Chinezen bedreigen westerse journalisten, en weer krijgt de westerse media er van langs in China. Niemand lijkt geholpen met eenzijdige verslaggeving, de Han niet, de Oeigoeren niet, en ook het westen niet. Tijdens de ongeregeldheden in Ürümqi, hoofdstad van Xinjiang, de meest westelijke Chinese provincie, … Read More →
Tag Archives: society
Horror museum testimonials
When I was in Budapest recently the House of Terror both surprised and delighted me. This museum teaches its visitors about 20th century Hungarian history. Through the many personal accounts that are on display, it provides a place for Hungarians to come to term with … Read More →
You need money to be free
“I recount my thoughts after leaving the desert. ‘Walking through the wilds freed me from worries and fear, but this is not real freedom. You need money to be free’.” – Ma Jian, Red Dust The years I spent in Xinjiang, my desert; the situation … Read More →
Charity running – really just a selfish act
As I was watching the London marathon on the telly yesterday, I wondered what drives to people to run 42,195 meters in up to six hours or more? Many of these amateur athletes are charity runners; the proceeds of sponsoring go to all sorts of … Read More →
Bureaucracy and paperwork
As I was weeding through my administration of the last 7 years – I’m moving about, so I wanted to chuck a lot of old paperwork out – it struck me that life in one country doesn’t leave nearly as big a paper trail as … Read More →
Ook onze omroepen maken goede TV
Het omroepbestel moet blijven, deel 1 Een veel gehoorde mening is, dat we ook in Nederland aan een BBC moeten beginnen; een publieke omroep naar Brits model, het Nederlandse omroepbestel wordt aan de straat gezet. In zulke discussies wordt ons omroepbestel steevast gespiegeld aan de … Read More →
One good reason to consider a Xinjiang university
Would Shihezi University have a language department for exchange students? Tongue in cheek, but you should really consider Xinjiang universities when you consider a study exchange in China. Why? Because its universities employ the best professors that China has to offer.
Roast coffee in Ürümqi
Hualing is Ürümqi’s largest international trade plaza. It’s a beehive of activity, everything is on sale. There are always Russians, Kazakhs, Pakistani, people from every corner of the Caucasus and Central Asia, all of them small entrepreneurs, buying and selling cheap commodities between China and … Read More →
One-child pension plans
I’ll provide you with an example, to support my recent reflections. So I publish an article I recently wrote to accompany a job application. It’s an adaptation of an earlier blog posting from my hand. Notice how some of the changes in style have occurred … Read More →
On secular funeral services
When I visited a secular funeral service not so long ago, I realised just how poorly secular societies, humanists, have been able to provide a context for life and death, for the big questions in life. The function, the venue, the atmosphere, it all has … Read More →
The two faces of Santa Muerte
Santa Muerte – the Grim Reaper, the Holy Death – I’d heard of him, off course. Those of my own faith call him the Devil. But not until a week ago did I know him as an object of devotion. Then, in just six short … Read More →
Slanted reporting won’t help the Uyghurs
The Chinese aim threats at western journalists. Again the western media comes under criticism in China. Nobody gains from slanted journalism, not the Han, not the Uyghurs, and not the West. Until late at night on Sunday the 5th of July, when protests broke out … Read More →