Chit Chats

[Mock A Bee]

I would comment on this, but I don't want to be thrown in jail!
MAB

From the NY Times, By JIM YARDLEY
Published: June 4, 2008

BEIJING — Two prominent human rights lawyers have lost their licenses after volunteering to defend Tibetans charged in the violent anti-China protests that erupted in March. The decision comes as Chinese authorities are tightening scrutiny over dissidents in advance of the Olympics in August.

The two lawyers, Teng Biao and Jiang Tianyong, are known for taking on politically contentious cases, including those alleging official abuses of human rights. Reached on Tuesday night, Mr. Teng said he learned last week that judicial authorities had renewed the license of every lawyer in his firm, except his own.

“Obviously, it is because of the Tibetan letter that I signed and also other sensitive cases I handled,” Mr. Teng said.

Judicial authorities could not be reached for comment on Tuesday. But human rights groups say the authorities initially considered denying license renewals for numerous lawyers, only to relent in the cases other than those of Mr. Teng and Mr. Jiang.

Lawyers are increasingly at the cutting edge of efforts to push systemic change in China. Self-styled “rights defenders” regard the law as a tool to expand and protect the rights of individuals in an authoritarian political system. But the ruling Communist Party is often wary of lawyers who try to challenge what it regards as the unassailable pre-eminence of the party in society.

In April, 18 lawyers signed a public letter volunteering free legal services to Tibetans arrested during an official crackdown against protests in western China. State media reported that 30 Tibetans, represented by government-appointed lawyers, were given sentences from three years to life during trials in April. Mr. Teng said the judicial authorities were not pleased with the offer of free legal counsel and later warned the lawyers not to get involved in the Tibetan situation.

By May, Mr. Teng said, his law firm applied for its standard annual renewal of licenses. But the firm’s licenses were suspended. “They just informed my boss that I was the reason the whole firm was in trouble,” Mr. Teng said. But on Thursday, the authorities lifted the suspension and granted renewals for the other 60 or so lawyers in the firm.

Last month, before a final decision had been made on the licenses, Mr. Jiang said his status was in jeopardy because of his willingness to handle “sensitive cases.” “As a lawyer, I only care about whether the case can be legally defended,” Mr. Jiang told The South China Morning Post in Hong Kong. “I will follow the right rules within the law. I don’t know how to judge whether a case is sensitive or not.”

[Ace Gallant]

This is a pretty wild little story.
Maybe I can stow away one of my little friends!


By MARI YAMAGUCHI, Associated Press WriterFri May 30, 3:21 PM ET

A homeless woman who sneaked into a man's house and lived undetected in his closet for a year was arrested in Japan after he became suspicious when food mysteriously began disappearing.

Police found the 58-year-old woman Thursday hiding in the top compartment of the man's closet and arrested her for trespassing, police spokesman Hiroki Itakura from southern Kasuya town said Friday.

The resident of the home installed security cameras that transmitted images to his mobile phone after becoming puzzled by food disappearing from his kitchen over the past several months.

One of the cameras captured someone moving inside his home Thursday after he had left, and he called police believing it was a burglar. However, when they arrived they found the door locked and all windows closed.

"We searched the house ... checking everywhere someone could possibly hide," Itakura said. "When we slid open the shelf closet, there she was, nervously curled up on her side."

The woman told police she had no place to live and first sneaked into the man's house about a year ago when he left it unlocked.

She had moved a mattress into the small closet space and even took showers, Itakura said, calling the woman "neat and clean."

This women must have watched the Japanese ghost story where the ghost was living on the ceiling of the top shelf in most typical Japanese homes. A lot of people (including Japanese) do not know that the space on most ceiling of Japanese home are very good storage space. The gap is usually between 1.5 foot to 3 feet high and sometime may be as high as 5 feet!

I remembered once where my Japanese girlfriend and I; found it exciting climbed into ours and make out in there...... not too much for maneuverability but it is sure fun!

Enjoy!
AG

[Mock A Bee]

This is a pretty wild little story.
Maybe I can stow away one of my little friends!


By MARI YAMAGUCHI, Associated Press WriterFri May 30, 3:21 PM ET

A homeless woman who sneaked into a man's house and lived undetected in his closet for a year was arrested in Japan after he became suspicious when food mysteriously began disappearing.

Police found the 58-year-old woman Thursday hiding in the top compartment of the man's closet and arrested her for trespassing, police spokesman Hiroki Itakura from southern Kasuya town said Friday.

The resident of the home installed security cameras that transmitted images to his mobile phone after becoming puzzled by food disappearing from his kitchen over the past several months.

One of the cameras captured someone moving inside his home Thursday after he had left, and he called police believing it was a burglar. However, when they arrived they found the door locked and all windows closed.

"We searched the house ... checking everywhere someone could possibly hide," Itakura said. "When we slid open the shelf closet, there she was, nervously curled up on her side."

The woman told police she had no place to live and first sneaked into the man's house about a year ago when he left it unlocked.

She had moved a mattress into the small closet space and even took showers, Itakura said, calling the woman "neat and clean."

[Mock A Bee]

This is a rare sight captured in a photo.

A Communist Party Boss begging on his knees to plead with people not to protest? I think he probably benefited from getting a little red envelop from the contractor who built the schools that collapsed in Sichuan, and doesn't want the situation to get out of hand or someone may rat him out!

An excerpt from the NY Times article of 28 May 2008:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/28/wo...html?th&emc=th

"Sharp confrontations between protesters and officials began over the weekend in several towns in northern Sichuan. Hundreds of parents whose children died at the Fuxin No. 2 Primary School in the city of Mianzhu staged an impromptu rally on Saturday. They surrounded an official who tried to assure them that their complaints were being taken seriously, screaming and yelling in her face until she fainted.

The next day, the Communist Party’s top official in Mianzhu came out to talk with the parents and to try to stop them from marching to Chengdu, the provincial capital, where they sought to prevail on higher-level authorities to investigate. The local party boss, Jiang Guohua, dropped to his knees and pleaded with them to abandon the protest, but the parents shouted in his face and continued their march."

I have no doubt his hands are dirty from all of this, and no, I don't think his hands are dirty from trying to help remove all the rubble.

MAB

[Mock A Bee]

Ok, in this photograph, which are the Shanghai Bitches?
I need some help with this one...

Sorry! ok, call me a sick puppy!
hahahaha!

MAB

[Ace Gallant]

Have not been around this website much lately. I am in the states now for a few weeks. Good luck with the new forum.

But the homing device I'd planted on you reads "Beijing - China"? are you sure...?

hahahaha... enjoy your home vacation! See you back in China soon!

Enjoy!
AG

[Batman]

Have not been around this website much lately. I am in the states now for a few weeks. Good luck with the new forum.

[Albert Punter]

Joke of the Day

Four Chinese people, Chu, Bu, Fu and Su decided to emigrate to the US.
In order to get a Visa, they had to adapt their names to American standards.
Chu became Chuck.
Bu became Buck.
Fu and his sister Su decided to stay in China.

[Ace Gallant]

While I take the opportunity to greet all old friends from Shanghai and China threads, I wish everyone is safe and in good health after the earthquake.

MODERATOR'S NOTE: This post was moved from the Shanghai thread because serves as a greeting and is Non-Informational.

[Mock A Bee]

I just found this while browsing on Craigslist.com for Shanghai.
It is someone advertising their Private Investigation Services.
I have no idea how good or real this is.
But in Shanghai, it isn't a bad idea!

MAB

Reply to: pers-684846069@craigslist.org
Date: 2008-05-18, 8:41AM CT


Are you looking for a Chinese bride ? Do you really know what she does for a living ? Is she really a lawyer or a teacher or is she is a prostitute seeing 5 to 6 men a day ? Dare you take the risk ? Hire a local Shanghai private investigator - we can help. Find out where she works. How many men visit her apartment every day. How many men does she visit? A full background check to put your mind at ease before she has access to your bank account. Do you really trust her ? We provide the evidence, including photographs,then you decide. Rates are reasonable and fair. Contact any Shanghai PI now for your peace of mind. posted by the Association of Shanghai Private Investigators

[Ace Gallant]

Incidents and things that are happening around us make me thinks that most of the time it is all a planned deal to sucks money out of foreigners and leave them dry. So guys stay calm and stay cool, watch where you are putting your feet on and you'll be safe!

Enjoy!
AG

[Mock A Bee]

The attached picture is an editorial cartoon of Sino/American relations created by a Chinese Netizen.

I found it on these webstites:

http://r.club.china.com/jsp/pub/view.../4/18/2865.jpg

http://military.club.china.com/data/...09/47/5_1.html

MAB

[Mock A Bee]

I can't believe Chen Liangyu was taking bribes and abusing his power! How scandalous - I can't believe he used his power and influence for personal gain!


By Geoff Dyer in Shanghai
Published: April 11 2008 13:47 | Last updated: April 11 2008 23:59
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f13d9e08-0...0779e2340.html

The former Communist party chief in Shanghai was sentenced to 18 years in prison on Friday for his role in a corruption scandal – making him the most senior Chinese politician to be jailed for a decade.

Chen Liangyu, 61, was found guilty of “taking bribes and abuse of power” by a court in the northern city of Tianjin, Xinhua news agency reported, following an investigation into misappropriation of up to a third of Shanghai’s pension fund.

As the most senior official in Shanghai, Mr Chen was also a member of the central party politburo. After being dismissed as Shanghai party secretary in September 2006, he was expelled from the Communist party.

His arrest was part of a corruption scandal that has led to more than 20 other local officials and businessmen being arrested. Earlier this week Zhang Rongkun, a Shanghai businessman who was once one of the richest people in the country, was jailed for 19 years for his role in the scandal.

The authorities have been keen to present the arrest of such a senior figure as proof that the leadership is determined to crack down on corruption.

Political analysts have suggested that the probe reflects other political goals, such as an attempt by President Hu Jintao to squeeze out the allies of his own predecessor, Jiang Zemin – himself a former Shanghai party secretary.

The Shanghai investigation focused on money from the city pension fund that was funnelled illegally into a series of other investments by senior officials close to Mr Chen.

Previous reports in official media said Rmb3.2bn ($457m, €289m, £232m) had been siphoned off from the fund. But Xinhua said on Friday that Mr Chen was responsible for the misappropriation of Rmb1bn.

According to Xinhua, the allegations against Mr Chen included taking bribes of Rmb2.39m, using his position to arrange jobs for his brother and son, and helping Mr Zhang to buy stakes in public companies at a loss to the state.

[Mock A Bee]

Guo Shizhong was named an "Outstanding Communist" for just doing his job, who died from drinking too much, while inside a KTV, with his hostess by his side. Ok, not exactly dieing in the saddle, but he was having fun nonetheless.

What an honor to be out drinking yourself to death with your Commrads in a KTV - just doing your job!, and being posthumously awarded "Level-three order of merit", which entitles his family to receive 10% of his salary, though it is not known for how long - forever perhaps? I wonder if this includes his KTV privileges?

What aspiring communist wouldn't want to grow up to be just like Guo Shizhong?

MAB


By Jamil Anderlini in Beijing
Published: March 12 2008 03:21 | Last updated: March 12 2008 03:21
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c0e3409c-e...nclick_check=1

A Chinese official who drank himself to death has been named an “outstanding communist”, even though the city where he worked is the focus of a campaign against government employee alcohol abuse, state media reported on Tuesday.

Guo Shizhong, 45, director of a district family planning bureau in Xinyang City, died of a brain haemorrhage after drinking himself into a stupor and collapsing in a karaoke bar in the city, according to medical reports from the ambulance and hospital that treated him, a person who has seen the reports told the Financial Times.

Guo was posthumously awarded a “level-three order of merit” and named an “outstanding communist” by the government in Xinyang in the central Chinese province of Henan.

The award entitles his family to continue receiving 10 per cent of his government salary.

Chinese leaders have repeatedly warned that official corruption poses a threat to the Communist party and Beijing has launched numerous anti-corruption drives in recent years.

But these often go nowhere after reaching the local level, where officials traditionally spend many hours wining and dining with each other and businessmen seeking favours.

Xinyang, a municipality of nearly 8m people, is the focus of a widely publicised anti-corruption campaign targeting officials who drink at lunchtime.

Government coffers are overflowing even as income disparity worsens across the country and overt displays of largesse by party officials are a common source of discontent.

The Xinyang campaign to stamp out the common practice of liquor-soaked lunches paid for with state funds began a year ago when a task force was set up to perform random breath tests on officials, and reporters were invited to watch as some offenders were fired on the spot.

Officials quoted in state media said 269 party officials had been punished so far and an estimated Rmb43m ($6m, €4m, £3m) in state funds saved so far.
More than half a dozen other cities have adopted the policy and alcohol distributors in the region complain this has led to a drop of as much as 30 per cent in sales.

“The government ban on civil servants drinking at lunchtime has had a huge impact on my business,” said Shao Li, a liquor retailer and wholesaler in Xinyang. “Many in the liquor wholesale business have had to quit.”

On the night of February 26, Guo was invited to dinner at a restaurant by other officials. After the meal the group went upstairs to a karaoke bar and hired hostesses to accompany them, according to the Orient Today, a state-controlled newspaper based in Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan province. The report quoted bar hostesses as saying that Guo was a regular customer.

They said that he passed out drunk on a sofa and his companions later called an ambulance when they realised he had stopped breathing.

[SE Asia Joe]

it was only 28yrs ago..

but back then, coming out of college i was being paid $18K per year. Now i do that in a month or sometimes less

Hey.... that was the exact guaranteed draw I enjoyed back then! US$1,500 per month!!

Funny how little that amount seems to us all now - and I had managed to raise a family from them beginnings!

On the other hand, even TODAY - how many Xiaojies actually make even that amount? That's RMB 126,000/year, 10,500/month.

Gottta thank our lucky stars we weren't born and raised in the Middle Kingdom - and instead are able to merely enjoy the bounty of the land!!

SEAJ