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Archive for August, 2008
China’s Empty Protest Zones
Chinese authorities set aside portions of three Beijing parks as “protest zones” to allow local residents to voice their grievances alongside the now-concluded Olympic Games. But protests, well, not so much. Instead, reports of intimidation, detentions, and disappearances have leaked out from those who trekked to the Public Security Bureau to apply for protest permits.
Mekong River flooding
Rain and floods killed more than 130 people in northern Vietnam and Laos last week and more bad weather is expected along the Mekong River until the end of September, according to the Mekong River Commission.
Bao Tong: Fortune-telling for the Beijing Olympics
鲍彤：金牌 一定很多，不可乐而忘忧 替北京奥运算命之一 Fortune-telling for the Olympics I see many gold medals but no carefree atmosphere… Bao Tong 北京快办奥运，结局将会如何？ What kind of a Games can we expect in Beijing? 我不想预测中国奖牌的总数。奥运属于地球村。在某些国家里，国家的价值和作用，常常被无限放大。但奥运是和平，是友谊，是人与人互相学习的学校，不是国家与国家 “较劲”的舞台。把金牌数目，当作“国家崛起”的筹码，是幼稚的。 “国家至上”可以和慈禧太后或者义和团之类相匹配，不能体现奥运精神。尤其是主办国，一旦掉进“我国至上”的泥潭，就会在道义上丧失东道主的资格。我国的运动员和教练员，勤劳辛苦，这次奥运会，一定会得很多金牌银牌铜牌，但奖牌再多，不应该成为乐而亡忧的理由。