The YouTube Ban

Everybody know YouTube, a video-streaming site owned by Google. But today China banned the Web site and didn't explain the reason. Some people think that the ban might have been caused by some videos of abuse of Tibetans on YouTube.
When you're in China and try to access the site, all you get would be an error message saying "Network Timeout. The server at youtube.com is taking too long to respond."
This however is not the first time YouTube has been banned in China. In March 2008 during the riots in Tibet, China also blocked YouTube. This led to protests and vehicles and shops burned down. 18 civilians died just from a ban of one of the most important web sites in the world.
But the question is, why now? Why ban it again?

"YouTube blocked in China" CNN.com. Mar 25 2009. Mar 25 2009.

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Current Events

More melamine found in chocolate bars - CNN.com

China's Milk Power Scandal has caused countries like South Korea to order four more Chinese-made food products to be destroyed. Right now, the number of tainted products known to South Korea that have melamine in them are 10 products. About 430 products have already been pulled down from stores for testing. South Korea, like many other countries, has stopped all Chinese-made products that have milk (or in general dairy) altogether.
The poisonous melamine was found in Snickers bars, M&Ms, and KitKat. These products were made from different companies like Mars and Nestle. Though Nestle comes from China, I know that the Snickers were made in Russia. So right now, you'll never know where your food comes from; the milk powder may have been made in China.Lotte and Mars Korea has said they're taking back all their products and foodstuff.

October 4, 2008. CNN.com

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Four pirate attacks off Somalia in 24 hours, U.S. says - CNN.com

Pirates in the coast of Somalia have gained the international attention after a recent attack on a Ukrainian ship containing 33 Soviet-designed tanks and weaponry. Now in one day, there have been 4 pirate failed pirate attacks, although there were 6 American warships being sentinels on other ships filled with weapons.
3 of the 4 attacks were able to escape because they were so fast. The fourth, however, were foiled due to the fact that the ladder that they had brought to climb up to the ship was too short.
These failed attacks after some 26 ships successfully attacked and hijacked this year is probably because of the ships have taken these as a major priority after the attack on the 33 tanks. Already 8 European countries have offered Somalia coast to form an anti-piracy force.

October 4, 2008. CNN.com

Current Events

Tainted Milk Scandal Worries

After all this melamine-tainted milk starting up in China and it's products many countries all over the world, like Singapore and Taiwan, have been taking down food items that have milk in them and are from China. Now with this milk scandal, scientists have began to look into other products of China. Some crayons have already been tested and passed for a poison toxic chemical.
People everywhere have to be very cautious of what they consume now. In every foodstuff made in China, people everywhere are looking very closely at the labels to check whether the milk or milk powder came from China.
"(There's) no confidence any more. I'm now looking carefully at everything that's made in China," said one Singapore resident.
Some traditional Chinese medicine shops in Singapore said that business has been cut down by 20%.
Its very confusing why people would chose to cut corners in making these stuff when they can produce good items and have good feedback instead of the millions of emails, phone calls, and faxes of complaints and threats.

Written by Ryan Huang and S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia
September 25, 2008

Current Events

'Post-Olympic Era' Off to a Rocky Start - CNN.com

China has recently finished their Olympic Games. But all this excitement, or as they call it, "post-Olympic euphoria", everyone is ignoring all the "economic worries and safety crises" [CNN.com]
People all around the world saw the Olympic Games as something that will effect the political and social change of China.
Many citizens of China sent in compliants to the government over the China's Human rights record and "treatment of minorities".
Even before then, however, reality showed itself with the collapse earlier this month at an illegal mine waste dump that killed at least 259 people and forced the resignation of a provincial governor.Now, the contaminated milk powder has killed the fourth baby, and more than 6,200 in critical condition, the government isn't paying enough attention to them and the only times we read about them are in international records. The rest of the world is worrying while China is still celebrated their success of the Olympic Games.

September 17, 2008 CNN.com

China Recycling Wastes

This is a picture of all the radiators and generators that can give off dangerous gases. [Picture 3]

Above is an example of a three-wheeled bike. [Picture 2]

[Picture 1]


When the US or Europe wants to send China more recyclables, they usually send it by cargo ships. It is rare that they use a plane because that is more expensive.
You can see all the time in Beijing, three-wheeled bicycles carrying junk and trash [Picture 2]. Well, these people who ride them collect trash and items that can be recycled they can make a living out of it. When they collect plastic bottles, they can get a refund of 0.1 yuan (US $0.10) which isn't much. But once they've collected dozens and dozens, they've got money! Stuff like toys, ACs, TVs and computers, the riders of the three-wheeled bicycles can take them apart and sell the parts. Great, we've got all the good stuff about recycling in China. How 'bout the negative side of it?
What if there are wires and small particles of those toys, ACs, TVs and computers can't be used again or they can't find anything to do with them? Well, if they are those people who ride on those three-wheeled bikes, they just dump it at the local dump site [Picture 1]. This is a picture of a woman trying to dig out useful wires that she can use for something else. Maybe she found some parts that she can use for something. Or maybe she works there. The government takes people for jobs and put them at the dump sites to burn the items that can't be used again and can't be recycled. This creates air pollution with all the smoke. Some of the generators from the electronical items give out weird and dangerous gases [Picture 3].

Olympic Games - Beijing

"China is sparing no expense in preparing Beijing for the Olympic spotlight—including providing English classes for cab drivers and a government-sponsored etiquette campaign."[MSN]

China is doing everything they can to make their country presentable on August 8, 2008 when the torch finally reaches Beijing and the start of the Olympic Games. With all the foreigners pilling in so fast, China is begun to take in any help they can. The organizers of the Olympic games expect 550,000 visitors to comes and so, they've lined up 550,000 locals to help - "one for every guest" [MSN] With all the excitement going on, they've expected 22,000 journalist to come too. Well if journalists and reporters come, then China's going have to put on their best shoes. This may even help their community as now even the government etiquette campaigns are work to "stamp out bad manners like jumping ahead in line, spitting, littering, and reckless driving" to impress the foreigners that have already arrived ahead of time. Cab drivers are now under pressure to learn English so that they can communicate with foreigners when they want a ride. The government has even drawn up a program called "Crazy English" with 10,000 volunteers so that people can learn English and impress the world. Officials are trying to wipe out "Chinglish" which is a mix of Chinese and English on posters, billboards, menus, and storefronts.
The China streets are beginning to grow busier and busier. But now the "city's choking pollution and snarled traffic"[MSN] will finally be controlled during the Olympics; at least 1/3 of 3.3 million vehicles will be banned so that the streets are less polluted.

China has really put everything up front, making an obvious good impression in preparing for the Olympic Games. Now all we have to do and wait to see what their "final presentation" would be when the Olympics start.

To find out more click here

China - Recycling - USA - Europe

China has been getting exports from the USA and Europe. Why? And which countries?
Why? - "As China threatens to supplant Japan as the third-largest U.S. export market, local companies are finding that China's appetite for everything from old paper to chemicals to semiconductors"[CNN]
Los Angeles has been one of those countries that send paper to China.
In Florida, there is a China-Latin America Trade Center for Recyclables.
Mostly places where there are many industries in America, they sometimes send their waste products to China.

Sometimes though, China asks the companies to send their waste products to China. It seems that China is really serious about the green movement.

In Europe, countries like England and France are sending their waste products to China and China has been converting them into recycled paper. China has been saving many forest with their new improved technique, especially in India and Russia where many people get their paper.

Current Events

Picture 1

Picture 2

We've heard about wars and riots and protests all around the world. Sure, man-made disasters. But so far this far 2 weeks there have been two NATURAL disasters in our continent of Asia. A cyclone in Myanmar and an earthquake in China. This topic has been very popular in our school too. Even here in Hsin-chu, people claimed that they too felt the tremors of the quake, which epicenter of located in the middle of China.
I believe that the real bad thing about natural disasters is the aftermath. The destroyed homes, the death tolls rising each day after new findings.
In China, many believe that their death tool from their 7.8 quake may hit 50,000 people. There have been stories of the sorrow in China. *Of "two grandparents carrying their dead grandson because they didn't want to put him down on the ground and destroyed areas". **Another story of how a "live baby was found under his dead mother and father because they had protected him with their lives". About 3.5 million homes were destroyed form this terrible earthquake. It is told that this is the largest most damaged earthquake in the last generation and that last largest earthquake was also in China in 1976.
While in Myanmar, the death toll could hit 100,000 people. And theif government still isn't letting any aid get in without their control over it first. They only allowed the helicopters from the US to hover over the land and drop the aid boxes so the Myanmar government can be the one who controls everything and delivers the aid to the people in need.

Its amazing what nature can do and how many lives it can take in just a few minutes or hours.

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* , ** = <http://his-jordanw.blogspot.com/2008/05/chinas-quake.html>

Picture 1 =
<http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/05/15/quake.thursday/index.html?iref=mpstoryview>

Picture 2 = <http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/05/15/myanmar/index.html?iref=mpstoryview>