Does he fit the CW version of a “Communist”?

Image via Wikipedia

Here’s how James Fallows describes him in a recent issue of The Atlantic:

His office, in one of the more tasteful new glass-walled high-rises in Beijing, itself seems less Chinese than internationally “fusion”-minded in its aesthetic and furnishings. Bonsai trees in large pots, elegant Japanese-looking arrangements of individual smooth stones on display shelves, Chinese and Western financial textbooks behind the desk, with a photo of Martin Luther King Jr. perched among the books. Two very large, very thin desktop monitors read out financial data from around the world. As we spoke, Western classical music played softly from a good sound system.

Gao dressed and acted like a Silicon Valley moneyman rather than one from Wall Street—open-necked tattersall shirt, muted plaid jacket, dark slacks, scuffed walking shoes. Rimless glasses. His father was a Red Army officer who was on the Long March with Mao. As a teenager during the Cultural Revolution, Gao worked on a railroad-building gang and in an ammunition factory. He is 55, fit-looking, with crew-cut hair and a jokey demeanor rather than an air of sternness.

That certainly doesn’t give a real visual impression of a member of the Chinese Communist leaders class. It sounds much more like a con

Image via Wikipedia

ventional executive and national leader, which could be in Canada or the US after putting aside the description of the father’s story.

He embodies CAPITALIST CHINA. Get used to it, America!

Related articles by Zemanta

• Town that provided a refuge for Mao’s dream

Beijing’s air pollution subject to weather really!

Image via Wikipedia

James Fallows, that renowned journalist and Beijing resident, keeps on giving images from Beijing to vilify the bad and celebrate the good. So here’s a sample of the good, in fact very good in my experience.

Here’s the link to the article.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Beijing air

Jim Fallows thinks the Olympics were very good for Beijing’s air

I have been following reports from Beijing from Jim Fallows, who is a Beijing resident and well known US journalist. He has often commented with photo support on the quality of air in Beijing and here is a snap from yesterday:

Here’s a link to the story and other photos, including one of bad air in July.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Beijing air on July 2, 2008 or 37 days till Olympics 2008
• Clearing Out Beijing Traffic for the Olympics

Beijing can have clear days!

James Fallows, who writes for Atlantic and lives and runs in Beijing posts this picture from his apartment.

Here’s the link to his post!

Related articles by Zemanta

• Beijing air on July 2, 2008 or 37 days till Olympics 2008
• Can Beijing win the battle against its smog?

Beijing air

Image via Wikipedia

Viewers of my blog have shown some interest in my posts about reports by James Fallows, who has been a Beijing resident. This morning I found a new quite comprehensive report by the Asia Society. Here is the URL www.asiasociety.org/beijingair

Great video and still pictures over a few months.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Can Beijing win the battle against its smog?
• Multimedia Site on Beijing’s Air

A buidling in Beijing next to the Olympics site

gmb07Originally uploaded by virginiasophie

I have wondered when I posted images of Beijing air blogged by James Fallows if the air was uniform all over Beijing.

In my view the photo on the right shows Beijing air that is quite clear and unsmoggy. Let’s hope this will be the case in the latter part of August.

This building is part of Pangu Plaza which overlooks Beijing’s Olympic Park.

I found this night view of the Plaza and Olympic Park on the Danwei web site.

I believe this a manufactured view or digitally created image! But the visual effect is eye-catching.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Can Beijing win the battle against its smog?
• Beijing air on July 2, 2008 or 37 days till Olympics 2008
• The Great Beijing Clean-Up Continues
• In Ancient Alleys, Modern Comforts

Beijing air on July 2, 2008 or 37 days till Olympics 2008

James Fallows has offered snaps of Beijing air as seen from his apt. window. Needless to say the heavy smog shown in every photo is disconcerting, but not surprising to me since I visited Beijing in 2004 and 2005. Here is the latest snap:

Good luck Olympians!

Oh Oh! Here’s the latest Beijing air pollution news and it ain’t good!

Related articles by Zemanta

• Can Beijing win the battle against its smog?
• Leaving Beijing