Air Quality in Beijing

choi

Barbara Demick, US Embassy Air Quality Data Undercut China's Own Assessments. Los Angeles Times, Oct 29, 2011.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nati ... ir-quality-20111030,0,4899208.story

Quote:

"One day this month, the reading [above US embassy] was so high compared with the standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that it was listed as 'beyond index' [which last November had been 'crazy bad'].  In other words, it had soared right off the chart. 'You couldn't get such a high level in the United States unless you were downwind from a forest fire,' said Dane Westerdahl, an air quality expert from Cornell University. But China's own assessment that day, Oct 9, was that Beijing's air was merely 'slightly polluted.'

"Chinese monitoring stations around the capital track large particulates of up to 10 micrometers. * * * The U.S. monitor tracks tinier particles — less than 2.5 micrometers — that physicians say are capable of penetrating human lungs and other organs. Car and truck exhaust is a major source of fine particulate pollution, a particular problem in Beijing

"At times the air is so dense it appears to be snowing. On several occasions, pollution combined with fog has been so bad that motorists have had to turn on their headlights in the middle of the day.

Note:
(a) Beijing United Family Hospital and Clinics  和睦家医疗 北京
www.ufh.com.cn
(b) ZHU Tong  朱 彤
(c) LU Weiwei  鹿 微微
(d) particulates
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particulates
(section 4 Health effects: pay attention to 10 and 2.5 micrometers)

I do not have to cite specialty websites, because what Wiki states is general consensus.


----------------------------Separately
(1) Laurie Burkitt and Kersten Zhang, Cough it Up: A Guide to China’s New Foreigner Social Security Tax.
http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealti ... ocial-security-tax/

My comment:
(a) Summary: Foreigners working in China may have to start paying social socurity, just like foreigners in US have done.
(b) There is no need tor read the report.

(2) Norihiko Shirouzu and Yajun Zhang, China a Failure at Exporting Cars? Not Exactly. China Real Times, Oct 28, 2011
http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealti ... g-cars-not-exactly/

Quote:

"While it is true China’s passenger car makers are only beginning to take on the global marketplace, a closer at the market reveals the country’s truck producers already have made a dent" in emerging markets.

"Wang Xiangyin, a company vice present who heads up Foton’s overseas business department, admits pickup trucks have only a minimal presence within China. * * * Mr Wang said Foton * * * is likely to sell a total of 680,000 vehicles this year, of which only as many as 45,000 are likely to be exported to emerging markets like Russia, South Africa and Indonesia.

Note:
(a) Beiqi Foton Motor Co 北汽 福田汽车
http://www.foton.com.cn/
(b) Tunland (源于英文Tune（协调、使一致）与Land（“陆地”）的组合):  拓路者 皮卡 (sound of "pickup" truck)
(c) The report in the last sentence states Dongfeng "became the biggest makers of 6-ton-or-above trucks for the first time last year when it sold 300,100 trucks, displacing Daimler Trucks, for years the biggest seller in the heavy-duty vehicle market, which fell to the second spot."

It is unclear, though, from this report how many Dongfeng sold abroad.

(3) Josh Chin, After China Abuse Scandal, Celebrity Teacher’s American Wife Files for Divorce.
http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealti ... -files-for-divorce/

Quote:

"Kim Lee, wife of 'Crazy English' founder Li Yang, filed for divorce with the Beijing Chaoyang District Court, China’s state-run Xinhua news agency reported Thursday

"That reticence [in China] also makes it difficult to judge the accuracy of domestic violence statistics. According to a report by the All-China Women’s Federation and the National Bureau of Statistics released earlier this month, nearly 25% of Chinese women have experienced domestic violence – roughly the same rate as in the US according to the most recent available statistics from the US Bureau of Justice.

Note:
(a) ethos (n; Greek ēthos custom, character):
"the distinguishing character, sentiment, moral nature, or guiding beliefs of a person, group, or institution"
(b) salty (adj): "EARTH. CRUDE <salty language>"

* one of many definitions of "earthy" (adj) is "CRUDE, GROSS <earthy humor>."  

All definitions are from www.m-w.com.