China Daily, a must read paper is often transparent (the way it turns around the news) but sometimes puzzling.
Over the years it has changed content and of course, this wouldn’t be China, it does not explain why. Here some of the “disappearing acts”
– Years ago we have weekly survey tables on the pollution figures in the major cities. When the figures became worse, they “adjusted” the definitions of good, poor, bad etc. so the charts would look not as somber. I remember seeing cities often with levels of API 400 to 500. I guess having the Olympics coming that was too negative news so the charts completely vanished.
– Before we had TV programs listed. They normally came too late to be of use unless you had express delivery at 5am to read the paper. The details were also sketchy. Poof, gone one day. Of course you could say, the Internet tells you all. Wrong again. Try figuring out the programs online of CCTV9: the webmasters are permanently on holiday (or in government meetings).
– Stock market charts: we never had anything interesting, only the “charts of the day” of the markets in Shanghai, Shenzhen etc. Who wants to know? Meaningless. You’ll never see charts covering 1 week / 1 month / 3 months / 1 year etc. like in SCMP. Probably because it looks too scary.
– Most puzzling – I’m still trying to find the tables – the daily Exchange Rates have gone. Is the government up to something? The website still has a slimmed down currency converter but the former tables were very handy, giving different rates like for US$ and Euro (middle rates, buy / sell etc.). Weird. Any good explanation? I still have some I cut out. Will be a good souvenir to be framed.
blue skies or not?
Beijing continues to force-feed us with their blue sky propaganda. For sure some foreigners will fall for it, especially after the really blue looking skies we had a couple of days ago.
7 August - China Daily
Now, the pollution is coming back with a revenge and BEPB has to admit we are over API 100.
That is all misleading. When earlier this week we had gorgeous blue sky the situation was in fact not so good. AQI as per our Twitter friends showed values of close to or higher than 200 – unhealthy. The PM2.5 are dangerous because if there are no other major particles the sky looks great. We have the same problem in Belgium where often the sky looks great but not the PM2.5.
When pollution hit later in the week we reached AQI of 450 – HAZARDOUS, avoid going outside and any physical activity.
BEPB reported figures like API 120. As a rule you multiply the API by 3 to have some representative AQI.
I am looking to leave Beijing again this Wednesday, hopefully to breathe better air.
Taking time off (really!)
As said earlier, I need a break.
Don't want to end up like this in the morning
It's a dog's life soon
Well, it starts today. And won’t be the last either!
So, new entries will have to wait as I will be cut off from the Internet, mobile etc.
Destination: won’t tell ya!
I'm soooo tired and lazy
I need to recharge my fried brain cells. Too much pollution, “networking”, late nights, Rotary, and people bothering me with things that finally are devoid of any purpose.
And I’m going to work more on my book, while continuing my Chinese lessons (somehow). Happy to report I passed lesson 50 though I had a headache, felt exhausted and tired (even after Curt served me 2 great espressos). Seems when I am confused my Chinese even gets better, according to the ever-friendly teachers.
I am running away, see you another time!
API overview for July 2009
edit /update 2 August 09
So, here comes the big obfuscation of the truth. The official API figures as from our BEPB who proudly can say there were soooo many blue sky days in Beijing.
click to enlarge
Some naïve foreigners (CNN lazy journalists included) swallow it all, look in amazement at the blue sky. Funny, haven’t seen actually much sky and neither the buildings around me. The air has been very bad for many days as confirmed by the U.S. Twitter data. Those average AQI 180 roughly (“unhealthy”) but with peaks of over 400 and one of 500 (HAZARDOUS). Of course BEPB is not any time soon going to measure PM2.5. Too embarrassing.
According to BEPB, up to now we had in Beijing 172 days of “blue sky” (API lower or equal to 100). The goal for 2009 is 260 days (71%). Looks like they will have their gold medal of misleading this year.
Obviously the BEPB loses all credibility. So, for some time I will stop recording their data as it is a waste of time.
Source: China Daily - click to enlarge
Yes, you dummies, the Twitter stuff is in a bad area, called CBD. Oops, see the attached official ENLARGED CBD area that is still a taxi ride far from the embassy. And Dongsi is overall worse.
Not to wonder parents have to make a tough choice – raise their kids in this hazardous environment or head back home where they might not have a job.
Sounds like Chinese migrants working in hazardous factories where they end up with irreversible lung damage. According to China Daily, nearly 640,000 people suffer from pneumoconiosis in China today.
Cartoon South China Morning Post
Then to say our “compatriots” in Hongkong worry about their “bad” air. Probably much better than here. They now also push to measure PM2.5.
CNN sees it rather “blue” in Beijing
Thanks Michel for sending me the following link:
http://business.blogs.cnn.com/2009/07/27/blue-skies-over-beijing-china-business-in-the-red/
The reporter feels the air is so much better since the Olympics. Pity for him, the link is…. blocked in China!
While it may true up to a certain extent, the pollution remains BAD. As I explain in this blog, the Twitter figures reveal the real health hazard. When Twitter shows an average of AQI 180 (with higher peaks), such as today, Beijing happily reports API of 60 to 80 (=blue sky days). See the Pages on the right hand side.
I posted the following comment yesterday:
“John Vause should put on his glasses. We did have some good days but overall the air quality has been pretty bad, just like today. Twitter US Embassy correctly reported today AQI over 200. The Beijing official figures become a joke. Check my blog (blog.strategy4china.com) for monthly overview and comments.”
The article generated many comments, some reasonable, other from naïve foreigners or Chinese who think we just want to see bad things here. Pity them, or maybe not. They can enjoy the “blue sky” and pump the PM2.5 in their lungs.
Not that much to do with economy, the main culprit is still traffic. And the non-existent cops, the locals who drive like morons, never observe any rule. Civility is unknown. We need some Singapore police here to clean up the mess and educate people. By imposing heavy fines, confiscating cars, bikes etc. and locking violators up as they do with “political trouble makers”.
Obviously some of the young empty-headed generation love the chaos and don’t understand why we talk about that. Too bad, it’s their future.