News You Might Have Missed: What to Avoid, Car Complaints, Visa Texts and Titanic Take Two

Since the tainted tea and carcinogenic capsules, food scandals have been hitting the headlines non-stop. Beijingers are also bemoaning their car problems, whether they have one or not. Expats may start getting friendly reminders when their visa is up and China is remaking Titanic (the ship, not the movie).

First it was capsules made from leather scraps, and now it's pills made with human flesh. south Korean police recently confiscated health tonic pills from China that were filled with pulverized human skin, most likely the remains of deceased children. The most shocking thing is that this is still going on since it was first reported in August.

Some other items you may want to stay away from: water and cabbage. Back in 2009, a study indicated that a quarter of city water supply plants failed to meet standards; that study has since been re-examined and the number now stands at 50 percent. If that seems like old news, the reports are suggesting that improvements haven’t been made since the study came out making the dismal number still relevant. And unless you like your cabbage with a side of formaldehyde (a carcinogen, of course), you may want to pass on the baicai.

It seems that everyone has something to complain about when it comes to cars in Beijing. If it’s not the traffic or lack of taxis, it's people trying to get license plates or park their car. Officials are considering changes to the license lottery that would restrict entries to one per household or preventing families that win from being able to enter for additional plates. While some were in favor of restricting families with cars, they balked at the idea that only one of their family members could enter the lottery.

Even when people get their hands on a license for their car, they’ll still have a hard time finding a place to park it. Current drivers are none too happy that a city with over 5 million cars has only 2.48 million parking spots; the government plans on adding only 60,000 new spots this year. This shortage has led to the rise in illegal parking lots that charge higher fees than legal spots around the city.

Due to the increasing number of expats working and studying in Beijing, the police will start sending friendly reminders via text message to those whose work visa or permits will soon expire. The service is still in beta testing but already went out to 900 expats last week. This may also be linked to the recent reports that China plans to crack down on illegal workers and more closely monitor foreigners in the county.

Finally, Titanic buffs can mark their calendars for 2016 when Titanic II sets sail. China will be building a complete replica of the doomed liner, set to sail from England to New York. The ship, funded by Australian billionaire Clive Palmer, will be the same size and same exterior as the original but equipped with modern technology (and enough lifeboats). With the 100th anniversary of the sinking and the movie’s re-release in 3-D, the attention on the "unsinkable" ship has certainly reached titanic levels. For some insight on why we're so obsessed with this ship, check out a thoughtful piece from the New Yorker here.

Photos: Newyorker.com, chipchick.com