Via
News on Japan April 25, 2012 Yesterday the world was stunned by the
CCTV video of a teenage Chinese girl falling into a six-meter (19-foot) deep sidewalk hole in the city of Xi'an in northern China. She was rescued by taxi driver Wang Wei and the local fire department. She was unhurt and according to CNN her parents contacted Wang Wei to thank him for his brave rescue. Here is a news video about this from
The Huffington Post:
Taxi driver turned hero - Wang Wei:
The article in the Huffington post also mentions that earlier this month
a woman in Beijing died after a sidewalk collapse sent her plummeting into a pool of scalding water. But what the Huff Post and other mass media news organizations did not report is that this kind of accident occurs fairly often throughout China. According to the blogger
Liuzhou Laowai there have been many people (and at least one water buffalo) of
Liuzhou, China that have unfortunately fallen into sidewalk holes, wells and cesspools. Most were taken to the hospital and treated for injuries but some did not make it. This blogger has been reporting and joking about the "ancient and noble art" of
falling down holes for many years now and has a
shocking archive of such accidents. So why does this happen so often in China? Well, apparently, the necessary safety regulations either don't exist or they are not followed by companies involved in road work, sidewalk work and other public projects. Also, according to the
Liuzhou Laowai "manhole covers are also regularly stolen for their scrap metal value".
O.O So why is that so? Well the only answer available for that inquiry is "Because China". Related:
Why, China Why? Because China #3
Via The Atlantic Apr 30 2012 A team of skateboarders were not allowed to skate in Pyongyang, so the video maker of the group, Patrik Wallner, turned his camera to the The 100th Birthday Celebration of Kim Il Sung in North Korea and created a beautiful short documentary of the eternal leader's big birthday extravaganza. From their Virtualtravelling website: 
See also: 
