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《纯C论坛·电子杂志》2004.11.SP1（总第2期）SP1

Ocean. One of Taiwan's deadliest quakes occurred in September 1999. The 7.6
magnitude quake killed more than 2,400 people.
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Riot police force head for Haiti mission
A 95-MEMBER unit of Chinese riot police left Beijing on Sunday for Haiti to join
the United Nations peacekeeping operations there. This is the first time for
China to add riot police to its overseas peacekeeping duties. The Haiti force
will support the international peacekeeping forces and local police in
maintaining law and order, public security, guarding important public occasions,
and training local riot police.
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China launches first weather satellite
CHINA launched its first professional geostationary meteorological satellite,
Fengyun-2 C, at 9:20 am on Tuesday aboard a Long March carrier rocket. The
rocket was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in Sichuan
Province. The 1.38-ton satellite, independently developed and manufactured by
China, entered orbit 24 minutes after the rocket's takeoff. Over the next few
days, it will be positioned above the equator with an observation scope covering
one-third of the earth's surface.
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Spain to vote first on EU constitution
SPAIN is likely to be the first European Union (EU) member to ratify the first
EU Constitution. It has decided to hold a referendum on whether to ratify it on
February 20, 2005, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said on
Monday. The EU adopted its first constitution for the reunited continent on June
18. The constitution will come into effect in 2009 after it is adopted by all 25
EU members.
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Russia joins Central Asia co-operation
RUSSIA formally joined the Central Asia Co-operation Organization (CACO) after
signing a protocol at a CACO summit in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe on Monday.
The move is seen as an attempt to regain its influence in the energy-rich
ex-Soviet region. The organization was created in 2002. The group includes
Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Russia. At the summit, the
presidents of the five countries discussed the creation of a common economic
zone, regional security and the joint fight against terrorism in Afghanistan.
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India police kill most wanted bandit
INDIAN police have shot India's most wanted bandit Koose Muniswamy Veerappan.
Veerappan had been accused of brutally killing more than 100 victims, officials
said on Tuesday. He was dubbed the "Jungle Cat" and operated in the southern
jungles. He was believed to have ties with Tamil militants. Officials said the
militant link extended to Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers. Veerappan made world
headlines in 2000 when he held film star Rajkumar hostage for 108 days.
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Thousands protest Iraq War in London
THOUSANDS of anti-war demonstrators took to the streets in London on Sunday to
demand the withdrawal of British troops in Iraq. The protest came amid reports
that Britain was considering sending some 600 soldiers to Baghdad to support US
operations. The protest, organized by the Stop the War Coalition, was the climax
of a three-day European Social Forum in London attended by environmental and
peace campaigners, politicians and trade unionists.
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Asian awards for inventors
AT a time when fancy consumer gadgets seem to define technological advances,
it's good to keep this in mind: technology that improves the quality of life
isn't always miniature and glamorous.
FEER magazine has named a group of engineers and doctors in Singapore winners of
this year's Asian Innovation Awards. They have developed a plastic cloth that
can decompose naturally to mend head wounds. The substance allows the bone to
grow back and is a cheaper, safer alternative to metal implants, which carry
some risk of infection.
The winners were selected from a final shortlist of a dozen entries, judged by
three criteria: level of creativity, quality of execution and potential impact
on quality of life.
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President race still dead heat
THE past couple of weeks have seen three heated televised presidential debates
for US president candidates George W. Bush and John Kerry. But, after the
debates, the odds for both of the presidential candidates were vaguer than
before.
Americans have never been so divided. The situation seems better for Kerry as
many Bush supporters decided to turn to him after watching the debates,
according to a US News survey. Kerry had a successful make-over of his image. He
was painted by the Bush campaign as a weak, undecided liberal. But he seemed to
have changed himself into a strong leader, formal and presidential.
Not everyone saw the debates that way. Although Kerry seemed to win the second,
many voters thought that Bush took the decisive final round.
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"If I have to go down, I'm willing to do it. I'm going to take a stand. I'm a
bigmouth on the air and I'm a bigmouth off the air."
BILL O'REILLY, of Fox News, on a sexual-harassment lawsuit filed by Andrea
Mackris, 33, an associate producer of his show, "The O'Reilly Factor," in an
interview last week on "Live With Regis and Kelly." The suit alleges that he
made inappropriate
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"There is no bulletproof vest in my size."
ARIEL SHARON, Israel's heavy prime minister, responding to a lawmaker's question
about whether he wore a vest to protect
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"This is absurd. They will soon say he is a terrorist and that he was the one
who demolished the twin towers."
DUMITRU DRAGOMIR, head of the Romanian Football League, was furious when he
heard the accusations on Romanian international Adrian Mutu. The Chelsea player
is alleged to have failed a drug test in early October and could face a ban of
two years. Dragomir believes the accusation is because Mutu's recently public
fight with Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho.
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Basketball gap's starting to close
WHEN the last souvenir T-shirt was thrown into the crowd, the last mascot
routine completed, the last performance given by the dancers, it was time to
look ahead.
The first China Games were not so much about what the NBA did by bringing the
Rockets and Sacramento Kings to the other side of the planet. They were more
about where the basketball world can go in future.
Chinese basketball fans with posters of Yao Ming and other Houston Rockets and
Sacramento Kings stars, on October 17. AFP
The two stops on the NBA slam-dunk tour provided a glimpse of Yao-mania. It was
as if the Beatles, Rolling Stones and Elvis were riding on the same bus.
"This is the largest market in the world and Yao Ming is one of the most
important figures," said George Postolos, Rockets president and CEO. "He is
global. It is not an exaggeration to say he's changing the world."
Concerns
A glance around Capital Stadium showed quickly changing tastes following trends
from the other side of the Pacific. And it is a greedy appetite.
"There is no holding this back now," one fan said. "This was a great event,
wonderful. The question now is what it will lead to in 20 years. I think
basketball could surpass soccer to become the No 1 sport in the world, with
Chinese players out in front of the wave. We have the population. We have the
potential."
He pointed out that Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) officials worry about
losing their players to the US and the NBA.
"Right now, we have three players in the NBA, the three best players," he said.
"But what happens when we have 30 players of that caliber? Or 40? Or 50?"
Yao wants the CBA to keep pace with the NBA.
"I am concerned about my own national association," Yao said. "I hope the CBA
learns about the marketing of the NBA. Let them look at the great experience the
fans can get, from the comfortable seats to the loud music to the entire
atmosphere. I would like to see the day when CBA games are like NBA games."
The process of development has sped up.
"I never dreamed this could happen so quickly," said Bill Walton, a prominent
broadcaster. "I really thought this was going to take 30 to 40 years to get
here. Well, it's happened almost overnight in China."
Just look at Yao Ming. When he arrived in Houston two years ago, he had to be
taught to dunk the ball. Aggressiveness was not his nature. Yet this summer at
the Olympics in Athens, he criticized the play of the Chinese national team and
its lack of commitment after a loss to Spain.
"That was a big moment," Postolos said. "I waited for the reaction that might
come from China and none of it was negative. It was another step."
Positive signs
"It was actually the first example in a team sport of a Chinese player taking on
the role of a leader," said Erick Zhang, one of Yao's representatives. "It was
very significant. It was another sign of how fast the gap can close."
He added, "More Chinese players, younger ones, will pick up on that and it will
help the development of the game here. In 20 years, Yao will be remembered as a
pioneer... But you won't recognize Chinese basketball from where we are now."
By 2010, most major cities in China will have NBA-quality arenas, according to
Zhang, and the CBA will have the potential to become a top-flight league. "I
think you will see a situation in which some of the best Chinese talent might
choose to stay in China for the competition. And the money could be there."
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Yao able to prove himself in front of home crowd
THE NBA's Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings squared off in the last of two
China games, with the Kings narrowly edging the Rockets 91-89, in Beijing,
Sunday.
The first NBA pre-season match-ups in China resulted in victories for both
teams. The Kings took successful revenge on their rivals after losing the
opening match 88-86 in Shanghai.
The Rockets Chinese centre Yao Ming proved himself in front of a home crowd,
clinching 13 points.
Over on the Kings' squad, Chinese guard Liu Wei, who appeared during the
Shanghai game, got another chance in Beijing. However, he has not fully meshed
with his new team and managed to catch only one rebound during the game.
Meanwhile, the NBA is considering playing some of its regular season games in
China, commissioner David Stern said Friday.
"I don't know how and I don't know when, because the cost could be quite great,"
he said. "But certainly I can say we are watching the construction of the
Olympic basketball arena with great interest .
"When it is finished, we think a good way to inaugurate the arena would be with
an NBA game."
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Marketing is crucial to games
A DAY before starring in the NBA's first China game, Yao Ming went back to
school. The two-time All-Star visited his old elementary school and the first
court he played ball on in Shanghai.
All but 10 minutes of the hour-long visit last Tuseday were taken up by
promotional speeches and a visit from Mickey Mouse. The trip was sponsored by
Disneyland Hong Kong, which will open soon.
"I felt like I was suffocating, so I had to find somewhere to get some fresh
air," AFP quoted Yao as saying after several days of attention since his arrival
in China.
"I wouldn't say the commercial activities and homecoming activities are not
important," Yao said. "They are important to the NBA and they are equally
important to the fans and to the little school kids."
The marketing exercise is seen as crucial to the league's plans to expand beyond
its home borders into the fast emerging Asian sports market.
Basketball was already one of China's most popular sports and Yao's success has
given it an even bigger boost.
The Bejing arena was decorated with Yao banners and portraits and the fans
chanted his name constantly.
Chinese fans have watched NBA games on TV for years.
But now they are ready for the real stuff  even if it means that they have to
pay big money to get a good seat.
"It's my first time to play NBA games back home. It was a great chance for
Chinese fans to enjoy the NBA experience," Yao said.
And that includes the very American experience of consumerism.
At the Shanghai stadium, fans were treated to all the splendid performance of
American sports: the loud music, the cheerleaders, half-time performers, team
mascots, and, of course, the game itself.
Chinese fans know the details of their NBA idols  the statistics as well as
which jerseys and shoes they wear.
"When I go out, I wear NBA clothes  and many people think it's cool," Chinese
fan Lu Rundong told CNN. "I wear jerseys featuring Kobe, T-Mac and Jordan."
NBA commissioner David Stern explained, "I think there are probably 1.3 billion
reasons why China is important. And given the fact that basketball is the number
one team sport among Chinese kids, it seems natural that, as China grows, so
will the NBA here."
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