Consumed...Updated

a very quiet mention in the press has announced that a top party officials wife has been charged with intentional murder of neil heywood.

i wrote about this here as it was big news in the region.  however, i find it really interesting that the next step has been so quiet.

as the FT article here states:

 

Chinese censors kept tight control over news of Ms Gu’s indictment on Thursday night. Users of Sina Weibo, the country’s leading Twitter equivalent, were blocked from commenting on the development except in response to a story in the People’s Daily, the party’s flagship newspaper.

 in fact, the FT has a lot of good coverage including an article on who's who in the chinese power families as well as one on mao's only living grandson.  in the later article, i like how the "princelings" blame the bad system and that they are forced to accept good jobs, bank loans, power, etc. not them and their connections.  there is frequently deep sentiment expressed by people here who will not accept any onus at all.  it is almost admirable.

bringing it closer to home, one chinese partner explained like this, "they just dont have any empathy".  um, ok.

Over It

so ive returned from holiday and need to get back into my exercise regime.  i have increased my outrigger sessions to include two mornings before work as my weekend attendance was sporadic due to it being saturday morning at 7am.....

anyway, on the way back to central this morning, i was standing in the bus and the next stop all these oldies got on.  one lady got up and gave one of them her seat.  the young girl, say 25 years old, seated next to the good samaritan looked at the rest of the standing geriatrics and gently closed her eyes.  i thought, TYPICAL!

i went to pick up lunch today when people normally come back into the office and this was the scene:

 i love the sign telling you which way to walk.  once again - TYPICAL.

ive told the haggis i am more than happy to get out of here as soon as possible.

Ldn

returned from london yesterday after two weeks.  admittedly, as much as i love to travel, i am not the best person when dealing with jet lag so post i will as it be 430am and i am awake.  the haggis sleeps gently whispering away the time difference and i tossed and turned since 330.

anyway, the trip was good.  it was a difficult two weeks as we went back for the haggis' dad's one year memorial.  i worked for a handful of days in the london office (which is beyond fab), we had his nephew's christening as well and a handful of wonderfully english moments including tea at fortnum & mason and a visit to leeds castle - so not all gloomy!

however, the weather was atrocious with cold rain almost the entire time but here are a few cute pictures from sunnier moments.