Saturday, December 27, 2008
Charles Bremner: Bigot, Boor, Both?
Reading Charles Bremner's column Rebirth for quirky old French bike this morning (in Times Online, owned by Murdoch's News Corporation, I realize), a phrase caught my attention:
The e-Solex is made in China but it is stylish.
I'm not making it up, have a look for yourself! Might one hear that even on Fox? No, I don't know why he would write something which seems bigoted, boorish or both, so I won't answer the question in the title of this post.
Mr. Bremner, if you happen to read this, let me suggest an article from the Wall Street Journal (also owned by News Corporation, but it wasn't quite, then) from a little over a year ago:
The Forbidden City of Terry GouThe activities in Shenzen are not exactly unknown, are they? One doesn't have to be an expert in globalization and trade to have learned of them, they are mentioned in so many places these past few years that it is hard not to know. Among the possibilities, may I suggest the excellent blog of James Fallows? Earlier this year, he noted MacBook Air #5: the Air comes home [to China] which has a link to his full-length article, researched and edited (I'd guess), published in the Atlantic: China Makes, The World Takes .
His complex in China turns out iPhones and PCs, powering the biggest exporter you've never heard of
Then, last but not least, try browsing MadeInChina.com
Oh, and you might consider getting an editor (or at least a critical proof-reader).
Tags: Identificateurs Technorati : Bremner : journalism : China : blogging : News Corporation : Times Online
Labels: blogging, Bremner, China, journalism, News Corporation, Times Online
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Recyclable: how?
Not to brag, but I am pretty conscientious about recycling (and pretty poor at discarding, but that's another matter) and systematically look for products that are produced using recycled materials. High among those are paper products such as paper towels and toilet paper.
Well, the other day I needed to buy toilet paper; in the first store (a hypermarket) I spotted a pack of ecological rolls made with 100% recycled fibers and only realized later that I had been hasty: they were rolls of paper towels. I didn't want to drive back just for that, so I sought toilet paper in a store within walking distance. I found what at first glance seemed to be just what I was looking for. Spot the error?
It is labelled in French, but trust me, "papier toilette" is French for "toilet paper" and "recyclable" does mean "recyclable" -- not "recycled." Unfortunately, the pack does not provide instructions for use, much less for how to recycle after use.
Tags: truth in labelling, recycling, ecology : toilet paper
Labels: ecology, recycling, toilet paper, truth in labelling
