Blogs » Society » Chen Guangcheng Joins Rihanna, Usain Bolt As GQ Honoree, For “Rebel Of The Year”

---

• Chen Guangcheng Joins Rihanna, Usain Bolt As GQ Honoree, For “Rebel Of The Year”
• ‘The Power Of Art And The Internet For Chinese Dissident’: Amanpour Interview
• Here’s A Car That Will Be Neither Chasing Nor Running Away From Pavements Anytime Soon
• New Indian visas will show disputed regions as Indian territory, also a dick move
• Married HK neurosurgeon guilty of sexual assault
• Beijing Cruises Past Shanghai In CBA Season Opener, Gilbert Arenas Exits After 6 Minutes With Groin Injury
• Watch: VIP tour of the 18th National Congress
• AirAsia launch direct flights from KL to Shanghai
• Saturday Night Musical Outro: PSY And MC Hammer At The American Music Awards
• Chinese Maoists find themselves at home in North Korea
• Good news for Taiwanese visitors, Shanghai PVG introduces automatic entry permit machines
• Presented By:
• Art magazine publishes scathing critique of Ai Weiwei
• Another Hotpot Explosion, This One Leaves 14 Dead And 47 Injured
• Duty-free stores, free trade zones coming to Shanghai next year

Chen Guangcheng Joins Rihanna, Usain Bolt As GQ Honoree, For “Rebel Of The Year” Posted: 24 Nov 2012 09:06 PM PST A little more than six months ago, Chen Guangcheng was lost. Maybe not literally — though there's a chance that's true as well, a blind lawyer-activist fleeing through the woods of Linyi in Shandong province, then chased via car — but his whereabouts, for a week, was utterly unknown except to a circle of close friends and relevant officials from the US and China. Yet it was this disappearing act that thrust him into the center of international attention, so that he became not just a news story or a symbol of protest (which he already was, with an assist to Christian Bale), but a pop icon who would become recognizable even to viewers of The Colbert Report. Ever since his daring escape from house arrest in May — and eventual departure for New York, where he's currently residing — Chen Guangcheng has been embraced as a cause célèbre, the ultimate underdog prevailing against a system that somehow could let a blind, ailing man slip through a crack. Look at him now. Look at him with that red scarf, a whole wide sea of trouble behind him as his now-famous black shades point toward, we're sure, the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. There is the narrative laid out for you, even as the story remains as unfinished as before, with his nephew still in trouble and a new cast of activists facing the same heavy hand and long odds that CGC was fortunate enough to overcome. But on this Sunday, let us acknowledge that Chen Guangcheng has indeed come a long way, as he recounts to GQ's John Thompson in the magazine's Men of the Year issue. Chen is GQ's Rebel of the Year, joining the likes of Usain Bolt (Athlete of the Year) and Christopher Walken (Badass of the Year). In the three-page story, he talks about the plane ride to the US, and throwing up that first night. He talks about his brother, Chen Guangfu, and nephew, Chen Kegui. He talks about corresponding with Ai Weiwei, and evangelist Bob Fu of ChinaAid. And this: Do I have any regrets? No. What is there to regret? When I need to analyze a decision I'm about to make, I analyze the options based on my thoughts and opinions. I don't just blindly make decisions, and this one was thought through. I don't while away my time with regrets, just like I didn't worry about danger in China. Was this the best result? I don't think so. The best result would be China really realizing constitutional democracy. I think the best result would be going to China or the United States because I wanted to and not because of circumstances. Of course I want to go back. But after a few days, I might want to leave again. I don't think China can continue like this forever. Even if the government feels like they can disallow me from coming back, they won't last forever. Go give it a read. We'll focus on the other issues in due time. (H/T Alicia)

‘The Power Of Art And The Internet For Chinese Dissident’: Amanpour Interview Posted: 24 Nov 2012 06:15 PM PST I just found this March 2010 Christine Amanpour interview with Ai Weiwei, 'The Power of Art and the Internet for Chinese Dissident.' Excellent. And, here's the transcript.

Here’s A Car That Will Be Neither Chasing Nor Running Away From Pavements Anytime Soon Posted: 24 Nov 2012 05:00 PM PST By The Good Doctor Ever wonder what would happen if you fuck with the public works department in Beijing? If you're like this unfortunate car owner, your vehicle will get paved over by a thick layer of asphalt. Let these photos (and video) be a warning. To see Beijing's latest installation piece, head over to Dongsi Shi'er Tiao hutong. I'm pretty sure the car won't have moved since I saw it there on Friday.

New Indian visas will show disputed regions as Indian territory, also a dick move Posted: 24 Nov 2012 03:00 PM PST With everyone focused on shoals and islands, India clearly felt left out of the growing escalation of Chinese border-disputes. In a response to the recent issuance of new passports with maps displaying disputed areas as Chinese territory, India has done the same with its visa stickers. [ more › ]

Married HK neurosurgeon guilty of sexual assault Posted: 24 Nov 2012 02:00 PM PST A Hong Kong neurosurgeon has been found guilty of sexually assaulting three nurses over just six months in 2011. All the incidents took place at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in Kowloon, the territory's largest acute hospital. [ more › ]

Beijing Cruises Past Shanghai In CBA Season Opener, Gilbert Arenas Exits After 6 Minutes With Groin Injury Posted: 24 Nov 2012 09:50 AM PST Before Beijing and Shanghai tipped off the 2012-13 Chinese Basketball Association season last night, there was a 30-minute pre-game ceremony in which players and coaches from last year's championship-winning team — that would be the Beijing Ducks, if you're just joining in — received medals, awards, and a championship banner. All that was normal. Then there was music in the form of Chinese folk rock, half-rapped, half-sung in Old Beijing dialect, with electric guitars, a pipa, and erhu. As background, there were caged birds, a costumed Peking Opera player, and candied hawthorns. Following that, a man and woman took center court and sang amid a flag team, with more Peking Opera players. Near the end, the man and woman began screaming like Fergie at the Super Bowl while CCTV-5′s commentators talked over them, reminiscing over last season. The crowd sat on their hands. Yes, it was weird. To give you an idea of how the game went — a 94-78 victory for Beijing that didn't feel that close — let me recap for you Shanghai's first five possessions after winning the tip: Passes ball around to everyone except Gilbert Arenas. Result: miss (massive brick) Shot blocked, shot blocked Airball from wide open shooter Agent Zero throws it away Dribbles out of bounds Coming out of a timeout with his team down 10-2, Arenas decided to do something. The first shot of his CBA career, naturally, would be a fallaway three-pointer, and of course he'd nail it. That would be the last shot he'd take all game. Just after six minutes had elapsed, Arenas would come up limp on the offensive end. He'd try to play defense, but the announcers immediately noticed something was wrong. He then exited the game, and eventually left the bench area. When he returned to the bench in the second half, he gave no indication of being able to play again, and he didn't. No one was sadder for his departure, we're sure, than his backcourt mate, National Teamer Liu Wei, who finished with a crummy line of 13 points, 2 assists, 5 turnovers. It turns out Arenas strained his groin. The extent of the injury is unknown at the moment, but as mentioned, he played one possession on that injury, then took a seat and made no indication that he wanted to play more. We should note again that, as mentioned, the game was pretty much over within three minutes. The Ducks were on fire from long range in the early-going. They would shoot 7 for 11 from behind the arc in the first quarter to build a 29-13 lead. After the 3rd quarter, they led 81-56. Only after they stopped caring did Shanghai make it respectable, eventually losing by only 16. Forward Li Gen, Beijing's big offseason addition who's expected to be a scoring threat, got a big cheer when he came off the bench midway through the first, but he didn't get a bucket until midway through the third. Stephon Marbury didn't show any lingering effects from his offseason ankle surgery. He didn't penetrate as much as we're used to seeing, but then again, his team was leading comfortably the entire game. He played 32 minutes and scored 16 with 8 assists, a number that would surely be higher if some of his teammates only knew how to finish at the basket. The Ducks' biggest weakness last year — converting layups — was definitely a problem in the season opener, but it didn't matter as much because they made 12 three-pointers on 26 attempts. Randolph Morris led Beijing with 23 points in 26 minutes, while Shanghai's DJ White led all scorers with 24 points. We'll keep an eye on Arenas news for you. It'd be a shame if he missed any extended time considering how much more fun the league is with him competing. Meanwhile, Tracy McGrady makes his CBA debut later today at 4 pm when his Qingdao Double Star Eagles take on Fujian. Ref watch: Only two egregiously bad calls: 1. When a ball was knocked out of bounds at midcourt and the ref, staring at the play, thought Beijing's player simply threw the rock five feet wide of his target for no reason at all. 2. An and-1 that was given in the third when, after the foul, which occurred on a pass, Shanghai's player brought the ball down, turned, and then dunked. That's about as lenient an interpretation of "continuation" as I've seen.

Watch: VIP tour of the 18th National Congress Posted: 24 Nov 2012 08:01 AM PST Reuters chief photographer Petar Kujundzic-Pedja is a bad ass. In 2010 he covered the unveiling of now-leader Kim Jong Un in North Korea, and now he has released a first-person look inside the Chinese leadership transition. The video, shot in hidden-camera style and with a fittingly glorious soundtrack, is a fascinating glimpse into a world of polite doormen, metal detectors, and unanimous decisions. Youku link after the break. [ more › ]

AirAsia launch direct flights from KL to Shanghai Posted: 24 Nov 2012 06:22 AM PST AirAsia, the leading budget carrier in the Asia-Pacific region, has just announced a new direct flight from Kuala Lumpur to Shanghai. The 5-hour route will begin service on 19th February 2013 and fly six times a week. What makes this such great news for all you people in Shanghai is this: Through their Kuala Lumpur hub, you can connect to amazing destinations across Southeast Asia, and as far away as the Middle East and Australia. [ more › ]

Saturday Night Musical Outro: PSY And MC Hammer At The American Music Awards Posted: 24 Nov 2012 05:30 AM PST Are we even sure PSY knows how to rap? He lip-synchs every performance, right? And MC Hammer — that dude. That dude, man. Enjoy your Thanksgiving weekend, everyone.

Chinese Maoists find themselves at home in North Korea Posted: 23 Nov 2012 11:00 PM PST After his inauguration as General Secretary, Xi Jinping received the endorsement that every new leader eagerly awaits: the thumbs-up from Kim Jong Un. [ more › ]

Good news for Taiwanese visitors, Shanghai PVG introduces automatic entry permit machines Posted: 23 Nov 2012 10:00 PM PST Immigration authorities at Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) have introduced machines which can automatically issue entry permits for travellers from Taiwan. [ more › ]

Presented By: Posted: 23 Nov 2012 10:00 PM PST

Art magazine publishes scathing critique of Ai Weiwei Posted: 23 Nov 2012 09:00 PM PST Randian (燃点), a Chinese-English magazine which seeks to "promote independent cultural debate in China", has published an article which takes to task the Western media's representation of Ai Weiwei as the face of contemporary Chinese art, and also criticizes the artist's recent statements about art in China. [ more › ]

Another Hotpot Explosion, This One Leaves 14 Dead And 47 Injured Posted: 23 Nov 2012 10:20 PM PST We just warned about the dangers of hotpot: last week, a man caught on fire when a waiter allegedly mishandled an alcohol-fueled hotpot stove in Beijing. An accident yesterday in Shouyang County of Jinzhong City, Shanxi province was much worse. At 7:52 pm, according to Xinhua, a large blast came from inside the hotpot chain Xiyangyang (Happy Sheep), leaving at least 14 dead (six at the scene). Early indications are that a gas leak was the cause. The video above (on Youku after the jump for those in China) shows the aftermath. Xinhua: The powerful explosion shattered the windows of the two-storey restaurant and some neighboring shops as far as 20 meters away. Iron gates of some shops were twisted by the force of the explosion, a Xinhua reporter said. Witnesses said that there was nothing unusual before the explosion happened. "Suddenly, there was a big bang and the hot wave ensued," said Yuan Heping, who was dining in the restaurant with his wife and friends when the explosion happened. "The whole room was engulfed in black smoke and I had to use my sweater to cover my mouth before I managed to jump from the second-floor window," said Yuan, who suffered slight burn injuries in the explosion.

Duty-free stores, free trade zones coming to Shanghai next year Posted: 23 Nov 2012 08:00 PM PST The Shanghai Municipal People's Congress Standing Committee this week approved a new policy to establish an international trading centre in the city. [ more › ]

You are subscribed to email updates from Update » Blogs » Society To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610