[JimmyDimples]

This is pretty relevant… I tried surfing into a YouTube vid today, and couldn't reach it.

I tried checking other sites, other links, and no dice.  The connection was reset.

Considering where I lived, I made a search on my host nation's name, and the words "blocked" and "YouTube"… and yep, my suspicions were confirmed.

My hosting country's gum-mint has blocked out YouTube.  >:(

Here's the low blow-by-blow.

And the "Bye-Doo" Redirection Scam just makes me queasy.

This is officially my last year teaching here.  If my boss and fellow teachers weren't such sweethearts, I'd quit right now, and hop the first jet back to the States.  These folks aren't ready for a foreign language.

[cpbell0033944]

Surely their experiment of capitalist economy + communist autocracy and restrictions must = eventual collapse?

[stmercy2020]

Gotta say, I think the most telling comment was the person who complained that if s/he wanted YouTube, s/he had to pretend s/he wasn't Chinese/from China.  While I doubt that the Chinese economic juggernaut is in for seriously rough times anytime in the near future, I think the social system cannot easily survive without some major changes…

[David C. Matthews]

Surely their experiment of capitalist economy + communist autocracy and restrictions must = eventual collapse?

While I doubt that the Chinese economic juggernaut is in for seriously rough times anytime in the near future, I think the social system cannot easily survive without some major changes…

Something's gotta give.  Having tasted the fruit of even limited economic freedom, the people are going to want the political freedom that will allow their economy and culture to really flourish.

Jimmy, I'd love nothing better than to learn you're coming back to the States to stay.  I don't think I could have lasted as long over there as you have.  And with your experience, finding employment here shouldn't be a problem.

[Lingster]

Some people are speculating that the blocking of U.S. internet sites is meant as retaliation for Bush meeting with the Dalai Lama.

I always marvel at how open we are as Americans, and yet how difficult it is for some cultures to understand us at all.  It's obviously true that U.S. business interests have pull with foreign policy, though not so much as the PRC evidently believes, but by arbitrarily penalizing U.S. companies like this it makes the Chinese government seem immature and reactionary. 

Since investors don't put money into countries they perceive to have unstable governments, the Chinese are simply hurting themselves.

[cpbell0033944]

Some people are speculating that the blocking of U.S. internet sites is meant as retaliation for Bush meeting with the Dalai Lama.

I always marvel at how open we are as Americans, and yet how difficult it is for some cultures to understand us at all.  It's obviously true that U.S. business interests have pull with foreign policy, though not so much as the PRC evidently believes, but by arbitrarily penalizing U.S. companies like this it makes the Chinese government seem immature and reactionary. 

Since investors don't put money into countries they perceive to have unstable governments, the Chinese are simply hurting themselves.

How could the Chinese find much about the Dalai Lama to dislike?!

[demented20]

Information is the most powerful thing.  Whoever can control the information can control the people.  I really believe that's true, and I also believe that China hopes to keep its power by keeping out dangerous ideas like those talked about in the Declaration of Independence and so on… but youtube???

Have they ever looked at youtube?  I waste hours of my life looking at it, but there is more useless crap on youtube than on any other site in the world. As I write this.. I just stumbled across a vid of a cat taking a leak in a toilet… Its kinda gross and disturbing true, but hardly something that would bring down a government.

[Author]

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