China Scene: North

Ice isn't nice, man discovers

Police found 733 grams of "ice" valued at about 400,000 yuan ($57,000) in a Mercedes Benz belonging to former businessman Zhou Chen, in Fushun, Liaoning province.

Zhou admitted he sold drugs to maintain his addiction. He used to be the multimillionaire boss of a catering firm in the province's capital city of Shenyang. Years ago, he had to move out of his villa and rent a house because he was spending so much money on ice, formally known as crystal methamphetamine hydrochloride.

(Liaoshen Evening News)

Bus driver to rescue of confused old man

A bus driver took home an 85-year-old man with senile dementia in Changchun, capital of Jilin province, after he got lost for 30 hours.

Jia left home to exercise early on Monday morning but wandered off and forgot where he was. The bus driver Zhao Changrong spotted the old man the next day and drove him to the bus terminus before contacting his family members by dialling on the old man's mobile phone. He then drove the old man home.

To express their gratitude to Zhao, Jia's family wanted to reward him, but the gallant driver refused.

(East Asia Economy and Trade News)

Man's giant cell phone not so mobile at 22 kg

A man from Songyuan in Jilin province has made a giant mobile phone that works perfectly, except the vibration function.

The handmade cell phone weighs 22 kg, 92 cm high, 44 cm wide and 17 cm thick. Tan, who made the phone, said: "It can make calls, receive calls, send and get text messages just like any other phone of its type."

Tan's neighbours flocked to check out the big mobile phone soon after he made it on Monday. It took him a year and a half to make the phone, which he said marks this year's Beijing Olympics.

(City Evening News)

A 2-year-old myna kept by a woman in the Tianjin municipality is not only able to mimic human speech, but also communicate with people.

"Half a year ago, the bird began to speak whenever it saw me," Yu, its owner said. "I was so surprised to find it could talk with me or berate my other birds for making too much noise."

To top it all off, the bird has also mastered some English phrases, such as "thank you", "sorry" and "bye-bye". The bird used them as a reporter interviewed its owner at her home on Monday.

(City Express)

(China Daily 04/08/2008 page6)