Chris Gelken

I'm back...

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Gelken) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 08:49:00 +0000

...just don't ask how.

Will be posting random thoughts, links and pictures..

Where does the time go?

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Gelken) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 04:37:00 +0000

On the one hand, it seems like just yesterday that we returned to China after two weeks in Britain. On the other, it seems like decades ago.

Between on-air shifts at CRI, laying the groundwork for a soon to be launched news magazine show, freelance editing and writing... is there time for anything else?

Yes. After being off the web for about two months, I hope to begin filing China This Week again in the near future. I am also hoping to interest a UK publication in running a series based on what I can only describe as "reverse culture shock" - my first visit home after 23 years overseas.

We have also made a few changes to www.gelken.com - drop by and take a look.

Returning soon

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Gelken) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 09:53:00 +0000

China This Week will resume again in a few days.

China This Week, February 27

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Gelken) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 10:48:00 +0000

Minimum Wage In China

A suggestion by a local lawmaker in southern China’s economic powerhouse province of Guangdong to scrap the minimum wage scheme has generated howls of protest.

To help reduce the impact of the global economic slowdown on manufacturing enterprises in the region, he floated the idea of cancelling the hard won minimum wage system for blue-collar workers.

The nationally available Worker’s Daily quickly condemned the idea, and warned the public to be on the alert for any possible violations of their rights under the guise of measures designed to mitigate the effects of the financial crisis.

Read more on Ohmynews International.

China This Week, February 18

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Gelken) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 04:42:00 +0000

A weekly digest of some eye-catching stories in the Chinese media

Internet Addiction a Disease

A leading medical expert in China has reiterated his claim that Internet addiction is a psychological disease, defending a position that has triggered widespread debate.

Tao Ran, who was responsible for drafting the Internet Disorder Diagnostic Manual, was quoted in The China Daily as saying that defining Internet addiction as a mental disorder did not discriminate against young people who are addicted to online games and surfing the net.

The study and its conclusions have raised fears that addicts could avoid liability for criminal acts if their addiction is defined as a mental disorder.

Read more on Ohmynews International.

China This Week, February 10

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Gelken) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 18:56:00 +0000

Chinese Government on Rural Development

In their first joint document of the year, the State Council and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China outlined special measures to help stabilize agricultural production and promote rural incomes.

The frankly worded document highlighted the many problems faced by China's rural communities and agricultural sector, and imparted a genuine sense of crisis.

The Beijing News applauded what they described as "the swift policy response to an increasingly important issue that has been worsened by the ongoing global financial crisis and the resulting economic difficulties in China."

Read more on Ohmynews International.

China This Week, Jan. 30

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Gelken) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0000

A weekly look at some eye-catching editorials in the Chinese media

Judicial Reform

In one of China's most high-profile and closely followed criminal trials in recent memory, 21 people were convicted for their part in the tainted-milk scandal that left six babies dead and a further 300,000 sickened.

The handing down of death sentences for some, and lengthy prison terms for others, was considered indicative of the seriousness with which the court viewed the case.

But an editorial in the popular Caijing Magazine says the earnest desire to administer justice has not been duplicated in the handling of civil actions being launched by parents of the victims.

Read more on Ohmynews International.

Beijing's Tricycles of Terror!! - Video

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Gelken) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 04:35:00 +0000

Around Beijing subway stations, especially those near the end of the line, you'll find these odd looking motor-tricycles ferrying people to-and-fro.

Absolutely, yes, they are performing a public service to Beijing commuters.

But the kamikaze style of driving also makes them a public menace.

Filmed and edited on the Nokia N95 - USB'd into the Mac and uploaded. The final part of the process was simply for convenience. It is possible, of course, to use the phone's web browser to make the upload.

Chinese New Year Fireworks

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Gelken) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 14:38:00 +0000

Back in 1993 the Beijing municipal government imposed a total ban on the purchase and use of fireworks inside the city.

As you may be aware, fireworks - especially firecrackers - are an essential part of Lunar New Year celebrations across Asia - and the ban was obviously very unpopular.

In the past few years the government has been relaxing the ban, and 2009 was no exception.

At for several hours on Sunday 25th January, the normally tranquil atmosphere of Beijing was shattered with sporadic bursts of firecrackers and flash-bomb explosions.

By late evening the tempo had settled into a steady, earsplitting roar.. but at midnight..

Five days later and every evening the skies again light up and the window panes vibrate to the shockwaves of percussion blasts...

It has been an amazing, spectacular week...

China This Week, Jan. 23

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Gelken) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 05:58:00 +0000

A weekly digest of eye-catching editorials in the Chinese media.

GDP: Not the Whole Picture

China's National Bureau of Statistics recently revised the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate for 2007 to 13 percent, an increase of 1.1 percent over the earlier published figure.

The news made headlines, not least because it meant that China had overtaken Germany as the world's third largest economy.

Amid the celebrations, however, the Shandong-based Qilu Evening News published an editorial saying GDP alone is not an all-inclusive indicator of a country's economic health and overall wellbeing.

It said compared to Germany and other economic powers, China is still developing in terms of per capita GDP, green GDP and social welfare.

For the full story, go to Ohmynews International.

Israel Accused of Gaza War Crimes

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Gelken) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 05:39:00 +0000

Gaza offensive: "A crime against humanity."

Outrage and Impotence as Gaza Burned

United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon expressed his "outrage" and the President of the General Assembly, Miquel d'Escoto Brockmann, accused Israel of violating international law.

"Gaza is ablaze," he told the UN General Assembly, "it has been turned into a burning hell."

The UN's Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, Professor Richard Falk, characterized the Israel offensive as containing "severe and massive violations of international humanitarian law."

For the complete article go to Ohmynews International.

This article has also be reproduced on a number of other news and information websites - some with the authorization of the author, some without.

Any editorial changes to the content of the article were made without consultation with the author.

China This Week, Jan 15

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Gelken) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 05:34:00 +0000

A weekly digest of eye-catching editorials in the Chinese media

In the US they call them "earmarks" or "pork barrel projects" -- here in China they are described as "image projects" and Chinese newspaper editors say the public has had enough.

An article in The Guangzhou Daily said the obsession of provincial officials to construct what they describe as "monuments to their achievements" needs to come to an end.

The paper says too many of these projects have been criticized for their poor design and inability to serve the alleged function for which they were designed.

Read more on Ohmynews International.

Israel orders Iran aid ship to leave Gaza waters

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Gelken) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:00:00 +0000

The Iranian humanitarian aid vessel reported on in "Iran Threatens To Break Israel's Gaza Blockade" has been ordered to leave the area by Israeli warships.

According to this report from PressTV the vessel had obtained the necessary paperwork.

Read the Reuter's report here.

Xinhua's take on the story here.

Agence France Presse.

At least at the time of writing, the major broadcast networks appear to have overlooked the story, while at the same time reporting on growing malnutrition in the Gaza Strip.

China This Week, Jan 8.

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Gelken) — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 02:57:00 +0000

A weekly digest of eye-catching editorials in the Chinese media.

Chinese newspaper editors have recently been directing much of their invective at corrupt local government officials, a problem some have described as endemic in China.

But a number of Chinese newspapers have also had plenty of harsh words for captains of industry who they accuse of being seduced by high profits and greed -- and of satisfying that greed at the expense of the common people and China's reputation.

Currently, the most notorious of these industrialists is perhaps Tian Wenhua, former boss of China's Sanlu dairy company.

Sanlu is at the heart of the melamine tainted milk scandal.

For the complete original article go to Ohmynews International.

China This Week is now also available on The Latest.com

Iran Threatens To Break Israel's Gaza Blockade

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Gelken) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 03:51:00 +0000

Iran has sent humanitarian aid to help the victims of the Israeli air and ground offensive in Gaza.

Aircraft carrying Iranian aid to Gaza arrived in Egypt last week, and doctors and medical staff are standing by in Tehran to leave for the region.

Meanwhile, Iran has despatched a vessel with 20-thousand tons of humanitarian aid. Read more..

Tehran sends humanitarian aid vessel toward Gaza battlefield

It is hard to imagine how much worse the situation could get, but the confrontation in Gaza could see a dangerous escalation in the coming days as Iran threatens to break the Israeli blockade and deliver urgently needed medical supplies and other aid to the coastal strip.

Read the complete article on Ohmynews.

Within 24 hours of publication, this article has been copied and reproduced on about 25 to 30 news and information websites. A few of those websites have made editorial changes - however, none of these changes were authorized by the author.

For the complete and unaltered version of the original article, go to Ohmynews.

China This Week, Dec 30

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Gelken) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 04:51:00 +0000

A weekly digest of the most eye-catching editorials in the Chinese media.

Corruption has been acknowledged as a major problem in China, and Chinese newspapers are at the forefront of a national campaign to expose financial sleaze and keep government officials honest.

For the full story, go to Ohmynews International

China This Week, Dec. 24

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Gelken) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 14:48:00 +0000

A weekly digest of eye-catching editorials in the Chinese print media

China's editorial writers skewered smokers and poorly conceived bylaws against ill-mannered bus passengers this past week, but still had some ink left for another cautionary word on wasteful government spending.

For the full story go to Ohmynews International

China This Week (Dec 14)

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Gelken) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 04:16:00 +0000

Is the global financial crisis being overplayed by the media?

And are Chinese companies using the "economic turmoil" as an excuse to turn the screw on their employees?

The Beijing-based Guangming Daily thinks so.

To find out why, go to the complete article on Ohmynews International!

Coming out of hibernation...

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Gelken) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:08:00 +0000

Okay, as winter descends we are supposed to slip into hibernation.. but being the contrary individual that I am, I am choosing the depth of winter to jump back into the blogging ring.

I haven't been idle.

For the past six weeks I have been up at the crack of dawn to do the early morning news on China Radio International.

This involves a 75 minute commute from my home in Beijing's "trendy" East End, to a godforsaken location way, way out west...

As commutes go, this one is a positive horror story..

And at the end of it, I have to run a gauntlet of three wheel suicide merchants - Nokia N95 vid to come - before reaching the sanctuary of my office.

I expect to get back into the writing "groove" in the next couple of weeks and links to published material will be posted here.

Feel free to contact me with story ideas, things you'd like to see on the blog, or even job offers!

But do come back.

This is going to become something of a busy blog.

Reading Lolita in Tehran - In Tehran

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Gelken) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:56:00 +0000

A personal journey through Iran's revolution

I rested the book on the arm of my chair and gazed through the living room window at the majestic peaks of the Alborz Mountains rising in the distance.

“Wow,” I thought, “She just described my day. In fact, she has just described my week, my month and my year.”

I double checked the publication date. First released in 2003, Azar Nafisi’s Reading Lolita in Tehran is a personal memoir of life in Iran before, during, and after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, up to her departure from the country in 1997.

But the insights offered by this remarkable book are as relevant today as they were when it reached the New York Times bestseller list - and remained there for two years.

The book is constructed around university professor Nafisi’s personal experience in dealing with the dramatic changes that came with the Islamic Revolution.

Giving further depth and colour to the narrative are the thoughts, fears, ambitions and disappointments expressed by a small group of her students attending a private, independent, and informal literary class at Nafisi’s home.

Reading the book was a particularly moving experience for me, given that I did so from the illusory security of my Tehran apartment. While the view from my window was indeed dominated by the Alborz, in the left lower corner of my eye was the high wall surrounding the infamous Evin Prison, running like a scar across the landscape.

Because Nafisi’s 343-page personal memoir is by no means a homage to the benevolent rule of the mullahs, it comes as no surprise to learn that the book is not widely available in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The copies that are making the rounds were usually picked up in airport book shops around the Persian Gulf, as was mine in the Dubai duty free.

Nafisi skillfully tells her story, at least in part, through comparisons with characters in the handful of foreign novels she used to teach her small and private literature appreciation class.

Azar Nafisi left Tehran just before the 1997 election of reformist Mohammad Khatami as president. Critics of the book say it is dated and no longer presents a fair picture of life in the Islamic Republic.

If considered simply as a history book, critics say it may offer a fair reflection of how things were in the early years of the revolution. But they claim it doesn’t present a true representation of life in today’s Iran.

Up to a point they may be right, but I would beg to disagree that the book has little or nothing to offer those interested in contemporary Iran.

“Life in the Islamic Republic,” writes Nafisi, “was as capricious as the month of April when short periods of sunshine would suddenly give way to showers and storms. It was unpredictable. The regime would go through cycles of some tolerance, followed by a crackdown.”

The alleged period of sunshine enjoyed during the reformist Khatami years, has given way to the thunder showers and threats of war under the ultra conservative Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Morality crackdowns are once again fairly common. Black clad female policewomen challenge young girls for showing too much hair, or wearing too much makeup. Reports of harassment and arrests are commonplace.

It was not unusual for my wife, a Chinese national and journalist with PressTV in Tehran, to be stopped and cautioned for “bad hejab” - for not following the strict Islamic dress code.

“The unveiling of women mandated by Reza Shah in 1936 had been a controversial symbol of modernization, a powerful sign of the reduction of the clergy’s power,” Nafisi wrote, “It was important for the ruling clerics to reassert that power.”

And reassert it they do. Frequently, and forcefully.

Nafisi described life in Tehran as like living in an “Islamized version of a Soviet novel.”

Many of Nafisi’s comments and observations resonated deep with me - some ten years after she had left Tehran.

“Teaching in the Islamic Republic, like any other vocation, was subservient to politics and subject to arbitrary rules,” she wrote.

She could have been describing life as an anchor and program host with PressTV, Iran’s bold adventure into international English language broadcasting.

While it was easier for the men, the female anchors and staff were under constant harsh scrutiny.

“How well could one teach when the main concern of university officials was not the quality of one’s work, but the colour of one’s lips? The subversive potential of a single strand of hair.”

Nafisi’s description of the dilemma facing female professors in the early 1980s would equally describe the situation experienced by female journalists working with PressTV more than a quarter century later.

Not long after its launch in June 2007, the dress code for female anchors was suddenly and inexplicably tightened - and whereas previously the viewer might have caught a “subversive glimpse” of hair, after the new rules came into effect, all hair was carefully tucked way under tight hejab and headscarf.

A recurring theme in Nafisi’s book is, “The daily struggle against arbitrary rules and restrictions.”

What frustrated Nafisi in the 1980s also frustrated local and expat journalists with PressTV in 2008.

Daily notification of new and arbitrary restrictions was making it increasingly difficult to function as an objective news organization. While I would hesitate to use words like censorship or propaganda, there was a definite sense that the boundaries of our earlier freedoms were being drawn in.

It was becoming suffocating.

As Nafisi’s memoir progresses, it becomes obvious that she too is feeling increasing trapped by her circumstances and needs to escape.

She writes of, “Going to a place where everyday life was not such a battleground.”

After almost a year in Tehran, my wife and I had also grown weary of the daily routine of checking if her wardrobe would be acceptable to the morality squad before we left the house.

There’s a saying about life in Tehran before and after the revolution. Before 1979, the saying goes, Iranians did their praying in private and their drinking in public. After 1979, the drinking was done in private and praying most conspicuously done in public.

Apart from that, you could say that very little has changed.

Everything is possible in Tehran, everything is available. For a price.

Iran is a country tightly bound to the point of suffocation by rules and regulations, and the national pastime of Iranians is breaking them.

But the excitement of late night taxi runs to the seedier side of town to buy illicit liquor, or of sneaking a flask of bootleg whisky into a restaurant to spice up the obligatory coke or lemonade - well, it begins to wear off after a while and it just becomes another tiresome aspect of living in the Islamic Republic.

Might as well eat at home, at least you can leave the bottle on the table.

Despite the generally depressing standard of living in Iran, I disagree with those Iranian expats writing from Europe and the Americas about the need for regime change. Iranians are tired of revolution, and regime change isn’t the answer.

Almost nobody I spoke to was in favour of it, given that the alternative would most likely be a Washington installed puppet.

They just want the folks currently running things to lighten up a bit. Well, lighten up a lot.

But this willingness of the overwhelmingly young population to maintain the existing system but in a more benevolent form, as opposed to another revolutionary change in government, will not last forever.

The incessant rules wear you down. And it doesn’t really matter if you are currently enjoying one of April’s sunny days or one of its showers, to paraphrase Nafisi, the bottom line eventually becomes, “You don’t want a nicer jail warden - you just want to get out of jail.”

Guardians of Power

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Gelken) — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 08:47:00 +0000

We live in a deeply cynical world, there's no doubt about that.

And to be honest, it is a good thing that we do.

Perhaps, you might argue, we are not cynical enough. One of my favourite quotes comes from Claude Cockburn - "Never believe anything until it has been officially denied."

It is so easy to be skeptical, critical, and leery of any official statements - especially when those statements are carried in a media that is closely linked to the administration.

In some cases the links are obvious and no attempt is made to disguise them - you could cite China in this category. Consequently, Chinese state media outlets are often the target of criticism in the foreign press for their alleged lack of openness, impartiality and objective reporting.

Whatever your opinion of the Chinese media, one has to give credit where credit is due; it has made enormous and undeniable improvements in recent years. However flawed or imperfect it may be, the trend is definitely one of more candid and frank reporting.

But where countries like China make no secret of the links between the administration and editors, in some of the Western media the links to government are not quite so transparent.

And according to authors David Edwards and David Cromwell, the trend here is one of closer collaboration between editors and corporate interests and government spokespeople.

For a really eye-opening glimpse behind the headlines "Guardians of Power - The Myth Of The Liberal Media" is a must read.

Beijing plans another spectacular event

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Gelken) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 07:32:00 +0000

Beijing is preparing another spectacular show for the opening ceremony of the 2008 Paralympic Games.

From the China Radio International website:

A spectacular rehearsal for the upcoming opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games will be held in the same iconic venue as the Olympic Games, the Bird's Nest, on Thursday night. No blaze of fireworks will appear in the rehearsal this time.

According to sources, the opening ceremony will last about three hours. Unlike the ceremony for the Olympics, the artistic performance will be preceded by the entrance of the athletes, making it easier for everyone to interact during the performance.

The opening ceremony of Beijing Paralympics will feature 6,000 actors, including some disabled performers.

The show encompasses three parts: the travel of space, time and life, previous media reports quoted Zhang Jigang, the artistic director of Paralympics ceremony, as saying. One portion will be staged in sign language by 320 deaf-mute performers, which is possibly the largest-ever performance of this kind.

There is certainly a lot less hoopla in the foreign media just two days ahead of the opening, but officials say opportunities to cover the games will be as extensive as they were for the main event last month. From China Daily:

More than 6,300 journalists, 47 of them disabled, from 13 countries and regions have been accredited to cover the Games, which start on Saturday, Sun said.

In the period between the two Games, both the MPC and IBC were adapted to better suit the needs of disabled reporters, he said.

Xinhua reports that: Beijing has about one million disabled people, about 6.49 percent of its total population. The hosting of the Paralympic Games, between Sept. 6 to 17, will accelerate the improvement of the lives of those with disabilities.

Missing in Somalia - Amanda Lindhout

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Gelken) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:18:00 +0000

I was shocked and saddened to learn that a former colleague, Amanda Lindhout and at least three other companions had been abducted by armed men in Somalia on Saturday morning.

According to sources, 48-hours after the kidnapping there has been no public announcement of responsibility, or demands - either political or financial.

While it is believed Amanda and her companions are being held in Mogadishu, there has been no reliable indication of which group is behind the kidnapping, or what their motive may be.

Please show your support for the hostages, and indeed the plight of the Somali people by signing up to Facebook and adding your name to Voice for Amanda Lindhout.

Freedom "fleet" enters Gaza waters

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Gelken) — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 14:38:00 +0000

Following is the content of an email I just received from One Democratic State.

10am, 23 August, 2008

A Statement from the International Human Rights Workers Aboard the SS Free Gaza and SS Liberty, Sailing to Gaza

*At 10am this morning, the Cyprus team of the Free Gaza Movement was able to briefly speak with our people on board the SS Free Gaza and SS Liberty. They are all fine, and they asked us to release the following statement:

"The electronic systems which guarantee our safety aboard the SS Free Gaza and SS Liberty have been jammed and scrambled. Both ships are flying Greek flags, and are in international waters. We are the victims of electronic piracy. We are currently in GMS P area A2 and we are relying on our satellite communications equipment to make a distress call, if needed.

We are civilians from 17 nations and are on this project to break the siege of Gaza. We are not experienced sailors. As a result, there is concern about the health and safety of the people on board such an emergency develop.

We are currently experiencing rough sea conditions, and we call on the Greek government and the international community to meet their responsibilities and protect the civilians on board our two ships in international waters."

*****************************************

Intimidation will not stop our boats sailing for Gaza

Our perilous, non-violent mission should now be nearing its destination, bearing a message that some want to silence

For the latest go to http://www.freegaza.org/

Not quite the last post...

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Gelken) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 08:25:00 +0000

Back home in Beijing.

It has been a week since arriving home - a week of unpacking and creating space for almost three year's worth of souvenirs and other assorted "junk" from places far and near.

It has also been a period of reflection.

A year in Tehran, almost two in Seoul.

A head full of stories...