Beijing Starts Campaign to End Spitting (clean up image for '08 Olympics)

[rodeodance]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060301/ap_on_fe_st/china_spitting_crackdown&printer=1;_ylt=AqO3W_q_P9Y2fnXKoJsWAiMuQE4F;_ylu=X3oDMTA3MXN1bHE0BHNlYwN0bWE-

Beijing Starts Campaign to End Spitting

Wed Mar 1, 7:10 AM ET

Beijing is launching a campaign to stamp out widespread public spitting in an effort to clean up its image for the 2008 Olympics.

The government has concluded that spitting is the city's "most serious bad habit," Zhang Huiguang, director of Beijing's Capital Ethics Development Office, said Wednesday.

"This year we will intensify our law enforcement efforts in this field," Zhang told a news conference. "We will require law enforcement officials to step up the frequency of fines."

The fine for public spitting is 50 yuan (US$5; euro4).

Tourists visiting Beijing often are startled at how many people spit or blow their noses onto sidewalks.

[rodeodance]

1. i recall reading history books saying US had these campaigns also.

[Inland]

11. Plus there was a lot of chaw, too. nt

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

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[Webster Green]

3. Bye bye!

Idiot!

[Scout1071]

5. Do you guys smell that? Did someone put a pizza in the oven?

[redwitch]

6. I spit in his general direction!

Even though I think spitting is vile, Bush is more so. Ya jerk.

[henslee]

7. Ozzy Rules, too. Woo-hoo.

[MaineDem]

9. Seems like it must be a snow day somewhere

Someone's home from school unsupervised again.

[henslee]

4. It is the one thing that disgusts me. And its amazing how many times

someone does it on the street, right as you walk past. I am convinced it is sometimes some sort of instinctive animal territorial/marking type mechanism. Must admit, I have seen less of it lately.

[Scout1071]

8. When I was in Hong Kong, there were signs everywhere warning

against spitting in the subways, etc.

Totally gross.

[phoebe]

13. exactly - the Chinese have tried to stop this habit for at least a decade.

n/t

[Inland]

10. I've read guide books remarking on the spitting.

That it's not considered rude to give a powerful spit during a conversation.

[Teaser]

12. Also, stopping killing Falun Gong members

would be a public relations coup!