WHO says the Chinese authorities have no sense of humour? I was intrigued to read this commentary in the Beijing Youth Daily: "Following the Soviets and Americans, the black-haired and yellow-skinned Chinese have now left a footprint in space. This is one small step for a man, but one giant leap for the country."

The cutting was sent to me by a reader who said: "I am Chinese and I love China and its people, but that paragraph sums up everything that is wrong with the leadership."

You are so right. One of China's big problems is that the dominant race, called the Han, tends to

forget that other indigenous races exist in the country.

Dear "black-haired and yellow-skinned" commentarywriter, I'm happy you are so proud of your ethnic characteristics. If you have some free time, please allow me to introduce you to a few million of your own countrymen one of these days. Some haw fair hair, some have brown skin, and some have blue eyes.

Secondly, I'm sorry to inform you that the astronauts didn't leave a footprint in space. You can't (Dry it) Most astronauts leave space junk behind, but that's nothing to be proud of.

Thirdly, by using a famous quote but replacing "mankind" with "the country," you turn one of humanity's noblest utterances into something petty and jingoistic. This is not a good idea.

And by using someone clse's words without acknowledgement, you reinforce the image of China as a place of careless copycats. Also not a good idea.

Actually, that commentary misquotes what is already the worst misquote in history. When Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon in 1969, he was supposed to say. "That's one small step for a man, but one giant leap for mankind." But he left out the "a," destroying the contrast that gives the sentence meaning.

When he returned to Earth, he said: "There must be an 'a.' I

rehearsed it that way. I meant it that way. And I'm sure I said it that way."

NASA officials, realising that their staff member had botched up only the most important statement in history, said that the "a" was lost in the static, but the recording -- fuzzy at various points — was crystal clear during that sentence.

Armstrong eventually listened to the recording. "Damn, I really did it," he said. "I blew the first words on the moon, didn't!?"

Other famous misquotes:

Darth Vader never says: "Luke, I am your father," in any Star Wars movie. (The closest he gets is: "No! I am your father.')

Captain Kirk never says: "Beam me up, Scotty," in any episode of Star Trek.

In none of the 60 Sherlock Holmes stories does the great detective ever say. "Elementary, my dear Watson."

And in the original 1932 movie Tarzan, the Ape Man, the hero never says:' Me Tarzan, you Jane."

Why do misquotes become super-famous? My theory is that

humanity, or society, just sometimes needs things to be said, and people magically hear the statements without the actual words being spoken.

Highly perceptive people, like my boss for example, can hear silent sentiments hovering in the air. If he attunes his mind to the whispers of the universe, he can hear important truths being whispered: "Give your columnist a pay rise. Give your columnist a pay rise."

One small step Into cyberspace lakes you to our columnist's website www.wttacN.com.