There's also Father Ted who's Irish Catholic. His English is not perfect and he's a numismatic. Offer him a pint and he's up for anything.
There's also Father Ted who's Irish Catholic. His English is not perfect and he's a numismatic. Offer him a pint and he's up for anything.
Easy access to movies, TV shows and music one might suspect is part of China's panem et circenses approach to keeping the population docile. As long as they are in front of their computers and TVs gawking they're not doing other, more threatening things. Apart from that, I've never heard of anyone ending up in trouble for being the end user of media copyright infringements in China. It's probably slowly going to change but for now it shouldn't be a source of worry.
@Ocean: Yeah, I'm pretty sure the marriage GC doesn't allow you to work, which is pretty stupid since there's no real difference between that and going to renew your family visa every year. I guess you save 3 hours and 600 yuan, but apart from those the benefits are laughable. Now, I can understand why most countries would like to protect themselves from mass immigration from questionable individuals, but I've always wondered why it should be such a damned hassle for people who are married to a national, can support themselves and don't cause any problems.
Ideally it should be something like this: You've got a wife and a kid in China and you hold/have found a decent job. Your local work bureau and the PSB approve and you get a 1 year work visa. On renewal you show them tax receipts and letter of employment or proof of self-employment and the z-visa is renewed automatically as long as you're married and are employed. Personally I'd like to see a real marriage visa implemented in the Chinese system because they just don't have it currently. I'm not going to need it since I'm setting up a WFOE right now but all the red tape, headaches and resentment I've built up over the past 2 years is not something I'd wish on my worst enemy.
I bought a mid-range Midea in metal/black 4 years ago. It's still working perfectly and I've never had any issues with it. Nah, it can't grill (or broil or whatever you yanks call it) but as a standard, no-fuzz microwave I really have nothing to complain about at that price. Brother recommends.
My nose is bigger than the average one, so I guess I can charge extra. I KNEW it'd come in handy some day.
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The comment from Chris had deserved a wider audience. Beluga?
Went there yesterday and it totally made my week. Nice decor and friendly staff and a real salad bar. Sadly we both wanted mexican food so I can't really say much about their other courses. The food was great but just a tad spicier would have improved the dish. The best thing was that we almost had the place to ourselves and we could have a quiet conversation without shouting, spitting Chinese people in the background. I realised how much I had missed that since coming here.
We went to Chicago Coffee a couple of days ago and it was a nice experience. The place is cozy with soft comfy chairs (I realized how much I have missed one since coming here) and they have a nice little collection of English language books in the corner consisting mainly of classics and travel litterature. I was looking forward to trying their advertized tortilla bar but it wasn't up and running that evening.
Instead we went for 2 12 inch pizzas -roast chicken and pepperoni- but we quickly realized that 1 would have been enough. Those things are heavy. I am mainly into Italian style pizza but Chicago's double layered pizzas are well worth a try. Their coffee seems to be a bit on the expensive side but people say good things about it and they have got a nice selection. I wouldn't mind dropping by again some day,, hopefully when they've got the tortilla thing going. English speaking staff btw.
China blogs: Blood donor scandal, China stereotypes, pollution
Posted byThose maps remind me of The Onion's atlas.
www.theonion.com/content/international/atlas
Obituary: Arun Veembur
Posted byArun was the nicest guy. His often weird sense of humour made me laugh many a times down at the Hump. Last time I saw the lad must have been several months back doing his horrible but funny Charlie Chaplin impersonation. I can't believe he is dead tbh. A reminder to us all that life can be taken away so swiftly and unfairly.
I'll miss you Arun as I suspect all people who knew you will.
Government, ad agencies clash over billboard demolitions
Posted byTear those billboards down asap. Almost everything in this city is plastered with adds and commercials to a point where I can't understand why the Chinese don't complain about it more. Eyesores.
Tom Cruise to star in John Woo Flying Tigers film
Posted byAlthough Woo certainly has the capacity to fxck a movie up Tom Cruise is actually a fairly competent actor (when he is allowed to). Think Magnolia, Collateral and Tropic Thunder. 100 million and the guy who wrote The Usual Suspects ought to get you at least some part of the way to a succes. As long as China's Michael Bay doesn't get to run everything that is.
Kunming to hold UFO forum this month
Posted byUFOs are kept secret because they threaten corporate profits? And you take offense if people refer to you as a conspiracy theorist?? They only come out at night (to watch UFOs apparantly).
By most calculations life in the universe can be estimated in tens of thousands of planets but the thing is that the distances we are talking about are so staggering that it's impossible for our civilization to ever be able to reach "them". And the argument can be turned around so that "they" are never able to reach us. Sure there may be technology to be figured which would enable us or "them" to come over for tea and cookies and I am more than willing to believe it if it happens and there is proof of it. See,, that's the difference between junk science and real science,, proof. Anyway, good luck at the convention. I might stop by myself.