The Week March 26, 2010

Sandstorm Fashion

Well, this has been the week for making a sandstorm fashion statement. Here in Northern China we’ve covered our faces with masks and scarves, sunglasses and – my favorite -- even the occasional KFC bag. Yes, we have even learned how to dress up our sandstorm scarves to look fashionably rich, or fashionably plain, or fashionably cool. So what will all these sandstorms do to our social lives? The Week investigates …

Shanghai Fashion

Well, the Shanghai 2010 World Expo is just around the corner. And China Daily reports that efforts are under way to get some Shanghai residents to stop discriminating against the outsiders, especially the foreigners that are coming to the Expo. So why do people in Shanghai think they are so much better than the rest of us? Well, one thing I read in an article, apparently they like to wear Hello Kitty pajamas. In public. I don’t think the Paris or Rome fashion runways have caught on, and neither has Beijing. So how about getting a date in Beijing wearing those Hello Kitty pajamas!

What's in Your Drinking Water?

Authorities are getting ready to import more drinking water from the Yangtze River in southern China to northern China. The Beijing Water Authority this week began a program to decide whether residents in Beijing will like the taste of the water from southern China. Or if they will prefer what the China Daily called a cocktail. “We are considering changing the taste with food additives or local tap water,” said one official. Here at the Week, we like the idea of cocktails.

What's in Your Bed?

It was like that hit movie, “Snakes on a Plane.” Where snakes on boarding an airplane and passengers were sent screaming and actor Samuel J. Jackson had to run in to rescue. Well in China this week, it was snakes in the bedding market. According to authorities, a man dumped a box of 100 snakes into a bedding market in Hubei province this week. It sent customers scrambling. The incident was believed to be caused by some kind of argument between market vendors. Or could it have been a Hollywood sequel in the making?

Cool New Gadgets

Yes, it’s that time for our segment on Cool New Gadgets. And this week, it’s robots. A Chinese man named Wu Yulu has invented lots and lots of robots. In fact, one giant robot can pull a rickshaw. Another man in Japan has invented a robot that will stand in for him when he doesn’t want to go to meetings at the office. Now, most of us can’t afford a robot. But we can afford toys. And toys can bring us our lunch, we can afford toys that will bring us the news, and we can afford toys that can tell us when it’s time to take a break. And about those boring office meetings? Well, as long as sandstorms are still coming, we have something to substitute that too.

About the broadcaster:

Renee Haines is an editor and broadcaster at China Daily. Renee has more than 15 years of experience as a newspaper editor, radio station anchor and news director, news-wire service reporter and bureau chief, magazine writer, book editor and website consultant. She came to China from the United States.