Shanghaiist: Pearl River: 'Neither black nor stinky'

peter

Tue, 22 Aug 2006 04:58:44 +0800

Don't know the water quality until published data is available. Do know that the city of Guangzhou is a very exciting and beautiful city.The lights at night against the Pearl River look great.

nanheyangrouchuan

Fri, 21 Jul 2006 14:52:16 +0800

Most of those 3500 victims were government employees who risked loss of wages if they did not enjoy a dip in the clear blue waters of the Pearl River. I imagine alot of those people spent alot of money at the local drugstore and lost quite a bit of weight afterwards. Poor Hong Kong is victimized by the horrid PRD.

Bliss

Fri, 14 Jul 2006 14:34:35 +0800

thanks for the additional info, mark. and of course, none of that (the fishing of trash out of the water/capping sewage lines) surprises me in the least bit.

Mark Baker

Fri, 14 Jul 2006 14:28:40 +0800

NPR/All Things Considered had a story about the swim today. Some highlights I recall: * Workers on boats observed fishing trash out of the river just hours before the swim * Raw sewage lines in the area that drain directly into the river being capped...just for the day of the swim * Interview with a scientist (a professor at the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry) reporting that the levels of heavy metal toxins still in the sludge/sediment of the riverbed are definitely dangerous, could be lethal in the case of overexposure * Interview with a swimmer afterwards, saying "It smelled a little bad." Just found that there's a summary (more content in the broadcast version) at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5555680

peijin

Fri, 14 Jul 2006 14:12:30 +0800

Jeremy: good point, though yeah, the murky river seems a bit of a forced show in this regard. Shaking hands with an AIDS patient seems good to me, but there's at least the "science" behind it--ie the fact that shaking hands doesn't get you infected. I wonder if there's enough science (or sense) behind jumping in the river--one can survive the swim, but still, it brings along with it health risks that i don't think that anyone would want.

Billy Cea

Fri, 14 Jul 2006 13:00:32 +0800

Oh my I think I might be sick. I couldn't imagine actually swimming in an open body of water in China. I don't really like to be within breathing distance of most of them, and I certainly don't like touching them. I'd be curious to see how many people walked away with rashes, infections, the runs, or something worse after their little dip into the Pearl.

Jeremy

Fri, 14 Jul 2006 12:44:48 +0800

I agree mostly with peijin's comment, but I do think that politicians and leaders doing things "for show" does have it's positive uses. For example, when (was it WenJiaBao?) shook the hand of an AIDS/HIV patient. If it will help people get over irrational fears, then I support it. Though... jumping in a murky river... perhaps these "for show" acts could for a better cause?

peijin

Fri, 14 Jul 2006 11:39:06 +0800

THis reminds me of the famous time when Mao was swimming in the river to show how healthy he was. Despite the decades separating these events, as well as the diffrent historical contexts, it seems that they still like to do things "for show" here, with the leaders showing up and participating, even taking the head. It's that whole paternal, fu mu guan type concept, where you're like "it's ok kids, watch as daddy does it. See it's not so bad. Daddy took care of all the problems." And when the officials go in, they gotta drag a couple thousand people in their with them? I don't know if mental capacity is what i would focus on, they seem like they have suicidal tendencies and should be cared for accordingly.