Forums > Living in Kunming > Kunming's tripadvisor problem Big companies are often at the top of the page for one of two reasons. They get more reviews, or they pay to be placed at the top of the page. The reviews are most likely to be genuine, as fake reviews carry reputational risk, as already pointed out.
Little businesses will often get friends, family and even staff to put in glowing reviews. In some cases this may just be in the beginning, just so that there are some reviews.
I think that online reviews can be the modern equivalent of 'buying a pig in a poke'. One thing my family always does is book one night initially, so we have somewhere to go when we arrive, then take it from there if we stay.
Another thing I do is look at the worst reviews only. Some of those are fake (from Mr Angry who just wants to punish the hotel for some perceived slight), but if you see things like, 'I couldn't sleep from the noise of the KTV bar', or 'Bed bugs', then maybe best to avoid those places.
Forums > Living in Kunming > Selling broken electronics Addendum. It might be a good idea to start another thread titled, Looking for backstreet Apple Mac repairs.
Forums > Living in Kunming > Selling broken electronics I got my broken iPhone, which could not see cellphone signals, fixed for 300 RMB while I waited. The Apple store said it was beyond economic repair and wanted to sell me a new one. I just watched the backstreet repair guy remove and replace a circuit board. Fixed. They even gave me a 30 day warantee.
I am sure someone on here knows a Mac repair shop.
Forums > Living in Kunming > Selling broken electronics You may even be able to get it fixed. I was amazed at much stuff they can fix while you wait. There are a couple of places that specialize. I am not sure exactly where, but I am sure someone else will pipe up.
It might help someone point you to the best place if you tell us what brand of laptop you have.
Trafficking in endangered animals on the rise
发布者The guys selling pelts usually arrive in late autumn, all over China. The ones I am thinking of look a bit like frontiersmen, with their fur hats and scrawny black beards. These guys sell dog pelts, they are often sprayed to look like leopard, tiger, etc.
Ancient 'Red Deer Cave' people discovered in Yunnan
发布者There is a need for people to update knowledge bases
Darwin's Law of Evolution by Natural Selection (traditionally referred to as a "theory" to honor Darwin's original treatise, but now confirmed through observation and experiment) consists of five main tenets.
www.genuineideas.com/ArticlesIndex/Darwin.htm
Google of [Darwin's Law] will bring up many scientific websites.
The semantic argument that this is a theory and not a law is out of date.
Yunnan's economy outpacing national average
发布者@blobbles
It was clear to me that this was a year on year growth. Because growth is always expressed in that way.
Kunming discovers two more fake Apple stores
发布者I did see a report that although the Apple Stores were fake, the products were not.
If true this is more an argument for Apple to license more resellers.
Kunming orders English added to outdoor signs
发布者@85 cents. The article says 'only relevant to new signs'. In other words traders won't have to pay for a new sign. But when a new sign is required it needs to be in Pinyin or English, in addition to Hanzi.
This sounds good to me. It will help me find places and improve my Chinese a lot. Why will it improve my Chinese? because I will recognise more words that I have learned in Pinyin (many more than I could in Hanzi) and recognising words will help my language acquisition.
If the words are in English it may also help local kids with their English, in the same manner as Pinyin would help me.
Making the road signs in Pinyin and Chinese was a good idea. It has helped me a lot in navigating the city. Extending the policy to shop signs can only add benefit. And nobody has to buy a new sign.