http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/12/54405.aspxBy Mark Mullen, NBC News Correspondent On the way to an errand today, there was a nicely dressed man walking down the block in front of me who brazenly broke the law in broad daylight: he spat. It’s a four-letter practice not only common in China, buten-USCommunityServer 2.0 (Build: 60608.1)http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/12/54405.aspx#54466Mon, 12 Feb 2007 16:39:49 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:54466Joe H.Is this newsworthy? http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/12/54405.aspx#54500Mon, 12 Feb 2007 17:32:41 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:54500Doe JohnI was in San Francisco's Chinatown last year and this elderly woman walking near me spat so loudly and startled me so much that I couldn't bring myself to eat anywhere in the neighborhood. Spitting is a disgusting practice; thankfully, Chinese governmental officials appear to understand this. http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/12/54405.aspx#54555Mon, 12 Feb 2007 18:56:53 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:54555Suzanne, McAllen, TexasJoe H.-- Must be. You finished reading it. http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/12/54405.aspx#54592Mon, 12 Feb 2007 19:41:08 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:54592John Doe 2I just came back from Beijing for the first time, studying over a 6 week period. Americans travelling there during the Olympics will be in for a very "rude" awakening. My experience there was that the Chinese by and large do not like foreigners. Prices are always much higher for foreigners and they have no problems in telling you so. Rude behaviour, such as cutting in line, pushing, and bumping is the norm - in fact, it is not really considered rude, moreso than just normal day-to-day interaction. My friend who is from UK speaks fluent Chinese and she would tell me all the terrible things Chinese subway riders were saying about us while we were riding, as they assumed we didn't know Mandarin. Westerners will find both services and attitudes very frustrating and unless things change before 2008, Beijing will garner little goodwill from the westerners it is trying so hard to impress... http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/12/54405.aspx#54602Mon, 12 Feb 2007 19:50:26 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:54602Jane Doe, Dallas, TXLiving the U.S., we aren't used to it. And I think it's nice that they want to avoid offending their guests, just as Seoul restaurants were asked to remove dog from their menus before their Olympics. But, if you're going to be in China, you have to know that you're not in Kansas anymore. I spent two weeks there once, and sure, spitting is commonplace. But no more commonplace than smoking everywhere, touching, crowding every inch of "personal" space, and other things that just aren't done in the U.S (outside of Chinatowns, perhaps). But what can you do? You're in their country now. You're the guest, and it's your problem to adapt until you go home. It's just as rude to call someone disgusting in their home as it is to deliberately offend a guest. Obviously, Beijing will make a better impression on the 'rest of the world' if they can get people to avoid doing things the rest of us consider rude. But visitors should also remember that part of the point of traveling to other places is the opportunity to see a different culture, a different place. We might decide we don't like the new place, but if it was the same as home, then we'd live in a boring place. If you can't handle differences ... stay home.http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/12/54405.aspx#54607Mon, 12 Feb 2007 20:00:20 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:54607ChristianI just returned from China and you literally can't walk down the street for more than 2 minutes and not see someone spit. Everyone from well dressed business women, to elderly ladies will spit; and not a "normal" spit. Think of a 3 second loud snort before the spitting takes place. We were walking into a restaurant and the hostess spat on the floor of the restaurant before she seated us. http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/12/54405.aspx#54626Mon, 12 Feb 2007 20:34:14 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:54626Rachel ZhangI honestly think the spat practice has its reasons. The air was so polluted that you could always have something in your throat after you walk onto the street for a few minutes and you have to deal with the "things" in your throat right away! In nowhere you can find a tissue, not even in public restrooms. I think the Chinese government should do more to its citizen instead of only asking good manners while the major cause behind are ignored.http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/12/54405.aspx#54667Mon, 12 Feb 2007 21:21:37 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:54667Sarah, Los AngelesI might take this politeness campaign more seriously if the Chinese would stop taking political prisoners, and killing off or giving away their baby girls so they could try again for a boy. Constant spitting pales in comparison.http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/12/54405.aspx#55002Tue, 13 Feb 2007 16:14:57 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:55002Paul, Dallas, TexasThe Tyrant, "Hu Jintao" should make spitting a capitol offense punishable as he does people practicing their peaceful religion in China. But of course the free practice of religion is not newsworthy enough to rate a comment on a correspondent's blog on the People's republic of MSNBC.http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/02/12/54405.aspx#55240Tue, 13 Feb 2007 18:14:03 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:55240Greg, St. LouisI would have to say killing baby girls or putting them up for adoption is FAR worse than spitting in public. There are some things that should be considered wrong in ANY culture.