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| 75 |
10 Things You Love/Hate About Shanghai @wonton, *sigh.......* |
| 74 |
10 Things You Love/Hate About Shanghai @AussiePB, okay, I concede defeat. You win. You're the greatest. Have a nice weekend. |
| 73 |
10 Things You Love/Hate About Shanghai @AussiePB, oops, I just realised you've called me "shallow" and "insulting". Perhaps it's your turn to apologise now? Oh, and speaking of contribution... how about volunteering to serve two years of National Service in our army? That's what every Singapore-born man has to go through if they want to stay in this country. Volunteering to serve in NS would be a great way to show your patriotism toward this country you now call home... |
| 72 |
10 Things You Love/Hate About Shanghai @AussiePB, wow, you're actually angrier than I am. If I had misunderstood your reply to hardlinejuan, I apologise for it. Also, I thought you were a "foreign talent" who's working in Singapore temporarily. I had no idea you had already made this place your home. So I guess I'm sorry for asking you to go home when you're already home! Okay, "incorrect assumptions"... check. "Inappropriate inferences"... probably check. Hmm, let's see what else, "narrow-mindedness". Aha! Although I don't agree with hardlinejuan, he probably also thinks that you're narrow-minded in criticising him for criticising the women he's seen in Shanghai. (Oops, more fuel for online flaming?) As for my attitude towards Westerners working and living in Singapore, I don't like to generalise. It all depends on how they behave, or how I perceive they behave. I guess I've wronged someone who's been really nice to people whether in Singapore or out? Honestly, I almost forgot about this thing, having gone for a nice and quiet dinner on a Friday night. I'm sorry that my post has angered you so. Oh, and thank you so much for sticking up for the honour of ALL women. |
| 71 |
10 Things You Love/Hate About Shanghai @AussiePB, regarding what you wrote: "On your opening comments - attractive Asian women (in Singapore) - compared to Shanghai?? You MUST be joking right????????" Although I'm not attractive attractive, I feel a responsibility to say something here. Aren't you currently working in Singapore? When you say "Asian women (in Singapore)", I assume you're referring to mostly Singaporean women. Is there a need to put Singaporean women down in order to say that Shanghai women are attractive? You MUST be joking right??????????? If not, maybe you should apply the advice you gave hardlinejuan onto yourself instead. Go back to your own country, instead of working here and at the same time, putting down the very people who contributed to the building up of this country. Xie xie! |
| 70 |
Kong Fu Panda Hits Shanghai Tomorrow @wonton, heehee, yup, long time no "see". *:) Missed me? Hiaks. @rangew, I didn't think it was a typical heroic American movie. It's more like Shrek, the case of an unlikely hero "saving the world". I thought it was pretty uplifting. *:) |
| 69 |
Kong Fu Panda Hits Shanghai Tomorrow Oh, I forgot to add that, apart from the humour, the movie has a very good message for its audience. It's a pretty uplifting story. *two thumbs up* *:D |
| 68 |
Foreign Banks in Shanghai Jianshuo, You can check your BOA balance in RMB and withdraw RMB cash free of charge in ATMs at the China Construction Bank, of which BOA has 10% share. I have tried it and worked well. |
| 67 |
Suggestions for Family Vacation Trip to Shanghai A cheap and good hotel would be Yangtze Hotel opposite the Raffles City. Not Yangtze Renaissance (expensive!), but Yangtze Hotel. The address is 740 Han Kou Road, Shanghai P.r.c.#200001 . You can get more information from its web site. http://www.e-yangtze.com/location.htm The hotel was renovated a couple of years ago. I went there in Sep last year with my husband and both of us were very satisfied with the room, as well as the service of the staff there. While you're there, try to visit some "water villages" like Wu Zhen, Zhu Jia Jiao or Zhou Zhuang. I enjoyed my time in Zhu Jia Jiao even though it was short. Have fun in Shanghai! *:) Cheers, Ling |
| 66 |
Chinese Middle Name for Erik's Baby I like 天賜 and 天恩. In fact, I've written down these names some time back as potential names for my children in future. Heehee. |
| 65 |
Toughest Time for Me and Wendy Jianshuo, I like the way you end your post with "The best is yet to come." It's not easy to stay positive when the going gets tough, and I admire your positive attitude. I myself have been going through a similar experience since I got married. More responsibilities, more commitments. The difference is I got married when I was 32 years old, which is still considered a bit old for the Singaporean society. Physically, I'm already starting to feel tired more easily, and so that adds to my stress as well. But that's also where we learn how to take care of our body better so we can fulfil our responsibilities. Being in this stage of life is also challenging because I feel the pull between going for a great career versus having children. If I were a man, I could consider any job even if it involves traveling. But men don't get pregnant (yet). Women, in this way, lose out in the marketplace. It's something that can't be solved yet, and the only way is to choose one or the other. Family is definitely the most important, but sometimes my heart aches when I feel limited in my career due to birth-planning. This kind of dilemma is really new to me. Now I understand why it's not easy (sometimes impossible) for a woman to have both her family as well as her career. Many times, in order to have one, you need to sacrifice the other. And those who sacrifice their families usually regret at the end... |
| 64 |
Hospital in Shanghai Hi Jian Shuo, Glad to hear that your mother-in-law is recovering well. I pray that she'll recover fully and that meanwhile, she'll be given the proper attention and medicine by the hospital as required. Take care and God bless. |
| 63 |
Muslim Restaurants in Shanghai @wonton, i knew you were a "he". Women rarely write like you do - this is neither a compliment or an insult, just an observation. *:) Yup, satay is great. It's one of my favourite food, yummy! @Halah, by the way, when I said "Non-halal and happy to be so", I'm just saying that I enjoy my pork. If I caused any offence to any Muslim or non-pork eaters with my signoff, sorry. |
| 62 |
Muslim Restaurants in Shanghai @Halal, oops, Timothy didn't write any epistles. I meant Paul's epistles to Timothy. Or was it in Ephesians. Oops, pls check it yourself. *:b Non-Halal and happy to be so, Ling *:) |
| 61 |
Muslim Restaurants in Shanghai @Halal, since you're a Christian, you should know the verse, "Avoid foolish squabbles...." I think it's in one of Timothy's epistles. Hmm, why do you give yourself a nickname Halal since you're not required to eat Halal food, unless you're forced to, like me, whenever i visit the canteen in my office building. Yes, I'm still unhappy that the caterer didn't bother to build separate kitchens to cater to the varied needs of the lunch crowds. I think there's nothing wrong with being unhappy about having to eat chicken char siew, cos I still prefer pork char siew. The caterer should be sensitive to the needs of non-Muslims too right? Your line, "BTW is most food in Singapore are sensitive to pork and beef due to its multi-racial and religious background. " Not sure if it's a question or a statement, but if it were a statement, I'd like to say, you're wrong. "Most food"? You sure? I see so many Chinese food stalls and restaurants in Singapore that use pork and lard. That's why Singapore has "multi-racial harmony", right? We respect the Muslims' need for Halal food, and they respect our need to have our pork and lard. Also, the last I checked, "moslem" and "Koran" are not offensive terms. I'm not sure where you got that information from. Care to share the source? As for pure Chinese and ships and stuff, so you meant that after 1900s, the ships carried Chinese women right? So how could you tell for sure how many % are "pure" Chinese etc? Did you conduct an island-wide survey or something? Then again, as I've mentioned before, history was never my best subject. @wonton, tsk tsk tsk. Here we go again ah! But I guess when one's older, he/she's more able to separate online persona from real life. I guess you're one of those people. Hiaks. Me, I'm half-half. |
| 60 |
Muslim Restaurants in Shanghai @Halal, thanks for the info-sharing on char siew. I really didn't know that. As for "moslem" and "koran", these are valid words. It's just how the words are spelt in different countries, if I'm not wrong. "Moslem" is a variant of "Muslim" and "Koran" is a variant of "Quran". You can look up a dictionary for more info on that. |
| 59 |
Muslim Restaurants in Shanghai @wonton, while I was reading your comments, i was suddenly reminded of the (horrible) canteen food we have upstairs in our office building. When the crowds grew, the caterer promised to diversify instead of having just one Muslim food stall. We were so excited to see noodle "stalls", Western food "stalls and so on. And then to my great disappointment, the so called wonton mee they were selling had fried chicken wonton and ... check this out,l CHICKEN CHAR SIEW!!! I have never heard of chicken wonton and chicken char siew until then and I was really disappointed. @Halal, in case you think otherwise, this is NOT an attempt at mocking at Muslims or Malays. Fyi, the boss of the catering company is Chinese. But because all the "stalls" actually belong to the same caterer, and they share one big kitchen, they had to provide Halal food throughout. But imagine the disappointment to many people, after we've waited for the "diversification" of the canteen for months. *:( I just wonder how they make chicken char siew... strange!!! |
| 58 |
Happy Birthday to Me Jian Shuo, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wishing you a great year of love, joy and peace and prosperity ahead! God bless, Ling |
| 57 |
Burma and my Ignorance @wonton, there you go again... whacking pple! *piak!* Anyway, I can always substitute that sentence of yours with "Chinese", "Australians", "Americans", "Japanese", etc etc etc. But I know, you just want to have some fun right?? *:b @AussiePB, I think you meant "Hippocratic Oath", or did you really mean "hypocratic oath"??? Also, did you mean "insights" or "incites"? Not usually pompous, Ling *;) |
| 56 |
Burma and my Ignorance @Jian Shuo, Thank you for starting this topic in your blog. I was actually thinking about the same thing as you did - whether you're living in a vacuum. *:b I was surprised that someone as knowledgeable as you about many things did not comment on this matter when it happened. I, however, understand that China is a very big country and many people living in big countries do not know what's going on outside their countries that well. The same goes for people living in the US. To many of them, U.S. = the world. Although Myanmar is out of China, China has certain relationships with the Myanmar government, such as selling weapons to them. Perhaps that is why the GFW was triggered when people try to access web sites related to the current situation in Myanmar. I don't see the situation getting any better so far. Still, I hope and pray that it does. Grieving for the people who died in this round of protests... Ling *:~( |
| 55 |
Some Thoughts about War and History @AussiePB, when you said "On this one, I think @Ling is right on the mark... ", were you referring to me or "@Ling" aka wonton. Heehee *:) |
| 54 |
Some Thoughts about War and History @wonton, hahaha, why did you signoff as "@Ling"? You must have been too tired or distracted when signing off. Heehee. Or is my name so nice you decided to use mine instead, heehee. *:D Anyway, I too, understand your comments on Myanmar, although my stand is the same as AussiePB's on this one. As for how motivated my government is in helping to restrain the Myanmar military government, I think the answer is just too obvious for all to see. Yes, some of us question our pledge which goes like this, "We, the citizens of Singapore, pledge ourselves as one united people, regardless of race, language or religion, to build a democratic society, based on justice and equality, so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation." Btw, I hope I don't get into trouble for saying so much. Perhaps there is no climate of fear. Maybe I'm just paranoid... sigh. |
| 53 |
Some Thoughts about War and History @wonton, have you checked out the two blogs I mentioned previously? Those two blogs were created by Burmese who are still in Myanmar now. They're risking their lives to update the world with the latest news of the situation. If they get caught, I believe they may get arrested or even tortured to death for spreading the truth. Please read the English version and then say if the figures are exaggerated or not. If anyone's lying, it's the Myanmar military with their state-controlled news. Do you know that they even send protestors who are heavily injured but not yet dead straight into the crematorium??? And many monks have been literally beaten to death. Meanwhile, people in many countries were allowed to protest against the Myanmar government, but in Singapore, the peaceful protestors were asked by the Singapore police to leave the Myanmar embassy. There was also a policeman filming the entire incident, and recording each person's face individually. I'm really furious that the police force can be that insensitive at a time when others are grieving and protesting for their own countrymen. They were not even shouting. They were just holding up a few small placards and lighting up candles on the floor. Sigh.....!!!!!! |
| 52 |
Some Thoughts about War and History @wonton, actually I'm not quite sure what ASEAN does in the first place. I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to politics and world affairs (as most Singaporeans are), and only in recent months have I started broadening my horizon to understand the world (and my own country) better. Batons and rubber bullets? Please visit the two blogs I listed in my previous comment to see how brutal the Myanmar military is with the protestors and civilians. I felt so sick seeing part of a student's brain on the ground in one of the photographs. Hmm, wow, I didn't know that Singapore sold weapons to the Myanmar military government too. Is this true??? By the way, speaking of war and history, recently I've also read of how the China government treated the Tibetans (are they same as Mongolians?). After reading too much about politics within a few days, I have only one conclusion so far - "Power corrupts". |
| 51 |
Some Thoughts about War and History @Jianshuo, I tried to post a comment last night but the system said that it required your approval. Was it because it contained urls? Thanks. |
| 50 |
Some Thoughts about War and History Recently, due to the military crackdown on Buddhist monks and other civilian protestors in Myanmar, I've started reading up more on Myanmar and also Darfur in Sudan. Then, I realised that China has a part to play in the military government in these two places. Seems like China has been supplying arms and military aircraft to Myanmar and Darfur because China has vested interest in them. The violence that has been going on in Myanmar for the past few days (weeks??) has been plain horrible. You can visit these two blogs for updates from two Burmese who are in Myanmar: http://niknayman.blogspot.com/ (Burmese version) http://www.ko-htike.blogspot.com/ (English translation) By the way, I've read somewhere that it is not China's responsibility alone, but the Western world (Europe, US etc) have responsibilities too. I agree that it is not fair of Westerners to put the responsibility solely on China to stop the violence in Myanmar and Darfur. However, China should at least stop supplying arms and other military equipment to the government in Myanmar and Darfur. What do the citizens of China think of all this? Feeling very sad and sorry for the victims of the military crackdown in Myanmar, Ling *:~( |
| 49 |
Some Thoughts about War and History @AussiePB, hahahahaha. *:b *:) |
| 48 |
Some Thoughts about War and History @Shrek7, do you still not understand after reading all the previous posts/comments? Most people have forgiven the Germans for what they did during WW II because the Germans acknowledged their misdeeds and rejected Nazism. On the other hand, the Japanese government, until now, has not admitted to most, if not all, of the atrocities the Japanese imperial army committed during WW II. And that is the reason why some of the war victims, until today, are still bringing up this issue. For example, just think of the "comfort women" in Korea, China and even in Japan itself. For decades, the Japanese government has refused to admit their existence during WW II. If you were one of those women, would you be able to let it go just like that? Yes, the soldiers who abused them may have died or are dying, but the Japanese government still owes these women an apology and some compensation for their suffering. Of course, it is difficult to quantify suffering, but up till now, I don't see much effort in the Japanese government trying to make restitution in the first place. @all, if I have been ignorant again, please correct me. Thanks. |
| 47 |
Fight Between Foreigners and Local @Jian Shuo, wow, what you've shared is very new to me. By the way, what does GFW stand for? |
| 46 |
Fight Between Foreigners and Local @Steve, okay. I'm sorry I was wrong to make such a stupid statement. Please forgive me and my ignorance. Thanks. |
| 45 |
One Year to Beijing Olympics @AussiePB, thanks for sharing more about Pauline Hanson and the related information. I now have a clearer perspective of the matter. Honestly when news about her came out, I thought it was a big deal. My mom, who always thinks Australia is a nice place to live in (it is), told me she wanted to emigrate there. And i was like, "But there are racists there!" Hahaha. My brother, when he was doing his National Service, was in Australia for some training. And he experienced racism first hand there. Some African Australians (is that how they're called?) made some racist remarks to my brother and his army buddy in a public place. I always find it strange that Africans would be racist. Didn't they themselves suffer from racism? Anyway, I'm glad things are not as bad as it seems. Yes, Australia is a beautiful place. I've been to Gold Coast before, in 2000. *:) |
| 44 |
Fight Between Foreigners and Local @stephen, ya i think i misunderstood you. History never was my best subject. But what do you mean by the war years endured by the Americans? Did the Americans have a hard time during World War II? I'm sorry but I thought some other nations suffered much more. Guess this is the blind men and the elephant thing again. @Jian Shuo, yes, i agree that we should let go of the past and not let it hold us back from whatever the future may hold. However, I still cannot accept how the Japanese (most of them) can blatantly attempt to rewrite history and refuse to apologise. I guess it has to do with their culture. I'm glad the Germans didn't have such a hard time making restitution after World War II. |
| 43 |
Fight Between Foreigners and Local I'd like to apologise for being so antagonistic in my previous comment. Was in a bad mood, but a few slices of mooncake has cured that. :p |
| 42 |
Fight Between Foreigners and Local @stephen, "Japanese Imperialism is to seek better livelihood for her nationals in the era of great depression." You seemed to be justifying what the Japanese did with that one single line. Let me ask you, did their seeking of a better livelihood include throwing babies into the air and piercing their bayonets into them? Did it include raping women and killing the men? Did what they did during WWII really give them a better livelihood for those 3 years and 8 months? |
| 41 |
Is 10,000RMB/Month a Ridiculous Offer? @AussiePB, are you one of the "foreign talents" who have displaced Singaporeans out of their jobs? Sigh, this is the way it is now, for the whole world. Now the entire globe is the marketplace, and everyone is competing with counterparts from all over the world for a job. Sad but true. Being a technical writer myself, I can feel this all too well. I know that some (many?) American technical writers have lost their jobs to counterparts from other countries, including Singapore. Meanwhile, people like me compete with mostly Indian nationals (there are also Filipinos, Sri Lankans, Indonesians, Malaysians etc) for a job. Good thing my job requires me to be bilingual in English and Chinese. So that kinda gave me an edge over them (for now). In future, the Chinese will also rise in their command of English, and then where would I go? Hmm.....!!! I thought of going to Shanghai before, but being a wife, it's not as easy for me to move since my husband and I are planning to have a baby next year. The air in Shanghai didn't seem too good when I was there. There's like this persistent fog (smog) in the air all the time. |
| 40 |
Don't Leave, AussiePB AussiePB, welcome back. *:) Jian Shuo is really a patient, perceptive, and diplomatic person. I was also thinking that this person could be a politician. Hahaha. Just make sure you never get caught up in the pursuit of fame and/or fortune, like some people do... and then forget the original purpose of your activities. wonton, so nice of you to apologise. Ya, I can sort of "feel" that you're the kind who may be cutting with your words but really nice and warm in your heart, heehee. Otherwise, you wouldn't feel so much for your country, too, right? You write with the angst of an artist. Sometimes I wish I can write as openly about my country as you do yours. your honesty and courage is very much admired by me. I think in every situation, we need people of different personalities and strengths (even weaknesses) to sit together and discuss through. some people like to focus on the achievements and positive attributes, but others have a more critical eye, and see what is lacking and still needs improvement. I think both sides of the coin are just as important. the different perspectives we can get regarding a matter, helps everybody involved to see a little more, just like what Jian Shuo says about the blind men and the elephant. |
| 39 |
Shanghai Looks Like a Modern City @AussiePB, I remember the people waiting for the passengers to exit the trains before attempting to board the trains themselves. Of course, they didn't wait till the last passenger got out, but it was pretty good already. And I did notice some of them keeping to one side of the escalators. I think in China, they keep to the right side? In Singapore, I think things have gotten better already. Some people may not keep to one side, but you know they know that they should, and they usually move willingly to one side when you say, "Excuse me". Of course they can do better. *:b |
| 38 |
What's Wrong with China? @wonton, oh I see. I'm surprised by your humility when you say "there are many things we can learn from it." Thank you for that. *:) But of course I know very well that Singapore may be here today, and gone tomorrow, depending on how our government steers the boat. As for smoking, well, the rules have already arrived. Now, smoking is prohibited even at coffeeshops, bus-stops, discos and pubs!!! In coffeeshops, small yellow boxes are drawn on the floor to demarcate smoking areas. But some coffeeshop owners, in a bid to continue business as usual, try their best to accomodate smokers who want to sit anywhere they want. In discos and pubs, there's a small smoking section for smokers, but most of the area must be no-smoking. By the way, speaking of forceful laws, Jian Shuo, did you know that homosexuality is a criminal law in Singapore, punishable by lifetime imprisonment? Some Singaporeans are still trying to change this, but so far there has been no breakthrough. Our government says they want to keep the law that way, but they will "close one eye" (paraphrased by me). What about China? Is homosexuality a crime in China too? How serious is the punishment? P.S.: Jian Shuo, I feel bad that I keep mentioning my own country in a post titled "What's wrong with China?". If you find my post irrelevant, please feel free to delete it. I mean it. Thanks and no hard feelings. *:) |
| 37 |
What's Wrong with China? @Jian Shuo, you're welcome. *:) |
| 36 |
What's Wrong with China? @Jianshuo, @wonton, gee, I'm beginning to feel the heat in this post, man. I hope when you say that we shouldn't compare Singapore with China, you're not referring to me. Cos I *never* thought for one second that my dear Singapore government would be able to do well if they were tasked to govern China. Why? Cos their experience was limited to running this tiny little country that many foreigners despise, for a mere few decades. I was just commenting on how we managed to stamp out spitting by implementing high fines. And this probably only works in Singapore because people in Singapore really do fear the government, hahaha, although this is not something I'm necessarily proud of. Also, China is so vast that nobody will believe the government can catch them red-handed for spitting. So, I never suggested that China should impose high fines for spitting. Sometimes, it really seems like the Europeans are more sophisticated in this area. I don't ever remember seeing a European spit on the ground. Most of them seem pretty sophisticated and civilized, without the government having to impose laws to improve their behaviour. I guess this may have something to do with their culture. Again, I'm not saying that Europeans are superior to Chinese or Asians. I'm just saying, in this aspect (of not spitting in public), the Europeans certainly seem much more civilized. Also, Jian Shuo, even when the economy is going up, I don't think *everything* Singapore does is right. Just see how our ministers take the opportunity to raise their own salaries this year despite knowing how unhappy the citizens are with their self-declared pay hike. Wonton, when you say "I dread living in a society where every positive behaviour is maintained by the fear of punishment", I'm not sure if you're referring to Singapore. Not every positive behaviour of Singaporeans is caused by fear of punishment. There are genuinely good and considerate citizens in this land, too you know? That's why I like to say, don't use one bamboo to beat off a whole boat of people. Finally, one thing I notice, is that Singapore is currently still dominated by the Chinese race, and so certain traits like being kiasu and stuff, *is* related to the Chinese culture of wanting "face". |
| 35 |
What's Wrong with China? Jian Shuo, after reading your comments, i'm reminded of my own country, Singapore. Point #1 raised by you is also very applicable to Singapore. Sometimes, the more we Singaporeans try to make a difference, the more discouraged we feel. No doubt some are still trying, but many more are choosing to leave the country instead. It's really sad. Point #3, the people also don't have the power to change the law. But the difference is, over here, not many dare to break it. *:b As for point #4, you know what? My dad used to spit on the ground too. But our wonderful government introduced the No Spitting law back in the 80s, and it worked! I think the law says if you spit once, you'll be fined S$500, and for repeat offenders, the fine is more. Of course, not many people questioned how the government would be able to catch "spitters". But since our country is so small, and the people have been conditioned to fear the government, this law worked pretty well. Hahaha. Anyway, whatever the causes and challenges China faces, let's all pray that it will keep growing, not just economically, but also as a nation with ideals and great culture. And I believe you're one of the proponents of this change. Thank you for standing in the gap for your nation. *:) |
| 34 |
What's Wrong with China? @Michael (the 1st one), i don't think it's fair to use Singapore or any other small countries as a comparison for China. If Singapore's land size were as big as China's, do you think the Singapore government would have achieved similar success in governing the land? It's so much easier for a government to govern (and control) a country like Singapore because it's really small, not even 1% of China in terms of land size and population I think. But in China, as the saying goes, the mountains are high and the emperor is far in many places. |
| 33 |
Fight Between Foreigners and Local When I was in Shanghai, I noticed that there were the truly civilized people, and then there were those who were not that polite. It's true that you find this EVERYWHERE in the world and not just in China. Some Singaporeans put me off too. China's national pride is very great because it is a great country, in terms of size, history, culture, achievements, talents and other attributes. And sometimes this pride becomes unpleasant when it tries to assert superiority over another race or country. On the other hand, I see the same thing in the US, where they always like to act as the Big Brother, even when their opinions are not asked for, or even welcome. I guess to some extent, some Chinese are only trying to regain that lost "strength" and power of the great Middle Kingdom China once was. And I think it's only right to want the best for your own country. But I also agree with JL that true patriotism is not blind nationalism. I don't think there is any easy solution to this issue. With humans, there'll always be the problem of pride, lust and greed. And that is why there'll always be fights and wars, whether we like it or not. True peace will only come when each of us changes our mindset towards others. Restricting the outward behaviour will never be enough, as you never know when that inward hatred will be triggered if you don't resolve it. Like what I've mentioned in another post, we must stop generalizing people. 我们不应该用一竹竿打翻一船人。 It's difficult, but we must try to see each one as an individual. This will surely help us to understand one another better in this world we live in. For everyone who wants to be less racist, I strongly recommend watching the movie "Crash"..... again and again. |
| 32 |
Shanghai Looks Like a Modern City Hi Jianshuo, yes! Gary and I took the metro during our Shanghai trip, to try it out. And it was pretty good! I looked at the floor of the train and remembered what you said about the floor being littered with cards. Well, the floor of the train we took was very clean, and I thought, "Hmm, this is not as bad as what Jianshuo described!" Also, we were quite concerned about pickpockets at the station or on the train, so we hid our mobile phones in our bags. But to my surprise, I saw people using their phones openly on the train. A colleague later told me that if I were to do that in Malaysia, my phone may get snatched away while I'm still using it!!! Also, when we were preparing to get on or off the train, nobody tried to push anyone away. Sometimes the people in Singapore (not necessarily Singaporeans) are even more unruly in this aspect. Hehe. So, overall yes, the people were pretty orderly, although I had a bad experience while queueing up to buy the metro tickets. We were not standing close enough to the machine while figuring out how to use it, so someone just cut in from behind without asking. I stared at him, but he pretended not to see. Other than that, it was pretty okay. By the way, I was amused by this list of rules and regulations for using the metro. There were like 12 guidelines listed on that poster. Wow. This is something Singapore doesn't have yet. But who knows, someone from the Singapore Mass Rapit Transit (SMRT) corporation may see that and decide to implement it one day. After all, Singapore is a "fine" country. Hahaha. Cheers, Ling *:) |
| 31 |
Typhoon Not Hits Shanghai (Yet) Hi Jianshuo. Wow, my husband and I got back to Singapore just in time! Our flight took off as planned at 5pm yesterday, and we arrived in Singapore at 9+ pm with very little turbulence. Shanghai is really a very interesting place. There are many beautiful buildings which remind me of Chicago. We saw people from different parts of China. And the culture in Shanghai is so diversified. Of course, the shopping was great too. I would certainly want to visit Shanghai again. Okay, I'll share more of my Shanghai trip experience with you later. Perhaps in other threads on this blog. Keep in touch! *:) |
| 30 |
"The Right to Refuse Service to Anyone" I find this discussion on the sign and different cultures very interesting. I believe we will never find such a sign in Japan, because in Japanese culture, the customer truly is king. Maybe the saying, "the customer is always right" originated from Japan. Heehee. When I was working in a Japanese company, we would have to pander to the customer's whim and fancy, and even if the deadline is impossible, we would still have to try and make it somehow. Imagine a Japanese company telling his client, "We have the right not to cater to your every whim and fancy if time does not permit." *lol* By the way, it seems like Pete has given up on his questions for Jian Shuo. Pete, if you're serious about getting Jian Shuo's opinion, I think you should also consider how you would want to pay him for it. After all, it's a billion dollars of investment we're talking about. Hey, Jian Shuo, looks like you can have one more title to your portfolio: Investment Consultant. *;) |
| 29 |
Living Cost in Shanghai (2007 Edition) Ya, I agree with AussiePB. I think the income gap in Singapore is not getting any better. The rich gets richer and also increases the burden on the poor, so the poor gets poorer. Sigh..... |
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Living Cost in Shanghai (2007 Edition) Ya, I agree with AussiePB. I think the income gap in Singapore is not getting any better. The rich gets richer and also increases the burden on the poor, so the poor gets poorer. Sigh..... |
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Going to San Jose on Sept 6 Jian Shuo, you must be busy wrapping up your work and packing for tomorrow's trip. Take care and have a safe journey there and back. Wishing you a safe and fruitful trip in San Jose! *:) God bless, Ling |
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New Regulations to Kill Group Renting in Shanghai Okay everybody, I just clicked the diningin's link and my company's internet filter returned with a message that it is a Spam Email URL. Enough said. Argh. Sorry Jian Shuo, I just had to tell the fellow off. I hate spam. *:( |
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New Regulations to Kill Group Renting in Shanghai diningin, how can you expect readers (and supporters) of this blog to visit your restaurant when you spam and flood this blog with your advertisements??? surely you didn't mean it when you said, "Forgive me for interrupting", because you've posted your advertisements on so many pages in this blog and I know you're still in the process of spamming the remaining pages. argh. you know what? i'm going to view your web site to know which restaurant it is. so that i won't visit it when I'm in Shanghai next week!!!! argh, some people are just plain selfish and inconsiderate!!! |
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Went to Shanghai Community Church Hi Jian Shuo, I intend to visit the Shanghai International Community Church when I'm in town next weekend. I'm planning to attend the Sunday morning Chinese service. Do you know what the duration of the service is? Thanks! |
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Yifan is 3 Months Old Jian Shuo, congratulations! Your baby is really very cute!! I showed my husband the music video Wendy made for Yifan. Both of us find him very adorable. Actually, my husband loves children. Heehee. I'm glad that I've started growing to like them too. *:) May your baby grow up healthily in all aspects of his life - physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual. God bless, Ling *:D |
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Improved Commenter Page Oops, I forgot one thing. The color coding may not work so well for color-blind users, though. Hmm... that's some food for thought there. By the way, I'm a technical writer by profession, and this was something we had to consider when someone suggested using color to code certain types of text. Okay, I'll be back. It's time to sleep now. Good night. *:) |
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Improved Commenter Page Hi Jian Shuo! Wow, you're really fast! Hey, I like the new color coding. I think it's cool! Wow, your commitment to improvement and excellence really inspires me. *:) Thanks! Cheers, Ling |
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Top Commenter of August 2007 Hi Jian Shuo! Thank you for the medal! Wow! I actually topped the list for this month! Hahaha. I was so happy when I saw this post last night that I told my husband, "Yay! 我是第一名，我是第一名！" (English: "I'm number one!") I didn't know that being the #1 commenter of a blog for a month could make me feel so good. Guess everybody loves recognition and attention. Hahaha. *;) You know, actually I was just aiming for the last position with 4 comments. But the topics in this blog are just so interesting that I wanted to join in and share my views as well. *:) By the way, when I click my name above, I see that "Ling" has posted a total of 19 comments. The previous 10 comments were actually posted by someone else whose nick was also Ling. In order to not confuse myself with other commenters with that name, does it mean I need to register an account? Once again, thank you for the recognition! Commenting on your blog sure is fun! *:D Cheers, Ling *:) |
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Shanghainese Girl Marrying Foreigners Just to add on, when I was in the US last year, I noticed that most African Americans were not very friendly towards us, Chinese Singaporeans. They would behave in a more pleasant manner towards the "white" Americans than towards us. Even when I was on the plane (United Airlines), an African American flight attendant came to me while I was eating and tried to joke with me. But her joke sounded more like making fun of me. I was quite shocked by all this because I thought, of all people, the African Americans would be the ones to understand racism the most. Then, one day, when I was shopping in a large mall, and trying to push my giant cart through the door (it wasn't an automatic one), there was a group of African Americans walking just around me. And honestly, I thought, okay, let me just get through this door. But to my pleasant surprise, one of them offered to hold the door open for me while I got through it. And he was really nice and friendly, with smiles and all. That really changed my mind about this racism thing. As the Chinese say, you really cannot turn over a whole boat of people with one bamboo stick. 不要用一竹竿打翻一船人。 I think this is the best conclusion I can have about this topic, racism. *:) |
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Shanghainese Girl Marrying Foreigners Hmm, I briefly went through the comments on this page and I was reminded of the movie, "Crash". Did anyone watch that movie? The movie is very thought-provoking, because it reminds us to look at people as individuals, each with unique thought patterns, behaviour, emotions and so on. It's very easy for us to generalise and stereotype people, especially when we see people in a group. In Singapore, when I see the hordes of foreign workers from India, Sri Lanka or Thailand for example, I too find it hard to see them as individuals. Sometimes I feel threatened by their presence because there are just so many of them in my neighbourhood. But I guess Australians probably feel the same way about Singaporeans, or Asians in general, who work much longer hours in order to earn more money to make a better living. And maybe some Americans feel the same way when they see many Mexicans making their way across the border to look for a better life. Maybe stereotyping people is a way our human brain tries to analyse and "categorise" information about people, to make it easier for us to understand others. But as the movie, "Crash", has reminded me, that what we think we know about people, or about a race, may not always be right. It's easy to condemn racism, but difficult to ever not be a racist in some way. |
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Zhouzhuang, Tongli or Zhujiajiao haxi, did you go to those two places from Shanghai? Is it true that it takes only 30 minutes by taxi to go to Zhujiajiao from Shanghai? By the way, are you a local or a foreigner in China? Oh, I'm surprised that Wuzhen is crowded and kind of wu liao (无聊?). I heard from a friend's brother that it is older and more "authentic" than some of the other water villages. |
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Is RMB and Yuan the Same? Yes ujj, wow, now there's another term, "CNY"? In Singapore, "CNY" typically stands for Chinese New Year. Hahaha. Is "CNY" used commonly in China to refer to the RMB, though? Curious Ling |
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Maglev Operates in Shanghai Hi Jianshuo, This "celline" (if it's her real name, or if it's even a "she") is spamming your blog... anyway to ban her or block her comments? Warm regards to you on a nice Sunday afternoon in Singapore, Ling *:) |
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Faster Bullet Trains in China Hi Jian Shuo, Wow, I'm impressed! I didn't expect you to reply so quickly, and in such great detail. Thanks once again for your help! Your reply has cleared my confusion. By the way, I just discovered your Chinese blog too. Maybe I'll pop over there one of these days to leave a comment or two. *;) Cheers! |
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Faster Bullet Trains in China Hi Jianshuo, It's me again. Wow, your replies are pretty prompt! Thanks! I did some research on the various nearby attractions, and got myself even more confused now. I just found out that there are also 乌镇 and 同里。 Have you been to all four places - 周庄, 朱家角, 乌镇 and 同里? Between these four places, does Zhou Zhuang still rank #1? Some of the Web articles I read just now say that Zhou Zhuang is too commercialised. But some also say it is well-maintained as a result. Decisions, decisions... |
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Faster Bullet Trains in China Hi Jianshuo, Thanks for your reply. I just found a web site for China train schedules, http://www.adventurechinatrip.com/train The site seems to have the latest updates on train schedules. By the way, between 周庄 and 朱家角, which would you recommend for a day trip from Shanghai? Thanks once again! *:) |
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Faster Bullet Trains in China Hi Jianshuo, I'm so glad I found your blog via Google. My husband and I are planning a trip to Shanghai in mid-Sep for 4 days and 3 nights. I hope to squeeze in a day tour to Hangzhou if possible. When will you be trying out the bullet train from Shanghai to Hangzhou? Do you know how long it takes? Is it really much faster than the express trains they have now (about 2 hours?) ? By the way, I'm a Singaporean (nationality) Chinese (ethnicity). *:) I can input Chinese text, but I type faster in English, heehee. |
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Nanpu Bridge was Closed Shortly This happens in the USA as well. When there was a foreign VIP coming in to visit a historic site around where I live, they took all four lanes and all cars waited aside for a minute. |
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Cold Winter Comes I am going to Shanghai end Jan. What would be the best wear? Can I wear normal office wear? When out just put on a coat? do i raedlly need a thermal? |
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China Eastern Airlines I flew with China Eastern twice, once SH to LA, the other one was SH-Bangkok. They were late for 3+ hours in both cases. Service was ok and you get what you paid for. |
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MagLev May Extend to Hangzhou - Confirmed 3oo RMB is expensive for the public to take such trip. According to the news, single trip will cost 150RMB. |
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Hello From Hangzhou In my mind,Hangzhou is a liveable city in China! |
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Microsoft is Hiring in Shanghai I happened to find this blog.It is very interesting and meaningful. Wang is an observant person and he pays more attention to the small things arround us. I am a Chinese and have the similar experiences as Wang,especially as people from outside Shanghai. They are true feelings in our mind.My English is poor, but I'd like to try. Could you help me? I saw a name of my friend on this page---Jeffrey Kang. I am wondering if he is the friend out of relation for a long time. He studied in Ohio State University in 1999. Could you tell me his email or tell him my email? Thanks a lot! Best Regards! |
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eBay China Job Opening Are any of these jobs still available? I am a Sr. designer with fluent chinese. I have 9 years of web design/development/UED experience. |
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Jian Shuo is In Real Estate Business You should be pround of your name though! Thank your parent for it! |
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PageRank - Higher Position in Google Result It is great to share such usful info !!! Thank a lot. |
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Daocheng VCD Received Hey........the video clip preview is really interesting....where can i get the vcd?.....is it exp?.... great pics that you've taken too....... i'm also very interested in going to daocheng....in fact, that thought has been with me for the past few years, but in Singapore, there isn't any tours to daocheng, until recently....so guess my chance has come. is there anything i've gotta watch out for or avoid at daocheng? any advice? |