Okay, I live in China, and I like living here, this is what Chinese TV says: The Americans were flying very close to our borders, we sent up one jet to track it, the U.S. plane executed an unexpected turn, and our plane bumped it. The U.S. plane landed without asking permission at Hainan. We are not saying this was a conspiracy, like attacking our embassy in Belgrade, it was an accident, but the U.S is responsible. IT's our pilot that is missing, not theirs. THeire people will be home soon, safe and sound, but we need to investigate this incident." That's the official story from Chinese TV. HOw much credence do I give it?- about as much as anything coming from thte White HOuse as reported in the U.S. media. I work with 5th and 6th graders. They are great kids,I really like them a lot. My Chinese co-workers are a mixed bag, some are good friends, some people I work with okay, but are not friends out of work, some who I really don't like very much. But it's all personal. I mean do you maintain a geo-political perspective with your friends and colleagues at work? The idea of labelling Chinese as my enemy is sickening- Would you want to cause harm to anyone you care about? My fear is that it is going to become more difficult to stay or return here, but to date, nothing has changed, life goes on, we are planning to sing a Chinese version of " Let There Always be Blue Sky" at the Peony Festival, I'm going to join the school band to play the baritone horn, which I most recently played at Byron Junior HIgh School in 1960. My uncle used to tell me about fighting the "Red Chinese" in Korea in 1951. I look at my kids coming back from class in their new "track suit" school uniforms. THey all greet me, with hugs, and high and low and in-between fives, some just with a hello or a smile-THis is the enemy?? No way, not for this former soldier and peacenik.

Seth from China