Danwei Picks is a daily digest of the “From the Web” links found on the Danwei homepage. A feed for the links as they are posted throughout the day is available at Feedsky (in China) or Feedburner (outside China).
Real estate developers lose interest in Beijing: From Caijing‘s English website:
A cloud has been hanging over Beijing’s market for undeveloped land since the beginning of the year. Statistics from the Beijing Land Arrangement and Reserve Center shows the Chinese capital has closed deals on only six plots of land for industrial use since February. And only one plot successfully traded hands in April.
Tudou fined 50K for ‘Crazy Stone’ uploads: From Pacific Epoch:
Shanghai-based user-generated video site Tudou.com has been ordered to pay RMB 50,000 to Beijing-based Xin Chuan Advertising Company for hosting links to the film ‘Crazy Stone’, reports Chinacourt.com…
…Xin Chuan began its case against Tudou asking for RMB 150,000 last summer. Xin Chuan purchased its online broadcasting rights for ‘Crazy Stone’ from China Film Warner Hengdian Media Group.
Why Tudou and not the other video sharing websites? Probably because Tudou has a widely publicized boatload of cash.
Google revealing state secrets?: Richard Spencer in the Telegraph reports that China is investigating online map providers suspected of violating state secrecy laws:
According to Min Yiren, vice head of the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping, authorities hope to get rid of online maps that wrongly depict China’s borders or that reveal military secrets, the People’s Daily said.
No fewer than eight ministries and bureaus are to examine online maps to see whether they breach laws or undermine the country’s "territorial integrity".
Sacked for a wardrobe malfunction: China Machete’s not at all upset that Tu Jingwei, co-host of the nightly movie report on CCTV6, may have been sacked for a "nipple incident":
I have maintained a healthy dose of loathing for Jingwei and her co-host Miaomiao for a long time, mostly because of the lightweight content that their show offers. The show pretty much provides blanket positive reviews for any blockbuster Chinese film, and the two hosts never fail to suck up to the big names. Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Zhang Ziyi and Gong Li are all readily adored. I will never forgive the show for not preparing me for the wreckage that was Chen Kaige’s Wu Ji – Jingwei and Miaomiao’s constant praise failed to mention that it was the worst movie of all time.