During my first year in China I was walking past a classroom where I saw a Chinese teacher perched on top of 2 precariously balanced chairs which were on a less than sturdy desk putting up Christmas decorations.

Oh, my! Where to start? From the 8-foot long objects that people carry on scooters (perpendicular to their body), to exposed electrical wiring and plumbing, to loose tiles on sidewalks, China is a hypochondriacs' nightmare.

The other day I was walking on a busy downtown street, and some workmen were about 3 stories up doing some repair work on a sign or something. They were welding, and of course the hot slag and sparks were dropping down onto the sidewalk. Nobody passing by batted an eye, just moved out of the way and continued down the street.

  Yeh, China is 'LAX' in its attention to health and safety, there is no doubt about it. I'm not going to go my usual route of pointing out the effect economics has on such things, but instead assume them as 'obvious'. I'd also like to avoid being labeled a 'GOD DAMN COMMIE FAGGOT' for spouting anything resembling an 'anti-capitalist roader' belief. But yes. Shit yes. There is a minefield of dangers that a health and safety worker would consider a lifetime Christmas treat to be given to point out to others.

  I remember walking down a quiet street once and a rock the size of a football came out of a window about ten feet from me. I looked up to see a guy glance out the window to check he hadn't hit anything. And yeh, that's fucked up. Seriously fucked up. But I ain't gonna call it a 'Chinese thing', and you can't make me, ok? You ain't gonna make me! You just ain't!

  To be fair though, I used to be a bricky in London and I remember seeing a guy 6 floors up standing five feet into a 12 foot plank of wood that was balanced on opposite window sills as he did brickwork which I as an Englishman refused to do without scaffolding. It was ok though of course, 'cause the guy was a Pole.

  Ain't capitalism grand.

  Dammit! So close!