From SMH letters (07/03/09)

Engineers keep civilised world running, and be thankful they do

To compare engineers with terrorists is offensive and ridiculous ("A lonely tree cries out for a drink in a city ruled by uncivil engineers", March 5). Engineers create the things Elizabeth Farrelly most likes - such as metros and busways, cycleways and even footpaths. Engineers also provide the water we drink, remove the waste water and treat it.

She should be thankful for engineers who make the buildings that architects "design" stay upright. We should all be thankful for engineers every time we travel over a bridge, go up in an elevator or switch on a light.

Engineers are under-represented in Australian governments and councils (as are architects), which are dominated by lawyers and accountants. We don't have people in power who understand how things work. All members of the Chinese politburo are engineers. Perhaps that is why their economy is still growing at 6 per cent a year.

If Farrelly wants a watering mechanism for her tree she should get on to the council, then find money for the engineers to build it. They would love the challenge. She should also ask the planners why there is not enough green space around the tree for it to be naturally watered.

Peter Katz Darlinghurst

What evidence does Elizabeth Farrelly have that engineers are over-represented in terrorist ranks? As a retired engineer, I find linking terrorism to engineering grossly offensive.

Second, she has the relationship between architects and engineers reversed. Architects precede engineers, who are often left to clear up the unrealistic dreams of the former. Those two examples are from the first paragraph - space constrains me from writing about the rest of the article.

Ian McArthur Middle Dural

Terry Markou's invention Aquakerb delivers trees a drink by diverting run-off into the root zone of street trees, and can be retrofitted to any street. It was showcased on the ABC's New Inventors in November.

David Sargent Castle Hill

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The Chinese are presently building or planning to build more than 50 massive bridges over the Yangtze River... Engineering marvels (of the Golden Gate bridge size in San Francisco...) although they had some bad problem of poor workmanship and corruption in places... As mentioned by some astute reader, the Chinese political party is run by Engineers, not by lawyers nor elastic bean-counters. Engineers often clean up designs by architects, including the Sydney Opera House, so the building CAN be built and WON'T collapse...

The White House has sought to assure China that its $1 trillion (£0.7tn) in investments in the United States is safe despite the economic downturn.

"There is no safer investment in the world than in the United States," said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao earlier voiced concern and urged the US to remain "a credible nation".

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Gus: No wonder the Chinese are worried: I thought that two days ago, they had 2 trillion of investments in the United States... Hum...

China and France have agreed to restore high-level contacts, ending a rift that began after French President Nicolas Sarkozy met the Dalai Lama last year.

The announcement by the Chinese foreign ministry came shortly before Mr Sarkozy was to meet President Hu Jintao in London ahead of the G20 summit.

France had agreed not to back Tibetan independence in "any form", it said.

Beijing accuses the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, of trying to seek independence from Chinese rule.

Correspondents say that Mr Sarkozy's decision to meet him while France held the EU presidency particularly incensed Chinese leaders, who took the unprecedented step of postponing a joint summit.

'Mutual respect'

A joint statement published on the Chinese foreign ministry's website said an agreement had been reached with France to restore high-level contacts and co-operate on tackling the global economic crisis.

"Both sides reaffirm the high importance of Sino-French relations and are willing to strengthen the all-round strategic partnership on the basis of mutual respect and paying attention to each side's basic interests," it said.

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There is nothing wrong for the Dalai Lama to seek independence for Tibet... Why not?

The place was invaded by China in 1949 and since then, a lot of Tibetans have lived in exile or protested and been punished for doing so. The West bent the knees because it did similar capers with the organisation of the new "country" Israel taking over Palestine — and a few other such doozies. Similarly we've let Indonesia take over Irian Jaya... and the Yanks displaced islanders in many pacific island...

see toon at top...

 

Violence in China's restive western region of Xinjiang has left at least 140 people dead and more than 800 people injured, state media say.

Several hundred people have also been arrested after the violence erupted in the city of Urumqi on Sunday.

Xinhua news agency said police restored order after demonstrators attacked passers-by and set fire to vehicles.

The protest was reportedly prompted by a deadly fight between Uighurs and Han Chinese in southern China last month.

The BBC's Chris Hogg in Shanghai says that if the numbers of dead are to be believed - and state media say they may rise - this looks like the bloodiest suppression of protest in China since Tiananmen Square 20 years ago.

'Foreign plot'

Uighur exiles said police had fired indiscriminately on a peaceful protest in Urumqi.

The Xinjiang government blamed separatist Uighurs based abroad for orchestrating attacks on ethnic Han Chinese.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8135203.stm

Taiwan's main museum has refused to exhibit two Chinese sculptures owned by late French designer Yves St Laurent.

Beijing has demanded the return of the sculptures, and the director of the Taipei National Palace Museum said she could not display looted objects.

China says the two Qing dynasty bronzes were seized illegally in 1860 by invading French and British forces.

The decision comes on the week Taiwan and China hold their first joint exhibition of relics.

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French faux pas.... see toon at top..