Chinese Lives

Chinese athletes often impress the world with their almost perfect sports technic and iron strong competing spirit. However, they seem a little too shy, reserved and lack of expressions so much so that many foreign media refer them as sports machine, which is really out of misunderstanding.

At the 16th FINA Diving World Cup running from 19th to 25th in Feburary, Chinese medalers impress us with their friendly smile and confidence, as well as intrigue the world to find out what their finger gun pose mean.

Some assume the finger gun pose resembling their sportswear sponsor LiNing’s Logo, so this could be sort of adverts for the company. But others disagree by pointing out that this gesture resembles more Nike’s Logo.

Well, is it possibly a joke about LiNing beating Nike up with a finger gun? Pardon me for my dark crazy imagination. lol

I am generally not a dog lover, and particularly not towards this one. Wow, what a individuality of its looks.

Internet conveniency brought by Ebay, Youtube and other E-shopping facilities, have enriched ways how people live, trade and marketing. They have more choice, more creativity, and more self-centered which I mean less leashed by big brands or totalitarian values. It would be ambiguous, risky, fun and influentical.

This is accordingly the first Taobao (similar to Ebay) small store owner modelling her merchandise women’s lingerie and accessories. Here is the link http://auction1.taobao.com/auction/item_detail-db1-0ceafa400651ee345fa87e4738b52a79.jhtml. Have a look if you are interested.

I have to say, the pictures are bold and sexy, though the marketing is absolutely a success and has increased sales. My feeling is, any doubts about certain product are cleared once see it put on a real people rather than a small picture on its packaging.

However, I am not totally optimistic about hugging this bold modelling or sex sale. China is still a traditional country in bones despite many aspects are westernized. I am not sure if her modelling marketing conflicts any regulations, which could bring her trouble, since recently the government uses heavy punishment towards porn related acts.

This responsible guard stopped a car whose owner skipped parking fee by putting his own safety on the line.

It is not out of communism education, but purely post responsibility the guard feel right to insist. Nowadays, it takes the guts to do your job, because too many people think they can outstand rules.

Last year in Manchester UK, a similar case was that hundreds people quequed up to withdraw cash from a malfunctioning ATM which gave out double times of the amount you required. At the time, it was treated as a laugh and late comers regret about losing the chance. I am not sure how those mass amount people got punished, but definitely not life.

This young man named Xu Ting who fled with 170,000 RMB stolen from malfunctioning ATM one year before turned himself in, has triggered a months long arguments on internet forums on whether the life sentence is fair.

It is agreed that Xu Ting has commit stealing from bank. He should be locked in prison for one year or two based on returning the money and having paid the fine, since his friend who stole 18,000 got only one year.

However, the court recons a heavy punishment should be used on this deliberately malicious crime. Xu Ting clearly knew the stealing and did not plan to return when he repeated deliberate cashing 171 times and fled.

Xu Ting’s father now studied law himself and tried to convince the court to lesson the sentence in the forthcoming trail.

The double standard in treating financial criminals infuriate people. Why some peole stole millions don’t get life sentence? Old people said, in Mao’s time, government employee had death sentence for very small corruption, which was strict but warning and equal.

China is progressing fast towards law and order. Xu’s case will be a good legal education for both the government and people.

Ga-gong, meaning white snow, is the name of a sister mountain to the Everest standing in the Sichuan-Tibet bordering beautiful place. The mountain peak covered by ice snow for all year, plus hot spring, endless grassland, running streams and challenging climbing route, have lured many adventurers close or far.

The general geographic altitude is above 5500 metres, while the peak is 7556 metres. You have to be cautious before entering there. In other words, you should not have heart conditions, high blood pressure, any chronological respiratory disease or just catching a flue.

Below showed to you are a colletion of pictures shoot by those been there just weeks ago. If you are interested, it is not that difficult. There are loads travel agencies in Chengdu, capital city of Sichuan Province that can take you there.

Policemen probably will wear video recording device attached to their hats at work in the future, which is a gesture to both prevent power abuse and take evidence. This could be a big step forward to equal and just execution of power by the police. Meanwhile it can also give evidence to speeding and theft.

However, some people see the other side. Who control what is recorded is a question. Highly possibly suspects could be set up and victimised if the recording is switched on or off at a time in favor of police.

Unexpectedly, this argument is turned down by other responders as sensitive and biased that equate police and govenment as enemy, which is too extreme and narrow-sighted.

Some funny stuff for you guys to have a laugh.

It is just so hard to say “I love you” to dad and mom. We do not hug our parents or siblings when we are adults, impossible for kiss of course. Quiet and hiding emotions, that could not be a wrong description about general Chinese.

But we truly love our parents. It is in our 2000 years’ (probably longer) Confucious tradition that has educated generations’ Chinese. We are supposed to look after parents when they are old and fragile, which is in the law. However, not only me, we feel mouth glued, throat choked when we are about to say the love words.

Probably, love is a verb, besides we are too shy. A photographer, Mr. Jiao Bo, help us visualise the heavy love through his photography collections My Dad and Mom, which is made during more than 20 years, recording their life from 1978 till they passed away at 86 and 92.

Jiao Bo said, he feels lucky to have kept this project running during those years, because he feels the photographs slow down their dying process, and keep safe a precious memory of a loving couple and parents, who used to live.

The first photo was taken in 1978.

Dad took his father’s photo to climb Hua Shan, highest and most steep mountain in China.

Dad’s favorite photo. He was making faces to mirror, which amused sick mom.

First time to make a phone call.

In 2001, their 70 wedding anniversary.

In 2002, their last photo.

Recently, a campaign named Bring Olympic Dreams to Darfur started disturbing China’s good will towards world peace through unreasonable threatening and finger pointing. The campaign led by Hollywood celebrity was supported by a big shot star, Steven Spielberg, who quitted his role as China’s Olympics artistic director.

Unexpectedly it only embarrass those campaigners, whose country United States should have kneel down to Iraqi people begging for forgiveness for the unhumanitarian caos caused after they liberated the land and executed their dictator. It really went a bit too ridiculous when calling on others to boycott 2008 Olympics if China failed to cut off all contact with Sudan government which include 200 million Pounds investments.

It sounds like a jealous neighbour who feel uneasy to see a nobody turn rich. To be honest, who else in the world have go that far to help develop Sudan on an equal basis with paramount real money and labour input? Who else really appreciate and respect the people and their culture there, to wish they could find their own way to unity and welfare?

The countries who colonized Africa for centuries and drained their treasure, can not wash blood off their hands. Do not pretend you did nothing, want nothing, and had nothing to do with separating Sudan in the first place.