Blogs & Ecology

Image from garryknight

Image source: Capital Growth

Monday we reported on a project in San Francisco to increase backyard gardens and locally produced food. Today we have yet another local gardening project to report on, as reported in The Guardian, this time in London. The Capital Growth project encourages area residents to plant gardens on their empty, flat roofs, well and frankly just about any available space in London, to increase the amount of locally grown food. ...

As the Jamaican Olympic medalists implore their compatriots to “stop the violence”, A Fe Me Page Dis Iyah says: “I hope someone listens to them.”

Image:Construction workers work on the site of the residential complex of the Commonwealth Village being constructed by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in partnership with private builder Emaar MGF (Getty)

It couldn't have been all so bad when Gao Xingjian was awarded the Nobel prize in Literature in 2000; Zhu Rongji congratulated the former Chinese citizen at the time, and Wikipedia maintains that his winning the Nobel Prize in its 100th anniversary year is a happy occasion for Chinese literature, even with his works having been banned in China.

Allen blogs about the closing ceremony of 2008 Beijing Paralympics at the Fool's Mountain.

“The rain didn't stop Usain Bolt's return ‘back a yawd'. People lined the road from Norman Manley Airport all the way to the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston”: A Fe Me Page Dis Iyah reports on the Olympic Gold Medalist's triumphant return home, as do YardFlex.com and Guyana 360.

For its foreign visitors, the Olympics seemed to be an introduction to all that free market forces have done to China since Opening Up and Reform began following Mao's death (which was 32 years ago today, btw, and barely paid any attention).

What does that mean? It led Thomas Friedman to write that American cities now look third world in comparison to some of the ones China has built

“September is the month for celebration as athletes from Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica return home from the Beijing Olympics”: Caribbean Beat Blog wants to get the party started!

Greenpeace victory

After going to court last week, cop killer Yang Jia's (杨佳) first trial concluded today with the handing down of the death sentence. Yang has ten days to appeal for a second trial, which if he does will be followed by a review at the People's Supreme Court of his having been given the death penalty, to then be commuted or carried out.

Achievement

“Truly Exceptional” is the term IOC honored the 2008 Beijing Olympics. At the time that Chinese people strived to impress the world with grandiose stadiums, seamless organization and the best service ever provided, the Chinese athletes didn’t disappoint the host nation with 51 gold medals, topping the table for its first time. Only 10 medals fewer than U.S, China seconds by the total medals won.

Thinking back the 1932 Los Angels Olympics when only 1 athlete from China made his appearance with no gain, no one could deny this is a historic achievement.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has ordered an enquiry into why Egypt performed poorly in the Olympics, reports Tom Gara.

Zhaomu re-posted a forum article which calculated the cost of a gold medal exemplified by the Olympic shooting team. It is estimated that a gold medal costs between RMB30 - 80 millions (around US4.5 - 10 million).