For What It's Worth

Some quick things about the earthquake:

• Yesterday at 2:28 PM, exactly one week after the quake, China held a three-minute moment of "silence". I have "silence" in quotes because outside our office, the air-raid siren blared and cars outside leaned on their horns for three minutes. Still, it was meaningful, as all my co-workers stopped talking and working and stood up at their desks, heads bowed. Other reports indicate that traffic, including the online variety, came to a standstill.
• Web sites are being directed to scuttle entertainment-related content for the official three-day mourning period that also began yesterday. I've heard that entertainment venues, such as bars and clubs, also will be closed. The national flag, which I saw in Beijing, will be at half-staff during this time -- the first time it's ever been lowered for ordinary citizens.
  
• All TV channels I get via cable are showing either CCTV 1 (the main station) or CCTV 9 (the English-language station). I've heard reports that foreign-owned stations or satellite stations are blacked out.
  
• Some of the SHist staff have reported being approached on the street by beggars saying that they are soliciting $$ for earthquake victims. Sad that people have to stoop that low.
  

It's the Little Things

Just now I called my financial services institution (how's that for vague) in the US to verify that they wanted me to send them some info. I explained I was in China and would have to do some workarounds instead of faxing them the info they needed. So in closing, the guy on the phone said:

"Stay safe over there in China; come home whole."

So nice :-) That just increased my positive feelings about this company by, well, a lot.

Earthquake

Woke up this morning to see there was a terrible earthquake in central/western China (in Sichuan province). Some friends in Shanghai have reported feelings their office buildings swaying, and were evacuated along with thousands of others into the street.

I can't comment on it because I (somewhat thankfully) am not in the country right now. But Shanghaiist has an insider's look with a constantly-updated post.

:-(