News/Politics

Murder in the Hood

Murders in the news are as common as the weather report, and are rarely read with any greater attention. It is not often that they touch your life in some way, even if just remotely. Unfortunately, such is not the case with Suzhou’s most recent homicide, as it happened only a couple hundred metres from …

May 10, 2009
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America more communist than China?

Aside from the proliferation of Chinese food other than Cantonese world-wide, the coolest part of the People’s Republic’s grand opening 30 years ago was that the country started down the long road of disassembling State-run industries. If communism has proven anything, it’s that the government has no ability to properly run a business, any more …

December 18, 2008
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Oh, you’re talking about the country of Africa

Even after defeat, Governor Sarah Palin continues to make news – and not in regards to a preemptive 2012 bid like some had assumed, but as (always) being a complete idiot. A number of unnamed McCain campaign aides have come out since the Republican defeat Tuesday anonymously criticizing that: She had $150,000 spent on her …

November 9, 2008
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Using Skype in China?

Just a quick note that if you’re using Skype in China, or more importantly, using a TOM-Skype (from skype.tom.com) download of the software, you should check out my most recent post on Lost Laowai: Chinese Skype privacy breech. If you are, or have chatted to anyone using the Chinese-version of Skype, there’s a good chance …

October 4, 2008
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Beijing Blacklisting Blacks?

So, story goes – sometime yesterday afternoon both Shanghaiist and Beijing Boyce reported on a South China Morning Post article by Tom Miller entitled “Authorities order bars not to serve black people”. Mrs. Granite Studio (YJ), Danwei, Beijing Boyce and a number of others have jumped to the call and found no evidence that supports …

July 19, 2008
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George Carlin expires ‘like a magazine subscription’

George, you paved the way for some of my favourite socially and politically charged comedians. You showed me just how versatile a word can be. And, you gave substance to TheHumanaught.com’s #1 visited post. “Older” sounds a little better than “old,” doesn’t it? Sounds like it might even last a little longer … I’m getting …

June 24, 2008
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Moment of Silence today

Just a quick notice to say to everyone that today officially starts a 3-day mourning period, and will include a 3-minute moment of silence across the nation at 2:28pm this afternoon. Whether you are a reader in or out of China, please join me in observing this moment of silence and taking the time to …

May 19, 2008
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How us Suzhou Expats can help quake victims

My friend Rebecca just let me know that Suzhou Bookworm, which also has an affiliated location in Chengdu, is collecting donations to assist those affected by Monday’s horrible earthquake in Sichuan. If any fellow Suzhou expats have means to help, please read the following for details. The Bookworm’s sister branch in Chengdu has become a …

May 14, 2008
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Am I the only one that didn’t feel it?

So, as everyone is now well aware, China was hit by a major (7.8) earthquake at 2:30 this afternoon. Current reports cite nearly 9,000 dead, and its effects were felt as far north as Beijing, in the south east in Taipei, and directly east of me in Shanghai. I had no idea. At the time …

May 13, 2008
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Carrefour-3-2-1 – Protest!

So, the fateful day has arrived – the day when Carrefour unleashes its anti-China, pride-taking, I-fart-in-your-general-direction May Holiday sale on the masses of Chinese willing to sell out their nation in order to save a few jiao. The sale, of course, is backed by French members of the Eight-Nation Alliance, who were frozen more than …

May 1, 2008
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