The NY times also chose Oct. 1st to focus on the dark side of PRC. For it the focus was on the Siege of Changchun 61 years ago. (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/02/wo...rsary.html?hpw)

Personally, I would very much like to hear an apology from the government over the terrible events happened between 1957 to 1979. Other than that period, I think PRC is a net plus for ordinary Chinese. They do not have to accomplish much, considering how bad it was before they came to power.