Section 2 of 3:  Brief comments

• [Permalink]  Average Annual Salary In Shanghai (01/28/2010) (Oursci.org BBS)

Headline: Average annual salary of 246,000 yuan -- the financial industry returns to the top of the chart

A comparison of annual corporate salaries in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen showed that Shanghai lists first at an average annual salary of 217,000 yuan.

Furthermore, the breakdown in Shanghai by employee grade was as followed:
21,000 yuan: operations staff
38,000 yuan: junior specialists
68,000 yuan: specialists
120,000 yuan: administrators
210,000 yuan: managers
380,000 yuan: general managers
680,000 yuan: C-suite (chief executive officers, chairmen of the board, etc)

Okay, how would you reconcile the grand average of 217,000 yuan with the averages for the several grades?

(21,000 + 38,000 + 68,000 + 120,000 + 210,000 + 380,000 + 680,000) / 7 = 216,7000.

Of course, this is wrong as the numbers of people by grade are not equal.  Instead, there is only one chief executive officers, some managers and a lot of operational staff (such as receptionists, janitors, etc).  Thus, the average annual salary is not the straight average of seven numbers.

• [Permalink]  Kong Girl Knocks Out Policeman With One Slap (01/27/2010)  In soccer, this move is called a 'dive.'  But Apple Daily offers this explanation: Suddenly, the female slapped the police officer on the left of his cheek with her right hand.  "Pow!"  The police was stunned for a moment.  About one second later, he grabbed his face and sat down by the hillside while crying "Ouch!"  Then he pointed at the female and said: "Arrest her!"  He used his walkie-talkie to talk to control: "I was slapped once by the female.  My ear is ringing with thunder.  It is swollen.  I cannot hear anything!"  He was examined at the hospital and found to have no injury.  He resumed duty.

 

(South China Morning Post)  Judge's niece slaps officer after crash  By Clifford Lo and Joshua But.  January 28, 2010.

The niece of a Court of Final Appeal judge, Mr Justice Kemal Bokhary, has been arrested for slapping a policeman and refusing to take a breath test after her car collided head-on with a tour bus in Happy Valley yesterday. Amina Mariam Bokhary, 33, who has twice been convicted of assaulting a police officer in the past 10 years, apparently tried to leave the scene of the crash on Stubbs Road and was being blocked by police when the assault happened.

Police chief Tang King-shing, condemned the attack, saying it was a "disrespectful" act. "I have asked our frontline officers to handle [different scenarios] in a fair manner and they should also take care of their personal safety," he said. Asked if the case reflected a general lack of respect towards police, Tang said recent polls had shown that most Hongkongers were satisfied with the force's performance.

Police said Bokhary was driving her white Nissan Infinity on the uphill lane of Stubbs Road, Mid-Levels, when the accident occurred at about 12.15am. Her car crossed into the opposite lane and collided head-on with the bus near the junction with Shiu Fai Terrace. Bokhary, who had no apparent injuries, sat on a stretcher and was checked by ambulance workers. Her legs were covered with a red blanket and she was buckled in.

Television footage taken by a TVB cameraman showed her telling paramedics: "Take off, now." As paramedics unbuckled her, she removed the blanket and left the stretcher. She sat on the pavement and then returned to her car which was seriously damaged.

The footage showed Bokhary, seated in the car's rear passenger seat with the door wide open, telling a policeman: "I don't understand what you are saying." She then hit a file held by a policeman. Bokhary later got out of the car, saying: "I don't care. I need to leave." Officers asked her to calm down. A policeman who tried to hold her left arm in an attempt to stop her was told: "Don't touch me." The TV footage showed Bokhary slapping a policeman who stood in front of her blocking her way in the narrow path between a fire engine and a hillside.

Bokhary was handcuffed and taken to a police station. She was arrested for assaulting a police officer and refusing to provide a breath specimen for a breathalyser test. She was released on HK$5,000 bail and ordered to report to police next month. Police said Bokhary and the bus driver - a 33-year-old man - were uninjured.

In December 2008, Bokhary was sentenced to the maximum 240 hours of community service for assaulting a policewoman and a taxi driver. That assault took place in Central in July 2008. Bokhary, who suffers from bipolar depressive disorder, was also fined HK$1,000 and ordered to continue her psychological and psychiatric treatment. In December 2002, she was fined HK$9,000 for assaulting a policeman and damaging a spotlight outside a bar in Central. That incident happened in June 2001.

• [Permalink]  How Soon Will YouTube Censor This?  (01/26/2010)

(The Sun)

Beginning Wednesday last week, McDonald's began to air its television commercials for the Chinese New Year period.  Of these, the Doraemon ad shows a young boy saying "I wish you to grow taller and bigger (祝你快高變大)" followed by a young girl saying "May you get one hundred treasures in your bag (祝你百寶進袋)."  Unfortunately, both young actors mispronounced key words, such that the young boy sounded as if he said "I wish you grow bigger testicles" and the young girl said "May you have a hundred treasures in your scrotum."

This commercial has drawn considerable comments at the popular Golden Forum and Baby Kingdom Forum in Hong Kong.  A netizen made a post with the title "Complaint against McDonald's for an indecent television commercial" pointing out the indecent language, but other parents said "Just because some children pronounced inexactly doesn't necessarily have to end up with formal complaints."

A McDonald's spokesperson said that that two young children were only articulating congratulatory messages for the New Year, emphasizing that McDonald's has always been loved deeply by children and their promotional material will always be suitable for viewing by children.

 

• [Permalink]  A Reporter Wants To Say Something (01/26/2010)  (Hecaitou's Blog) (Liu Ping is the reporter who contributed to Those Worried Young People)

I was responsible for the interview with Wang Xing.

During the past six months, I interviewed at Fanfou thrice.  The first time was just before HP bought advertising at which time Fanfou's future was brightening.  That is why I felt so touched when Wang Xing said "It was good -- HP bought advertising and the venture capitalists showed up."  Several days after the interview, Fanfou was shut down and remained so to date.

I made contact several times with the Fanfou team during the period.  Even though I got along with them, they maintained their silence.  They did not do so in order to "hijack the users" as some people say.  I find it incredible that anyone can say that.  Anyone with a brain must know that they did not have free choice in the matter.

As a reporter, I have to maintain my own position in order to find out the truth.  At the time, Wang Xing told me about many of the twists and turns in the matter.  As a small company, they were weak and frail.

I would have liked to tell those stories in order to gain more public sympathy and sobbing.  That interview would have been a lot better because many nosy people would have their curiosity satisfied ... but if I did that, Fanfou could be finished for good.  My chief editor said something that left a deep impression upon me ... "You cannot destroy somebody's future for the sake of writing a report."

In the end, that is the report that we filed.  This is what you are reading.  I hope that it will not cause problems for Fanfou, while hoping at the same time that all the users can discern from the report just how hard it was for this company.

The report also covered BTCHina, Yeeyan and Blogbus.com.  Most people are probably their loyal users.  If you know the stories about these websites, you will probably know that the nature of Fanfou is quite different from theirs.

This interview was the first time that Wang Xing spoke to the media for the past six months.  He is still very anxious because the Fanfou team is still making the final effort to re-open the website.

I should not be saying this.

--- I don't know how you all feel about this website.  I am just speaking as an ordinary user who has recorded many of here happiness and feelings over this time, including my sorrows as well as my reactions to every good movie that I saw.

For me, these records were valuable.  But I will not curse the Fanfou team because I am unable to view those records now.

How can you simple-minded friends not understand?  This matter is not just one of whether Fanfou allows you or not.

Fortunately, most people understand the issues involved.

Frankly, I don't know if Fanfou will ever return, but it doesn't matter anymore.  Waiting has become a habit -- this was my first micro-blog on which I made almost 10,000 entries and got to make all sorts of friends across China.

Within there are my joys and dreams.  Even if I cannot retrieve the text, I can still remember the traces.  Fanfou is only a carrier which was shut down for some unknown reasons.  I feel sorry, but I still like that website, even if it never returns.

Will waiting changing anything?  I think that compared to all the waiting users like myself, the sense of loss for the Fanfou team must be one hundred times more than ours.  The website constitutes their entire dreams and joys.

I asked Wang Xing, "What is the biggest problem with your website?"

Wang Xing said: "The biggest problem is that Fanfou no longer exists!!!  Our product no longer exists!!!"

Do you understand how awful that feels?

Compared to them, my waiting is nothing.  I am willing to wait with them.

I am not saying anything passionate, and I don't want to firm up your faith.  I have no interest ties to Fanfou.  The truth is that we had an disagreement with Wang Xing over whether the report should cover the supervision.

Coming back to the case itself, when a kind person provides a good product carrying amity, joy and ideas at no cost, why would you blame them because they had to go away due to irresistible outside forces right at the moment when they needed some warmth and comfort from you?

Anyway, if you don't want to wait any longer and you are done with cursing them, you can leave.  People's feelings are fragile, but the repetitious blaming is pathetic.

• [Permalink]  Liu Qian Adores The Japanese Emperor (01/26/2010)  (bbs.voc.com.cn)

Taiwanese professional magician Liu Qian knelt to the Japanese Emperor on a New Year's program in Japan!  He wore a traditional Tang costume and knelt down in front of the Japanese Emperor!  Liu Qian also said during the program that he has adored the Japanese Emperor since he was a small child, and he is one of his greatest fans.  The Japanese Emperor presented him with a gift, which Liu Qian deliberately acted to be pleasantly surprised like a running dog slave.  The appalling behavior of Liu Qian has seriously hurt the feelings of 1.3 billion Chinese compatriots.  We recommend China to ban Liu Qian completely and chase this the crook Liu Qian who adores the Japanese Emperor out of China!

Someone may say that this was merely an entertainment program.  But any knowledgeable person would know that this was a plot by the Japanese with whom Liu Qian cooperated.  34-year-old Liu Qian could not be so dumb.  Liu Qian intentionally worked with the Japanese to provoke the Chinese people who had suffered so much at the hands of the Japanese bandits!  It was a supreme insult to wear a Tang suit and kneel down to the Japanese Emperor!  And he had the nerve to say on the program that the Japanese Emperor is his idol whom he adored since childhood.  The Chinese traitor Liu Qian has clearly lost all sense of national dignity in receiving the gift from the Japanese!

 

(6park)

Our reporter called up Liu Qian's agent He Huangjie.  After hearing the reporter's description of the issue, Mr. He said: "Let me check it out first and then I'll talk to you, okay?"  Mr. He said that he was not familiar with what the Internet story was, and he wanted to see it personally.  The reporter asked if Liu Qian had appeared in such a program.  Mr. He did not issue a denial, but he added, "Sorry, can you let me see it first?  I'll talk to you later."

30 minutes later, the reporter called up Mr. He again.  Mr. He admitted that Liu Qian had made an appearance in such a program in Japan.  He said, "I have a statement for you.  Can you file your report after reading the statement first."

At 6:30pm, He sent a statement via email to the reporter.  He said that Liu Qian appeared on the program <Silly Town Master> last December on Fuji TV in Japan.  The so-called "Japanese Emperor" was actually Mr. Shimura Ken.  "Mainland Chinese residents may not be familiar with Shimura Ken, but he is almost universally known in Taiwan and Japan.  He has been in the entertainment field for more than 30 years, earning a status comparable to Zhao Benshan in China.  He is a highly esteemed actor.  His famous role 'Weird Uncle' is a classic that ought to be written into the Japanese history textbooks."

As for Liu Qian kneeling down and addressing "Your Highness," Mr. He said that there were translation errors: "In the Internet videos, the translations caused misunderstanding.  In the program, the term 'Town Master' was used throughout."

Here are some clarifications:

1. Was the person wearing an orange Japanese kimono "His Highness"?  No, it was Shimura Ken in his role as the <Silly Town Master>.

2. Did Liu Qian use the term "Your Highness" and called himself a "fan"?  All addresses were made to "Town Master" and the two performers were trying to bring happiness and friendship through a cross-border exchange.

3. Why did Li QIan kneel down?  The program was situated in ancient Japan, where people sit-kneel.  The Town Master comedian Shimura Ken also sat-knelt.

4. What present was given to Liu Qian?  To thank Liu Qian for participating in his program, Shimura Ken presented Liu Qian with a DVD of "Shimura Comic Moments" made twenty years ago.

Will the CCTV Spring Festival Gala cancel the planned apperance of Liu Qian?  This reporter asked a person associated with the CCTV Spring Festival Gala.  The person was surprised because he had never heard of Liu Qian being on such a program in Japan.  He said, "Sorry, but the entire program is still under review.  We do not know who is going to be in or out."

• [Permalink]  Interview with Li Yanhong, Baidu's Founder, Chairman and CEO (01/25/2010)  (Southern Metropolis Weekly)

Q.  Shen Nanpeng (a partner of Sequoia Capital China) said that a new issue for listed companies is the protection of the public's right to know.  Do you have any experience to share here?  If there weren't restrictions in the environment, you can be bigger and farther along.
A: We have extraordinarily positive results in this regard.  Before Baidu was founded, the Chinese people never had the ability to obtain information so quickly and conveniently as they do today.  At the time, most Internet websites were in English.  When they can't find something, they can find it at Baidu.  When they can't find something at Baidu, they can't find it anywhere else either.  So more and more people use Baidu.  Today, Baidu has recorded more than 15 billion Chinese-language pages.  Recently, Google's CEO said that Chinese will become the most popular language on the Internet within the next five years.
Can we do better?  Of course we can, and there are many things to do too.  At the time when Baidu was founded, we only had five engineers.  Today, we have more than 2,000.  What do these engineers busy themselves with every day?  They are working to let the public get the information they need even more quickly and conveniently.  That is the ideal of Baidu.

Q. It is not easy to run a company in China.  Within the social structure, the entrepreneur belongs to a class that requires compromises.  There is an old saying, "Harmony brings wealth."  The first goal of the entrepreneur is to profit.  Therefore, he should not clash with the environment.  What kind of compromises do you make with the market?
A: I do not regard these matters as any big deal.  We have definitely encountered those sorts of problems.  Why can't everybody understand what I do?  For example, ten years ago and even more recently, hackers are regarded as heroes in China to the point of having the title "Hongke."  During the growth of Baidu, we were harassed and attacked by hackers.  Our services were even interrupted for brief periods of time.  It would be hard to get the police to arrest the hackers.  First of all, it is hard to do so technically; secondly, public opinion won't support it.  The public does not think that these hackers are criminals.  Instead, people think that they are technical experts and heroes.  We find these types of opinions to be puzzling.

Q: For leaking user information, Jeff Yang apologized at the US Congress to a Chinese user.  At the time, a Congressman asked him, "As an entrepreneur, what else do you pursue other than making a lot of money?  Could it be that your only goal in life is to make your company grow?"  How do you answer such a question?
A: Actually, American politics is very materialistic, especially for Congressmen.  Everything that they do and say are designed to win votes.  I do not believe that the question from this Congressman really represents his own thinking, but he said it for the voters to hear.
As entrepreneurs, we should do what entrepreneurs do and not what politicians do.  This does not mean that entrepreneurs must put making money on top.  If the market is relatively reasonable, making money should be the by-product.  That is to say, when you run your company well and you contribute to society, money will naturally flow into your pocket.  But if you create a bad influence on society and do harm, money will run away from you.  This is the effect of a normal, rational market-economy system.  At the moment, we cannot say that our present environment is perfect, but we are getting closer and closer to that state.

Q. In selecting a search engine to use, there is a customary phenomenon among people.  That is, those people who have their own free will do not like to use Baidu and they use other search engines instead.  What is your explanation of this?
A: Actually, I don't need to explain this.  My ideal is to use technology to change the world and help people to use technology to access information more quickly.  To realize this ideal, I do not need to know which types of people I need to win over.  What I need to do is let the farmer tilling the land in Xinjiang immediately find out what he wants to know just like any city dweller.  This is the problem that I am trying to solve.  Our product design fully reflects this concept.  I only need to see which products and services are really needed by ordinary folks.  Post Bar, Baudi Knows, Baidu Encyclopedia were designed from this starting point.  For example, Post Bar already accounts for 10% of the traffic at Baidu.  Their users tend to be more grassroots.  But what is so wrong about that?  Most of the one billion plus people in China are ordinary folks.  They are the weakest, the most vulnerable, the most needy, the most serviceable group.  Our products and services are intended to benefit the largest number of people.

Q: But some people have said that Baidu is just copying Google's technology to use for itself.  Do you think that this is a fair statement?
A: That is very unfair.  Here are some details.  When I was studying in Peking University in 1987-1991, my major was information management.  From that time on, I began to study technology related to search engines.  When I studied in the United States, I came across the most advanced search engine technologies in the world.  At the time, the subject was known as information retrieval.  Although search engines in the sense of the Internet have not been born yet, the technology was several decades old already and the United States was always at the forefront.  In 1996, I discovered "hyperlink analysis."  This is a search engine technique that all mainstream search engines used after 1999.  In 1998, I was the first one in Silicon Valley to apply the theory and technology of long-term analysis to search engine technology.  At the time, Google was not yet a mainstream seach engine yet, but they were using that technology already.
In 2000, I started Baidu, but Google was not yet an influential company.  We did not think about learning from them.  Today, it is possible to see that the guiding principles in our products are very different from those of Google.  For example, we created the first Baidu Post Bar in December 2003.  Previous to that, people did not give serious thought to names in Chinese.  For example, "Wang Zhi" and "Wang Zhidong" are two different persons.  In the English-language search engines, people often get information about "Wang Zidong" when they are searching for "Wang Zhi" because they overlap.

Q. Why does Baidu come up with search results different from other search engines on the same term?
A: I cannot give a precise answer.  For each search term, the step that made the key difference during the process requires detailed analyses.  We have been concentrating on providing the largest and most complete search results.  But in practice, users may find counter-examples.  For example, in Baidu, the longer the search term, the smaller the number of results.  This is because we believe that all the words in the search term should appear in order to guarantee the accuracy.  But in Google and other western search engines, the longer the search term, the bigger the number of results.  They believe that any search results in which any one word appears should be included.  In other words, Baidu uses an "AND" logic while Google and other western search engines use an "OR" logic.  For the user, the total number of search results does not matter much.  The crucial point is for him to find what he is looking for.

Q. My impression is that Peking University graduates are more likely to have a sense of mission, social responsibility and a willingness to participate.  In you, I see more technical rationality and practicality.
A: I am still quite passionate.  I cannot say that I worry about the nation and its people, but I am concerned about many things.  For me, the best thing that I can do is to manage the company well.  This is the career that I have chosen.  Harping about other people won't change anything.