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Btwestneast

Listed below are comments made by Btwestneast between Friday, 18th July 2008 and Thursday, 8th January 2009.

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Does this man remind you of anyone? 04:15am on 08 Jan 2009 First of all, very happy to see the implementation of the House Rules has been reinforced.
Then about Chairman Mao. I can't remember since when this grandson of him has come to the public light. Naturally I know very little about him.
However after having spent almost 20 years abroad and compared with many other leaders, Chinese and foreign, I believe it is fair to say, Chairman Mao IS a great leader for China. Without him, there would have been no the People's Republic of China, and biologically no many generations of the Chinese who were born after the birth of New China. By the way, in this terms, the opening ceremony of Beijing Olympics didn't mention him was a biiiig regret. It does not reflect the true Chinese culture, or it reflected the exact Chinese culture. For me, I feel shamed it could happen because they simply do not understand the basic logic. Nevertheless his fatal mistake was/is not establishing the basic principle of ruling the country by law. But after all, he is not God, he can't be perfect, he is human and a traditional Chinese. What more can one expect from him. I don't think the Chinese people will forget or even be less grateful to what he had done to China because of his mistakes.
I will always remember him as the greatest leader of China at that time, if not all times.
Thank you, James for doing an outstanding job of reporting from China.
Liu Xiang out 07:52am on 20 Aug 2008 Hello: James!
I usually agree with you. But this time on this issue I would like to say that you have made a small but important omission. You should have written, instead of " what do you think? at the end of your entry, let's leave this issue for now and disscus it when everything is cooled down, especially certain people's blood. :-)

And I would also like to say that many of the entries on this blog have proven what you, James, wrote is absolutely right, although the bloggers (well, some or most of them) didn't want to admit, interesting, isn't it?

Let's wait and see what will happen later. he is an adult and experienced athlete. I believe no one can/could be clearer than himself when making that dicision. Leave it for him and those around him. Maybe one day after his retirement from sport, he would write a book or someone will, to reveal what had happened at the very moment and YYYYYYYYYYYYYY.

Regardless, he has been very, very tired, let him be and leave him alone. Let him be himself for sometime. Maybe he could do some thinking for his next move. Be fair, everyone. Allow him spend some time with his parents as wll. Maybe he could not even remember when was the last time he had dinner with his mother. Poor you, Liu Xiang, 1.5BN people's expectations are way tooooooooooo heavy for your shoulders and I knew one day they would break, although they are stronger than most of ours.

You take care for yourself and the nation. Go somewhere in Africa, Ethiopia? where there is nothing but natural beauty, for some good 6 months and get refreshed before making any decisions, if you can.

See you in London, young man! (Hopefully)
Opening ceremony cool - for some 10:39am on 10 Aug 2008 Hello: James! Very happy to see you are keeping well.
I was not as lucky as you were to have some time to watch the ceremony, although did some catch-up after work. It looked very fancy. But when you chew it you might be wondering what would be the effect to spend that sort of money and time trying to tell those watching it what China had done before? To be very honest, I was expecting some kind of good "East meet West" content since China is performing on the international stage. But I didn't see much. Maybe because I wasn't watching it from A to Z. Audio was terrible so I could hardly pick up the commentator's voice due to heavy echo. Not surprised the leaders had the special treat, it quite normal.
By the way, James, when it is possible, would you please ask the IOC chief a question which is puzzlesome to me. that is why he praised the Beijing Olympics Organizer's effort to bring the air quality to WHO's standard. Isn't it their obligation to do so and failure to that would constitute a material breach of the contract entered earlier on, wouldn't it?
Thank you and take care when working in the heat and high humidity. The good thing is they won't last very long.
Olympic predictions 8:32pm on 02 Aug 2008 Hello James!
The greatest success of the Games will be every "state guest" leaves China vertically. No complaints on FOOOOD will be bonus.
Thank you, James
Olympic predictions 02:51am on 02 Aug 2008 Hello James! Before touching the point, I would like to say: take care when working outdoor for it is the worst part of Beijing's summer and you have some 30 more days to go before the heat and humidity can fade out. Drink more WATER, :-).
Now my predictions
1. Whether China will top the table won't make any difference on her international image.
Reason: I think apart from our floks, there won't be many people really caring about the Games. Majority of them are battling to obtain food, shelter, medicare for their children........
Those who do have money at their proposals, will think somethings else. Olympics, I am afraid, might be among the last ones.
Those who don't agree with the way China is being run, will still point their fingers at her.
Those who have invested there will continue to take advantage of ripping off the "poor" working Chinese people and meanwhile consuming the limited resources, energy, leaving all sorts of waste to her to deal with, which has made China to be accused for having not taken enough measures to bring it under control, although China does directly or indirectly have the responsibility. The products will be sold cheaply in other part of the world. The cheaper the price, the higher the demond on the production, more pollution to China ( a little far, isn't it? ok, hold here)
All in all, China will still be the same. Once the Games are over, evrything will be back to its previous status, among which the most important one is that the ordinary people's life will go back to normal. They will not have to restrain themselves to please the "state guests" (some of them may be doing so willingly). I feel really sorry for them. Personally, I hope the Games could have finished yesterday then everyone will have a peace of mind.
2. Refer to above. As a Chinese in blood, I feel shamed for the whole nation, whooooooole nation, one of the best on this earth, if not the very best, tie their pride to win/loss of an athlete, simply a runner. To me, leave along to rename the country, should he ever win, a big hand is enough. China has got many other things to be proud of. Unfortunately there are not so many Chinese having realised them. Again to me, not until then will hosting the Games make much sense in terms of celebrating humanity.
3. Fully agree with one of James' previous
entries: Pray for rain and wind. Plus one conditon: and don't do it during the daytime.
4. Should there be any kind of protest during the Games, I would say this protestors are not mature enough to understand, at least, that this is China, your effort will not yield anything but just make things worse in all senses. China is China. We might see some changes taking place in a few hundred years time and those may not even be the ones certain people are so eager to see if we could ever live that much long. Actually the China's gorvenment should be given some big credits for feeding one thousand three, four or five hundred million people and keep them warm for so many years. Try to vidualise that 10% of this amount of people who have never been really ruled by law spreading all over the world. Don't you appreciate what the gorvenment has done? Remember: China can not be changed or defeated by any foriegn attempts or forces but themselves. Do not even think about it.
Thank you, James. Drink more water, do not forget.
Ticket queues 07:31am on 27 Jul 2008 Hello James!
Very much agree with one of the contributors as saying, thank you very much James to create this platform.

People in China will take it easy as soon as they all have free access to information and they have to wish to do so, although it might take quiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiite some years, maybe a few hundred years? Please don't bust, some of you. If you calculate the years that Chinese civilizition has endured, you will agree that a few hundred years are nothing but less than 10% of the Chinese histroy.
Then the people will understand the Olympics is just for those people from different parts of this planet to get together and PLAY. There are many other things being as honourable as winning Olympic gold, if not more. The quicker the pace of opening China to the world, the sooner for the Chinese people to understand that they are the same as others, in certain aspects, they are smarter, work harder, so on and so forth. They will then feel the Olympics is just an event with many different participants. They will then become less curious. Then there might be more tickets available and relatively less people wanting them.

With regards to west media's lime light, the host country should have anticipated what will happen as soon as they bid for the thing. Should this be ever discounted until the real incidents happened one after another as reminders for the omission, it might be too little too late. And it is in a way showing some pre-mature in this particular case, although it may not entirely a bad thing for China and her people. Without the Olympics, they wouldn't have experienced all have happened. I would darely suggest, next time when planning to host anything as big in terms of scale as Olympics, consider all facets it may bring and balance the gain and loose before biding, No, Yes?
Thank you, James
Emergency clean air 07:05am on 22 Jul 2008 Hello James!
It is a huge topic to talk about pollution, especially the air pollution. I remember when attending primariy school in Beijing (then was Peking), there used to be sandstorm once in a few years. When it happens, the 25W blub become bluish, almost the same colour as that of the "Daylight" tube light. Falling from sky was the very fine yellowish powder. Back then I didn't know what it was as I do now. For past a few years, maybe ten or so, I can hear from BBC World service or watch some other TV reports that the sandstorm happens more often. It can be several times a year. Back then it would happen during the spring only. But now it seems it happens on other seasons, too. May I conclude: it is getting worse?! My concern actually is not about the upcoming Olympics, but our children, their children and the childrens' children.................... the nation's future. What colour would the sky above Beijing be? grey, yellowish or bluuuuuuuuuuuuuuuue? One may have realised that Chinese are very defensive (others may be the same, but why should I care about them, now? Wait til the day comes). I feel it, too, although it is not always good. However many things, especially the difference between China's culture and other nations common practices, can not be judged by Good or Bad, Right or Wrong, Advanceed or Backwards. The more I think, the more I am confused. If I may go back to Beijing's air. I have seen the people I used to work with became so sick in clean air that they had to be streched to airplanes going back home, Beijing. After landing while the hatch opened, with a deep inhalation of Beijing's air, they jumped off from where they were and carried they own luggages, dashing out the airport, meeting their loved ones respectively. The later medical exams showed them all in perfect physical conditions. I was wondering if someone did some research on this cases, it might win some big international prizes, at least be nominated. Again, forgive me to go back to my concerns, worries, I really wish someone could stand right on the square in the yellowish sandstorm, telling the whole nation, maybe the entire world, with all media presence, that we are sorry for not brigh the sand and other particles under control after nearly 70 years founding of New China. We would at least spend the same amount of money of hosting the Olympics to return the sky her original colour not only Beijing but all over China!!!!!!!!!!!. I believe this would cheer everybody up and shut everyone down. And this would be the very first blue sky to be seen in the not very far future.
Thank you, James!
Lucky number 05:20am on 18 Jul 2008 Hi: James!
I am afraid I have to disagree with you this time, although most of the time you have my knods. By the way before going to the point, I would like to say, you are doing a great job there in China. It seems you know the place as a thinkful local or you have some great assistants around you. Do not fire them should they ever make a forgivable mistake. Reason why is that your reports touch the core issue but without offending the officials, which is utmost important. As you may have known that China is being run by the government but the people.
Now, about the #8. I am a Chinese in blood and was brought up and educated in China, although I taught myself English. I do not think this "#8" thing should generalised as Chinese's favourite choice. As far as I know, this thing is oriented from some area other than mainland China. As far as the pronouciation is concerned, the standard Chinese pronounce #8 as "BA" ( not British Airways, :-) ). While following your explanation, the wealth, the getting wealthy, to be precise, is "FA". The difference is obvious. However my investigation shows, only those who are unable to pronounce standard Chinese properly can make this kind of connection and I do know who they are. To be diplomatic, I keep it withheld. Nevertheless, it may have been a trend that the proper Chinese speaking people have picked this strange thing up. But first of all you have to see who they are and secondly I strongly believe that majority Chinese people, especially those have some brain, like those working around you, will not do this kind of "thing". Examples could be millions. Here is just a small one, though. Ten or more years ago, there was a fashion that the US currency was referred to as "Mei Jin" ( there are still people using the same nowadays), meaning US gold currency. I was much younger and very worried this might spread as an epidemic. I even advised some Chinese diplomats not to do so for they are representing the people's republic of China, the country. I wasn't able to check if it has ever worked. Guess what, after all this years, surprisingly I found there are much more people using the official translation of US currency than that Mei Jin thing. I am confident, quite confident, with the opening policy that China is embracing, time will dump this #8 thing to the historic dustbin.
If possible, without violating the rules and regulations imposed for your work or movement maybe, you may want to contact as many as possible some non-business people, some working class people. You may already know how the rich Chinese made their big or small fortune. They do not reflect true China, never they will. Thanks

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