The original Tower Bridge in London, vs the copy bridge in Suzhou, China. The copy is hideous.
Visiting China is always exciting. the country is steeped in its own unique history and has treasures not known in the rest of the world. It is very odd, and disconcerting, when China’s architects blatantly copy world famous foreign landmarks. This is not a new phenomenon and has been going on for many a decade. The most recent case is a copy of London’s famous Tower Bridge, now copied and even embellished in Suzhou.
2009 Obama (left) vs 2017 Trump (right) Inauguration photos in Washington DC. AP. The Obama Inauguration holds so many more people that you must say he was more popular.
Wondering, I am, about the truth in today’s news. US President Trump says something, the press refutes with facts, then he doubles down and continues to insist his version is correct. And this, from a US president. I find it odd that someone of such a high office would do and say such “alternative truths”, as he puts it. Really, there are no alternative truths, only truths backed by evidence. There are different conclusions made from the same original evidence, but no alternative truths. Alternative truths are close to a lie. What do we tell our kids, after years of us espousing everyone to tell the truth, when people in high office begin to lie.
Xie Yang, a Chinese Lawyer, tortured in Changsha, China, Jul 2015, is still in jail in the Changsha City Public Security No. 2 Detention Center. He has not been released.
Here I am, in Toronto, Canada, reading this translation about the torture of a Chinese lawyer, a human rights lawyer, Xie Yang 谢阳, in Changsha, China. I’m just not used to this kind of abuse on another human being. Yes, I’m soft. Under Canada’s legal system, torture in order to get a conviction would lead to the exclusion of all documents and evidence gained while under torture. This is just and fair. Evidence gained while using torture cannot be considered credible nor truthful. When someone fears for their life or the lives of their family and friends, they will admit to anything if pushed sufficiently hard. Truth is more important than just getting a conviction, as you may be convicting the wrong person.
Lai Jeng-jer, a gay rights activist from Taiwan, at his Beijing cafe, Two Cities, 2012
Yes, I have lived in China for a number of years. There are quite a number of situations that completely shocked me, coming from Toronto, Canada, a democratic country. While people in China and Canada are people, people who eat, who work, who play, there are subtle differences in society that only hit home when you are in China, experience it, and think to yourself “What just happened”?
Beijing PM2.5 Air Pollution particles lodged in face mask material, under an electron microscope, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Liu Yong, photo2
Fool, it does not take, to believe that the terrible air pollution in Beijing and Northern China, is not fog, and is hazardous to your health. These images are taken with an electron microscope proves the point.
Liu Yong (刘勇), doctoral student from the Beijing University of Chemical Technology (北京化工大学) took these photos of face mask material after about 8 hours of use. The pollution particles lodged into the face mask material was analyzed for hazardous materials. Found were calcium carbonate (碳酸钙), iron oxide (氧化铁), sulfate (硫酸盐)。 The masks are MaiXingRen 霾星人 brand, though the article does not specifically state this.
Students forced to write exams on their school field in suburban Tangshan, Hebei province, when the government closed their school. Terrible.
I‘m not sure why the principal of this school would believe that it is Ok to force students to write their exams outside on their field, when the government closed their school. Some people don’t think. I would be livid if this happened to my kids.
Why would the principal of the school defy government orders for the school closure? He should be reprimanded for risking the health of the students.
Woe is Beijing, China’s air pollution reading. Here is the PM2.5 pollution levels between Toronto and Beijing this morning, ~9:00 EST. Beijing is truly shocking.
The PM 2.5 level of pollution measures air pollution particles that are 2.5 microns or less, or called fine particulate. This particle size will get inhaled and trapped in the lungs. In comparison a human hair is 100 microns in diameter.
Air quality PM2.5 pollution levels, Toronto vs Beijing, 2016 Dec 04, 09:00 EST. Toronto is less than 10% of Bejing’s PM2.5 level air pollution.
This cannot be good for anyone living in Beijing or North-East China.
All large companies in China have a union, but it is not a group that represents workers against the company’s management. Unlike in North America, and more closely following the Japanese labour union model, China’s labour unions are Communist Party members, usually under the control of management. It is ironic that Walmart’s labour union, aligned with Walmart management, are also Communist Party members, there to suppress labour unrest for the good of their foreign overlords. All this in modern day China.
Love Canada, I do. The people are generally very nice, though there are exceptions. In general we treat everyone equally. The air is generally very clean and the streets similarly. We have lots of green space and the kids love playing in our parks. Crime is low and we generally do not have a violence or gun problem. Our political system is very stable. Our legal system is fair and impartial.
Spotted Cucumber Beetle, Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi, found on our jiecai, from our local Chinese store. I believe there is poo coming out of its butt. Toronto, Canada. Photo by Don Tai
Icky maybe, but if insects are eating your vegetables, then it must be healthy to eat. These are photos the Spotted Cucumber Beetle, Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi, spotted on our Chinese vegetables, jiecai, a leafy green, from the local Chinese store. It was dead.
