Cheek Terrence

Twitter screen capture.

Russia's Twitter users no longer have access to @b0ltai, an account belonging to a hacker collective that has leaked several internal Kremlin documents to the Internet over the past seven months. The hacker group, which RuNet Echo profiled last month, has published stollen emails belonging to high-profile members of the Russian government, inside reports on the state of Russian politics, and the Kremlin's instructions to state-controlled TV news channels. 

Asked to explain why Twitter removed Russians’ access to @b0ltai, a Twitter spokesperson told RuNet Echo, “We do not comment on individual accounts, for privacy and security reasons.” Elsewhere, however, Twitter has confirmed the takedown of @b0ltai for Russian users. Twitter is one of only two companies (the other being Google) to post actioned takedown orders to the Chilling Effects Clearinghouse, a project of EFF and several law schools, to promote transparency.

Dated July 25, Twitter logged a “Russian request to block [a] Twitter user,” attaching a letter from Russia's federal communications agency, Roscomnadzor. The letter cites a decision by a St. Petersburg court, banning b0ltai's blog and microblog in accordance with a lawsuit by an unnamed individual concerning “personal data.” Little is known about the lawsuit that resulted in b0ltai's blacklisting. According to Kommersant newspaper, neither the Russian courts nor Roscomnadzor has elaborated on the trial that banned from the Internet Russia's most infamous hackers.

While Twitter's “Country Withheld Content” policy does stipulate that the company may “reactively withhold access to certain content in a particular country from time to time,” if Twitter receives a “valid and properly scoped request from an authorized entity,” it is still very easy for Twitter users inside Russia to access @b0ltai. Indeed, Russians have been tweeting the circumvention instructions all day.

Внимание! Те,кто хочет видеть заблокированные в РФ твиттер-аккаунты(напр. @b0ltai ) в настройках поставьте любую страну кроме РФ и worldwide

— Roman Dobrokhotov (@Dobrokhotov) July 27, 2014

Attention! For those of you who want to view the Twitter accounts blocked inside Russia (for example, @b0ltai), just go into your account settings and change your country setting to anything but “Russia” or “worldwide.”

Toggling a user's country is just 3-clicks-deep in the Twitter account settings. For now, that's all it takes to defeat the Great Firewall of Russia.

Written by Kevin Rothrock · comments (0)
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Typhoon Glenda (International name: Rammasun) damaged many structures in Southern Luzon, located south of Manila in the Philippines. Photos shared by Citizens’ Disaster Response Center.

Impact of typhoon Glenda in the Philippines. Photo from Facebook page of Citizens’ Disaster Response Center

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“All of [Hussein]‘s family members with him at shelled UN school died. His mother, 2 brothers, sister and stepmother,” tweets @sharifkouddous

Women, children and UN staff were among those killed, according to a statement from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. A total of 800 Palestinians have so far been killed and more than 5,200 injured since clashes between Israel and Gaza started 18 days ago. 

Israel and the Palestinians are exchanging blame on who hit the school, run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Gaza. It is the fourth time in four days that a UN school was struck by explosives, according to the agency. As civilian death tolls mount, Israel’s military says it warned Gazans living in targeted areas to leave, but Palestinians have no where to go.

The vast majority of Gazans cannot leave Gaza. The narrow 40-kilometer-long coastal strip is surrounded by fences and concrete walls along its north and east with Israel and on its south border with Egypt.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron in 2010 called Gaza “an open-air prison.” Excessive restrictions from Israel in the Palestinian territories of Gaza and the West Bank is why most of the world and the United Nations considers this territory “occupied.”

The UNRWA has 83 shelters across Gaza, where 141,338 Palestinian civilians are currently displaced.

The UNRWA reports on its official Twitter account:

In the 3rd such incident, an UNRWA school in Deir Al Balah sheltering approx. 1500 people took a hit from Israeli fire yesterday morning.

— UNRWA (@UNRWA) July 24, 2014

UNRWA spokesman Chris Gunness, who is based in Jerusalem, says Israel knew of where the UNRWA shelter was. In a series of tweets, he explains:

Precise co-ordinates of the UNRWA shelter in Beit Hanoun had been formally given to the Israeli army RT

— Chris Gunness (@ChrisGunness) July 24, 2014

And he adds:

Over the course of the day UNRWA tried 2 coodinate with the Israeli Army a window for civilians 2 leave & it was never granted RT

— Chris Gunness (@ChrisGunness) July 24, 2014

While journalist Kristen Chick, who is in Gaza, tells her more than 19,300 followers what Israeli Defense Forces are saying:

IDF has implied a Hamas rocket may have misfired and hit school at Beit Hanoun. Witnesses described multiple explosions from tank shelling

— Kristen Chick (@kristenchick) July 24, 2014

On Twitter, ITN cameraman Sean Swan shares this heart-breaking photograph of children wounded in the attack while a paramedic treats them:

Scores killed in attack on a school being used as a shelter #Gaza. pic.twitter.com/kAJEefoQvA

— sean swan (@Irishcamera) July 24, 2014

He shares another photograph of a 3-month-old baby being treated after suffering from shrapnel wounds during the attack on the school:

3 Month old Baby with Shrapnel wounds being treated after school being used as Shelter is attacked #gaza. pic.twitter.com/o5FR229Kzt

— sean swan (@Irishcamera) July 24, 2014

Independent journalist Sharif Kouddous shares this photograph with his more than 76,000 followers on Twitter of a young Palestinian, Hussein, who lost his entire family in the attack:

All of Kamal's family members with him at shelled UN school died. His mother, 2 brothers, sister and stepmother pic.twitter.com/vg4vxItbsZ

— Sharif Kouddous (@sharifkouddous) July 24, 2014

This photograph has been retweeted more than 1,200 times at the time of writing.

Many journalists have laid the blame on Israel, doubting its version of events that a Hamas projectile fell on the school. Journalist Deema Khatib tells her more than 280,000 followers:

لا بالله عن جد؟ لهون وصلت؟ قال الجيش الاسرائيلي إنه ليس متأكداً إن كان هو من ضرب مدرسة الأنروا أم حماس! ليكون حماس صار عندها إف١٦ وهيك شغلات

— Dima Khatib أنا ديمة (@Dima_Khatib) July 24, 2014

Seriously? Is this what we are supposed to believe? The IDF says it is not sure whether it has hit the UNRWA school or Hamas! Is it possible that Hamas has F16s and similar weapons?

However, according to NBC chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel, the UNRWA says it has “no evidence to suggest” the school was being used by militants as human shields — Israel's excuse to bomb facilities.

In a follow-up tweet, Engel wondered:

IDF suggests Hamas rocket/rockets hit school. it would mean five inaccurate rockets all hit a small location in rapid succession. likely?

— Richard Engel (@RichardEngel) July 24, 2014

Meanwhile, the death toll across Gaza continues to pile up.

Ahmed Al-Faraa from Gaza tweets to his 5,121 followers:

#Breaking | 6 martyrs including Child and 30 injuries and #Israeli warplanes raids on #GazaStrip #GazaUnderAttack

— Ahmed Al-Farra (@AhmdFarra) July 24, 2014

Omar Ghraieb tells his more than 22,000 followers:

Children r being killed, viciously, every day, latest was Ibrahim Omar, 2.5 years, may he #RIP <3 #Gaza #GazaUnderAttack

— Omar Ghraieb (@Omar_Gaza) July 24, 2014

And WhateverInGaza describes the situation as follows:

One thng Israel is practicing & enjoying is attacking many areas by different weaponry at the same minute. #GazaUnderAttack #terroistisrael

— WhateverInGaza (@WhateverInGaza) July 24, 2014

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From the Israeli Red Cross Twitter account, “Yesterday we helped hundreds of people to evacuate from affected areas in #Gaza #BeitHanoun #Shujaia #Khuzaa”

Reports of an apparent massacre and massive destruction in the cut-off Palestinian town Khuza’a, 500 metres from to the Gaza-Israel border, have been coming in since Tuesday, July 22. 

Most reporters covering the Israeli operation in Gaza have not made it to Khuza'a, a town of 9,700 people. This area in the south is cut-off from the eyes and ears of the world, but one young resident – Mahmoud Ismail, has been tweeting horror stories in Arabic from the village.

One tweet said “snipers are centered on top of buildings in Khuza'a, targeting anyone trying to leave his home.” Another said, “Khuza'a is gone, there are hundreds injured and bodies all over the streets and under ruins. No one knows numbers.” Later he tweeted, “Red cross ambulances standing two kilometres away from Khuza'a. Injured are running two kilometres to get treatment.”

Many people have retweeted his words hundreds of times, while translations of his tweets have also been retweeted dozens of times.

A total of 800 Palestinians have been killed and more than 5,200 injured since Israel launched an operation in Gaza 18 days ago. As civilian death tolls mount, Israel’s military says it is warning Gazans living in targeted areas to leave, but Palestinians have no where to go. The narrow 40-kilometer-long coastal strip is surrounded by fences and concrete walls along its north and east with Israel and on its south border with Egypt.

Khuza'a has no water, food and safe shelters, according to a first-hand account published on the progressive Jewish news site Mondoweiss. The Palestinian Center of Human Rights which has been publishing daily reports of the Israel offensive said in their July 23 report: Israeli forces maintained their incursion into Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis, and there are reports that there are dozens of Palestinian casualties in the village, and medical crews were denied access to them.  When many civilians attempted to leave the village, Israeli forces fired at them, killing 4.

On July 24, Red Cross ambulances were finally allowed to enter the village and an Al Jazeera crew accompanied them; this Al Jazeera video shows bodies lying on the street and rescue teams searching through rubble.  

Here are the haunting tweets Mahmoud Ismail has been posting from Khuza'a since Monday:

في بيوت انقصفت ومش معروف إذا فيها ناس أو لأ. المنايك بيستهدفوا كل شي بيتحرّك. محدّش قادر يساعد حدا. والصواريخ وشظاياها بتضرب كل شي. حرفيًا

@Ibn3arbi: There are houses that have been bombed and we do not know whether there are people inside them or not. The f***ers target anything moving. No one can help anyone. Rockets and shrapnel are hitting everything. Literally.

القصف على خزاعة مستمر من 13 ساعة. حول بيتي بس في 10 شهداء تصفى دمهم بسبب عدم إسعافهم. عشرات العائلات محاصرة والجيش بيضرب نار ع كل حدا بتحرك.

@Ibn3arbi: Non-stop shelling on Khuza'a for 13 hours. Around my house alone, there are 10 people killed. They were bleeding to death because they were not rescued by ambulances. Tens of families under siege and the army is shooting anyone moving.

الدبابات محاصرة البلد من جميع الجهات بدون ما تتعمق لجوّا لكن القنّاصة متمركزين على أعلى عمارات بخزاعة وبيستهدفوا أي شخص بيحاول يخرج من بيته

@Ibn3arbi: Tanks are surrounding the town from all sides without getting deeper in but snipers are centered on top of buildings in Khuza'a, targeting anyone trying to leave his home.

أسماء شهداء أستطيع تأكيدها: سليمان قديح وابنه أكرم قديح، تيسير قديح وابنه محمود، حلمي أبو رجيلة وابنه عبّاس، جهاد قديح، ابراهيم أبو رجيلة.

@Ibn3arbi: Names of martyrs I can confirm: Slaiman Qadih and his son Akram. Tayseer Qadih and his son Mahmoud. Hilmy Abu Rjila and his son Abbas. Jihad Qadih and Ibrahim Abu Rjaila.

منايك الصليب حكولنا إنهم واقفين ع أول البلد مستعدين يخلونا ولمّا كل الناس راحوا هناك مكانوش ولقوا الجيش وفتح نار وتصاوبوا عشرات.

@Ibn3arbi: The Red Cross told us they are at the entrance of the town and are ready to evacuate us. When everyone went there, they didn't find them. There was the army who started shooting at them and injured tens.

خزاعة راحت

@Ibn3arbi: Khuza'a is gone

أنا وأهلي طلعنا. إصابة طفيفة. في مئات الإصابات وجثث في الشوارع وتحت الأنقاض. محدّش بيعرف العدد

@Ibn3arbi: My family and I got out. I got a small injury. There are hundreds injured and bodies all over the streets and under ruins. No one knows numbers.

بيوتنا إنقصفت ع روسنا. بيوت كل أهل خزاعة

‏@Ibn3arbi: Our houses are bombed over our heads. All the houses of Khuza'a.

إسعاف الصليب واقف 2 كيلو بعيد عن خزاعة. المصابين بيجروا 2 كيلو علشان يتم اسعافهم.

@Ibn3arbi: Red cross ambulances standing 2 kilometres away from Khuza'a. Injured are running 2 kilometres to get treatment.

الكثير من شهداء خزاعة كانوا أصيبوا ونزفوا حتى الموت في انتظار اسعافهم. راقبت من شباك غرفتي ولساعات كل مراحل موت فتى في العشرين من عمره

@Ibn3arbi: Many martyrs in Khuza'a were killed after being injured and bleeding to death, waiting for ambulances. I watched from my room's window for hours all the death stages of a man in his 20′s.

طبيب واحد في البلدة، كمال أبو رجيلة، بذل جهد جبار مع الاصابات التي كانت تصل عيادته بإعجاز حتى بعد أن تم قصف عيادته وإصابته واستشهاد والده

@Ibn3arbi: One doctor in town, Kamal Abu Rjila, made great efforts with injuries coming to his clinic. Miraculous. Even after his clinic was hit and he was injured and his father killed.

الجيش استخدم حوالي 10 عائلات كدرع بشري ضد نيران المقاومة. كل البيوت التي سيطر عليها منع سكانها من المغادرة أو تحصين أنفسهم في غرف أفضل

‏@Ibn3arbi: The [Israeli] army used 10 families as human shields against the resistance fire. They did not allow anyone to leave the buildings they controlled. They did not even allow them to move to safer rooms.

تم قصف البيت الذي كنت أحتمي فيه مع 50 رجل وطفل وامرأة. نجوت وعائلتي بمعجزة ولا أملك أدنى فكرة عما حل بالآحرين لكن حذائي ابتل تماما بدمائهم

@Ibn3arbi: The house that I was seeking refuge at with other 50 men, women, and children was hit. I survived with my family in a miracle. I have no idea what happened to others but my shoe is soaked with their blood.

أمام عيني سقط طفل صغير كانت تحمله أمه بيد وباليد الثانية ترفع راية بيضاء. ابنها مات. استخدمت الراية ككفن وأكملت طريقها مع باقي أطفالها. رعب.

@Ibn3arbi: With my own eyes, I saw a woman holding a small child in her hand and a white flag in the other. Her son died and she used the flag as a shroud and continued walking with the rest of her children. Horror.

في الطريق الذي سلكناه وجدت جثة عمي وابنه ملقاة في الشارع بجانب بيتهم. كان القناصة يستهدفون الناس في أقدامهم في محاولة لمنعهم عن الهروب

@Ibn3arbi: On the way we took out, we found my uncle and his son dead on the sidewalk by their house. Snipers were targeting people's feet to prevent them from escaping.

خزاعة ما فيها كهربا من 60 ساعة. والجيش (وشظايا قذائفه) استهدف خزانات المياه على أسطح المنازل. الأطفال معنا بكوا حتى الإغماء بسبب العطش

@Ibn3arbi: Khuza'a has no electricity for the past 60 hours. The [Israeli] army and its shrapnel targeted water tanks on roofs. Children were crying and fainting because of thirst.

القصف المدفعي كان يتم بشكل عشوائي ولا أي شيء في العالم يمكنه أن يقنعني بعكس ذلك

@Ibn3arbi: The bombing was being done randomly. Nothing in the world can convince me otherwise.

ابن عمّتي استشهد أثناء محاولته إنقاذه أخيه المصاب والملقى في الشارع. الاثنين استشهدوا فوق بعضهم.

@Ibn3arbi: My cousin was killed when trying to rescue his injured brother in the street. They died together.

الوضع كان مرعب ومأساوي وأي محاولة لوضعه بكلمات ستكون مبتذلة ولن تعطي المجزرة حقها. أنا وأهلي خرجنا أحياء لكنني لا أملك أدنى تفسير كيف وليش.

‏@Ibn3arbi: The situation was horrifying and tragic. Any attempt to put it in words won't describe the massacre enough. Me and my family got out alive but I have no explanation how and why.

‏كل هذا الموت وهذه الاصابات هي من تعداد ما بقي من السكّان أي حوالي 3 آلاف. 70٪ من أهل خزاعة كانوا قد هربوا وأخلوا بيوتهم قبل المجزرة بليلة.

@Ibn3arbi: All this death and injuries happened to the 3,000 people left in this town. Seventy per cent of Khuza'a's inhabitants escaped and evicted their houses a night before the massacre.

ولسّا في جثث في الشوارع. ولسّا في مصابين بيستنوا يصيروا جثث. ولسّا في ناس عالقة مش قادرة تطلع

@Ibn3arbi: There are still dead bodies in the streets. Still injured people waiting to become dead bodies. Still people stuck and cannot get out.

If you scroll back a few months on Ismail's timeline, he was tweeting inspirational videos, some featuring Maya Angelou, lots of football and music videos,  including a hypnotic Yemeni blues song and stories about the troubles Gazans go through trying to cross the Rafah border into Egypt.

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Screenshot of the main page of Odnoklassniki. The Russian social network has been blocked for the last week in Tajikistan.

Tajik officials are heavy-handed in their regulation of the Internet, regularly blocking websites that publish critical content. Social media suffers the same fate — both YouTube and Facebook have been blocked several times in recent years. On July 9, YouTube was blocked once more, and remains blocked. But recently, one of the most popular social networks in country, Odnoklassniki, was blocked for the first time.

Odnoklassniki is a Russian social network, in which more than 300,000 citizens of Tajikistan are registered. (By way of comparison, there are only 60,000 registered profiles on Facebook from the Central Asian state). Many Tajiks use Odnoklassniki to connect with their families working as labour migrants in Russia. On July 18, some users of the website discovered access was blocked. Later some Internet Service Providers confirmed that they had blocked access, but didn't say why.

Asomiddin Atoev, the chairman of Tajikistan's Association of Internet Service Providers, told the press that providers block sites when they have orders from the state Communications Service, and that nowadays these orders take an oral form. However, representatives of the service, headed by the unpopular Beg Sabur, deny involvement in the blocking. 

While the reasons for the blocking aren't clear yet, experts and netizens believe it is connected with the activity of oppositionists and, possibly, Islamic radicals. Odnoklassniki user Mahmuddzhon Ismail told Radio Ozodi, the Tajik branch of Radio Free Europe:

Ҷавонони тоҷик, ки дар Сурия ҳастанд, наворҳои худро дар ин ҷо нашр мекарданд. Тамоми гурӯҳҳои ифротӣ бо забони тоҷики фикру ақидаҳои худро дар «Одноклассники» нашр мекунанд. Аз вақте, ки Ютюб баста шуд, дигар ҳама аз ин ҷо истифода мекарданд. Ин ҷавонони ифротӣ бисёр ҳарфҳои нохуб мегуфтанд, ки фикр мекунам, ки ба дигар ҷавонон бетаъсир набуд. Тахмин мекунам, ки ба ҳамин хотир ин шабака маҳдуд шудааст.

Guys from Tajikistan who are fighting in Syria post their videos on this site. All extremist groups use this network to propagate their ideas in Tajik language. As soon as YouTube was closed, they moved over to Odnoklassniki. I think they influenced many young people. This I believe, is the reason for blocking the site.

In the past, the Tajik government has had plenty of more self-serving reasons to block social networking and video-sharing websites, including President Emomali Rahmon's vocal performance at his son's wedding, which led to a YouTube block, and the persistent thorn in its side that is Platforma, a Facebook group with over 15,000 followers that criticizes the government and promotes opposition leaders.

But until recently, Odnoklassniki was not regarded as an opposition mouthpiece. One user, Mihalich, took the block very emotionally:

В чём [Зло Одноклассников]?? В общении с друзьями по всему миру,возможность смотреть фото друзей и т.д, в этом зло)))))??? Всё правильно,нужно как и раньше ходить на почту отправлять телеграмму и ждать ответ или письмо месяц))))))) И далой скайп!!!! На фиг это лёгкое общение,вернёмся к голубиной почте!!!!!

What [is Odnoklassniki's evil]?? In communication with friends all over the world, in the possibility of viewing friend's photos and so on – is there evil in this)))))??? Alright, you have to now go to a post office as before, send a telegram and wait a month for an answer))))))) And down with Skype! For what do we need this easy communication? Let's return to pigeon-mail!!!!!

Others, like Bekor, muse on a now long-standing tradition of website-blocking in Tajikistan, and what that tradition says about the government:

Маразм крепчает. Как только что случится- интернет блокировать. Страна под пятой идиотизма

Insanity grows stronger. Once something happens, the Internet is blocked. The country is under the heel of idiocy

Dilovar jokes bitterly:

В Таджикистане в 2015 году заблокируют и отключат всех людей

In 2015, in Tajikistan, they will block and shut down all people

Some netizens, like Islom, believe the blocking is a senseless strategy:

можно зайти на одноклассники через обходные пути, почти 75% населения знают как. Нету смысла закрыт сайт через провайдеров.

You can work around the block and visit Odnoklassniki, and nearly 75% of the [Internet-using] population knows how to do this. There is no sense in providers blocking websites.

Sergey_I, meanwhile, compares Odnoklassniki with alcohol:

одноклассники – это зло. Но это как алкоголь, сигареты и прочее, вредные привычки

Odnoklassniki is evil. in the same way as alcohol, cigarettes and other pernicous habits are.

Jagonhir from Dushanbe, like many others, complains of the “obscene” information, one can find on Odnoklassniki:

очень хорошо что закрыли доступ к сайту оно отнимает очень много времени и там очень много пошлого

It's very good that they blocked access to the site, it is very time-consuming and there is a lot of vulgarity there

But many go further and write that Odnoklassniki is a public threat and a potential agent of revolution:

Очень хорошо что вы закрыли эти сайты через них люди портятся и наши дети ,экстремисты пользуясь этим служат всяким иностраным провакаторам чтобы они имели у нас своих агентов вербуя через интернет ресурсы ,мне как жителю родного таджикистана не нужны всякие сатанинские арабские революции

It’ very good that you have blocked these sites, they spoil our people and our children, extremists use them to serve foreign provocateurs who have their agents among us, recruited via means of the Internet. I, as a citizen of my dear Tajikistan, don't need any satanic Arab revolutions

 Some netizens also appreciate the timing of the block, since currently it is Ramadan, the Islamic holy month:

Это разумный поступок тем более во время священного месяца Рамазан. Лучше всего думать о безопасности наших детей и родных.

It is a reasonable action especially during the holy month of Ramadan. It is better to think of the security of our children and family.

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The newest Q2 2014 earnings release from Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) shows yet more strong growth for the social network in Asia. Here are the highlights for the region:

• Facebook now has 410 million monthly active users (MAUs) in Asia (up from 339 million in Q2 2013), which is out of a global total of 1.317 billion.
• 228 million daily active users (DAUs) in Asia (up from 181 million a year ago), which is out of a global total of 829 million.
• US$431 million in revenue from Asia (up from US$247 million a year ago), from a grand total of US$2.91 billion.

Here’s the chart for growth in MAUs:

Facebook’s (rather slow) growth in revenue from Asian users hit a new milestone in Q2 as the average revenue per user (ARPU) crossed the US$1 threshold for the first time. So Facebook now makes an average of US$1.08 from each Asian person who uses it. As you can see in the company’s charts (below), its Asian ARPU is still far below what it rakes in from Europeans and North Americans US$2.84 and US$6.44, respectively):

While the new ARPU milestone is a positive, note that the Asian revenues mostly come from advertising rather than payments for games or services.

The full Q2 slideshow is here and the financials are here (PDF files).

In the cool world of tech, gender discrimination is so uncool that it is rarely overt. But scratch the surface, and you will soon see shades of sexism in startup hubs the world over, from the Bay Area to Bangalore and Beijing. When it comes to women in tech, it seems like there are no borders – they face the same issues whether they are American, Chinese, or Indian.

Let’s begin their story in India.

Sukriti Vadula, president and co-founder of the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Foundation (RAIF), chuckles when she recalls the day she walked into Simple Labs, a robotics company in Chennai, as an engineering student looking for part-time work. She wanted to learn all about embedded systems and automating her home. She knew the boss at Simple Labs and he knew her interest in the subject.

“But he was skeptical. He wondered if a girl would be able to come by everyday after college, work from 6pm to 9pm, and get back home close to ten,” she explains.

Vadula was the first woman to come up to him asking for a job. He thought she wouldn’t last for more than three days in an all-male, hard-tech workspace. But she did. In fact, Vadula went on to work with them – “the only woman in the team” – for a few years after graduation as well. Now, as robotics evangelizer at RAIF, she makes it a point to visit girls-only schools and colleges and hard-sell the subject.

Embroidery for girls, electronics for boys. That’s the usual norm for extra-curricular activities at Indian schools. Not many girls brave raised eyebrows, teachers’ ire, and worse to go play around with electronics. The social conditioning starts even earlier. Even educated parents nudge their girls toward medicine, humanities, and commerce over engineering. That’s partly because the archetype of an engineer is an asocial male. The gender stereotyping begins at home, continues through schools, and obviously extends to workplaces. So it is not much of a surprise that girls are a minority at engineering colleges, and a rare species in tech workplaces. This is despite the fact that girls outshine boys by a large margin in secondary school exams in every Indian state, even in less developed ones like Uttar Pradesh.

The few Indian women who do trickle into the tech job market face uncomfortable situations from the very outset – until they get so used to it that they stop noticing. During job interviews, a regular question thrown at women in tech is about her relationship status. Are you married? Do you intend to? Do you have a boyfriend? You hear versions of these even if you’re armed with degrees from top-notch universities. A radar scientist with India’s Defence Research and Development Organization recounts her experiences.

“I’m an IIT [Indian Institute of Technology] topper. I know my tech, enjoy working with technology, and can happily tackle any tech challenge. But these personal questions always got my hackles up. I had never thought of myself as a feminist, but eventually felt I must be one because I always countered questions about my relationship status with a retort or two. Now, I have grown blind to these sexisms as people respect my work,” she tells Tech in Asia. She requested we not disclose her identity because she works in a government organization.

These are stark situations, but you can argue that India isn’t a microcosm of the world. After all, the country has much catching up to do with more developed countries on a number of counts, from living standards to basic sanitation. But when it comes to gender discrimination in the tech sphere, it seems India is on par with the rest of the world – nowhere close to becoming gender-blind.

Subtle sexism at work

Ask any educated man if he believes in the need for gender equality at the workspace, he will swear by it. The ground reality tells another story.

For every Sheryl Sandberg and Marissa Mayer, there are countless other women who never got their due at work. Even in the US, it has been difficult for women to make their way to positions of power and influence in tech. Why else do you see so few women entrepreneurs? And the few who do make it hate the gender prefix they are forced to carry. ZipDial founder and CEO Valerie Wagoner bristled when Tech in Asia asked her about being a woman entrepreneur. “Don’t call me a woman founder,” she said.

She, of course, has a point. Does anyone ever say “male CEO” or “male techie?” Then how can you box women who head companies as female founders?

Recently, Tech in Asia interviewed Natasha Bautista, assistant general manager of GrabTaxi Philippines. She also happens to be a runway model. The article on what it is like to be an attractive woman in tech sparked off an interesting discussion in our bloggers’ chatroom and on Twitter. Our writer had asked Bautista, “Have you ever intentionally played up your attractiveness in the business world?” And she replied:

This is embarrassing… I could say I’ve never intentionally used attractiveness to my advantage but my co-workers have ‘sold’ me multiple times to help close deals. I don’t mind as long as it’s still professional and it gets the job done.

Advertisements have always used pretty faces to sell, and I have worked in media organizations which use similar tactics. This is not the case at Tech in Asia where we have a diverse team – not just in gender, but in ethnicities and nationalities too.

The point remains, however, that a man is unlikely to face a similar question, however attractive he may be. “Attractive men and their advantages in tech” – when is the last time we encountered an article on that?

Nowadays, with stricter gender laws, more discussion about diversity, and an emphasis on political correctness, gender discrimination in startup hubs – which like to portray themselves as meritocracies – is rarely explicit. But subtle sexism is as pervasive as ever, and often the perpetrators are not even aware of it.

All boys club

A recent MIT study on entrepreneurs found that in the tech industry women founders represent less than seven percent of startups that get VC funding. It added:

Investors prefer pitches presented by a male entrepreneur compared with pitches by a female entrepreneur, even when the content of the pitch is the same. The effect is moderated by male physical attractiveness: attractive males were particularly persuasive, whereas physical attractiveness did not matter among female entrepreneurs.

In an article on LinkedIn, Vivek Wadhwa, a fellow at the Arthur and Toni Rembe Rock Center for Corporate Governance at Stanford University, writes:

I had considered Silicon Valley to be the perfect meritocracy – until I moved there. I was surprised to learn that there is a powerful boys’ club that provides arrogant young males with adulation, funding, and support.

He argues that Indian tech companies are at an advantage as the number of girls opting for IT education is climbing. Women constitute 38 to 40 percent of entry-level recruits. But Indian boards are as skewed as anywhere else.

“The majority of publicly traded Indian companies – 922 of 1,462 – have no women on their boards. Women hold barely five percent of board seats in India, in comparison with 17 percent in the United States. Indian IT companies have a bigger management problem. Look at the executive ranks of Infosys, Wipro, TCS, Tech Mahindra, and the others, and you will hardly find any women,” he points out.

According to an industry report released yesterday, only 30 percent of the tech workforce in India is women, and when it comes to the pay, they pocket about 29 percent less than men in similar jobs. Men earn about INR 359.25 (US$6) per hour on average while women are at INR 254.04 (US$4) per hour.

Only about 36 percent of India’s tech women get promoted to supervisory positions, while 52 percent of men climb the ladder. A study by global think-tank Center for Talent Innovation found that a shocking proportion of senior leaders in the science, engineering, and technology (SET) fields – 31 percent in the US, 51 percent in China, and 57 percent in India – felt that a woman would never get a top position at their company, no matter how able or high-performing.

But Japan is worse. The World Economic Forum ranks it 105 out of 136 countries on gender parity. On average, women earn only slightly over half of what men earn. Currently, only 9 percent of legislators, senior officials, and managers are women. If you thought that was bad, take this: women make up only two percent of corporate board members and fewer than one percent of executive committee members.

Numbers speak

Chew on this: Men outnumber women in technical jobs 3 to 1, even in companies that champion diversity. For instance, Google, which pioneered a diversity campaign in the tech space, has a workforce that’s about 30 percent women. LinkedIn, which has 5,400 employees working from Mountain View to Sao Paulo to Bangalore, is 61 percent male. Facebook is 85 percent men if you look at its tech team; overall, it’s 69 percent men. The Twitter tech team is 90 percent men, while its total workforce is 70 percent men.

Gender gap at Google

Gender gap at Facebook

Google says in a blog post about its gender numbers:

We’re the first to admit that Google is miles from where we want to be – and that being totally clear about the extent of the problem is a really important part of the solution.

The US National Center for Education Statistics says that just 18 percent of all computer science degree holders in the US are women. That is one of the reasons Google cites for its skewed workforce. It has given over US$40 million to organizations working to bring computer science education to women and girls since 2010. It kicked off a Made with Code program, and gives US$1 million to 40 startup accelerators and incubators that pledge to increase the number of women entrepreneurs in their communities through #40Forward.

Gender gap at LinkedIn

LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter too are doing their bit to engage and support women in tech. LinkedIn runs an annual women’s hackday, DevelopHer, and has partnered with organizations focused on women in computing like the Anita Borg Institute. Facebook is partnering with the Anita Borg Institute as well as the National Center for Women and Information Technology. It is also supporting programs like Girls Who Code. Twitter has a number of employee-led affinity groups like WomEng (women in engineering), SWAT (super women at Twitter), TwUX (Twitter women in design), Blackbird (Tweeps of color), TwitterOpen (LGBTQ folks) and Alas (Latino and Latina employees) batting for diversity.

Gender gap at Twitter

Other companies are now acknowledging that while they are changing the world with technology, the scene is far from rosy for women.

Even in India, startups, accelerators, and industry bodies have begun to address the issue. Nasscom runs a Girls in Tech program along with Google, Microsoft launched a program called Codess and there are hackathons for women.

Girls in tech hit back

Yet, it will take much more to smash the silicon ceiling.

Last month, a group of girls working with different tech companies – Divya Manian, Sara J Chipps, Jessica Dillon, Kat Li, Sabrina Majeed, Ellen Chisa, Joanne McNeil, Jennifer Brook, and Angeline Fabbro – collectively spoke about sexism, outright and subtle, they faced at work.

We’re constantly asked ‘if you write any code’ when speaking about technical topics and giving technical presentations, despite just having given a talk on writing code. We’ve been harassed at these same conferences in person and online about our gender, looks, and technical expertise. We get asked if we’re the event planner or executive assistant on a regular basis. We regularly receive creepy, rapey e-mails where men describe what a perfect wife we would be and exactly how we should expect to be subjugated. Sometimes there are angry e-mails that threaten us to leave the industry, because ‘it doesn’t need anymore c**ts ruining it.’

They were provoked to produce a tech-age feminist manifesto by a rash of recent incidents that shone a light on machismo and sexism in the startup worlds, such as entrepreneur Gurbaksh Chahal violently attacking his former girlfriend, a Codebabes site promising to make the process of learning how to write code more fun by using “hot babes” as instructors in video tutorials, and allegations about harassment at GitHub.

The women wrote in the manifesto:

What we want most is for people to read and understand what death by a thousand cuts feels like, and then understand why we feel sad and angry at the tech industry. We also want you to understand that more still needs to be done.

They also listed a bunch of applaudable efforts towards diversity at workplaces, asking readers to volunteer their time and energy to helpful programs instead of just paying lip-service to gender issues.

According to Elaine Wherry, co-founder of Meebo which was acquired by Google a couple years ago, it is up to us to continue the hard work of the women who fought before us, and, with a bit more time and determination, write this final chapter.

(Images: Flickr user Corinnepw)

Two months after Google unveiled its driverless and steering wheel-less car prototype, it turns out that Chinese search engine giant Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU) is working on the same tech as well. A Baidu representative confirmed to Tech in Asia this afternoon that it’s working on a self-driving car, but stated that the program is “at a very early stage.” This came in response to rumors on Chinese tech blogs earlier today.

The Baidu driverless car project is being driven by its “deep learning” labs. No other details are available at this time. Baidu has R&D labs in this specialist arena in both China and Silicon Valley.

Google has been involved in self-driving tech since at least 2005 when Google engineer Sebastian Thrun came out with an autonomous car – actually a modified Volkswagen SUV – that it codenamed Stanley. Considering the length of time needed for such artificial intelligence technology, it could be years before Baidu is ready to roll out a working prototype. It’s also unclear at this stage if Baidu might sell its own driverless cars or simply license its know-how to existing automakers.

Earlier this month rumors swirled that Baidu was working on a self-driving bicycle, but on that occasion the company declined to comment. At least we know Baidu’s autonomous car program is for real.

No steering wheel, no pedals: Google’s newest driverless car prototype was unveiled in May. (Image: Google)

Currently the most discussed article on Chinese web portal NetEase…

From NetEase:

Hainan Officials Admit Disaster Victims Received Expired Bread, Establish Special Investigation Team

CNR.cn Haikou July 21 report — According to a report, today [July 21] at 3pm in the afternoon, the Hainan provincial government held a press conference on the damage suffered by the entire province from the typhoon as well as the typhoon relief efforts.

To help the people in disaster areas get through the current difficulties, the Hainan provincial government has already launched contingency plans [emergency response plans], providing a 900 yuan allowance to villagers whose homes have collapsed from the disaster and have no means of making a living. The Hainan provincial government has also disbursed funds to help residents rebuild their collapsed homes, with the subsidy amounts being 15,000 yuan per household with a collapsed home, and 3000 yuan per household with a damaged home. On the 19th in Wenchang city’s Wengtian town, many villagers reported that the bread [or pastries] they received was actually expired [past date], which the head of the Hainan Provincial Civil Affairs Bureau Miao Jianzhong admitted to at today’s press conference. He had dispatched people to Wenchang to verify this and said the problem that the ordinary common people report was indeed true, that he abhorred this issue, that it was the fault of the Civil Affairs Bureau, that they have already established a special investigation team to thoroughly investigate, will determine responsibility, and make sure those responsible are held accountable.

(Original title: Hainan Officials Admit Disaster Victims Received Expired Bread, Have Already Established Special Investigation Team)

Comments from NetEase:

小禅师 [网易广西南宁市手机网友]：

They say it is for disaster relief, but it is actually just cleaning out stock.

屠龙术 [网易吉林省长春市网友]：

A photo has been posted on the internet, so they had no choice but to admit it.

人民日报人民日 [网易北京市网友]：

Officials: Doesn’t look like eating it will kill people.

网易广东省深圳市手机网友 ip：112.97.*.*

CNM! If you people had just a tiny bit of humanity, you wouldn’t be able to do this kind of thing!

无敌的精神原子弹 [网易天津市手机网友]：

They’ve never taken the people seriously!

tousong [网易上海市手机网友]：

These government officials are hopeless.

christ840518 [网易广西桂林市网友]：

I’m 24 years old. Every day I go on a website called Lusiwu and then jack off. Does everyone think me doing this is good?

网易江苏省南通市手机网友 ip：61.177.*.*

Sent by the Red Cross?

[Note: China's Red Cross Society is still suffering a public credibility crisis after a number of controversies including the one involving Guo Meimei.]

ZYE2100 [网易黑龙江省哈尔滨市手机网友]：

Fuck, there sure are a lot of people who want to die.

网易山东省淄博市手机网友 ip：222.175.*.*

Strictly punish [the culprits/those responsible]!

Comments from NetEase:

网易江西省手机网友 ip：182.108.*.*

When it comes to disaster relief, it is not about what the ordinary common people need, but about what the Red Cross happens to have.

网易山东省济南市网友 ip：60.216.*.*

In the future, When it comes to disaster relief supplies and especially food, whoever distributes them shall be responsible for first using themselves as an example and eating it before giving it to others to eat. Those who agree, give me a ding. Motherfuckers.

网易广东省深圳市网友 [mengxiang35]： (responding to above)

When providing emergency aid/disaster relief to foreign disaster victims, we always give the best we have, but when giving emergency relief to domestic disaster victims, it is always the worst. Don’t blame others for looking down on China. Who would respect a country that doesn’t even treat its own people as people?

hsmzj03 [网易浙江省温州市网友]： (responding to above)

Giving foreigners the best and giving Chinese the worst, just what kind of mentality is this?

网易新加坡手机网友 ip：118.200.*.*

What? Will an investigation be of any use?

未闻慰问微闻维稳 [网易广东省佛山市网友]：

Hmph~ Trying to steal the limelight from our Red Cross distributing cotton blankets as disaster relief in hot weather?
Don’t even think about it!! [Also a pun here with Guo Meimei.]

shouji3328 [网易浙江省杭州市网友]：

Looks like not adding preservatives isn’t a good idea, haha.

网易广东省珠海市手机网友 ip：113.76.*.*

Wrapping myself in a cotton blanket eating expired bread during the hottest part of summer. I actually don’t want to die!

网易安徽省铜陵市手机网友 ip：117.70.*.*

Just how much is this crap that the Red Cross Society uses for disaster relief worth? Is it enough for Meimei to go to Macau once?

poi009999 [网易浙江省温州市网友]：

With the current weather in the south, the ordinary shelf life for bread is at most only 3 days. Those have already been 20 days, truly TMD. I bet it was purchased for cheap, declared [on accounting books/documents] at a high price, and the extra money all pocketed into their own wallets.

This news story is also currently the highest trending hashtag (#Moldy Bread at Disaster Area#) on Chinese social network Sina Weibo.

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The following article was among the most-discussed articles on Chinese web portal NetEase at time of translation yesterday evening…

From NetEase:

Ethnic Chinese Elders Have Child Defecate In Airplane Seat

July 23 report — According to information from the World Journal in the United States, a Mr. Wang from Rowland Heights said that while he was on a recent Delta flight from Beijing to Detroit, there was a little boy who needed to defecate, and his accompanying grandparents and parents unbelievably laid out newspaper on the seat to have the child “relieve” himself on the spot under the stares of everyone else. Nearby passengers urged the elders to take the child to the restroom, but the child’s grandfather insisted on letting the child defecate on the newspaper placed on the seat. Then a stewardess came over to speak to them but the elders were unmoved, leaving the flight attendant no choice but to drop the subject. As a result of the child defecating in public with lots of people around, the odor polluted the entire cabin, and there were complaints from all the other passengers. Mr. Wang says the actions of the child’s elders deeply embarrassed all ethnic Chinese people.

Note: This image was included in the NetEase article but depict an older incident of a child who defecated in the aisle of a plane, and is thus not related to the incident described in this article.

A Ms. Zhang from Rosemead recently went to Los Angeles International Airport to send off her mother, and there were many ethnic Chinese people gathered at the terminal. Ms. Zhang says she and her mother were the first waiting at an elevator in the terminal, with a young ethnic Indian behind them pushing a wheelchair with an elderly woman in it. However, two men speaking Chinese, one young and one older, suddenly dashed forward and without any apprehension stood in front of Ms. Zhang, without any sense of what they had done being wrong.

The two squeezed ahead while saying, “come here quick, otherwise there won’t be any space left”. When the elevator door opened, the two immediately entered. Even though the elevator was going down, the two refused to get out in order to save their spots. Later, when elevator again opened its doors [returned, now going up], the woman in the wheelchair could not get on, but these two did not look the least bit ashamed, continuing to ride the elevator up. The elderly person and the young person pushing her looked at each other, completely in disbelief. Ms. Zhang was also extremely embarrassed, expressing that these two people have made ethnic Chinese people lose so much face.

Mr. Zhang of San Gabriel also shared that when cars temporarily stop in front of the terminal to drop off passengers, they all park on the shoulder. However, one SUV instead parked on the crosswalk right in front of the terminal entrance, blocking those crossing the street. As several Asian-looking people got out of the car, an airport employee asked the car owner to drive away, but the car owner and the people in his car intentionally pretended they couldn’t understand [English], continuing to unload the car and luggage. Only when the employee angrily threatened to call the police did the car owner suddenly understand and comply with moving the car from where it was parked. Mr. Zhang expressed that this act made him as a fellow Asian feel very embarrassed, at the time wishing the police were nearby to give this person a ticket fining several hundred dollars so he would learn a lesson.

Comments from NetEase:

無123 [网易浙江省杭州市手机网友]：

It is really depressing having compatriots like this…

jane364 [网易江苏省盐城市手机网友]：

Ethnic Chinese can change nationality and still be like that/this… [still have the same bad habits/behavior]

网易四川省成都市手机网友 ip：60.255.*.*

Embarrassing.

网易山西省临汾市手机网友 ip：110.182.*.*

Embarrassing [all Chinese people] even abroad!

让群众嫉妒哥的风骚 [网易广东省佛山市顺德区手机网友]：

Sigh… [poor] character.

网易福建省手机网友 ip：27.149.*.*

Why label it “ethnic Chinese”? She as a single ethnic Chinese doesn’t represent all ethnic Chinese.

奔跑旳犀牛 [网易广东省手机网友]：

32 upvotes! Niubi even abroad. ["32 upvotes" is a Chinese internet meme with origins in Voice of China judge Yang Kun's "32 concerts"]

网易贵州省黔东南州手机网友 ip：119.1.*.*

The man has money to fly. [Probably alluding to some people thinking they can do whatever they want just because they have money.]

我的态度都被删了 [网易内蒙古呼和浩特市手机网友]：

Simple unbelievable!

特色社会主义好 [网易北京市手机网友]：

Pa pa pa [a sound, possibly alluding to gun shots or slaps, suggesting these people should be shot or slapped]

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A vigil with candles in solidarity with Gaza in Aleppo, Syria. Source: Syria Stands with Palestine's facebook page

This post was previously published on SyriaUntold.

“Syria is being bombed, from Aleppo to Gaza” was one of the slogans raised by Syrian demonstrators in solidarity with Palestinians. “Gaza and Aleppo, glory and pride”, and “Daraa is with you, Gaza”, were others. From Syrian-Palestinian poet Raed Wahash to activists from the heart of Aleppo, where the bombs keep falling, shows of Syrian-Palestinian solidarity are constant.

The Palestinian struggle has always been very present in Syria, but it was not until 2011 that Syrians got a taste of what resistance really means. 

“Suffering through the barrel bombs that the regime keeps dropping on us makes us closer to the attacks the population of Gaza suffer, and to the Palestinian struggle as a whole”, one of the coordinators of the “Syria Stands With Palestine” campaign told SyriaUntold:

“We feel closer than we ever did, and more united, especially in the field of civil disobedience and peaceful resistance.”

A message in solidarity with Gaza on a destroyed building in Daraa, Syria. The graffiti reads “Patience Gaza, This is Daraa.” Source: Lens of a Young Horani

Syrian civil society’s strong stand with Palestine is reflected on the statement signed by several grassroots groups, including SyriaUntold, as part of the “Syria Stands With Palestine” campaign “because the worst pain a people can endure is the indifference to its struggle, and to the violation of its rights.”

Such a need for international solidarity was also highlighted by blogger Syria Freedom Forever:

“It is also necessary to remind everyone that the liberation of Palestine can only be accomplished through the overthrowing of all the authoritarian regimes in the region, which are complicit in the suffering of the Palestinian people. (…) This is why opposing any popular revolution in the region is not only betraying the cause of the people of Syria, Egypt, Tunisia, Bahrain and elsewhere, but also betraying the Palestinian cause and its people.” 

The campaign came with an avalanche of art and creativity, promoted by The Syrian People Know their Way, and Syrian-Palestinian relief organization Jafra, among others. Photographs, brochures, posters and stickers were widely shared online, reflecting the unity between both struggles. 

“One concern” is the title of artist Khaled Malek’s latest piece, which depicts a missile formed by a combination of the Syrian and Palestinian flags. Ahmad Jalal, from Kafranbel, drew two dead Syrian and Palestinian children, as their angels hold hands.

Painting by Khaled Malek depicts a missile formed by the combination of the Palestinian and the Syrian revolution flags. Source: The artist's Facebook page

Artist Hani Abbas drew a mother with a child on her lap in the devastated Yarmouk camp, with the message “God protect our family in Gaza”.

Solidarity was not limited to online manifestations. Its impact was noticed on the ground as well. Sit-ins and vigils with candles were held in cities like Aleppo, with slogans such as “Aleppo and Gaza, same pride”, and “We will not be defeated, despite all the bombing, destruction and death shells.”

Syrians from the occupied Golan Heights also expressed their solidarity with Palestinians suffering the Israeli occupation. However, the clearest images of resistance came from the Yarmouk refugee camp, where Syrian-Palestinians have suffered from the regime’s siege for over a year now. “Yarmouk camp resists with Gaza against the Zionist aggression”, was the slogan seen on banners throughout the camp.  

Renowned Syrian figures also took to social media to express their solidarity with Gaza. Lawyer Michel Shammas wrote: “Gaza, victim of Israeli aggression and of Hamas erroneous calculations”. 

Poet Khawla Dunia criticized the Arab community’s stands regarding Palestine. “Arabism is a lie used by tyrants”, she said on Facebook.

Maher Sharaf al-Din compared detention in Israeli jails and in Assad’s jails, linking both forms of occupation. “Prisoners of Israeli occupation go on hunger strike. Prisoners of Alawite occupation die of starvation”.

Syrian solidarity with Gaza is the union of the weak with the weak, of the oppressed with the oppressed, of those who search peace in a land created for peace that has never witnessed peace.

A mother with a child on her lap in devastated Yarmouk camp, Syria, cries “God protects our family in Gaza”, by artist Hani Abbas. Source: The artist's Facebook page

This post was previously published on SyriaUntold.

Written by Syria Untold · comments (0)
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News about the Malaysia Airlines plane shot down in Ukraine is big news today since it reached the Chinese internet near midnight last night…

From NetEase:

Russian Media: A Malaysian Passenger Plane Has Crashed in Ukraine

Russian Media Claims a Malaysian Passenger Plane Has Crashed in Ukraine — Night of the 17th Beijing time, Russia’s Interfax quoting industry insider information claims a Boeing 777 belonging to a Malaysian airline has crash landed in Ukraine near the Russian border. According to reports, the plane was carrying around 280 passengers and 15 crew.

Comments from NetEase:

网易吉林省延边州延吉市手机网友 ip：222.169.*.*

I feel like I’ve been really lucky, having been able to safely return home on a Malaysian plane.

网易辽宁省沈阳市手机网友 ip：113.225.*.*

What happened? One really must not go to Malaysia! Must remember!

网易湖南省手机网友 ip：222.246.*.*

Now there really will be no one who dares go to Malaysia.

网易陕西省西安市手机网友 ip：36.46.*.* (responding to above)

Boeing 777, do you still dare ride on one?

网易浙江省嘉兴市手机网友 ip：115.227.*.*

Malaysia Airlines again!

网易山东省青岛市手机网友 ip：112.224.*.*

TM once again Malaysia.

网易辽宁省沈阳市手机网友 ip：182.200.*.*

No way, a second plane?

网易广东省深圳市手机网友 ip：113.116.*.*

Again Malaysia.

亚历山大柴可洛夫斯基59 [网易广东省手机网友]：

My sofa, everyone please ding me up.

9287c222638a9319b56f0d39 [网易北京市手机网友]：

Fuck!

From NetEase:

Malaysia Airlines Plane With 298 Passengers Shot Down Over Ukraine

Reuters quotes an Interfax report on the 17th that a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 passenger plane carrying 298 people crashed in Ukraine near the Russian border on the night of the 17th Beijing time. An Ukrainian Ministry of Interior adviser says this Malaysia Airlines passenger plane was hit by a Buk air-to-surface guided missile launched by “separatists”, with all 298 people on board perishing. Military forces in Donetsk loyal to Russia accuse Ukrainian government forces for shooting down the Malaysia Airlines airplane.

Comments from NetEase:

网易广东省广州市手机网友 ip：58.248.*.*

Upvote me and you’ll be safe taking planes in this lifetime.

V字仇杀队x [网易辽宁省大连市网友]：

The Russians have once again done something inhuman.

网易安徽省宿州市网友 ip：183.164.*.*

Malaysia Airlines is going to go bankrupt.

中奖五千万 [网易江西省新余市手机网友]：

Cherish your life, stay away from Malaysia Airlines.

网易江苏省连云港市手机网友 ip：221.178.*.*

Malaysia Airlines is definitely going to go out of business this time.

芙小小4世 [网易四川省泸州市网友]：

Too ruthless, too inhuman.

中國夢我去年買了個表 [网易河北省廊坊市手机网友]：

Look, this is the wonderful thing that the Russian-supported Ukraine separatist power has done. Their weapons surpass even the Ukrainian government’s army, all advanced Russian weaponry.

网易江苏省常州市手机网友 ip：117.63.*.*

May the dead rest in peace.

网易山东省手机网友 ip：140.75.*.*

With photos there is truth.

网易山东省手机网友 ip：140.75.*.*

What model was MH370?

Here are some more headlines for currently trending and heavily-discussed articles on two other major Chinese web portals QQ and Sina:

• “On-Site Photos of Malaysia Airlines Passenger Plane Crash in Ukraine” (QQ)
• “Malaysia Airlines Passenger PLane Shot Down 12 Hours Keywords” (QQ)
• “The Life of MH17 Passenger Cor Pan” (QQ)
• “Woman Lost Friends and Relatives in Both of Malaysia Airlines’ Odd Air Disasters” (QQ)
• “Media Claims Malaysia Airlines Plane May Have Been Mistakenly Shot Down” (QQ)
• “Over A Hundred Bodies Already Discovered Near Crash Site” (QQ)
• “One Hong Kong Passenger Confirmed to Have Been on Crashed Malaysia Airlines Plane” (Sina)
• “Defense Expert: Two Situations Exist for Shooting Down a Plane at 10,000 Meters Altitude” – (Sina)
• “Foreign Affairs Ministry Makes Statement on Flight MH17 Crash” (Sina)
• “Malaysian Passenger Plane Carrying 295 People Crashes in Ukraine” (Sina)

From Sina Weibo:

A Malaysian Passenger plane crashes in Ukraine: 295 People On Board — According to Russian media reports, a Malaysian Boeing 777 passenger plane crashed in Ukraine near the Russian border. According to reports, the plane was carrying around 280 passengers and 15 flight crew personnel.

Comments from Sina Weibo:

Enmo雯棋：

Where is Malaysia Airlines Going has a second season too?

[Note: This is a joke combining the missing MH370 plane and the popular "Where Are We Going, Dad?" reality television show that is currently airing its second season.]

王同學要做CEO：

Malaysia Airlines wants the whole world to know that it has monopolized air disasters for this year.

用户rv1adfjipy：

Fortunately, I can’t afford to go abroad. This is the first time I’ve felt it’s not bad to not have money!

cola海带：

I thought they had figured out what happened to MH370, but it turns out to be a new incident… Malaysia Airlines is on its knees now…

晚晚cola：

Hehehehe, some people are saying we shouldn’t blame Malaysia Airlines, but you need to know that what we are blaming is not the occurrence of the unexpected, because no one wants that to happen. What we are blaming is how Malaysia Airlines behaves irresponsibly to the victims families after an accident occurs, not providing a reasonable explanation to the Chinese people, where even its text messages [to Chinese families] confirming the crash are in English. Hehe, okay, we won’t blame the motherfuckers [also a pun on Malaysia Airlines], and you saints can go one defending Malaysia Airlines~

鲁鲁修不列颠尼亚：

Let’s tidy up the train of thought [by some in the comments]: 1. There are people in the comments saying those who don’t blame Malaysia Airlines should first look at how 370 was handled before they comment. Is there an alternate theory to terrorist attack? 2. Asking if there were Chinese people on board, busybodies escalating this to racism/discrimination. I laugh, as if only you could do it. To use the simplest analogy, your man and other people are in a mine and upon hearing the mine has collapsed, the first thing you think to ask is if it is your man or other men? Stupid cunts, please stop talking and reflect on your characters.

S_uffer_Lee：

What terrorist group can afford Buk guided missiles that can reach over 10,000 meter altitudes and be so accurate? 10,000 meters? Terrorists can afford Buk missiles that can bring down planes flying around 700 [km/h?] at over 10,000 meter altitude?

Xiaoyuan_Rae：

Terrorists shooting down a passenger plane at a height of 10,000 meters?! Their military is going too far! Ukraine, why not just admit it was the Ukrainian military who did it, afraid to admit they had mistaken the passenger plane for a Russian fighter jet, instead of thinking you can fool children?? And Malaysia Airlines, you too are not taking your god seriously enough, clearly knowing that Ukraine is a country at war with poor weapons, yet not notifying Ukraine in advance of your plane’s flight path. You think the countries the passengers belong to can’t do anything to you!?

喝汽水的胖子：

Malaysia Airlines, this is the second time this year. Based on Malaysia Airline’s irresponsible attitude, I bet there will be a third time. Everyone please don’t stop taking Malaysia Airlines and let it go bankrupt.

Gavin__Yu：

This year’s most dangerous transportation tools: Heavenly Kingdom public buses [referring to a recent incidents in China], Malaysian passenger planes, Korean ferries! Those in agreement please click upvote!

In addition to the above popular microblog post by state media People’s Daily, there is also a “Malaysia Airlines Passenger Plane M17 Shot Down” trending topic on the Sina Weibo social network, as well as three trending hashtags: #Malaysia Airlines Passenger Plane Shot Down#, #Malaysia Airlines M17 Shot Down#, and #Malaysia Airlines Passenger Plane Crash#.

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This is currently the top trending #hashtag# on popular Chinese microblogging platform Sina Weibo…

From Sina Weibo:

#History’s Most Fashionable Homeless Man#

Intro: Luoyang city Guanlin, a homeless man, mixing and matching different style, spanning the international, instantly killing [figuratively, "putting to shame"] various fashions shows. He may be old but his heart isn’t old…

Comments from Sina Weibo:

皇上_臣妾知错了：

He’s definitely not a homeless person. He may even be a bohemian university professor…

FXVALSK-：

I have the same dress as him.

SunshineKathy_佾髯：

Many of the topics on Sina attract people’s eyes and ears but are meager in humanity. Shouldn’t the elderly person be safely enjoying his later years at home, yet why is he homeless? Has anyone looked deeply into why? This naked abnormal state of this society is disappointing.

黑白子L：

A publicity stunt, no doubt, the poor old man. I wonder if this sudden gust of popularity will change his life for the better afterward.

孟夏廿六：

Fashionable my ass… does no one feel sad? Does no one care about the elderly homeless person’s problems in life? An old man forced to wear a skirt…who doesn’t want to have a peaceful and dignified life!? Do you people have any conscience at all!? Can you all be even more shameless? When you [@郑在发生, the original poster] fucking sit in your office enjoying air conditioning adding text and editing pictures, calculating reshares and clicks, did you ever think about whether or not this person has food to eat? A place to sleep? Truly fucking speechless.

幸运数字55：

Is this really a beggar?

000金刚葫芦娃000：

If this really is a homeless person, don’t you guys feel ashamed for not helping him but instead using this for amusement!?

莉莲吉许：

I wonder what behind-the-scenes organization is using this poor old man to do a publicity stunt. For often doing such immoral things, may you be just like this when you are old.

娟小秋：

What’s funny is mostly the mockery of society. Isn’t [the government] promoting the “Chinese Dream” these days? This old person doesn’t even have a single normal piece of clothing, so where is the Chinese Dream going to come from?

小朋友best—sexy：

With regards to an elderly person advanced in age and suffering from mental illness, what we should be doing more is giving sympathy and respect, not treating him as a subject of entertainment/amusement. Using your imaginations to make fun of this without restraint only demonstrates humanity’s apathy and indifference… Let us extend a helping hand to help this old man. Let this old man whose age is over half a century also feel society’s warmth. This is what we should be doing.

Comments from Sina Weibo:

守护花的姑娘：

A bunch of morality cunts are again criticizing people for having fun at the expense of a homeless person blah blah blah, there truly are an endless amount of saints on Weibo. You guys criticize the original poster, but let me ask you guys, do you yourselves go forward to help the homeless people you come across? Do you give money? I bet you guys trip over yourselves avoiding them, hehe. Back when Brother Sharp was made famous, afterward everyone helped him, buying food and drink for him, helping him get back home. Is a homeless person becoming famous not a good thing? At least there will be people to help him! Can you morality cunts be more disgusting? I really want to slap you.

摄影师邢者：

Please don’t use homeless and mentally handicapped people to entertain society. This is a society’s indifference and sorrow.

Eva_Wang__：

This…is not necessarily [a homeless person]. His clothes are so clean. It’s possible he’s just doing this for fun…

方枪枪造大炮：

Everyone is doing nothing more than engaging in good-humored jest. There is no malice, no mockery/ridiculous. For the old man to live in this kind of environment and still have such style refusing to succumb to stocks and chains is an ability people admire. Now that it is on Weibo, there will inevitably be kind-hearted people who recognize him and give some help to the old man. A bunch of people with the heart of saints everyday saying people should do this and shouldn’t do that, do your hearts bleed all the time?..

王下幻冬舍V：

What business is it of yours what other people wear?

ClaireR9：

The old grandpa has a straight back, elegant poise, and is photogenic, not the least bit like an ordinary homeless person.

成为过去了i：

I don’t think he’s a homeless person. His skirt and shoes are both new.

五月天将泪水淬炼成笑颜l：

Were it not forced by life, who would be willing to wander the streets destitute as a homeless person? If you’re not going to help, then don’t help, but there is no need to use him for laughs.

虚空幻无：

How come I feel this is a publicity stunt? Look at his skin, look at how upright and healthy he is, not the least bit like a homeless person who has suffered outdoors.

小包子nunu：

Old and doesn’t have it easy. Very pitiful. I look down on those making fun of him.

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Currently the most discussed news story on Chinese web portal NetEase…

From NetEase:

Supplier for McDonald’s and KFC Exposed Using Chicken and Beef That Has Expired and Gone Bad

NetEase Finance July 20 report — Dragon TV today [July 20] broadcasted a report claiming that over two months, an undercover journalist discovered widespread use of meat sources that have expired and gone bad at Shanghai Fuxi ["Husi"] Food Products Limited Company, the meat supplier for well-known international fast food chains such as McDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken [KFC], and Pizza Hut.

This company was exposed using such methods as recooking expired food products and changing expiry dates to process expired meat products and then sell the chicken nuggets, steaks, hamburger patties, etc. to the majority of fast food chains such as KFC, McDonald, and Pizza Hut. When the reporter questioned this, the workers even cheerfully said: “People won’t die from eating expired food.”

Reporter’s investigation findings:

2014 June 18, 18 tons of frozen chicken skin and chicken breast meat expired for half a month were mixed into the raw materials and made into golden “McNuggets”. The reporter also says these expired chicken meat sources are prioritized for use in China. Additionally, KFC’s smoked meat patty also used raw materials that were expired for nearly a month.

Moreover, the journalist also found that the small, frozen, marinated beef steaks supplied to Yum Brands were over 7 months expired but still being used, the steaks having already become moldy and green. 2014 June 11 and 12, this company used 10 tons of expired semi-finished product to make mini-steaks. The material used should have all be discarded as garbage. However, after processing, the “best used before” date was reprinted and extended for a year.

The report states the company even kept internal and external accounting books in order to deal with inspections, to cover up the real production dates.

A Xinmin.cn reporter has learned that at present, the Shanghai Food and Drug Administration department has already launched an investigation into Shanghai Fuxi Food Products Limited Company exposed by the media.

From NetEase:

网易河北省廊坊市手机网友 ip：124.238.*.*

Now already part of KFC’s luxurious lunch meal.

猿猴终结者 [网易广东省广州市手机网友]：

An orange tree to the south of the Huaihe River is an orange tree, but an orange tree to the north is a hedge thorn, their leaves similar, but the flavor of their fruits different. [Note: This is quoted from The Spring and Autumn Annals of Minister Yan Ying]

派大狗 [网易浙江省杭州市手机网友]：

Time to pay fees! [Probably referring to the company needing to pay bribes to avoid negative media reporting].

冰镇大可乐 [网易山东省烟台市手机网友]：

Sure enough, when in Rome, doing as the Romans do.

kop114 [网易内蒙古赤峰市手机网友]：

Chinese people’s bodies are already immune to all poisons/toxins!

吾射不亦精乎 [网易北京市宣武区手机网友]：

Suddenly reminded of KFC’s commercial. [Note: Not long ago, KFC had aired a television commercial featuring a company official expressing KFC's commitment to food safety and quality.]

beer147 [网易福建省厦门市手机网友]：

Actually, it’s not that I look down on Chinese people, but there probably aren’t many nationalities in the world who can compete with the speed our countrymen heal wounds and forget pain [forget past lessons]! As a result, this reporter has spent so much time and energy thinking of the ordinary common people, but just how many Chinese people will stop eating the unhealthy food of the West as a result of this?

izabel1325 [网易浙江省温州市手机网友]： (responding to above)

Are you a stupid cunt? Isn’t this choosing to not hate those who are poisoning you to death and instead hating those who didn’t know and didn’t stop in time?

网易天津市手机网友 [2299421293]：

McDonald’s and KFC are the only places in China where you can buy nothing but still sit in to enjoy air conditioning. You can also bring your own food and drink and freely consume them inside. Passersby can also use their restrooms as they please. Think, can this be done in our own [Chinese] restaurants?

网易云南省昆明市网友 ip：222.221.*.* (responding to above)

Wang Fang sang a red song about resisting America during a Spring Festival Gala, and was subjected to all sorts of unfair attacks [criticism]. Liu Jialing [Carina Lau] took a photo in front of Tiananmen, and subjected to all sorts of personal attacks. Wen Zhaolun [Deric Wan] said he is a person with a homeland after Hong Kong was returned, and was flamed repeatedly. Whenever there is news involving the foreign, even if it is negative, there is always a bunch of people licking [ass] like dogs…

Remember when CCTV criticized Apple customer service for being discriminatory and a bunch of people said it was stupid? That it [negatively] affected the honor of their Apple? But they forget that Apple’s customer service improved and that it was Chinese consumers who benefited. When Starbucks was criticized for inflated prices, a bunch of people asked why real estate companies weren’t being exposed, and another bunch of people said it was none of your business, that you can only expose Chinese food and restaurant companies, that you can only criticize ineffective oversight/supervision, but you cannot criticize our foreigners, because we just love eating foreign garbage, because we just love using foreigners’ free restrooms…

In response to these duplicitous ninnies, I only have one word:

“Low!” [This word is difficult to translate. In this context, it refers to a person who voluntarily and happily debases oneself.]

网易天津市手机网友(111.161.*.*)：

Even if there was shit in there, there would be people who would still eat it. When the brand is too big and has been around for too long, it is already very difficult to damage it.

网易湖南省岳阳市手机网友 ip：110.52.*.* (responding to above)

You mean even if dog shit is made into KFC, the post-’90s generation will still enjoy it…

This news story is also on Chinese social network Sina Weib, currently with a “Dirty Secrets of Supplier of Well-Known Fast Food Restaurants” trending topic and “McDonald’s and KFC Supplier Exposed” hashtag. New developments are also being broadcasted on TV news programs.

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From NetEase:

Zhengzhou Man Unable to Afford Home After 20 Years of Work Slits Wrist to Commit Suicide

2014 July 15, Zhengzhou city Jingshui district riverside, a man who had cut his wrist in an attempt to commit suicide was saved. His wife says her husband often complained of having “lots of pressure/stress, can’t continue living anymore”. As it is understood, the man is from Xinyang city Pingqiao district [in Henan], and had come to Zhengzhou when he was young to make a living, and has worked in maintenance for a restaurant’s logistics for nearly 20 years now. His wages are about 2000 yuan every month, and lives a very frugal life. He is unable to afford buying a home, the home that he rents will soon be demolished, and it is difficult to find a place that only costs 400-500 yuan a month. Li Sixin/CFP IC

Photo is of a large bloodstain in the underbrush. Police had found a dagger in his bag, preliminarily confirmed to have been used to commit suicide.

The man says: “After all these years, I still can’t afford to buy a home, unable to give a peaceful and happy home to my wife and children.” At present, the family of four rents a small room about 20 square meters large. “My older daughter is already 19 years old, and she still has to live with us [in the same room].” Photo is of the man who slit his wrist being taken to Huanghe Hospital for emergency medical attention after having his wound simply bandaged, where he was later transferred to the ICU.

Unable to afford a home, with his home soon to be demolished, “now I spend every day worrying about finding a new place to live.” Photo is of man with the cut wrist being rescued.

400-500 yuan a month rentals are already very hard to find in Zhengzhou these days. The man says he is under a lot of pressure/stress, and relies on taking sleeping pills in order to fall asleep.

Comments from NetEase:

小小纳税者 [网易北京市丰台区网友]：

Forget 2000 a month, I make 20,000 a month and when I go out and check out Beijing’s residential buildings, they are all unattainable. I often use the egg philosophy [analogy] to encourage myself. If I am broken by pressure, then I am food for others, but if I break the pressure, then it is life! [The analogy is that an egg broken from the outside becomes another person's food, but if you break the egg from the inside, then it is your personal growth.]

V字仇杀队x [网易辽宁省大连市网友]：

Please bury me in Xinwen Lianbo. [This is a joke because the CCTV program often presents a rosier picture of life in China.]

被锁的迪亚哥 [网易江苏省南京市网友]：

If you die, then your pressure is indeed gone. But have you thought about where the money for your cremation expenses, for the box for your ashes, and for your cemetery spot will come from? You’ll have transferred your pressure/stress onto your family!
Be more considerate!

网易湖北省武汉市网友 ip：59.175.*.*

What happened to our high-quality low-cost housing [as promised by the government]? Don’t die, we still have to go save the Americans in their imperialist abyss of suffering!

开门送快递 [网易甘肃省张掖市网友]：

My circumstances are similar to this brother’s. Talk about worrying to death, night after night of being unable to sleep. Who will come rescue me?!!!

网易重庆市手机网友 ip：106.84.*.*

Good man, you didn’t go randomly hack/stab other people, you didn’t go light a public bus on fire, so may you be able to buy a home next year.

花花世界的诱惑 [网易美国手机网友]：

America’s ordinary people can buy an over 300 square meter new home using less than 5 year’s worth of pay, and a 60 square meter home with one year’s worth of pay.

ssboy [网易江苏省苏州市网友]：

If you’re not even afraid of dying, then what else is there to be afraid of?

fgds64gf5da6fda [网易福建省泉州市网友]：

Face reality, there are a lot of people who can’t afford to buy homes. Why don’t you ask Imperialist America to give you one?

就快天亮了 [网易上海市网友]：

You think there’s no more pressure/stress once you’re dead?

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