An Incident in Chengdu

It is sometimes said that the Internet and high-tech equipment has empowered the citizens.  Nowadays, many people own video-capable mobile phones, digital cameras and video cameras, and that makes every citizen a potential reporter who can file reports on everything from everywhere for everyone.

But are you sure that you want to know everything?

This post is therefore a severe test of that resolution and fortitude.

The text report in the newspaper might have read something like this (via 6Park):

[translation]  Around 4pm on May 31, 2005, a middle-aged male went into a dance hall on Main Donghua Street in the city of Chengdu, China.  According to an eyewitness who did not wish to disclose his name, there was an argument between this man and another man over a woman.  There were sounds of a fight inside the dance hall.  Moments later, this man was observed to be running out of the dance hall.  He ran for less than 10 meters, and then he collapsed on the ground, dead.

According to eyewitnesses, the man was slashed once in his stomach with a gash of about 15 centimeters in length; he was also slashed between the mouth and the nose for a gash of about 10 centimeters in length. 

The Chengdu police arrived at the scene, and the case is being investigated.

This is your traditional entry in the police blotter.  No biggie, right?  But thanks to the Internet and a digital camera with zoom capability, you can now see the whole deal.  Look through the progressive sequence below, in closer and close detail.  Then you can ask yourself whether you feel better off with the full information.  For all I know, you may even want a further close-up.  Whatever your answer is, this is what will be hitting you anyway.  Welcome to the Internet age!