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strange newsKeeping an eye on strange phenomena in the wake of the arrival of the railway in Lhasa. Should some news clips appear too strange, be assured that none of the photos shown here have been altered or modified in any way. lhasaRailway smokers told to butt out
Chinese poster in Lhasa, What do you get when you combine the world's highest railway with the world's highest rate of smoking among males? A highly explosive situation, it seems. As the train hits high altitudes, and oxygen is pumped into the railcars, smokers are told to butt out. This is strictly enforced by crew patrolling the cars. Passengers can also reach for a nasal clip for an extra blast of oxygen. But is it a matter of time before a Chinese addict decides to light a cigarette with the oxygen nasal clip in place? For somewhat different reasons, Tibetans say the new railway is dangerous, and that the Chinese should butt out. New line of para-military wear unveiled
Of the wide array of military and police uniforms in Lhasa, surely the most exotic is this smart set, unveiled at parades at the 40th anniversary of the Tibet Auto Region—and giving new meaning to the term 'dressed to kill'. The uniform features a smart blue dress worn over a white blouse, complemented by a striped apron, black jackboots, and chest-mounted AK-47. On a practical note, a natty red fedora has been added to ward off the fierce high-altitude sun, while the white gloves suggest Chinese influence in the design. BAYICracking down on pirateware
This billboard in downtown Bayi urges you to contact police if you spot a product in the market-place that has been obviously copied or pirated. Like Johnny Depp Red Label, or Loco-Cola, or the movie Pirates of the Carob-Bean, starring Johnny Walker, Arlondo Bolom and Keira Nightly. The police would like to talk about sub-leasing rights for Bayi. Speaking of copies, you may have spotted the palm-tree below—which is not native to the plateau. This palm appears around Bayi in several colour renditions: some varieties come with coconuts, which are definitely not native to Tibet. NANGPA LAWhen a group of Tibetans attempted to escape Tibet over snow-covered Nangpa La pass on September 30, 2006, they were fired upon by Chinese border guards, resulting in several deaths. The horrendous moments were witnessed—and filmed—by foreign mountaineers attempting the nearby peak of Cho Oyu. This is the first footage to show what can happen to refugees fleeing Tibet, as Romanian cameraman Sergiu Matei gasps: 'They're shooting them like dogs'. Another first: his video was posted to YouTube within several weeks, throwing the spotlight on human rights abuses in Tibet in a big way.
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