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• 10 amazing restaurants you should check out during Restaurant Week Shanghai!
• An Entrepreneur’s Bone-Chilling Story Of China Business And Betrayal Writ Not So Large.
• ‘Live TV’ Execution Of Mekong Murders Mastermind Stirs Controversy
• Building Out China’s Bond Markets
• Friday Night Musical Outro: White+ – Red
• Friday Links: Eerie suicide on camera, a televised execution (not), and an infographic on the Great Firewall
• General Luo Yuan’s Sina Weibo Account Remains The Greatest (As He Would Eagerly Tell You)
• German TV Crew Attacked In Hebei Province Just Outside Of Beijing
• Did This Guy Get “Raped” By A Girl On The Streets Of Chengdu?
• People Are Really Upset About Civilian Use Of Military Vehicles, As Jackie Chan And Young Soldier Discover
• Forget Pollution: It’s The Wind In Beijing Yesterday That Wreaked Havoc
• Here They Are: Dennis Rodman And Kim Jong-Un
• What Does Basketball In North Korea Look Like? Here’s A Glimpse
• Meme Thursday: “Clean Pussy Wipes” And The Guangzhou Subway Pooping Teen
• Did you lose something? Micro Lei Feng can help
• Guangzhou Metro would like to inform you of its many toilets, so you don't use a trash can like this guy
• European football teams battling it out on Weibo, have over 15 million fans
• China turns tables on US over hacking accusations (we're rubber, you're glue)
• The Green party reaches 40th birthday
• China to launch next manned space mission in June

10 amazing restaurants you should check out during Restaurant Week Shanghai! Posted: 01 Mar 2013 07:32 PM PST Restaurant Week starts this Monday and you're no doubt scrambling to find the best eateries to snag a spot at before time runs out. Luckily the man running the show, Onno Schreurs of Dining City, was gracious enough to offer us his top ten recommendations! Scroll through the below images to check out his picks, and if that's not enough, click HERE to check out more of the amazing deals on offer this March 4-10. [ more › ]

An Entrepreneur’s Bone-Chilling Story Of China Business And Betrayal Writ Not So Large. Posted: 01 Mar 2013 05:16 PM PST I started the Inc. Magazine story, "Betrayed in China: One Entrepreneur's Hard Journey East," with much anticipation.  The writer of the story had interviewed me a bit regarding the story (and I show up in the sidebar at the end) so I knew him to be a really sharp guy with an penchant for accuracy and detail.  And I just loved the sub-title: "Adam Kasha was proud of his from-the-gut approach to doing business in China. Then his partnership with a Chinese trading agent went spectacularly bad, and he realized he was being taught a hard lesson in how things actually work." I knew it would have gems for those doing business in China and, more importantly, thinking of adding it to the following pantheon of our "writ large" posts: China Polyester Writ Large. Fake Pens In China Write/Writ Large Barbie In China Writ Large One Small China Restaurant Writ Large. Really Large. China Truck Manufacturing Writ Large As Global Trade Microcosm. China Suburbanization Writ Large China Traffic Laws As Government Policy Writ Large. Channeling Benjamin Cardozo China Face. China Heart. Gaming And Internet Businesses Writ Large. Floating Houses, Conflicting Laws, And Really Nice Governmental Officials. China Law Practice Writ Large. Now I am not so sure.  It makes for great reading, no doubt, but I am just not sure how much it really applies to doing business in China. The first 2/3 of the story read like a primer on how not to do business in China.  As I was reading that portion, I kept thinking of how it would make a great business school case study of how to set yourself up for failure in China.  Our erstwhile hero's mistakes were almost too many to bear. This cannot end well, I kept thinking. But then, just as the protagonist's back was against the proverbial wall worse than it had ever been before, he (Adam Kasha) pulls a rabbit out of a hat and all of a sudden starts realizing that he can no longer deal with his Chinese counterparties as though they are just like the people he knows in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  No, a wiser Mr. Kasha is going to go "all native" on us now heed the advice he was given in 2002 by the Chinese man he is now fighting: "When doing business in China, trust no one."  Or as, Mr. Kasha somewhat more subtly puts it, he now realizes that "what trust amounted to for an American in China …. [is] created by the possibility of future business, or by a financial incentive. That wasn't really trust. It was a practical, amoral trellis to help the little green vine of trust grow." Spoiler Alert:  Mr. Kasha becomes a Machiavellian-esque tactician, outwits his Chinese partner, and saves the day/the shipments/his company's relationship with Wal-Mart. Does it make for a great story?  Yes.  Are there lessons to be learned from this story, beyond the level of trust one should display?  Probably.  Are there lessons to be learned from The Dark Knight?  There are, but as a simple China lawyer, I am just not sure I am the one to be dishing them out.  And since it is late on Friday, I am not even going to try. So I turn to you dear readers for some help on this.  What are the takeaways from the Mr. Kasha goes to China story?  Or were his mishaps so obvious and his come-back so fact-specific that the story's value resides solely with its literary merit?

‘Live TV’ Execution Of Mekong Murders Mastermind Stirs Controversy Posted: 01 Mar 2013 03:42 PM PST China's execution of Naw Kham, a drug lord convicted of masterminding the execution-like killing of 13 Chinese seamen on the Mekong River in October 2011, has whipped up a storm of controversy for its lead-up being carried live on state … Continue reading →

Building Out China’s Bond Markets Posted: 01 Mar 2013 03:13 PM PST The ambitious urbanization plans of new leader Xi Jinping will provide the next stimulus for developing China's nascent bond market, we read in a Reuters report. Beijing has been taking ever larger steps in expanding its municipal and corporate bond … Continue reading →

Friday Night Musical Outro: White+ – Red Posted: 01 Mar 2013 07:30 AM PST The "electro formation" White+ (evolved out of "White") is playing at School Bar tomorrow alongside another Maybe Mars band, Snapline. Josh Feola of Smart Beijing calls this band a "complex beast," and one of the more important players in the city's contemporary music scene. Worth a look if you're down for indie music in a comfy setting.

Friday Links: Eerie suicide on camera, a televised execution (not), and an infographic on the Great Firewall Posted: 01 Mar 2013 05:19 AM PST Suicide caught on camera, via Daily Mail: "The photographer had been standing on a viewing platform ready to take a snap of the fog shrouded bridge across the Wuhan Yangtze River in Wuhan, at Hubei province in central China." Fuel surcharge in Beijing back up to 3 yuan. Though a day as nice as today, why spend it in a cab? Links time. Perspective for expats. "Over the past few weeks, I've been thinking of her attitude, and how it contrasts with the spoilt, privileged whining of so many expats. I don't want to paint with too broad a brush here; most of the expats I know are splendid, stout-hearted, generous people. But there's an undercurrent of stubborn assholedom that sours the whole business." (James Palmer, TimeOut Beijing) China needs a name for PM2.5 particles. "According to Xinhua News, the official news agency of China, the country's National Committee for Terms in Sciences and Technology plans to give an official Chinese name to PM2.5, a Western term that has become an extremely high-frequency word in China in the past year." (Offbeat China) An execution on CCTV, not really. "For those familiar with the version of China gossiped about by grannies in Florida getting their hair done, that might seem conceivable. But for those familiar with the actual China, that proposition should sound completely absurd. // Contrary to popular belief, The People's Republic of China has rarely put their executions out on display (vigilante Cultural Revolution killings aside)…" (Eric Fish, Sinostand) From a North Korean scholar. "There is perhaps a message to the US, as the Rodong Shinmun article was full of soft phrases hoping that the two countries could continue sport exchanges such as this one and how enjoyable friendship could be between Koreans and Americans. Unfortunately, most of these were Dennis Rodman quotes, somewhat but not totally dampening the effect of the article: had it been a high-level Korean making such comments, one could construe it as a form of outreach to the United States." (Dray Abrahamian, Choson Exchange) The poop story you were waiting for, maybe. "Every week, it seems like photos of someone, often little kids, crapping in public appear online in China. This usually creates all kinds of havoc, often with people criticizing the parents (or grandparents) for letting the kids do their business in a public place. But why does it keep happening?" (Kotaku) Famous author on censorship. "When it comes to censorship in China, the primary factors are often economic, not political. Publishing houses that were once government financed have operated as commercial enterprises for years now. Editors are under pressure to make the biggest profit they can. Even if a book carries some political risks, a daring editor will take the gamble if there's a chance it will be a best seller." (Yu Hua, NY Times) All too predictable. "The successful, low-budget Chinese comedy Lost in Thailand has lured tens of thousands of Chinese tourists to Chiang Mai, but they left locals in Thailand's historic and culturally rich northern city complaining. // After seeing a record number of Chinese tourists over the Lunar New Year holiday, some locals described what they experienced as 'cultural clashes,' others simply found the visitors' behaviour disturbing and rude." (SCMP) This project was always too ambitious to be possible. "So where is the world's tallest building? Apparently still in the factory in pieces. According to Oriental Outlook magazine [in Chinese], authorities in Changsha have withheld permits for Sky City because of concerns over safety, congestion and environmental impact." (Forbes) Chinese office OPPO does Harlem Shake interlude: Finally… From Reuters. (Connected China) North Korea has not completely warmed up to the Dennis Rodman-led United States. (Washington Post) Infographic on how the Great Firewall works. (Tech in Asia) And another one! European football clubs battle for Chinese fans. (Tech in Asia) Interview with Li Yundi, that pianist. No mention of Leehom Wang. (Jing Daily) Home-brewing in China and mainland. (WSJ) Finally, finally… Via NK News

General Luo Yuan’s Sina Weibo Account Remains The Greatest (As He Would Eagerly Tell You) Posted: 01 Mar 2013 01:12 AM PST In one his first Weibo posts, General Luo Yuan described social media as a critical "battleground" in modern society. As his first week on the service draws to a close, it seems that his comparison was spot on, though he appears to have misjudged the combatants. His use of the service for bizarre and blatant self-aggrandizement was met with a quick and brutal response by critical Chinese netizens, as Offbeat China has observed. An ally account, Sina Military, came to Yuan's defense by claiming he had been hacked, but this route of retreat was cut off with further criticism – netizens attacked the security practices of the famous general. For the time being, it appears that Luo Yuan has retreated to the safety of rhetoric. Most of his recent posts have dealt with national defense issues, most notably the Diaoyu Island conflict. It seems, however, that his penchant for self-promotion might remain, albeit in more muted fashion. Here's a recent post detailing strategic policy concerning the disputed islands: 《A Few Points Regarding the Protection of National Ocean Rights》（Proposals already adopted) First, to establish "National Oceans Day," to strengthen all peoples' awareness of oceans. Secondly, to make clear the "Six Existences" (Administration, Legality, National Defense, Law Enforcement, Economic Interests, and Public Opinion) for practical defense of sea rights. Thirdly, to accelerate naval modernization efforts. Fourth, to found a "National Sea Committee," to facilitate the formulation of 《PRC Sea Strategy》. The "Six Existences" theory serves as an excellent example of the delightfully vague CCP slogans so prevalent in Chinese politics. It also appears to have been invented by Luo Yuan himself in direct reference to the Diaoyu Island conflict, and has been propagated through his writings since mid-summer 2012. It's difficult to extrapolate from passing references such as these, but it seems clear that Luo Yuan continues to love the limelight, and remains extremely confident of his own ideas. The General continues to log daily activity on the microblog, and is sure to keep the world up to date with his next big idea. We'll be sure to pass it along.

German TV Crew Attacked In Hebei Province Just Outside Of Beijing Posted: 01 Mar 2013 12:53 AM PST The Foreign Correspondents Club of China recently got wind of an assault on a German TV crew yesterday in Hebei province and published this statement: The crew, belonging to ARD television, narrowly avoided serious injury when two men attacked their vehicle with baseball bats, shattering the windscreen, after a high speed chase down a major highway near the city of Sanhe, 50 km east of Beijing. Whoa, high-speed chase. ARD correspondent Christine Adelhardt, accompanied by two German colleagues and two Chinese staff, had been filming in the village of Da Yan Ge Zhuang for a report on urbanisation, one of the incoming Chinese government's major challenges and a process that has often provoked disputes over land ownership. "We were filming the village square, where you could see old style farmers' houses next to a newly-built mansion behind a wall and high-rise buildings in the background," said Adelhardt, when a car drew up next to them. The car's driver began filming the TV crew. When the crew left, two cars, later joined by at least two others, gave chase, trying to force the Germans' minivan off the road and to deliberately cause a collision. "Deliberately cause a collision." They forced the ARD driver to stop at one point, whereupon five or six men surrounded the car, attempted to get in, and hammered on the windows with their fists. You get the idea. Eventually the police get involved, but… The crew then came across two motorcycle policemen and asked them for help. Their pursuers caught up with them, and again began smashing and punching holes in the car's windscreen, despite the police officers' attempts to control them. Eventually, reinforcements: Eventually, police reinforcements arrived, and escorted the ARD crew to a local police station, where Adelhardt and her colleagues were questioned. Adelhardt saw a number of the men who had attacked her car at the police station, but was not sure whether they were detained. Meanwhile, the crew has gotten mixed messages about how authorities are handling the incident. When she asked to file a charge of attempted homicide, she was assured by a local official that such charges had already been laid against the men. But a policeman told her that the investigation had found that villagers had been "offended" by the TV crew's presence and that they should have asked permission to film. The picture above was tweeted out by Andreas Cichowicz, a former ARD correspondent, with the accompanying message (roughly translated from German), "This is how the German team's car came out after the attack by thugs!" That windshield damage was obviously not just the work of "fists." We can't wait to see ARD's footage, pre- and/or post-chase. During chase? We can only hope.

Did This Guy Get “Raped” By A Girl On The Streets Of Chengdu? Posted: 01 Mar 2013 12:25 AM PST "The mighty women of Chengdu, 'raping' a man on the street," reads the opening to this Sina Weibo post. With all the usual disclaimers that this is hearsay, let us continue: Saw a ferocious woman at Jiuyan Bridge. I reckon she drank too much! After pinning down a man on the side of the street, she took off her pants and ferociously mounted him. The man even resisted at the start! Finally, he yielded to the woman's raping and blushed as he picked up his underwear and walked off! The woman picked up her pants and crossed the street along Jiuyan Bridge.. numerous male netizens on Weibo have claimed they want to go to Chengdu and wait~~ People say the women of Chengdu are spicy — lameizi. This is kind of what they mean, writ extra large. (H/T @MissXQ)

People Are Really Upset About Civilian Use Of Military Vehicles, As Jackie Chan And Young Soldier Discover Posted: 28 Feb 2013 10:30 PM PST Two stories along the same theme here, both from SCMP's Amy Li. We'll start with Jackie Chan, who was seen walking toward a black Audi with military license plates. We're not sure when the picture was taken, but its publication on Sina Weibo has caused the predictable spate of online outrage. "Has our military hired Jackie Chan to teach soldiers martial arts?", said Yu Jianrong, an avid online activist and  researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. "This is obviously a movie prop," commented another blogger sarcastically on Weibo. "Will Jackie Chan please use his martial arts to reclaim the Diaoyu Islands?" said another. Many demanded Chan to offer an explanation. "This has almost destroyed my admiration for him," wrote a fan. It should be noted that Chan could have been using fake military plates, which might somehow exonerate him? But the more interesting story — if you ignore the fact that Jackie Chan is somewhat of a walking ball of amusement – is this second story out of Guangzhou. First, the video: That's "Uncle Ou," which SCMP reports is "a retired Guangzhou resident famous for his campaign to disclose abuses of official cars." He really, really hates it when civilians ride in military vehicles, and he's not afraid of looking like a grumpy gramps — the video has nearly 30,000 views so far on Youku — to express his opinion. "Why do you use military car to drive your wife?," Uncle Ou is heard to ask bluntly in the video. "Please answer me." "Is this how you abuse tax payers' money?" Ou said. We enjoy the expression on this woman, which, to be fair, is exactly how a normal person would react if a belligerent old man began filming himself ranting at your face. Anger after Jackie Chan caught using military car in Beijing (SCMP) Video: Man berates soldier for giving civilian a ride in military car (SCMP)

Forget Pollution: It’s The Wind In Beijing Yesterday That Wreaked Havoc Posted: 28 Feb 2013 08:42 PM PST While many spent yesterday morning squalling over Beijing's pollution (caused in part by this season's first sandstorm), an actual squall of sorts blew through this region, causing more damage. (Incidentally, it was this very wind that cleared out the pollution, so that in a matter of one hour, from 10 am to 11 am, the AQI dropped from 506 to 279, and by 4 pm, it was under 100, according to @BeijingAir.) According to Beijing Youth Daily, three people were hurt when an enclosure around Guangshun North Street was blown down in the evening. Their injuries were serious enough to require treatment at Wangjing Hospital. In a more serious incident earlier in the day, a metal frame at Oriental Shopping Plaza on Yaojiayuan Street was blown down, falling onto a pedestrian. The biggest accident involved a fallen arch, however. A passerby was actually knocked unconscious, blood all over his face, say eyewitnesses. He was sent to Bayi Neurosurgical Hospital for emergency treatment. In the video here, we get just a glimpse — Mother Nature's reminder that try as we might to destroy her, she's more likely to destroy us first. One more look:

Here They Are: Dennis Rodman And Kim Jong-Un Posted: 28 Feb 2013 07:50 PM PST One word to describe this… go. Surreal? Groundbreaking? Sordid? Humanizing? Humanizing. This happened yesterday as VICE staffers and players from the Harlem Globetrotters took on North Korea's "Dream Team." Here's another look, via Vice: Foreign Policy also has a pretty decent look of the affair, including this shot: While Adam Cathcart makes this observation: North Korea's key nuclear negotiator, Kim Gye-gwan, is two seats away from Envoy Rodman, front Rodong webpage rodong.rep.kp/InterKo/index.… — Adam Cathcartさん (@adamcathcart) 2013年2月28日 Meanwhile, if you're looking for the definitive account so far of Kim Jong-un's love for basketball, read Nate Thayer's story on NK News, from which we get this picture: That's it for now. North Korea has a friend in Dennis Rodman and Vice (Vice) Dennis Rodman makes the front page in North Korea (Foreign Policy) How Eccentric Dennis Rodman Was Welcomed Home In Pyongyang (NK News)

What Does Basketball In North Korea Look Like? Here’s A Glimpse Posted: 28 Feb 2013 06:51 PM PST The wonderful folk of Koryo Tours, who aren't responsible for Dennis Rodman but is for so many other Westerners who visit North Korea, passed along this video recently of Americans playing basketball in the DPRK last June. It was the first ever "USA-North Korea basketball exchange." "Well, I hope this opens up opportunities for the future," participant Luke Elie, founder of Coaches Team International, said. We wonder if he knew, eight months later, Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman would be following in his footsteps.Coaches Team International had two training sessions in North Korea, highlights of which are above. Koryo Tours believe wholeheartedly in engagement through sport – our 2012 exchange was a wonderful opportunity for Americans and North Koreans to come together through basketball, and play together on the same team.

Meme Thursday: “Clean Pussy Wipes” And The Guangzhou Subway Pooping Teen Posted: 28 Feb 2013 10:00 AM PST Showcasing the best in Asian-related memes. Sources: Hong Wrong (above; lots more therein), Wuluwu, Reddit, Sina Weibo. How timely…

Did you lose something? Micro Lei Feng can help Posted: 01 Mar 2013 09:13 AM PST Is there no end to the multifarious usefulness of the paragon of selflessness and virtue that is Lei Feng? A little early for Lei Feng Day on March 5, but the front page of the South-East Business Daily (东南商报) from Zhejiang province today tells us that, in order to encourage the study of the spirit of Lei Feng and of volunteerism, we present: "Ningbo Micro Lei Feng!" (宁波微雷锋) This latest installment of the cultural hegemon that is Lei Feng is a piece of software that runs of the omnipresent (in China) mobile messaging service WeChat (微信 in Chinese). Jointly produced by South-East Business Daily, the Ningbo City Public Transport Company and the Ningbo Public Security Bureau, "Ningbo Micro Lei Feng" can be installed by users of WeChat and then used in conjunction with the messaging service. The point of "Ningbo Micro Lei Feng" is for people to report any lost and found objects in public areas in Ningbo. If you lost your mobile phone on a bus, for example, you can tell Micro Lei Feng as much as you can about your lost phone. Micro Lei Feng will then inform the transport and police authorities of your lost phone, and they can keep their eyes open for it. But ideally, someone else will see your lost phone on the bus and immediately tell Micro Lei Feng about it, so Micro Lei Feng can match the two lost and found reports. Such, at least, would be an ideal outcome for some good old Lei Feng spirit. Below is a little look back at some of the Lei Feng-related posts we've published on Danwei over the years. Lei Feng is rocking on in the 21st century. 2006 A Lei Feng two-fer You can't be Lei Feng all the time Lei Feng to star in Internet game Guns, lost sons and Lei Feng condoms 2007 Another year, another Lei Feng 2009 Lei Feng and 60th anniversary fashion Lei Feng heritage for the whole world 2010 Kneel before Lei Feng Lei Feng, serving the people in the 21st Century 2012 Lei Feng in the age of the microblog Anyone seen Lei Feng? Links and sources South-East Business Daily (东南商报): "宁波微雷锋"公众微信开启

Guangzhou Metro would like to inform you of its many toilets, so you don't use a trash can like this guy Posted: 01 Mar 2013 05:00 AM PST Our friends at Beijing Cream bring us the latest instalment of the Chinese magical mystery tour of inappropriate places to poop. This time, in a bin in a Guangzhou Metro station. [ more › ]

European football teams battling it out on Weibo, have over 15 million fans Posted: 01 Mar 2013 04:00 AM PST Top flight European football clubs, including Barcelona, Bayern Much, LIVERPOOL FC, and Real Madrid, are battling it out on Weibo as they try to attract Chinese fans. [ more › ]

China turns tables on US over hacking accusations (we're rubber, you're glue) Posted: 01 Mar 2013 03:00 AM PST China's Ministry of National Defense has flipped the most recent hacking quarrel on its head in a classic they-started-it move. The Ministry posted a transcript on their website from a press conference where a reporter asked about US accusations of Chinese involvement in sustained cyber attacks on American private and government networks. Foreign media was denied entry to the press conference. [ more › ]

The Green party reaches 40th birthday Posted: 01 Mar 2013 02:22 AM PST How an unlikely group resolved to challenge the UK political establishment, and gained tens of million supporters Where are political parties born? The British Labour Party might say workplaces, the Conservatives their clubs and stately homes, but the Green party – which turned 40 years old last week – can be precise: the Bridge Inn at Napton, in Warwickshire, central England, where an unlikely group of lawyers and estate agents used to meet for a drink after work in the early 1970s. Hardly revolutionary, but it was only when solicitor Lesley Whittaker passed around a copy of Playboy magazine, which she had bought in WH Smith, that these ultimate middle Englanders resolved to challenge the UK political establishment. The magazine had an interview with US academic and population scientist Paul Ehrlich, who predicted famine and apocalypse if numbers continued to grow. It scared the hell out of Whittaker and her solicitor husband, Tony. "Good god. The whole thing's going horrible. What are we going to do about it?" she remembered thinking. Because no one had a clue how to set up a party, they did what seemed right: called a meeting. Disillusioned by UK party politics but inspired by new groups like Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace, they resolved to call themselves PEOPLE and, on 23 February 1973, 43 people, ranging from a probation officer to factory workers and students, went to the party's first meeting in the Whittakers' solicitors' office. From the start, the members eschewed leaders, and were obsessively, even painfully democratic. But they understood hype: "As chill rains sweep a strike-beleaguered and severely troubled United Kingdom PEOPLE explodes into the public's imagination," someone wrote in the party's first newsletter. The launch was almost universally ignored. Britain had just joined Europe and North Sea oil was still on the horizon, but soon PEOPLE had a manifesto, and had merged with the miniscule Movement for Survival, set up by Teddy Goldsmith, uncle of present Conservative politician Zac Goldsmith. Its first national conference in June 1973 attracted nearly 100 people at £9.50 a head to the Allesley hotel in Coventry. The party was small but had slogans for satirists to die for: "Let us move to a new age. Forget the old. And let the dead yesterdays bury the philosophy of authority and capital gains and communist psychology cults," railed one early speechwriter. "Tomorrow may come. Let us be ready for it," was another. PEOPLE's utopianism still shocks. In an anonymous paper, probably written by Goldsmith, the author argued that Britain's population must be radically reduced, and business and unions be "restricted" to boost small-scale, community-based concerns. (The author then asked: "Is this just ingenuous wishful thinking?") "The problem is vast; survival depends on good husbandry of every resource. We do not know any answers, but we've got to think darned hard about the problems. A system like this cannot survive. We expect it to end in our lifetimes," he wrote. Whittaker said: "We were being fed apocalypse. Yes, we were eccentric. Our views were strange. Our business took a hammering." Today the Greens admit they still don't know all the answers but claim to be the UK's fourth party, with up to one million supporters in the UK, and tens of millions across Europe. But in mid-1973, PEOPLE thought 500,000 people at most might share their views. They hoped 600 people would stand for them in the 1974 election but in the end had only seven candidates, polling about 4,500 votes. Realising no one had heard of them, they changed their name in 1975. "We considered the Conservation party, but that was too close to the Conservatives. We thought about Environment party but that was too narrow. Green just meant 'wet behind the ears'. So we chose Ecology. It wasn't even in the dictionary," said Whittaker. But the change brought in a new group of teachers, students and intellectuals, including Jonathon Porritt, Sara Parkin, Derek Wall and the economist Paul Ekins. "There was a lot of literature around then like Small is Beautiful by Shumacher. But Goldsmith's Blueprint for Survival was for me the critical work, the one which pushed the panic button," said Porritt. "There was a great sense of urgency and passion. It's interesting, but pretty much everything that this advance guard was talking about has come true." Losing their radicalism? Few people expected the Greens to get to their 20th anniversary, let alone 40th. But 300 people met on Friday in the city of Nottingham for the spring conference with the new leader Natalie Bennett, their first national MP, Caroline Lucas, two MEPs and more than 100 councillors. Bennett, who previously edited Guardian Weekly, is confident. "We are in good shape. We're good at democracy. We're national but still local. We are one of the big four but we have a very different model of leadership. There's no hint of dictatorship here. We've got good prospects, are making an impact and we'll do well in the county elections. Just a 1.6% swing will see us triple the number of MEPs next year and then we'll be set for the general election." But at 40, have the Greens lost their radicalism? "We are just as radical in our way as the people who set up PEOPLE," said Bennett. "You just are where you are." Copyright © Guardian News and Media Limited 2013

China to launch next manned space mission in June Posted: 01 Mar 2013 02:00 AM PST International space station? More like Western capitalist space station! China's competitor to the ISS, the Tiangong program, will be receiving its next guests in June, according to Xinhua. [ more › ]

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