Prisoners in Freedom City

'For five articles they sentence him to 3,5 years in prison. Our daughter will be four years before she will see her father again.' Two sentences spoken by Zeng Jinyan that I do remember from the interview she gave two days ago, after her husband, Hu Jia, had been sentenced.

At the end of the interview Zeng Jinyan is waving back towards the camera.

She has entered that part of Beijing where the Hu's have a flat: Freedom City.

Lovely name, isn't it? Almost as lovely as The Place of Heavenly Peace.

But who am I but a 'misinformed malicious Western blogger'?

Let's watch some videos, documenting how intensively Mr. Hu the leader of the leaders and thus General Secretary of the CPC Central Comitee lets care his best men for the safety and freedom of an unemployed father aged 34 and his family, never giving up the hope these black sheep may find back on the left path.

Here we go:

Prisoners in Freedom City (part 1 / 7)

Prisoners in Freedom City (part 2 / 7)

Prisoners in Freedom City (part 3 / 7)

Prisoners in Freedom City (part 4 / 7)

Prisoners in Freedom City (part 5 / 7)

Prisoners in Freedom City (part 6 / 7)

Prisoners in Freedom City (part 7 / 7)


In this sense: The peace of the night.

The Bastards of Beijing *

Quoting from China Daily - March 17th, 2008:

Chinese citizens are guaranteed freedom of speech by the nation's Constitution, Zhang Jun, vice-president of the Supreme People's Court, said on Saturday.

"Citizens have the rights to express their ideas under the legal system, which includes suggestions to and criticisms of the government. These rights are protected by law and by the Constitution," Zhang said.

It is acceptable for people to criticize preparations for the Olympic Games or express their complaints, he added.

Zhang made the remarks in response to questions raised by foreign media at a press conference on the sidelines of the ongoing legislative session.

Marvellous, isn't it?

Well, the next sentence starts with a 'But'.

Back? Did you also see the portraits of nine leaders? Fine. Just keep these in your mind. Especially the one of the leader of the leaders, the General Secretary of the CPC Central Comitee, Mr. Hu Jintao.

End of the beforegoing.

Mr. Hu has been sentenced to 3,5 years in jail!

Ah, no. Not the General Secretary of the CPC Central Comitee.

Mr. Hu Jia.

Why would Mr. Hu Jia be sentenced, although he is not the General Secretary of the CPC Central Comitee?

Well, as one could - for certain reasons - not rely on Western newspapers, I do again tend to rather trust on the phare of journalism, the China Daily.

Back? Let's recapitulate then:

'Hu spread malicious rumors, and committed libel in an attempt to subvert the state's political power and socialist system.'

How did Hu, 'libel the Chinese political and social systems, and instigate subversion of the state, which is a crime under Chinese law'?
By 'two website articles' ... 'published [...] on overseas-run websites'.

In other words: 'An unemployed father aged 34 and the holder of a college degree' by 'spreading malicious rumor' tried to find oversea-allies to knuckle down his fellow countrymen - roughly one billion Chinese.

And here comes the moment to remember the portraits of nine leaders. Especially the one of the leader of the leaders, the General Secretary of the CPC Central Comitee, Mr. Hu Jintao.

Obviously these gentlemen do not only suffer from mental inferiority, but also are heroic cowards who fear 'an unemployed father aged 34 and the holder of a college degree'.



* How could this happen? I had just started to write a review of 'The Bastard of Istanbul' by Elif Safak. While writing the title suddenly the Olympic Games in Berlin ... err Beijing came to my mind, and thus the little faux pax seems to have happened.
Of course, I do distance myself from the title. Never would I call mighty criminal and corrupt cowards who suffer from mental inferiority bastards.


Postscriptum:

Ah yes, as the phares of China's daily journalism did not mention (surely due to a lack of space), I do allow myself to add:

Mr Hu Jia has a wife, Zeng Jinyan (24), and a two months old daughter.

But that's completely a different post.

China feels insulted ha ha ha

China Tuesday criticized a British newspaper's report that linked the Beijing Olympics with the Berlin Games of 1936, saying the story is an insult to Chinese citizens and to the people of the world.

Well, Tetrapilotomos and I, both people of the world, would not feel insulted, at all; due last not least to following old saying:

Those who feel insulted by others,
confess to their mental inferiority.


It's, by the way, a Chinese saying.

... and there is ...

... a time to dance ...

There's ...

... a time to cry ...

Wordy Wednesday III

Another Wordy Wednesday then. And as it is known latest since Donna Hightower's 'This World is a Mess': Why not on a Thursday?

Unlike last week today I shall listen to my stomach (German idiom). And this is what my stomach said the other week: Careful, Sean. Less is more.

Thus, instead of ten remarkable postings and perhaps too much reading stuff, tonight I do commend just five. Here we go:

1. To help us getting in the right mood for this year's Olympic Games, The Little Man let us for 7:04 minutes feel the wonderful spirit of those Olympic Games 72 years ago the 'leaders' of China are absolutely determined to surpass.

2. This is a great pleasure for me. Very probably he will leniently smile when reading 'this man is no blogger; he is a poet'. But that is what he is.
To visit his site every morning has (almost) become a ritual. And I am glad, Floots gave me permission to 'pinch' one of his recent gems. Here it is:

Now, is that poetry?!

3. Back to prosa. Late, only yesterday night, I noticed Ian Appleby's latest post: No nukes are good nukes. As (almost) always: Thought provoking.

4. And now to my badly neglected friend Erkan who's output is such amazing that one could daily spend hours on his site. To cut it short: I do admire his professionalism, his wonderful friendliness - and, just to make him happy - I wish Besiktas to become Turkish champion. :) Some days ago Erkan put the focus on following question: Should Wilders become censored?

5. And finally, a painting by the poet I introduced you to the other week: Janice Thomson. It's to be found on her second blogsite: Gray Sky Over Mountains.

And now, I hope to have found a nice little mixture. Enjoy, and have a marvellous week - until next 'Wordy Wednesday' - and if it will happen to be a Friday. :)

A coffee for The Poor Mouth

Hard times. :) Only five days after his birthday, Jams O'Donnell, master of The Poor Mouth, celebrates his blog's second anniversary.

Congratulations, Jams, and voilà, as promised, here's your anti-hangover-coffee.

By turning the mug you'd, of course, read:

When health is bad and your heart feels strange,
And your face is pale and wan,
When doctors say that you need a change,
A PINT OF PLAIN IS YOUR ONLY MAN.

Wanderers Night Song

Today's evening thought, posted by the famous Khan Semaj Mahgih spontaneously reminded me of Wandrers Nachtlied / Wanderers Night Song by Goethe.

Über allen Gipfeln

Ist Ruh',
In allen Wipfeln
Spürest du
Kaum einen Hauch.
Die Vöglein schweigen im Walde.
Warte nur, balde
Ruhest du auch.

Over all peaks
Reigns calm,
In all treetops
Senseth thou
Barely a breath.
The birdies keep silent in the wood.
Simply wait, soon
Resteth thou, too.

translated by McSeanagall :)

Flann fooled you, folks

I'll not tell which pseudonym he does currently prefer, but I may again say those few people still taking for granted Flann O'Brien died April 1st 1966, can look back on a remarkable long career as April fools.

Fact is, furthermore, that only last midnight Flanny, Tetrapilotomos and I as well as a certain chap who asked to remain incognito met in, at and around Seanhenge, having some pints of plain and, of course, at one stage of our vivid conversation Flann would raise his voice and not only enjoy our ears, hearts and grey cells but animate the rami zygomatici and rami buccales of nervus facialis to massively innervate our musculi risorii by declaiming following legendary dialogue:

The Plain People of Ireland: Isn't the German very like the Irish? Very guttural and so on?

Myself: Yes.

The Plain People of Ireland: People say that the German language and the Irish language is very guttural tongues.

Myself: Yes.

The Plain People of Ireland: The sounds is all guttural do you understand.

Myself. Yes.

The Plain People of Ireland: Very guttural languages the pair of them the Gaelic and the German.

* * *

And now - although it is most unlikely they exist - to all those who happen to not being in possession of the master's complete œvre: Saddle your ponies, folks, and hurry up. The friendly, most well-educated and -sorted bookseller just round the corner will be happy to fill the gaps of your education and in your bookshelf.

How to avoid a fight

28

Hat tip to The Poor Mouth.
By the way, despite yesterday's little indisposedness, Jams would have 'fought off' 25 sweet dwarfish sunshines. Seems both we are bugbears of not the lowest order.

Well, that's, of course, but dull theory. There is no such battle to happen, even in case the gang of dwarfs called their giant brothers via mobile for help.

All I need say: Come on you boys, let's first conjugate fight.
And off they run, screaming in panic.
Ask my nephews.

Happy Birthday, Jams

As regularly readers do know, The Poor Mouth and Omnium have quite a few in common. And so have Jams O'Donnell (photo) and I.

There is but one tiny difference: Jams is exactly 20 years younger than John Major, and this will always remain, which is remarkable, but ... I shall always remain 28 years younger than Maggie Thatcher. :)

Hm, or is it rather another kind of coincidence?

To cut a long story short: Today Jams has become as young as I became nine years ago, which means he is now exactly one sixth younger than I am, which will - and herein I do find a great comfort - not remain. :)

In this spirit: Happy birthday, Jams!

My present for you: The legendary bicycle,

and my favourite Irish blessing:

May the devil not catch you before I shoot you!

I am looking forward us together celebrating your 104th! :)

Sláinte!

Wordy Wednesday II

Do I need say my 'seldom boring' favourite bloggers are worth daily visits? Thus, it's a bit difficult to pick one of their postings for a 'Wordy Wednesday' to recommend reading it; the more as I wish to at least now and then introduce you to 'other' bloggers who are both on my blogline and seldom boring, whom I'd not have asked my 'question of courtesy', yet. :)

May today's 'top ten' find your interest; and, please: In case whenever what you are going to read is able to provoke a thought - don't be as 'bloody lazy' as I am. Write down your thought(s); leave a comment. :)

Here we go:

- Antipasti, anyone? Help yourself. :)

- Now you back, starched by the Sicilian viands Lady Limoncello is generously offering her visitors when she and Simi are not living adventures at the post office or kissing the driver of the water lorry - that is, in case he comes; not sure either Simi would kiss him :) ...

- ... you will have the required energy to read lots of 'stuff' you will find here.
Stop!! :) Before you are heading off, one big request: Please read thoroughly, don't miss the comments, and please, follow the links offered by James, especially the one to the Flying Rodent, who will get another commendation, later on.
:) Hm, I think this should do for now. Thus, I shall not give you all links necessary to take fully delight in the comment of the blogosphere's politest 'Anon'. :)

- Amongst many excellent postings by Jams O'Donnell who, by the way, is not 'just' seldom boring but a 'natural part of Omnium', as you will be easily able to understand by reading his profile :) , I chose this one.
It's about what once the Olympic idea was about. And immediately many many pictures in my mind. Only to mention two: Abebe Bikila winning the Rome Marathon (1960) on his bare feet; and Eddy 'the Eagle' who would have won Gold in Calgary (1988), had the competition been cancelled after the first starter of the second heat had safely landed. :)

- Ardent chose a topic letting my blood boil whenever it comes / is brought to my mind, which is why I did here not yet focus on it. No introduction. But I can tell you I am writing this with my clenched fists.

- Hey, hey, Sean, what's about something light, for a change, I hear you sigh. :) All right.
Here's another tale 'my' Turkish Seanachie, the inimitable Super Hero via keyboard let flow into the blogosphere. I am glad at least the fish was good. :)

And now, may I introduce you to the most recent 'part of Omnium'? It's a Lady who's Drinking the Moon , able to express in but a few words wherefore an ordinary mortal like me would mostly need at least fifty sentences. :)

Thanks for the precious gem you found
in the realm of letters, Lady Janice. :)

- Internation Musing will let your inner peace pidgeon start cooing with delight when reading what some extraordinary pious protagonists of the most peaceful religion to find in all known galaxies and those galaxies yet to discover recently asked their humble and decent followers to do in order to transform this planet into an oasis of love and harmony.

- According to one of my maximes (Audiatur et altera pars) now you will get 'two in one'. One event, two opinions. Voilà: Here is the Flying Rodent with what he calls an Incredibly unpopular opinion (please do not miss to follow his updated link!!); and here an Egyptian Lady on the same event from her point of view.

Last not least quasi a belated thanks to Chris who would not have known that I took this very post as an antedated birthday present. Over listening several times I forgot telling him then. :)


And here we are again: Sean the lazy commenter. Thus, follow my commendations but not my example. :)

Above all, enjoy!

The Peace of the Night.

Just a short note

Ladies, gentlemen, friends.

Friday morning I got up, felt ill,
after hours went down to mother-in-law
and asked for a pill.

Afterwards I visited little brother death,
i.e. I slept all day, all night,
fortunately woke up again,
feeling slightly allright.

McSeanagall

This short note just to let you know it seems not impossible that I'll be back soon. :)

May health be on you.