Bus TV
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					I have about a ten-minute bus ride between my apartment and the office. I get a seat more often than not, and young folks have even been known to offer their seats to this lao ren.  At first, I was uncomfortable accepting the seat, but then I realized I'd just better get with the program and not make someone lose face by refusing the seat that they have offered.
			I was surprised the first time I took the bus to see a flat screen digital TV mounted just behind the driver with the sound piped throughout the bus.  There are ads--yes, even McDonald's--but also a lot of short cartoons and news snippets. Since China is proud in its selection to host the 2008 Summer Olympics, there are a lot of clips showing Chinese medal winners in past games.  But there is also interesting coverage of the U.S. National Basketball Association.  I guess having Yao Min in the NBA fuels that interest, and I also see him on Coke billboards all over the place. One of the interesting things about the ads on the bus TV is that they're dumbed down just like so many of our own ads are, so I can sometimes actually understand them.
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