Politics don't make any sense no matter what origin they have. Unfortunately where ever you find people you will find senseless politics.
Do you think everybody (especially Chinese people like Fang) likes going to court? It's not their culture. They may cherish their time/energy and don't want to deal with craps. How much you lose and how much you gain from that? Every reasonable person knows the book is full of craps, so there is no need for a law suit - apparently you don't think so. Whether to go for a law suit is your only criterion, right?
Yao Ming certainly likes going to court. He sued Coca Cola, Inc. for ONE YUAN. ($0.12) A single, solitary yuan. http://promomagazine.com/law/marketing_yao_ming_follows/ No, my criteria is if the information in the book is accurate, thus far you haven't provided any basis for me to doubt it - much of the information presented in the book (well, the excerpts that i've read) consists of factual accounts and quotes from individuals about factual episodes. I highly doubt those are made up- as most non-fiction writers in the US tend to write non fiction, or else they don't last for very long,especially something as easily checkable as this. What part of the book is wrong? Did you know Fang Fengdi during the GPCR? Have you conducted interviews with people who did?
And I missed the discussion, so I'm re-opening it. What factual parts are not true? Perhaps you may disagree with some of the implications or inferences or theories presented - but what facts are quesitionable? -thus far I'm faced with a barrage of "he hates Chinese people, this is BS!" Pardon me, but as somebody who has historcially been accused of hating chinese people and being racist for mentioning that Yao has trouble fighting off a double team - I'm not inclined to put much stock in that type of criticism.
Most of the information are facts, the only problem is the way she presented and implied. Most of the marriages during those times are arranged ones, by somebody, be it family, friends, colleagues, supervisors, or even high ranked supervisors or powerful people. It's always the way it is, it's not like if the person introduced those two together is a person with power or higher position, there must be some conspiracy. I just don't get that idiotic logic. In India, lots of marriages are still arranged ones, I don't believe only done by average people, I am sure that those powerful people have friends and families as well. I am sure they are happy to hook up men and women as well. Is that some secret mission/operation as well? The author wanted attention, she got it from bunch of guys, so she's successful. Americans are so sensitive about anything "red". Red guard sounds like a terrible terrible thing. At one point, most of the youths were in it, it was considered something to be proud of. There were red guards doing horrible things, does that mean Red guards eqauls to evil things? Certainly not. Just like there are Americans or Chinese criminals, that doesn't mean every American or every Chinese is a criminal. Back to the topic, both Yao Ming's parents are basketball players, who are very tall, hard to find a boy friend or girl friend. What's so outrageous for their coach and supervisor to step in, just as all the others do? Or only if Fang married some one veritically challenged, there will be no biological experiment? Both Yao's parents are tall, it's not rocket science to figure out that he will be tall as well. Experiment and Operation, aren't those the words selling, and in fact "load of craps"?
I'm sure there's a kernel of truth in the book, but after that, who knows? But even if it was all true, I wouldn't care much. I root for Yao now. His birth and childhood are in the past, a past which he had no control over. Right now he seems to be a happy guy who loves junk food like the rest of us. Anyway, I've always wondered if Dirk Nowitzki was a 2nd generation product of eugenics. He seems unnatural to me somehow.
Nowadays, facts are no longer important, it's all about the way how it's spun and presented. If you said that Yao had problem to fight off a double team, someone calls you racist and hating chinese people, that someone must be a huge a$$hole, or simply an attention whole. However, although I don't know when and where that happened, I am willing to bet that it was not a simple "mentioning that Yao has trouble fighting off a double team", and that was not a simple accusation of "hating chinese people and being racist".
So, you think the conclusion is right as long as the information is right? Then how couldn't you get full scores in your exams? I have no time nor interest to check the information. Even it is right, it may not be relevant. Even it is relevant, it may not be complete. Even it is complete, the deduction may not be right. See? "A is very dumb; A's head must have been stepped on hundreds of times per day by dumb heavy pigs during his childhood". The first half may be right, but the second half? It doesn't bother me calling the whole sentence craps.
Wnes, thanks for the link. I missed the previous link and the SI article. Truly fascinating. I tend to accept what such posters as Panda say about the truth of the article and "Operation Yao" As far as Yao's mother goes, we had an interesting case here recently at Bellaire High School where a smart, educated 15 year old girl killed her Asian mother, supposedly for stressing her out too much. My son's friends, Asians, but Indians claim that there is often big conflict with Asian mothers and especially their daughters.
I know there are English system and metric system in the world, but since when the Australians invented their own measuring units?[/QUOTE] What, you mean METERS?? It's only used by every other country except the U.S, and maybe Liberia and Myanmar. I guess every other country invented their own units of measurement too.
Agreed with Yetti. This also show that how alot of Westerners dont understand and misunderstood China these days. To the westerners, all the chinese are controlled by their government and most of them are evils.
What, you mean METERS?? It's only used by every other country except the U.S, and maybe Liberia and Myanmar. I guess every other country invented their own units of measurement too. [/QUOTE] Yao is actually 2.26M but the title of that article said 1.98M, I believe that's what wnes trying to point out. Anyway, it is rectified now.
I'm glad you reopened it. I have a book for you, it's titled "Operation SamFisher", with statements such as "In Sam Fisher's case, I don't have any proof...(but) I hear a lot of American lawyers are crooks. Do you hear the recent scandel in Washington....? Oh, I know Sam is a lawyer, that's a fact." Now sue me. The situation is totally different. You are not a good lawyer if you don't recognizing the proof burden in the two. Oh, and why should Yao lend him free press by sueing him? It's not like this book is red hot already. Or perhaps you want Yao to divert his concentration for some nonsense book from the Rockets season? Oh, speaking as if you personally know they are all facts. Statements such s "Yao's birth had been anticipated for decades by communist officials"--decades? they planned this for decades? "It's no accident that there have been generations of players who have continued to get taller," he said. "One of the first NBA scouts was blown away when he went to northern China and saw more than 20 seven-footers."---so he is saying the emergence of tall players are a result of some sort of human engineering? the latter part in the above may well be true , but he is using that to support his "operation" theory? Sensationalism journalism at it's best. Like I said you don't need to look further than "In Yao's case I don't have any proof.." Non-fiction writer? Ha, maybe, but why put it there if it's just your speculation and title you book "Operation Yaoming"? Looking for some sensation and scrap money, Yes. BTW, the Guy is a FORMER Newsweek Writer, and we don't know how long he can last in this "non-fiction" business. Finally I don't know your "double team/Yao Hator" story. I don't think you are a YOH or anything, nor do I think that is relevent to this discussion.
ok, where to start 1. I don't mean to be a moral judge in any sense - but either F. Fengdi was in the Red Guard or not - not that she was inherently evil to do so - but this is the type of factual matter to which I was referring. Either it's true or it's not true, either he's full of BS or not - there is no "shade of grey" with regard to a statement like that. 2. I have no position on arranged marriages whatsoever (either supposed arranged marriages or otherwise). I would think that ALL marriages, either in the West or int he East, are arranged in a some sense insofar as they are encouraged (prior to execution) by friends, familiy, colleagues, etc. So, that's not a problem for me. I think you are accusing me of finding fault with Fang or Yao, etc. whatever, whoever for what is wrong (or right) with Yao etc. Like everything, there are 2 sides to each viewpoint. I don't buy into the conspiracy theory that the CCP was standing around encouraging FF and Y(forgot his first name) to get it on and get married to increase their size. I'm not sure if that is the theory presented in the book. I thought that the book said (and I might be wrong) that the CCP/CBA/etc was happpy that whatever happened happened, but not that they went IVF on them or anything. Furthermore, even if it were true, - I really don't think it's a big deal either way. So what. I'm sure the same thing has happened here and will happen again either consciously or not.
Miche, I don't understand. You're a smart guy, I think you would get what I'm saying here - If Yao's mom was a hardcore Deng X supporter in the 1970's when some random book says "Fang Fengdi was a hardcore Red Guard (ienne) who blew up Du Fu's thatched cottage in Chegndu because it was one of the 4 Old's during the GPCR!!!!!"....then obviously, that is an easily checkable/verifiable statement. Either it's true or it's not otherwise, we're talking opposites. That's saying black is white. That's like saying, e.g., in Hakeem Olajuwon's biography "Hakeem was born a banker's son in Zurich, Switzerland". It's simply not true, and verifiable (deniable) as such. Now sue me. LOL, I'm not a good lawyer becuase I hate the law. But I don't really care about Yao's concentration. Anyway, I think that i understand (US) libel laws well enough to know that Yao doesn't have a case unless there are serious factual errors involved. Of course they didn't plan on Yao's birth insofar as a 7 foot6 dude who plays counterstrike would be born in 1981 or whatever- but maybe they felt, somewhere down the line, that at some point, some guy and some chick who were tall who were kept together in the same complex would get together and make a baby. Or not. Really, who cares. I don't care that much. For that matter, I don't know why the presumption of innocence for the Chinese sporting establshment is so strong. Remember the 92 Olympics and the women's swim team, and the subsequent disgrace? This will get me a lot of criticism, no doubt, - but it is a FACT that they hired documented cheater E. German coaches, and it is a FACT that many Chinese female swimmers wer e subsequently DQ'd for substance abuse (at the WC's the next year, IIRC). So, I'm not saying that Yao was a test-tube baby, but - seriously, come on. Who are we talking about here? I've spent time in China. I know what I'm talking about, as would anybody who's followed current events for the past 25 years or so. I've been to northern China. People there are quite tall, much taller then the prevailing US stereotype. Anyway, the thing you are busting appears to be a direct QUOTE, (hence the quotation marks, and either transcribed or - more likely - on tape). So, again, it's either true.....or it's not, and "he" can say he didn't say that. You know, I thought the book was called (and correct me if I am wrong) the creation of Yao Ming, or something like that, and I thought it focused as much on his commercial image (and his grooming) as much as the eugenic part of it (which, to tell you the truth, I don't really care about that much - every act of human breeding, be it Black, White, Brown, Red, Yellow, etc is somewhat eugenic in a subconscious sense) who knows about that, you're right. well, it is true that i've been accused of hating all Chinese people on this BBS (which I think is absurd, I don't, never have, and never will, I've been to China 2x in 2 years and am looking forward to going back). And you are correct, it is not relevant - but only in the sense that I had not gotten any substantive criticism until then (your post excepted).
Sam, it is you who don't understand the reason people are calling that book "BS". A little hint: It is not for things like Yao's Mom was a Red Guard, or Chinese Government has given food aid to the Yao family. Who cares about that? Oh, and find out the title of the book Here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1592400787/102-1063672-3462505?v=glance&n=283155
MichE - let me first compliment you on your lengthy, substantive reply. Kudos, chico. Major Kudos to you for taking the time. Second, let me say that the excerpt I read was called "the creation. [of YM]" It was from Time Asia, and dated from October/November 2k5. So I apologize on the error for the title. Third, I don't care about the big things - EVERYBODY is going to argue about the implications (particularly, persons (yourself not included) who tend to get ultradefensive about certain things.). Obviously, the theories/hypothesis/etc are up for debate always - but to say that "THE WHOLE BOOK IS FULL OF **** AND EVERYTHING IN IT IS NOT TRUE BECAUSE THE AUTHOR HATES ALL CHINESE AND SO DOES ANBODY WHO READS IT" is a different thing from saying "well I disagree with this part of the author's hypothesis/etc."
