Warm Winter update: commencement of "fourth fire"

As mentioned in my first Warm Winter post, a rift is beginning to form in the ranks as artists find themselves undecided about how much to risk, exactly, in the fight against developers. The impossibility of this task has, it appears, made artists in the Jiangfu Art Zone -- who have more to lose because their landlord is actually protecting them -- at least rethink their tactics. These are stressful times.

The artists postponed their "fourth fire" (show) from January 29 to February 3, 1:30 p.m. at Dongying Art Zone in the outer woods.

Zhou Yong, the artist most upset that a harder line hasn't been taken, has written an open letter on his blog to another of the event organizers. Read it here (I'll translate it later, maybe).

And now I'd like to show you the most loathed word in contemporary Chinese society:



Even in Taiyuan, 拆 is 拆, except here the residents are even more helpless to do anything about it. Let's just say the mafia is a bit stronger and has a bit more interest in matters concerning money, while law enforcers a little more chickenshit.

POSTSCRIPT: Marbury plays tonight. Stay tuned.