I've posted two stories that I did in the last semester. It took me much time and effort. Expecting your comment.
See the story original source:http://news.myshantou.net
http;//www.myshantou.net is created by a shantou local, a talented man, who's living in Europe. new.myshantou.net is a joint work of dozen of students in Cheung Kong Journalism School and an American teacher, who was saying "No one love Shantou more then I do"
I'm gonna to keep working hard and produce good stories. It's been a great time of discovery when working on a feature.
2008年6月30日星期一
Shantou Working On Earthquake Prevention 汕頭：抗震防災 事后之師
Receiving a reminding notice from the Village Committee of doing preparation for the potential flood and geological disaster, Wang Defu showed no concerned about his living environment. Residents in Little Park, the previous thriving center and the current ancient lanes, have received this remind in the damp May, as the key neighbors of flood and geo-hazards prevention. The paper suggests Little Park residents evacuate rapidly if disasters occurred. Contacts for help and consultation are on the paper, too.
Since the Sichuan “512” Earthquake, more and more Chinese get concerned about the collapsed buildings in the hard-hit zones. But Wang Defu, living in the dated house in Xinfu Road, Little Park, found no reasons to worry about. “Why worry?” he said, signing. “This is natural disaster.”
On the contrary, the retired man Cai Yuanshun complained about his apartment in ninth floor built in 1993 near Queshi Bridge. He obviously can sense the tremor when big trucks coming for the bridge pass by. On the corner of the wall near the road have appeared big flaws, from which he can even hear from the next room.
“Dated houses, Tofu projects, will surely crack down when earthquake come,” Cai said. Tofu project is a common term used in China to describe shoddy building work.
According to the data offered from the Shantou Seismology Observatory, since 1970, quakes occurred in East Guangdong were no higher than 5 degree. The biggest one during the past 100 year was 7.6 degree in Nan’ao Island in 1916. Vice-chief of the Observatory Zhou Kunlong said the possibility of high-intensity earthquake was low in Shantou. Nevertheless, being in the link of three seismic belts, Shantou is in the list of key places for seismic fortification in Guangdong Province. The seismic fortification intensity for construction in Shantou is 8 degree.
How many buildings in the city reach the standard? The answer, to the Structural engineering professor Xiong Guangjing in Shantou Universtiy, is “a census on buildings before 1990s is needed.” If any building fails to meet the standard, they must be strengthened, he said.
Tuopu is another example beyond the standard. It used to be a countryside, which determines its design of rural structure by countrymen themselves. The roads and spaces between two Buildings are narrow, and most houses are dated. Tuopu and Little Parks are facing great danger if earthquake comes, said Xiong.
"That need to be redesigned!" he said.
The response to the census thing in Shantou Seismologic Bureau, however, is “It is tough task.”
A big project annoying Cai Jiansheng, chief in the Bureau, is collecting the construction data. Since the year before last year, they have been responsible for a task of research on construction condition of both urban and rural zones. Data includes how many are high buildings, how many are in frame structure or mixed structure, etc. It will be part of the database in national government, as a reference for state leaders to make prediction of damage and lost, when disaster occurs and guide the First Aid, said Cai Jiansheng.
But work hasn’t been well conducted so far. Construction Bureau, Real Estate Bureau, Statistics Bureau can’t offer any precise data needed. It is also a huge amount of work to operate a census by the Seismic Bureau itself, which only comprises a few more than 10 staff.
“There’s no way to accomplish!” said Cai. He listed the difficulties including fund and cooperation from the residents.
Professor Xiong Guangjing underscored money when concluding the problem for census, too.
“Government, construction companies, landlords all have responsibilities.” Said Xiong. Residents' poor awareness is attributed to the failure of strengthening the house. Strengthening the house actually cost 100 to 200 Yuan per kilometer, but will necessarily lessen the space of the house because of bigger columns and beams. However, many would rather spend 1000 to 2000 per kilometer to decorate the house, said Xiong.
Shantou drew a severe lesson from Taiwan earthquake in August 16, 1994. When the 7.3 intensity quake hit the South Sea near Taiwan, Shantou was shaken with intensity 6, two died in Chaoyang Area, 141 hurt. Cai remembered that he was awakened from sleep by the tremor. He then heard two pupils died in the stampede when pupils and teachers rushed out of classrooms.
Direct economic loses was 22 million in Shantou Then. Constructions of nearly 40 thousand m2 were affected, of which schools were specially damaged, according to the report of the Seismic Bureau.
Drawing the bitter lesson, they have held propaganda annually since then, especially in schools. “Fujian Province had been less affected, because they had good education about earthquake.” Said Chief Cai.
Experts say, because of the certain function, like spacious rooms and more windows to let light in, schools building have comparatively lower utility of defending quake. So to build a firm teaching building needs more consideration about input and seismic fortification.
Based on his observation, Cai thought school buildings have been much better during these years and labeled it as one of the safest places. Another safest place is the government buildings, he said.
The Ninth Middle School in Little Park, near the Xidi Dock, is the exception. The shoddy school has started the reconstruction project.
This week, Cai will head for the No.9 School for lecturing on earthquake. This is one of recent works of him and the bureau.
“Anti-earthquake prevention has two means,” Said Cai. “One is dynamic, meaning constructive design. Two is educating residents the emergency response ability.”
Leaving the construction prevention aside temporally, coz it is now beyond officials’ capability; currently the bureau is busy with the anti-earthquake propaganda education. May is the “tech-month” in Shantou, the month for promoting science and technology. The Seismic Bureau give lectures and print booklets and papers these days.
International Children’s Day in June 1 is a chance to promote the public awareness. In that day, Education Bureau, Seismic Bureau and two sponsors held an outdoor activity in Jinsha Park, let the children make blessing and give wishes to their peers in their holiday. Exhibition on earthquake knowledge and “how to protect youself” was displayed too.
Evaluation on the buildings, the dynamic means to prevent earthquake, still should be conducted anyway. Cai resumed that Bureau of Construction, Real estate and Seismology need to be unite to take the responsibility. Plan is still in the air. All important project need to be after the central government’s leading.
Since the Sichuan “512” Earthquake, more and more Chinese get concerned about the collapsed buildings in the hard-hit zones. But Wang Defu, living in the dated house in Xinfu Road, Little Park, found no reasons to worry about. “Why worry?” he said, signing. “This is natural disaster.”
On the contrary, the retired man Cai Yuanshun complained about his apartment in ninth floor built in 1993 near Queshi Bridge. He obviously can sense the tremor when big trucks coming for the bridge pass by. On the corner of the wall near the road have appeared big flaws, from which he can even hear from the next room.
“Dated houses, Tofu projects, will surely crack down when earthquake come,” Cai said. Tofu project is a common term used in China to describe shoddy building work.
According to the data offered from the Shantou Seismology Observatory, since 1970, quakes occurred in East Guangdong were no higher than 5 degree. The biggest one during the past 100 year was 7.6 degree in Nan’ao Island in 1916. Vice-chief of the Observatory Zhou Kunlong said the possibility of high-intensity earthquake was low in Shantou. Nevertheless, being in the link of three seismic belts, Shantou is in the list of key places for seismic fortification in Guangdong Province. The seismic fortification intensity for construction in Shantou is 8 degree.
How many buildings in the city reach the standard? The answer, to the Structural engineering professor Xiong Guangjing in Shantou Universtiy, is “a census on buildings before 1990s is needed.” If any building fails to meet the standard, they must be strengthened, he said.
Tuopu is another example beyond the standard. It used to be a countryside, which determines its design of rural structure by countrymen themselves. The roads and spaces between two Buildings are narrow, and most houses are dated. Tuopu and Little Parks are facing great danger if earthquake comes, said Xiong.
"That need to be redesigned!" he said.
The response to the census thing in Shantou Seismologic Bureau, however, is “It is tough task.”
A big project annoying Cai Jiansheng, chief in the Bureau, is collecting the construction data. Since the year before last year, they have been responsible for a task of research on construction condition of both urban and rural zones. Data includes how many are high buildings, how many are in frame structure or mixed structure, etc. It will be part of the database in national government, as a reference for state leaders to make prediction of damage and lost, when disaster occurs and guide the First Aid, said Cai Jiansheng.
But work hasn’t been well conducted so far. Construction Bureau, Real Estate Bureau, Statistics Bureau can’t offer any precise data needed. It is also a huge amount of work to operate a census by the Seismic Bureau itself, which only comprises a few more than 10 staff.
“There’s no way to accomplish!” said Cai. He listed the difficulties including fund and cooperation from the residents.
Professor Xiong Guangjing underscored money when concluding the problem for census, too.
“Government, construction companies, landlords all have responsibilities.” Said Xiong. Residents' poor awareness is attributed to the failure of strengthening the house. Strengthening the house actually cost 100 to 200 Yuan per kilometer, but will necessarily lessen the space of the house because of bigger columns and beams. However, many would rather spend 1000 to 2000 per kilometer to decorate the house, said Xiong.
Shantou drew a severe lesson from Taiwan earthquake in August 16, 1994. When the 7.3 intensity quake hit the South Sea near Taiwan, Shantou was shaken with intensity 6, two died in Chaoyang Area, 141 hurt. Cai remembered that he was awakened from sleep by the tremor. He then heard two pupils died in the stampede when pupils and teachers rushed out of classrooms.
Direct economic loses was 22 million in Shantou Then. Constructions of nearly 40 thousand m2 were affected, of which schools were specially damaged, according to the report of the Seismic Bureau.
Drawing the bitter lesson, they have held propaganda annually since then, especially in schools. “Fujian Province had been less affected, because they had good education about earthquake.” Said Chief Cai.
Experts say, because of the certain function, like spacious rooms and more windows to let light in, schools building have comparatively lower utility of defending quake. So to build a firm teaching building needs more consideration about input and seismic fortification.
Based on his observation, Cai thought school buildings have been much better during these years and labeled it as one of the safest places. Another safest place is the government buildings, he said.
The Ninth Middle School in Little Park, near the Xidi Dock, is the exception. The shoddy school has started the reconstruction project.
This week, Cai will head for the No.9 School for lecturing on earthquake. This is one of recent works of him and the bureau.
“Anti-earthquake prevention has two means,” Said Cai. “One is dynamic, meaning constructive design. Two is educating residents the emergency response ability.”
Leaving the construction prevention aside temporally, coz it is now beyond officials’ capability; currently the bureau is busy with the anti-earthquake propaganda education. May is the “tech-month” in Shantou, the month for promoting science and technology. The Seismic Bureau give lectures and print booklets and papers these days.
International Children’s Day in June 1 is a chance to promote the public awareness. In that day, Education Bureau, Seismic Bureau and two sponsors held an outdoor activity in Jinsha Park, let the children make blessing and give wishes to their peers in their holiday. Exhibition on earthquake knowledge and “how to protect youself” was displayed too.
Evaluation on the buildings, the dynamic means to prevent earthquake, still should be conducted anyway. Cai resumed that Bureau of Construction, Real estate and Seismology need to be unite to take the responsibility. Plan is still in the air. All important project need to be after the central government’s leading.
Shantou Legal Aid: demand outstrips supply 法律援助供不應求
The sole office of Jinping District Legal Aid Center is located in an old building in a lane. As the only regular receptionist in the Legal Aid, Yang shares one small office with the chief who's in charge of the center. Next to the reception room is the locked and abandoned office for the chief, now just a dusty room.
"We are short of funds to enlarge our work," Yang said. "We've bitten off more than we can chew."
On the wall there are name lists of three lawyers who are supposed to be the consultant for people who come to seek legal help. However, according to Yang, they are three of the public lawyers in the justice department of the district government. Just hanging their photos on the wall is not especially serving here in the aid center.
The legal aid system in China is different from the western justice system. It is a governmental organization. Each government on different level has legal aid center, supervised by justic department. China's legal aid system was started late in last century. The Regulation on Legal Aid was issued and put into used in 2003. So far, almost every city nationwide has legal aids for the needy people, including those having financial difficulties like migrant workers, and those who need but have no custodians.
The Municipal Legal Aid of Shantou was established relatively late, but it has been one of the best in recent years, receiving many awards both for the organization and the lawyers. Besides the municipal Aid Center, each district has aid subsidy supervised by justice department of district of local government, too.
But the development of the Aid Center in each district has been unbalanced. Longhu Legal Aid is comparatively well conducted.
Although Longhu Aid has homogenous shortage of personnel, there are three regular lawyers including one chief who work here. The new office is well furnished and decorated. The Longhu District is a comparatively rich and has many industrial firms located, hence many more migrant workers. Therefore, migrant workers comprise largest group of visitors who come here seeking for help--more than half of the total--according to logistics staffer Zhang in Longhu Legal Aid.
"Personnel are few, tasks are heavy," said Zhang. Because of limited personnel, they've not kept statistics of the amount of cases they have helped; but he said they accept several hundred cases annually.
The lawyers working for Legal Aid in China have the dual role of attorney and national public official, which determines that they cannot accept employment personally, being paid not better but more stably as a public servant.
Yao, one of the three lawyers in this Longhu Legal Aid, knows very well the conflicts between the migrant workers and entrepreneurs. Migrant workers are one of the major groups in need of legal assistance due to economic difficulties and social status.
"The migrant workers are really tough," said Yao. "So law and government policies tend to favor their side." Still they are the weak group, said Yao.
As Chinese Spring Festival approached, the staff in Longhu Legal Aid met many migrant workers who didn't get their salary on time and were ready for home for Lunar New Year. At the beginning of this year, they dealt with another peak of work because a large number of migrant workers were seeking for advice on the Chinese New Contract Law. Therefore, in order to solve the problem of the shortage of the consultants, some prompt actions were taken. For example, lawyers in the law office should participate in the aid, suggested Yao.
Statistics offered by municipal Legal Aid Center located in Huashan Road show that about 50 staff members are working at the legal aid office in the whole city, of which there are only a few more then 20 lawyers. The personnel flow frequently, said Mr. H, an insider who requested that his full name not be used.
According to a report copy given by Mr. H, by November 2007, under the organization of Shantou Legal Aid assistant lawyers in the city have accepted 6,835 cases, helped write nearly 10,000 pleading papers, and have been consulted by more than 4 thousands visitors. It was awarded by governments from the local to the national level several times over.
Leaving the reputation aside, Mr. H talked more about the vacancies in Legal Aid to this reporter of News Myshantou. He emphasized that the needy group is not all satisfied and it is beyond the capability of Legal Aid system, which belongs to the government. "It is not realistic to place the entire burden on government," He said.
As far as Mr. H knows, there aren't any NGO or independent sectors for legal aid in Shantou.
"Some assistant works, including legal aid, should've been accomplished by society," said Mr.H. "The government should not, and is not able to take the entire burden."
"Nowadays, China lacks the folk power [non-governmental power], social organization, intermediary organization," he said. "They are not developed, so the society is still not so harmonious."
Having been engaged in legal aid for nearly 10 years, Mr. H believes the demand for legal services will be increasing, resulting in a larger need for free legal assistance.
One of the solutions is to refer some people to other places that can help them rather then accepting the cases directly. For example, some people will be guided to write a pleading paper or find an attorney in law firms. Another way commonly used in China is avoiding court lawsuit by mediation, so they can help the needy efficiently and save on costs.
Most of the visitors coming for help have Low awareness of law and poor ability to protect their rights. Not protecting the evidence well from damage and not watching timeliness is a biggest problem, making the work more troublesome for the lawyers to handle the cases, said Mr. H.
"My work is actually quite tedious and trivial," added Mr. H. "But, seen from a higher perspective, the work is still quite significant."
"We are short of funds to enlarge our work," Yang said. "We've bitten off more than we can chew."
On the wall there are name lists of three lawyers who are supposed to be the consultant for people who come to seek legal help. However, according to Yang, they are three of the public lawyers in the justice department of the district government. Just hanging their photos on the wall is not especially serving here in the aid center.
The legal aid system in China is different from the western justice system. It is a governmental organization. Each government on different level has legal aid center, supervised by justic department. China's legal aid system was started late in last century. The Regulation on Legal Aid was issued and put into used in 2003. So far, almost every city nationwide has legal aids for the needy people, including those having financial difficulties like migrant workers, and those who need but have no custodians.
The Municipal Legal Aid of Shantou was established relatively late, but it has been one of the best in recent years, receiving many awards both for the organization and the lawyers. Besides the municipal Aid Center, each district has aid subsidy supervised by justice department of district of local government, too.
But the development of the Aid Center in each district has been unbalanced. Longhu Legal Aid is comparatively well conducted.
Although Longhu Aid has homogenous shortage of personnel, there are three regular lawyers including one chief who work here. The new office is well furnished and decorated. The Longhu District is a comparatively rich and has many industrial firms located, hence many more migrant workers. Therefore, migrant workers comprise largest group of visitors who come here seeking for help--more than half of the total--according to logistics staffer Zhang in Longhu Legal Aid.
"Personnel are few, tasks are heavy," said Zhang. Because of limited personnel, they've not kept statistics of the amount of cases they have helped; but he said they accept several hundred cases annually.
The lawyers working for Legal Aid in China have the dual role of attorney and national public official, which determines that they cannot accept employment personally, being paid not better but more stably as a public servant.
Yao, one of the three lawyers in this Longhu Legal Aid, knows very well the conflicts between the migrant workers and entrepreneurs. Migrant workers are one of the major groups in need of legal assistance due to economic difficulties and social status.
"The migrant workers are really tough," said Yao. "So law and government policies tend to favor their side." Still they are the weak group, said Yao.
As Chinese Spring Festival approached, the staff in Longhu Legal Aid met many migrant workers who didn't get their salary on time and were ready for home for Lunar New Year. At the beginning of this year, they dealt with another peak of work because a large number of migrant workers were seeking for advice on the Chinese New Contract Law. Therefore, in order to solve the problem of the shortage of the consultants, some prompt actions were taken. For example, lawyers in the law office should participate in the aid, suggested Yao.
Statistics offered by municipal Legal Aid Center located in Huashan Road show that about 50 staff members are working at the legal aid office in the whole city, of which there are only a few more then 20 lawyers. The personnel flow frequently, said Mr. H, an insider who requested that his full name not be used.
According to a report copy given by Mr. H, by November 2007, under the organization of Shantou Legal Aid assistant lawyers in the city have accepted 6,835 cases, helped write nearly 10,000 pleading papers, and have been consulted by more than 4 thousands visitors. It was awarded by governments from the local to the national level several times over.
Leaving the reputation aside, Mr. H talked more about the vacancies in Legal Aid to this reporter of News Myshantou. He emphasized that the needy group is not all satisfied and it is beyond the capability of Legal Aid system, which belongs to the government. "It is not realistic to place the entire burden on government," He said.
As far as Mr. H knows, there aren't any NGO or independent sectors for legal aid in Shantou.
"Some assistant works, including legal aid, should've been accomplished by society," said Mr.H. "The government should not, and is not able to take the entire burden."
"Nowadays, China lacks the folk power [non-governmental power], social organization, intermediary organization," he said. "They are not developed, so the society is still not so harmonious."
Having been engaged in legal aid for nearly 10 years, Mr. H believes the demand for legal services will be increasing, resulting in a larger need for free legal assistance.
One of the solutions is to refer some people to other places that can help them rather then accepting the cases directly. For example, some people will be guided to write a pleading paper or find an attorney in law firms. Another way commonly used in China is avoiding court lawsuit by mediation, so they can help the needy efficiently and save on costs.
Most of the visitors coming for help have Low awareness of law and poor ability to protect their rights. Not protecting the evidence well from damage and not watching timeliness is a biggest problem, making the work more troublesome for the lawyers to handle the cases, said Mr. H.
"My work is actually quite tedious and trivial," added Mr. H. "But, seen from a higher perspective, the work is still quite significant."
2008年6月29日星期日
Cheer up, Me!
Good day to myself!
I'm writing my second post in this rainy night, using my damn broken sucks English.
My last summer vocation has been lasted for three days. It will be the ever last one, if I'm have no further education after graduating from university. And I left school for home right after their graduation ceremony, a hilarous get-together, a sad departing time. Also Li Kashing's 80 years old birthday. Then I decided to escape from the campus and return home.
Everything looks good, but you never know how true or how wrong it is. Every day I open my email, but see the disappointment. No reply from Corinne, again. Internship in HK is still in the air. I'm desired to make my dad proud of me on this.
I won't be beaten by this, however. I'm still working hard on my career.
I'm writing my second post in this rainy night, using my damn broken sucks English.
My last summer vocation has been lasted for three days. It will be the ever last one, if I'm have no further education after graduating from university. And I left school for home right after their graduation ceremony, a hilarous get-together, a sad departing time. Also Li Kashing's 80 years old birthday. Then I decided to escape from the campus and return home.
Everything looks good, but you never know how true or how wrong it is. Every day I open my email, but see the disappointment. No reply from Corinne, again. Internship in HK is still in the air. I'm desired to make my dad proud of me on this.
I won't be beaten by this, however. I'm still working hard on my career.
2008年6月28日星期六
Hi, my first post
Finally I creat my blog, actually, the second blog. I make it an English version, for practicing, making friends purposes, something like that.
Hey, I'm a Chinese university student. Welcome to my blog and please comment.
Hey, I'm a Chinese university student. Welcome to my blog and please comment.
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