Some interesting censorship news about Microsoft censoring what people write on their MSN 'spaces', based on their partnership with the government.
Today walking along a busy street in central Beijing, I saw the usual beggers (often without legs, dragging themselves along on a cart) which is always depressing. In fact on the traines, almost every day, on my way to work, 1 or 2 will come through the train carriages, sometimes singing or playing an instrument (the 2nd person is carrying the tin, and is either a kid or someone else -not sure who). However I also saw an umbrella on the floor and a tin next to it...
When I got closer I saw there was a 3-4 month old baby under the umbrella. I looked desperataely for a mother hoping she would appear to ask me for money (in fact someone did appear, but selling DVDs) or was watching her kid from afar, but I could not see anyone, and this was at 3pm..a time when noone was around anyone that could donate anything. very disheartening.
Tonight, also, Sam told me that one of the managers in a company here had been speaking to the police. Apparently there has been a rise in muggings-rapes-and-then-murders (no teeth so they cannot be identified) of single Chinese women, and that companies should be aware of sending employees home at late alone. It seems to be the work of gangs (the males ...remember there are 115 men to 100 women in china...).
You rarely see much poverty in Beijing (actual poverty I mean) or anything more illegal than fake DVDs (I am presuming crossing the road on a red light and not wearing a seat belt are both legal activities, they are so common). So its interesting to think about crime here. I read that there is some statistical quotient for measuring the social imbalance/wealth gap in society, and apparently once it cross 4.8 or so, the evidence is that those countries have ended up in a revolutionary state.
Well, China crossed 4.8 about 6 months ago, apparently...hmm. Sam said another of her friends is convinced China will end in revolution, although I really don't find many people who have said that so boldly (I disagree, but maybe I'm naive). I do not know the official crime figures, or the unofficial ones off-hand, but it might be interesting to find out.
Evidently the areas I go tend to have hotels, offices, universities, shopping malls, stations etc which all have (security-, not really army-/police-) guards at their entrances (is that just a China thing? It seems so normal after 9 months here!) and they often stay there all night in little huts; plus late at night i am normally in an inhabited area, but Beijing is a big place and further out, or in certain areas away from shops (hutongs), it is maybe a totally different story.
Anyway, a word of warning if you are single lady in Beijing!
On a lighter note, I don't think I have ever mentioned the age thing in China. Every adult seems to look like 19, 32 or 75. There does not seem to be any who LOOKS in the middle, even though of course there are. Especially the late 20s..they all look 5-10 yrs younger, and many 50 year olds look 30. Can Chinese people see other Chinese people's ages properly, and is it just a foreigner thing?
other news: China has hit 590m mobile phone subscribers, denies building an aircraft carrier and spent 200m USD promoting Chinese language last year.
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