Blogs » Society » Global Times profile tries to make Maoist educator not look crazed, alone

• Global Times profile tries to make Maoist educator not look crazed, alone
• Presented By:
• Studio No. 5 Spring Open House Today
• Is the Pirate Bay moving to North Korea?
• Midweek Music Preview: Mar 6-12 - JUE Festival 2013, Russian Rock Legends and more!
• The Big Badass List of JUE Festival Events
• Studio No. 5's Spring Open House is Today
• Y2C2: VOL’s Cantonese Bund-side Restaurant
• Authorities destroy 2 tons of Ikea cake after discovering fecal bacteria
• Reading The Runes Of China’s Economic Reform
• Paunchy, Probably Drunk Middle-Aged Men Duke It Out In Alleyway
• Dennis Rodman Reportedly Kicked Out Of New York Hotel For Fawning Over Kim Jong-Un
• Search continues for 2-month-old baby inside stolen vehicle [UPDATE: suspect turns himself in, admits killing baby]
• Police Officer In Guangzhou Drowns While Saving Tourist, Who Blames Himself For The Officer’s Death
• Commemorate Lei Feng Day By Looking At Lei Feng On A Screw
• Commemorate Lei Feng Day By Watching This New Lei Feng Movie Trailer
• The Drum And Bell Tower Neighborhood Is Undergoing Changes As We Speak
• Acid Dumplings [48]
• Belatedly, Here’s A Video With Sound Of Yan Linkun Going Berserk In Kunming Airport
• Chen Guangcheng is not a fan of Xi Jinping, says China needs “transformation,” not “reform”

Global Times profile tries to make Maoist educator not look crazed, alone Posted: 05 Mar 2013 08:00 PM PST In honor of the upcoming NPC/CPPCC sessions (and Lei Feng day), the Global Times has been going back to its roots, to the topics that made it into the respected and unbiased news source it is today. Editorials like "Lei Feng still a hero" and "Learning from Lei Feng still valuable 50 years on," for example, or deep, serious pieces like, "Rape flowers bloom in spring. (A sensationalist title? Never!) One particularly grating piece is the site's front-pager (as of March 5), titled "Mao's final teacher." The profile piece describes, "Xia Zuhai, 49, a passionate promoter of Mao Zedong Thought, [who] has spent the past 19 years promoting "red education" among students in his self-run primary and secondary school." [ more › ]

Presented By: Posted: 05 Mar 2013 08:00 PM PST

Studio No. 5 Spring Open House Today Posted: 05 Mar 2013 07:07 PM PST Date: Mar 6th 2013 11:07a.m. Contributed by: clairebared

Is the Pirate Bay moving to North Korea? Posted: 05 Mar 2013 07:00 PM PST Popular file-sharing site The Pirate Bay, posted a press release on Sunday claiming that they had been invited by Kim-Jong Un and the DPRK to host and share content on their network. [ more › ]

Midweek Music Preview: Mar 6-12 - JUE Festival 2013, Russian Rock Legends and more! Posted: 05 Mar 2013 06:00 PM PST Midweek Music Preview is a rundown of all the events happening on stages across Shanghai. On the docket this week: The kickoff of the 2013 JUE Festival in Shanghai with How To Dress Well at 390 and Sound Fragment at MAO Livehouse. Miss May I hit the stage of MAO on Thursday with melodic metalcore from the US. LUNE and Yuyintang feel responsible for your International Women's Day entertainment and put together two neat concerts with local favorites on stage for Friday night. On the weekend, Russian rock veterans Mumiy Troll and Japanese psychedelic guru Kawabata Makoto do their thing, and there are Britrock and noise events as well. And if that's still not enough, head over to our calendar for more. [ more › ]

The Big Badass List of JUE Festival Events Posted: 05 Mar 2013 07:46 PM PST Date: Mar 4th 2013 2:44p.m. Contributed by: xiaqiu The complete rundown of JUE Festival 2013

Studio No. 5's Spring Open House is Today Posted: 05 Mar 2013 07:07 PM PST Date: Mar 6th 2013 11:07a.m. Contributed by: clairebared

Y2C2: VOL’s Cantonese Bund-side Restaurant Posted: 05 Mar 2013 06:18 PM PST Date: Mar 6th 2013 10:42a.m. Contributed by: miss_ng_in_action

Authorities destroy 2 tons of Ikea cake after discovering fecal bacteria Posted: 05 Mar 2013 05:00 PM PST Swedish furniture giant Ikea may have dodged last week's horsemeat meatball scandal in China, but this week's coliform bacteria-infested cake news is just plain foul. [ more › ]

Reading The Runes Of China’s Economic Reform Posted: 05 Mar 2013 12:20 PM PST After 10 years managing China's economy, prime minister Wen Jiabao has become a dab hand at under promising and over delivering. As a parting gift for his successor, Li Keqiang, he has passed on the first half of that formula, … Continue reading →

Paunchy, Probably Drunk Middle-Aged Men Duke It Out In Alleyway Posted: 05 Mar 2013 09:36 AM PST The fighting starts around the 45-second mark, but the build-up is almost worth it. These guys have to be drunk, right? That green bottle that shatters has to be baijiu, right? (Chinese moonshine, basically.) We don't know. And then it ends, weirdly, with both men missing a flip-flop. One guy is driven away with his shoe still on the ground. The other holds his flip-flop and shouts vulgar curses, held back by his less angry friends. Metaphor?

Dennis Rodman Reportedly Kicked Out Of New York Hotel For Fawning Over Kim Jong-Un Posted: 05 Mar 2013 09:17 AM PST Dennis Rodman, fresh off his tour of Pyongyang, can't stop singing the praises of that "awesome kid" Kim Jong-un. Unsurprisingly, some Americans just don't want to hear about it, such as the bartender at the restaurant bar in Time Hotel in Manhattan on Sunday. According to the New York Post: "He was at the bar at Serafina for three hours," says a spy. "He kept saying what a nice guy Kim is, and how Kim just wants to talk to President Obama about basketball. He was waving around a signed copy of the dictator's huge manifesto, telling everyone they should read it." If this is true — hell, even if it isn't — what we are seeing is Dennis Rodman as the worst type of tourist. Hey, did you know in China, you can get ice cream cones from McDonald's? Yeah, I know, right? They're becoming more and more like us! Added the witness, "Dennis was making a total jerk of himself. He wouldn't leave, and he wouldn't let anyone talk to him about shutting up, or what an oppressive country North Korea is. Eventually he had to leave the bar because the bartender was starting to get [bleep]ed-off." For the record, Dennis Rodman's people deny such a thing occurred: After checking out of the Time on Sunday night, Rodman headed to the Marriott Downtown. A rep for him said, "He ended up going to the Marriott because he was leaving in the morning and we wanted him to be closer to the airport." Another rep said, "The Time is Dennis' favorite hotel . . . There were a lot of people taking pictures, his security just didn't like it and asked to move him out of the hotel. There was certainly no incident." UPDATE, 1:22 am: By the way, here's a video of him arriving in Pyongyang (h/t Washington Post). Hotel boots rowdy Rodman over Kim Jong Un scene (NY Post, h/t Deadspin)

Search continues for 2-month-old baby inside stolen vehicle [UPDATE: suspect turns himself in, admits killing baby] Posted: 05 Mar 2013 08:35 AM PST Other than getting caught, this is probably a carjacker's worst nightmare. (And a parent's, too.) "Police in Changchun are searching for a 2-month-old baby who was in a[n] SUV that was stolen on Monday morning," reports China Daily. One imagines no carjacker ever envisions himself classified as a kidnapper. The SUV was eventually found in front of a school, but the baby, as of Tuesday morning, remains missing. The traffic department of Changchun in Jilin province says 3,500 police have been mobilized. The silver gray Toyota RAV 4, with plate number JI AMM102, was stolen at about 7:20 am near a road crossing in Changchun. The baby was wrapped in a pink blanket, according to the city's traffic police department. The baby's father, surnamed Xu, said he parked the car beside his grocery store in the morning and left the baby without locking the car. The car was driven away soon after he entered the store, he told Jilin Radio Station. The baby's mother pleaded with the driver not to hurt her baby. Stolen car found, baby still missing in NE China (China Daily/Sina) UPDATE, 12:40 am: Dammit. @beijingcream The baby was already found dead…. — Offbeat Chinaさん (@OffbeatChina) 2013年3月5日 @beijingcream driver turned himself in. He said he killed the baby and buried him in the snow. — Kevin Maさん (@TheGoldenRock) 2013年3月5日 Tomorrow's English-language news in today's Chinese-language China Daily: Under extreme pressure from the Public Security Bureau, Zhou Xijun gave himself up to the PSB on March 5 at 5 pm. A preliminary investigation shows Zhou Xijun, male, 48, from Gongzhulingshi county, Jilin province, lives at Changchun's Jingkai District. Zhou apparently strangled the baby and buried him in the snow on the side of a road.

Police Officer In Guangzhou Drowns While Saving Tourist, Who Blames Himself For The Officer’s Death Posted: 05 Mar 2013 07:59 AM PST On today, Learn From Lei Feng Day, let us remember someone who gives the moniker "Lei Feng" actual meaning. On March 1, a tourist fell into the Pearl River in Guangzhou while taking pictures. Police officer Zheng Yilong, who happened to be passing by, dove into the water after him and managed to corral him to shore. You can watch part of the dramatic rescue in the video above. But while people pulled the tourist to safety, officer Zheng drifted way from their grasp, and disappeared underwater. His body has yet to be found. The tourist, surnamed Chen, blames himself for the officer's death. You can see him sobbing during his interview from a local hospital. It's hard to not get a little emotional while watching. The Nanfang has more on this story: This story has melted even the most cynical hearts on the Chinese blogosphere. One Sina Weibo user said: "Bring this hero back safely." Another said "I believe he will be okay." Another said, "Let us wish good luck upon good people," while many more lit candles. We hope for the best for all parties involved. These type of stories are always the saddest, because the good ones never seem to get the attention they deserve until it's too late.

Commemorate Lei Feng Day By Looking At Lei Feng On A Screw Posted: 04 Mar 2013 11:00 PM PST Sinologist David Moser posted this to his Tumblr a little earlier today. "Lei Feng's head on a giant screw at CCTV Beijing." Huh. Happy Lei Feng Day at CCTV. Are they not aware of the numerous English slang usages involving the word "screw"? tumblr.com/blog/dmoserus — David Moserさん (@david__moser) 2013年3月5日 Previously: Commemorate Lei Feng Day By Watching This New Lei Feng Movie Trailer

Commemorate Lei Feng Day By Watching This New Lei Feng Movie Trailer Posted: 04 Mar 2013 08:46 PM PST I think, after putting Lei Feng on a telephone pole cross last year, there's not much more we can do to commemorate this year's Learn from Lei Feng Day, even if today marks the 50th year anniversary of this "annual ritual in memory of one of [China's] great sons, Lei Feng, a People's Liberation Army soldier known for his selfless help to others," according to Shanghai Daily. Ritual. Great sons. Selfless help… SIGH. As an alternative, maybe you — me, all of us, together — can watch this trailer for an upcoming Lei Feng movie instead? The film, in English, is officially called The Sweet Smile, but the Chinese title is "Lei Feng's Smile." It's a bio-pic about a man who loves polishing trucks and performing selfless duties. His greatest dream, I think, is to meet Mao Zedong. Oh, that's right, Mao Zedong is depicted in this movie. Our only hope is that the penultimate scene is Mao Zedong caressing Lei Feng (dramatized) as the young soldier dies after getting hit by a falling telephone pole (true). Tsinghua hosted a premiere party a few days ago, and there will be another launch party this evening. Look for it in theaters everywhere soon. Also see, for this occasion: "Liu Yunshan urges 'learning from Lei Feng'" (Xinhua); "Chicken nugget resembling Lei Feng sells for $8 million" (China Daily Show).

The Drum And Bell Tower Neighborhood Is Undergoing Changes As We Speak Posted: 04 Mar 2013 06:51 PM PST Photographer Thomas Arne Strand alerted us last week to a collection of pictures he took of the Drum and Bell neighborhood, which he posted last Sunday. As he writes: These photographs were taken at the beginning of January (been traveling and unable to upload before), after I learnt that the wrecking ball would soon come to the neighborhoods surrounding the historic Drum and Bell Towers (Gulou and Zhonglou). There has been (to my knowledge) a single mention in the state run media. There is much controversy surrounding the clearance of these communities. I don't have much to add to the debate, living with no plumbing or heating can't be fun, but it is sad to see another slice of old Beijing life vanish. Duly inspired, I went down to Gulou — which, as authorities promised, is changing — and snapped a few pics myself, including the one up top. A couple more: For more professional photos, check out Strand's blog. The rest are from him: Zhonglou and Gulou Hutongs (Thomas Arne Strand)

Acid Dumplings [48] Posted: 04 Mar 2013 04:00 PM PST Click to enlarge

Belatedly, Here’s A Video With Sound Of Yan Linkun Going Berserk In Kunming Airport Posted: 04 Mar 2013 01:00 PM PST We know the ship sailed on this one before the weekend, but here's a second look at CPPCC official Yan Linkun's epic meltdown at Kunming Changshu International Airport. This video carries sound and is brought to us via the always interesting blog Language Log. This is the discussion they had with the above as a prompt: It's hard to hear everything Yan Linkun is saying, but it seems like part of it goes thus: Wǒ běnlái dǎ de shì tóuděng cāng de. . . Shénme yìsi a! Shénme yìsi, a? ! Wǒ běnlái shì tóuděng cāng de. . . . Tài qīfù rénle. . . Dōu jǐ cìle? ! Tài qīfù rénle. Āi, gǎnjǐn gěi wǒ kāimén nǎ! . . . Āi, nǎ yǒu zhèyàng de, tài qīfù rénle! . . . Tóuděng cāng. . . 我本来打得是头等舱的。。。什么意思啊！什么意思，啊？！我本来是头等舱的。 。。。 太欺负人了。。。都几次了？！太欺负人了。哎，赶紧给我开门哪！。。。哎，哪有这样的，太欺负人了！。。。头等舱。。。 "I originally booked a first class [ticket]…. What do you mean, huh?! What do you mean, huh?! I originally booked a first class [ticket]…. You're really bullying me…. And not just once?! You're really taking advantage of me. Hai! Hurry up and open the door!… Hai, how can you be like this? Really browbeating me!… First class…." I have translated qīfù 欺负 ("dupe; hoodwink; cheat; deceive; bully; take advantage of") in several different ways to try to bring across the various nuances of the word. I prefer "hoodwink" because it's funny to picture an angry ogre such as Yan Linkun dropping that word as his fury slowly but surely hijacks his mind, body, and soul. HULK SMASH KILL HOODWINK RAWRRRR. By the way, Youku has censored all search results for "Yan Linkun" in Chinese. Rage in Kunming (Language Log, UPenn)

Chen Guangcheng is not a fan of Xi Jinping, says China needs “transformation,” not “reform” Posted: 04 Mar 2013 11:00 AM PST Everyone's favorite blind lawyer activist was interviewed recently by Global Viewpoint Network editor Nathan Gardels, carried by SCMP. Chen Guangcheng talks about freedom and says a lot of reasonable — if a bit idealistic — things: The law is a tool, and people should be treated equally under the law. This of course necessitates a supervisory system, which should have the power to counterbalance the party mechanisms that control the judiciary, and should have the power to demand improvements. This is a requirement for a pluralistic, multiparty system. Otherwise, no matter how strong your laws, it won't matter in practice. But in addition to opining that soon-to-be Chinese president Xi Jinping won't "change as a result of the Bo Xilai affair," there's this (Gardels's longwinded question in bold): The party now dictates who becomes the president and chief prosecutor of courts. To start down the path of an independent judiciary, Peking University legal scholar He Weifang recommends making this into a nomination process that requires approval of the National People's Congress. What are your thoughts on this proposal? Why would it be only the president and chief prosecutor? A democratic system depends on a lot more than a prosecutor. Direct elections should decide all level of administrative officials. And in any case I feel that this is what many people refer to as "reform". This is useless. What China needs now is a transformation. Pardon me for saying so, but in that last bit, one can almost hear Chen parroting the platitudes of China's proselyte dissidents. Even as he stops just short of explicitly equating "transformation" with revolution, he's headed toward that dead end where nothing short of a CCP implosion can be viewed with anything but cynicism and disgust. This is useless. Chen is too smart to let himself become a pawn in this game, and it's sad to see him drift, with each interview, a bit further out of the China conversation. Chen Guangcheng Q&A: 'China has good laws, but they should apply to party' (SCMP)