Thread: F*ck China

Originally Posted by fencesitter

I recently read in Will Hutton's The Writing on the Wall that 15-20% of all name brand products in China are fakes.

interesting... i recently read in the same book that

"The number of public protests demanding social justice... has increased significantly. According to official Chinese sources, the numbers involved in public protests increased from 740,000 in 1994 to 3.7 million in 2004.... Even the larger numbers are, of course, a small proportion of the total population but, given the bravery it takes to dissent in an authoritarian state, the fact that some 4 million protesters and 1 million strikers have run the risk is testimony to the growing strength of feeling....

"The debates within the party about whether to maintain the pace and structure of reform have become increasingly acute. The left has become more vocally critical...."

Hutton's book hardly paints a picture of China as a land of brainwashed zombies and neither does he appear to "hate" either the people or the government. Must be a goddam apologist pinko-fag commie lover, eh?

British journalist roughed up in Beijing - from the BBC

Activists held over Games protest

A group of protesters who tried to unfurl a pro-Tibet banner near an Olympics venue in the Chinese capital Beijing have been held by police.

A British journalist who was in the area covering the protest is also reported to have been arrested.

The journalist has been identified as John Ray of ITV News.

This is not the first protest to happen during the Olympics. A man was removed from an equestrian event on Saturday for trying to unveil a Tibetan flag.

'Roughed up'

Up to eight protesters, from the group Students for a Free Tibet, had tried to hang a banner in the Chinese Ethnic Culture Park near the National Stadium reading "Free Tibet".

But they were arrested within seconds of the attempt.

Mr Ray was also briefly detained, and claims he was dragged into a nearby restaurant and forcibly held down by officers.

"I tried to explain to them that I was a British journalist but they would not even let me take out my identification documents," Mr Ray told reporters.

"I have been roughed up. They dragged me, pulled me and knocked me to the ground. Now they are filming me," Mr Ray told the UK's Guardian newspaper from the back of the police van as he was driven away.

Mr Ray later told AFP news agency he had been held for about 20 minutes. The agency quoted the reporter and witnesses as saying that police officers had stamped on his hands while inside the restaurant.

Mr Ray was then released, but says his equipment bag was confiscated.

"This was an assault in my mind. I am incredibly angry about this," he told AFP.

The agency said the journalist's shoes were scuffed, his trousers and shirt dirty and some bruising was visible on his hand.

The fate of the other detained protesters was not clear.

China pledged to allow freedom for journalists covering the Games, but has since been criticised for trying to curtail coverage of sensitive subjects all the same.

This was probably the largest in a string of recent protests in Beijing to coincide with the Olympics.

Several activists have been deported as a result.

BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Activists held over Games protest

and further to AO's post...

A pretty girl who won national fame after singing at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games was only miming.

Wearing a red dress and pigtails, Lin Miaoke charmed a worldwide audience with a rendition of "Ode to the Motherland".

But the singer was Yang Peiyi, who was not allowed to appear because she is not as "flawless" as nine-year-old Lin.

The show's musical director said Lin was used because it was in the best interests of the country.

The revelation follows news that a fireworks display used during the opening ceremony was apparently faked.

BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | China Olympic ceremony star mimed

Originally Posted by phuketbound

^Imagine what the girl is going through? Your too ugly to sing, but we'll use your voice anyway.
This girl will be scarred for life I'm sure. What type of message is that sending!??!!!! This Olympics are a sham..I'm not even watching it. I also heard that the fireworks were not even real that we saw on tv. It was done with computer graphics.

Hurt for sure. I doubt if she's scared. Is this not just the kind of thing that would make the typical American/Canadian family person ill? We hate this kind of shit! I'm hoping, almost expecting, some rich and famous arts school, Julliard perhaps, would offer her a scholarship just to stick it in China's ass. This is fcukin sad.

I posted a link to an article on the China 2008 thread about empty seats at sold out events. Chinese are filling up the seats with human dummies. I bet a lot of people are going home.

Originally Posted by phuketbound

It's really all about the image. That is all that is important to them and how they look to the world.

they are shameful.

lipsyncing because a kid isnt cute enough. a friggin kid.

Originally Posted by phuketbound

This girl will be scarred for life I'm sure.

but i think the cultural divide is (a sheer assumption) that the kid doesnt mind at all....doing it all for the larger good. "its not about me. its about china. so if im ugly, and everyone loves the song, its ok"



why again do they deserve our respect?

oh! thats right, botanical gardens and:

"To remedy the [low attendance at games] problem, officials are busing in teams of state-trained "cheer squads" identifiable by their bright yellow T-shirts to help fill the empty seats and improve the atmosphere."

from:
Beijing Is All Dressed Up, But No One Is Going


washingtonpost.com

Emjay: My comments regarding "brainwashed fools" is my opinion and has nothing to do with Will Hutton. However, 3 million protests out of 1.4 Billion is hardly anything...so the rest or majority are brainwashed fools...and the 3 million protestors are still brainwashed to a certain degree...

I've just got back from a trip to the US, and a few days ago we were in the Metropolitan museum.
After wincing somewhat upon payment of the 20 USD entrance fee we had a terrific day.

What an amazing place!

We wandered for 8 hours around art treasures ranging from the masks of Burkina Faso to the work of Jackson Pollock.

The place was packed with tourists from all over the world, revelling in the splendour of the world's art treasures.

These included, of course, several rooms dedicated to China. They were full of chinese people.

They don't seem to be the most 'outward looking' bunch, do they.

Good to be back, ao.
What have I missed?
I suppose some love has been lacking while I was away
Anyway, NYC is packed with the Chinese at the moment.
Along with Australians.
Luckily, the Chinese are easy to avoid.
Just steer clear of Chinatown and everything else to do with China.

Thanx for the link Franny, All great news. A $650 opening ceremonies ticket went down to $13.