Gotta love the "Get the f... out of the country" responses you always get from a certain kind of people whenever you dare to open your mouth in some areas of the world. Leolu,, I can't really be bothered with you but read timkunming's post a couple of times. We complain at least as much about things we think are counterproductive or just plain nuts back in our own countries. It's called living. I think the good things outweigh the bad in Kunming by a pretty big margin but everyone has the right to express his oppinion if there is something he finds weird, disgusting or plain wrong. Deal with it.
Kinda stupid thing to say JJ for a myriad of reasons. But if you want to make people feel uncomfortable I can assure you that while the CCP doens't like certain things written in public the denouncing of religion isn't one of them. China's official stand on religion is still based on solid communist values hence I have no problem expressing anti-religious views on a public Chinese forum such as this one. Anyway the (few) delicate threads on this site is nothing compared to what is going on at the major Chinese language chat forums or thebeijinger.com.
Hey,, what's up with you guys? Is Gokunming run by Christians who can't take a bit of much needed criticism? Or did you get complaints from religious people and decided to dish out some censoring? I'd love to hear the excuse but I'd much rather hear you guys admit to having made a serious mistake and re-open the thread. It is frankly embarrasing.
The way I see it is that you don't need to be a Christian with more or less hidden motives to do good for other people but at least these days most Christian missionaries is talking to people (and I guess bribing them with improved living standards and afterlife promises) instead of forcing or demanding conversion. That is something certain parts of Islam hasn't really developed yet. There are lots of Islamic preachers and missionaries in China and in the rest of the world too. Some of them spreading the word with bombs and terror.
What I have against missionaries and religion as a whole is the way it suppresses free thinking and individual freedom. There is no such thing as an afterlife and trying to assure others that there is is frankly delusional and embarrasing in my book. Religion is invented by man. Often by ancient rulers and the ruling class to pacify the lower classes, supply soldiers for war and keep a stable society by promising a glorious afterlife. To me it is a ridiculous notion that people should pray 5 times a day, don't eat this and that, spread the word, fight for the faith and basically live their lives the way other people tell them to or by following an old dusty book made and edited countless of times by priests as is the case with the bible or an old dusty book where there is capital punisment for even discussing or leaving out certain parts of the gospel as is the case with the koran. Communism might be wrong in several ways but the view towards religion sure wasn't one of them.
Tanfei: Stop using words like "kaleidoscopic". It makes you sound gay and makes my eyes rain. Your scooter sucks. :)
Arun 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.
Tear 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.
Although 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.
UFOs 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.
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.
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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.