Hello, and welcome back to 后视镜, Rear View Mirror, a subjective glance over another week of programmes here on China Radio International.
 
Programme 1 - http://english.cri.cn/4026/2007/09/03/1241@269166.htm

Let's start, as usual, with a News story:

"The Guangzhou Daily reports that a Japanese cartoon idol aimed at kindergarten children has become a cause of concern for many Chinese parents.

The cartoon series "Ultraman", in which a superman-type figure fights all kinds of evil-minded monsters, has already been banned in Japan during prime time for its excessive violence.

But the paper says the series has been a "must-see" for local kids during the just-concluded summer vacation. And it adds that many parents have complained that that their children become more aggressive after watching the animation.

Experts say young children between the ages of three and four are at an extremely sensitive stage of their development; they warn that during this period kids tend to imitate everything around them, and need definite guidance.

Some suggest that a rating system be introduced for such cartoons, and that laws and regulations be established to help control them."

Programme 2 - http://english.cri.cn/4426/2007/09/05/1481@270304.htm

Our second story, as discussed in China Drive, is closely related in theme. And it's already caused quite a frenzy on the internet. Even the title - Kids mature faster due to diet and porn – sounds like a China Daily polisher having some fun.

"Kids are growing up faster because of nutritious food and access to pornography.

According to a survey by the Women and Children's Hospital of Guangdong Province, The number of children experiencing the early onset of puberty has doubled over the past 10 years. The survey has found the average age for the onset of puberty among Guangzhou's children has dropped to 11 years old from the previous age of 13.

This means that in some cases, boys as young as nine-and-a-half and girls as young as eight are developing secondary sexual characteristics. Some girls are even starting their periods before they are 10.

One reason of the early onset of puberty is a rich diet including seafood, animal innards and western fast food.

These foods are high in protein or essential elements and accelerate children's growth. The other is that children have easy access to books, movies or music that are pornographic.

An expert warns that if parents do not protect their children from exposure to pornographic material they will become sexually precocious."

Some people spend a lot of money on seafood, trying to get that 'precociousness' back.

Programme 3 - http://english.cri.cn/4026/2007/09/02/164@269044.htm

With Listener's Garden focused on books this week, I'd like to introduce a Beijing interview with the Israeli novelist Amos Oz. Clearly relaxed and well received by his audience, here he is, talking to CRI's Liu Bing.

"I noticed that, in your books, you mentioned your mother many times. Most of the stories are about women. So, can you tell us a little bit about your family?"

"Well, I was the only child of two scholars. My father was an expert in comparative literature. But he had a job as a librarian because he could not find a university job. These were very hard times. My mother was an intellectual and a potential writer. She never became a writer, but she was a potential writer. She was a marvelous story-teller, and she killed herself when I was twelve and a half – which changed my life, of course, and turned me into a novelist trying to understand the mystery of her death."

Remember that you can hear the whole of this webcast, as well as any of the shows mentioned here, by logging on to the CRI website. Just type www.crienglish.com and follow the links.

Actually, this is going to be one of the last Rear View Mirrors from me. And plans for the future of this section are currently under discussion. If you have any opinions – if you'd particularly like to hear idiom of the week again, for example - you know where to address your suggestions.

Now, I'd like to finish this show with reference to a particularly good pair of China Beats. In Taiwan's Zhang1 Xuan3 (oops), there seems a sense of restraint unusual in the average Mando-pop chick. Here is that lovely thing - a singer in command of both her notes and her huskiness. You'll hear that especially in her slower songs. But for now, here's Passing the Blame to play us out.