PAOWANG Shut Down

A 'long lasting' online gathering place for some privileged Chinese socialites was finally put to death yesterday at 2 pm.

PAOWANG.COM started as an exclusive, by invitation only forum ten years ago. Although it opened up membership gradually over years, but the two most influential boards were never open for public registrations. Most core members of PAOWANG were beneficiaries of government policies, and stay in bed with the government on most issues. Nevertheless, there might be a little complains or mocking here and there, but the mainstream tone had always been pro-government, and to an extend, pro-communism ruling.

The order to have the website shut down came in a surprise. The River Crab (harmonic cops) must have a hangover somehow.

3月12日14点10年历史的泡网俱乐部网站“被”关闭
论坛：作者：洋洋大观发表时间：2009-03-12 20:51:45

3月12日14点10年历史的泡网俱乐部网站“被”关闭

12点15分的时候，管理员在最有影响的“江湖论剑”板块发布通知，称因技术原因将于下午2点关闭网站，后来在追问下告诉大家目前还未知再次开放的时间，同时留下了一个新的网站作为关闭期间的替代，种种迹象表明，绝不是网站方面主动的行为，而是迫于某种压力。

泡网俱乐部成立于1999年，是由国内最早一批BBS玩家自发组建的，非商业不盈利的一个论坛性质的网站。因为当年四通转变为新浪，四通论坛最早的一批网友重新建立起一个自己的家园，新浪成立后，原论坛元老纷纷出走，包括西祠胡同、凯迪网络、天涯社区、清韵书院、球迷一家等都是在同一时期成立的。十年来经过风风雨雨，是目前几乎唯一硕果仅存的纯BBS，传统的树状论坛形式保留至今。主要有“弹琴（文学）”、“论剑（时政体育）”、“兵器（器材）”、“绝色（摄影）”等一批各具特色的论坛组成。

2001年经过《南方周末》的整版大幅报道，这个网络上的“桃花源”走入公众视野，但特色始终未变，并且没有任何商业化的打算，算是为中文网络留下了最后一片净土。

先后活跃于此的著名ID有老榕、王小山、李寻欢、猛小蛇、和菜头、木子美、王佩、心有些乱、阿飞姑娘、钱列宪、北京厨子、令狐公子、方很少、没知识的穷孩子、ayawawa、五朝臣子、沈阳球迷等等。

本来，今年6月是泡网俱乐部成立10年的时刻，没想到刚刚入春，就传来如此不幸的消息，作为经常浏览各个BBS的人来说，泡网俱乐部虽然尺度宽松，但还没有凯迪、天涯、猫扑等等大胆，影响力也小的多，作为一群网络老人自娱自乐的小乡村，居然横遭此难，不知是和感慨。
不过看到牛博的倒下，泡网的今日也算是早该如此，不知道会不会在近日的“第N批”整顿低俗网站之风中，可以看到泡网的影子。

因为消息突然，并没有留存泡网的页面，甚是可惜。希望早日再见到那蓝灰色如江南烟雨的朦胧，好在前几日下载了泡网网友合作的“江湖之歌”在IPHONE中，是唯一留存于我身边的遗迹了。

再见，泡网！

再见泡网！

For the time being, Paowang stays in a rental place here.

Yellow Dog Congresswomen

The Great Leader Chairman Mao has said, "it's not difficult for someone to do the right thing once, but it's a rare virtue for anyone to be doing the right thing in his entire life." Eighty years old Shen Jilan is exactly such a perfect person who has always been doing the right thing throughout her entire life.

Shen is the only representative who has stayed in the office from the 1st National People's Congress (NPC) to the 11th. She was interviewed during the 11th Congress which has been in session since March 5th.

Shen is deputy secretary of a local party branch of Changzhi, Shanxin. She had seen Chairman Mao, Premier Zhou, and President Jiang Zemin in her long political career. In the interview, she proudly exclaimed that in her 55 years tenure of national congresswoman, she had never voted against any bill. She is always supportive of goals and guidelines laid out by our Party.

We are proud to have our representatives so loyal to our Party. We love our Party. We love our Congress!

That Flag of Terror

In the global economy downturn, people and politicians alike are looking for a top point to vent. Some found China an easy target. Face it, the Communism government has trouble writing all over its body, like a 30 years tattoo artist who has no inches of skins haven't been inked. However, Tibetan issue is not one of the crimes committed by the communism reign.

Despite historic ties and records, Tibet has been under the China central government for hundreds of years, and there's no pragmatic point to challenge this status guo, unless you are willing to fight the People's Liberation Army. Unlike 20 years ago, In this battle, the PLA will be fighting for a cause which ordinary Chinese and Tibetan people will swear by it, and stand by it.

The Associated Press quoted a western protester dressed in costumes in London saying, 'I can hold this flag here, but a Tibetan person couldn't hold their flag in their country.' The orange flag with a lion standing in front of snow mountains was banned in China territory. Anyone who display such a flag will get into trouble from Chinese police.

However, what the protester does not know is what the flag represents in Tibetan history. The flag is associated with the darkest time in Tibet. It is a reminder of hatred, killing, blood and torture. Under the slavery system, a landlord or a monk would make a leader decoration out of a slave alive on a good day. Westerner do not think why monks are most enthusiastic on the 'free' Tibetan, and most Tibetan people living in Tibet are against it. Nobody would be against 'freedom', ordinary Tibetan people are against violence, hatred, torture and bloodshed.

For Chinese people, including those Tibetan natives living in Tibet, The flag is not a symbol of 'freedom', but a symbol of terror. Banning a flag of terror is the right thing any government are mandate to do, regardless whether it's a communism government, or a western government. The flag quote shows the AP reporter 'Jennifer Peltz' either lack of fundamental knowledge of Tibet, or an evil taste of blood (of peaceful Tibetan people).

Cultural Shock

Many Chinese immigrants and visitors told us they did not have any cultural shock when they stepped on the ground of US of A for the first time. Because of the free flowing of information and the tremendous interest Chinese always have on American culture, they would probably have learned everything about US before they board their flight. Actually, since most travel booklets tend to exaggerate the cultural differences to show off the depth and broadness of the book, readers were often disappointed when they did not enjoy the cultural shock they had expected. Human beings are always interesting to observe.

They are many myths about the US of A among Chinese immigrants. Chinese parents are especially puzzled on how to raise their kids in an acceptable and responsible way. There is a Chinese saying that you harsher you discipline your child, the better he will grows up into. What are they going to do in the US where spanking their own kids is a crime?

American kids are not different than Chinese kids, and among a small sampling (more than a dozen though), all American parents admitted they hit their kids as a punishment when they did not obey rules. Furthermore, even school teachers could hit a naughty kid, in some states.

Another myth is you can't share a drink with your kids. There is no law on a legal age to drink or to smoke. Having a drink with Dad in a local bar was one of top childhood memory a child could have. What would life be without being able to drink with your Dad?

Well, it turned out it's legal in most places to have a drink with your minor kids. Serving alcohol to your neighbor's kids may be different though, depends on where you live. Lanora Lucas, a Frederick Maryland resident was cleared for furnishing alcohol to a minor after her lawyer showed she did not have a chimerical license. Two kids, one 13 and one 16 were hospitalized with alcohol poisoning in a party held by Ms. Lucas. In other words, watch out for minors when you are a commercial dealer.

Dartmouth Students Demand "Buy American"

Dartmouth Student Media GGMM protested against the College's decision to name an Asian President. A daily community news service composed by a staff writer of Generic Good Morning Message (GGMM) questioned the appointment, and asked the college to 'Buy American', a strategy to pull the US out of the current economic slowdown painted out by President Barack Hussein Obama. The inspiring message was sent to the Dartmouth community on March 3, 2009 after the College appointed an Asian American President, following the suit of the United States and the Grand Ole Party (to name a non-Caucasian leadership for the first time in history):

Date: March 3, 2009 11:06:39 AM EST
To: GOOD-MORNING@LISTSERV.DARTMOUTH.EDU
Subject: Good Morning

This is the Generic Good Morning Message for March 3, 2009.

Yesterday came the announcement that President of the College James Wright will be replaced by Chinaman Kim Jim Yong. And a little bit of me died inside.

It was a complete supplies.

On July 1, yet another hard-working American's job will be taken by an immigrant willing to work in substandard conditions at near-subsistent wage, saving half his money and sending the rest home to his village in the form of traveler's checks. Unless "Jim Yong Kim" means "I love Freedom" in Chinese, I don't want anything to do with him. Dartmouth is America, not Panda Garden Rice Village Restaurant.

Y'all get ready for an Asianification under the guise of diversity under the actual Malaysian-invasion leadership instituted under the guise of diversity. It's a slippery slope we are on. I for one want Democracy and apple pie, not Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen. I know I sure as shit won't ever be eating my Hop dubs bubs with chopsticks. I like to use my own two American hands.

We can understand that all Colored people look alike in their group in American eyes. That's probably how Micheal Steel was tapped to head the Republican Party. Either the party members can't tell Michael from Obama, or they were count on ordinary Americans can't tell. Anyway, Dr. Kim may just look like another yellow man. However, as a privileged person who can actually tell, let me tell you, American, Dr. Kim is not a Chinese. So dear Dartmouth community, next time when you were about to set Dr. Kim on fire, please fuck off the Chinese reference because that is be an insult for a Korean, whom Dr. Kim really is!

Update: Despite the enthusiastic support poured from the entire Dartmouth community, the College and the GGMM decided that the staff writer would keep anonymous, citing 'diversification' considerations. It is only known that the hero who actually placed the message on the server is a GGMM staff writer Jack McNeilly, traced by his EMail address. However, any connection between Jack and the writer would be an unregulated stretch of imagination.

Update: Students and alumni at the Harvard University, Dr. Kim's previous employer, applauded the courage demonstrated by Dartmouth neighbors. The Board of Trustee of Harvard University had passed a motion to mandate a Caucasian replacement for the position left by Dr. Kim.

Most Seagull Readers Reside In US and Mainland China

In a one year reader's survey, 222 readers responded by indicating their current residence. 38% readers said they lived in the US, followed by 36% Mainland China. Taiwan (2%) and Hong Kong (2%) collectively represent 4%, while 11% was reported to be based in European countries.

There are also 9% of readers appeared in the category of 'Rest of the World', a surprisingly large group. Where could it be? Japan? Australia? Africa? Very interesting.

How Long Are You Gonna Hold On?

If the 'economic downturn' is actually as bad as economists are telling us, then how long are you going to hold on the stocks in your hands? Will you still be alive twenty years from now on?

It took 12 years from 1930 to 1942 for the stock market to start a serious growing, and another 13 years when it recovered to its pre-collapse level. That's 25 years in total. However, many people argued that the US economy was saved only by the world war.

It was stuck on 10,000 points for 17 years from 1966 to 1983.

Now we were told it is the worst since 1920. Assuming the US economy will regain its energy, how many years are we looking at? Of course, the good news is that no matter what that number is, we could subtract 1 from it because we have already in it since the beginning of 2008.