britain is a democracy?

7livejournalist wrote in independent on-line forum:

the government here does not represent us it rules us, we only get a choice of who our dictator is. all three parties will make the same decisions when in power.

uk plc is a registered company, as is parliament, all government departments, and all it's mps,. when people vote, all they vote for is who willl the new ceo of uk plc- and the company direction never changes.

as someone i know recently said - it is time for the blue team to take over from the red tiem, with most people not knowing that both are controlled by the purple team.

CP Scott Quotations

[A newspaper's] primary office is the gathering of news. At the peril of its soul it must see that the supply is not tainted.

Television? The word is half Latin and half Greek. No good can come of it.

Truth like everything should be economized.

Comment is free, but facts are sacred.

Charles Prestwich Scott (26 October 1846 – 1 January 1932) was a British journalist, publisher and politician. Born in Bath, Somerset, he was the editor of the Manchester Guardian from 1872 until 1929 and its owner from 1907 until his death. He was also a Liberal Member of Parliament and pursued a progressive liberal agenda in the pages of the newspaper.

car MOT and motorcycle repair

I did not go swimming as planned and have my car MOT and bike left indicator repaired. Last night the temperature was sub-zero, i had to pour a kettle of boiling water on the door keyhole to defrost it before unlocking the door. the garage in Churchill is very good, never overcharge and usually do quick jobs. it took them 30 mins to do the MOT test and change a pair of front wipers, which costed me 75 gbp.

i paid 20 gbp to Bill down the road, he found an old indicator in a big box full of disused motorbike indicators and fixed it on my bike. now my bike front pair of indicators are in odd shapes, but they work the same.

queued in the local post office for nothing, because the hasting insurance has not post me the car insurance certificate, i could not buy a valid vehicle tax disc, although i 've got insurance and mot now.

the law is designed in such a way, only powerless individuals bear the burden and cost for the errors done by insurance or related authorities. the system is designed in such a way individuals could be screwed hard and stiff if you dare to confront the authority or readdress the wrongs themselves.

i have to phone the insurance for a certificate before i can get a valid tax disc, maybe next week. so in a cold day like today, i have to be exposed to elements on bike to go to a friend's home on the other side of london for dinner.

"You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train"

Howard Zinn: "You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train", a good reminescent of shallow neutrality and pseudo-objectivity of some widely-acclaimed mainstream media corporations. The claim of being neutral and objective is as absurd as to claim to be still on the moving earth.

Howard Zinn also wrote:

From the start, my teaching was infused with my own history. I would try to be fair to other points of view, but I wanted more than 'objectivity'; I wanted students to leave my classes not just better informed, but more prepared to relinquish the safety of silence, more prepared to speak up, to act against injustice wherever they saw it. This, of course, was a recipe for trouble.

The criticism of his "bias" barely raised a hair on Mr. Zinn’s neck:

It’s not an unbiased account; so what?”, “If you look at history from the perspective of the slaughtered and mutilated, it’s a different story.”

about WWII:

“I would not deny that war had a certain moral core, but that made it easier for Americans to treat all subsequent wars with a kind of glow,” Mr. Zinn said. “Every enemy becomes Hitler.”

The title of his memoir, he noted, best described his personal philosophy:

“You Can’t Be Neutral on a Moving Train.”

UK social disparity increased under new labour government

12 years since 1997 May when new labour came to power has made british more conservative. A report by the national equality panel published yesterday shows eocnomic inequality of this country increased and the failure of the new labour government. besides, tony blair took the country into the illegal war and caused over a million deaths, while tony became an adviser to a hedge fund for 6 figure sume, and got alll financial rewarding for his collaboration with the united states.

this study shows the members of the richest 10% will have acured wealth of 2.2 million gbp by the time they reach retirement; for the bottom 10% the figure is less than 8,000. the report says this "wide inequalities" erode the bonds of commmon citizenship and recognition of human dignity across economic divides. such inequalities "are associated with societies having lower levels of happiness or well-being in other rspects" and "the social problems and econnomic costs resulting from these"

富裕社会延长了青春期

八九年六四学生抗议被军队镇压后，有老军头骂学生“端起碗来吃肉，放下筷子骂娘”。这句话除了忘恩负义的意思，还有一层意思是，学生缺乏历练，少不更事。美国的longshore philosopher Hoffer在196
0s对当时风起云涌的左派抗议活动作过类似评论和分析。他的意思是美国富裕阶层和靠福利生活的穷人，没有做过男人的工作，领过男人的报酬，没有从少年进入成人的经历，所以需要群众运动来弥补成人仪式缺乏。

wide spread affluence "is robbing a modern society of whatever it has left of puberty rites to routinize the atainment of manhood." 他认为这些puberty rites as essential for self-esteem,认为 mass movements and juvenile mindsets tend to go together to the point that anyone, mo matter what age, who joins a mass movement immediately begins to exhibit juvenile behavior.比较符合六四。

他说60年代美国工人阶级没有参加抗议运动及其亚文化，因为他们参加有意义的劳作，劳动才是走出青春期有效的仪式，而那些富裕青年和靠福利生活的穷人则没有这样的机会，滞留在延长的青春期当中，这样他们就容易参加群众运动弥补这方面的欠缺。

Hoffer wrote: "the routinization of the passage from boyhood to manhood would contribute to the solution of many of our pression problems. i cannot think of any other undertaking that would dovetail so many of our present difficulties into opportunities for growth".

One of Eric Hoffer's hero is Michel de Montaigne, will come to him next time

秀才遇上装B犯

ignorance is prevalent and tolerable, but ignorance plus hypocracy is hard to bear, e.g. what happened after 1600 at bu during pr discussion. though office matter is too trivial to be included in a blog, it is worth mentioning that someone insisted work is not for one to enjoy, but to serve customers, something like that. if you don't give a shit to what you are doing, how can you expect your reader/audience give a shit; if you don't enjoy what you are doing, how big is the chance your readers/audience find your work enjoyable or interesting? i will give the matter a rest.

* * *
to come up with an idea, find an interviewee, do the interview, put it on-line and inserted in a website story, all done within 8 hours, is a shitty job, don't know who will take that shit or how long they can take the shit, i mean the audience/readers.

political taboos

there are many political taboos in china, one day i will list all the western equivalents i can think of: jfk, diana's death, dr. kelly's death, saddam, hitler, terrorism, bin laden...

UK Chilcot inquiry: phoney inquiry

majority british population have been against the war all along, and they ignore public opinion and legal advice, and made the decision to invade. it is no coincidence that the 4 politicians who brought UK to war, tony blair, jack straw, lord falconer and lord goldsmith are all lawyers. what bunch of hypocritical bastards!

the war has caused and still causing civilian and combatant deaths. In iraq more than 400 people died in violent incidents last months alone; more than 1,400 wounded. millions of iqaqis are still displaced. someone should be held responsible and pay for the crime. benality of evil is more suitable to be applied here than its original use in israeli trial of adolf erichman.

if they have the time and energy to put on the cheap show, why not have a referendum to let british public decide whether to withdraw troops from iraq and afghanistan. it is like a rapist is starts an enquiry to show his legal seriousness and yet at the same time still doing the raping.

as oliver miles pointed out, john chilcot was a member of the hutton inquiry and has been closely involved with the security services. baronness prashar has no relevant experience, sir roderic lyne was a serving ambassador at the time of the war. the other two members are historicans, both stronge supporters of tonny blair. martin gilbert, wrote theat bush and blair may well with the passage of time and the opening of the archives join the ranks of roosevelt and churchill. lawrence freedman is the reputed architect of the blair doctrine of humanitarian intervention. they are both jewish and have a record of active support for zionism.

my take of this is, the inquiry is phoney, the country does not need the inquiry to acquire the truth, they already have it, but just could not face it.

There is no chance that the Chilcot enquiry will address the fundamental issues of the Iraq war, as the biography of its 5 members makes plain:

1. John Chilcot
Career diplomat, close links to British intelligence. Member of the Butler Inquiry that exonerated the government on intelligence about Weapons of Mass Destruction,

2. Roderic Lyne
Governor of Ditchley Foundation, which promotes Anglo-American relations ? director Sir Jeremy Greenstock, UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations in the approach to Iraq war and witness at the Inquiry.

3. Lawrence Freedman
Member of Ditchley Foundation, architect of the ?Blair doctrine? on the use of military action for ?humanitarian? intervention, Freedman was asked to provide ?a philosophy that Blair could call his own? (John Kampfner, Blair?s Wars).

4. Baroness Prashar
Member of Ditchley Foundation.

5. Martin Gilbert
Historian, well-known for extreme pro-Zionist views. On Iraq war said that Bush and Blair ?may well, with the passage of time and the opening of the archives, join the ranks of Roosevelt and Churchill.?

For more information, see Kevin Blowe (www.blowe.org.uk) and Craig Murray (http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2009/11/iraq_inquiry_th.html).

The Iraq war has killed over 1 million Iraqis, made 4.5 million Iraqis refuges (1 in 6 of the population), left 60% of households without access to clean water, 5 million children orphans, and 20% chronically malnourished.

Its architects in Britain ? Tony Blair and others ? have, however, nothing to fear from the Chilcot Enquiry.

normally the law in this country are effective and efficient(maybe too efficient and ethusiastic) in dealing with minor offences such as traffic and parking offences, bailiffs are sent out like mad dogs to pursue every penny out of the offenders.the reason maybe very simple: minor offenders are not those who control the law, law does not serve them.

journalists reporting enough current affairs must feel either cynical or despair of the systematic nonsense, if they do not, it is either due to their lack of understanding or screwed up moral compasses.

A Near Miss on My way Home

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just before enter the roundaboube at the A20&A205 Crosssection, sandwiched between 2 cars, the car on my left knocked me into the front wheel of the righ car, i lost my balance briefly, the right side light was gone. i managed to ride around the roundabout and come back alive! it could be much worse! I am so happy to return home in one piece and see my son in his room doing homework

since the right side light is gone, i cannnot ride the bike legally on road, i have decided give it a rest and communte for a week and see. it may not be worth it, or i have to adopt a different commuting approach to keep me alive for myself and others.

another biker posted a quote when told my near miss:

When watching men of power in action it must be always kept in mind that, whether they know it or not, their main purpose is the elimination or neutralization of the independent individual -- the independent voter, consumer, worker, owner, thinker -- and that every device they employ aims at turning men into a manipulable 'animated instrument' which is Aristotle's definition of a slave.

-- Eric Hoffer

大概翻译：看来，有权力的人在做事的时候，有意无意，他们的目的就是要消除或者严格具有独立的个人，比如独立的选民、消费者、工人、业主、思考者， 有权者做的每件事都是要把人变成可操控的“活着的工具”，也就是亚里士多德对奴隶的定义。

中国和英国的中产阶级

揭开英氏家族的成功奥秘:脚踏实地的假洋鬼子，英达认为自己绝顶聪明，干哪一行都能成为超过别人的专家。这让我想到英国的文化人stephen fry，此人也认为自己的和王尔德一样的天才。

Fry出生在伦敦北部文化精英聚集的Hampstead，他的父亲是英国的物理学家和发明家。外祖父和祖母是来自今天斯洛伐克的犹太移民，母亲的姨妈/姑妈和表/堂亲死在奥斯维辛。Fry小时候上私利学校，被学校开除过。后来还被关入监狱3各月，学校换来换去。最后发奋学习，以优异成绩取得剑桥奖学金，进入剑桥大学女王学院。

英达可能不是和Fry一样的同性恋,另外英达在艺术和文化方面未必有fry有影响。除了在文学，戏剧，电视，电影，广播等方面的成就，Fry在重大社会政治问题上表态并且积极活动。

看了关于Stephen Fry的介绍（wiki）, 说他在2008年4月30日同其他著名的犹太人士签署了公开信，反对庆祝以色列国建国60周年。公开信发表在卫报上 。他还加入了英国犹太人成立的巴勒斯坦人正义组织，积极地维护巴勒斯坦人的权益。

一年后他在卫报发表给年轻的自己的公开信，思考了对同性恋容纳取得的积极进步，以及他感受到周围，但不是所有地方的公开性，同时发出警告说：“宗教和绝对主义再次向世界伸出冷酷，虚伪和冷血的手。”T

他和合其他100多人签署声明，2009年6月4日发表在Sense About Science上，谴责英国诽谤法及其应用，说在同公用利益相关事物事务上面的自由言论的权利受到了侵犯。

英家是中国国际化，向西方主流文化靠拢的典型，从西方影响进入中国后不久英家就开始发达。除了中共30年短暂地吃过苦头，一直是小康和发达的。不具代表性。

但中国媒体渲染炒作精英，似乎说明了中国现社会的某种需要。中国新兴的中产阶级需要自己的品味标识，需要典型，就像过去的革命群众需要模范和典型一样。

像真理部的文章,sadly

中国强调加快西藏经济建设巩固安全

"nternational society" and "chinese people"

I have been so pissed off to see the abuse of "international society/community" when brain dead following trend journalists use them again and again when they wrote stories like Iran nuclear dispute and terrorism.... I guest those working for mainstream media are all the product of Anglo-American education, or the west centric political outlook, to them the international society are simply the US and Britain. When they say international society is worried about Yemen's anarchic situation and radicalism, they of course refer to the UK and US, who would thought Chinese give a fxxk on those issues. So is the Iran nuclear program, maybe in this case, the international communities refer to the US, UK, + Israel.

In theory, it is a more international anarchy, no international society to speak of. In practice, "the world" and "international society" only refer to Anglo-American alliance or the west. Maybe it refers to English speaking world, excluding those former British colonies in Africa and India, or the US and EU at most. By population, the US plus EU population is 113.4 million, while the world population is over 6,797 million. Hence the "international community" favoured by the brainless and spin doctors are only 16% of the world community.

The term "international society" is no more legitimate or representative than "the Chinese people" frequently revoked by Chinese authority to justify their legitimacy.

Slumdog Secret Millionaire

British millionaire Seema Sharma is a dentist and business women of Indian origin went to Mumbai slum Dharavi to witness and help the poverty there, she was shocked and horrified by the poverty there. Good TV doc. on C4.

Seema Sharma is a sympathetic lady, it is interesting to see how Seema Sharma from British middle class background reconcile the Mumbai poverty within the system. Or her education, medical and UK mainstream media environment, forbid her from asking the challenging question. If the rich there living in those luxurious seaside villas and apartment could tolerate poverty under their eyes, i'd say there would be something seriously wrong with the so-called largest democracy in the world.

There are some heart warming moving moments when she gave money to help others and make the poor happy. The typical thinking behind charity from the rich is just to do something no matter how little to help the poor without arguing the morality behind the social disparity. Like Buddhists they prefer to avoid the big issue of injustice but do as much or as little as they can.

In the same Indian winter season of C4, another episode of Dharavi Slum was presented by a British celebrity, Kevin McCloud. the guy admired the poor people's spirit and happiness in front of camera. Obviously according to him, the Prince Charles expressed the same admiration when he visited Dharavi, briefly of course, and reflect poverty and happiness. That is a bit sickening, what a bunch of charlatans!

It is amazing to see how those richer people conclude the extreme poor could live with dignity living on handouts and piece-meal charities from the affluent.

update on Jan. 25, 2010:

Chanel 4 slum series was accused as "poverty porn" by Indian High Commission. A source in the high commission in london said"we thought it would be about the achitecture of Mumbai, but it was nly about slums."

"the was poverty porn made to get ratings, and we are upset."

The freedom of speech

speaking of societies "ills", and loss of liberty, the UK may not really better off than many authoritarian states.

大防火墙：顺我者昌，逆我者亡

哥（谷歌）作的不是生意，是原则，但原则事关根本利益

公司要赚钱，国家要管制，这是谷歌公司同中国国家争端的基本原因。从公司赚钱的角度看,许多评论认为谷歌不必小题大做,反正谷歌在中国市场搜索引擎市 场占有率在不断上升，据说从2006年刚开始建立Google.cn时的13%上升到2009年第四季度的36%。虽然谷歌没有透露在中国是否盈利，但普 遍估计他们在中国还是挣钱的。

有人打个比方说,古歌在中国搞无限制自由搜索,在搞网络和舆论限制的中国,就像一个专做猪肉生意的非要往穆斯林国家做出口一样不合时宜,而且不会成功。

从政治角度看,买猪肉的可以说,其实并非客户不爱吃猪肉,而是当局强制不许人们吃猪肉。如果卖猪肉的说,不许人民吃猪肉是侵犯了人的选择权力，是反人权的专制，卖不卖猪肉无所谓，关键是要消除这种反人道的做法，这就是纯政治。

当然也可以生意和政治结合起来做,即反专制政府成功,推翻了禁猪肉政府,自然会带动猪肉生意。谷歌的姿态更像是商业加政治。

谷歌终于决定不和其他许多媒体公司那样迁就容忍中国封锁,是担心限制信息搜索会影响到谷歌在中国以外世界市场的信誉,因为谷歌的业务核心就建立在信息自由搜索和自由流通上面。

再回到上面的比喻,如果中国不许卖猪肉,我就先卖狗肉,从生意角度讲这总比不卖肉强。许多试图进入中国的传媒公司也在这么做。

但是的但是,卖狗肉时间一长,人们就不再把你当卖猪肉专业户了,你猪肉专业户的信誉,就无可挽回地被毁掉了。所以的所以,谷歌壮士断臂壮的姿态后面还是根本的利益考量。

虽然互联网在改变中国，但中国的大防火墙，也就是公安部的“金盾工程”，10年来监控和审查世界最大的网民群体，的确在相当程度上改变了互联网，也把许多原本应该卖猪肉的，逼成了狗肉专业户。

Jumpstart after X'mas and New Year

新年后几天下雪，几天保持零下温度，低温把汽车电池电放了差不多。周六第一次发动，发着，很高兴。午饭回来打算开车出去，没想第一次发动把电用了不少，第二次发动不起来，结果放弃了计划好的外出。

周日下午去附近argos买了一个Jumpstart with compressor，沉甸甸的。这个玩艺儿出厂就充好了电，还可以给车胎打气，还有灯可以在没有电的情况下照明用。这种玩艺儿因为带有许多功能，即使闲置，也能给人带来满足感。许多老爷们儿喜欢各种工具，汽车，都属于这种心理。

汽车发动机大概长时间没动，温度也低，把充电电池接到汽车电池上，等了一分多，大火，发动机和启动马达较了半天劲才着。接着用Jumpstart附带的小气泵把四个轮胎挨个打了一通气。邻居在院那边深过头问是否我汽车电池不好了。我问他这几天下雪他汽车电车还好，他很迷信地说:touch wood，他的电池还好。

接下来就是开车充电。待上耳机，放上音乐，开车上路。从M25高速环线一个入口进去，下一个出来，然后在超市关门前赶到那里，停车，买东西，出来顺利启动。开车狂奔20分钟电就充够了。

周一上班，隔了一个月再次骑车。Yamaha BT1100的电池也就是一本36开的书的大小，居然经历了圣诞，新年的大雪，夜间低温，仍然保持足够电力，把很久未动的引擎带着。估计摩托车的小电瓶造得好过汽车的大电瓶。

卡梅隆当选=贵族复辟

为什么Cameron当选英国首相是一场灾难:

1. 保守党，记得撒切尔夫人和梅杰当政就知道他们是什么玩意儿。他们当权，就不会有最低工资，国民医疗保险，失业救济，病假，带薪休假，育儿减税......

2. 他80年代在萨切尔当政的时候加入保守党,标准的保守派理想青年,类似希特勒的冲锋队,共产党的共青团.撒切尔支持世界的右派独裁者,把国有资产贱卖给有钱人,打压工会.保守党摧毁了英国的制造业,劫贫济富,加速了信债和虚拟经济,最终造成去年的经济危机.

3. 卡梅隆在梅杰政府做事,1992年衰退的时候,他小人家是财政部的高级顾问.保守党在经济萧条的时候让人要么游泳,要么淹死.

4. 相比之下,布朗首相还是在衰退中试图帮帮穷人,显示了点工党的本色,冬天取暖补贴,增发养儿补贴,增加养老金,给穷人减税,减增值税.

5. 卡梅隆本人是百万富翁,银行存款约£30,000,000,大部分是继承的遗产.无独有偶,这小子希望给英国最富有得3000人减少遗产税,数目多达20亿英镑.

6.卡梅隆第一个工作是在保守党调研部,是他朋友从白金汉宫一个电话给他搞定.

7. 卡梅隆是乔治三世国王的直系后代(英国历史上的疯子国王).

8. 卡梅隆从小进了最贵族式,最nb的上流社会的学校，伊顿公学，在牛津大学是隐秘，纨绔子弟的Bullingdon俱乐部成员，成员都是戴高礼帽，燕尾服那种,特有钱，特nb那种sb。据说丫们的行头要一套下来要3千英镑。

9. 这个百万富翁，贵族上流社会，王室的亲戚要当选当政，和封建王朝复辟差jb不多了。

10. 卡梅隆骑自行车上班，显示环保绿色，但每次都有专车在后面。

11. 卡梅隆德歌们George Osborne，影子财政大臣，也是Bullingdon俱乐部的分子，很富有。伦敦市长Boris Johnson也是一模一样的操行。

12. 他唯一的管理经济经历是1992年在财政部，为财相Norman Lamont做顾问，财政部无能借巨款拯救英镑，后果是灾难性的，黑色星期三，英国被迫退出ERM，接着是经济衰退，被后来的财相kenneth Clarke炒鱿鱼。

13. 他其他的履历主要是公关和操纵媒体（保守党调研部）。90年代为媒体大腕Michael Green(媒体太子党更合适)在Carlton TV做spin doctor，曾经被权谋大师Peter Mandelson指玩弄"media dark arts"，可见其阴谋诡计的水平

古狗要撤退，东方不亮西方亮

谷歌扬言要离开中国，压过自然灾害这类突发消息，成了网络讨论的焦点。外行看热闹，这似乎成了公司和国家之间在叫板。中国作为国家就要管治小民，谷歌作为公司就是要赚钱，这点首先应该明确。谷歌现在似乎是要以维护言论自由姿态退出，加上美国现在要搞什么"数码外交"，twitter和youtube在最近伊朗政治动荡中推波助澜，不能不让中国统治当局提高警惕。

至于谷歌为何要退出中国，美国专栏作家Sara Lacy分析得比较到位。下面是大概的翻译。

1.谷歌在中国的生意不好是和尚头上的虱子，明摆的。如果谷歌在中国生意顺风顺水的时候撤退，谷歌美国的股东不仅要说"不"，而且还会把决策者告上法庭。去年10月谷歌中国前总裁李开复说，谷歌在中国PK不过百度是他离开的原因之一。所以谷歌认定在中国的生意已经不值得做了，这次不过是死马当作活马医，变被动为主动，利用在中国的失利，赢得世界其他地方的同情和善意。东方不亮西方亮。

2. 谷歌这次有点破釜沉舟的意思。谷歌在中国混了多年，不会不知道，发英文公开信，等于给"党和政府"摔脸子。谁都知道在中国，跟"党和政府"叫板是什么下场。也就是谷歌这样的美国大跨国公司敢试一试。按理说，谷歌想和中国打交道，就不会发公开信。但谷歌破罐破摔，赔上在华员工和广大用户，背后的目的是为了讨好中国外面的市场和用户。

3. 谷歌撤退中国仅仅是锣鼓开张，其实好戏还在后头。中国网络游戏开发商盛大游戏收购美国在线游戏网络不是偶然的孤立事件。中国网络公司腰缠万贯，股价暴涨，而且中国互联网络市场仍然处于蓬勃发展的上升期，今后的大方向恐怕主要是中国公司出去收购美国那边显示潜力的公司，而非美国公司进入中国。

最后一点才是Sara Lacy认为最震撼的内容：回头看看，雅虎在中国比谷歌做得强很多。几年前雅虎明白了在中国不能随心所欲后撤出中国，然后回头买入拥有阿里巴巴40%的股份，搭那些在中国如鱼得水的本土公司的顺风车。有投资评论人对此指出，雅虎很少能比谷歌更高明，但在中国却比谷歌棋高一着。

TV interview exercise: Avatar

Chichu is my collegue, my dummy interviewee. It is a product of 2-day TV interview course. I learnt how to position and operate TV camera, adjust lighting and edit footage on Adobe Prime.

三人成虎

庞恭与太子质于邯郸，谓魏王曰：“今一人言市有虎，王信乎？”曰：“不信。”“二人言市有虎，王信乎？”

曰：“不信。”“三人言市有虎，王信乎？”王曰：“寡人信之。”庞恭曰：“夫市之无虎也明矣，然而三人言而成虎，

今邯郸之去魏也远于市，议臣者过于三人，愿王察之。”

庞恭从邯郸反，竟不得见。

RT Ads

Akmal Shaikh：UK government and media

if gordon brown or david miliband really wanted to save Akmal Shaikh from chinese execution, they shouldn't have made all those loud protests and pr gestures, instead they should have made behind scene diplomacy. UK as one of the big five in the un security council, could have made a deal easily with chinese to save Akmal Shaikh's life 10 times by satisfying china in other areas, say, making some ambiguous statement on the us arms sale to taiwan, or on tibet to make chinese happy.

What the UK government has done was just some cynical PR practice, to make chinese authoirty look bad and win certain domestic constituencies.

Also i think the media here made partial reports of Akmal Shaikh case. Unlike what was reported by british media, chinese reports mentioned chinese legal authority did take and considered the evidence provided by uk officials and psychologists. The plea on psychological ground was rejected in the same way as Akmal Shaikh was sentenced to death, all done by Chinese law and proceture. Chinese laws do grant leniency on psychological ground.

Whether China has a independent justice system, or Akmal Shaikh had bipolar disorder, is another matter for discussion.

Scooterassassin's interesting comment:

It's quite perplexing.

The chinese government stated that there was no historical record of the poor guy ever being ill: that is - no record of being hospitalised and treated for bipolar affective disorder; no history of treatment by his GP for mental disorder; no history of detention and sectioning under mental health legislation before he came to China.

The British government have never refuted this point: all the British government have offered, is that Mr Sheikh appears mentally ill (now) in China after he had was caught with a trunk load of illicit drugs. They do make a good case to cast reasonable doubt.

What troubles me, is the double standards of the British government, and in particular, the BBC. If the Communist Party were so inhumane for making no exception to executing a man who could have potentially killed thousands more with illegal drugs, which might be mitigated because of his mental illness, then why was he not diagnosed and treated correctly in the United Kingdom?

If the United Kingdom is so high up in terms of being a humanitarian society enough to lecture China on morality and humanitarian law, , how is it, that the United Kingdom failed to treat this man for his mental illness, after 50+ years, and then to expect, a foreign country, with capital punishment, which the UK only abolished as recently as 60 or so years ago, to 'recognise' that he has a mental illness, which they never treated him for?

How is it, that the UK recognises 1 in 7 people suffer from depression, and that most benefit from psychological therapies, but are never offered much more than a 6 month waiting list? Or perhaps those parents who have to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders, and advocate for their autistic children to access education, and end up having to take the local education authority to court?

The newspapers say that the judges in the final hearing in China, were laughing when they heard his testimony. The BBC reporters, deign to think that they can interpret everything for the British masses, and state unequivocally, that the judges were 'amused' by his testimony, which was clearly that of a mad man. They do not account for the reaction of the judges, which is similar to 'throwing out of court'.

I don't know what to think. Innocent men have been executed and imprisoned in many British miscarriages of justice. Sometimes pointing the fingers at others, only shows us how ugly the system we believe and grew up in, really is.

On the other hand, it's heart-breaking thinking that there is that real possibility, that he might have been mentally ill: and failed by the UK in terms of not being able to access mental health services. That is the UK's duty to its citizens. We won't ask newspaper journalists to undertake any moral duty to think about their duty instead of the knee-jerk protectionism.

Chinese Princelings: Family Background Advantage

Chinese Princelings: Family Background Advantage in social and career advancement. Of course it is not a phenomenon unique to China. Except for those advocates for radical revolution, one cannot expect China could eradicate the problem overnight. The history since 1949 shows what a revolution has achieved is to replace old aristocracy with a new one.

European model, esp. Britain, is to have those aristocracy with their privileges diluted over the time, gradually commoners' rights increased. Hence the key to judge Chinese society and politics is to determine which way they are going, by the standards of European model, to a more equal society or a society of more disparity.

习近平――国家副主席（副总理习仲勋之子）
贺国强――中央纪委书记（毛泽东之妻贺子珍侄子）
周永康――中央政法委书记（江泽民外甥女婿）
李长春――中央政治局常委 (中央副主席李德生之子)
王岐山――副总理（副总理姚依林女婿）
回良玉――副总理（江泽民儿女亲家）
李源潮――中央组织部部长（李干成之子）
戴秉国――国务委员（文化部部长黄镇女婿）
刘延东――国务委员（农业部常务副部长刘瑞龙之女)
俞正声――上海市委书记（一机部长黄敬之子；母亲是北京市副市长）
薄熙来 ――重庆是市委书记（副总理薄一波之子）
周小川――中国人民银行行长（机械工业部、建设部部长周建南之子）
温云松――北京优创科技有限公司总裁（温家宝之子）
徐明 ――大连实德集团总裁（温家宝女婿）
江泽慧――政协人资环委副主任（江泽民之妹）
江绵恒――中国科学院副院长（江泽民长子）
江绵康――城市发展信息中心主任江绵康（江泽民幼子）
李小鹏――华能国际集团董事长，亚洲电王（李鹏之子）
李小琳――中国电力国际有限公司执行董事兼总经理（李鹏之女）
朱云来――中国国际金融公司总裁、董事（朱基之子）
朱燕来――中国银行（香港）发展规划部总经理（朱基之女）
邹家华――原国务院副总理（叶剑英女婿，邹韬奋之子）
李南征 ――石家庄陆军指挥学院副院长、少将(中央副主席李德生之子)
罗干 ――原中央政治局常委，中央政法委书纪（元帅罗荣桓之子）
罗东进――解放军二炮副政委、中将（元帅罗荣桓之子）
曾庆红――原国家副主席（1938.09，江西吉安人，原内政部长曾山之子）
曾庆洋――军事科学院军事历史部部长、少将（曾山之子）
曾庆源――解放军空军后勤部副部长、少将（曾山之子）
曾海生―― 总参办公厅副主任、少将（曾山之女）
俞强声――北京市国安局处长，1986年叛逃美国（黄敬之子）
蒋祝平――前湖北省委书记（蒋南翔之子）
谷开来――薄熙来之妻（前副总理谷牧之女）
薄熙成――北京六合安消防科技有限公司董事长（前副总理薄一波之子郑耀文――原驻丹麦大使（薄一波女婿）
田成平――山西省委书记（田英之子）
白克明――河北省委书记（白坚之子）
廖晖 ――全国政协副主席（全国人大副委员长廖承志之子）
吴志明――上海市政法委书记（江泽民王冶坪外甥）
何光炜――国家旅游局局长（原全国政协副主席何长工之子）
汪光焘――建设部部长（原上海市市长汪道涵之子）
汪静香――港新兴公司总裁（汪道涵之女）
林炎志――吉林省委副书记（原全国人大副委员长林枫之子）
胡德平――全国工商联副主席（原中央总书记胡耀邦长子）
刘湖 ――华润集团常务董事、副总经理（胡耀邦次子）
李铁映――全国人大副委员长（原全国人大副委员长李维汉之长子）
李铁林――中组部常务副部长兼中央机构编委办主任（李维汉之幼子）
洪虎 ――全国人大法律委员会副主任委员（原全国政协副主席洪学智之子）
洪豹 ――天津警备区副司令员、少将（洪学智之子）
滕久明――中央组织部巡视组副部级巡视专员（前全国政协副主席滕代远之子）
粟戎生――北京军区副司令员、中将（粟裕之子）
乔宗淮――中国外交部副部长、领导成员（乔冠华之子）
陈昊苏――中国人民对外友好协会会长（元帅陈毅之子）
陈丹淮――总装备部科技部部长（陈毅之子）
陈晓鲁――北京标准国际投资管理公司董事长（粟裕女婿，陈毅之子）
王光亚――外交部副部长（陈毅女婿）
陈珊珊――原外交部司局级领导（陈毅之女，丈夫是王光亚）
刘卓明――解放军海军装备论证中心主任、少将（前国家副主席刘华清之子）
刘朝英――北京长城公司经理部经理(国家副主席刘华清之女 )
潘岳 ――国家环保总局副局长（国家副主席刘华清女婿 )
刘友凡――湖北省副省长(国家副主席刘华清侄子)
黄远志――中纪委驻中南巡视组组(徐向前内侄)
许援朝――南京军区装备部副部长（许世友之子）
叶选平 ――原全国政协常务副主席（元帅叶剑英之子）
伍绍祖――原国家体育总局局长（原中央军委秘书长伍云甫之子）
何道泉――国防大学副校长（全国政协副主席何长工之子）
周尔钧――国防大学政治部主任（周恩来之侄）
李肇星――外交部长(外交部领事司司长秦力真女婿)
秦小梅――中国外交官联谊会副会长（李肇星夫人）
李禾禾――美国德尔计算机公司高级职员（李肇星之子）
秦晓鹰――财经杂志社社长（李肇星妻弟）
徐文伯――文化部副部长（大将徐海东之子）
该资讯来源：

bloody westminster council and their legal hounds

the bastard who causes all the misery

I had a few PCNs issued by the westminster council, but had them all settled in early 2009. After that my family members have been subject to continous harrassment by letters and in persons from the baillif threatening to remove my bike and my car parked in my drive way. On June 30, 2009 I finally got an emaill from Ravindra, Chalky's executive assistant, saying all my PCNs had been settled and i should not be bothered by their agent.

This afternoon just now, a man from that legal firm hired by the westminster council went to my home again, when i am working in office. My young niece was at home alone, she was scared to death when the baillif threatened to remove my bike and other properties today if i had not made the payment immediately.

I was forced to check with the council and later the baillif phoned and said it was just a cockup, he did not even apologize. I am going to consult a lawyer to see what i can do about this year-long harrassment.

The following is some suggestion from motocyclist friends:

I would certainly be placing this in the hands of my solicitor for the distress and harassment they have caused you and your family.

I would add up how much this has cost you in time/phone calls and letters and sent Westminster a invoice, when they don't pay take them to the small claims court.

even more detailed information:

i suggest you contact this man as he may be able to help:
Adi Tahiri
Bairstow Eves Countrywide
34 Baker Street
London
W1U 3EU
Tel: 020 7935 0355 / 07818 023 884
e: adi.bakerstreet@bairstoweves.co.uk

another good suggestion:

It might be worth contacting the news media (GMTV, BBC London, Evening Standard etc.) to see if they are interested in this, especially as it has a 'human interest' angle in the form of a single, young & lone female feeling terrified and intimidated.

You would have to think about whether that might upset your niece even more though as journalists are far more focused on 'getting the story' than worrying about the feelings of the folk they interview.

more suggestion:

write or call the baliff company and ask for a written apology of a letter confirming that a baliff had called at your door... then use it to sue Westminster!!

more suggestion:

Your stress and suffering is, after all, entirely down to Westminster's complete incompetence in engaging Bailiffs a) when you had paid your penalties and b) having done so, failed to notify them that there was no further need for their 'services'.

Bailiffs will always be, and act like, total arseholes and use every threatening tactic available to terrorise you into meeting their demands. The real fault, as I say, is with Westminster's inability to think in a joined-up manner.

Having had the Bailiff's set upon you, it may have other implications - I do not know for sure but, given the amount of personal data held by the state and bandied around between various organisations, it may be the sort of thing that flags up on say, a credit rating check or a CRB enquiry.
Maybe I'm paranoid, but it may worth finding out sooner rather than later.

Certainly a speculative solicitors letter may yield some result: many Councils may make some recompense if they're worried about getting sued for something.

more suggestion:

It wouldn't show up on a CRB check as it's a civil debt, not non payment of a Court imposed fine.
Still sue the f***ers for every penny you can get though!!

Chaulky's assistant replies:

Dear xxx

I have spoken to Parking Services and can confirm that the bailiffs have been instructed not to pursue you for payment. Parking Services will be confirming this information in writing and apologise for any inconvenience that may have been caused you and your family.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require further assistance.

Kind regards

Ravi

an old posting on chinese martial art

武术下技也

送交者: 转贴 于 June 11, 2004 08:52:16:


中土两件事情比较令人费解：一是养生长寿，二是武术。养生之术，气功也好，土老道也好，一生的大部分时间里戒这戒那，清心寡欲，换得高龄苟延残喘几年，实 际上等于把一生中最好光阴至于半死不活的状态，换得一些夕阳光阴。武术是多少年受自残，皮肉之苦，把指头练成钳子，拳头连成铁锤，jb缩肚里，换得有朝一 日能朝对手发出致命一击。这种愚公移山，铁杵成针的思路，实际上是舍近求远，自欺欺人。

武术受推崇，甚至被神鬼化（特别是金大虾，这是后话），不过是因为其本土性。中国式摔跤动作简洁实用，从科学训练到可检验效果，都高出武术。记得 哪年有北京武术队的某个什么拳的冠军（是女队还是男队忘了）晚上走在外面被人强暴了。除非那个强徒是内蒙摔跤队的，否则这就再次说明武术是花拳绣腿。所谓 中国式摔跤名称诞生在新中国后，其实就是新朝重新开展了旧朝（满清）的演布库。布库，蒙古语，“力士”。

清王朝结束后，八旗善扑营解散，布库（汉语为撩脚）流落民间，天桥，京津地区的民间摔跤才有了大发展。“勾子”，“坎子”，“跋脚”和“别子”这类摔跤术 语，都来自布库。现在摔跤的褡裢，就源自布库跤衣，也就是蒙古式摔跤的皮褡裢。中国摔跤没有阔裤腿和布靴，也是49年后的事情。

布库有“大绊三十六，小绊如牛毛”之说。摔跤没有武术的神秘性和迷信色彩，训练方法亦科学得多，因为摔跤所有技能，同西洋拳击一样，在训练中合理分解成 manageable parts，容易掌握，能够检验。柔道有类似摔跤的各种技法，相朴有所谓四十八手。日本现在最牛的横纲级力士就是位蒙古布库，绰号“朝青龙”。 蒙古跤虽然经过多种演变，但传统却绵延不绝。

日本相扑由唐宋传到日本，日本一直保持下来。相朴运动从汉朝和匈奴时期就有，但是并没有保持下来。蒙古旧时摔跤和现在国际摔跤类似，倒地后继续跤力直到完全制服对手，后来演变成倒地即输。满清的演布库来自蒙古，契丹。汉地武术发达，也是在明朝的时候，可见金庸胡扯。

金大虾有一点是对的，即中国武术就是江湖上的玩意。什么东西一流落江湖，不衰败，起码也不会专业化。想象一下国家体委的乒乓球，中南海的厨艺流落 民间是个神马下场。国家体委培养乒乓球国手，需要高水平的陪练，科研，硬设施，长期积累的经验和传统…这个程度的物质条件在江湖上，也就是社会闲杂人员， 是承担不起的。当然物质不能决定一切，中国足球队（男队）永久性疲软，就证明了物质代替不了精神。

金庸宣扬江湖出高人，基本上是金庸的小说————鬼话连篇。中国武术的百花齐放，百家争鸣的局面，说白了，就是业余而已，缺乏专业标准嘛。更有害 的是，金大虾实际上宣扬精神代替物质，和历史不沾边，也反科学。西方百年来的船坚炮利，中国落后挨打，让人们了解了西洋科技，专业的长处，但还是留下了一 些死角，中国功夫崇拜就算一个（还有中医，相术等残余）。金庸神化（鬼化）中国功夫，对江湖武术顶礼膜拜，对本民族的上技，即满族承自蒙古契丹的摔跤，完 全漠视和无知，算是满人汉化的典范。金大虾做专职历史学教授（听说还要写中国通史），说明中国学问已经成了江湖下技。


武术崇拜者喜欢提霍元甲。霍击败俄国力士，说明不了太多，现在国内的某个武术选手打败俄罗斯一个几流拳手也不是不可能。就是夯港的半文盲爱整那些 个闹剧，霍元甲，陈真…。 李小龙了不起，在海外弘扬了一把武术，一改唐人街厨师逆来顺受的形象，成功地塑造了敢动拳脚的大厨形象，不过呢，在西方法制社会，那叫 vigilantism，民团自卫5的，黑人就是那样。

Useless Chinese Kungfu

中国武术

[作者:王开 | 来源:瞭望东方周刊 ]

练习散打的原因是当时中国武术套路表演走向了世界，并获得国际好评，影响力越来越大。相对来讲，为众多搏击爱好者所熟知的泰拳王播求与中国散打冠军孙涛的对抗，更像一次上规格的对决。

　　传统武术在攻防技术中掺杂了大量象征性动作和门派仪式动作，从功法上看，传统武术仍保留着很原始、低效的操习，与其说是增长格斗实力，倒不如说是在祈祷、苦行和磨炼耐心

　　梅惠志第一次真正接触泰拳是在1990年。当时，作为北京武术散打队的首任总教练，他带队参加刚刚设立的京港搏击会，虽然带去的都是当时的国家级顶级散打高手，但那一次中国散打惨败于泰拳。

　　“没办法，我一看到泰拳用肘用膝，就只好丢毛巾。”梅惠志说，当时，北京武术散打 队第一次出国，根本不懂什么是自由搏击，对泰拳的膝肘攻击很不适应。“与泰拳硬碰硬，我们根本打不过，拳脚打在对手身上，跟打在皮球上一样。而当时我们的 队员抗击打能力比较差，挨上两三下膝肘就不行了。”

　　此次惨败之后，梅惠志等人才把泰拳的录像拿回来反复研究。“泰拳非常硬朗，主要使用边腿和膝肘。他们的记分主要是以击倒而定的，所以踢你时一下是一下，你的重拳他们根本就不躲。但我们的散手没人家能挨打，散打只有发挥摔法的优势才有取胜的机会。”梅惠志说。

　　不久前泰拳拳王放言要秒杀中国功夫，无论是否炒作，让人们再次审视声名在外而又难以捉摸的中国功夫，如果站上擂台，竞技力究竟几何？

　　散打为何难敌泰拳

　　梅惠志是北京市散打运动的创办者。上世纪70年代末80年代初，作为北京什刹海业余体校国际式摔跤教练，他在北京武术队主教练吴彬和中国式摔跤教练李宝如的协助下，开始练习散打。

　　练习散打的原因是当时中国武术套路表演走向了世界，并获得国际好评，影响力越来越大。许多外国的武术爱好者来到中国，都想与“中国功夫”较量较量。尤其是李连杰主演的电影《少林寺》上映之后，中国功夫实战能力如何，成为一个亟待证明的焦点。

　　“那个时候来挑战的国外武术爱好者，很多都由我来对付。”梅惠志说。但来较量的一般都不是职业搏击手，由摔跤转为散打的职业运动员梅惠志完全能够应付得来。“在1990年第一次带队参加京港搏击会之前，我们对世界上的整体搏击状态并不了解。”

　　其实，中国功夫与泰拳的较量一直在进行着。目前可以查到的资料显示，从1921年开始，中国功夫就在向泰拳发起攻击。但除了1922年，由流亡泰国，本有武功，并拜华裔泰拳宗师为师的李德与泰拳手打平之外，其余皆遭惨败。

　　而1958年至上世纪80年代，由香港和台湾组织的数次中国功夫与泰拳的比赛，也仅有一场平局，其余都告失败，而且败得相当惨，最短的一局仅坚持了20秒。

　　但近几年，散打所代表的中国功夫在与泰拳的对抗中，却出现了赢多输少的局面。“双方研究规则，泰拳可以用肘膝，我们可以用摔法，做好针对性练习，赢面比较大。”梅惠志说。

　　不过，近几年的中泰对抗赛，中国散打的成绩受到了不少武术爱好者的质疑。人们在有限的中泰对抗录像中，以及各种中泰对抗赛中国散打大获全胜的消息中，资质并没有多对泰拳手的来历及少了解。

　　相对来讲，为众多搏击爱好者所熟知的泰拳王播求与中国散打冠军孙涛的对抗，更像一 次上规格的对决。在这次比赛中，播求很顺利地拿下了孙涛。这个结局似乎并不是那么令人难以接受---从双方的简历可以看出，作为职业泰拳手，播求在日本最 知名的站立综合搏击赛事K-1上风靡全球，其成绩是170战，155胜；而作为中国体制内的运动员，孙涛的比赛次数只有24战。

　　民间并无武功高手

　　虽然，从中国功夫与泰拳的对抗历史中，中国传统武术的成绩还不如散打来的好看，但大多数中国人仍然相信，真正的中国武术的技击精华是在民间，在传统拳术中。虽然没有任何确实的证据证明这一点，但人们更愿意相信，在那些与世隔绝的密境，有神仙般的武林高手存在。

　　“虽然存在民间有高手这一说法，但民间拳手的水平并不高。与散打相比，基本没有对抗性。”梅惠志说，他曾经会过许多民间高手，“很多都坚持不到十秒八秒。”

　　而在1980年和1981年，北京搞过散手试点，当时来自民间的参赛拳手有上百人，包含了八卦、太极、大成等等拳种。“但比赛刚开始没两天，一看进入半决赛的选手，都是练习散打的了。”梅惠志说。

　　民间武术大多没有经过对抗训练，一上擂台就“不管练习什么拳，最后都成了王八拳”。对抗起来根本没有反应，挨上两下就不打了。

　　“有一位练习八卦掌的，比赛开始了，他还在那转圈子，被我们的队员追上去，踢了两脚，就不打了。”梅惠志说。那一次，最后冠军都被体校队员拿下。

　　1987年，梅惠志带队参加武当山全国武术擂台赛，这一次的场面比北京的散手试点更加热闹，赛场上有扮成武松模样的，还有和尚、老道??比赛前表演，架势挺吓人。有人一掌把木板中的铁钉子拍了出来，可一上台打擂，那人只挨了一脚，自己就跳下擂台了。

　　还有一位神秘人物，自己爬上擂台要求比赛，当地组织者要求他先报名，但遭到拒绝， 理由是“不敢留名，打完了再说”，并自称已经“毫无欲念，不吃荤腥”。看到这种情形，梅惠志专门交代队员不要踢第二脚，因为第一脚把人踢倒，第二脚必然会 踢头，这样会导致这些没有任何对抗训练的对手直接休克。

　　对于民间有没有高手，著名武术家赵道新早在上世纪80年代就指出一个常识：“在那 些与世隔绝的不毛之地，消息闭塞，交流不便，物质贫乏，隐士们如何能启发悟性，拓展眼界，避免徒劳创作呢?又怎样能通过大量‘见手’来交流技术，衡量自 己？否则，又是怎么知道他们技高一筹，掌握精髓呢？生活问题怎样解决，营养哪里补给，资金、器具谁来提供？如果自食其力，花大量精力安排衣食住行，训练效 果怎能提高？”

　　而在梅惠志看来，传统武术主要是训练方法和意识的落后，讲究的是口传心授，多是说 招说手，平时几无实战训练。“举个很简单的例子，对方边腿踢你，散手队员会一手格挡，一手反击。传统武术可不这样，他要先做一个云手，动作好看，但对方早 就踢到你了。我们同他们交流时，分出胜负也就一个照面，用的就是一个简单的迎击。”

　　传统武术缺乏对抗训练导致了许多悲剧。1987年，在一次两省警察的集训中，某省一名练习传统武术的警察与另一省份练习散打的警察对练，结果因为前者从未做过对抗训练，在被摔起的时候没有任何防护意识与技巧，头部直接坠地，导致死亡。

中国武术极度缺乏技击性

　　“但传统武术并不是这个样子的，在很久很久以前，传统武术也是一拳一脚。”中国武术院社会组副主任刘普雷说。

　　作为格斗技术的武术本来就是打出来的，不是说出来的。除了在影视剧中，我们很少看到中国武术与外界的对决，那么中国武术的技击性到底如何？

　　民间武术家赵道新认为，中国武术最大的骗局就是具有所谓的“技击性”。虽然传统武术有些技法还是包含着较高的技击性和潜在技击性，但赵道新肯定，当今中国武术在整体上极度缺乏技击性。以全球格斗界的战略眼光看，可以说已丧失了技击的竞争能力。

　　在赵道新看来，今天的传统拳术与学院武术一样以套路为主，并混入了冒充古拳法的套路新作品。而套路与篮球、游泳、登山一样只是提高运动素质的锻炼方式，却不针对格斗需要，特意发展那些直接专用于格斗的素质和技术，从根本上说称不上是技击训练。

　　从打法上看，传统武术在攻防技术中掺杂了大量象征性动作和门派仪式动作。这些动作与技击无关。从功法上看，传统武术仍保留着很原始、低效的操习，与其说是增长格斗实力，倒不如说是在祈祷、苦行和磨炼耐心。

　　实际上，从民国时期以来，人们对于传统武术的套路对招一直在进行着理想主义的尝试。“2003年我还亲自参与过这种尝试。”刘普雷说。当时，散打王节目在湖南卫视火爆上演，四川的几位武术爱好者找到刘普雷，希望能够录制一些对招的节目。

　　“在他们的想象中，仍然还是那种你一招白鹤亮翅，我一招黑虎掏心。”刘普雷说，早在70年代末80年代初练习散打之前，他就参与过这样的试验，但从来没有成功过。“你想啊，就像治病一样，怎么可能是开好了方子等病人呢。”

　　但四川的那几位武术爱好者很固执，找到了一位喜好武术的企业家赞助，还找了四川省套路队帮忙，按照这种套路对打的方式进行，结果可想而知。“拿不出手！”赞助该项目的企业家对刘普雷说。

　　相反，因为那些练习套路的孩子并没有经过技击训练，反而很容易受伤。“尤其是小关节之类的，动不动就会受伤。”刘普雷说。而这相对于现代搏击来说，无疑是没有任何技击性的。

　　但刘普雷并不认为中国武术的竞技能力在国际上就毫无竞争力。他更加相信是规则原因，对竞技结果有直接影响。

　　梅惠志也是同样的观点。“如果双方约定在相同的规则下进行三个月的训练，然后再进行对抗的话，胜负难料，反正是有得一打。”

　　而在本刊记者的采访过程中，对中国功夫竞技水平最悲观的说法来自一位在国外学习柔术、到中国创办竞技俱乐部的华人。他认为以当前中国武术的竞技水平，需要三年的时间才能达到日美水平。

　　国际拳坛为何不见中国选手

　　既然中国武术的竞技水平在国际上并不落下风，为什么在诸如UFC、PIRDE、F—1等国际顶级的搏击赛事上，见不到中国选手的影子？

　　“这是因为我们采用的是全运会体制，我们的精力没放在外出竞技上面，而要打F—1必须要长时间的竞技训练。”刘普雷说。

　　1998年年底，刘普雷曾经带队去过K—1现场，当时主要是带套路队去做串场表演，其中还带了两位散打运动员做现场表演。“那是我第一次去K—1现场，到了那里才知道原来一个擂台赛能做成那个样子。”刘普雷回忆说，六万多人的现场，灯火辉煌，壮观极了。

　　接触过K—1之后的中国散打选手曾经低调参加过这个比赛，但结果并不理想。不过，本刊记者采访中发现，实际上中国的散打运动员都比较想参加诸如K—1的国际顶级格斗赛事，一方面是为了证明自己的实力，另一方面是为了高额的奖金。

　　但是，作为国家运动员的中国散打高手并不自由。首先从身份与资质上来讲，专业散打 队是行政性的，全运会的体制需要这些运动员全力以赴打好国内的比赛；而在技术实力上，我们的打点打分的比赛体制，并不适应F—1。参加F—1的拳手都是为 了高额奖金，“人家是挣钱来的，打起来很拼命。”刘普雷说。

　　“其实，最大的问题是教练。”一位不愿透露姓名的搏击手说。国内的全运会体制使得职业教练以及运动员都必须围着全运会使劲，对于他们来讲，根本没有去国外顶级搏击赛事交流的必要。而更重要的是“他们输不起”，这直接关系到他们的根本利益。

　　现代性质武术俱乐部体制在中国的发展尚处于艰难起步状态，要培养出自己的职业搏击手，还需要一段不短的路程。但好在中国武术协会对于俱乐部的建设越来越重视。“这是我们的一个方向。”刘普雷说。

　　俱乐部的建设不仅能够极大地活跃中国的搏击市场，还能够拓展职业运动员的就业。或许在不久的将来，我们将不再感叹“国外的搏击手都是明星，国内的搏击手都是保安”的尴尬现状。

China-ASEAN free trade area

The China-ASEAN free trade Area started in 2010. It is a good start for Asia, and eventually Japan and Korea will join the FTA to really make "Asia for Asia" a reality. Of course the US troops have to move their asses out of Korea and Japan. It will need a lot of visions and statecraft from the politicians in China, Japan and Korea.