Evil Spirits

“Everything here is poisonous. The air, the water – even the food is poisonous,” an elderly rickshaw driver complains gruffly, whilst sitting in his vehicle parked by Beijing’s Houhai lake. Unfortunately, this LaoBeijinger has missed one lethal item from his list of toxic hazards: fake alcohol. Bogus booze has developed into an endemic problem across China. In fact, The Guardian notes that “Brown-Forman, the company that makes Jack Daniel’s, estimates that around 30% of all alcohol in China is fake.” Similarly, the World Health Organization’s Global Status Report reports that that China’s per capita counterfeit liquor  consumption stood at 8.8 litres in 2012. Over the past three years, there has been a series of crackdowns by the Chinese police on rings dealing in the illicit activity. Each bust unmasks a dramatic insight into the sheer magnitude of the fake alcohol business. A bust in December 2012 discovered 37,000 bottles of counterfeit booze–all apparently intended to be sold at Sanlitun, Beijing’s infamous nightlife district. Despite these efforts by the police, there remains concern that China’s fake alcohol problem will not run dry anytime soon. In China, most counterfeit alcohol comes in two forms. The first is cheap liquor which is sneakily poured into the bottles of high-end, well known brands and then passed off as the real deal. The second version […]

Dec 10, 2015

CCTV’s Pollution Survival Guide: Smile and Be Positive

Desperately seeking blue skies? Depressed by the gloomy smog? Worried about the health risks of spending a series of days and nights being enveloped by toxic air? Well, snap out of it, you sissy! That’s right! According to China Central Television (CCTV), its high-time to recheck that attitude! “Smile and try to be positive (hopefully there will be less smog tomorrow,)” declared CCTVNews  on December 8th – the very day of Beijing issued its historic first ever red alert in reaction to the city’s dire air pollution. The alert lasted three days; from 7am on Tuesday the 8th of December  til noon on Thursday the 10th of December when the haze cleared. Factories, constructions sites and schools were closed, and millions of cars were also ordered not to drive in a bid to improve the air quality. Indeed, CCTV’s word’s almost echo those sung by Annie, the famous musical orphan : “The sun will come out tomorrow/Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow/ There’ll be sun.” Nothing quite like some Broadway panache, to liven up the mood, eh? Not only was the guidance helpful (and all that jazz), but it was also accompanied with an equally tasteful illustration of five beaming jellybean-like creatures wriggling around in delight. Perhaps these merry little characters were indulging in a cheeky, little pollution party – […]

Dec 10, 2015

The Rickshaw Report: China and Smoking

1.A study has shown that two-thirds of young Chinese men are smokers. Why do you think Chinese people start this dangerous habit? It think its down to their lifestyle. 2. Do you think smoking tobacco has become a part of Chinese culture? What? Culture? I do not think so. It depends on your individual habits. However, it is true that when Chinese people want to give gifts, a box of cigarettes is regarded as a good choice. But only if your intended recipient is a smoker! 3. Are you a smoker? No, I do not smoke. In elementary school, my friends would offer me cigarettes. It seemed impolite to decline, so I smoked the cigarettes. However, after a while, my throat began to hurt and I got a cough. Since that point, I never smoked. 4. According to a medical journal, Lancet, tobacco will be responsible for the deaths of two million Chinese people by 2030. If things continue at this rate, the number of deaths will reach three million by 2050. Do you think the public is aware of the health risks caused by smoking tobacco? No, I still see many people smoking in public places. 5. Can you name some health risks? If you smoke for a very long time, your lungs will become dark, and your throat […]

Dec 2, 2015