The only way to ride was by rail. The flight to my destination in the southeast would have taken fewer than three hours and cost about $200 one-way for an economy seat, higher than usual because of the surging costs of oil. The train took 32 hours, but a ticket in the second-class berth, “hard sleeper”, cost around $60. So for a third of the price I traveled thirteen times as slow.
Continue readingMean Streets
Chinese law in action can be about as manic as baseball umpired with a moving strike zone. Advantage: offense. Porous, under-regulated markets generally play into the pockets of the players as well as local authorities, be it through taxes, bribes or gate fees.
Continue readingChinese Stability: Yin and Yang
In the context of holy war with America, many Chinese see Osama Bin Laden as a cult figure. In the context of his alleged collaborations with top Uighur extremists, he’s read as just another bad guy.
Continue readingDrive and Pay: Chinese Traffic Law
Chinese police forces count on traffic tickets to fund their largesse. Hidden cameras ensure that the proceeds will keep on growing. But electronic enforcement also makes corruption a trickier gambit. Which is why these little games are played..
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