiang1. According to the medical record, Dr. Jiang3 carried out the execution 2 minutes after the baby was born alive.

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