It's new year's eve, and it feels as though we're in a war zone. The whole city is erupting with fireworks and firecrackers as big as bombs intended to scare bad spirits away before the new year. The smoke from the fireworks is hanging over the city already, wafting over the ringroads and hanging among the highrise buildings. I have discovered a whole new use for glass-clad skyscrapers – they do a glorious job of reflecting fireworks. I had to walk about a hundred yards down the street after dark, and it was hard to know which way to go to avoid being disfigured forever by firecrackers being set off on the pavement. But in fact you don't find crowds of people out on the street – it's way too cold, and people are far too sensible for that. It's the bad boys out letting the firecrackers off, and everyone else tucked up inside, filling dumplings for the late night meal, and watching TV…. Meanwhile, my hero of the day is world-record holder marathon runner Haile Gebrselassie, who on a visit to China left his hosts tearing their hair out. He said that he will attend the Olympics but that on the day, if he decides it is too polluted, he'll walk away. Best of all, he said it wasn't enough for Beijing to promise to cut down on traffic and close down industry for the two weeks of the Games. 'What about the health of the Chinese people who have to live here all the time, not just for the Olympics?' he asked.