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1 Month to go!

Only one month to go until the Olympics, yet all I hear from various news sources is bad news. Nothing positive whatsoever. China seems to be on everyone's naughty lists again. Prove me wrong! Find something positive!

"A Canadian businessman has been fined $1.9 million and sentenced to 20 years in jail in China, two years after he was detained on fraud charges, his lawyers have confirmed."

Wow, just going to China gets you 2 years in jail, without a sentence. And what good will $2mill do? China is already taking away 20 years of a possibly innocent man's life, they need money as well?

Chinese Embassy Dumping

I found this image rather funny. It's from the Chinese Embassy in Ottawa. It shows a man dumping cinder blocks into the Rideau River, amongst other waste. I'm well aware many other people dump waste where they are not supposed to, but considering their less than stellar image internationally, you would think the Chinese might try a little harder. All this says to me is that they don't care about their image, and they don't even think about it.

Most likely the man in this picture and his supervisor have already been fired. Has the mess been cleaned up?

Olympic Torch Relay - HK, You've Gone Soft!

"The Olympic torch began its relay through Hong Kong Friday before a flag-waving crowd that heckled a pro-Tibetan protester and jostled the police officers protecting her.

Officers eventually put university student Christina Chan into a police van and took her to a police station to protect her from the crowd. Many yelled obscenities and about 30 people pushed and shoved a dozen police surrounding her."

This comes from the same city/citizens that marched a million people onto the streets to protest the Tienanmen Square incident. Hong Kongers have gone soft. Everyone is so afraid of what will happen to them if they speak out against the Chinese government. So much that they will actually attack those who have a different opinion in order to appear they are pro-China. At least in this incident the police actually 'helped' the protester.

Why did thousands of people flee Hong Kong before 1997? What were they afraid of then? Have they forgotten why they left?

Welcome to Hong Kong!

Has anyone been to Vegas? If not, don't fret, the Blueman Group is making a one day only appearance along a special 30km relay Friday afternoon!

It's a good thing I'm already here. I wouldn't want to have sat on a 14 hour flight only to be told I had to get back on and go home.

The Olympics are supposed to be about peaceful competition, blah blah blah, but the Chinese government is sure doing a good job of ruining the whole point of it. People are being blacklisted and turned away at the Hong Kong airport (note: Hong Kong is not supposed to be China, is it?), and 3000 police are being scattered along the relay tomorrow. Is anyone other than the cops actually going to see the torch? They should just hire the Pope-mobile to usher it around all day.

I really wish I had taken the day off work. I still haven't worn my nice new black t-shirt, and with so many people in Hong Kong loving to protest, something is bound to happen tomorrow. A perfect opportunity to use my telephoto lens lost!

Beijing Games Update - Hong Kong Shows Its Hospitality

30.04 - Hong Kong turns away four activists, including a Chinese writer and a Tibetan

In the past couple of days, four human rights activists have been prevented from entering Hong Kong, where the Olympic torch is due to arrive today. Those turned away included Zhang Yu, the general secretary of the Independent China Pen Centre, an writers association, two Canadians from Students for a Free Tibet, Tsering Lama and Kate Woznow, and Free Tibet Campaign press officer Matt Whitticase. They had been expected to give news conferences and meet with journalists to discuss the situation in Tibet.

Whitticase said: “2008 is the year that China is supposed to be opening up to the world in anticipation of the Olympics, but everywhere one looks, China is slamming the door.” The Hong Kong Journalists Association has condemned the decision to deny the activists entry.

29.04 - Danish sculptor denied entry to Hong Kong

Three members of a pro-Tibetan Danish group called “Colour Orange,” who had planned to take part in a demonstration during the Olympic torch relay in Hong Kong on 2 May, were denied entry on arrival yesterday and were put on a flight back to Europe. One of them was Danish sculptor and human rights activist Jens Galschiøt, the author of a sculpture at Hong Kong university entitled “Pillar of Shame” that marks the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Galschiot, who was to have painted the sculpture during the visit, said: “Hong Kong does not escape the control of Beijing [...] which does not want any criticism during the Olympic torch relay.”

-Reporters Without Borders

New Tourist Attraction?

Something to look out for if you're in Beijing the next couple of months. When I was there in November it was quite evident the city was trying to 'clean up' it's look for the Games. He obviously didn't see the sign that said no pictures.

"22.04 - Beijing resident arrested for filming his eviction to make way for Olympic installation

Wang Lianming was arrested for trying to film his family’s eviction from their home in Yangshan, a neighbourhood in the Beijing district of Chaoyang, in an operation carried out by around 200 police and security guards in order to demolish houses and make way for Olympic Games installations, reports Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD). The police threw him to the ground, handcuffed him, seized his camera and threatened to detain him for up to 15 days. He was taken to a nearby police station and released a few hours later.

According to the organisation Civil Rights and Livelihood, Wang’s family was not notified that the Chaoyang district court had ordered their eviction. No compensation is offered for such expropriations, which therefore violate article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, signed by China. The CHRD has urged the Chinese to put a stop to the evictions being carried out in order to renovate Beijing for the Olympics."

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) .

IOC - International Organization of Cowards

Oh Jacques Rogge you make me laugh. In a letter to all members of the IOC, he stated the following

"...no "credible" government or organisation is supporting the idea of a boycott."

Just so everyone knows, FRANCE has been seriously considering it for the past 3 weeks! I'm sure all the great people of England from the 7's last weekend would agree France is not a credible government, but commmmmmon Jacques, wake up!

The IOC, and many others, have been saying the Olympics have nothing to do with politics. I ask then, why does every country walk out with their flags waving around? What is this 'Olympic Charter' all about? I agree that the IOC shouldn't be the one to help resolve what's happening in Tibet, but since they gave the games to China based on a few 'promises' made by the Chinese gov, maybe they should have something to do with resolving what's going on in China. There's a heck of a lot else going on other than the Tibet crisis. If they don't want to get involved, they never should have awarded the games to someone they're utterly afraid of.

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.

CBC blocked in China

"The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has formally complained to China's ambassador to Canada about the continued blocking of the broadcaster's websites in China.

CBC president Hubert T. Lacroix outlined his concerns in a letter to Ambassador Lu Shumin on Friday.

Access in China to CBC's French-language website Radio-Canada.ca has been blocked for six months, while access to the English site CBC.ca has been cut off since January, Lacroix said. " - cbc.ca

This is hilarious. Is AirFarce getting too racy? Maybe they just don't like Don Cherry.

Edit: no longer blocked, fire away chicken cannon!

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...

Hell Has Frozen Over

"China allows foreign journalists into Tibet"

Oooooh it makes sense now, I forgot to read the small print:

gagged, blindfolded, with no cameras, no recorders, with guns pointed at their heads.

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!

Support The Beijing Olympics!

I just bought this T-Shirt :)

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