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| 434 |
Google.com Blocked, Again @kbguy, are you part of the 50 cent army? Only half-joking... In this regard, being aware that there are supposedly lots of people who get paid when writing such kinds of comments, makes it very difficult to take such comments seriously. Again an example of how media manipulation can fail in today's age. |
| 433 |
Hijacked Education by Scientists Jianshuo, from my daily experience, I can tell you one thing for sure: those Chinese students I worked with are not fit for an academic career either. I have to train them extensively, too. |
| 432 |
Drive on Nanpu Bridge for 3000 Times Hi, Carsten again. I saw your reply only now. I'm working at the 6th floor, the e-learning lab. You got my email from this form? Then send me an email, and we'll meet. Cool, looking forward to it! |
| 431 |
Drive on Nanpu Bridge for 3000 Times Hi Wang, are you working in the Haoran building at STJU Xuhui campus? I do. Why not have a tea or coffee one of these days? |
| 430 |
Chinese Government is Like a Company No comment on this topic, I have to come here for many years ahead, as my wife is chinese and as part of my work involves negotiating with chinese party members who are heads of state owned companies. So, I keep my hand out of the ant pile. Before I admit to try to affect someone to see the realities going on, but it is totally hopeless when most people in China believes in just everything they are told by the authorities. Point, dot, end, - forget to change anything from inside of China. The future changes should come from the people itself. If they do not want it, then stay away from the topic, or just take it easy and shut up, as long it does not affect yourself. Just got a 90 days 1-year business visa :-) Thank the higher powers that 2008 Beijing is over. May this event never happen again in CCP China ! SO big problems for businessmen. |
| 429 |
I Use Public Transportation Now Hi Jianshuo Congratulations on your 31'th !!! I was in Shanghai for a couple of weeks, just finished work, and going back to Europe on sunday. I rented a car at AVIS, and I found out by occasion, that the highway fee now can be paid by the transportation card as well :-) (It could not be done before). Then, noone can see WHEN you were going from A to B :-) So, one day when you use your car to Hangzhou, use your sptc (Shanghai Public Transportation Card - WWW.SPTCC.COM) Best reg's to you Jianshuo, Carsten |
| 428 |
Disturbed Lunch Dihua, the Olympic flame came to Beijing already 2 days after ignition in Greece. By airplane. High ranking chinese guys received it. It was in western tv. So, it doesn´t matter if the torch is extinguished :-) The relay is just a secondary show. THE FLAME IS ALREADY IN BEIJING |
| 427 |
More Discussion on Tibet Keep your level of talking, not discouraging either side, that suits you well ! Your english has improved tremendously the last 6 years, Jianshuo. Your blogging promotes it well :-) Me and Xiuying will come to Shanghai in this month. Would be nice with a cup of coffee with you; can you email me, please ? |
| 426 |
Pictures of my Newly-Born Baby With a baby like this, life is surely worth living ! Once again, congratulations with the wonderboy ! Xiuying and Carsten |
| 425 |
My Baby Arrives Jianshuo, Great to find that you have left the blog without any new postings for 5 days now !!! This means that there ARE something more important in life than the blog. Continue like this, until Wendy releases you from her side. We can wait, don't worry ! Anyhow, 'worried a little, I hope that nothing is wrong with your baby. Please confirm ! |
| 424 |
My Baby Arrives Long time no visiting of your page, but right TODAY I see your happy news ! Tons of congratulations from me and Xiuying !!!!! Hope to see photos of the wonder boy soon :-) Remember to spend a lot of time with Wendy and the boy. Time passes SO quickly. |
| 423 |
Angkor WAT, Cambodia Jianshuo, how did you got the visa ? Did you have to prove everything to the consulate ? Your financial status, letter from the employer etc. ? Please give a description. |
| 422 |
Personal Income Tax in China Can anyone provide a link to the official regulations IN ENGLISH ? Not a lawyer or HR company, but the real thing. |
| 421 |
Pudong Airport Maglev in Depth Hi Chris, are you danish ?! |
| 420 |
My Favorite Food in the World Ok stone, I know this, thanks ! Some information : This alley is in west direction from Pudongnanlu. PudongNANlu goes north-south on this place. I lived nearby for 4 years... The alley goes straight through to Puchenglu and across the street is the main gate of Yanlord Garden apartments (Renhengbinjiangyuan). If you enter from Puchenglu, there are three tailors, one on the left side and two on the right side. Many foreigners and chinese have their clothes made there. In the second one on the right side, a skinny woman owns the shop. She made the jeans I am wearing now (and all the others). She works nearly day and night, she must have a BIG family ! |
| 419 |
My Favorite Food in the World Hi stone, right or left of the KFC ? To the right there is a corner-restaurant in the yard without many customers. To the left (a little more left than KFC) is "The Alley" as most foreigners call it. There are restaurants on both right and left side. Which one ? And, koreans have a red, not thick chili paste. Mostly eaten together with cold seafood like clams etc. Cannot remember the name. Any koreans out there to help ? Well, chili-paste - go and buy the fine ground GOJU-JANG in a korean shop. Comes in thick sealed plastic bags It gets old after a half year, so don't buy too much. |
| 418 |
Shanghainese Girl Marrying Foreigners Yes, you're right Stephen, no access. Must be some terrible stuff ! I try later, I have access through the phone modem to ATT. Anyway, it only counts marriages in China I guess. Many are married outside China (like me). |
| 417 |
How to Start a Blog? But, we all expect YOU to keep going, Jianshuo !!! :-) |
| 416 |
What Matters to Me Most Today? By the way, Xiuying had a quite good mentor, he just charged 30RMB/hour Jianshuo, send me an SMS, then I willl return his name&number. |
| 415 |
What Matters to Me Most Today? Sorry, not in these days. I'm not in Shanghai... Later. |
| 414 |
What Matters to Me Most Today? Jianshuo, pinot 5 is good. Someday we must have a pingpong game ! Wendy can do together, as Xiuying is very good too. |
| 413 |
Lujiazui is Full Jianshuo, go to Puxi. Take no. 2 subway to People's Square, go out of the south end and walk east to Yunnan Nan Lu. Many small cheap good restaurants ! Great food ! |
| 412 |
Shanghainese Girl Marrying Foreigners Stephen, where is that statistics source ? Can you provide a link ? Taiwan - US - Bush etc. We are away from the subject. To continue these off road topics : US wants to defend Taiwan in case of a war - and recognize that it belongs to CCP - at the same time ???? US - wake up and take a firm stand. Taiwan is like a flee between two nails. From a homepage I even can open in China, the history of Taiwan is written, and it is clear that Taiwan only fully belonged to mainland China for 7 (seven) years throughout the history. China sold Taiwan to the japanese (The Shimonoseiki agreement). How can anyone claim something that they've already sold ?? Only reason to claim Taiwan (as I see it) is because the enemy (kuomintang) from the civil war ran away to that island. CCP wants a complete victory. The kindergarden-like statements from Beijing towards Taiwan is just ridicoulus. Even funny, sometimes. Now CCP has SO many money, believe it or not (they don't give much to the people). So - the solution is - CCP can buy it back again ! Then Taiwan will be a very rich province, and both countries can save lots of money on the defense budgets. But then Taiwan will not be a free country anymore... The best solution would be, if both countries were true and free democratic countries. Then the Taiwan resistance of joining with the maniland will fade away. We are waiting. |
| 411 |
Shanghainese Girl Marrying Foreigners By the way, it can completely break the life of a chinese woman into pieces, if she is getting unintetionally pregnant. The education level of sex behaviour and protection is almost non-existing in China. And the officials deals with this matter in a very hard way. Guys, chinese and foreigners, going with a girl, even a prostitute takes some consideration from you. You are dealing with humans, not machines. You can ruin her life in an hour. |
| 410 |
Shanghainese Girl Marrying Foreigners A little out of the scope here, but no, copy-viagra's are sold everywhere, even in supermarket drugstores in the middle of China. No need to go to Nanjingdonglu for this drug. I haven't tried, so I can't say if it works or not. |
| 409 |
Shanghainese Girl Marrying Foreigners Just feeling sad for the chinese who knows almost nothing of the outside world, except from the manipulated input that China CCTV can provide. To be true, if an old foreign guy meets a young chinese girl, it is most likely that SHE finds HIM, and usually in a bar. Not in Carrefour or in the subway. And as a "bar girl" she is possibly willing to go to extremes to get money, even marriage. These are the stereotypes who passes by Starbucks on Nanjing Dong Lu. Their relationship seldom lasts more than a few years. (I really hope that they don't get a baby before they divorce, that's a disaster.) Another thing - how about chinese girls who works in japanese bars in China ? Most people in China do not like the japanese, but anyway, chinese girls do want to work "under" them... By the way, my neighbour is a japanese man married to a chinese woman ! Things are not only black and white... |
| 408 |
4 Year Anniversary of Wedding Duke, you're a sick person. |
| 407 |
Jiading is Not As Far as I Thought Yes, especially the Middle Ring road is Really Great ! Just keep 80 km/h. There are plenty of speed cameras. Advice : Plot them into your car GPS. Давид - "David" - 200++ is possible in China too ! Just find the right places :-) Why do you think people buy Ferrari's here ? Not for fun driving in Shanghai City. I know some very good expressways in China... But expect to find boxes, rocks, crossing farmers and perhaps some crashed cars on the road. Can be an exiting experience :-( |
| 406 |
4 Year Anniversary of Wedding By the way, Tamie, many chinese women dates married men. Even chinese. I know a few. Manybe you will b eone of them in the future. Never say never... |
| 405 |
4 Year Anniversary of Wedding Yes, Tamie, it is a very touchy subject. One day on a ferry journey I met a young guy. We chatted, and he was very interested in China comparing foreign countries, which he have never been to (possibly like you, Tamie ?) He said a lot of the bad things in China. Mostly of the government. We never spoke of our respective girlfriend, wife or whatsoever. Just before entering the harbour, we stood on the deck and enjoyed the sunshine, and he said "I don't like that chinese women marries foreign guys. The girls are so bad, they only marry for money." I think he saw me as a competitor, maybe he couldn't get himself a good girlfriend, and in this way got his bad thoughts out and blamed the foreigners for that. (Maybe.....) My chinese wife Xiuying (yes, I am married to a chinese and ve are both very happy about it) have had some "experiences" of chinese men talking bad to us, when she walks along the street with me. She hates that chinese men talks bad of me. "These guys have absolutely no style", she says. Chinese women very seldom talks in that way in public. In fact, most women says good things of me. My chinese is not so bad that I can't hear what these men are talking about. Please have that in mind next time (if you are a chinese) and talks bad things to a foreigner. Some might listen and get really angry of your talks, so beware. Many foreigners are strong. Some chinese have an attitude to think of themselves as the ONLY available option for the opposite sex, just like you, Tamie. By the way, do your husband have the same ´bad attitude as you ? China has been opening up for many years, and the chinese now knows a little more of the outside world now. Perhaps you should think of WHY chinese in some cases prefer foreigners instead of chinese. Perhaps because foreigners has far more knowledge of the rest of the world outside China, due to the free press, and the holiday travels to other countries which most foreigners do quite often. That makes them more interesting in the chinese' eyes. And marrying a foreigner opens many new doors for you outside China. Worth to think about, when someone is just fed up by all the control, the rules and the whole system here. There are many couples of foreigners and chinese. Most are foreign men marrying a chinese, but the other way is seen in many cases. Perhaps one day your husband will leave you for a foreign woman ! I can see that the divorce rate in Shanghai is sky rocketing now. So be careful. Fact : Love shows it's face in many ways. Fact : Many chinese women marry old rich chinese men, or rich chinese popstars, just because of their money. So let them. Can even be a way out of hopeless poverty and obligations. Old fat foreigners don't last long, he will die happy. And when he dies, the wife get's her reward. More money than her whole family can earn in three lives. Everybody is happy ! What's wrong about that ? Work hard on that attitude of yours, Tamie. You have a lot of understanding of the world to catch up on. The world is not simply black and white. It is dark grey and light grey. Never pure black and white. This is 2007. |
| 404 |
4 Year Anniversary of Wedding Congratulations ! :-) When will we see your kid on the blog ? :-) |
| 403 |
New Phone - Dopod D600 Why do I get a message like : "Your comment has been received and held for approval by the blog owner." ??? First time. |
| 402 |
New Phone - Dopod D600 Can't you call a number by voice activation ? Say "Jianshuo" and it dials your number ! Even my old Nokia 6230 can do that... |
| 401 |
Weird Policies, One by One Jianshuo, you will make many, many foreigners happy if you can ask the local tax office, or even better, provide us a translation of the new regulations. My wife Xiuying has been to the tax office in Huangdao south of Qingdao. They told her that they don't want to claim any tax from foreigners who have their income ONLY in their home country. That was why no one bothered to make a translation into english of the regulation. (If a foreigner is employed IN CHINA, then he is naturally going to pay tax.) |
| 400 |
Should I Drive in Shanghai? Jianshuo, in most foreign countries, by traffic law, the pedestrian has the supreme right as he IS the weak part, so no need for arguments about any incident. I think you are wrong on this. In China, only when the cars comes close to foreigners, the foreigner pedestrian can get REALLY angry on the careless cars some times. From the daily life in China : Today I was nearly hit by a Changan small minibus, coming behind me in the same direction as me (I was in fact walking in a pedestrian crossing :-) !!, and they just smiled at me, apologizing... Just five seconds later, a taxi crossed the double yellow lines of the same street in a left turn, and he hit a motorcycle driver, who tried to avoid the accident. The taxi was damaged in the front bumper (and perhaps more), and had to be removed by a car towing truck. The MC-driver had blood all over his left side of the face and on his hands, and was completely confused for about 3 minutes. Then he tried to rise and walk, but had to sit down again, I think his leg was broken. I simply pointed out to the passengers of the taxi, that the taxi had crossed the double yellow lines, and later I met a traffic police guy, he didn't see anything (why bother...) but when I approached him, he HAD to act, of course. Later, ½ an hour later, I saw that all was gone, exept that the taxi was town away. Funny, that I had to give the finger to the taxi driver, who didn't want to even get out of his car to see what had happened to the poor guy. Then he got out, but went mostly to me, and was eager to grab his mobile phone. No need to check the guy. :-( At the moment I am Huangdao for work, an KFQ zone near Qingdao at the moment. But not much different from Shanghai :-) And I'm driving my car here. (knock, knock, knock under the table) DO NEVER drive in China without a daredevil heart and a perfect insurance, and at least one chinese persone, who is able to back you up at any time !!! And take care everywhere in the traffic when you walk. |
| 399 |
Some Photo of Hong Kong in Jan Trip Nice shots of HK, Jianshuo ! Feels like beeing there again :-) |
| 398 |
The Scar in People's Heart Stephen, Connections shouldn't be that difficult. Although, I will be most likely in Qingdao in the Spring Festival. But the email and SMS can be an option :-) Jianshuo knows. Jianshuo, I hereby acnowlegde you my approval to provide Stephen my personal details. |
| 397 |
Living Cost in Shanghai - Driving Sorry, David (Давид) (I have been i Bryansk, Russia), but a car insurance have to cover all the ´damage you make to others, eg. when you slam into a crowd of school children and kill them all, or you hit a bus, who later runs off the mountain road and..., etc. That's why I have an insurance in my home country worth of 11.000.000 Euros. JUST IN CASE ! I guess there has never been this amount actually paid to the victims, but it will cover most of it if you're prosecuted for this WORST accident. It is not considered the value of your OWN car (YOU make the damage, so who cares about YOUR car). It is what you have to pay for the damage to others. Remebmer, I pay less in my home country for a much higher coverage, because people ther drive much more considerate and carefully. The basic school teaches the children how to behave in the traffic as well. CCP - begin here. In Europe most countries have 7 years of traffic training in school... |
| 396 |
Living Cost in Shanghai - Medicine Wow... This touches something here... I am lucky to have insurance 200% through my company, when I'm here. So I can choose any hospital without any economic fear. But, for my wife, I do not want her to even buy a bicycle to ride, because that increase her risk by 500% to get injured. And she doesn't have the same insurance as me. If we want to buy an insurance for my wife, then they only cover VERY little of the fee. We decided not to do that, but then she must be out of the most risky parts of daily life, like bicycles and motorcycles, because they don't have the same protection in the traffic of China. Sorry to say, but in one or two years we have to leave China, when I finish my company's project to teach up-coming chinese manufactureres to make good parts for the ship making industry (which may kill a few european present suppliers !!!!) I'm surely not happy about this... Guys out there, please tell me if it is wise for me to stay to help chinese, or am I just a dumb fool who kills the labour of europeans countries ?? I'm in doubt now. |
| 395 |
The Scar in People's Heart Exiting to see your following comments and Jianshuo's too ! Stephen, we know eachother on this blog for a while, what are your relations to China ? Do you have Jianshuo's phone no. ? Then we can make a connection, if Jianshuo agrees, and makes it :-) |
| 394 |
Living Cost in Shanghai - Driving 250RMB/month for road fee in Shanghai. Insurance - I pay 8500/year for insurance to cover 1.000.000 RMB. And I had to push the agent hard for this high amount - quite unusual, he said.) (To say this, in my home country my car is insured for a maximum damage of 110.000.00RMB. And I pay 6.500RMB/year.) The car insurance business is very un-developed in China. Mainly because of the extreme amount of accidents ! When will the CCP do something to educate all people, young and old, into the "new age of traffic" ? If done well, then even the top of CCP can drive their Mercedes and Audi W12 safely through a city without having to abandon all the traffic for hours before approaching :-) Progress, or ? Drive safely ! |
| 393 |
Living Cost in Shanghai - Driving 250RMB/month for road fee in Shanghai. Insurance - I pay 8500/year for insurance to cover 1.000.000 RMB. And I had to push the agent hard for this high amount - quite unusual, he said.) (To say this, in my home country my car is insured for a maximum damage of 110.000.00RMB. And I pay 6.500RMB/year.) The car insurance business is very un-developed in China. Mainly because of the extreme amount of accidents ! When will the CCP do something to educate all people, young and old, into the "new age of traffic" ? If done well, then even the top of CCP can drive their Mercedes and Audi W12 safely through a city without having to abandon all the traffic for hours before approaching :-) Progress, or ? Drive safely ! |
| 392 |
Living Cost in Shanghai - Medicine And those who can't pay simply dies. Period. In China - space rockets to the moon, investments for "help" to the dictatorship countries in Africa for future Chinese natural reserves gains, "fast trains" for the rich, all chinese should have a car (only true reason - to show off, don't mind the pollution !), all this is OK. But China's people still suffer so much... WHY ? My chinese wife's aunt recently died of lung cancer (she never smoked a cigarette, so think of other reasons, pollution, dangerous work, ?). Reason : NO money for treatment when needed :-( They told me too late that she was so ill, so I couldn't help in time, even I told them to HURRY to the hospital, I would pay ! All people went with her to a Changsha hospital for a cure, but too late... Her own children didn't want to help to pay for the treatment when she felt seriously ill, because they had more important things to spent their money on (cell phones, cars, apartments, own children's needs, etc.) So, as you see, many foreigners are quite well aware of the situation in China. But, only the chinese (the REAL) people can change anything in China. The luxury club (CCP) certainly cannot and will not. Think. |
| 391 |
Living Cost in Shanghai - Medicine And those who can't pay simply dies. Period. In China - space rockets to the moon, investments for "help" to the dictatorship countries in Africa for future Chinese natural reserves gains, "fast trains" for the rich, all chinese should have a car (only true reason - to show off, don't mind the pollution !), all this is OK. But China's people still suffer so much... WHY ? My chinese wife's aunt recently died of lung cancer (she never smoked a cigarette, so think of other reasons, pollution, dangerous work, ?). Reason : NO money for treatment when needed :-( They told me too late that she was so ill, so I couldn't help in time, even I told them to HURRY to the hospital, I would pay ! All people went with her to a Changsha hospital for a cure, but too late... Her own children didn't want to help to pay for the treatment when she felt seriously ill, because they had more important things to spent their money on (cell phones, cars, apartments, own children's needs, etc.) So, as you see, many foreigners are quite well aware of the situation in China. But, only the chinese (the REAL) people can change anything in China. The luxury club (CCP) certainly cannot and will not. Think. |
| 390 |
The Scar in People's Heart Human lives will always prevail over benefit and progress. But (still) not in China. |
| 389 |
Chinese Stock Market is Crazy Anyone, please tell a foreigner living here : How many real estates can a foreigner possess in mainland China ? I heard so many rumours of this... |
| 388 |
Some Blogs about V2EX Jianshuo, can you sort your list in english sites and chinese sites, please ? |
| 387 |
Life in a Crowded World Same situation in Bank of China in Meilong Lu... People sent their kids there with a mobile phone !! Later they came in a taxi, HAHA ! China is IN FACT the world's most hyper-capitalist country (you will find out after living here a short while), and the bank system just sucks ! Pathetic... |
| 386 |
V2EX's Network Cable was Unplugged Jianshuo, I have a deep respect for your "grey" labelled statement ! But please explain what the V2EX is, and do it in the header of the article. Then we dumb-asses don't have to go to 1-2-3-4-5 to find out. Dui-ba ? |
| 385 |
120K Self-Claim Tax in Details Jianshuo, how can a foreigner know how to do ? All seems to be in chinese... Even your link. By the way, I like your statement "didn't involve THE PEOPLE" !!! CCP make thousands of new regulations and laws every year, but noone knows about them, all is just perceived by occasion : "Did you hear about that ? I saw it on a homepage" or so. Noone knows (or even wants) to obey the laws in China, unless a hard enforcement is done. To be convinced, just go out on the street, in the traffic ! Noone knows how to do, noone knows the rules. In Europe, all school kids have many years in school of traffic teaching. In TV, advertisements COULD be shown every 5 minutes before full hours, after the never ending ancient soap operas, to inform common people of new things to think of (regulations, etc.), but nothing is actually done. CCP is only thinking of getting more and more money. The overall infrastructure is just made sufficient to get more money, not to satisfy the common people fully. Billions of RMB is spent on the chinese men who goes into space, and looks down on all the chinese who can't go home for spring festival because of lack of transportation structure, and see the people who can't get any public help if they have a deadly disease. The use of all the gathered money is certainly to discuss (of course in deeeeep privacy). This is truly "ROCCP", not PRC. So, I fully understand that the chinese people do not want to stand in long lines to pay some weird and yet unknown taxation ! |
| 384 |
Personal Income Tax in China Limin, so far no one have been able to explain this. For foreigners employed by chinese companies there are specific rules, as for the citizens. But if you are a foreigner, employed in foreign companies located outside of China to provide assistance to chinese companies or local branches of the same company, it has never been considered a problem, as the tax is claimed in the foreign country, no matter how low or high that actually is. In my company noone with employment base outside of China has ever been taxed. (It would be quite difficult too, just think of the language barrier...) ATTENTION : If anyone has been working in China for a longer period, employed by an "outside of China" located company, and has been liable to taxation, I (and certainly many others) would be very interested to hear more ! |
| 383 |
40 Minutes for a Taxi at Hongqiao Yes, nicen, I do that too :-) BE SMART, go against the mainstream. |
| 382 |
Rumors after Rumors Jianshuo, after 4½ years, now I will give you some advice. This is an EMPTY posting ! Truly ! Do not just talk into empty space. We dont achieve any information from you, you do not show us any of the articles you are thinking of, or even some links to them, Jianshuo. If no information is provided, this posting is just a "dead end (street)", and you know what that sign means. You have just left "driving" California ! Put in a simple way, I expects more quality from you than this posting. I know you're having a serious jetlag now, so the advice is, to simply wait to post anything until it has passed.... |
| 381 |
My Lifeline on the Little Plastic Card Jianshuo, some advices. Take two cards with you, and keep then in different places. Scan the pages in your passport, one page with visa and one page where your photo is, and give the copies to your travel partner (if you have one), or keep them in a safe place. Some day, an ATM will grab your card, and it is with 95% chance on a friday afternoon, so you can't get your card back before monday at bank opening hours :-( In some cases, the card magnetic information strip will "not work"... (Happens frequently in China with Diners) The card must NEVER get close to magnetic things, as it erases all information (both chip and stripe cards). :-) Do NOT buy the very funny magnetic "longballs" to play with. Some day you will put them in your pocket, where your card is.... If you are having troubles with your card, 300US$ in your money belt (a belt with a hollow space and closed with a zipper from inside) will do miracles, even for up to a week ! Robberies happens in US. (It is the "land of guns".) |
| 380 |
Three Services I don't Use in China Is there such a thing as voice messaging in China Mobile and China Unicom ? If so, I would like to hear more details. And - are there any way that people can send SMS to a chinese mobile phone from outside of China ? (I can send SMS to my country, but they can't send to me in China.) |
| 379 |
Jet Lag? Finally Found Out the Cure Advice (that Jianshuo may not know) : Tools Paradise is in Bejing Dong Lu, just a few minutes walk north of Henan Zhong Lu Station (which maybe have changed name by now). Computer software is in Xijiahui. Bring a chinese to guide you through the jungle. Weight gain - only one way, eat less and exercise more. That's it. Your body is like a bucket of water, if you put water in it, it will gain weight, if you let it alone, it will evaporate. But the exercise will be like taking out the water of the bucket by using a cup :-) Real estate business in China is simply a mess. New regulations comes up at the most inconvenient times. If you have to LEND the money, then leave that business (unless you're chinese). By the way, guys out there, I would like to know if it is right that foreigners only can own ONE real estate property in China ? |
| 378 |
Chat with Tina and Jin Steven, your link cannot be opened in China mainland. So we guys have to stay here, as this blog is still open in China ! |
| 377 |
Photo: Dog under Sunshine You are talking to the world, Jianshuo ! Give us a clue. |
| 376 |
I am not a Big Fan of Hate... hge, Wikipedia is banned in China. Too free. |
| 375 |
I am not a Big Fan of Hate... Ohh, My Name Is Nobody, I have read that it was 2 mill. tibetans the cihinese killed... Out of 6 mill. = 4 mill. left. And still, they shoot at them ! Latest incident 8 killed on sept. 30 2006, recorded by researchers at the glacier they crossed. Anyone outside China can see that on the Net. About the japanese books, it is right that some books favourize the japanese acts duting the war (and before). But, what did the chinese do ? Please round up the weed in the backyard before accusing others. The african meeting : Dictators meets with dictators. We in the west will now know, that we will be supporting both Myanmar, North Korea and all the dictators in Africa, when we buy the chinese goods. Thank you, China. Gives so much comfort in believing in a free and happy world... I believe the Japanese, the americans and the europeans soon will wake up and set some demands for the things they buy so cheap ! And, still no progress for the poor in China. And still, I am helping the chinese government in developing by my work here... Maybe I'm completely stupid ? |
| 374 |
Metron #2 Station Name Change Please, for your god's sake (whichever God you have), ask for a REASON to change the names ! All people in Pudong know this station as Dongfanglu Station, and all people in Puxi know the other two stations VERY well. Chinese people (including Wangjianshuo), please ASK your officials WHY they want to change the station names ! It does not benefit anything, exept the two roads in question, and that it only roads. If you want to be a DEVELOPED country, then you have to ask WHY, everytime ! By the way, "changing things" is the reason why the daylight saving time have never been a success in China (which still have same time zone, spanning 3 hours of sun time). This is the effect arising of suppressing the citizens. Please comment ! |
| 373 |
Where are You? Jianshuo - great that you learn about Denmark now ! Which book do you read ? Please tell me. If you like, I have a good one for you. It is Xiuying's, but I'm sure that she will lend it to you. Send me an SMS |
| 372 |
Featured on China Daily Thanks for your article, I'm surprised that I was the first to notify you :-) And now I know what you meant by the danish journalist - SHE wrote it ! Not so many chinese are named Ida Relsted. I'm glad that Wendy is mentioned (even it is the last word, it WAS there). I think she must be a very patient wife. Take good care of her <3 |
| 371 |
Beggars in China and People's Attitude All folks in China, read the China Daily today ! Jianshuo and this blog is featured ! See the last pages, there's a half page. Jianshuo, the last word at all is "Wendy". I think she deserves a more forwarded place in your life... I'm in Dalian now, just spended the last 5 days with Xiuying in Shanghai. I got the newspaper on FM9191, so I saw your face in that paper ! If you guys see this issue of China Daily, another article is on the front page and page 5 about health care in China. Please think of how the government money is spended in this society ! By the way, thanks to the Maglev extended hours, I succeeded to catch my plane today ;-) |
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Life in Remote Places Sahome is not available here. "Forbidden" and bla bla bla. Baidupedia is a chinese controlled search engine, so I refuse to use that for my searches. Then I only have 10 % of the choices on other search engines. Solopolo, it is not corruption that is the problem, but the "only big brother" is. Just a last story - today I couldn't get into my workplace (a big one) because some "CCP black car asshole" should arrive 2 hours later, so everything stopped. The chinese are SO afraid of those !!! I waited for 20 minutes... Hahaha, I'm foreigner you know, so then I said to the guards that I had to attend a meeting with "the big guy that will come today", and swoooshh - I got in as fast as a hare can run. Ohh, those assholes in black cars :-( I'll stop commenting on this blog, lame friends. It has been fun. So long to you, Jianshuo ! |
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Life in Remote Places Jianshuo, if you have time, can you try to open Wikipedia.com in Australia ? I guess it is banned in China. They must have put some bad words somewhere... It is a wealth of informations, maybe that's why :-) |
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Life in Remote Places The Opera House is a true Danish design ! (by Jørn Utzon) |
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PVG: Shanghai Pudong Airport Map Dear Juliet At first I ignored to answer your foolish comment, but then : My company have sent me here to help chinese government owned companies. And I have done so in the last 5 years. And they are happy. I think it is better to stay and do something here, Juliet. I have my chinese wife and my life here, but for me it doesn't mean that I can't say anything or do anything to improve life for me and my family here. So mind your own business and keep quiet, if you cannot take any hard words of your beloved government. When you write like this, you certainly don't understand what is really going on in China. I'm sure many other readers will see the point. The words above are quite ironical and have a "bite", but as a chinese (party member perhaps ?) you won't understand irony anyway. |
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PVG: Shanghai Pudong Airport Map JH, there can only be one reason. This is CHINA. So far I know, no other airport in China has runways with xxR and xxL, like in other big airports in other countries. The reason can only be, that in most of Asia it is quite difficult for people to find the right tonation of L and R, because the hard spoken "R" does not exist in their language. Imagine the possible disaster if the air traffic controller say to the pilot : "You are cleared for landing on runway 35R" and pronounces it as an L !!! So - they must have decided to avoid this problem by giving it a "fake" number. But afer all - the actual direction of the new runway is slightly more towards north, so it is nonsense to give it a lower number, you are absolutely right. Remember this if you come here one day : In China everything is allowed if it is decided by the government. Logical or not - doesn't matter :-) Some day they might change the law of gravity as well... |
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Maglev Accident in Germany An interesting thing is, what was the difference of the people who did get out alive, and those who did not ? Maybe the place they were seated in the train. In any case it is most safe to sit in the middle of the wagon, and your face should be opposite of the driving direction. No passengers must sit opposite you, as they will hit you if an accident happens. I know that it is not as exiting as the thrill of facing the driving direction. The Maglev MUST install seatbelts, just like in an airplane ! To wear them or not might be a personal question, but they should be available. Anyway, all transportation is dangerous. Ferry, train, car bicycle, walking. To compare Maglev with another fast transportation, see the many records on : http://www.airdisaster.com/cgi-bin/database.cgi Will you stop flying ? |
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Guide for Bike Riders in Shanghai Shrek7, I wonder how you know the rules in Denmark, but anyhow, you are welcome to send me your comments on the Danish rules compared to chinese on carstensemail@yahoo.com :-) Are you danish ? |
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Swensen's in Xujiahui Wow, please look at the previous postings and see what the world is turning into :-( |
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Dishuihu (Dishui Lake) Pictures Ask in Pudong Government, they make the rules. |
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Went to IKEA Again Once IKEA was a small company ! Believe it or not ! http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_US/about_ikea/timeline/full_story.html And emagine that the establisher Ingvar Kamprad (now a wealthy old chap) has been an alcoholic for more than 25 years... Now he's "dry" due to health reasons (what else, age perhaps ?), but he actually misses the boose a lot :-) And - Of course I have bought some from him through the times, but always annoying to come home with these very heavy cardboard boxes, and mess up the living room or what room ever, and then should put the furniture into one single piece (with drawers too). IKEA has never been a success for single women, who don't have easy access to a strong "handyman". But the concept spread, so now almost all furniture sales are sold in these boxes in Europe. I LOVE China for the fact that you can go into a furniture market, choose your stuff, and know that the transportation and the assembly is INCLUDED in the often very low price ! In that way, IKEA sucks in China. And Jianshuo, I guess that's why you don't buy your stuff there anymore, right ? By the way, if you have some photos of the nice displays, instead of the ugly warehouse-like photos, please post them too. You could also explain the funny parking lot rules of IKEA... Sometimes free, other times not. |
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"Not Happy New Year" Jianshuo, you are a "foreigner" in your own country :-) Such behaviour of alternative creative intelligence is very uncommon in China. But - this is in fact what makes the world interesting ! Innovation and creativity. Recently, I saw an article of "4.4 million chinese and indian students were educated from universities in 2005, where EU only made 2.5 millions"...... But WHAT are the value of those 4.4 millions - all simply just learned to read books and know them from beginning to end, but not able to think logically... In Asia universities : sit, read, listen, go home and study, exam, finish. But no development of your mind. My wife wants to study in Europe now. She's fed up with the university system in China. Applying for a job in the West with a chinese university degree is useless. They demand thinking people. Go on with your creativity, Jianshuo ! |
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Dishuihu (Dishui Lake) Pictures Hi Jianshuo, you are right, it is a nice place. But no facilities yet. I went there when the 3 ring roads around the lake was getting dressed up by flowers and trees. A funny thing was, that all the traffic lights were working, but NO cars. Should I obey them or not ? After a while I decided not... The water has a low salinity, because it is water from Donghai which is now mixed with freshwater. I would like to go sailing there later... (The sailing club at Dianshanhu is SO crowded now. Too successful...) There are facilities for kayaking and other rowing sports already. |
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Volunteer for Beijing Olympics er-ling-ling-ba Olympics really sucks. Beijing ONLY got chosen for the 2008 Olympics in a hope from the olympic committee, that it would make the "opening of China" to speed up. And what happened jst recently ? Now the government have wisely decided that all foreign news must be filtered by Xinhua first ! http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/09/11/china.newscontrols.reut/index.html Haha, that's really funny, they will get SO busy ! Perhaps they won't even have time to filter MY emails then :-) It still sucks. The chinese people now have to wait much longer for improvements of social welfare, because for the government it is ABSOLUTELY necessary to spend 160.000.000.000 RMB on this "game" of professional athletes, just to have a chance of promoting themselves. How many free hospitals can you make for 160.000.000.000 RMB ? I guess I need these hospitals now, because the thought of it makes ME SICK ! I will not watch 1 minute of this "show". And for the volunteers, they don't understand a shit of what's happening around them... Why work for free, when the expenses is 160.000.000.000 RMB ? |
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Four Years of Blogging Wow, 4 years... And you still never get any sleep ! When do you have time for making the baby if you "blog till you drop" every night :-) ? By the way Jianshuo, when I searched my entries, when was my first one ? And now you maybe never will get any more "unfiltered" news of China viewed from outside, see : http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/09/10/china.newscontrols.ap/index.html About 20010911, hmm, I'm not a US citizen myself, but see what some people in US thinks : http://www.questionsquestions.net/docs0209/0930_bdquig.html http://www.oilempire.us/bogus.html http://www.reopen911.org/ |
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Why I Keep Losing Stuff Shrek7, I have it just like you, so don't feel aside of others. It annoys me sometimes how others can forget so easily :-(( But I'm feeling that we need such kind of "forgetsome" behaviour in a world, who demands people to buy more and more, hehehehe ! Just think of women, they have tons of clothes, but never have anything to wear :-) "Oh, my darling, I have NO clothes for this evening out, what to do ??" Answer (and how to lose money) = give her 500 RMB and send her to shop something immediately :-) Jianshuo, I guess your situation happened in the morning, huh ? You seldom get any sleep, I know, so anything can happen in a dream, I know, so even you are awake doesn't mean that your brain is awake. That explains why you lost your shoe. Before you drive by yourself, I suggest you to wait half an hour more... I didn't gave up driving, so we are among you along the way in Shanghai, and we don't want any accidents ! PS : Jianshuo, Xiuying and me got married on august 23. :-))))) |
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Top Commenter of the Month (2006H1) Jianshuo, what is a "Top Commenter" ? Is it a good thing ? Some day even bellevue could get to the top, simply because you only count the numbers of entries of comments, so beware ! Well, who want's him on the top, exept for himself ? :-) :-) |
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Top Commenter of the Month (2006H1) Thanks, stephen, but I'm only expressing my feelings, and give others some hints to get aorund in this true mess of a city. I appreciate you for always writing such good and useful comments here in JSW's blog. I wish there would be even more USEFUL comments, instead of the bullshit we see sometimes. OK, enough, enough ! (My back can't take more slapping now....) |
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Too Many Entries in a Blog Bigbro and DaveG, I'm sorry to say this to you, by your suggestion you will simply turn JSW's page into 1) a Lonely Planet guidebook and 2) a personal blog, and thus not very interesting. Dividing a blog into two parts (one for tourists and one for commenters) is not the idea of making a personal blog. Then it becomes commercial. JSW created his blog in a high spirit of sharing his world to us (except some freaks disturbing sometimes). Tourists looking for hints can find lots of details of Shanghai here. If people can't find their way in JSW's quite easy menu, then they can simply find another easy tourist homepage or site. I know that China is not an easy country for foreigners. For tourists it's a heaven, but I have spend 3,5 years here, but still feeling very annoyed about some things, and sometimes it comes out through the comments. It is just so natural for a western person to express him/herself. We can comment the most outrageous things in our own newspapers at home, but here in China there is a limit controlled by the government. "Crackdown", "imprisoned", "executed", these words are daily headlines on many newspapers here. It IS hard to deal with for expats and foreigners in China. In JSW's blog, the personal touch is paramount. We have followed JSW on many journeys, even half around the world some times (unfortunately mostly eastbound to USA), and he provides us with details of almost everything that he perceives. That is the really GREAT thing of this blog !!!!! Please keep it this way, Jianshuo ! |
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Jia You, Shanghai Metro! To explain, see : http://www.urbanrail.net/as/shan/shanghai.htm Thanks to Robert Schwandl ! |
| 351 |
Jia You, Shanghai Metro! Anyone knows when Line #4 will open the last part of the line (Lancunlu - Damuqiaolu) ? This will give a great relief to Line #1. |
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Fake Market in Shanghai? Yes, you have to be careful. I bought a video camera two years ago in the Hualian Mall at Nanjingdonglu. Behind a glass was a nice Sony video camera. I asked to take a look, and I noted the label in the bottom said that it was "Made in Japan". Then I negotiated the price and got a camera in a box. At home I unpacked it and now the label said "Made in China". Then I went back to the shop and pointed out the camera in the display, and showed my camera. "I want a similar camera as the one in the display", I said. Then they told me to pay 500RMB more, because it was Made in Japan. At that time I asked for the manager to attend. After an hour and a half, they agreed to change it, but then the guarantee would only be possible to claim in the same Mall, nowhere else. For me no problem. The guarantee is ONLY valid in China, when you buy anything. There is no such thing as "International Guarantee" if you buy your stuff in China. So remember, always unpack all parts and check them before final payment. |
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How Many Hotels in Shanghai? Jie Lun, you are not in China, haha ! I can't open that page, it is banned ! By the way, Wikipedia is also banned now, and I had a lot of good information from that before... Shit :-( Anyone who have a link to all banned pages in China ? I know it is very very long, but anyway... |
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People in Beijing is More Expressive Ginza, how long do you intend to stay here ?? In general, only professional drivers, and the crazy-and-rich people drive in China. :-) Me and Jianshuo are some of them, you figure out the category of us by yourself. Insurance is very bad, the police don't show people how to drive (because they have very bad behaviour themselves in the traffic), streetwalkers crossing redlights and highways, road signs are very unsafe, no traffic education of the people, 100.000+ dead in the traffic every year, no available traffic law in english at all, ambulance service (if you get injured) are slower than taking a taxi... Still want to try ? Advice : Go by taxi. |
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How Many Hotels in Shanghai? Thanks, Jie Lun. Shall we send these informations to Reuter's or CNN ? You do McD and I do KFC, ok ? Andreas, if the food is thoroughly cooked, any chinese food is good, don't worry when you come here ! Leave the "cold dishes" at any chinese meal if they don't look like very recently done. But definitely avoid cold noodles and muslim lamb sticks from a street stall, even chinese gets sick from that (I have evidence !). Any good food for humans are just yummy food for bacterias as well, especially in a 30++ deg. environment ! That is why many foreigners eat at KFC and McD when going abroad, they have basically better food handling rules. But - they have to treat their employed personnel well, otherwise their reputation will decline. |
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Fake Market in Shanghai? Roberto, try to call the guys at http://ph.chineseembassy.org/eng/ for more information. Good luck ! |
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Cheap Place to Stay in Shanghai Hi Andreas Try and email to this one : Haodu Hotel 41 Guangxi nan lu ("South Guangxi Road") email : guest@haodu.cn 230-260 RMB/night. Not far from People's Square, and not THAT noisy at night. For your good night sleep, take your precautions. China is noisy, and the windows are only there to keep the rain from coming in, not for keeping the sounds out :-) |
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Fake Market in Shanghai? Yes Stephen, it is Timberland, of course. And these sailing shoes were made in China in 1990 or before. |
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Fake Market in Shanghai? Timberline ! A story : I was in San fransisco in California, US in 1990. I found a "bargain", a Timberline shoe, down 50% to 50US$. WOW, excellent American quality for just 50US$ !!! I have been wearing the shoes occasionally, but when I went to China in 2002, one guy told me to look inside my shoes... Made i China ! And that was in 1990. These days, goods made by private companies in China usually are VERY good value for money ! But, all that comes from state owned companies should be really cheap, as the quality really sucks ! (Said from a quality supervisor in Chinese companies, so believe it) |
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How Many Hotels in Shanghai? Shrek, you're right. I know it's a little out of topic here, but YES. It's a story that HAS to be told. I felt the article of the thrown baby rather disturbing too, so I refer from the "China Daily" article, a newspaper available by anyone on every corner of the streets of Shanghai : By Zhang Yu SHANGHAI: The trial of a 20-year old mother who dumped and killed her newborn baby opened yesterday in Shanghai's Zhabei District People's Court. The migrant worker from Yunnan Province was charged with intentionally killing her son by throwing him out of the window of her fifth floor room. The woman confessed to this action. "There have been many cases involving unmarried girls who abandoned their babies, but this is the first we have dealt with a mother killing her baby just after giving birth," Wang Zhixiang, the prosecutor , told China Daily yesterday after the trial. One evening five months ago Zhang Weixian, the defendant, gave birth to a baby boy in her dormitory, which is on Xizang North Road in Downtown Shanghai. However, Zhang, who only received a primary school education, repeatedly claimed in the courtroom that she had no idea she was pregnant and was going to have a baby, although she often felt pains in her stomach and genitalia. She admitted that she had had sex with her boyfriend in her hometown in Yunnan before she migrated to Shanghai last October to work in a restaurant as a waitress. "But she said she never learned about sex or pregnancy in school, so she didn't know that sex may lead to pregnancy" said the prosecutor. "I just thought I had a really bad stomach ache before I went to the toilet and delivered the baby" said Zhang, none of her whose collegues and roommates were aware of her condition. After 10 minutes of squatting she gave birth to the baby, which fell into the bowl of the toilet. "I lost a lot of blood and fainted after the delivery" said Zhang, who didn't even try to tell the gender of the baby and whether or not it was alive. After she came around, she tore off the umbilical cord by hand and threw the baby out of the window. "I feared at that time that I would lose my job in the restaurant if they knew I had a child, so I decided to throw him away" said Zhang, who earned 700 yuan (US$87) per month in the restaurant. Then she managed to go to bed and sleep until the police arrived 2 hours later. After receiving a report from a security guard who saw the dumped baby, police immediately came and questioned Zhang. "Now I regret throwing the baby away" said Zhang. "I would have brought the baby back to my hometown if I had known beforehand that I was committing a crime by doing this". The article is referred exactly as written, so don't blame me for bad chinglish.... But - in fact - I believe her ! Sex education in China is truly non-existing. And conditions for restaurant workers are in (especially in western eyes) simply horrible. What I couldn't read straight out of the article was, how old was the baby/embryo, as she told that she had the baby by herself, in only 10 minutes. That means that maybe it was only an abortion, not a birth of a full grown 9 month baby. If I calculate 5 months back, it was february. From October to february it's 4 months. This is a 16-20 month embryo, not very big. And not able to breathe by itself, so not possible to live at all. Her true "crime" was in fact, to throw the baby out of the window, and should be judged as that in my opinion. In the residential area where I live, I'd many times found garbage outside the kitchen window shelf, and I'm NOT living on the ground floor, I tell you ! So, it is a very common thing to do in China. So - who would ever want to put her on trial ????? Because it was a BOY ? Maybe. A baby girl would not have made such headlines in China, see how many times the word BOY appears... And, how could the police and the guard immediately know that it was HER ? She lived on 5'th floor...:-) I guess she didn't scream out "HERE I AM, GET ME ! " In China several millions of abortions are done every year by hospitals around China to prevent mothers to have more babies than "required" (one only, and in a marriage). Usually sterilisation is performed in the same sequence, so they can't "fall into the pit" again. Am I wrong, then please correct me. How about some sex education for all in the late middle school in China ? I say - Go on, good idea ! Sub-sub thing about working conditions in China : I heard from a student friend of mine, (she works as a cashier in a KFC in Shanghai to earn a little extra, she makes 0.6 US$/hour) that she would like to quit her job. "NO, definitely not possible !" said the manager, "when you began, you signed a paper, and it says that you have to work 3 months after giving in your resignation, otherwise we will have to inform your university !". I asked her to give me a copy of the paper she signed, but SHE didn't got a copy !!! So - now she don't dare to go from the job to do what she wanted - to attend an evening chinese-english interpretation class, only available in Shanghai, China. Because she's afraid of KFC !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyway, do the university have ANYTHING to do with a part time job ? I wonder... I hereby officially ban and condemn KFC forever !!! I will not put my or any of my friends and relatives teeth into that company's products. JOIN ME :-) And friends, please read the papers all over the world with the sense of "seeing behind the written word". |
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Second-Generation Identity Card Jianshuo, you are chinese, so of course you didn't ask them WHY you need a new ID-card ? So it is easier for THEM to track you, or to make YOUR life easier ? Please ask yourself this question ! |
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The World of Different Rules As a private employer, Jianshuo had no choice, because the guy wanted more money, but didn't say anything, just assumed that his customers always were aware of the unwritten rules in his world. His failure was not to speak out, even he could see Jianshuo's problem to understand him. Anyway the guy was just an asshole, and he never would have set a foot into my home. Another thing : All workers on low salary works better by the influence of a little extra money, no doubt about that ! The worst to do is to take money from workers (a common punishment for a failure in China). This does a tremendous lot of damage to the trust between worker and employer. This NEVER happens in the west (because there are law rights for the workers). When people expect their basic salary, they do not expect it to be less than their "basic salary calculated spendings" because they or their collegues made a mistake. Fight this bad behaviour of employers ! (Well, most who do so are government owned...) |
| 339 |
World Cup is Over pczou and WJS, it should be "Championship" :-) |
| 338 |
To Save a Young Life Are there any charity organisations in China ?? |
| 337 |
Look at These Advertisements Were the banners electronic or static ? If electronic, they could have written the same in many languages, here we only see 1/25'th of a second... I didn't watch any of the games so far, but I will record the final game tomorrow evening. (Local time : Sunday 20:00. Monday july 10 02:00 China time) Football : 22 persons trying to get 1 ball, fighting and arguing... What a game :-( |
| 336 |
South Railway Station Pictures Nice shots, Jianshuo ! If you go in the Ferris wheel, you can have a shot of the roof structure from above... All aluminium structure, 278 meters across, made by adding bars onto a huge center pole, and then, when finished, the pole is removed, and the structure is free carrying. It was amazing to follow the construction when I worked in Minhang and passed by every day. The wavy grass fields are cut by hand, of course ! Gardening workers are extremely low paid in China, so don't worry. They'll do it monday to sunday, no weekends... |
| 335 |
One Child Policy - Part II Stephen, you're right. The government has done something, they cancelled the school fee for basic and middle school. I don't know if the books are free too ?... But high school is not free. And most jobs require a high school exam. So what to do for the poor in the rural areas ? About learning - in fact it is very difficult for chinese to learn chinese of the simple fact that it is not possible to combine the characters with reasonable logic, and then many give up and ends up in illiteracy. I know many people who say this to me. Government - change into an easy alphabet. The characters were for the insiders in the emperor dynasties, not for today where all have to learn to read. Example : Korean Hangul was invented 600 years ago as a new alphabet, and is quite easy to learn, even for foreigners ! Another thing is health care - rise taxes for the rich (especially the factory owners, they treat the workers very bad, like I have never seen it before), so they can pay for the poorest. Today is like this : If you are sick and have money you can live, if no money - "sorry, we can't help you !" Shame on the rich ! (Hmm - what WAS the original idea of communism ??) |
| 334 |
Weather Forecast: Wet and Hot Here in China the weather is a chemical induced thing. That's why it is predictable most of the time. Only problem for the weathermen is, that the world is changing and heating up, but with five thousand years of chinese culture, why take this into consideration when you make your weather report ? :-) Last year was nearly without rain in the "rainy season" here. To Tony and Bovemanm : Kim Yong Il and Iran's president are both tiny guys, but both are good friends of China, and both have a very big mouth and a screwed vision of the world. The covering of the SCO-meeting last week in China left me astonished, as it nearly wasn't mentioned at all in the western media. In China it was big headlines every day. Nearly a dozen of the most troublesome leaders in the world were here in Lujiazui, Pudong, including the presidents of Russia and Iran. CNN gave no important news of this big meeting. For a foreigner it had a clear (hidden) agenda for China, which I can't write here. Hey, US guys, what did you do to your GPS-guided Tomahawk-missiles ? Why not send just one to Pyongyang and begin saving the lives of thousands of north koreans every year ? (It was quite efficient in Libya, remember...) |
| 333 |
Hukou System in China Hi Jianshuo I would like Xiuying to go with me to Hongkong. But it takes 2 photos, her ID-card, her Hukou book and 800 RMB (mostly for the bribes, I think, not for the actual work) And of course she have to go all the way back to her hometown to get it ! AND it will take one week. AND she can only stay in Hongkong for 7 days. It is much easier for her to go to Europe than to go to Hongkong ! (A photo, her passport and my guarantee for the finances during her stay, and 300 RMB only.) Another thing, can you legally drive in US on your chinese driving license ? |
| 332 |
Traffic in Shanghai Hi Jianshuo How much are the fines for crossing red light, or outside the pedestrian crossings ? Is it only in Shanghai, or "China-wide" ? |
| 331 |
Water Mellon for Summer Hmm, anyway Wal-Mart have the best and cheapest bread of all the malls here. And I only buy my minced beef there, 10 kilo at a time. Ask for freshly minced. Perfect for home made burgers and Spaghetti Bolognese ! Address : 252 Linyibeilu. Parking is free. I won't mention the employment policies or wages of that mall chain. Only say that there is a reason why the american owner is SO rich ! And the worker's rights in China are in fact non-existing in the private sector, so this must be just heaven for him... Other things I buy at Lotus (Thai owned) in Super Brand Mall near Oriental Pearl Tower, Lujiazui. Parking very expensive. And at Carrefour (French owned). They had a problem recently with overdated meat, so beware... Biyunlu shop is definitely the best (if you don't go for the meat). Free parking. |
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My Boat Sunk in Dishui Lake Jianshuo, if you refresh the page of that homepage, the top photo will change. And one of the photos is with me and Xiuying, and two other girls, all wearing yellow "Red Dragon" caps... |
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My Boat Sunk in Dishui Lake Jianshuo, you can join the SBYC at Dianshui Lake. Me and Xiuying are members. I am teaching her to sail the dinghy's. She can keep a steady heading now. 2 weeks ago, she managed to turn the boat from one direction of wind to the other by herself, several times. She was SO proud !! Go to http://www.shanghaibyc.org/ |
| 328 |
Xiamen - Tiny Beautiful City First of all, chinochano, what the f. are you talking about ??? Is it related to Jianshuo's headline posting ? Secondly, Jianshuo, please visit http://www.wunderground.com/MAR/wpacm.html There you will find that you just missed the nice 24 degrees of warm seawater around Xiamen !! April/May are the best time to swim there. Nearly no mosquitoes, and not too hot. You should try go in june, then things begins to cook there, not that pleasant. |
| 327 |
Train Tickets in Shanghai Railway Station So, foreigners, in these three periods of one week each (which is the only time that the chinese people can visit their relatives in this vast country), you are simply lost if you want to go by train. Buy an airplane ticket instead. These periods are NOT for backpackers, and others who want a trouble-free leisure time. All places are just... crowded. A funny story : I consider to go to Jiangxi this time, and already now, 3 days before the messy time begins, 3 chinese asks me to get a ride in my car, just to be sure of going home ! So, chinese with cars, actually you can make a living out of this in these busy periods, as private drivers for desperate people ! |
| 326 |
Visited Yangshan Deep Water Port Stephen and David, there are only one or two typhoons every year here, so the authorities will (hopefully) stop all traffic on the bridge, when the typhoon passes by. And Stephen, a train solution would have demanded a very flat railroad, as a freight train has only limited capacity of climbing and descending. This would have required an expensive tunnel all the way. |
| 325 |
Visited Yangshan Deep Water Port Stephen, actually they intend to make 52 berths ! (or 30 according to a recent article) I wish they would demand the trucks going there to have their engines adjusted, so the pollution would be less. Most trucks going to and from the port are very old and not maintained, and spews out huge black clouds of badly combustioned diesel oil... But who would ever tell the chinese authorities of this ? Each of the trucks can only carry 2 TEU (one full, or two half containers). Count how many trucks needed for unloading a ship. |
| 324 |
Back from Shengsi Hi Jianshuo, I was in Lingang today, I wonder if it is now possible to go on the bridge for private cars ? And what to do at the container terminal ? Anything interesting ? |
| 323 |
OOB in the Next Two Days Yes, the sun was great !!! After brushing and washing away the coal-and-concrete airborne dust on the terrace floor, I was reading a good book, wearing shorts and bare feet, until the sun hit the pollution layer at 4:25PM. Then it stopped to send out any more heat, and the temperature dropped 4 degrees in 10 minutes. The sun is supposed to set at official time 6:23PM. ?? Who have ever seen the sun set in the real HORIZON of Shanghai ?? |
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Democracy in Residential Area Very good, Jianshuo ! It has to begin somewhere ! Same here where I live, the management charges a lot, but mostly keep thier efforts on the common garden care, and to be bully to the cars inside. The cable TV signals are lousy, even the fee is skyhigh. Amazing that nobody haven't posted anything on this... :-) The mices must be hiding in their holes. Maybe the d........ word scared them off ? |
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Rain Breaks Plan Oh, regarding Google's new chinese name, you can see some more on : http://edition.cnn.com/2006/TECH/internet/04/13/china.google.ap/index.html |
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Rain Breaks Plan Just an advice, if you are banned from something on the chinese version of Google, then simply try the american at www.google.com :-) The search will possibly find it, but maybe you can't open the items anyway because of your provider's ban. I went to Shanghai Botanical garden at Longwu Lu on tuesday, 25 degrees, wonderful ! I can recommend it just now, all the flowers and trees are blooming ! (40RMB incl. all) Then yesterday = 8 degrees, rain and gusty winds. Just like the weather in western Europe in April. May will be more stabile. Hopefully this weekend will bring better conditions. |
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PSP is Hard to Use Jianshuo, a little philosophy : My "chinese" family want a car. In their lifetime they will never earn enough money to buy one = it is not possible. Before you wanted a digital camera for years, I guess. Nearly not possible. Now you have one, and later you buy a better one, but it is not the same "jump up" in level as when you bought the first one. So you don't feel as happy as with the first one. I have had several cars. My first one was simply adorable, even it turned into a pile of rust during the 3 years I had it. Now, when I buy another one and another one, I nearly do not show any happiness. It has turned into a common thing. Enjoy the time of being young and to be able to be happy over almost anything ! Later, you'll find that even small things (which in fact are very complicated), like a beautiful sunset or a wonderful frangrant flower can bring more happiness than your new camera or PSP. Money and things are not that much worth when you have them ! Different is : human relations, friends, family, children (oh sorry, just one child of course). |
| 318 |
China International Boat Show in Shanghai Hi Jianshuo Nice posting ! Take a look at http://www.shanghaibyc.org/ 3000RMB/year for a family membership, bus every sunday from Puxi (50RMB return trip) or go by your own car on the A9, can use the club boats without fees, nice environment at the Dianshan Lake, etc, etc. This weekend is "open days" at the lake because of the exhibition - wanna go ? Then send me an SMS. |
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MagLev May Extend to Hangzhou - Confirmed Perhaps they will make the track from People's Square, and not from Longyang. If they intend to make it from Longyang, I hope they will make a station at People's Square. Are there any plans for extending the track from Pudong Airport to Lingang New City (far southeast Pudong) ? Ronin, noise is not an issue in China, haven't you noticed that ? |
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Hello From Hangzhou Hi 风流量测量装置, try to search on google with "west lake hangzhou photo" :-) |
| 315 |
Happy Women's Day ILH, who IS the enemy of China ?? |
| 314 |
Happy Women's Day Stephen, according to my knowledge, you live outside of China, since you speak in this way. If THEY want, THEY can DO ! But they won't. Have a nice evening. |
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Hot Articles in 2002 to 2005 Jianshuo, I guess that you can even register if you have "true" devoted fans, or just "butterflys" ! |
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Happy Women's Day Sam Pang, I guess you mean that the link told that Mr. Mao died in 1957, but you misunderstood the word "lament", so please consult your dictionary again. Everyone, even many enlightened people in the western world knows, that the guy on the chinese money notes died in 1976. That year was an unbelieveable relief for my parents in-law - now they were as "free" they have been ever after, left in a country ruled by a military army, who won a war against another army who just believed slightly differently. Now they didn't had to starve anymore ! They remembered Mao's death day very much (in fact it lasted nearly a week). They spend the 2006 newyear and 3 weeks after in our apartment here in Pudong, even they come from a remote village in Jiangxi. They surely LOVED to stay here ! And we had lots of talks of the past and future of China, which could be good for ALL, if the country and the people is treated well. The talks with Xiuying's parents (extremely common people in China) gave me a very deep insight knowledge of the life of chinese people in the past, because my dear Xiuying have certainly no knowledge of the very bad times when Mao Zhedong was "God" for some people. |
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Happy Women's Day Hi Jianshuo You did bring flowers to Wendy, I guess ?? By the way, this day originates mainly in my home country and her neighbouring countries. See on : http://www.internationalwomensday.com/about.asp My grandmother was in fact one of the driving forces in this movement. A sad story : What made me very deeply depressed today was the statements from the Beijing CCP annual meetings. See : http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/03/05/china.parliament/?section=edition_asia Why do China spend (much) more than 7 times more money on increasing the military then on social related expenses, when 800 million chinese people needs desperate help ? What is the urge for CCP to get more gun-power, when really noone is threatening them ? One guy, Huang Chunping, said something about taking better care of the people's money in : http://edition.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/03/07/china.space.reut/index.html Well said, Mr. Huang ! As you may know, I am personally involved in this poverty thing, because members of my chinese family have died because of lack of funds to support them when they were very sick. And they died. In each case I had to give financial support, because noone else had the possibility. The family wouldnøt, because they have own problems. So - they had to die. Just for an example, my mother and father in-law have a 5500RMB/year total income from the paddyfields that is provided to them by the authorities. How to go to a doctor for that amount of money ? Think and think again... |
| 310 |
Car Numbers Explode in Shanghai The chinese people in general have a low income. They have usually a long way to go for work. They go to the bank to have a loan to have a car. When the car is more than 2-3 years old, then all the repairs come. Lots of time spend to go to the repair workshop, fighting with the repair guys, who tries to rip your money. Accidents happen extremely often, and costs you lots of money. Public transportation is very cheap here, and in most cases faster than going by your own expensive car. Is it just for own "face", that we see so many cars on the road in Shanghai ????? Bragging of a car is "fashion" now. But other things can be bragged about, with less costs ! Sailing, golfing, diving, etc. Chinese, think now. Is it worth to have a car in a city like Shanghai ? |
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Car Numbers Explode in Shanghai Dave G, Decathlon sells sports articles. There are 5 or more shops in Shanghai, both Puxi and Pudong. The first one was the one on the photo, close to Longyanglu Station, line no. 2 stops there (2'nd last stop of the line), same station as the Maglev train. Cross the Longyang lu (over a pedestrian bridge) then you'll find it, besides the B&Q DIY market. In Decathlon I have bought tennis rackets, tents, shelter tents, sleeping bags, diving gear (!) etc. etc. there. AND they have big sized shoes too ! |
| 308 |
Car Numbers Explode in Shanghai Hi Jianshuo, you're right. It is crowded everywhere now. And it will be even worse, if the authorities not soon stops to invite new cars to the street. The pollution will increase too. By the way, who and how much are they cutting off car prices ? |
| 307 |
Mobiles in China - My Personal Perspective Hi Betty, please inform how you send to China Mobile :-) |
| 306 |
Diversity, Consistency, and Efficiency By the way, only citizens care for this ranking - the big business companies gives a shit about it. Where the labour fee is low, there they will be. No matter corruption, political system or human rights. Just accept it, and if YOU mind about it, then choose to buy your stuff from respectable companies. Now even Yahoo, Microsoft, Google and Cisco have problems operating in "low morality" countries. I won't mention any specific countries here, you can find out by yourself... |
| 305 |
Diversity, Consistency, and Efficiency When I see the Transparency International rankings, I feel just SO proud to be a danish citizen, living in a country with almost NO corruption !!!!! |
| 304 |
A Blog is All About a Person Good to see that your blog is evolving ! A funny story from feb 18 : I was in a plane at PVG airport, heading for Dalian, Liaoning. All airplanes more than 2 hours delayed because of the snow (4 mm !!). The de-icing of the planes was simply a disaster. A firefighter truck was manned with 8 guys, and a manager was following them in a Chevrolet Blazer to guide them. It took 25 minutes to de-ice our plane. I found out that this was the reason of the general delay. I guess that PVG can learn a lot from the northern airports of China... One of the stewardess' had never seen a de-icing before, she was extremely curious about it, looking out of the cabin windows all the time. I called her, and suggested kindly that the crew should close the wide open front cabin door, as I know the de-icing liquid do not have a very good fragrance... When the guys were finished, it stopped snowing ! Anyway, the de-icing was a waste of time, the snow was almost melted, and would have blewn away, as the plane was accellerating on the runway. By the way, I was counting, 18 seconds IS quite fast for a take-off, huh ?! (0-280 km/h in 18 sec's.) Not many sports-bikes can do that ! I brought a GPS with me on the flight. (Technical stuff coming up now :) Fun to see that the plane actually goes up and down slowly to follow the air pressure isobars. The autopilot do not keep the same altitude as you see on the flight monitoring system, the plane just follows the air pressure changes. Means that the altitude shown to you is coupled to the altimeter in the cockpit, not a GPS. Any comments ? |
| 303 |
More Lugu Lake Pictures Hi Jianshuo You have travelled a lot in China. Have you ever seen a campground, you know, with tents and so ? Maybe it is not popular in China (yet) ? |
| 302 |
The Last Day of Vacation mcgjcn, no, and I admit it in "public" ! The public transportation to Kunshan is messy, and I can drive to Kunshan from Pudong in 1 hour... And it IS hard to get back to work - in the holiday it went 1 and 2 in the night. I found so many DVD's I haven't watched yet ;-) |
| 301 |
The Last Day of Vacation Don't let anyone else drive YOUR car ! Basically, they are uninsured, when you let others drive them. So, in this case, you are very lucky, Jianshuo ! By the way, how many kilometres have you "done" in the past 2 years ? I'm still driving, as I now has to go to Kunshan for work some times during the week... (Still renting - a Buick Excelle 1.8AT) |
| 300 |
I Need a USB Cable Oh, my mistake, it is of course a Canon IXUS 750.... Not a Nikon. However, the 350D is nearly as a small old-fashioned SLR. Dimensions 126.5 x 94.2 x 64mm, weight (empty) 485grams, and a 1,8" display. Not suitable for taking every place in a pocket, huh ! I have a Nikon SLR (the analog one), and I never pick that when I travel. Consider my previous selection - I had never had a better camera (and I have owned many...) And, celebrating day, Jianshuo, this is my 300'th posting to your blog :-) :-) !!! |
| 299 |
I Need a USB Cable Hi Jianshuo, you still have that P8 ? Nikon is the THING now, I have a IXUS750, 7.1Mpix, can take a 1GB SD card. (I bought 2 and 2 batteries) Video is like Sony's 30pic/sec and VGA. I wish the digital camera makers would make a steadyshot to the video feature, but no. In all situations, KEEP THE CAMERA ROCK STEADY ! I bought a underwater housing (40meters depth) and went to Philippines for diving with Xiuying october 2005, I have some great shots ! And the fireworks in Shanghai was just AWEsome on feb. 2 evening ! I heard that this is the first newyear in recent times to allow fireworks in Beijing, is that true ? Maybe that's why it was a little lame... |
| 298 |
Added Commenter Profile Page to MovableType Shouldn't you just enjoy your holiday and RELAX ? ! :-) |
| 297 |
Nokia Support Phone Numbers in China Fine, I can se the improvement, Jianshuo ! Makes it easier... Anyhow, your link does not EXPLAIN the name of China Europe International Business School, if you look again. And "Passenger", you HAVE to be an american citizen ! US citizens use to throw around nonsense abbrevations all the time... But, WJS's blog is a blog for all people, I think. |
| 296 |
Nokia Support Phone Numbers in China A kind advice : It is kind to the readers to explain abbrevations like this : CEIBS (China Europe International Business School). You only have to do it one time in the text. Then everyone knows what it is, and you don't get any questions like the one above ! |
| 295 |
I Don't Drive Well After Back from San Jose It is really bad here, see this : http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/01/11/china.road.reut/index.html |
| 294 |
Xujiahui Metro Installed Auto-Door blue, please tell us where to see such informations. |
| 293 |
The City and Its Moral Boundary Simply, for chinese speaking : Call the phone number on the card and tell the company about your true opinion. If 17 million Shanghai-ren does the same, it will surely have an effect in their way of advertising ! If I get a card, given to me in such a rude way, I will read the name of the company and avoid that company in the future. When they approach me, I say "Buyaola !!" (NO thank you), so they ARE warned. If they continue, if they try to put something in my pocket or bag, I find it pleasant to hit their hands fast and hard - they never complain (but be sure that you can fight back, if anything happens). I'm not afraid. About apathy - in general chinese people leave all public problems to the authorities, and will do nothing on their own to improve a bad public situation. The authorities and schools (and parents) makes chinese think like that from day 1 of their life, so noone is to blame. And - the authorities are too busy doing "more important other things", you guess what. Tourists, beware - all thefts below 10000-1000000 RMB (depending on the actual officer in chanrge) is regarded as "not important" by the police, and the guy will go free (even WITH the money). On the street and in the Metro, carry your bag or backpack by the hand, not on your bag. I was "stealth" robbed one time, so keep YOUR bag shut tight, and leave your passport in the hotel or in the room safe. |
| 292 |
DSL in Shanghai cassie, take the Shanghai-Ningbo bus, about 100 RMB one way. It is very safe and luxurious, and have space even for big westerners. Takes about 3-4 hours depending of the traffic. |
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I Don't Drive Well After Back from San Jose mcgjcn, my car in my home country is longing for me like a dog. It wants me to come home and drive it all the time ! I went around Europe last summer, that was a pleasure. Even going at full throttle through Germany, and pushing through the Milano traffic, was just "piece of cake" compared with the driving in Shanghai. Stephen, you make me busy... Now I HAVE to find that book...! But how to find that in Shanghai ?? :-) |
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I Don't Drive Well After Back from San Jose I wish I could celebrate this event : Today I have been driving for exactly one year in Shanghai. But I can't, I have now decided to GIVE UP driving here. I have so far not had any scratches (knock, knock, pure luck), but I think it's only a matter of time, because it is REALLY insane what's going on here. I have been driving for 26 years by now, whereof one year in China. Before I couldn't imagine that so many people could be so ignorant to others. Unless the authorities in China do something drastic, like beginning to educate all people thorugh the medias, and stop putting more vehicles on the already crowded streets, nothing will improve. Chinese live by : Nothing happens to me, so why bother. Other trafficants are not part of my life, so f... them. Foreigners are chocked to hear that more than 100.000 people die every year in the traffic of China. This is : as a driver you have 0.5% chance of killing one person every year. However, noone seems to care less than the chinese people itself. Now I will go by subway and walk (despite that walking is quite dangerous too). If I go by taxi, I will get out again if the driver shows to be a "crazy" driver. My life is on stake, I QUIT DRIVING NOW ! |
| 289 |
I Don't Drive Well After Back from San Jose Wait until you get hit, or hit others. Then you will have a trial, then you will know the rules. More comments later, I'LL BE BACK |
| 288 |
Pressure at Year End However, China never had any experience in freedom and justice so far.... Jianshuo, your server is in China (www.net.cn) - I suggest you to open an account in either US or Canada. In both countries you have relatives and/or friends, and it can be maintained from China. Then you will not have these annoying problems. As long as you avoid anything with child abuse and Nazi-propaganda, everything will be ok. Yesterday the internet was down again for some time in the evening here in Shanghai. Wonder what "they" are really doing... |
| 287 |
Pressure at Year End However, China never had any experience in freedom and justice so far.... Jianshuo, your server is in China (www.net.cn), I suggest you to open an account in either US or Canada. In both countries you have relatives and/or friends, and it can be amintained from China. Then you will not have these annoying problems. As long as you avoid anything with child abuse and Nazi-propaganda, everything will be ok. Yesterday the internet was down again for some time in the evening here in Shanghai. Wonder what they are really doing... |
| 286 |
Living Cost in Shanghai - Part II Phil, cheap ones are 2-3 RMB/pack, most expensive are 45 RMB (for snobs or for gift). Don't bother the signs of No Smoking, every smoker does it anyway. (I don't smoke, so I just have to leave the smoky restaurants...) Keep your breath in most of the taxi's, or smoke ! |
| 285 |
Age of Crazy Ideas Jianshuo, I got a cold too now, it seems that we are not good at choosing our clothes well when we go out ! Old saying is : There's no bad weather, only bad clothing (meaning : dress according to the weather !). Cold - see this place : http://weather.yahoo.com/forecast/RSXX0138_c.html?force_units=1 The citizens of this russian town surely dress according to the weather ! Good that your blog is up and running again. Is it not possible for you to be hosted by a server in the US ? Then you are not in risk of being banned. And your talk to Wendy, it is very UN-chinese ! Almost all chinese think : if it happens it happens, so why care ? Maybe you have been outside China for too long, hehehe :-) |
| 284 |
The 8-Day of Nightmare How long will the people of China quietly accept this ban and control ? Well, so far so good - have a Merry Christmas and a Happy Newyear, Jianshuo ! Shengdankuaileeeeee :-) |
| 283 |
Weekend at San Jose Jianshuo - "democratic" not democrafic... So - "democracy" works after all, you see. Makes more people happy in the final end. AND involves them in the daily life and planning as well. (Maybe spread out the word when you come home ? :-) You forgot to tell that the chinese drivers are less skillful in this maneouvre, because they always send out their spouse or friend to guide them, when they are attempting to do a reversed parking ! Just curious : Do chinese learn to make a reverse parking along the curb, between 2 cars ? I always enjoy when (most women, however..) try to do this stunt :-) :-) Usually it takes 4-5 attempts, and then they give up ! An idea : Perhaps you can make a posting of the right of way for cars in the traffic in China, especially related to pedestrians. It's interesting to know who's right, if you are on the way to the hospital or the morgue. By the way, did you try any special christmas food so far ? |
| 282 |
In San Jose Already Haha, yes Bellevue, US cops are so competent that they can shoot on anyone, even FL residents, even in the airports ! Yes, SO competent ! HAHA ! A bunch of Arnolds ! Obviously you never buy branded goods, you can't spell them right. Pity. |
| 281 |
SFO Pictures Always check the weather here at : http://uk.weather.com/weather/local/CHXX0116 |
| 280 |
SFO Pictures Odysseus, I did, as I wrote to you! NO stars at all. That's the point for the outcomers... :-) But, this evening is 10 deg's warmer than the last 5 days, Yeehaaaa ! |
| 279 |
SFO Pictures Odysseus, this evening in Shanghai there are 1 moon and 2 planets, no stars. I miss the blue skies too ! |
| 278 |
SFO Pictures These buttons trick me... Computers !!! HA! |
| 277 |
SFO Pictures Dear ELisabeth, easiest way is to jump on subway line no. 1 southbound to Xinzhuang Station (terminal station), then get a taxi from there. If you can print this chinese text, it will be of big help for the driver ! 七莘路1835号（近顾戴路口） Otherwise, go to the english homepage (not very informative, but...) : http://www.yinqixing.com/wgyy.htm If you can, bring your own clothes, as the provided ones are not quite "delicate"... Anyhow, the slopes are weak, but the skiing is fun, and watch lots of people trying to...! |
| 276 |
SFO Pictures Dear ELisabeth, easiest way is to jump on subway line no. 1 southbound to Xinzhuang Station (terminal station), then get a taxi from there. If you can print this chinese text, it will be of big help for the driver ! 上海七莘路1835号（近顾戴路口） Otherwise, go to the english homepage (not very informative, but...) : http://www.yinqixing.com/wgyy.htm If you can, bring your own clothes, as the provided ones are not quite "delicate"... Anyhow, the slopes are weak, but the skiing is fun, and watch lots of people trying to...! |
| 275 |
SFO Pictures Dear ELisabeth, easiest way is to jump on subway line no. 1 southbound to Xinzhuang Station (terminal station), then get a taxi from there. If you can print this chinese text, it will be of big help for the driver ! 上海七莘路1835号（近顾戴路口） Otherwise, go to the english homepage (not very informative, but...) : http://www.yinqixing.com/wgyy.htm If you can, bring your own clothes, as the provided ones are not quite "delicate"... Anyhow, the slopes is weak, but the skiing is fun, and watch lots of people trying to...! |
| 274 |
Jet Lag Patterns Jianshuo, thank you for completely ignoring Bellevue ! That's the way ! (I know you, you're not fat :-) Have a very nice workoholiday ! |
| 273 |
In San Jose Already I will track his IP homeground anyway - just in case we need someone to loose our temper over some day ! I'll go to CA frequently... |
| 272 |
In San Jose Already Stephen, don't mind this guy, ok ? Ignore him. 'Think he's a chinese living in the US, who just went mad of some reason ! |
| 271 |
Jet Lag Patterns Mostly I only travels to Europe a few days each time, so every time it's the same as Jianshuo describes, but only double. When I'm just get used to the conditions in Europe, then I'll head back to China. So it's a week with sleep problems; insomnia is the key word here. An advice, when you just need to sleep early and it is still daylight, use a face cover to make day into night ! |
| 270 |
Jet Lag Patterns Mostly I only travels to Europe a few days each time, so every time it's the same as Jianshuo describes, but only double. When I'm just get used to the conditions in Europe, then I'll head back to China. So it's a week with sleep problems; insomnia is the key word here. An advice, when youjust need to sleep early and it is still daylight, use a face cover to make day into night ! |
| 269 |
Jet Lag Patterns Hmm, Bellevue, with that attitude of yours you're just a plain asshole, ok ? Get out of this blog asap. I suggest others just to ignore postings from this guy, unless he's coming up with something reasonable. |
| 268 |
In San Jose Already Bellevue, dont correct me, please. (Jianshuo has been in WA before. So why only CA ?) And what's your personal business in this ? |
| 267 |
In San Jose Already Jianshuo, can you officially use your chinese driving license in USA ??? |
| 266 |
Maglev Extended Time Stephen, for me in Pudong this train is very useful ! And now it will be for Jianshuo too, due to the extended operation hours. The fact is, that any test data from this train is of no of value for the german company of Transrapid, because they HAVE already made the design of the train, so why test it again ?? They even had their own test facility in Germany for many years ! So, I'm sorry to say that you're simply talking bullshit, Stephen. This train is up and running, due to excellent engineering. Fact is, chinese authorities are now directly stealing the technology, because they want to make their own copy "Mini-Maglev" from Pudong Airport to Lingang (with no help from germans) ! And if you ask chinese, it seems that they feel they having a "right" to do so, because they bought the train. So, it's the same situation as this : If I buy a computer, you think that I will automatically have the right to feel free to use all the design and engineering that made the thing run, huh ? For free ??? NO way ! Anyway, I will definitely NOT ride the Lingang-line in the first 5 years of operation, whatsoever. To be honest, I'm working with chinese engineers everyday, so I have very strong reasons to say so :-) ! |
| 265 |
Polution in Shanghai - Part II Yes, Stephen, usually the first drops have a value of Ph 3. (Not good for the cars !) Some here recommend that babies and old people are protected by umbrella when the first "shots" come... |
| 264 |
Maglev Extended Time Thanks for the information. I wish the owners would make it possible to use the "Shanghai Public Transportation Card". Standing there with suitcases and stuff makes it awkward to stand in line to buy a ticket. Unnecessary. And let all pay 40 RMB for single trip, not 50 RMB. No one pays 50 RMB. If someone wants to follow their friends to the airport to say goodbye, they buy a roundtrip ticket (80 RMB) anyway. |
| 263 |
Maglev Extended Time Hahaha ! Which news agency was that ? For saving energy we shall run our cars at 60 km/h (in top gear), with no stops. Anything less or more is waste of energy. But how to do that in Shanghai ? :-) Back to the subject : Why make a fast train, if it is not intended to go fast ? To be honest, I think the owners (guess who) only want the train to go at full speed in the daylight for safety reasons, as some "crazy people" might try to do some "bad things" in the darkness, and then it is more safe to crash the train at 300 km/h. Logical, huh ? About pollution : The Maglev uses electricity and therefore indirectly uses coal, which is used as fuel in the power plants in Shanghai. Then the train cannot be called "environmentally friendly", as these plants let out all the smoke and gases unfiltered and untreated. |
| 262 |
Cycling in Pudong I gave up bicycling in Shanghai 2 years ago. It is simply TOO dangerous ! You can be a perfect careful bicycle driver, but all the other lunatics are out for you ! And they have no knowledge of traffic rules, because it has never been taught them. (Shame on the government !!!) I even do not want my fiancee to bike here too (I do not want to find her in a hospital). I see at least 3 accidents everyday, just to and from work (Car : Pudong-Minhang). Jianshuo, if you ever consider to bike after dark, buy beam lights (1 strong white light in the front and one strong red in the rear). I'm sure they have those in Decathlon - the best are the most expensive, but worth every yuan ! It is a life insurance. These will give you a fair chance to be seen, as NOone of the other bicycles has any lights on in China, as you well know as a car driver ! And, drive slowly. Shanghai traffic is not suitable for more than 15 km/h. My collegues drove to work on the bikes like racing bikers, they ALL ended up in hospital. The sunset are always like this because of the heavy polluted air in Shanghai. The sun never sets in the horizon, like most other places. Jianshuo, I have sent you a photo from today of the pollution over Lingang/Pudong, no copyright whatsoever ! Free to post. By the way, please post some more shots of the very advanced light system in Biyunlu and around Jinqiao Carrefour. Not many places in the world has that ! (Is it designed in China ??) |
| 261 |
Busy as Keyword Jiangjinjiu, you're right, if people have no value they need to do something to believe that they have a value. Even if lying to themselves. Busy, yes - but busy with WHAT ? If you ask the guys who claims they are busy, they may say that even breathing is to be busy... Later in life it is a priviledge to AVOID being busy ! My old mom (71yo) says she is SO happy having 2 days a week where she don't have to go out for something (but she is hyperactive, I think). |
| 260 |
Inside the Shanghai Radio Staiton Jianshuo, please explain the ignorant and dumb people from outside of China - WHY do they have these security checks ??? Most other countries radio stations do not have that security. |
| 259 |
Some Recent Magazines about Me I know this is your personal blog, Jianshuo. But, it is obvious that you are a kind of an official person already. Just see the bottom of this page, you wrote that. Sounds like advertising ! No need for that, as your readers know you well. Modesty is the rule for real heroes. As you are living in Shanghai, postings could be more critical to be of help to outsiders visiting this town. Not only good things, but bad as well. You have the chance to view the city with other eyes than born citizens of Shanghai, as you are a "foreigner" from outside of Shanghai (just like most of us readers). So, Peter and Bellevue has some points, I think ! The lack of "nerve" in the postings... However, I clearly understand your resistance to open up too much for the reality of Shanghai, as you don't want CCP to add you to their list of people with lethal holes in their heads... Maybe start a new blog besides this ? Your comment is very welcome, Jianshuo ! |
| 258 |
Skiing in Shanghai For going out to meet the chinese higher middle class (boys and girls...) this is a good opportunity ! However, if you have your own clothes, bring them ! The standard clothing provided is wet, dirty and smelling. (Because of that, we bought our own clothes in Decathlon...) The ski's are ok though, but beware of the "boot release force" settings (twists off the ski instead of breaking your leg) , the staff are not very skilled in this matter... |
| 257 |
Boing Boing's Five Year in Blogging Scientology_Bad, cut the crab, ok ? As 80.000.000 chinese knows, FalunGong has been judged illegal here so make it short then, if you have a reasonable statement, please. |
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Fudan v.s. Tongji University David, if you look chinese, forget it here. And Stephen, in my girlfriend's university many students throw themselves out of the 10. floor frequently, when they cannot take the pressure anymore... |
| 255 |
Cold Winter Comes Jianshuo, the coldest night so far has been 11.6 degrees C. (Nov. 15 2005) It is not exactly cold now. I haven't put on my jacket yet... And please open your Skype ! |
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Cold Winter Comes Coming from north of Europe, Shanghai is a very nice place to be in winter ! BUT : If you are among the chinese who do not have access to heating in the winter, you are in for a cool experience 24 hours a day ! (Here's a good advice : for 0.5RMB you can spend the days in the subway system, if you go out the same place as you got in...) My darling Xiuying attends a university located in south Shanghai, and there are NO heating whatsoever, even in the coldest winter ! It is so hard for them to keep their minds open, when the fingers and heads are SO cold... She dresses as a norwegian skiing athlete to get through the winter days. Even the students in China pays for the education, they only pay for the education (of which the quality is highly arguable !), and definitely for no other things. What a life... |
| 253 |
International Events in Shanghai When the chinese prints their official texts in pinyin, including tonations, then it might be possible for others to learn chinese. Learning chinese characters is simply hopeless, sorry. Why can't chinese mobile phones not write pinyin mith tonation signs ? |
| 252 |
Fudan v.s. Tongji University In my country you can go to university when you have passed minimum 11 years of school, most students begin after 13 years of school. How many years are minimum required for joining a chinese university ? |
| 251 |
Boing Boing's Five Year in Blogging Ohh, shit man, Scientology is even more dangerous than Amway here !!! It's just fake religions ! We have had that garbage philosophy for years in western countries, but please ------------- KEEP IT OUT OF CHINA ! |
| 250 |
Beijing 2008 Olympic Mascots Anime is just the word, right ! I haven't seen any chinese characters with that look so far. ONLY japanese. This style do NOT origin from China. Suitable for 8-12 year old schoolgirls yes, but not suitable to promote a multi billion yuan sports event, huh ? Jianshuo, what do you think of these dolls yourself, as a chinese ? |
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Tulip Sleeps in my Garden Jianshuo, seems that you cannot avoid political comments or "solopolo's" here... Just let it slip into one ear and out of the other, if you don't care. Just live with it. I see clearly that your changing mind is a result of your youth, - enjoy it as long as it lasts ! Well, I planted tulip "onions" in my garden at home years ago, but I only see them by occasion for a few days a year, if I'm lucky to be in my "real" home (and out of Shanghai) at that time of year. Looking forward to see photos of yours in the springtime ! |
| 248 |
Running Around Century Park Jianshuo, hahahahaha ! If you want to loose some kilo's, then go straight home after the run and have a cup noodle :-) It is CENTURY PARK (ShiJiGongYuan). And what's "AA" ?? I can see the water on the tables, but I can also see the TIGER beer dispenser, so ?? |
| 247 |
BBC's Interview Jianshuo, about the blogging censorship, just say : "There has been problems, but now things are better". Nothing mentioned, nothing revealed ! All will be happy, in east and west. |
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Picture in Shanghai Anyhow, the chinese are not all THAT selfish and ignorant. The people will not accept the social difficulties for long in China. After the first few hundred millions gets more financially foundated, they will begin to think of helping other chinese too. Just wait 5-10 years. However, the CCP (with only 5% of the people as members, and decreasing) should already now begin to think of a very radical change of the social system before it's too late. "High flying - deep falling". |
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Picture in Shanghai Farawaypanda, I don't think that you live in China. Am I right ? I live in Shanghai. The "China Man in Space" project is only a question of how many money the government pulls out of the pocket - practically all technology involved are of russian origin, just purchased for a negotiated price. Not much invented by the chinese themselves. So, no reason to be THAT proud, huh ? By the way, I think the money in China would be better spend to help poor people first instead of sending them into space. Stop putting so many money in military and rockets. Rise the taxes paid by rich people and improve social security for the poor. That will give more national peace in the future. Well, some of my relatives here actually DIED because they couldn't afford to go to hospital. I helped of course, but it was too late... :-( 46 years old, and dead because "no money, no treatment". About National Holiday - many people (who are able to do so) goes OUT of China to avoid the rush. Personally I plan my vacations in these holidays, and order airplane tickets in advance. And even the chinese have 7 days including a weekend, they have to work in a full weekend before or after, so in fact they have only 3 days off. (This is of course for people working monday to friday.) The National Day was declared by a tiny guy in Beijing 56 years ago. But today apparently not all in China are happy about his "friends" and the way they are doing things. So actually, not all celebrates the National Day. |
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Happy Birthday To Me Happy birthday to you ! I hope you will get many more prosperous and happy years with Wendy; hopefully you can become 3 in the family soon :-) |
| 242 |
Four Must-See Roads in Shanghai I agree about HuaiHaiLu, but each of these roads are so long, that you can't see the end of them for the Shanghai air pollution. Especially today. oct. 17. The sun set before reaching the skyline. So you would say - what have this foreigner done himself : I have tried to contact the Shanghai Environmental Bureau at http://www.sepb.gov.cn/index-en.jsp 3 times to ask when they will open up an annual regular exhaust inspection of trucks and buses, like in other big cities. This is SO easy, because it can be done in a snap in this country. (I'm sure that Greenpeace will agree :-) BUT - NO reply ever (but I'm NOT a chinese, so who cares about my english emails). Fact is - We ALL breathe the filthy air in this lovely city ! All are barking and coughing here. But what to do ? All chinese I have spoken to said : "Ohh, I can't do anything - it's a problem for the city government." However - I'm just a laowei and have nothing to say. I think - if you're a chinese, YOU can do something ! Send them 1000's of emails what they really intend to do. This is new times, I think they will listen to reasonable arguments. |
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Yu Garden Do pay the reasonable entrance fee, and get inside the "real" Yuyuan, not only the market. (In fact "Yuyuan" itself means "Yu Garden", so it's unnecessary to say "Yuyuan Garden", but it's only done for a better understanding.) And there are quite some differences from Yuyuan to the Suzhou Gardens, so give both places a try ! Try to visit these places mon-fri in the morning, then the crowds will be easier to navigate through. If possible, join with a chinese friend (you pay the fees, of course). If you find anything interesting on the market too steep priced, then take a good look and walk away. 20 min's later you send in your friend to ask the same price, and negotiate ! In common - always check things VERY carefully for flaws and mishaps. Usually there's no guarantee after you have left the shop. In general - if you buy brand name goods, the guarantee is ONLY valid for max. 1 year, and ONLY inside China (no automatic international guarantees here). |
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More Lugu Lake Pictures Jianshuo, Egypt is dangerous for tourists, and awfully hot. Ok, if you stay away from the tourist areas, it's ok. But who does ? Instead, go to the (safe) countries in Europe (get some more money) and go. Now it's very nice weather. And the people ARE very nice ! I was just on a roundtrip there with Xiuying a few weeks ago - France, Italy and Austria. Great and cool ! |
| 239 |
Typhoon Hit Shanghai I came to Pudong Airport yesterday, and half of the greenhouse plastic were blown off. Some workers sheds (the guys who work on the improving of the airport) were detroyed. The typhoon center path were more than 200 km away, so it was not "real" typhoon winds who hit Shanghai, just a few blows and lots of rain. The last one close to Shanghai was Mindulle in 2004, still 150 km away, but killed more persons in Shanghai than this time. If the typhoons hit Shanghai directly, it would not have been fun for anyone. The strangest things are flying through the air, and can cut off your head in a second. So stay indoors, and stay well away from the windows, they might blow in. You most probably don't want to open them, because the rain comes like buckets of water thrown at the windows. Perhaps someone knows any in Ganjiang, Zhejiang ? (Not so far from Wenzhou) That coastal town was the place where the typhoon made landfall. |
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Waiting for More Metro Lines Jianshuo, who are you impatient ? You and me drive most of the times along the way that line 4 will go through, so in the future we can let our cars stay in the parking lot. Keep up the patience ! Another thing is that I have been "upgraded" by AVIS Shanghai to a Buick Excelle 1.8 AT. Much better than the previous Dazhong. But - I had to pay 500 RMB for cleaning inside, after I received it ! It was SO dirty and looked like a wet dog turned inside out. I will never recommend AVIS in Shanghai to any foreigner who dares to rent a car. It is completely different from renting a car from AVIS in the US, so don't get lured. Anyhow, praise someone for the coming of line 4, dear drivers between Pudong and Puxi ! |
| 237 |
Language Exchange Partners Wanted "Lady Macbeth", you are admirable ! I guess that almost any devoted chinese would like to speak "real english" rather than american, which is a sub-language derivated from english. (So much, that there are even separate dictionaries for english and american in the chinese foreign language bookshops !) In fact, my girlfriend Xiuying is studying at the Huadongligong University (East China Technological and Science University), and have attended an Australian special class in business trade and english language. They emphasize the tonation of "teatime chat" true english a lot, to avoid the american "potato-in-the-mouth" tonation). So don't put yourself down, or underestimate the value of true spoken english (and the scottish accent is very cute, spoken by women !) I wish you all the best of teaching chinese a good ol'fashion'd british accent ! But I'm danish, so I'm not exactly suitable to teach the chinese a correct english here in Shanghai... |
| 236 |
I Feel Like a Rabbit when I Eat Salad Hi Jianshuo, try the beef-burger at JIAB next time ! The chicken burger at McDonalds are in fact better than their beef burgers, I don't know why... Perhaps because they have to compete so hard with KFC in big cities in China ! (I were in Yichang last year,and the two fast-food chains do always put their shops very close to eachother - maybe some special chinese policy ?) |
| 235 |
Sailing in the Bay According to some businessmen (at the Shanghai International Boat Show), sailing is going to be a huge market in China. Anyway, I agree to the part that big yachts will be sold, but not used often. Same situation in westerne countries, where huge boats are there to look flashy, but the owners seldom have time for using them. Less expensive is the SBYC, Shanghai Boat and Yacht Club, they have facilities at Dianshan Lake, where it is possible to learn to sail the small boats. It is not that easy, Jianshuo ! Steering a course is ok, but all the other things can be quite difficult, nearly same as driving a car. But of course there is plenty of space in the lakes of China, so it's not dangerous (as long as you stay ABOVE the water surface :-) |
| 234 |
I Feel Like a Rabbit when I Eat Salad Jianshuo, try a real burger in a "Jack in the Box" burger restaurant ! Better than Burger King and McDonalds. |
| 233 |
I Feel Like a Rabbit when I Eat Salad For western style food in Shanghai, try "Always" café at 1528, Nanjing Xi Lu - not far from JingAn temple. Their "Tournedos" beef is just excellent, and the mexican food is good too. Happy hours, and english speaking service. More expensive, but excellent, is the buffet at Intercontinental Hotel, Zhangyang Lu in Pudong. |
| 232 |
Actual Speed of Maglev is 64 km/h Wow, sleeping in a shanghainese taxi, you are a brave guy, Jianshuo ! Anyhow, it is actually possible to get from Dongchang Subway Station to the Maglev Station at Pudong Airport in 25 min's. You can calculate the average speed. But NO taxi can ever do that ! The walk from the train to the departure terminal is not that bad at all, many terminals around the world have a longer way to enter the departure terminal. At any time the Maglev is operating, I will perfer to ride the Maglev. It's definitely cheaper and far more safe than a mad VW Santana-taxidriver (so far no official accidents running the Maglev). A safer alternative to the taxis are the many buses, cheap and airconditioned. See more on : http://www.shairport.com/en/index.jsp |
| 231 |
Inside Jin Mao Tower Well Jianshuo, now you've had the experience, congratulations ! I have been to the observation deck 6 times, and Cloud9 1 time, I'm a little amazed, that you have never "made it to the top". In fact Jinmao Dasha has an aluminium structure outside for the looks, not made of steel. This building truly inspires many photographers and spectators around it. When I go to work every morning, I can see the lights changing from minute to minute, creating a spectacular effect for every change of view. This is basically because of the web-like aluminium framework made on the outside the building. Last year there was parachuting ("base-jumping") from the tower - 10's of thousands were watching when the dare-devils dropped down from the platforms on top of the tower. To get a better view, I actually went to Oriental Pearl Tower, 2'nd ball, to get amazing good videoshots ! People were quite understanding about my purpose and moved aside, even it was very crowded because of the so special event. At the F1 boat racing I went to Jinmao to get some good shots too. The ticket price of 50 RMB were peanuts compared to the price for entering the official tribunes along Huangpu River. Please bear in mind that soon the MotoGP (motorcycle racing) is coming to Shanghai Circuit, at a much lower fee than the F1 car race. This circuit is definitely not only made for the F1 car race... |
| 230 |
Is 10,000RMB/Month a Ridiculous Offer? Hmm, I'm an expat, and I have A LOT RMB a year for teaching a new chinese company how to do, and I don't complain. The company pays all my expenses too. I'm not a CEO or anything like that, just come here with my knowledge which is so much sought for here to develop the country. Anyhow, I think that I give away the whole experience of my company's future, when I'm doing this ! And that doesn't feel well. And I have to abandone my family, as they can not be with me. Only a few days a year, and phone calls. Not satisfying, but everything has it's price. So far China has contributed a little to increase my knowledge. Not by the technical knowledge, but in a human way. I'm now driving a car in Shanghai, but despite that, I'm more relaxed and understanding to others. But high-nosed people still triggers me off, and always will ! Considering Aims (the person initiating these comments) - I still think 10.000 RMB is a ridiculous salary if Aims has a western university/engineering degree. But if Aims is un-educated, then it's of course ok. But the text don't say anything about that, only a "marketing position", and that can be anything from street sales to department manager. |
| 229 |
Edward's New Satellite TV Hi Stephen, sorry for the delay in this question, I just found your request for my comment ;-( It has been better recently, but one thing is certain, if you try something with www.amnesty.xxxxxx you will NOT get through ! Amnesty is because the last years death sentence toll of China ain't the cream on top of the softice, according to the top-guys here. Anyway, if we really WANT to have such informations, then we get them. So what they stop in the direct available lines, we just use the modem to call the banned sites from outside countries' phone servers, no problem at all. By the way Stephen, when do US stop the death sentence, because then other countries will have more problems to follow that easy way ?? I believe that the death sentence is just carried out for economic reasons for the country in question. (And China has no money ???!!! LOL) To punish people - living the rest of the life in a chinese jail I guess is certainly a MUCH harder punishment than a death sentence !!!! |
| 228 |
Jian Shuo Wang at Kijiji China Can we enjoy Kijiji in english later ? Now it's only in chinese... (JSW, please check your ebay-email) |
| 227 |
Met with Dr. Weigend Hi Jianshuo, you and Weigend looks nearly alike ! (and The Palm takes bad photos :-( I'll check out the Flickr later, sounds interesting... |
| 226 |
Jian Shuo Wang at Kijiji China So, Bill must be in quite a chock now, I guess ! I wish you all well in your new position ! I hope to be there on saturday for the photo-show event. By the way, is Kijiji something that we "non-chinese" can enjoy, or is it only in chinese ? |
| 225 |
Does Shanghai have Beach Hi Stephen, do you "Skype" ? |
| 224 |
L'Invitation au Voyage I will surely go there ! I hope that this exhibition is better, and different, from than the young german expat's exhibition a few months earlier, around the corner near Sofitel at NanjingDongLu. That had no meaning at all, only faces and buildings in odd angles. Everyone can do that. Can you make some short explanations of some of your preferrred photo impressions, then it would be just great :-) (And the donations will be easier to provide...) See ya ! |
| 223 |
Does Shanghai have Beach To Stephen In this case it's mostly erosion caused my man, not natural. More than 100,000km3 of farmland has vanished inland China due to deforestation and following erosion in the past years. Now the soil is located at the banks outside Shanghai.... The water at southeast Pudong (at Donghai Bridge and LuchaoGang) is visible to 3 cm at best. Every year 600,000,000m3 of waste water goes out there too, according to Shanghai authorities. Swimming is possible, but put on a full body condome, and don't drink it ! But in may the weather here is just amazing ! Notify me, if you want to meet when you come to Shanghai. Could be great ! |
| 222 |
No Baggars Premitted on Metro? I agree that beggars are a part of the picture in Shanghai, because the facilities for the poor are simply non-existing. But anyway, most citizens in Shanghai don't have any heating in the winter, and the winter IS cold here. Usually a coal-fired pan are used in-house, sitting over it along with blanks to cover it, to get a little heat. This is SOUTH of Changjiang River, so there are no heating in common apartments. But even if there were, who could pay for it ? Social help and security are virtually non-exsisting in China. Here you can see the beggars lying outside the Ferrari-Mercedes-BMW-RollsRoyce sales shops. You can make a nice "contradiction photo" of the city in that way ! Now chinese (especially in Shanghai) favourizes money and self esteem. Not concerning much about politics, because they have to follow a strict, (corrupted), and conservative line if they have intensions to do something for others (which is the usual reason in other countries to join the politics). This do not apply much to young and modern chinese of course. (Deng Xiao Ping was worried about this too...) I have seen beggars in this city of course. At present it's still winter in Shanghai, please remember. The worst cases of my perceptions are listed here : 1. Boy without arms, freezing, without even a shirt, at No. 1 LianhuaLu Station Pedestrian Bridge. I gave 5 Yuan. (But I thought - why without a shirt ? To look more pityful of course, but must have been terrible for him, it was windy and only 1-2 deg's.) 2. The boy Jianshuo saw in the Metro with the burned face (perhaps an accident from a coal mine or firework factory fire ?), and strictly followed by his grandma, pushing him around, like a goat. The boy surely has a mind (I saw the look in his eyes), but can't talk due to the injuries. Actually I gave him nothing, knowing that he wouldn't benefit anything of it. I was so annoyed of the obvious exploitation of him, that I told him to walk to the Congress immediately so they could see the case with own eyes. Anyhow, begging in the Metro is quite pleasant, because noone want to be rude and loose face in front of others, and the temperature is always nice, even in winter (at least in lines No. 1-2-3). 3. 2-year old boy outside Merrilyn Hotel at ZhangYangLu/LaoshanDongLu, pushed out to beg me by his grandmother. Again, I gave nothing. Told her to go to Beijing and claim something there for the kid (not her, she had good clothings, the boy had NO clothes at all). 4. Skin disesased man outside DongFangYiYuan Hospital, just lying there, looked like a barbecued pig, with no clothes on the body. I gave 3 Yuan. 5. XuJiaHui Station exit 9, old disabled man (sitting down from the escalator from the computer centre exit). 2 Yuan. The problem is, that in China it is far more poplular among cadre politicians to put their name on a Maglev Train track, or a new highway, than to provide help for the poor and disabled. And to be frank, how many rich guys pays a fair amount of taxes, according to their income ? I can only see the middle/lower incomes facing that problem. So, where shall the money come from to these people ? Will you pay more taxes which will be spend by the government, or will you give the money directly to beggars, criminal or not ? Comments are very welcome ! |
| 221 |
Dislike Doing or Starting to Do Boran, you are right in your last sentence. I want to learn, and have even bought software and so on. But, I am always too busy doing my work (and reading Jianshuo's blog :-) I can guide a taxi, know many streets of Shanghai, know the numbers and many other things. My collegues think that I know a lot. But talking chinese fluently is too time consuming to learn at the moment. And I never know when I will go back to my own country.... |
| 220 |
Buying Computer Parts in Shanghai Near People's Square at the junction of Huangpi Nan Lu / Huaihai Lu (NE corner) there's another large electronics center. |
| 219 |
Jia You, Shanghai Metro! been IN the "mill"... sorry |
| 218 |
Jia You, Shanghai Metro! I have been the "mill" several times last year, as I lived in Pudong and worked in the south end of Minhang, where line #5 ends. The criz-crossing crazyness in People's Square I don't understand, but I'm not a chinese engineer... Thank heavens ! Getting out of the train - here's a hint : Get as close to the exit inside of the train car one or two stops before you get out. At People's Square this is not necessary at all - more than half of the travellers get out at this point, don't worry. Getting on at Xinzhuang Station (sout end of line #1) if in the afternoon - go to the middle of the entrance field and STAY THERE. Or wait to next train. You'll have to stand up for 12 stops if you don't manage to find a seat. The other way in the morning it's no problem - most travellers will be out before Xujiahui. About ass-grasping or pinching certain places - I never had the pleasure, as I'm a laowai man and 191 cm tall :-) And I find it funny that line #5 still have 2 persons running each train ! And their uniforms are just SOOOO french police-looking ! The caps is usually pulled down hard over their ears, so they look like Dumbo's ! Go and see for yourself. And in the summertime it's so cool inside at line #5, but if they would just turn on some heat in the wintertime... |
| 217 |
My Favorites in Shanghai Hi Jianshuo Do you know a road map where the new expressways SE of Pudong is shown ? Even the 2005 Shanghai map (the red one) doesn't have that. I think of how many other mistakes there are in the maps... |
| 216 |
Is This London Undergrand? But the chances are, that you will come back and find your beloved neighborhood NOT so beloved as before... As examples I like Dalian, Yichang and Hongkong better than Shanghai because of the nature environment and the kindness of the people there, said in general. Something to think about for the selfish Shanghainese... |
| 215 |
Is This London Undergrand? Well seen, DongXi ! Take a look at : www-dsp.elet.polimi.it/avss2005/CREDS.pdf There are more photos of this Paris Metro Station. |
| 214 |
Is the Real Estate Cooling Down? - Part II They can sell in US$ or €uro |
| 213 |
Talking with Friends is Great Well, 6.000 miners dies, and 110.000 dies in the traffic every year. 180 construction workers die every year in Shanghai. This is just statistical facts in China. Some dies in the rat race for money, life is hard. It probably would make some serious headlines in western countries, if it happened there. |
| 212 |
Talking with Friends is Great Very good, Lee. Now we can't open the link here, because they have already banned it.... |
| 211 |
Meningitis in Shanghai Nej, der er ikke noget specielt her i Shanghai, Marianne. Det regner i byger og er halvkoldt, det er det hele. Kom i bare ! |
| 210 |
Meningitis in Shanghai Ohh my goood, I have 38.5 deg. fever now..... I just got it a few hours ago in Super Brand Mall ! (But I don't think it is meningitis, just a flu.) |
| 209 |
Jinjiang (Jin Jiang) Inn at Shanghai Pudong Airport I guess a few hours is enough for a visit, not THAT much. I can't write chinese. If you have a map, it's located 15-20 km directly south of Pudong Airport. |
| 208 |
Jinjiang (Jin Jiang) Inn at Shanghai Pudong Airport Yes, go to Luchaogang, the fishing village near Donghai Bridge near Lingang in SE Pudong. Takes about an hour from Lujiazui. Go to PVG airport, turn off (heading at Nanhui) before the big bend to the airport. Excellent brand new expressway to that place, even not mentioned in recent maps ! And no cars on the road. Heading for Nanhui, you will find NO signs for Nanhui on the expressway (??). Keep on driving to Luchaogang, where very few foreigners ever have been. If you want to continue the roundtrip at A30 to A4, just go on. No cars ! If you see one, take a photo please ! (Hint : Bring a CD to keep you awake...) Round the expressways from A20 to A4 are 35 RMB. The last 4 km to A4 are not finished yet. Turn right when the signs tell you to go off the expressway. Have a nice trip ! |
| 207 |
Jinjiang (Jin Jiang) Inn at Shanghai Pudong Airport A taxi driver pays 500 RMB for the car for a day, no matter what lousy car or good car the company provides him. And it's funny, that the niceest taxi's ain't necessarily driven by the best drivers ! Before he have earned this amount, there's no money for the driver or even for the gasoline. It's not an easy job, and the Shanghai traffic doesn't make it any easier. Another thing, if you use the blue transportation card, be polite and tell the driver before he goes anywhere. |
| 206 |
Night with Smiling Library Someone tell me : Do the chinese government not allow any voluntary help to chinese citziens in need of help ? Or only allow this through governmental controlled organisations ? Thanks for your kind reply :-) |
| 205 |
Do Chinese Move to Small Cities Sorry, it was : http://www2.eur.nl/fsw/research/happiness/hap_nat/findingreports/RankReport2004-1c.htm |
| 204 |
Do Chinese Move to Small Cities About living quality, see http://www2.eur.nl/fsw/research/happiness/hap_nat/nat_fp.htm I wonder if the chinese counting had been achieved only by those who can read english ???? Then it will be less than "something very small" part of the total population in China ! Note the top (danish) rank, though..... no. 1 ! There must be good reasons, huh ? Find out on the homepage beyond the survey. |
| 203 |
Picture News of Shanghai 2005 The statues makes me having some thoughts before the coming spring festival : Today I talked to a collegue, just coming to Shanghai for a few months of time. After he had two weeks of impressions, he asked me : "why do the workers, the poor and the farmers have SO bad conditions in China - no labour union, no security, nearly no help ?" He asked me "what is the true idea of communism in China if it's not to work for the people ?" Someone can tell him about this ? Just for information, in most countries the order of governing is : communism (only minded for the peoples conditions), social democrats, middle class, right wing, extremists (like nazis and so). First in order should be the best choice for the poor and those in need of help, the last is the choice of the most egocentric and selfish people. And why am I being abused in the Shanghai traffic every day by rich peoples BMW's and Lexus'es, driving right through the pedestrian walks with "simply ordinary" people (who cannot afford a car for protection) ? Someone can tell me about this ? And why is it, that it is not possible to make a reservation for a train ticket in well advance before the spring festival holiday ????? If you have money, you book a seat in a plane, and then you can go on time. The system seems tailor made for the well-off to get the benefits. Where are the "people's" representatives, someone can tell me about this ? |
| 202 |
Keep Doing, and Doing, and Doing Great !! In 10 years thoughts and inspiration like this might reach even to Beijing, and something creative and inspiring will happen all over China ! |
| 201 |
To Tip or Not to Tip The US tipping phenomenon is in the benefit for the employers, as they can give lower salary to their employed if they can expect a common tip. Am I right ?? Please comment ! |
| 200 |
MagLev May Extend to Hangzhou Stephen, you provided the above information - did the source say if they will let it go through Central Shanghai ? People's Square will be a perfect place to stop ! (many metro lines and hotels around) passingby, I think the signs are useful, when were you here in 2004, beginning or end of ? Jianshuo, can you pass all these requests to the Maglev authorities ? I think they will be gratefull ! (Of course I'm not a chinese official, so maybe they will not be grateful:-) |
| 199 |
Maglev Extends 2 Hours? Hi Jianshuo You live not far from Longyang Lu Zhan, the Maglev station. So you can go and ask for the information in the ticket booth. And then you can do the return-trip for 80 Yuan ! (Same price as 2 beers in a bar...) |
| 198 |
In China, His Pay is Hers to Spend? So, men, come on ! Please be cool, and beware of yourself and your life ! These are the times of divorces now, even in Shanghai. Guess why. 35% of marriages in Shanghai now ends before the first year, according to the official papers. No matter what place in the world, you will be left of almost nothing, if the woman have the final word in money matters. And your feelings cannot be recovered. Be smarter ! BE A MAN, not a whimp ! Be the boss in YOUR house, at least not go down to act like a servant for your spouse/girlfriend ! Don't only think with the "thing below your belt" (which is in fact most male's primary source for making a female relationship) Do all things in life with consideration for these items listed in ascending order : 1) YOU 2) Your child(ren). (The children will get older than you, so take care of them.) 3) Your family. (If the family don't agree what you're doing because of "old times thinking", then it's THEIR problem, not yours, if your are a good guy, of course. Then you can neglect them to concentrate your energy of the other things.) 4) Your wife or girlfriend. (Can be changed if not suitable) 5) Your job. (If you have a shit job, don't think of this subject...) In a relationship I suggest that you make equal works for equal rights in the relationship, if you have any arguments regarding this subject. This can be : Car-washing Baby-sitting when your partner is out (with some reliable people of course) Dish-washing (!) Making meals (the most skillfull of you can do this) Money-making (VERY important ! Who makes most ?!) Love making (who begins, who needs, who will do most to satisfy ?) (Only make safe sex !) Using time to prepare for a good life (an example is : surfing the Net for 3 hours to find a place for a good dinner !) Etc., etc. And don't be arrogant. If you feel that you are far more "superior" than your partner, then the relationship will die out. |
| 197 |
Seoul Changes Chinese Name If any chinese is offended by this change of a democratic country city name (only by another foreign language pronounciation) please leave a comment. My capitol is Copenhagen, but in fact it is "København", and noone can change that. |
| 196 |
Rainy Crazy Friday Night in Shanghai Saigon (Ho Chi Min City) is now at the same stage as China was 15-20 years ago. Communist rule, corruption, no faith for the average people. But maybe still a happy people ? A question for the blog readers in Europe : We have a lot of vietnamese in Europe you know, but noone of them says that they believe in the present communism of Vietnam ??? Really, who won that war ? Not the people, I guess. Anyhow, to see Vietnam before it's completely spoiled, do anyone knows where I can get a tourist visa for Vietnam in Shanghai ? |
| 195 |
Spring Festival in 2005 Jianshuo, you have your Goudaner-car, you're lucky ! I plan to drive my (rented) DaZhong GaoEr (VW Gol) to JiangXi in this lunar newyear to see Xiuying's homeplace for the first time. Buses will all be overcrowded and trains are sold out. Planes are an option, but then we have to take a bus for 4 hours. There are highways all the way to Nanchang. Only problem is, that the last 4 kilometers are not convenient for normal cars, because the people living along the road spend more time being happy to play Mahjong then organize a "road renovation programme". I expect sloppiness and reluctancy there... So different from my country ! The car CAN be used for long distance driving, and can carry at least 4 persons, so more can pay and enjoy, if you plan a little in advance. Jianshuo, you are lucky that Wendy have a driving license too, then you can change the driver during the trip ! Consider this option for future highlight events. Have a wonderful lunar new year ! |
| 194 |
Daily Build Script Sample OK, here's a little BASIC thing I did back in 1987, a converter for milling anf turning machine operators. Made in Bill Gates' DOS 3.1, as I remember. Nonsense for non-machinists, but the point is, that Clare is still quite confused when she sees it ! Unfortunately the outcome is in danish, so for you who don't have this special skill of language, forget it. 10 REM BEREGNINGSPROGRAM 40 KEY OFF 50 ON KEY(3) GOSUB 5140: KEY(3) ON 60 CLS:COLOR 12,0,0:LOCATE 1,15:PRINT "****************************************************":LOCATE 2,15:PRINT "* *":LOCATE 3,15:PRINT "* ";:COLOR 14,0,0:PRINT "* BEREGNINGSPROGRAM *"; 70 COLOR 12,0,0:PRINT " CHJ 5/88 *":LOCATE 4,15:PRINT "* *":LOCATE 5,15:PRINT "****************************************************" 80 PI=3.14159265# 90 COLOR 10,0,0:LOCATE 8,15:PRINT "0 AFSLUT" 100 LOCATE 10,15:PRINT "1 TREKANTBEREGNING":LOCATE 12,15:PRINT "2 OMREGNING AF VINKEL I MIN. OG SEK. TIL DECIMALTAL" 110 LOCATE 14,15:PRINT "3 SK’REDATABEREGNING":LOCATE 16,15:PRINT "4 KONUSBEREGNING" 120 LOCATE 18,15:PRINT "5 RUHEDSBEREGNING" 125 LOCATE 21,5:PRINT "Tast et nummer og tryk ENTER.... 130 LOCATE 23,5:COLOR 5,0,0:PRINT "( Tryk F3 og ENTER for retur i beregningerne ) 140 A$=INKEY$: IF A$="" THEN 140 150 IF A$="1" THEN CLS:GOTO 1000 160 IF A$="2" THEN CLS:GOTO 2000 170 IF A$="3" THEN CLS:GOTO 3000 180 IF A$="4" THEN CLS:GOTO 4000 190 IF A$="5" THEN CLS:GOTO 5000 200 IF A$="0" THEN COLOR 7,0,0:CLS:SYSTEM 210 GOTO 140 1000 A1$="Aa,":A2$="ab,":A3$="Ab,":A4$="ac,":A5$="Ac,":A6$="Ba,":A7$="Bb,":A8$="bc,":A9$="Bc,":A10$="A ":A11$="B " 1010 PI=3.14159265#:CLS 1020 CLS: COLOR 6,0,0 1030 REM tegn trekant 1040 FOR L = 0 TO 9 1050 LOCATE 11+L,47:PRINT CHR$(179) 1060 NEXT L 1070 FOR L=0 TO 9:LOCATE 11+L,46-L:PRINT "/" 1080 NEXT L 1090 FOR L=0 TO 9:LOCATE 21,37+L:PRINT CHR$(126) 1100 NEXT L 1110 COLOR 14,0,0:LOCATE 1,18:PRINT "** BEREGNING AF RETVINKLEDE TREKANTER **" 1120 COLOR 10,0,0:LOCATE 21,35:PRINT "B" 1130 LOCATE 21,48:PRINT "C" 1140 LOCATE 10,48:PRINT "A" 1150 LOCATE 22,41:PRINT "a" 1160 LOCATE 16,49:PRINT "b" 1170 LOCATE 16,39:PRINT "c" 1180 LOCATE 4:INPUT "Indgiv det ukendte element ";X$ 1190 IF X$="A"OR X$="B"OR X$="a"OR X$="b"OR X$="c"THEN 1740 ELSE 1180 1200 LOCATE 5,19:PRINT K$ 1210 LOCATE 6,19:PRINT F$:LOCATE 6 1220 PRINT "Kendte elementer:" 1230 LOCATE 8:INPUT "Indgiv nummer for kendte variable ";A:LOCATE 4:PRINT " " 1240 IF A<1 OR A>TF THEN LOCATE 8:PRINT " ":GOTO 1230 1250 LOCATE 5,19:PRINT " ":LOCATE 6:PRINT " ":LOCATE 8:PRINT " ":GOTO 1650 1260 LOCATE 4:PRINT"Indgiv "T$:LOCATE 4,10:INPUT XX:GOSUB 1870 1270 IF TB$=" "THEN GOTO 1300 1280 IF TB$=" "THEN GOTO 1300 1290 LOCATE 5:PRINT "Indgiv "TB$:LOCATE 5,10:INPUT YY:GOSUB 1890 1300 GOTO 1340 1310 IF X$="A"OR X$="B" THEN GOTO 1330 1320 PRINT :PRINT TAB(4) X$" = ";:PRINT USING "#####.###";PR:GOTO 1830 1330 PP=INT(PR):PRINT X$;"= ";PP;"grader,";:GOTO 1810 1340 IF X$="A"GOTO 1390 1350 IF X$="B"GOTO 1440 1360 IF X$="a"GOTO 1490 1370 IF X$="b"GOTO 1550 1380 IF X$="c"GOTO 1600 1390 REM BEREGNINGER FOR A 1400 IF T$="a"AND TB$="b"THEN X=XX/YY:PR=ATN(X):PR=(PR*180)/PI:GOTO 1310 1410 IF T$="a"AND TB$="c"THEN X=XX/YY:PR=ATN(X/SQR(1-X*X)):PR=(PR*180)/PI:GOTO 1310 1420 IF T$="b"AND TB$="c"THEN X=XX/YY:PR=1.570796-ATN(X/SQR(1-X*X)):PR=(PR*180)/PI:GOTO 1310 1430 IF T$="B"THEN XX=(XX*180)/PI:PR=90-XX:GOTO 1310 1440 REM BEREGNINGER FOR B 1450 IF T$="a"AND TB$="b"THEN X=XX/YY:PR=ATN(X):PR=(PR*180)/PI:PR=90-PR:GOTO 1310 1460 IF T$="a"AND TB$="c" THEN X=XX/YY:PR=ATN(X/SQR(1-X*X)):PR=(PR*180)/PI:PR=90-PR:GOTO 1310 1470 IF T$="b"AND TB$="c"THEN X=XX/YY:PR=1.570796-ATN(X/SQR(1-X*X)):PR=(PR*180)/PI:PR=90-PR:GOTO 1310 1480 IF T$="A"THEN XX=(XX*180)/PI:PR=90-XX:GOTO 1310 1490 REM BEREGNINGER FOR a 1500 IF T$="A"AND TB$="b"THEN PR=TAN(XX)*YY:GOTO 1310 1510 IF T$="A"AND TB$="c"THEN PR=SIN(XX)*YY:GOTO 1310 1520 IF T$="B"AND TB$="b"THEN PR=1/TAN(XX)*YY:GOTO 1310 1530 IF T$="b"AND TB$="c"THEN PR=SQR((YY*YY)-(XX*XX)):GOTO 1310 1540 IF T$="B"AND TB$="c"THEN PR=COS(XX)*YY:GOTO 1310 1550 REM BEREGNINGER FOR b 1560 IF T$="A"AND TB$="a"THEN PR=1/TAN(XX)*YY:GOTO 1310 1570 IF T$="a"AND TB$="c"THEN PR=SQR((YY*YY)-(XX*XX)):GOTO 1310 1580 IF T$="A"AND TB$="c"OR T$="B"AND TB$="c"THEN PR=COS(XX)*YY:GOTO 1310 1590 IF T$="B"AND TB$="a"THEN PR=TAN(XX)*YY:GOTO 1310 1600 REM BEREGNINGER FOR c 1610 IF T$="A"AND TB$="a"THEN X=SIN(XX):PR=YY/X:GOTO 1310 1620 IF T$="a"AND TB$="b"THEN PR=SQR((XX*XX)+(YY*YY)):GOTO 1310 1630 IF T$="A"AND TB$="b"OR T$="B"AND TB$="a"THEN X=COS(XX):PR=YY/X:GOTO 1310 1640 IF T$="B"AND TB$="b"THEN X=SIN(XX):PR=YY/X:GOTO 1310 1650 IF A=1 THEN B=-1:GOTO 1710 1660 IF A=2 THEN B=0:GOTO 1710 1670 IF A=3 THEN B=1:GOTO 1710 1680 IF A=4 THEN B=2:GOTO 1710 1690 IF A=5 THEN B=3:GOTO 1710 1700 IF A=6 THEN B=4:GOTO 1710 1710 T$=MID$(F$,((A*2)+B),1) 1720 TB$=MID$(F$,(A*2)+1+B,1) 1730 GOTO 1260 1740 IF X$="" THEN LOCATE 4:PRINT " ":GOTO 1180 1750 M=ASC(X$) 1760 IF M=65 THEN F$=A2$+A4$+A8$+A11$:K$=" 1 2 3 4":TF=4:GOTO 1200 1770 IF M=66 THEN F$=A2$+A4$+A8$+A10$:K$=" 1 2 3 4":TF=4:GOTO 1200 1780 IF M=97 THEN F$=A3$+A5$+A7$+A8$+A9$:K$=" 1 2 3 4 5":TF=5:GOTO 1200 1790 IF M=98 THEN F$=A1$+A4$+A5$+A6$+A9$:K$=" 1 2 3 4 5":TF=5:GOTO 1200 1800 IF M=99 THEN F$=A1$+A2$+A3$+A6$+A7$:K$=" 1 2 3 4 5":TF=5:GOTO 1200 1810 CA=INT(PR):CC=PR-CA:CA=CC*60:CD=INT(CA):PRINT CD;"min.,";:CB=INT(CD):CC=CA-CB:CF=CC*60:CE=INT(CF):PRINT CE;"sek." 1820 PRINT :PRINT X$;"= ";:PRINT USING "##.###";PR;:PRINT " decimalt." 1830 LOCATE 9:BEEP:PRINT "Ny opgave (j),eller slut ?" 1840 A$=INKEY$: IF A$="" THEN 1840 1850 IF A$="J"OR A$="j"THEN GOTO 1020 1860 COLOR 7,0,0:CLS:RUN 50 1870 IF T$="A"OR T$="B" THEN XX=(XX/180)*PI 1880 RETURN 1890 IF TB$="A"OR TB$="B" THEN YY=(YY/180)*PI 1900 RETURN 1910 LOCATE 18,10:GOSUB 1940 1920 LOCATE 19,11:GOSUB 1940 1930 LOCATE 20,12:GOSUB 1940 1940 PRINT CHR$(92) 1950 RETURN 1960 COLOR 7,0,0:CLS:END 2000 REM 2010 CLS:LOCATE 3,10:COLOR 14,0,0:PRINT "** OMREGNING FRA GRADER, MINUTTER OG SEKUNDER TIL DECIMALTAL **" 2020 X=0:Y=0:Z=0:P$="Grader":PP$="Grad" 2030 COLOR 10,0,0 2040 LOCATE 6,20:INPUT "indgiv grader ";X 2050 LOCATE 8,20:INPUT "indgiv minutter";Y 2060 LOCATE 10,20:INPUT "indgiv sekunder";Z 2070 IF Z=0 THEN 2110:REM sekunder 2080 IF Y=0 THEN 2130:REM minutter 2090 PR=Y/60:PR=PR+(Z/60)/60:PR=PR+X:LOCATE 13,30:GOSUB 2150 2100 QQ=1:GOTO 3260 2110 PR=Y/60+X:LOCATE 13,30:GOSUB 2150 2120 QQ=1:GOTO 3260 2130 IF Z=0 THEN PR=X ELSE PR=(Z/60)/60+X:LOCATE 13,30:GOSUB 2150 2140 QQ=1:GOTO 3260 2150 IF PR <=1 THEN PRINT PR;PP$: ELSE PRINT PR;P$ 2160 RETURN 3000 REM Sk‘redataberegning 3010 CLS:COLOR 14,0,0:LOCATE 2,26:PRINT "** SK’REDATABEREGNING **" 3020 LOCATE 6,20:COLOR 10,0,0:PRINT "1 OMDREJNINGSHASTIGHED":LOCATE 8,20:PRINT "2 SK’REMETER PR. MINUT":LOCATE 10,20:PRINT "3 SPNDYBDE PR. TAND (fr‘sning)" 3030 A$=INKEY$: IF A$="" THEN 3030 3040 IF A$="1" THEN 3080 :REM omdrejningshastighed 3050 IF A$="2" THEN 3120 :REM sk‘remeter pr. minut 3060 IF A$="3" THEN 3170 :REM sp†ndybde pr. tand (fr‘sning) 3070 GOTO 3030 3080 CLS:COLOR 12,0,0:LOCATE 2,29:PRINT "* OMDREJNINGSHASTIGHED *":LOCATE 6,11:COLOR 10,0,0:INPUT "Indgiv v‘rkt›js/emnes diameter i mm.:";A 3090 LOCATE 8,10:INPUT "Indgiv sk‘rehastighed i meter pr.min.:";B 3100 LOCATE 6,10:PRINT " ":LOCATE 8,10:PRINT " " 3110 C=B*1000:PR=C/(PI*A):PR=INT(PR):LOCATE 6,10:PRINT "V‘rkt›js/emnes diameter: ";A;"mm.":LOCATE 8,19:PRINT "Sk‘rehastighed: ";B;"meter pr.minut":LOCATE 11,14:PRINT "OMDREJNINGER PR.MIN: ";PR:GOTO 3160 3120 CLS:COLOR 12,0,0:LOCATE 2,26:PRINT "* SK’REMETER PR. MINUT *":COLOR 10,0,0:LOCATE 6,10:INPUT "Indgiv v‘rkt›js/emnes diameter i mm.:";A 3130 LOCATE 8,10:INPUT "Indgiv omdrejningshastighed i o/min.:";B 3140 LOCATE 6,10:PRINT " ":LOCATE 8,10:PRINT " " 3150 PR=A*PI:PR=(PR*B)/1000:PR=INT(PR):LOCATE 6,21:PRINT "V‘rkt›js diameter : ";A;"mm.":LOCATE 8,20:PRINT "Omdrejningshastighed: ";B;"o/min.":LOCATE 11,23:PRINT "SK’REMETER PR.MIN: ";PR 3160 QQ=4:GOTO 3260 3170 CLS:COLOR 12,0,0:LOCATE 3,20:PRINT "* SPNDYBDE PR. TAND (fr‘sning) *":COLOR 10,0,0 3180 LOCATE 6,17:INPUT "Indgiv fr‘serens tandantal: ";A 3190 LOCATE 8,10:INPUT "Indgiv tilsp‘nding i mm. pr minut: ";B 3200 LOCATE 10,30:INPUT "Indgiv o/min.: ";C 3210 PR=B/C:PR=PR/A 3220 LOCATE 6,17:PRINT " ":LOCATE 8,10:PRINT " ":LOCATE 10,22:PRINT " ":LOCATE 6,24:PRINT "Tandantal: ";A 3230 LOCATE 8,22:PRINT "Sp†ndybde : ";B 3240 LOCATE 10,12:PRINT "Omdrejninger pr. min.: ";C 3250 QQ=0:LOCATE 12,15:PRINT "SPNDYBDE PR. TAND: ";CSNG(PR) 3260 LOCATE 15+QF,20:BEEP:PRINT "Ny opgave (j) eller slut ? 3270 A$=INKEY$ 3280 IF A$="" THEN 3270 3290 IF A$="j" OR A$="J" THEN 3300 ELSE 3310 3300 ON QQ GOTO 2000,4000,5000,3000 3310 COLOR 7,0,0:CLS:RUN 50 4000 CLS:COLOR 14,0,0:LOCATE 3,30:PRINT "* KONUSBEREGNING *":COLOR 10,0,0 4010 LOCATE 6,22:PRINT "1 BEREGNING FRA GRADER TIL FORHOLD" 4020 LOCATE 8,22:PRINT "2 BEREGNING FRA FORHOLD TIL GRADER" 4030 A$=INKEY$: IF A$="" THEN 4030 4040 LOCATE 6,15:PRINT " ":LOCATE 8,15:PRINT " ":IF C=1 THEN 4280 4050 IF A$="1" THEN GOTO 4070 4060 IF A$="2" THEN GOTO 4270 ELSE 4030 4070 LOCATE 6,15:PRINT "Er graderne i grad/min/sek (g) eller decimal (d) ?" 4080 A$=INKEY$ 4090 IF A$ = "" THEN 4080 4100 LOCATE 6,15:PRINT " " 4110 IF A$="g" OR A$="G" THEN LOCATE 6,22:INPUT "Indgiv grader";X:GOTO 4140 4120 IF A$="d" OR A$="D" THEN LOCATE 6,22:INPUT "Indgiv grader";X:GOTO 4230 4130 GOTO 4070 4140 LOCATE 8,20:INPUT "Indgiv minutter";Y:LOCATE 10,20:INPUT "Indgiv sekunder";Z 4150 REM ENKELTELEMENTER 4160 IF Z=0 AND Y=0 THEN 4230 4170 IF Z=0 AND X=0 THEN X=Y/60:GOTO 4230 4180 IF Y=0 AND X=0 THEN X=(Z/60)/60:GOTO 4230 4190 REM FLERE ELEMENTER 4200 IF X=0 THEN X=(Y/60)+((Z/60)/60):GOTO 4230 4210 IF Y=0 THEN X=X+((Z/60)/60):GOTO 4230 4220 P=Y/60+X 4230 X=(X/180)*PI 4240 P=(1/TAN(X))/2 4250 LOCATE 13,23:PRINT "FORHOLD = 1 :";P:QQ=2:GOTO 3260 4260 END 4270 C=1:GOTO 4040 4280 LOCATE 6,25:INPUT "Indgiv forholdet som 1:";A 4290 LOCATE 6,25:PRINT " ":LOCATE 6,32:PRINT "Forhold = 1 :";A 4300 REM beregning 4310 PR=1/A:PR=PR/2:PR=ATN(PR):PR=(PR*180)/PI 4320 LOCATE 9,20:PRINT "FORHOLD I DECIMALGRADER :";PR 4330 PA=INT(PR):CC=PR-PA:CA=CC*60:PB=INT(CA):CB=INT(PB):CC=CA-CB:CF=CC*60:PC=INT(CF) 4340 LOCATE 11,20:PRINT "FORHOLD I GRAD/MIN/SEK :";PA;"GRADER,";PB;"MIN.,";PC;"SEK." 4350 QQ=2: GOTO 3260 5000 CLS:LOCATE 3,25:COLOR 14,0,0:PRINT "* RUHEDSBEREGNING *":COLOR 10,0,0 5010 LOCATE 6,18:INPUT "Indgiv overflade-ruhed i Ra :";RA 5020 LOCATE 8,18:INPUT "Indgiv v‘rkt›jsradius i mm. :";R 5030 LOCATE 10,18:INPUT "Indgiv omdrejninger i min. :";O 5040 RA=RA/1000:PR=2*(SQR(RA*((2*R)-RA))) 5050 PR=PR*1.678730208#:P=PR 5060 IF INT(PR)>0 THEN K=INT(PR):PRINT K;PR:PR=PR-K 5070 IF PR<.1 THEN M$ = "0" 5080 IF PR<.01 THEN M$="0 0" 5090 PR=PR*100:PR=INT(PR) 5100 LOCATE 13,14:BEEP:PRINT "TILSP’NDING I MM. PR OMDREJNING :";K;",";M$;PR;"mm." 5110 IF O>0 THEN LOCATE 15,19:P=INT(P*O):PRINT "TILSP’NDING I MM. PR. MIN. :";INT(P) ELSE GOTO 5130 5120 QF=2 5130 QQ=3:GOTO 3260 5140 RUN 50:RETURN |
| 193 |
Daily Build Script Sample True, Clare. This belongs to software developers, not readers. |
| 192 |
PVG: Buses to Hangzhou, Suzhou... Hi Christina See more details on http://www.shairport.com/en/airline02_a.jsp |
| 191 |
Visa Card on ATM in China Jianshuo, if you use the card to withdraw cash in foreign countries, it will deduct from the VISA part of the card, and then you will be charged. If you just take out money, remember to take plenty, so you don't have to pay the fee too many times. But if you buy in a shop, then usually no fee will be charged. The best is to read the terms in the leaflet that usually comes with a VISA card, even it is a little "dry" to read. Check which phone number you have to call, if your card is lost. Have a nice time in Chengdu ! |
| 190 |
MagLev May Extend to Hangzhou Now this conversation has become something like a runaway train... We were beginning with the Maglev extending to Hangzhou ! Against narrow-mindedness the wise fights in vain, so I quit this debate now. |
| 189 |
MagLev May Extend to Hangzhou Stephen, the money IS ALREADY SPENT. It is not a loan. And if someone's head are rolling, then ok, then we will have peace and can continue forward. Zhang, why do you look so much of the Britain rules, I'm not british ! Republic is quite OK with me ! Only I want to let the PEOPLE decide, and not the top class that's ruling now. We had the same kind of ruling more than a hundred years ago in my country, but the farmers stood up and made the demands for the people to have rights to decide. So far it is only the top class that's allowed to rule in China, to be a "party member". My grilfriend will maybe soon be my wife, and then I have a family in China. I know her family very well, and that's why I concern very much. Hope that answers your question of, why I'm worrying of the CHINESE money...... |
| 188 |
MagLev May Extend to Hangzhou The taxis should be there, if people need to use it and they can afford it. It has always been far cheaper to take the subway to Longyang and change to the Mag, but the cheapest is of course the buses (14-16 RMB one-way in nice aircon bus). Limiting the taxis and buses is not an option. After 17:30 the taxis has a good income from Longyang to PVG because some don't know that the Mag stops at that time, so they desperately need a taxi ! Save money can only be done by closing the Mag from now on. Running it, or even extending it, is only more waste of public money. |
| 187 |
Top Two Differences in China Yes, US is a bit behind... 15% tip is not usual for an european guy to be faced with in the restaurants at first visit. They will stop you at the exit if you forget, even the service has been lousy. Tipping in Europe is not required at any place, but of course appreciated, if a good service is provided. Tipping in Asia outside China is same as in Europe. Tipping in a bar/restaurant/shop in China can have the effect, that the tip is confiscated by the owner, if they see the exchange of money. They treat the staff terribly in general. In the better hotels a 10% service fee is charged, although noone of the staff receives extra. Here is a good place to tip, if you want prolonged excellent service from the bellboys, etc. usually 5 RMB (or 10 RMB if it is VERY good) is appropriate for rich guys like those who can afford to stay at these hotels. (And they tell the good news to the other bellboys, of course.) Do not tip the taxidrivers exept the service and driving has been supreme, and that seldom happens in Shanghai. Usually they will give you all money back down to the last kuai. Bring some jiao and kuai in your pocket for the beggars and the very poor, when you go around in Shanghai. Give 3-5 jiao or 1 kuai according to your feelings. Be prepared for the worst scenery of grandmothers (in rather nice clothes) dragging their 2-5 year old grandchild around by the arm to beg from you. Mostly in the streets after darkfall, and even in the subway... Don't give this child, as you support the continuing if this behaviour. Frankly, I think that we shall tell them to join and go to the government to ask for some money. Then they do not have to beg ! Money for the poor are better spent than for a new highway or a Maglev train. So, all in all about tipping in China - a greedy one can save money here, but spend a few kuai in the right places and in the right way, and you will be rewarded ! |
| 186 |
MagLev May Extend to Hangzhou Zhang, is this a reply to someone ??? |
| 185 |
MagLev May Extend to Hangzhou Sorry jianshuo, this is news, but not really hot news see http://www.transrapid.de/pdf/TR_aktuell_E_1004.pdf Let's hope that this project will be only a one-timer. I never hope that they will extend any part of the track. That will just be more "party show off", not beneficial for the common people. Yes, it is the "People's Republic of China" taxpayers money that made it possible. When you ride it, then take a glimpse look of the poor farmers along the track, then think of the poor peoples conditions in this extremely economic diverse country (make me sick sometimes). I am using the Mag frequently because of fun and because I believe it is safer than the taxi's here, but not safe enough for commercial use. Sitting in high-strength seats with the face opposite of driving direction is a minimum MUST to survive any accident at 430 km/t. You may check the extreme seating safety of Formula 1 drivers (even though they "only" goes 300km/h...) Some chinese think it's ok to just take technology from others companies for free... Face it - China only bought the TRAIN, not the production technology of it. If it was to buy the technology, they would have to buy the entire Thyssen-Krupp company. And that has a quite different price tag on it than the 10 Giga Yuan. See http://www.thyssenkrupp-transrapid.de/_en/home.htm The technology is being discussed before at this blog, but for a brush-up, you can check out http://www.transrapid.de/en/information/technik_txt.html It is definitely a nice tourist ride, and definitely the MOST expensive rollercoaster in the world ! So, let's just enjoy it (if we dare) as long as it lasts... |
| 184 |
Joined A Club to Rent a Car So I did it, I got the mainland driving license. They did only require the "yellow paper" document from the police office, a copy of my own country's certificate, a copy of the international driving license and a copy of my passport. BRING A CHINESE FRIEND to take you through the walk to the numerous offices. At the police traffic centre they will take digital photos of you. You need a physical examination, quite funny though, and receive a leaflet with 100 questions and answers to get you an idea of the traffic rules. Read this, and understand it, then take the test which consists of 20 randomly chosen questions from the same leaflet. You will get 5 points for each correct answer, the requirement is 80 points to pass. I had 100, so it was just so easy. The test and the leaflet is in english. (I never have seen an english version of the chinese traffic rules and regulations, someone knows where I gan get that ?) Then you receive an envelope, bring it to another office and they'll print out your nice new chinese driving license. Remember to check the fields of motorcycle in the application, if you dare to ride one in China ! The license is valid for 6 years, counting from the date of your last birthday. Then go and rent a car, take a few deeeeep breaths, and throw yourself into the Shanghai traffic ! GOOD LUCK (you'll certainly need it) ! |
| 183 |
Tahiti Amore' you can't tell us of a plan, and then don't tell what the plan is about :-( That's not fair for curious blog readers. |
| 182 |
Tahiti Hi kayla Do you know how foreigners can buy real estate in Tahiti Islands ? Is it still french rule there ? |
| 181 |
Difference Between Quanqiutong and Shenzhouxing Hi mike Try to send an SMS with the text : yecx to number 1861. |
| 180 |
Is the Real Estate Cooling Down? Good point, simplu ! Dangerous traffic, crowded green parks, all thing grow double or triple price in high seasons, heavy pollution, expensive, etc., etc. I simply live in Shanghai because my work and darling is here. Not for the charming city itself. I prefer open space, fresh air, forests and mountains. I have to go to remote places for work, because the original locations are occupying expensive land, so they move factories, shipyards and other industries far away now. More transportation then... Note that many foreigners comments of the real estate market future are more realistic than what the chinese locals can see. We have seen economies go up AND down more than one time. |
| 179 |
Heavy Snow in Shanghai Hi Jianshuo If this ever happens again in your Goudaner's lifetime, you can buy snow-and-ice scr*pers in Carrefour ! By the way, I will rent a car from tomorrow. Then I can see how it is from a driver's view in Shanghai. Can be interesting, I think ! By the way, your filter prevented me from writing scr*per due to the "bad" word created by letter no 3-4-5-6. It's a powerful filter ! |
| 178 |
Heavy Snow in Shanghai Hi wenlee They can't ! Some die in the cold. Who will give these people any help ? |
| 177 |
Is the Real Estate Cooling Down? It is just too much of a bubble ! I owned a house in my homecountry long time ago. The prices rose, and I bought a CHEAP house. 2 years after I was going to sell it. Suddenly the boom stopped, and it was imposible for me to sell, even people thought the location was good and the price was right. After a year, the house was sold for 70% of my buying price. The loans was still to pay every month ! Even if I had the money, with my experience I would not risk to invest in such a "bubble"-market. So - beware ! Especially young people runs a great risk of spending the rest of their lives to pay back the huge loans. I wouldn't believe this market to last for more than a half or one year. People only buy now to make investments, because they believe they can sell for a high price in a few years. Many actually don't live in the apartments. And it is quite limited how many chinese who REALLY can afford to live in an expensive apartment in Shanghai. Yes - it's just a bubble ! |
| 176 |
I am in Shanghai Jianshuo, welcome back, and happy newyear ! Out is great, but home is just best ! I guess the weather was not as you expected it to be, newyear's night my digital temperature meter said -5 deg. Celsius. (You have to change away Fahrenheit again...) Dec 30. evening we played in the snow outside, although it was -3 and very windy. I think you, as a photographer, just HAVE to go out and take some pictures of the nature scenery before the snow disappears again ? |
| 175 |
Skiing in Shanghai Hi Eric and others The "lift system" is not good, it consists of one flat escalator to the first slope and a wire w. very small seats, very slow, to 2'nd slope. To 3'rd slope you have to walk up. The snow is heavy and uneven, especially in the summertime. The downhill speed is not worth to mention for an experienced rider. But for the unexperienced, it is a fun way of spending an afternoon or evening ! All clothes and equipment will be provided, even large sizes. But the clothes are not cleaned regularly, to say it straight, so I will advise you to bring your own. I bought two complete sets in the "Decathlon" sportshop for myself and my qingaide. Skis and boards is not worth to bring for the short rides - anyway you get a set that will be chosen and set by the staff, but get some knowledge and check it for yourself. The staff are not very experienced in this, and it can get dangerous if the locks are not set properly. Avoid weekends and evenings on weekdays, can get rather crowded and thus the risk of collision is far higher (mostly beginners on the slopes). There is a shuttle bus from Xinzhuang subway station. See the chinese homepage http://www.yinqixing.com/index.asp for the phone number to call regarding actual prices, hopefully someone speaks english. Have a nice time there, happy newyear ! |
| 174 |
Getting Shore Pass (Temp Visa) for Japan Stephen, I guess you don't get my point at all. But please do not remember me of the so-called "great leaders". I simply hate Mao for what he did of damage to China ! Seeing him every day on the money notes is enough, he reminds me so much of Kim Jong Il in North Korea, killing his own people for own gains... 2 dictators of the worst kind ! And when I go in the streets and trains i Shanghai, I meet beggars every day. I say to them " please call your great leaders to provide you with the basics, so you do not have to beg !!!" Because they can not loose anything if they try to get some influence on the (great) "leaders", can they ? What is your opinon ? Stephen, are you living in China ? |
| 173 |
Getting Shore Pass (Temp Visa) for Japan To Stephen (and others) If I was a poor farmer's son or daughter with virtually no future, I would grip any opportunity to get a better life - including immigration. But for most people this is an impossible solution. They can only go to big cities instead and try their luck there. If possible, it's easier to go abroad for "studies" and then simply get lost and live by friends. Even as a unregistered citizen in developed countries, the income will mostly be far higher than in China, and some of the income can be sent to the home family to improve the family's living standard and to pay for brothers and sisters education (which should be free, as a government matter in my mind, as education is the basic root to success for inividuals and for the country). As long as the chinese economy is capitalistic and there's even much more gap between rich and poor than in the US, the economic escape will continue, and any "easy visa" continues to be a dream of the future. China is now a capitalist's dream country ! No unions to argue with, extremely low salaries to all employed, and "do-what-U-like" to the employed. The rich are just TOO rich, and the poor are just TOO poor in China. Higher taxes for the rich can be a way out of the problem. In my country the people with high income pay up to 59% tax. These tax money goes mostly to those who have less (social distribution), and the flow is controlled by the government, elected by the people. If there was an urge in the chinese government to really stop any corruption, then a great leap forward would be achieved ! But this will not happen soon in China - figure out why by yourself. |
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Getting Shore Pass (Temp Visa) for Japan Visa or not, first of all the Chinese government want the possibility to check the political status of those who enters, as it has created it's own internal and external enemies because of its internal and external policies. As long as some chinese students (whole classes do that!) and others simply disappear when they have entered other countries, most developed countries will claim a visa for chinese mainland citizens. Hongkong is to be considered a developed zone attached to China by a border, and will be so until it is no longer a SAR zone. Then the people there will be treated as mainland chinese when going abroad. I, as a foreigner, can go to Hongkong without any visa, just as most other countries. |
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Arrived in Seattle Hi Jianshuo Didn't you meet any problems when you showed your chinese drivers license ? Is it valid in US ? |
| 170 |
Thinking about Sony F828 Hi Jianshuo If money matters for you, the 828 is for sale at the electronic centre at Huaihailu/Huangpinanlu for 6900RMB, the P150 for 3900RMB. Underwater box for P150 : 1700RMB. |
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U.S. Trip Update I guess it was difficult to get the visas for you - did you have to write your underwear size an so on ? A US visa can be tricky. I guess it helped that you own private property ! I saw the "Terminal" movie too, but didn't sense the unfriendliness, I will have to see it again ! |
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Thinking about Sony F828 Jianshuo - I don't think a US guarantee will cover in China, same as a chinese guarantee don't cover outside China ! How about the new Sony P150, extremely light (828 is just TOO big and clumsy for me), 7 MPix, additional lenses including tele-lenses and wide-angles can be snapped on, see the commercials on (National Geographic TV), and an underwater housing too ! This housing is very very good, if you plan to go to pool centers or in sandy/dusty environments ! The P150 have video, capable of 640x480, 30fr/sec ! Take a look at http://www.steves-digicams.com/pr/sony_07212004_p150_pr.html This guy have a terrific homepage for digicams. Good luck with any camera you choose, Jianshuo ! |
| 167 |
Cheat-Sheet of Shanghai Road Names Taxi drivers don't get any meaning out of the english names, so learn the system quick, if you're a long-term tourist. About Xizanglu - China officially do not want to use the Tibet name, as this was the country's own name before the occupation in the 1950's. So, they named it "Xizang" so everyone could forget it ! |
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Xiang Yang Market Again Stephen, the brand names are not worth the huge difference in price. And she knows. Oh, I bought a videocam in Hualian on Nanjingdonglu, the camera on display was "made in Japan" as it said on the bottom label. When I came home, the camera said "Made in China". I went back for a real japanese camera, and they wanted me to pay 800RMB more ! After a hefty dispute, I got the japanese camera, but the guarantee could only be claimed in Hualian then... Weird ! Here's a warning for foreigners who buy branded things in China : The guarantee ONLY covers inside China ! NO international guarantee. Beware the customs regulations of your home country - there is usually a highest limit how much you can take to your country before you have to pay tax etc. If you live in the EU, goods purchased outside EU have this limit and will be taxed at arrival (if they find it). After smuggling it in, you cannot take it out of your country again, because the risk of getting caught will be the same next time you enters your home country. So, consider if it's really worth it to buy it in China or other "cheaper" countries. The guarantee for things pruchased inside EU is up to 2 years now, so why risk it ? |
| 165 |
Edward's New Satellite TV Stephen, have you been outside of China yet ? On a scale from 0 to 10 I will only give the chinese openness a 2. So, still a long way to go, and remember that all chinese journalists have to be member, or having approved thier scripts by the "big brother" party. No free journalism here, you're still ONLY allowed to hear and see what is suitable for you ! |
| 164 |
Xiang Yang Market Again I bought a nice LV bag for Xiuying at Shenyang airport for 360RMB. The quality seems very good (I checked of course). Inside was a tag with "Louis Vuitton - Paris - Made in France", but the retailer told me that it was from Hongkong. Anyway, she's happy about it ! I recently bought a new design of a Northface girl's jacket for 130 RMB at Xiangyang, first price at 460RMB. And I have bought a Northface winter duvet jacket for 105RMB, first price at 450RMB. Be hard on them ! Ask several places for the same thing, and see how low they are willing to go, before they give up running after you ! Big shoes are a problem at Xiangyang. Beware of DVD - CD - Rolex" guys, they want to show you their goods in remote places where noone knows what's going on. Just look stiff forward and keep saying "bu-yau-la" ! Keep your wallet and mobile phone inside the jacket, closed. There are many people, and you will ignore the pushing people after a while, thus being more uncautious. |
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Hong Qiao (SHA) v.s. Pu Dong (PVG) Airport Comment to bellevue : Don't expect to rent a car in China if you do not have a valid national chinese driver license. International driver's license are of no use in China. You have to stay here for more than 1 year, and have a permanent residence card. Then you can apply for a license. Weird, isn't it ? Anyway, it's simply too dangerous to drive here. Forget it. |
| 162 |
Hong Qiao (SHA) v.s. Pu Dong (PVG) Airport More of this on : http://www.shanghaiairport.com/en/index.jsp?dbkey=null# Not very well designed and informative, but can be of use for some... |
| 161 |
Pudong Airport Maglev in Depth Answer to GB : try to go in a fast car on a german highway. Drive for an hour at 240km/h, and then you want to go for a "pit stop" for a snack and a pee. When you go in the turn-off lane, it says 50km/h. You go 5o now, but you will fell it like just 10 ! The Mag is built on an elevated track, so the speed feeling isn't so severe, as if you're in ground level. Maybe that's why you don't feel any difference. You're travelling at 900 km/h in a jet airplane, but no speed feeling, huh ? |
| 160 |
Edward's New Satellite TV Stephen, you wrote : "furthermore, there is not any matter can embarass her in the international stage anymore". By that, do you mean that the chinese government has nothing hidden for its own people or others ?? |
| 159 |
Wendy Passed Driver's License Exam Well done, Wendy ! I wish you all the luck in the Shanghai traffic Jianshuo, if she follows the new rules of traffic, then put up several additional stop lights in the rear window of Goudaner !! |
| 158 |
Road Report between Home and Xujiahui Hi Jianshuo, do you stop for pedestrians crossing (in a legal way) anymore ? I heard that the fine has been rised to 200.000RMB for killing someone crossing a pedestrian zone... |
| 157 |
Shanghai International Tennis Center Greg, if they put the metro loudspeakers OUTSIDE of the trains, just over the doors, it will be best. The noise inside is not directed to go outside, unfortunately. And in Shanghai, people fights to get OUT of the train, because the crowd outside dont know to behave right according to the signs on the entry floors (or it's just the common shanghainese way of rudeness). Many times I have act like a bulldozer to get out in time. |
| 156 |
Top Three Innovation that Failed in Shanghai Replys to many - Qingshi Zhu, Patrick, aline, Luke : Qingshi Zhu : The highway names are of course beautiful, but of no relevance for a guy from Yunnan or Liaoning; he knows nothing of the beautiful places and cities here, he only comes for the drive, not for a geographic excursion. The taxi stops are only meant for those who don't know how to "wave" a taxi. All taxi drivers can see a "wave" in the most worse fog and dense traffic from approx. 200 m, so these stops seems to be a REAL failure. The meaning of taxis are to pick up and deliver at ANY place, so you are talking of making taxis into some public regulated minibus ? ? ? This is not the purpose of the taxis, Mr. Zhu. Regarding the Maglev, you are just so f...... arrogant ! You really scare me ! Don't expect all the knowledge and technology to be free of charge, just because someone buy a superior engineered design from an outside country ! I see such a lot of s... made by "highly skilled workers, estimated engineers and university graduated scientists" here every day, so if the chinese COULD make their own Maglev, I certainly wouldn't ride it ! As an example my country have lots of american F-16 fighters, and of course we know how they work, but we won't steal the american company's technology for that reason. Many F-16 owner countries produces parts for these fighters by license from the maker; I have myself made specialized parts to these planes before. If all "WE" (if you mean chinese) are "pissed off", I have been SO wrong about the chinese people I meet in my work everyday. I'm here to share our technology to the chinese, but I will no longer do that, if you are representing the majority here. So be careful now ! Patrick : Now China is a member of the WTO, so in time the requirements for a driving license will be in level with the rest of the world, ie. where a western driving license are a common proven guarantee for a skilled driver. So the naming are meant for the near future, don't worry. Many of my long term stay collegues in China drives a car, and they are very happy for the improvements. Personally I think it's insane to drive here. SO many jerks behind the wheels ! I have given up even bicyckling, as the chinese have no speed and respect, so I can go safer by any other transportation, exept taxis (unfortunately a necessary evil here). And Patrick, your chinese reading must be quite good to read the signs at 80-100 km/h ! But most foreigners don't stay here for lifetime, and should not be required to waste time learning all city names in chinese in high speed, so please consider. I do not understand why foreigners shouldhave so much bureaucracy to drive a car here, my guess is that 99.8 of all western drivers are more skilful and careful in the traffic, so why go to a stupid test for this ?? (JUST for the party to get some money, of course, not for any skill improvements.) aline : I agree in your view ! I went to the crossing of Xizanglu and Fuzhoulu several times during my stay in Puxi, and they put up these blue things with the button. The quality was just SO poor, after one week the rust (corrosion) on the button made it dark brown. In most countries these things are made of weatherproof materials, of course. After 2 weeks half the buttons was just gone, either bad design or vandalism. WHO bought these "life saving devices" ???? Shame on them ! But afterall it was some fun to get in behind he crowd and press the button (if working), and go along after 10-12 sec's, when the other have waited 2 min's ! Luke : I agree, LA is confusing ! In my european country we have destination names and road numbers on the main highway guiding signs. When an exit approaches (usually more than 1000m before), we have numbers on the signs, which is clear on every road map. The road itself have no name, only an E-number (for European highway). Smaller roads have numbers. Exits refers to cities, with km distance to them. |
| 155 |
Boston for Dummies and More. Jianshuo, I know you're a busy guy, so I can be of help to you if you need help with the "Shanghai for Dummies" project. |
| 154 |
The Cats Story Jianshuo, a few more advices here : If you go to a veterinarian and get Liangliang sterilized, you will have only two cats of your own for the future (unless Huahua is a "she", of course, then the same will apply...). All cats I know just LOVE Whiskas. But mix it with some cheaper food too. Regarding the white male, they actually can eat Huahua, if he finds it annoying. I simply throw one or two firecrackers (small of course) at the unwanted cat to scare it away. It was VERY efficient, and not "cruel" at all, only scaring enough ! |
| 153 |
I Got my U.S. Visa As USA wants to be the "police of the world", they have to act like the police itself ! I - as a western looking blond-and-blue-eyed tourist - have to get a long "chat" with the most arrogant officials in the US immigration authorities every time I enter. Most questions were like "do you want to live in USA ?" WOW, if they knew my country in Europe in deep, they would not even consider to ask me such a weird question ! Well, I don't look like Bin Laden, I must say. Just SO annoying to be a stupid tourist... I fact I felt just like coming to Israel (the worst place for me to go to concerning this issue). There it took me 2 hours to get through immigration. Well, how is it for US citizens to get a visa for China ? Anyone knows ? |
| 152 |
Going Back to China? Hi Jianshuo, can't you see, that this email is just WAY out of proportions ? Not worth to answer in my opinion. You know my qingaide, Xiuying. Her parents makes 5000 RMB a year from the rice fields. How about your own family's income ? Can't you see ? |
| 151 |
Basic Geographic Knowledge about China - Part II Do Tibet (XiZang) count as REAL China nowadays ?? (not outside China, but...) If so, it must be the most western part of China. If not, it must be Yunnan Province, I guess... |
| 150 |
Really Living in Shanghai william, now it's the end of 2004, and some are occasionally doing some welding, some are walking around, but it's still just a hole in the ground. I can see it from my apartment, so it's for real. When they begin to put something in the hole I will tell you ! |
| 149 |
Basic Geographic Knowledge about China bigbro, have you been to China ? |
| 148 |
M7 Started Construnction Near my Home Until today, no changes. I still have to "sign in and out" every time. |
| 147 |
Two Cats in my Garden Hi Jianshuo ! Go to Lotus or any other big mall and buy some good dry cat food. Take care that other cats cannot eat your cats food, as you will have many more "friends" in a short while. See how to care for them at : http://www.thepetprofessor.com/secArticles/cat/links.asp |
| 146 |
Pudong Airport Maglev in Depth Just had a return ride to Pudong Airport yesterday with the Mag. In the loudspeakers they announced : "the Maglev demonstration line", they didn't do before. I recorded video during the ride and after, around the Longyang end of the track. Guards outside the station (actually doing "Hitler-walk" !) didn't bother me of my recording, so I guess it's wry much ok to use the camcorder. If they would continue the track to Shanghai Central Railway Station, they will have to make the tracks in between two apartment blocks ! But that would not be a problem in China, I guess... |
| 145 |
Typical Rush Hours in Shanghai - Part II Regarding putting money TO the bank, I usually get 5000US$, or recently 5000€ (euro), as these have a quite higher rate (10,54€ to 1 RMB). A bad experience was, that they made a mistake, they changed my euro's by using US$ rate ! So, check your slip carefully after the transaction, if you just transfer to the ATM-valid account, and don't get real cash. |
| 144 |
PVG: Location of Maglev Station Are there no shanghainese here who can call the authorities and ASK why they only run in bright daylight ? Are chinese afraid to contact the authorities ?!? (After all it IS "People's republic of China". Or not ?) |
| 143 |
Traveled to Beijing with China Eastern Airlines Ursula, I'm a foreigner, working in shanghai. I have never been to Beijing, even I have lived in Shanghai for quite a long time now. I don't miss to see The Great Wall (or anything else) in Beijing. BUT - there are so many other things to see in China. Try to watch - THE REAL PEOPLE ! The present scenery will change shortly, so the things we see now will be lost. NOW it's only money that counts in China, but some here still lives according to human rules, that means that thier family and and common relationships are valued ! Go and see THIS. That's the real attraction of China now. The Wall will be there a long time, no worries about that. I'm riding the Shanghai Metro almost every day, and mostly for more than 2 hours. Watching the chinese PEOPLE there is just great ! The "car people " here wants to maintain some distance to others, sadly said. (Sorry Jianshuo - I have seen too many rude drivers now). In fact, I feel lucky to have so intimate contact with the people here, and I meet many kind people every day ! Ursula, I don't know where you come from, but don't care so much for the Wall, it can be sen from outer space, and it will be there even after you've passed away. Look for the human values here, before they change. If this is not your idea to do so on your short trip, then relax and come here. See the city of Shanghai in all its diversity ! |
| 142 |
Luoyang Peony We have in Denmark too, so perhaps some peony species are more resistant to a cold climate. |
| 141 |
Luoyang Peony A seed store will be welcome, please give me an address. |
| 140 |
Why We Use English Signs? Do anyone here have experience with the chinese language school in Laoshan Xi Lu near Babaiban (Pudong) ? I want to join, if it's good. |
| 139 |
Shanghai is Cooling Down Hi TM Choo You can see the Shanghai mean temperatures on http://uk.weather.com/weather/climatology/CHXX0116 |
| 138 |
Polution in Shanghai Hi Chuko "When will the Chinese learn?" you say When the Changjiang and Huangpu rivers only contains mud and water (and no lunch boxes are floating around), and the air is dustfree and CO2-free. The moneymakers rules here, it's even worse than in USA. The people don't care much because "we can do nothing, the government decides everything, so why care ?". In most countries people can vote the politicians who handles these things, but here that is not possible (yet). If the chinese ever learn to clean up it will be a miracle, but you will most likely be dead when or if that happens. So my advice is - forget your anger, it's just waste of time. |
| 137 |
Starbucks in A Day Good fresh-ground coffee-beans are extremely expensive in China. So give the instant coffee a try ! Buy some Nestlé Gold instant coffee (49-? RMB/100 grams), It lasts for many cups. You can make it as strong as you like, but at first begin with a half teaspoonful in a medium sized cup. This is now considered a pure BLACK coffee. If you don´t like this (as most asians don't) put some sugar (as little as possible, but enough to give you a satisfying taste), and milk. The milk should be added as the last thing, as it cools down the coffee. Make it a light brown color, not white, then there's no coffee taste left. Another way to add the "milk" taste is to use an instant creamy powder; the "Coffee-mate" is good. The advantages of using instant coffee and creamy powder are, that they don't get old as quickly as real coffee and milk, and the taste is quite acceptable, at least if you compare with Starbucks ! We use the mentioned ingredients all over my danish company's site offices in Shanghai, and no complaints. Danish people drink A LOT of coffee, so this is to be a highly experienced choice ! If I can find the right sugar in Shanghai, I will revert later to give a recipy of good "Irish Coffee", which I never found satisfying in any restaurants or bars in Shanghai. This is in fact a drink, but have a lot of coffee in it. |
| 136 |
Starbucks in A Day Good frsh-ground coffee-beans are extremely expensive in China. So give the instant coffee a try ! Buy some Nestlé Gold instant coffee (49-60 RMB/100 grams), it lasts for many cups. You can make it as strong as you like, but at first begin with a half teaspoonful in a medium sized cup. This is pure BLACK coffee. If you don´t like this (as most asians don't) put some sugar (as little as possible, but enough to give you a satisfying taste), and milk. The milk should be added as the last thing, as it cools down the coffee. Make it a light brown color, not white, then there's no coffe taste left. Another way to add the "milk" taste is to use instant creamy powder; the "Coffee-mate" is good. The advantages of using instant coffee and creamy powder are, that they don't get old as quickly as real coffee and milk, and the taste is quite acceptable, at least if you compare with Starbucks ! We use the mentioned ingredients all over my danish company's site offices in Shanghai, and no complaints. Danish people drink A LOT of coffee, so this is to be a highly experienced choice ! |
| 135 |
Stealing in Xiang Yang Market Dian, ask the driver to go through the new Fuxing Dong Lu tunnel (tunnel = shui-dao), that's a shorter way. Go to the Zhang Yang Lu / Pudong Nan Lu junction. The tunnel entry starts there. Another way is to pass the Nanpu Bridge. |
| 134 |
So Many Typos in Shanghai Metro bigbro, please note that it is not a misspelling of Shanghai, you should be able to see that. It is Shangshi. It is only the a and n that have been changed (confused :-). Any with just a grain of influence should take this to the medias. But "THIS IS CHINA". See the ranking of China and other countries in : http://www.weforum.org/site/homepublic.nsf/Content/Global+Competitiveness+Programme%5CGlobal+Competitiveness+Report China does not develop itself as quick as the chinese people thinks and knows.... MOSTLY due to the governing of China. I'm sure that the people itself have the will, but are (of course) not allowed to let it free ! |
| 133 |
So Many Typos in Shanghai Metro Jianshuo, with my poor chinese reading even I can see that it is not "Shanghai" but have to be something different than that. See the chinese spelling on your first photo. I think SQI@ is right. I have photographed many of the funny typos, and many of the signs in China. An example, in the western world I haven't seen the NO SPITTING sign. In Hongkong they have an abundancy of signs, fining people for anything from smoking to spitting and begging. Emagine how a beggar should be able to pay a fine of thousands of HK$ ! And the no-smoking 5000HK$ fine signs are even placed in small private companies elevators too. Who should look out for violators ?!! The signs are funny for tourists, but confusing for chinese, who maybe want to learn a fragment of english by reading the signs and compare the chinese with the english... Fatal ! And as people should be thinking if chinese as well educated and progressive people, the bureaucrats should be held responsible. I remember CINDY, who was writing comments before, she is working at some newspaper in this town, maybe a good idea to get it on print. How about an article in the "Metro" newspaper, Jianshuo ? You can contact them. Free newspapers are always popular, we have the "Metro" in my western country too. Another thing, today I asked the quite highly ranking workers in the factory I help to be in operation, that they should clean the 40 mill. RMB machine, when they had spare time, as the machine can not be cleaned by any other workers, only these people know to prevent the dirt to go into the high-tech parts. The answer - Nono, it is no problem that it is dirty ! (Means - "we are use to that") And they just laughed of me.... Where are China going, if not making some progress ? |
| 132 |
Happy Birthday to Me I saw the hot news of your birthday this morning, Jianshuo. I hope you had a great day yesterday, congratulations ! You are lucky to have Wendy, so thoughtful of her to give you that cake ;-) |
| 131 |
My Map Has Errors - I Know How about the SMI get out of their small holes and deliver an english version of the map, it should definitely not be your problem, Jianshuo ? |
| 130 |
Google Desktop Jianshuo, I did it in machining at that time, the first PC at my work was an XT (5.1/4 floppy and 10MB harddisk, we had a DOS 3.1....! Emagine what it took to make some useful things to work with at a machining company ! I had to do everything from scratch at that time, the only useful manual was the DOS 3.1 manual.... But it was the only thing which was easy to work with. (1982 was a long time ago...) The top thing was IBM mainframe applications, but they claimed 400.000 a year for the software use... (not to talk of the hardware expences !) |
| 129 |
Inside Pudong Airport Maglev Train I'm a frequent user of the maglev. (Could be more if they would dare to run it in the night, but see my previous comments elsewhere here on WJS's blog.) They clean the rails with the yellow working train from time to time - guess for what... About the noise, both passing at 430 is no problem, I've tried. Just a short shake, but if you have your nose stuck on the glass, it will of course be felt more ! The same phenomenon actually happens when two "normal" trains pass, but the effect is far more on the normal train, if they both pass at 180 due to the bad aerodynamic shape of both. The farmers living under the track will not notice the noise, 2 sec's is nothing against the usual noise from machines and airplanes. They just look up on the track and nod their heads, not understanding a bit of it. But what a contrast, poor farmers below and a maglev above. This is truly a showoff from one of the "big guys". The buildings in Shanghai are build on same ground base material as the maglev, and they crack from time to time, that is an evidence of sinking - but only a few millimeter, even for a high rising building. I think the track can be adjusted, they had to do that during the construction. |
| 128 |
Look into My Life Wow, what a route, how long time to go by car to Xujiahui form your home ? |
| 127 |
Shanghai is Cooling Down Hi Jianshuo The jumpers don't need any special protection, only their own skill and a parachute that hopefully will come properly out of the bag every time :-) Some have a special suit with extra fabric under the arms and between the legs, allowing them to glide to some extent, before the parachute is opened. |
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Shanghai is Cooling Down Hi mike, see this : http://english.eastday.com/eastday/englishedition/metro/userobject1ai560865.html I went there, but the tickets were sold out, so I went to Oriental Pearl Tower in the 263-meter ball (50 RMB). Exept from the crowd's pushing, I recorded many of the jumps with the camcorder (10x zoom using a tripod), and from that point it as possible to see the landings very well. I guess 30-40 thousand spectators saw the show. It was really good ! |
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Shanghai is Cooling Down Jianshuo, sorry, I didn't read the last of your article at first, erase my comment please. |
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Shanghai is Cooling Down Good shot of Tomorrow ! I heard today that there will be a B.A.S.E.-jump show with many skydivers tomorrow oct 5, 2PM, from the top of Jinmao... I will go there ! |
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Crime and Beggars in Shanghai Hi Tur I guess you don't bring your own, so if you dare, go to Julu Lu (pronounced Ji-lu-lu). Bring protection (I don't mean a gun, of course) |
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Happy Mid-Festival Thanks, angelica and Stephen, but it is after all only wishful thinking... |
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Service Shock in Shanghai I have good experience with Renmin Yinhang, China Bank. I use Dongchanglu Branch in Pudong, Shanghai. |
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Happy Mid-Festival It will be better to connect the moon festival with the national holiday. Then people would be able to celebrate it for real, and the way it was intended; now they can only call by phone, because they will not meet before beginning of october ! The moon festival was created way before anyone went away from their hometown to work as they do today. This is a 55 year old mistake of the Party, please correct it on the next meeting, Beijing ! The moon festival has to be more flexible, and should follow the PEOPLE of China. They have SO little holidays and gatherings, compared to others. A solution could be to put the holidays from the lunar festival, and incorporate them into oct. 1. Come on Mr. Hu ! |
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Is English Skill That Important Hi Geno Have you ever been to China ? How long time have you spent in Korea alltogether ? |
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Travel by Train in China - Part I Good tip, bigbro Always bring your own soft tissues in the backpack - the rough grey paper will shred your a...... to blood, especially if you're having a serious diarrhea ! And always remember to have some small coins in the pocket. Not only in the provinces, it's the same situation in Shanghai... "Chinese stomach" takes a lifetime to achieve for foreigners ! (Most chinese have the same experiences, but will never admit it is from the chinese food :-) About crowding in these National Holiday times- the sometime crowded situation of most chinese transportation can be useful to learn knowing people sometimes. In fact that was the reason that me and my "personal guide" Xiuying had a "closeup meeting" on one of the trips where she had no choice to sit on top of my legs in the bus, and that was so pleasant for both of us, that we had to try that again :-) Now we have tried it for 2½ years, me and my qingaide, and it's still good ! |
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Pudong Airport Maglev in Depth Hi Anthony You can buy models of the train (and other things related) in the maglev exhibition centre at 1.st floor, just below the train terminal at Longyang Lu Station. Shanghai certainly has "a few" other things than the maglev, come and see for yourself ! |
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F1 Grand Prix Shanghai Pictures Jianshuo, don't worry, I was watching the whole event, sitting comfortably at home with Xiuying. I have video-recorded everything from the race from CCTV5, so you can see the real thing later on a DVD, if you like :-) |
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Shanghai Metro Line #1 - Part I Hi Jianshuo Great job ! Sooner or later you will receive some benefits from Shanghai City I believe. I suggest that they give you a free Platinum-ticket for the F1 next year ! Two days ago I saw a schedule on the upper walls at Xujiahui Station that the line #1 is being extended to the north, 8 stations more than now, terminating at Gung Fu Xin Cun. I do not know if it is operating yet, but the line map was there on the wall ! The Fuxing Dong Lu Tunnel (Zhangyanglu - Fuxingdonglu) is opening on oct. 1. according to my latest information. That will be a relief, because I can't see any signs that prohibits taxis not to go there, unlike the Yanan Dong Lu Tunnel. |
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Starbucks in A Day I guess it's just trendy to "be spotted" at Starbucks. I've only been at one in Hangzhou, and that was not any special experience, exept for my wallet ;-) Wake up now guys, instead of complaining others habits, go and make your own GOOD TASTE coffeeshop ! |
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PVG: One Million Passengers for MagLev True, Stephen, and I've even heard quite a few high educated friends in China speaking of a new "age" here... Tssss, tssss ! |
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Cars with Non-Shanghai Plates Eric's photo is different from yours, Jianshuo, what's going on ? |
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Cars with Non-Shanghai Plates What's on the right side of the wall, it begins with WA... ? |
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PVG: One Million Passengers for MagLev Hi Lance There are NO unions in China, therefore all salaries are up to the employer and the market's demands to determine ! The low salaries are the reason for all other countries to buy the chinese stuff. Wonder how long that will go on... At CNN they recently had weeklong talks of how many jobs goes outside of their own country, only because it should be a LITTLE cheaper to buy the next mobile phone made abroad. This is exactly what makes Chinese economy going ! And the rich chinese gets even more rich, because they do not have to pay the high salaries and taxes as western employers do. The top sports car brands Ferrari and Porsche have their biggest sales outside Europe in - China ! If the consumers in western countries didn't want to buy the "a little cheaper" things from China (or any other low salary country for that matter), chinese factories could turn the key and all could go home. In Europe we had the peasant revolution in Denmark in 1788, "stavnsbåndets ophævelse". That was, the peasants didn't want the government to tie the people to their location forever. This is the way in China now ! Your ID-card is only valid for your birth town, and is damned hard to change. An example : when you need a passport or a new ID-card, you HAVE to go to the local police in your hometown, even it's 3000 km away and you don't have money and time for the trip. The right for people to vote the government came in 1849 (with some restrictions). And then came the industrial revolutions and the worker's revolts in Germany and England (as the most known). The industrial revolution and the workers rights made Karl Marx up to be a quite popular guy - he is well known from chinese schools, where all students have to learn about his theories. This resulted in the formation of unions, even in the Sovjet Union. But in China - still NO unions, and therefore NO rights for the workers, and NO rights for the taxi drivers to oppose against the maglev train (and frankly - what will it help to go up against a 10.000.000RMB project financed by the Party ?). I hope this makes something clear. If not, please comment. |
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PVG: One Million Passengers for MagLev Jianshuo, I hope you allow me to post this information on your behalf : In Germany there is a maglev TEST guideway ("track"). In Shanghai there are a COMMERCIAL double guideway magnetic levitation line, connecting Longyang Lu Station to Pudong Airport PVG, or SIA - Shanghai International Airport, the new name. The "Shanghai Maglev Transrapid" runs in schedule from 8:20 (Longyang end) and from 8:30 (PVG end). The trains stops scheduled trips at 17:30 at both ends. The train leaves every 20 min's at both ends. The trip is WORTH it if you haven't tried, and saves you money for a taxi ride (but not if you're less than 2 persons). Other opportunities outside shceduled hours of the SMT are the buses just left of the exit, when you go directly out from the arrival hall. Signs for each line are in english too, and a typical ride to People's Square (Renmin Guangchang) is 16 RMB. And of course - the taxis, if you prefer Shanghai taxis... OK - for the SMT, fee is 50 RMB for single trip, 100RMB for VIP trip (but who will pay double for a trip less than 8 min's duration ?!). If you have a valid flight ticket for the actual day, you can have a one way trip for 40 RMB. If you want just to ride the train both ways same day, you pay 80 RMB for double trip. These informations are valid 2004-09-22. I hope this clarifies some of the questions asked by so many. I personally do not think that this type of maglev track will be build again. Only superconducting materials can provide the low energy costs for this type of train. As the speed concerned, the french TGV with wheels has been running faster than the maglev, but I'm sure that the maglev are able to do more ! See more in an article by Ron Gluckman : http://www.gluckman.com/Maglev.html I hope he allows me to post the link :-) |
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Hand-Made Map of Pudong Area Hi Esther Sounds like your husband has enough income for these proposals : A well known apartment complex (among foreigners) is Yanlord Garden (Renheng bin jiang yuan) on 99 Puming Lu. They have lots of facilities (tennis, out/in-door swimmingpools, indoor badminton court, table tennis and squash court, a small golf range, restaurant and a convenience store. The facilities are available if you apply for membership of the clubhouse. The management and management staff widely speaks english. 130 m2 is about 1500-1700 US$ a month. 40% of residents are foreigners, the highest rate in Pudong, I think. Take phase 2 apt's, phase 1 lacks some convenience in the apartments. New apt's in their phase 3 are more than 2000 US$/mth. Another (more chineselike) is opposite Shancheng Lu, Summit Residences, cheaper, but with less facilities. Further away south is Shimao Riviera Garden, with fashionable apartments, but don't expect a crystal clear beach, the Riviera is a brown water pond, and the views is down on Huangpu River, and the coal storeplaces at the shore... If you can wait a year or so, a new complex is constructed even closer to Jinmao Dasha (the chinese name), but I don't think that's an option. |
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Shanghai Metro Map and Timetable Go to the south exit of Shanghai Museum and ask for "Pudong feiji-jang wu". |
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Nice Meetup with Hailey and Roddy Above comment was adressed to James, by the way... |
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Nice Meetup with Hailey and Roddy And Japan has one of the highest suicide rates of the world too... So, the bad people simply take care of themselves in Japan ! :-( That's why you don't see the "unbehaved". |
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Cheap and Clean Hostels in Shanghai Can provide more info later - there's a few around the corner here in southeast Puxi near The Yanandonglu Tunnel entrance at about same price. |
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Carsten Gave Me Earplugs Thanks a lot for your article Jianshuo, and enjoy the race ! I hope others will have an opportunity to protect themselves. A way to avoid the noise is : Stay far away from the raceway. But - what's the fun then ?? I will try to tap the race from the TV to my camcorder... Can make a DVD after. I'll inform you if I have success ! |
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Shanghai is Experiencing Energy Crisis E.A.C., what's your point ?? |
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Posting my Mobile Number Good attitude, Jianshuo ! And yes, noone wish to get a wake-up call at 2:45AM, but that is the dangerous part of going public. You wrote something before of the increased size of net-email - today I've suddenly got 100 MB on my Yahoo ! And remember to check your own Hotmail from time to time...! |
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Goudaner Scratched by Drunk Driver It's just a bunch of wimps in the police force here... Your photos are very valuable evidence ! I'll suggest that you go to your car insurance company. Someone there can value the damage done to your car. I guess it will be more than 300 RMB, and perhaps you can claim money for the "value loss" of your new car too, because the car will have a lower value, if it have had any damages in its lifetime. They will be able to charge the bad guy directly, and then the police hopefully will get out of the hole. Perhaps the bad guy have friends in the police, I have seen that before. Talk about corruption... A couple I know (Jiangxinese, but working in Zhejiang Province) was beaten up a month ago by a gang of Sichuanese guys who were envious at them to work in Zhejiang, "stealing their jobs". Naturally they wanted to report this to the police, but the police was gone home on that late friday, so they called by phone. "Nono, we won't do anything now, wait until monday, and bring the guys with you too, by the way". Wimps too ! I don't think anyone will be able to bring the violator(s) to the police by themselves ! In my country it is in fact possible to sue the police for bad case handling, but I guess it is rather useless here in China. |
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Shanghai Map Viewer 0.6 Released Dear Miss Rajabi Try to input SHA for Shanghai and DLC for Dalian, and your preferred travelling time in the Amadeus service, then you will get a list of available flights. http://www.amadeus.net/pl/availabilityonly/en/avail_only.htm |
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Joined A Club to Rent a Car To any foreigner : You NEED to have a chinese license by taking a (stupid) short examination (which not includes your ability to read chinese signs), and present your residence permit (which is not granted to you, if you don't stay in China for less that 1 year). I gave up on this item, and I have been here for SOOOOO long time, just longing to drive again. Very bad system ! Foreign drivers are (in general) MUCH better educated than the chinese. It can only be because they want to claim some money from you...! So just forget driving in China on your own... Even bicycling is too dangerous in Shanghai. THIS IS CHINA ! many chinese say to me (should that explain everything ?). |
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Goudaner Scratched by Drunk Driver Did you really not notice the car's license plate ???!!!!! This incident will send the driver in prison for years in western countries !!! And leave him without any respect of the public. Please comment, Jianshuo. |
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Going to F1 Grand Prix Ohh, you just payed 330 RMB... The guys from my company paid 2500 RMB, but of course they will be in a position to actually SEE what's going on. I will comfortably watch the F1 race on TV. Jianshuo (and others), an important warning and advice : Bring ear protection !! Either earplugs or ear-shields. Buy the stuff in Beijingdonglu - ask for the worker's safety gear. YOU WILL NEED IT ! After you go in, it may be impossible to buy this. 3-litre 1000 HP engines consumes and exhausts a LOT at 18000 RPM, therefore the F1 car engines are extremely noisy, and you will not notice the damaging effect before after the race. Everyone should bring a light chair (buy it in "Decathlon"), sunglasses, and a hat. In the grass there's no shade, and it may be wet too. Make some sandwiches or similar, and bring water, or your favourite tea ;-) Good race ! |
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If I were a Visitor to Shanghai Dear Lu Heli Can you give me some information where the "Xiao Chi" restaurant on Yunnan Lu is located ? Did you visited it recently ? We walked there this evening, and couldn't find it. Perhaps it's closed. |
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Shanghai's Growth is Slowing Down Hi Jianshuo The F1 is naturally a big scoop for Shanghai, of course, as it is the 1'st time. Just as the F1 boat racing last month on Huangpu River at The Bund. But it is rather worthless to watch, unless you sit in the best rows at the top of the seat balconies ! And the chance for the same multimillionaire guy (M. Schumacher) to win again is nearly 95 %. He's good, but a little boring, eh ? No, the answer is - see the full race on TV ! The advantages are abundant - you can see what the driver's see through the car-mounted cameras, the faults and accidents (if any), and changes in the pit, all served right in front of you ! The action will be served again, in slow motion too. Your hearing will be quite normal after (depending on your TV volume settings), drinks, snacks and the pee house are available at hand, without standing in line too. You can do it at home, or go to some of the better hotels with big-screens put up for the event. Save the ticket money for you and Wendy and spend it on a nice vacation later. So I do. Anyhow, if the tickets are VERY cheap, send me an email, ok ?! ;-) |
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Professional English Dear Kwong You ask why english is so important for chinese educated now. At the time the chinese came to US, they had no sense of western language or writing, so it must have nearly totally impossible to get an understanding of anything. The europeans have (almost) same letters and (almost) same grammar, so changing into english was simply a matter of adjustment. Maybe you will find that chinese knowing english has much easier to learn additional "western" languages. Trade with other countries is a key factor for China now, and that's why it is SO necessary for the chinese to learn english, if they should be able to understand and deal with foreign companies, products and other stuff. That's why - quite simple ! |
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If I were a Visitor to Shanghai Lance, I have been in Shanghai for a total of 17 months by now, but maybe you will still consider me a visitor. |
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If I were a Visitor to Shanghai Lance, my girlfriends brother and wife live in Hongqiao area but goes strolling and shopping at Nanjinglu, as well as the shops in Xujiahui... I meant AS A TOURIST to go to nanjinglu, sorry. Lu Heli, you should be OBSERVING the chaotic mess in the traffic, that's the fun ! Most crossings are just like an ant-hill... And Adrian, you're right, the traffic assistants are so fun when they breathe through their whistles, sometime I'm making fun of whistling when passing the road - people smile then ! |
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World Airport Website Report - Terminal Map Dear zohre Try to find it on http://www.amadeus.net/pl/availabilityonly/en/avail_only.htm It's quite easy ! |
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If I were a Visitor to Shanghai What else ? Jinmao Tower is just supreme ! And cheaper as Oriental Pearl (Dongfangmingju). I saw the Formula 1 boat racing from there, and has been there for more than one sunset. The Metro simply works ! Nanjing Dong Lu is better than Huaihai Lu, if you're a tourist and want to see other tourists. BUT - watch out what you buy, because ANY guarantee ONLY works inside Mainland China, even for the best brand name cameras !!! For food, try a walk along Yunnan Nan Lu, and experience many cuisines of China in one place - cheap and good ! (I had lived here for 5 months now, and I have not finished them all yet...) Stop at a small crossing and watch the people go in mysterious ways to get through the traffic... Amazing ! And look in ALL directions when you go (the police officers is not of much help here). And, ehh... who is this "shanghai girl" who apparently don't know ANYTHING ? If you cannot perceive the spirit of this blog, please leave. |
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I can Swim Now Stephen, it is not Jianshuo's task to KEEP UP a dialogue, no single person can do that in a blog this big. Please consider. |
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Why I Don't Have an English Name My girlfriends family had put their heads together to find a suitable chinese name for me, as they couldn't pronounce my name correctly, even after many tries ! The name they found was so, that it made me the "most trustworthy and honest"... I tried to speak it to other chinese, but they didn't believe my personality to be THAT good ! Anyway, the point is, that if you have business where communication with others can be much improved by having a "nickname", it is ok to do so. It is awfull to hear others try to speak your name right, if they just can't. In Korea they can't say F,V and R. Make your own combinations with these words, and see that it is not possible to speak out ! In China, R is the problem - try "Robert Redford", he will be Lobert Ledfort. Chinese have names for foreign artists thay even I can't understand ! And Bill Clinton don't sign his name on documents with Bill, but uses his real name William. But only use the name on your business card along with the chinese name, both IN PINYIN and in chinese letters. Most people makes it impossible for others to remember the chinese name, if they omit the pinyin name, then only the nickname will be remembered, and then you're asking for the receiver only to use this name. If someone omit the pinyin on the namecard, I always ask for the chinese name, then they feel honoured and respected ! So it is necessary. |
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PVG: Transition to Hong Qiao (SHA) Hi Patrick You are arriving in right time to try the Maglev Transrapid train to Longyang Station (8 min., 430 km/h; 40 yuan if you show your flight ticket. Leaves every 20 min. There are signs in the arrival hall "Magnetic Levitation Train" (I was there yesterday evening). Change to subway line 2 at Longyang - just go downstairs and towards north. Buy a ticket in the counter and say "Zhongshan gong-yuan". Trains coming every 5 min's. This line ends in ZhongShan Park Station (ride time about 25-30 min. 4-5 yuan). Time so far max. 98 min. incl. half an hour in PVG for customs and baggage claim. Now you're tired perhaps, so go out of the subway and get a taxi to Hongqiao, max. 20 min's (40 yuan). You have 190 min's, so 190-118 min's is 72 min's before leaving. Check-in first, then go and buy the airport construction fee at the left-most side of the check-in hall. The formalities time of 72 min's should be ok - no Bin Laden or SARS at the moment :-) |
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Nice Meetup with Hailey and Roddy I could say a LOT about Xizang (Tibet), Taiwan and others, but I cannot do so in China. I guess the Party reads the blog too from time to time, and I like to stay here a bit longer... So sorry for my current status, which prohibits me from speaking out ! |
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Nice Meetup with Hailey and Roddy I just talked to my chinese girlfriend tonight, she "hates japanese". So that's it. I explained to her, that the japanese people in common do not have anything against other people, no more than any people in China hates other people. It was the japanese emperor (the latest in WW2) who took (frightened and scared) japanese men and told them to behave like furious warriors, with or against their will. If they disobey ANY order, they would have to commit harakiri (suicide) in front of the others to show an example. These were send out to fight against other innocent people by a dictator, the emperor. Most did it because they were simply brainwashed by the officials. Think of Tibet (1950: 2 mill. killed out of a 6 mill. population), and eh, yeah, the Taiwan issue. ("Provinces of China", yes, they're actually on the official map of China !) If you do know the real story, d'ya c any similarity to the japanese scenery ?.................... Chinese - think of your own peoples behaviour before judging others, please. |
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Nice Meetup with Hailey and Roddy Funny... China is exactly like other countries ! In terms of this, it's NOT the "Land in the Middle". Just a lot of different people, turning out to find ways to make them look better themselves, even if it includes neighbours and friends. My girlfriend's parents have same problem with envyness with their neighbours in Tonggu, Jiangxi. In China, people see me as an american. I hate when that happens... Foreigners see me as a german. I hate when that happens too ! (Same syndrom as the chinese versus the japanese, my country had it's share of german influence in WW2) I AM danish ! In Shanghai I see people showing all attitudes towards me, from admiration (especially from the youngest) to openly hatress (by the eyes, possibly because they think I'm an american). This will never stop, it has always been there. There will always be some kind of difference, that some people will use to defend themselves. Just accept it, and laugh ! Or do something about it. An example : Bin Laden has this terrible attitude, therefore he's now a pain for everyone else. Please consider that intolerance is the same as not knowing about other people, and therefore we actually should feel sorry for these persons ! (But some IS better left 6 feet under) |
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Sleepless in Beijing Hmm, Jianshuo, I read your blog more frequently than I check my own Yahoo-email, so maybe I'll cancel my subscription too ! So don't be surprised if someone drops off, it can be for a good reason. Go to sleep soon, business trips IS exhausting, so get some sleep (after calling Wendy, of course). |
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Polution in Shanghai Cindy, do you actually live in Shanghai ?? You MUST have seen the pollution if you live here ! Today there was a heavy thunderstorm in Minhang where I was. It should clean up the air according to logic thinking. But am hour after, the sky was clear and sunny, but still with the same yellow colour in the high horizon... Anyway Cindy, can your stories be read here, or where ? Jianshuo : When you go by plane out of Shanghai, do you notice the tremendous change in visibility at 7000-12000 feet ? From 5-10km to 100 km in a few seconds. Amazing ! The best visibility I have seen in Shanghai was a view from a plane, 500ft over Caobao Lu, where I could see Jinmao in the distance, wow ! |
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Blogcn is Down for the Third Time Brenda, a link for the racing circuit is http://www.icsh.sh.cn/en/ For a driver to go there, you'll need to print out the two upper lines in the address field of the circuit : http://www.icsh.sh.cn/cn/contactus.shtml (Install the Simsun font on your computer, possibly get help from http://www.onjava.com/pub/a/onjava/2001/04/12/internationalization.html?page=2.) |
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Blogcn is Down for the Third Time Brenda, the most convenient way is to take a taxi just outside the PVG luggage claim and directly to your hotel. They use meter. Then you will have time to "find yourself" before any sightseeing. Expect around 140 RMB (17US$) for the ride, time should be less than 1 hour. Have chinese cash ready, in smaller notes too. For the driver to find it, print out the hotel visit card on http://www.sinohotel.com/photo/oo/oo/io/112-0.jpg The Maglev highspeed train starts at 8:30, so don't wait for that, you can "do" it on your way out of PVG. |
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Blogcn is Down for the Third Time Brenda, when do you arrive ? The options from PVG to downtown are different, depending on the time of day. |
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Three on the Bund In the "normal" days the lights shuts down at 11:00 PM, even before. |
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Pudong Airport Maglev in Depth Running from 8:30 to 17:30 is simply "out of the dark hours". The train is capable of doing service in darkness, I guess (it was before!). YOU guess why they don't want to provide the service in the dark, keep Bin Laden in mind... :-( A high speed train like this will probably never enter service in USA. |
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Polution in Shanghai Hi Lance I'm a non-smoker myself. If I do not want to be with smokers I can just go away. If I find too many smokers in the restaurant where I go, I tell the staff that I leave for another place for just that reason. It is ONLY in Holland that it is legal to buy and smoke marihuana in public bars, not all Europe. In Guangxi Lu some guys (muslims) says "hashish, hashish ?", so that illegal drug are known here too. They speak english, so I usually tell them that I will go and get the police, then they don't bother me anymore :-) It will be a tough job to say to the 67% of chinese men to stop smoking ! There ARE a campaign in Shanghai to teach people that it's a bad habit. At my work, I have seen some chinese guys who eats watermelon with a cigarette in the right hand ! They just can't wait until the last bit of lunch is chewed. So that will be tough. Today it is 36-38 degrees again, but nearly no sun - the pollution is just too heavy. I don't want to go outside today ! I have been to LA twice, so I know that California have done something about the pollution, Shanghai have not. Here the regulations for exhaust emission are either weak or is not enforced. Come and see for yourself, Lance ! |
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Polution in Shanghai Wow, today it was great weather, hot of course (37 IS hot), but great ! In the afternoon the sun was pale and orange, because of the massive outlet of smoke from the power stations, and the temperature fell a few degrees. The weather is so hot here and in Anhui Province because of the "greenhouse effect". It is unusual with so long periods of heat in Shanghai. The enormous amounts of CO2 keeps the heat to the ground, making it more and more hot. More hot, more aircon, more electricity needed. It is an evil spiral... I believe that nuclear power will be the solution for Shanghai and other big cities. It is not without danger (remember 3 mile Island and Tjernobyl ?), but the technology has improved a lot in the last 20-30 years. Particle filters in the exhaust system on buses and trucks will do a difference too. |
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Hot Hot Hot Shanghai "Renmin Gongyuan" is correct. Another thing is the confusing naming of some streets. Take the Tibet Road. If you say Tibet Lu to a taxidriver, he will not understand a thing. But say Xi Zang Lu, then you will get there ! And Century Avenue - that's Shi Ji Dadao. The water in Huangpujiang is more than 30 degrees now, so it will not cool so much anyway. If you go for a swim - don't drink it ! I guess that the heavy rainstorm on july 12. (see Jianshuo's article "Heavy Rain Yesterday") which killed 7 people was caused by making "artificial rain", as it was a very unnatural weather phenomenon. The temperature fell from 34 to 24 in 1 hour - 3 hours later it was 29, so it was just a short relief. See more about this on http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-06/15/content_339513.htm |
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Shanghai Metro Map and Timetable Simon, the safest, cheapest and perhaps fastest way is to find the nearest Line no. 1 subway and go to Xinzhuang Station. You go up in the hall and finds the entrance for Line no. 5 nearby (you have to pay out at line no. 1 and pay again at line no. 5). This brand new line goes south to Minhang Industrial Development Zone. From People's square it takes an hour to the end of line no. 5 in Minhang. It can easily take 1.5 hours by taxi. See a good map of the lines at http://www.urbanrail.net/as/shan/shanghai.htm |
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Bulk Purchase from IKEA Hi Jianshuo What did you buy in IKEA ? |
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Bulk Purchase from IKEA Do you assemble the furniture by yourself ? Good luck ! In Denmark we do that because assembling by workers is very expensive due to the high salaries (Assembly of a wardrobe with 2 doors can be more than 600 RMB!). But here in China I think it is possible to get it done rather cheap by staff in IKEA ? It can be a mess if you do it wrong ! A tricky thing is the thin backing plates that most of these furnitures have. They must align with the top and side plates in perfectly square angle before fixing with the small nails, otherwise the whole furniture will never be straight. A fixed 90-degree steel angle set square, 30 to 50 cm long, will be a good helping tool. |___ |
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HP Pavilion a610cl - My New Home PC Anyone who knows to set up XP english and chinese on same PC ? (Using two partitions is ok.) |
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HP Pavilion a610cl - My New Home PC Nice PC, powerful. Congratulations ! And thanks for your advice regarding Lenovo ! We were shopping for a "collected" PC, but got the eyes on a Lenovo, with 3 years of guarantee. Now we know to look for something well branded. For others who want to use the company laptop at home, it is an option to buy a flatscreen and a keyboard. These can easily be attached to the laptop. If there's more money, buy a connection-bay so the laptop can be easily plugged in to all the stuff when coming home. The laptop doesn't even have to be opened if it has been setup in the right way. The flatscreen is really worth to spend some money on. The light in this doesn't flicker like in a CRT display. A 1280x1024 (17"?) is "future proof" for 4-5 years. Expensive, yes, but it can follow on to the next PC, and does not take up any space on the table behind the keyboard. |
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Exciting Shanghai Night Life Amazing, Jianshuo ! Jianshuo, you came home 2AM (didn't went right to bed ?) and finished this article 10:40AM ! Take care that you don't burn the candlelight from both ends. I know, when the spirit is there, you just HAVE to go to the keyboard ! Maybe the Taipingqiao Gongyuan a "lover's hangout", like many other new public parks in downtown ? Like this - after 10:00PM every corner is occupied by a couple, star-gazing for the 3 (or if you're lucky maybe 7!!) stars twinkling in the Shanghai sky, - kissing and hugging eachother... There IS a romantic city behind all the moneymaking in Shanghai, if oneself just open the eyes to see ! |
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Back from Karting We went to Quyang karting ground and found it ok, in respect of good speed. BUT without sufficient safety ! The karts had no good brakes and no seat belts in the karts, which could go 80 km/h (!! Just think of U - hit a wall of tires in 80 km/h !) It was a hot evening, and therefore (they claimed) had removed the heat shield above the engine just next to my right arm to "cool the engine" (so, I was severely burned on most of my right under-arm). The lane had huge holes for water drain in the yellow/red curbs... The spotlights in the evening are NOT sufficient to the conditions. This do not fulfill any racing standards outside China. Apparently they had some rich guys who spend an anually fee of 7000 RMB to be able to use the track and store their own karts, so I thought a better standard was prevailing... My daredevil of a girlfriend know 0 about safety, she's chinese. So she gave a shit of my precautions and nearly caught me up on the 2. run ! (I'm experienced and 87 kg, she's a beginner and 47 kg) We have decided that the perfect time to go there again is in october/november, and in the daytime. Until then we will prefer the skiing centre in Qixinlu (but only if they have made the escalator to 3'rd hill). |
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Heavy Rain Yesterday And for foreigners, see the article : "Torrential storm kills seven, sinks ship in Shanghai", link : http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp? file=/2004/7/13/latest/17953Torrential&sec=latest There are others, just open http://www.theshanghainews.net/ |
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Shanghai Morning in A Car Someone out there can tell me where I can read the new law in english, please ? |
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Public Transportation in Shanghai A good map of the metro lines : http://www.urbanrail.net/as/shan/shanghai.htm (Thanks to Robert Schwandl) |
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Salary in Shanghai Anyone have a link to some homepage that foreigners can understand about the taxation in China (Shanghai) ? |
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Public Transportation in Shanghai Ehh, if you go 1 station it's cheaper that 36, so from where to where ?? |
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My Blog on Microsoft.com Tofu, MS is NOT a chinese company and therefore they can discover new areas, if the staff is creative and innovating. Just like the european company, hwo employs me here. Tell your own boss this fact. In the end it will pay, and it is far more fun for the employees ! (My best guess is that he will think you're nutz !) |
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Group Drive to Yang Cheng Lake Jianshuo, numbering is universal, naming is confusing. You're right ! What did you do at Yang Cheng Lake ? Is it clean, and are there any activities or places to see there ? By the way, this time you manage to take photos even if you were driving ! |
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Maglev - A Failure? Garh and Larry, I fully agree your concerns ! The Transrapid Maglev Train project is just a showoff made by "someone" who wanted to profile themselves, that's all. It has never meant to be an investment. NO western countries would have paid for this. In fact, many western countries wants to do the same, but awaits the "superconducting" magnetic technology to be fully developed, as this could be far more economic. I was riding my bicycle in the south Pudong outskirts along the Project in 2002, before it began service. The peasants under the concrete pylons never understand what was going on, they shook their heads. The bad thing about the economy of this is, that it consists of 2 tracks. 1 had been sufficient. The money for making it all the way to Central Shanghai Railway Station would possibly have made it profitable, as the travelling time would only have been a few minutes more, and the schedule could easily have been every half hour with only 1 set of wagons. Maybe Mr. Bin Laden can have had an influence on the decision of limiting the scheduled time of service... ? I don't know the reason. Anyway, if ANYthing comes in the way of the train, the driver (and you, riding the train) can do NOthing, and will look like the bird on JSW's photo (the bird hit!). The passengers don't even have seat belts - the reason is that the passengers would be cut in halves, if something happens. Unnecessary, you will die anyway. I will classify it as dangerous as : 1) skydiving (where you hit the ground with just around 200 km/h if the parachute do not work) or 2) taking a taxi in Shanghai :-) Sorry to scare you. |
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My New Laptop - Dell Latitue D600 mw, you're right. I have a Thinkpad A31p, this is my best "friend" ever ! 1GB mem, super top fast graphics 1600x1200, SVHS in and out, Bluetooth (good with my my Nokia 6230), FireWire, and 70MB HD. Capable of running UG 3D prof. CAD software directly. BUT - TOO HEAVY ! I carry it to work and back every day and I have to use a backpack to stand the 3.8 kg's.... |
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PVG: One Million Passengers for MagLev If you "travel light" to PVG, it's easy to go downstairs at Longyang Station and hop in the subway line #2 to downtown. AND MUCH SAFER than to go out and get a taxi ! I agree that the Maglev is very badly signed in PVG. By the way, do anyone know when the Zhangyanglu tunnel opens ? It's simply a mess in the Yananlu tunnel... |
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Public Transportation in Shanghai The new line #5 from XinZhuang to Minhang is operating now. In the trains and the stations there are NO advertisements for this line, only on XinZhuang Station. If you're using the SPTCC card, you'll have to "check out" from line #1 and "check in" on line #5 if you change XinZhuang Station. Reason unknown. |
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Arrive in Beijing on Delayed Flight About weather and flying, here is a story from the real life : 4 years ago I was in a plane from Manila, Philippines to Busan, Korea, a 3 hour flight. 17:00, half an hour before landing in Busan, the pilot was guided to Cheju Island just south of Korea, because the airport was closing in Busan because of bad weather. He really hoped to go to Busan later, but unfortunately it was in fact a tropical storm (not a full typhoon), hitting between Cheju and Busan... OK, 19:00 we didn't knew anything, the pilot was silent as the grave. It was getting hot inside, outside 29 and no aircon, airplane full. It was raining, and the wind was increasing in a direction across the runway. At 22:0 the pilot informed that we couldn't go to Busan today, so we had to go back to Manila (!!!). That would be ok, Manila can be lots of fun at nights, but the wind was REALLY heavy outside, approx. 80-100 km/h across the runway, and the plane was shooked by wind gusts. There was a heavy rain; we couldn't even see the runway from the apron ("parking" area). I talked with some guys and said that it would be FAR more dangerous to try and leave than stay on this Island. (I have experience in flying.) They agreed, we refused to fly and we called the steward in charge. He would bring our request to the pilot. Then it took 2 (two) hours more with negotiations with him, and later the local authorities. (Note that we succeded to convice the pilot, that it was more dangerous that he thought, amazing !) Then we could go to the KAL hotel, in a guarded bus, as they had no emigration people awake at that time. 00:30 it was time to go to bed, but we had to be ready at 5:30 for an early takeoff if the storm was weakened. At 4:30 (ohh, my!) the staff woke us and we had a bad breakfast. To the airport, some formalities, and a long wait and then to the plane... 8:30, after waiting 1½ hour, we could go to Busan. I admit that I wasn't very efficient at work that day ! Jianshuo's experience and this story reminds me to read the actual airline's regulations more carefully regarding payback and benefits if flights are delayed (:-) |
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Arrive in Beijing on Delayed Flight In most cases, the WEATHER is the best excuse for any insurance company, and I guess that is valid for airlines too. Read the small letters too. For a man, the most unreliable things are women and the weather... ;-) Nobody can insure you from that. And congratulations to you for your new job, Jianshuo ! |
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10 Things You Love/Hate About Shanghai Sorry, SPTCC. |
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10 Things You Love/Hate About Shanghai Hi AIRINC (- a computer brand or a human being ?) The way to go in Shanghai is to buy a plastic card, the "Shanghai Public Transportation Card" operated by SMTCC. It's 30 RMB at any subway station or dealer, and at the cashier you can add money all up to 999 RMB. Don't loose the card - there is NO code or anything to prevent others to use it. It is valid for ferries, taxis, buses and trains (but strange to say not the Maglev-train, that would be convenient). The logo is a white zigzag lightning on blue/green background. Some bus lines still requires cash, so you have a few RMB in your pocket. Remember to show your card to the driver before you start the ride in the taxis, not all have this function up and working. In fact, if you are VERY tough you can actually save money, because they have to take your card as only payment. But - I guess that you will get in trouble ! |
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First Contributor for MyBusStop Do anyone know if there are a vertical wind tunnel, where people can sky-ride on a powerful airstream above a net ? Maybe one is already here or planned in Shanghai ? See http://www.genting.com.my/en/themepark/thp/2003/skyventure/skyventure01.htm or http://www.vegas.com/attractions/on_the_strip/flyaway.html?f=m0at&t=stripat to see what this is all about. |
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Polution in Shanghai So, Shanghai businessmen and -girls, here's a blooming industry - go for it ! Don't let the multinationals take the whole cake. |
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Typhoon Mindulle Hits Shanghai I guess you are a mainland chinese, James... |
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Typhoon Mindulle Hits Shanghai Typhoon Mindulle was weakened by passing the island of DRC Taiwan, and became a tropical storm. Today's rain in Shanghai had a different reason than originating from the monsoon. Friday afternoon at 17:15 july 2, I came to Hongqiao in the airplane from Yichang, and the air was SO clear in Shanghai so I could see Dongfangminju and Jinmaodasha from there. That's REALLY, REALLY unusual ! The reason was that tropical storm "Mindulle" has moved all the dirty air westward. I was just about 100 km west of Shanghai before the air cleared up, before that it was the same air-"soup" as usually seen over Shanghai. This evening we went for a walk in People's Park, and the wind increased as we walked there. Some small branches was broken from the trees, that was all. Now it's still raining and a little windy. I guess the event today was just some strange weather, totally ignored in Shanghai but only a few people, who really knew that the storm in the China Sea was the reason for it... The last typhoon to come close to Shanghai was "Rammasun" in 2002, a more powerful storm, a real typhoon. See the link : http://www.chinagate.com.cn/english/2577.htm 5 died.... I was at that time in Pudong, and I guess that it was there the guys died, totally unaware of what was coming to them, just doing their work. Track of Rammasun can be found at : http://www.eorc.nasda.go.jp/TRMM/typhoon/html/summary/all_2002s_WP_e.htm Here's my personal report from last year when I encountered a full mediumsized typhoon. I was in Ulsan, East Korea, when typhoon "Maemi" hit the southern part. Maemi track - see : http://www.eorc.nasda.go.jp/TRMM/typhoon/html/summary/all_2003s_WP_e.htm The US Joint Typhoon Warning Centre from Hawaii had predicted the course of this typhoon to hit Busan City in Korea 7 days after the first recordings. They did not change the predictions in the 7 days, this was VERY unusual ! No news TV stations in East Korea thought it possible that it would hit them, as most typhoons hits west Korea. 13:00 - still no news. Fact was, that the typhoon already had hit the Island of Cheju, and did severe damages, with wind speeds up to 60m/sec. 16:00 - now there was real panic, all prepared for the raging winds, but it was holiday in Korea, so the authorities didn't want to scare the people... 18:00 - I went to sea park in Ulsan to see the roughness coming, it was blowing heavily ! When the heavy rain began, I drove home quickly. 21:00 - after finishing dinner I was going outside of a restaurant. It was only light rain, but with heavy wind gusts. The umbrella simply broke in 5 seconds. No fun that evening, just going home to check that all things was secured - cars: handbrake drawn firmly, outside furnitures taken inside, things moved away from the windows... Wind now maybe up to 25 m/sec and dark. I'm a cool guy, don't worry ! I tried to relax by checking the email, but the noise outside went higher, at 23:00 the wind was a howl. I opened some of the windows slightly in both sides of the apartment to release the air pressure on both sides. (Otherwise the windows would have been crushed of the wind, in fact next day we saw 20% of windows blown out). Looking outside... The air was full of seawater from the foam from the high waves at the nearby sea, making everything smeared in salt ! Branches and small debris from other buildings scattered around. The car alarms began howling everytime the wind gusts shook them, the small trees outside was half flattended to the ground. I guess wind gusts speed at that time was nearly 45-50 m/sec. I didn't dare to go out - extremely dangerous. After a few hours, the wind slowed down, and we could go to bed. Next day, Korea found nearly 100 people dead, mostly because they didn't care, and because no serious warnings have been given in time. All trees with leaves intact died the following days, in the side that has faced the wind carrying the sea water. Trees was yellow on one side, and green on the other, I've never seen anything like that ! This was a real life experience and I believe this to be only a medium sized typhoon. Typhoon links : In China it's is not always easy to catch this on the Net, but try anyway : http://www.npmoc.navy.mil/jtwc.html An easier one is japanese : http://www.jma.go.jp/JMA_HP/en/typh/typh.all.html |
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Sanya Travelogue - on the Beach I have heard a lot of Sanya. It's great if you do not have the chance to experience other countries. Near Shanghai (3 hours flight time) is the Philippines country. My girlfriend and me have been there two times in the beginning of this year, now we're always longing back, looking forward to the next chance for a holiday there ! She got a diving license like me, and now we dive together, great ! Philippines is not as expensive like Thailand, and the people speak english, and all signs and most notices are in english. The second language is Tagalog, of course a mystery for foreigners, but much easier to learn. See the new article from Michael Cole in "That's Shanghai" : http://www.thatsmagazines.com/features/index.asp?sectionid=52&location=sh&articleid=780&view=detail |
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Overweighed Carry-on Not Allowed I saw some big banners in Yichang airport yesterday, but noone said anything, even if people had the "usual" amount of bags and cases. What will happen if any gets "caught" for the crime ? Please post a comment here if you experience this, guys and girls ! |
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Polution in Shanghai But you ARE doing something, that's a big difference ! Keep on the good work ! You haven't found any authorities, who can be awaken to this topic ? |
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Price Rules in China Market Is it illegal for the citizens of China to make a group of persons who arranges collection of clothes and collecting money to give to the people in deep need of that ? Maybe, I have not seen any. Outside the fancy hotels you can see 2-4 year old kids displaying their naked dirty bodies, stretching out the hand for a jiao or two. Meanwhile the grandmother sits a bit behind, fully dressed and wathes the kid... That's a way of living for some here in Shanghai. If it is ok to collect such things, I think De Sade should begin to do so ! And by the way, tell the mother that it is humiliating to send out an innocent child to do begging like that. Children are so easy victims. |
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Traffic Rules in Shanghai - Part II About fines : In my country of Denmark I want to cross the street if there is a red light, but no cars or any persons are in sight. And I like to ride by bike after sunset, but sometimes I dare to do that, without a correct white clear light in front, and a clear red light in the back of the bicycle. (The reason for introducing this is the former high death rates for bicycle drivers, and it has caused a drastic reduction in fatal car/bicycle crash cases !) But, damn me if I do ! I will fined for 500 DKR, that is equivalent to 678 RMB. Will you do so if your "natural relations" says "I don't give a damn" ? The money has a better time in my pocket I say, so I better do it right ! If children violate the laws, then the parents will have to pay (!), NO mercy. This makes traffic rules and skills VERY important to learn the children. Totally, it's a high risk to take for financial and security reasons. So I guess afterall that high fines HAS an effect, and for good reasons. Of course it has to be followed up by the police. The police force in most western democratic countries are nearly impossible to bribe, as they are in a high risk to get sacked if they do so, or do any other things wrong. Anyone are allowed to complain against a police officer by a written complaint (but in 85% of cases it's useless). This is a different scenario than our beloved Shanghai. My point is : High fines is a threat that keeps people on the right track. And I guess that the Shanghai Police will just LOVE to write a lot of fines. |
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Polution in Shanghai It seems in a way necessary to cooperate with the authorities to do basic environment educational work here. That's maybe the biggest problem to face, and not the people's ability to understand the importance. Perhaps it's best that a true native chinese finds a smooth solution to begin this, then others will join happily, I believe ! (Perhaps Cindy, - hello ! :-) |
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Polution in Shanghai Thanks, Shanghai Slim ! Dear Cindy Do you have any connections or influence to write articles or have connections to make the people aware of this problem in a way so they will feel good about contributing to do something to hand over a nice and clean country to their own KIDS ? They are surely "the people they know", if any ! The kids of today will live in deep shit, if nobody cares. Don't expect the kids to be environmental interested, they are busy 16 hours a day by learning (another problematic topic, not to mention here). My chinese collegue in the mid 30's remembers the time when he as a boy could swim in all the nice clearwater lakes in Suzhuo. That was why he learned swimming at a very early age. Now nobody want to enter these waters for swimming. And it will take decades to clean up. But the people (and the government) have to 1) stop the pollution; 2) clean up. About the air pollution : When I come from outside countries to China, I begin to coff (but do not spit !) when I'm in the taxi from PVG. I'm just a visitor - I don't have to stay. I can leave tomorrow if I want to, so in fact I'm a lucky guy ! |
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Five Years in Microsoft Congratulations ! ;-) I didn't knew that you had been in Bill's company for that long ! The watch is cool ! You have achieved almost anything from MS - exept Wendy (hmm, maybe she works in MS too ?!) and I hope your future with MS will be bright and prosperous. MS has a huge potential in China if they do right, so when you go further upstairs in MS (I don't say "IF"), I hope that you still have some spare time to continue your fantastic blog. |
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Traffic Rules in Shanghai - Part II To Shen I guess you have been to China, so you know the conditions here. I come from Denmark in northern Europe. Sorry for my sentence of “China cannot educate themselves”, I just mean at the present stage in the traffic. I hope it will change, of course. China HAS dignity, but the dignity is definitely lost when it comes to traffic. I'm sorry to say that in USA the old cultures was slaughtered several hundred years ago, and the dignity died then. The people in USA can (sometimes HAS to) carry a gun to protect themselves. I feel more safe in China than in USA and even in my own small country. It is true that nearly all chinese INSIDE mainland China don’t know what actually happened in Tibet because they can’t find any information on that. It was an answer to a guy who mentioned Adolf Hitler as a problem China never have had, and that pissed ME off. You’re located in USA, so I guess you know better, as you have free access all over the Internet. I will not give references, I’m in China. I have been in California and up and down the West Coast of USA 2 times and I think people drive more careful there than in my country. Maybe NY is bad, I don’t know. From the movies NY traffic looks quite bad, a sea of yellow cabs greeting eachothers by exchanging “finger positions” out of the windows. I hope it’s not real. I don’t think my country is perfect at all - the most dangerous in the danish traffic are drunk drivers, young foreign men driving recklessly and people who don’t put on their belt when driving. Even we punish violators very hard, still some newcomers do it. The traffic authorities advertises in TV and magazines, sometimes even with photos of accidents, and it surely has an effect. And it makes people talk about it. Now it’s no longer “cool” to drive drunk home from a wet party, and people can see the sense in putting on the belt before driving. You and me can cross the streets far more safely in our homecountries than in China. I hope the traffic safety of China will improve because I am here right now and it IS dangerous ! People here feels unsafe about it, but don’t know what to do, so “it’s the government's problem”. I’m not labeling myself – you are labeling me. If I should, I would be a “Citizen of the World”. |
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Traffic Rules in Shanghai - Part II My girlfriend has been in Shanghai for 7 years and she thinks I'm stupid to try to make any improvements of the prevailing rules... Tough work, when even my dearest don't believe that anything can be changed here ! |
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Traffic Rules in Shanghai - Part II Jianshuo, sorry, a long one again : True, James. I guess that you are from abroad. Fact is, that the people of China cannot educate themselves what to do or not. Things have been going too fast. The old and well worthy dignity of China is completely lost when we talk traffic. 5000 years of history, beauty and grace are lost in these times. The authorities must be awaken, our lives are at stake. REALLY ! The ONLY way is to introduce HEAVY fines for violations, exactly like in western countries. And to do it NOW. Who to contact ? Please help me, before I or someone dear to me dies ! I have tried to find a shanghainese city authority homepage for this subject, but most of these are about how many improvements they have done; they are not so eager to get input from common "People". I understand from Jianshuo that he honestly wanted to do right at the beginning of his career as a driver, but the other street bullies scared him to perform the "terrorism driving" too ! Who shall begin improvements, foreigners or the Chinese ? Come on, China...! I may want to get a chinese driving license, mainly to be able to buy a quite useless car with a good rear end, and do some "correct driving" (I know how), no matter WHO bumps into me. I hope the violator will be a young and nice ignorant bitch drivin' a Ferrari (can actually be a source to lots of money, hehe ;-) Dear licensed driver in China (motorcycle, car, truck) : Now you have the power to KILL another living human being. That can be a child, your sister, a pregnant woman, a family's only hope, or a family father. If you do the killing, then you will have a lot of regrets, anger and shame to deal with for the rest of your life ! The dead's families will surely hate you for your reckless driving. China Daily has this http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-04/12/content_322695.htm Please read the comments too. Cutout from the text : "According to research, conducted by the Medical School of Jinan University in Guangzhou, the figure for all traffic accidents in China in 2003 was more than 770,000 with 110,000 people losing their lives and 560,000 injured. The most important factor was still the negligence of drivers. Statistics showed that last year some 78.5 per cent of the deaths, about 86,000 people, were caused by improper driving. According to WHO statistics, every year more than 1.2 million people are killed in traffic accidents, with many more injured who will have lifelong physical handicaps. Most of the deaths will still occur in developing countries like China and although most of the people have to walk or use a bicycle or motorcycle because they cannot afford a private car, the increasingly busy roads will make them more vulnerable to death or injury. Punishment for negligent drivers is said to be too lenient due to a failure of the relevant laws to catch up with current conditions. IS THAT NOT SERIOUS ? How many licensed drivers are there in China ? Not many, and they are responsible for 10% of all accidents in the world. Next killer is likely to be you, if you have a driving license. Now you know, so look beyond your nose tip when you turn the key. Please drive safely ! |
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Traffic Rules in Shanghai - Part II And what will you do if your car hit me and then I hit your car in return ? That would be fair. I think it is much more dangerous that you rush into the crossing, as the walking people gets injured just at 2-3 km/h. The car can take a lot more. Someody knows where to go for wake the autorities up (before I get killed) ? Maybe an impossible task; I have seen the law below, and I don't know if it is valid in Shanghai : "Drivers of power-driven vehicles who stop at pedestrian crossings are liable to a fine of up to five yuan, or a warning." - Article 40 of the Beijing Traffic Laws. Take a look at http://www.dumblaws.com/laws.php?site=laws&cid=36 and get more laughs ! |
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Out of Blogging for Wedding Dear funny guy "penis enlargement" ! Please consider the content of this blog. You scare people away. We really don't want to be reminded of sex problems here. I'm sure that people that needs a penis enlargement knows where to go. Go and teach yourself some good manners, please. |
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I am a RUBIK Cube (Magic Cube) Solver Amazing, I thought that toy was dead many years ago, we solved it in middle school about 28 years ago. We made a description on an A4-paper, I can't find it though... But when you had taught the steps, then it was no problem. But it was fun, and it's hard for anyone to invent something like that again, I mean "cheap, and lots of fun too". |
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Shanghai is the Second Unhappiest City The american trends are moving in on us, even here in good'ol'Shanghai. Have you noticed the fat young boys and girls in the streets nowadays ? Fastfood is the reason, as I guess no chinese food can make people so fat, it's too nutritient. Soon there will be a new movie coming here about this subject; see a preview and hear more on http://www.supersizeme.com But take care of watching this if you like your double cheeseburger and the crispy chickenwings, you maybe don't want to enter the fastfood palaces again so frequently ! |
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Working Vertically Take care when you shoot such photos Jianshuo. In the year 2002, 200 construction workers fell down and surely died in Shanghai. The injured survivors didn't count. City officials has now set a target of a 10% reduction every forthcoming year, that's really something ! So this year we only have to look out for some 160 "meat-bombs" - that's a relief... The webworks of bamboo should all have put on strong enough security nets at the outside. But who will demand for that ? It will cost some money. I remember a line in a Lonely Planet travel book : "In Shanghai traffic - look to the right, left, back, forward and UP" (for falling construction parts and workers). I have only had one experience so far, that was on the south corner of Pudong Nan Lu and Dongchang Lu, where a big bag of heavy garbage (appprox. 8-10 kg) was thrown from 10. floor and smashed down right in front of the entrance of the bank below, where people were passing by. Sure that this will not happen to you, but anyway, watch UP ! |
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Shanghai Weather (TQ) Women's beach volleyball, what's that ?!?! Get a taste of it on http://www.photosport.com/beachvolleyball/wbeachvolleyball/wbeachvolleyball73.htm |
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Shanghai Weather (TQ) If you like to watch the yelling strong professional male players, then check out this page : http://cn.euro2004.com/index.html I guess girls likes to watch this sport, my girlfriend is addicted too :-O Perhaps the big guys creates nice images in the girls fantasy ! Guys, have you ever watched a women's beach-volleyball game ? Then you know what I mean ! |
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Shanghai Weather (TQ) This photo is shot from the opposite side of the last photo in your link to the shots from Maphis, and that looks great too ! I'm capturing a lot of shots of the nature. I only wish that I could express the nature like he do ! |
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Difference Between Quanqiutong and Shenzhouxing By the way, to check the remaining amount, write yecx and send to 1861, not 21861. If you call abroad it will take some time to register the new balance of the account, up to 1 day, I guess. |
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Difference Between Quanqiutong and Shenzhouxing It is possible to send SMS and call abroad from China, but I think the only way is to register yourself, even you use a prepay SIM-card. Guess what the reason can be; remember - this is China ! I had to register at China Mobile and pay 500 RMB in advance (if I should chat too much in the phone, I guess...). + the price of SIM-card of course. It can be difficult to send SMS INTO China. Be careful of the content... It's safer to use a foreign based email. Dial 00 and country code to send an SMS, not a "+" sign. |
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Mowing Lawn Now it's time for BBQ, then you will really enjoy that precious lane ! Your photo reminds me of myself when I stayed in an apartment in Yanlord Garden, PumingLu, Pudong. I bought a hedge-scissor for the job. First time I cut away 2 big black plastic-bags of grass from the 14 sqm. If you keep the grass between 5 and 8 cm you can avoid all the creepy-crawly, because the soil will get a chance to dry between the showers, and they only like moisty soil. Keep any moss away (by hand) and feed the grass with some NPK-nutritient granulate from time to time, if you want it to grow well and be strong. You want to USE your lawn, not only to look at, right ? To enjoy your outdoor life to the full extent, buy a huge parasol (aluminium frame) with a light fabric and a set of 4 plastic chairs + table (german quality is best), and a BBQ set made of stainless steel. OBI has some good quality stuff - not cheap, but it's worth it, and it'll last until you hair turns grey. Expect to use about 2000 RMB. Good luck, Jianshuo ! |
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Shanghai is the Second Unhappiest City If one wishes to follow that line, can you give some guidelines ? |
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Shanghai is Experiencing Energy Crisis So, what do we end up with this energy crisis ? As a citizen we can do something to keep the apartments tight to save our money, and thus prevent more pollution. Next step is to convince the companies to stop the careless waste of energy. (Is all really left to the authorities here ?) I remember when I was 12 years old in my hometown, I joined a child television theme of taking pictures of things that disturbed our lives. I ran around and took photos of a nearby new free/high-way and the surrounding nature and its beauty. This highway was meant to be increased with an additional lane. The story and the photos was a succes and was broadcasted, and I nearly win 1'st price in that contest, all focused on preserving the natural values that we had. The result was that the planned 3'rd track of the highway was cancelled ! ENVIRONMENTAL EFFORTS WORKS ! How about to create a "people's army" of voluntares who will find all the spots that waste energy and stinks and pollutes in China ? (I don't know if that's possible in China ?) But I'm sure that it will be of great help to the authorities ! You find the shit - they register it. Then they'll have a better chance to stop the pollution. THAT IS THE TREND NOW ! I can give examples what to do : Register the license plates of trucks and busses that puff out the black clouds of particles which will get to YOUR lungs after they are out of sight. Report them to the authorities. Report oil spill and chemical spill. Report if water seems dirty (more than usual...) When you do, note date, time and all details you can think of. Then send it to eg. xinfang@sepb.gov.cn ( I think that is the correct email address of Shanghai Environment Protection Bureau). In your work and reports, do not reveal your true identity; it is up to the authorities to be the authorities, in China only they have the real power, not you. But you CAN do something. Good luck! |
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Shanghai is the Second Unhappiest City Comment to Lu Heli : Yichang is near 3 Gorges Dam (Sanxia, Hubei Province). Comment to Tan : It is not because of the colonial days. Think of Deng Xiaoping instead. The colonial period is completely forgotten, exept from those who whats to bury their nose in the past, because Mr. Mao erased everything. The colonial period ended a long time before Kuomintang and him began the fightings. You can read the book of Qiu Xiaolong ( I don't know if you can here, and I don't know if you can get it in chinese (?)) : http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1569472424/ref%3Dnosim/sealarksgoodbook/002-0140219-1180045 Then you will find out that all things in Shanghai in 1990 was heavily influenced of quite other things than the colonial period ! |
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Yisou, Google, Baidu and Yipai Interesting how the US based search engines companies now try to do everything to please PRC by making special sites. Money conquers everything. Do you as foreigner in Shanghai (2002) remember ELGOOG, when the real Google was closed down ?? Hmm... Makes you think... |
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Yisou, Google, Baidu and Yipai Only interesting for chinese.... Others, try of course Google or AskJeeves : http://www.ask.com/ or Mamma : http://www.mamma.com/ |
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Shanghai is Experiencing Energy Crisis Once again friends: can we agree that the aircon dries the air, and thus prevents the moisture to make any damages ? |
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A Car Plate = 21001 RMB Now If they drove with a good attitude and kept distance, it would not be necessary to honk ! :-) |
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Just Few Steps Away from My New Car About safety : All people in China should be happy for every little effort the authorities do for the safety. More than 100.000 people get KILLED in the traffic every year in China (and nobody knows how many gets injured). It goes just SOOOO slowly to make even the slightest improvements. A couple of months ago Shanghai introduced a new traffic regulation that emphasizes the right for the pedestrians (walking people) to cross the street at the pedestrian crossings (the wide white lines in a band across the road). I can see now that the traffic assistants are trying to teach people to stop for the red lights, but it is difficult when every bus or taxi just plows through the masses, inside and outside these crossings. And they have no right to punish the violators. I hope that there soon will be introduced a 100 RMB fee to cars for driving through a not free pedestrian crossing, and same fee for the pedestrians crossing the streets outside of the crossings, or crossing for red light. The authorities can very well use all the advertisement TV's there are put up everywhere to teach the people some traffic manners and of the punishment fee. In USA the cars can (like in China) turn right, BUT ONLY IF IT CAN BE DONE WITHOUT ANY DISTURBANCE. In Europe - NO way ! Wait until the green light turns on. That clearly avoids the "can I, or can I not...?" situations when turning right for red light. I can say, that a pedestrian in northern Europe always have the right, then follows the bicycles and cars. THE WEAK PART HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY. This is mainly because it is not even possible for pedestrians and bicycles to get a license to prove their traffic behaviour. But the ones with engines does. Jianshuo, 3 questions, how is the policy in China of this right turn business ? What did they actually teach you in the driving school about the relationship between you as a driver and the pedestrians ? And last, did they emphasize the importance of keeping distance ? I like to know this, because I like to KICK the F...... cars that nearly run me down from behind, even I cross for green light and inside the right zones ! Anyway, I'm the lucky one, because I'm 191 cm, so the cars will get hurt if they hit me, and that makes most cars willing to stop for me, hehehe ;-) ! And - put on the seat belt EVERY SINGLE time before you turn the key in your car. I have made it a demand for all passengers going with me to put on the belts before I put the car in gear. I don't want to be responsible for their sudden death, even it's not my fault. "I drive perfectly" as all says, but unfortunately all the others are driving with their head in another place than the traffic, so I have protect me and my dears against the lunatics that kills. Check this page : http://www.disastercenter.com/traffic/ and to get more knowledge, download the WHO report (summary) in chinese or english : http://www.who.int/world-health-day/2004/infomaterials/world_report/en/ |
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10 Things You Love/Hate About Shanghai Hi Shen You're right, luckily my people are very flexible and high educated, so now we need more workers from outside. A difference between China and Japan is, that the japanese were allowed to think freely and make new design, without the pressure from Big Brother. By doing that it was possible to "steal the best" and then do it better. See Sony, Honda and Toyota which are sold in much higher numbers than US cars, not because they are cheaper, but they are just better. Anyway the US imported for 30 bill. US$ more than the chinese bought of US goods last year, so the balance IS uneven. (I don't know for europe, possibly same figures) |
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Shanghai is Experiencing Energy Crisis I don't agree with Shen. Thanks, bigbro, for the support to promote the facts. In fact, the aircon system dries the air inside. It has to, otherwise it will almost rain inside, you can see the humidity as all the drops we get to our heads when we walk the streets of Shanghai... The humidity will not be a problem. Remember to have mosquito-nets for the windows when they are open, especially in the night. In the winter (which is rather cold in Shanghai too !) the aircon system can provide heat, and with the isolation, it will be much easier (and cheaper) to have a comfortable room temperature at all times. The wall thickness has nothing to do with isolation, the isolation material thickness and the work done is the important thing. No more time now, I'll check this page later. |
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Shanghai is Experiencing Energy Crisis The use of airconditioning in the hot period uses much more power than even the coldest winter in China. The "save energy" campain could be unnecessary if the buildings had been constructed with just a minimum of isolation to keep out the heat in summer (and the cold in winter). But there seems to be NO laws in that field ! There are laws for everything else here, but not this. Brand new buildings in China are designed with single glass windows and thin concrete walls. The windows and sealing of the walls are of so bad design, craftmanship and manufacturing, that the cooling from the aircon goes right out to joy the birds. In windy conditions it gets simply impossible to cool down the apartments. Most apartments, even new ones, should actually be prohibited from using aircon at all. When do the construction authorities wake up ? Aircon is feeding on electricity, and the electricity comes mainly from burning granulated coal and from nuclear power in China. Any unused cooling is simply wasted energy and contributes unnecessary to the intense pollution in China. In north European countries the heat is no problem, only the cold. In fact, noone have aircons at home, only in shopping malls and large business buildings. The doors closes automatically for every person going in and out... To reduce the loss of energy, all buildings have (by law) to be isolated with 300 mm mineral wool or similar at the ceiling of rooms, and 100 to 200 mm in the vertical walls, and to have double or triple glass windows. All for the purpose to minimize energy loss. It's efficient ! Can I just wake some people who plans to invest in apartments to calculate the energy consumption in the time span (many years) that they use the apartment, and then maybe ask for an isolated apartment, it will be beneficial for China and certainly save huge amounts of money for the apartment owner ! But, again, if noone know are aware of this loss, nobody does anything. "This is the way it is, and we can do nothing". Not true ! You are the customer if you want to buy an apartment, so you can make demands. In the meantime you can buy some special isolation tape in various thicknesses in Homemart, B&Q or OBI to put around the windows for sealing them. Clean VERY well with detergent before use, otherwise it will fall off quickly. Remember the doors, the tape can be used here too around the frame. Between the door (especially the main door) and the floor you can put a special tight brush which avoids wind draft. If you only use aircon in some rooms, check the doors to these rooms for tightness. Now you have done something that may surprise you immmediately, because now the street noise is much lower, only a hush ! That's another gain. The aircon will now have to be set to the appropriate temperature, so it automatically opens and closes when needed. Now the cooling unit should turn on much less than before (that's the energy you will save). If you smoke, you will face a problem now, because the smoke can not get out as quick as you pollute it because the rooms are tight, so YOU will have to go out in the heat and satisfy your needs there. Think of the money you save when you sweat out there... Measure the gaps and length of gaps to be tightened before buying anything,because the tape is a little expensive, but you will get the money back quick, perhaps in only one week's saved energy. If you own your apartment, you can go one step further and install double glass windows. Not the sliding type, but attached with hingesin top or side. OK, you want to do more ? Put up inside isolation on the walls and ceiling. In Shanghai I think that 40-50 mm is ok. Ask in the DIY home markets for details. The cheap solution for the windows is to put a frame with one additional layer of glass on the inside, but you can't open the windows later. If you have an old apartment with coal heating (in winter) or coal stove, then DO NOT make any isolation, as the carbon monoxide cant escape if you seal the rooms up. Put up ceiling fans (good ones with 5 blades and 3 or more speeds). Use these as much as possible instead of the aircon, they uses much less energy. I have one in the bedroom, the only one in the entire building actually. Wonderful in the night, because I avoid the cold shoulders and the sneezing in the morning. You can cool down the room with the aircon just ½ hour before bedtime to feel comfortable before sleep. OK, that's enough for now; I will try to find some calculations for the win of isolation later, if I can find the time... |
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10 Things You Love/Hate About Shanghai Well oh well oh boy... I have read the comments from Joey and the others, and I have to get this out... I am a foreigner in Shanghai, and I'm proud of it ! It is a fact that most chinese (including my girlfriend) simply do not understand anything outside their own country, because all information given to them only focus on the outside world, seen through the public BIG FILTER. I guess you know which. And then they don't care anymore, because they can't change anything anyway, as there are no democracy here. It may be easy for Joey to have such sad feeling for foreigners. (And I'm wondering if Joey have some major other problems in his life...?) The foreigners are here because CHINA NEEDS THEM. Believe it or not. We foreigners teach the chinese companies and workers how to make better quality and to sell the produced things to the outside world. Believe me, I have my share of quality understanding problems with chinese every workday, and most chinese businessmen's psychology are NOT easy to understand ! The psycology is definitely different, as the truth is a flexible thing for them. If the chinese could do everything by themselves, foreigners would simply be out of job here, right ?! The chinese needs them for getting better, so they can keep (or steal) all the technology they haven't developed themselves, because they haven't been encouraged and allowed to think for themselves. Then they gladly copy everything, and made by workers who are working for 5% of the salary in the western countries. And sell it to the western countries. Just beware of WTO, because there are rules for cheating in the world money game. The labour unions and parties in the western countries have struggled for better salaries and living conditions for more than 85 years. But now everything is going slowly down for western countries, because we are crazy enough to buy the cheap things made in China, not thinking of the fact that we break down the walls we have built ourselves for so many years. So, Joey, the world is not black and white, but simply dirty grey for us all ! I know that about 25% of the foreigners here unfortunately are thinking that they own the whole world, but still, China needs them. If you want straight purity, go to North Korea and be happy; there are really NO foreigners ! It is more difficult to get a visa to that country then to win a car in the lottery. But if you're a communist you might have a fair chance. Regarding killing millions, chinese authorities have laws that don't allow me to tell you what happened in Tibet about 50 years ago, I'm sorry. If you knew the facts, you would just shut up with your bullshit. Final line : Joey, which mobile phone do you have ??? Entirely designed by chinese ? |
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Shanghai is the Second Unhappiest City Hi Lu That's a fair question; I'm danish and I'm staying in Yichang temporarily, but usually I live in Puxi, not so far from Yuyuan. |
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Shanghai is the Second Unhappiest City Dear Heli A little more of religion : I'm happy that you agree with my first note ! I know a few religious folks and they have such a hard time to understand why I don't need their gods, because then I will be "saved". They will invite me to their churches to have joy and sing along with them (especially in Korea they are keen on that). I feel it a little odd. Definitely I don't feel any need for salvation or rescue, as I live my life the way I like. As any others I have some problems, but not something a god can solve. All I want to say is, that people have to feel it natural and convenient for them to join a religion, if they like. Without any pressure. Anyway, the real purpose of the "artifical need" to posess material stuff is to make other people wealthier. It's no news, advertising and trade has always been going on. In China it has been suppressed until recently. But if someone can persuade others to buy the things, then others will try too. Now the advertising has escalated to the extreme in Shanghai ! Go to the Bund or Lujiazui at the banks of Huangpu River, you can read a paper in the night because of the bright advertisements ! Then take a ride in the subway, change to a bus or a taxi - all places are TV's with commercials for the most funny things. The funny thing about it is that people jump right into it. They believe that all others buy the stuff too, and they certainly won't express that they are not following trends, do they ? Just realize : If noone buys the stuff, the advertisement will have no effect and it will die a quick death. So - be selective in your choice of things. And buy a good book and read that instead of watching the nonsense on the screens. |
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Tahiti Well, this is an old item, but still intersting ! If you want a good vacation in easy access of Shanghai, try the Philippines ! Only 3 hours flight from Pudong Airport, a returnticket is around 3700 RMB. Everyone speaks english, and they are friendly ! Cheap accomodation and food too. The Philippines is a beautiful country, and half of the beauty lies beneath the surface of the warm clear water. There are volcanoes, caves, jungles, lots of beaches, nightlife, and most people are very keen to the elections. The latest election was for the president, who is a woman (!), re-elected recently. Total price for 2 persons in 18 days incl. tickets : 11000 RMB I have been there 4 times now, the last 2 times with my girlfriend Xiuying. She couldn't swim, but learned it the 2'nd time there. When someone can swim 200 meters they can join a PADI diving school and learn to dive in just 3-4 days, so she did (I have been diving since 1999). It is truly a wonderful experience to dive with the one you love ! Diving class is 260 $ incl. everything. Expect no schools teaching in chinese as 99,5% of the chinese tourists comes from either Hongkong or Taiwan. With an Open Water Diver license you can have dives all over the world. Dives costs from 15 to 28 $ each, incl. all equipment. Usually you will go to depths between 8 to 30 meters, lasting 40-60 min. The dive-master at the shop will guide you to the best places. As the schools are businesses they want to teach you more, and then you can dive deeper and longer. I can recommend the Advanced Open Water Diver course, it can be in extention of the basic OWD, and at nearly same price. Begin with clicking on http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/south_east_asia/philippines/ for more details on the destination, and http://www.travelpuertogalera.com/index.htm for info of Puerto Galera, a convenient and popular dive and action place, only 4-5 hours from Manila airport where you arrive. I come from Europe, so I can go there for 21 days without any visa, but chinese mainland citizens are required to obtain a visa (250 RMB). No surprise to that, because mainland China requires visa from ALL foreigners - that's why all others demands a visa from chinese visitors ! If you have a job, and you are financially ok, you will have no trouble. Your employer must write an officially stamped letter where it is stated that you will still have a job there when you get back ! Get the actual requirements at : PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL Suite 368, Shanghai Centre 1376 NanJing Xi Lu Tel: 6279-8337 |
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I am a Tough Customer Have you ever been to a shopping mall, especially in the food/nonfood department, asked for a certain thing and then got a "MeiYou" ? And then found the thing right after ? The malls have lots of highly incompetent workers, each are employed mainly to observe you, I feel. I go to Lianhua supermarket near Fushan Lu (Pudong) many times, and now I am luckily able to find the things myself. I understand that in China workers generally have a lousy salary, and that people needs a job. And that there are 5 times as many workers for the same function as in western countries. Unfortunately, only 1 out of 5 probably have the knowledge to answer your questions... Have you tried to buy a HiFi stereo or an advanced DVD-player you will know that not many sales employed can answer your sophisticated questions, which can be found easily in the manual. Rather stand and wait for the customer that study the things that they should know about. I bought a combined "Alllike" DVD/music system, believing the sales woman who told me that it had AUX for in-going signals, so I could connect my PC and play all the music on the music system. After I bought it, that was not true, and I spent 2 hours convincing that they HAD to take it back. The outcome was that I bought a JVC system and an LG DVD. The sound from the TV, the PC and the DVD is now connected to the AUX through a triple switch-box, great sound from all 3 units ! So - know what you want and go straight for it, asking competent personnel. Don't be afraid, ask for the manager of the shop if you feel it necessary ! Buyers very seldom knows anything of how such "advanced" devices as aircon's works. In fact it is simply like a refrigerator. An example : The pipe for draining the condensed water; it is important that it goes down in a straight line without bends. I have seen a few where the water comes out of the bottom of the indoor element, but people just accept that and place some buckets to catch the drops... Get smarter at http://home.howstuffworks.com/ac2.htm Jianshuo, have you been to the repair/maintenance shop yet with your new car ? That can be very frustrating, I have heard. Personally, I have only tried it 3 times, as I repair my own cars. That's much cheaper and you know that the work is done, and done properly. To avoid that they trick you (they WILL try, believe me !), the issue here is to know as much as possible of your car. A repair manual is of great help. I have one for each car I have had through the times (I think I've had more than 10 different cars). The repair manual can teach you the functions of all parts of your car, and how the car is supposed to work. Quite interesting when you've spent so much for it ! Please contact me if you cannot find one for your car (or if you have problems with it). |
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Shanghai is the Second Unhappiest City About religion : After I have read and seen millions of people get killed in the name of some religion or god through the time, I don't believe in that anymore, even I am a baptised christian (my parents arranged that). I live happily without any religion, believe me ! Basically, faith should be in YOURSELF. Try to look inside before searching outside. If no self confidence are found inside, a religion may be helpful. Many people all over the world forget to look inside and just hang up their problems and faith in the future on some god (too easy, I think). Then they want to spread their good experience to others which almost certainly don't want it, and this causes problems (missioning, holy wars, etc.) In Shanghai the common faith is in material things and that has no "mind" value. Same thing in my country, even it has an official religion of christianity ! People should try to forget the material stuff and look inside and ask : How do I want my life as a family member to be in 10, 20, 40 years ahead ? Meditation (and common sense, of course) can be helpful in finding the answer. |
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Shanghai is the Second Unhappiest City Dear Lu Heli In fact I have now tried to write 2 long comments about some (possibly political ?) subjects here but everytime MY computer tricks me, just before i post it ! That's magic, someone casts a spell on me ! Can you tell me if you are a chinese or a foreigner ? Christianity is rare in China, that's why I ask you, a Christian in China. |
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Shanghai is the Second Unhappiest City Hi everyone A little advice to get more happiness : If YOU follow the modern trends and feel not-so-happy about it, then it's time to look seriously what you are doing. The trends are made for you to spend your money on, and want things you really don't need, and to make you compete with your "friends" in order to spend more. Real friends don't care if their real friends does not have the lates fashion clothes or the newest mobile phone (basically you need to send SMS and to talk.) The value of life is only in your mind, you create it from what you want ! If you expect little it's easier to fulfill, and hard if you expect all. Take your life in small steps. A fact is, that for a chinese the gadgets and the trends to follow are much more expensive as for a foreigner, as the income here is far lower (10-30 times lower), but the price is about the same in Shanghai as in other big cities. So, use your energy to take care of your family love first, mother and father, brother and sister (if you are so lucky to have a brother or sister), then think of what you eat, and keep yourself clean and clean up around you. THEN worry of the trends, if you have more time ! Please comment... |
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World Airport Website Report - Flight Info Hi Jianshuo A good information for an airport homepage would be if there is an (updated) list of destinations and airlines to and from this specific airport. (I have to look at all thinkable airlines to find out where I can go.) Best reg's Carsten |
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World Airport Website Report - Flight Info Hi Jianshuo Homepage of Incheon International Airport in Seoul, Korea : http://www.airport.or.kr/home.jsp They have information in english, japanese and chinese as well as korean. Best regards, Carsten |
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Running in Pudong Yes, it is "a competition in which a male athlete competes in ten sports events". (Comes from "decade") The guys who competes in this game are "decathletes". Hope this will be of help. I will go to that shop today; thanks for your advise, JSW ! |
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Running in Pudong Sounds good ! On the signs I can see a photo of divers, is this an activity that they have gear for ? That will be the first in Shanghai I have ever seen (as this activity is not common here). Me and my girlfriend are certified divers, but we're having a rough time here to practice our skills :-( |
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Shanghai Metro Map and Timetable Hi I'm Carsten, and I live in New Harbour Apt's, Yongshan Lu, Puxi. I have some views on the traffic here : I work in Jinqiao district and occasionally in Minhang New Development Zone. I usually go by the bus to Jinqiao Lu (28 min.,1½ Yuan). If I take a taxi it is 33 Yuan. If I go to Minhang, I take the Metro line 1 from Peoples Square to Xinchuang and change to Metro Line 5 (the new one). See the map on http://www.urbanrail.net/as/shan/shanghai.htm All in all 6 Yuan, 1hr.5 min. I guess the taxi will be 80-100 Yuan. Line no. 5 has Alstom train sets, and these are much noisier than the Siemens at line 1-2-3. The seats are just terrible. (I guess that they must have been cheaper than Siemens.) And the speed is killingly slow. BUT, an important thing is, that it is faster and far, far safer than going by taxi ! If it is a short distance, I'd rather walk than go by taxi. (I want to spend my life with two good legs and my brain in full function.) The transportation card is a wonderful thing - I wish we had this system in my country Denmark. But the bus requires cash in some cases, bring some 1 Yuans and ½ Yuans in your pocket. A hint is to learn the amounts for money (the numbers). It will be much easier if you understand how much they require, as not all shanghainese carry calculators or speak english ! It's not that difficult. I hope these informations may be useful for someone. |