China has a face to lose?

Before I start, notice above how it says "CHINA" not "Chinese," as in I'm poking fun at the government not the people. And yes, I'm well aware some people think a country and its people are the same thing. When a large chunk of the people don't have a clue about what their government is doing, it is NOT the same thing!

So... China has been in a huff about 'losing face' over recent events. Poison food, protests, pollution, death penalty etc. All of this caused the government to change the 'www' into the 'cww.' Instead of showing how much they have changed, China has gone back to old ways of hiding behind its borders and shutting off the world. There's nothing wrong with this, go ahead, be a hermit. Just don't complain how no one will treat you as a world super power and sure as hell don't try and put on the Olympics and think no one is going to notice all the problems within your country. This goes for any country, not just China.

Evidence of hiding? Well the Internet shutoff is a pretty big example considering how many people in Asia are wired to a computer. The biggest show of cowardliness is how the China Visa Authority has decided to block any multi-entry Visas for anyone coming from Hong Kong. It has also risen prices of single visit visas, by a lot. This further demonstrates my main peeve against China. No matter where you go, no matter who you talk to and what you are doing, someone is trying to rip you off. This happens naturally being an outsider in most places, but it is absolutely ridiculous in Beijing.

The torch relay has been pathetic, a complete and utter failure. They should stop now. Did anyone see the 65? laps around a field in Pakistan? Even in a closed secure setting, men in jumpsuits were still pushing people back from the torch. The Olympics are going to be ridiculous, and anyone who says they are only being used to protest because it is 'convenient' is missing the point of protesting.

Personally, I have had 'issues' with how China handles itself long before this Olympics mess, so I'm hoping everyone keeps up the pressure and doesn't stop on 080808.

Lost in Hong Kong - Now Available in China

Edit: Hooray everyone can now watch crappy Canadian content!

As of April 1st, 2008 Blogger is supposedly unblocked in China once again. CBC/CBC Radio continues to be blocked, suckers!

I imagine all the negative information and ranting (such as me) will insure that sites such as Youtube, Wikipedia, and Blogger are blocked once again in a very short time.

On a brighter note, protesters were seen launching themselves at an athlete in a wheelchair carrying the Olympic torch, in Paris I believe it was... This just gives everyone an excuse to label all protests as senseless and violent. Get some class morons!

Memo from China

Re: What not to let reporters do.

Click here for a story regarding Chinese policy on how to deal with international journalists. At the bottom of the page is a 'classified' memo sent out to local authorities from the Chinese government. It's possible it isn't true, but it comes from a 'credible' source (they're French - Jacques says they're lieing) .

Free Hu Jia!

update: Sign the Petition!

Three-and-a-half-year jail term for Hu Jia

I suggest you read the article above, except for my mom, it would only scare her.

At least someone is reading.

I received my first anti-me comment! I feel special. If you want you can scroll down to the 'Otherside' post about a week ago and read the comments. If wheeling a mouse is too strenuous, I will summarize.

"...Don't blog if you can't get the facts right. Chinese media has been in Tibet the whole time. Why is someone as anti-China as you allowed into Hong Kong. If anything, China is being too soft..."

Maybe we should just send some tanks to smash them all? How about a public execution? I've seen the nice new "bird-cage" in Beijing, I'm sure blowing off some heads wouldn't rattle the IOC. Heck, since no one is going to the opening ceremonies anyway, why not make THAT the opening ceremony. "Free Tibet!...of all Tibetans!"

Alright seriously. I'm not one to really care if someone doesn't like what I write, it actually makes me happy to have some opposition finally. But in all honesty, your comment does nothing but confirm why I blog. People are idiots!

1) First of all, since when does blogging require that one tell the the truth? Ever hear of satire? If the nameless commentator is from China I suppose that's a possibility. Why does everything I write have to be truthful? There's all kinds of crap on the Internet, most of it false information. Still, I'm pretty sure I'm usually just giving my opinion and not preaching any hard truths, and most of what I say has been said by many many others.

2) If the Chinese media has been in Tibet the whole time, why did they choose not to prove it was all the Tibetan's fault and not the Chinese? Does it not seem fishy for the government to come out so strong against responsibility, and then not back it up with proof if they have it? Especially when they made such big promises about human rights? Just saying, seems fishy. I could care less if the Chinese media has been there the whole time, and I'm so sorry I said no one was getting in locally. That's just what the HK media said, but wait...I thought China still thought HK was China, so is China telling lies about China?

3) Did you know that Hong Kong was British for quite some time? There's actually quite a few people here who aren't too fond of China. Actually, at least a million of them. They all marched in protest against the Tienanmen Square incident. Oh I'm sorry, that never happened, sorry I'm telling lies again... Also, take a gander at the SCMP, or have a look through HK Magazine. If you think I should be deported, you'll love them.

4) If China is being too soft, maybe they should enlist the Dalai Lama, I hear he's quite a mean spirited old guy.

Like I said, I enjoy hearing people's opinion, as long as they are from a country where they are allowed to voice their opinion. I wouldn't want to get anyone in trouble...

CBC News Interactive: China

I found this interactive map pretty cool. It would be useful for anyone who doesn't know the geography of the Chinese region and surrounding countries. The map outlines a few of the more recent issues within China and a few outside its borders.

CBC News Interactive Map

Access Denied!

"The Access Denied Map will try to contextualize and situate that battle by focusing on two areas:

1. the crackdown on web 2.0 websites;

2. the amplifying of local campaigns defending the right to access web 2.0 tools and websites.

The Access Denied Map will lead interested readers to content that enables them to support anti-censorship movements and keeps readers abreast of the filtering situation in various parts of the world. It will also facilitate collaboration between activists, allowing them to find each other, share tactics and strategies and experiences."

From > advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/maps/

The Other Side

I stumbled across this website as I was looking at a few websites trying to get a little more information about what's happening in Tibet. Basically, every news source you look at is saying something completely different, which only leads me to believe they are all full of shit. The only reason I continue to believe China is covering up murders/violence/crack-down rests on the fact they continue to be very against showing any proof otherwise. They continue to block imagery and video coming out of the region, they continue to deny entry to various foreign AND local media (they won't even let the Chinese media in). Anyways, like I said you cannot really trust what anyone says about anything these days, but as usual there is a side that supports China. It's called "antiCNN.com" The naming of this site sure gives it a load of credibility... I don't look at it as a firm opposition to the anti-China reports which are in much greater number. But it's another side to a very intriguing story. It's also quite commical with phrases like "Tibet's not a country!" (Follow the pictures on the site to see what I mean) Chinese are very specific about language details, like swearing (tour guides don't like it). Too bad they aren't as picky about human life details.

> antiCNN.com

Proud to be blocked in a country near you!

The following countries have been tested to block/censor this blog (Lost in Hong Kong) and all other blogger sites at some point in recent history.

• » Syrian Arab Republic
• » Iran, Islamic Republic of
• » Pakistan
• » United Arab Emirates
• » Ethiopia
• » China
• » India
• » Tunisia

Thanks for not looking!