Originally posted by Sabreblade

Question:
I have read many times here about one blown out of proportion story being used to cover an actual bigger story.
Could this be the case here?

I can't comment too much I'm afraid as I am a guest in this country. Governments in general are good at generating smokescreens, but I don't think this is the case this time.

Originally posted by Sabreblade
I have also heard that YouTube and Flickr were also shut down.

Youtube has been down for many weeks now. Flcikr is sporadically on and off

Originally posted by Sabreblade
Could they be using the Tiananmen Square Anniversary story to cover the virus outbreak?

I sincerely doubt it.

Originally posted by mmiichael
I still wonder with tens of millions of Chinese able to read and write English and with Internet access why we hear so little from them online. I realize it is prudent not to give opinions that are critical of the country and it's government.

Because they block the channels in which the average Chinese citizen is able to communicate freely with the outside world. Anytime there is a topic that gains global attention regarding China, the Chinese government unleashes it's internet brigades to spread official propaganda. Almost always the poster says they are originally from the west (to bolster credibility with us?) and they always say the Chinese government may have been misguided in the past but isn't anymore. It's pretty standard, go look at the threads around the olympics and Tibet, you'll see exactly what I'm talking about.

Funny though, did anybody see CNN as they attempted to cover the Tienaman anniversary? It was hillarious, they had Chinese police dressed as average citizens on cell phones, but with big umbrellas and they kept walking in front of the camera to block it. Like the massacre is STILL going on or something, lol. They try SO hard though, gotta given em an A for effort.

If this new illness is real, we probably won't hear much about it until it spreads outside China...

edit: wanted to add that i'm not accusing mckyle of being part of an internet brigade, just pointing out past trends, i predict you will see alot of chinese posters during this anniversary of Tieneman, and they will only post positive messages about the Chinese government (with slight, half hearted criticisms to give the appearance of independent thought), once it's over they will disappear until the next time China is in the spotlight...

[edit on 4-6-2009 by 27jd]

Originally posted by 27jd
Almost always the poster says they are originally from the west (to bolster credibility with us?) and they always say the Chinese government may have been misguided in the past but isn't anymore.
[edit on 4-6-2009 by 27jd]

If anyone doubts that I am a Westerner, perhaps you can read my other threads over the last year that I've been with ATS.

This is one of the very few times I've posted about where I live.

Apologies to 27jd. I assumed you were having a dig at me

[edit on 4-6-2009 by mckyle]

Originally posted by 27jd

if you are indeed an average joe in China, i'm interested in your opinion
[edit on 4-6-2009 by 27jd]

27jd,

As much as I would love to take you up on the offer, the realities of where I live would make that inadvisable.

Speaking out is something that you put a lot of thought into before you do.

Otherwise........well, I'm sure you can guess.

Originally posted by mckyle
China's greatest asset is it's people. The Chinese people in general are wonderful people - I truly mean that.

I completely agree. I have alot of criticism for the government there, as well as my own government, but the people of China are very kind and good people. I wish them all the best (you can tell them all for me ), and hope this illness turns out to be nothing.

Originally posted by 27jd

Originally posted by mckyle
China's greatest asset is it's people. The Chinese people in general are wonderful people - I truly mean that.

I completely agree. I have alot of criticism for the government there, as well as my own government, but the people of China are very kind and good people. I wish them all the best (you can tell them all for me ), and hope this illness turns out to be nothing.

I'll pass it on mate

As for this virus, or any future outbreak, as I said earlier the population density in the big cities - of which there are many - is very high. So if a particularly virulent air-borne one comes along, it's going to be a massive problem - a la black death perhaps (heaven forbid)

Not Concerned.

Show me more sources then Maybe I'll think about being worried.

Originally posted by Paveway27
Hahaha, its America's way of stopping the Chinese from interfering when we go after Korea. Lol, what a great Idea. Take them out from the inside, then take them out. YES!

I was told this by someone I trust... one of the deals made with the opium growing tribes in Afghanistan was that the Allies would not mess with their fields as long as they agreed to only ship their product EAST towards China.

I do not believe that deceit is good foreign policy, we are all residents of the same spaceship called Earth, and truth and honor and practicing respect for life will help us to get along.

Without some more definitive numbers, I can't get worked up about this just yet. It seems like every month we hear about a new deadly disease from China that threatens to wipe out the world.

If anything, it's best it's happening in China, because the government will simply kill off the infected before it spreads.

[edit on 4-6-2009 by seanryann]

With global transportation, bizarre sexual acts, messing with dangerous or exotic creatures to get ratings on your lame ass television show....are we really that surprised there are so many life threatening diseases or viruses that surface?