Friday, January 02, 2004

Hello 2004

This new year is starting off very, very wet here in San Francisco with lots of snow up in the mountains. That is great for skiers and for the spring run-off so in that sense it is good. It is inconvenient for us city folks who want to shop or play or whatever but we are such wimps. Jeesh...

As each year begins there are always new laws that take effect in the city or state or even nationally but even China has its own new laws going into effect at the same time but some of these are a bit amusing. Read on...

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BEIJING (Reuters) - China is ringing in the New Year by banning television advertising for sanitary towels, hemorrhoid ointments and other items deemed unappetizing during meal times, the China Daily said on Wednesday.

"A new regulation ... will prevent the broadcasting of advertisements for products such as sanitary napkins and medicine for hemorrhoids and athlete's foot during dinner time, as some viewers may consider them to be offensive," the newspaper said.

The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, which unveiled the restrictions in September, has already set up a hotline for viewers to report violations.

The new rules, which take effect on New Year's Day, also limit the number of ads allowed to interrupt television programs.

In 2000, a viewer in Xi'an sued a pay-cable television station for cutting excessively into a hugely popular soap opera to flash commercials. A local court awarded him $87.

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Here at home this is a long weekend for many. For me, this is the first non-holiday day of my retirement. Wheee.......
Now what do I do? Ha! Oh yes, I have to go out into the rain (yuck) to do some errands. (Your poor boy you. Ed.) Then when I return home I will have time for a lot of reading and watching a video or some such thing. I guess I could sleep too buy why waste the time?

Anyway, I hope y'all have a great day and a healthy and prosperous New Year.



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