Two things in the paper today caught my eye - one is kind of amusing, the other quite the opposite. First off it seems a new British pizza parlour chain opening in Shanghai has got themselves into hot water with the populace because they advertised their new location as being "in the French Concession". This use of the phrase "French Concession" has outraged local Chinese residents and law enforcement officers of the Municipal Market Watchdog (sounds like the language police in Quebec) have started an investigation. Talk about nationalism - the French Concession is a beautiful vibrant district in Shanghai that has existed since 1849 (albeit no longer a French territory since 1943). To take offense at the name seems petty to me, especially given the beautiful streets, trees and architecture that the French left behind. What I think is sad but it's business, the chain humbly apologized saying they were foreigners unfamiliar with Chinese culture and were truly sorry for offending anyone - talk about eating humble pizza pie.
The other story that caught my eye is about a jerk who ran a website spreading rumors of a SARS infection in Baoding, Hebei province. The courts found him guilty and he was ordered to spend two years in a labor education institution. According to local police, the person, surnamed Liu, spread rumors about SARS to boost his website's clicks.
The guy gets an "A" for creativity and an "F" for being an idiot but the use of the phrase "Labor Education Institution" ran a chill up my spin. It just rings too close to what was happening here during the Cultural Revolution. Frankly I'd be much more comfortable if they had just said they "threw the guy in jail".
The idea that McDonlads, KFC and Louis Vuitton can be found in a country that also has Labor Education Institutions makes you wonder..........
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