The Book Club will meet Tuesday, January 9, 2018, at The Park, to discuss Mikhail Bulgakov's novel, THE MASTER AND MARGARITA, in which Satan arrives in both Roman Jerusalem 2000 years ago and in Moscow in the stalinist 1930's and turns out to be the most interesting and dramatic dude in town (think Milton's PARADISE LOST).
The Kunming Book Club has a wechat group in which many regular attendees participate, but meetings are open to all. Readings, locations and times of meets are chosen by attendees. New participants welcome.
That's creeping up on Chinese New Year, so you might want to check early on tickets to Jinghong. From Jinghong on you can probably just buy tickets the day before at the bus station.
Yahoo is not a brilliant site for news, but it works consistently for me here - perhaps there was a glitch for a week or so once, but that was a long time ago, can't quite remember.
I am a foreigner and at my local PSB I have never needed my landlord to go with me to register, I just needed lease and photocopy of his ID the first time, when I moved in. Later trips in and out of the country, I just had to show up with my passport - did this last week.
"...Yunnan's rural areas - where health care is not as universal..."
And one looks around Kunming and sees where all the new money goes...seems to me that the economic system and administration have built in, bad priorities.
Problem is indeed massive, but ships are leaking everywhere. As for foodscams & the morality related, I don't think they will resemble civil war, nor do I think that the polluted Yangtze does either - though we're talking about 400 million people and something indeed needs to be done. I hope the central government is as serious as they say they are, but it's a big leak to plug and, yes, one has to wonder if they're up to it. Anyway, the metaphor of a leaking ship implies an absolute win/lose situation for all on board, and I don't think it's likely to turn out that way any time soon. I doubt if all the leaks will ever be completely plugged, here or anywhere - they never have - but that's no reason to stop trying.
@Peter99: Well, okay, but I have a feeling that this may finally be something more than a 'national ethic campaign'. I'm not sure what you mean by a 'backup plan'.
@Pter99, I understand what you mean about 'campaigns' in China, but I think this one may well be different. I think this is necessary and I don't think it's too late for something to be done. Seems to me it's a good idea, but I hope they carry this out in a manner that involves more than just consulting with local bureaucrats and the heads of local enterprises, who are, largely, part of the problem.
You cannot 'preserve' cultures - however, you can allow authority/power/control over the changes that all cultures inevitably go through to lie in the hands of those who are affected by them, rather than in the hands of some social-engineering outside force, which will have its own agenda (for example: promotion of Chinese nationalism; tourist profits; propaganda; etc.).
Not quite what you'd call a jumping place, but not bad at all for rather standard US-type meals, not overly expensive, and with a really good salad bar that's cheap, or free with most dinner dishes after 5:30PM. You can get a bottle of beer or even wine if you really want to, but I've never seen anybody do it - maybe that's just to take out. Chinese Christian run, and they hire people with physical disadvantages, who are pleasant and helpful. Frequented by foreign (mostly North American) Christians and Chinese Christians - was started by a Canadian couple associated with Bless China (previously, Project Grace), who are no longer here, but no religious pressure or any of that. Steaks are nothing special, and I avoid the Korean dishes, which I've had a few times but which did not impress me.
As a shop and bakery, it's very good bread at reasonable prices, of various kinds (Y18 for a good multigrain loaf that certainly weighs well over a pound. Other stuff too, like granola and oatmeal that is local, as well as imported things, including American cornflakes and so forth, which some people seem to require.
Large portions, seriously so with the pizza, which is Brooklyn/American style, I guess. Convivial, conversational, good place to drink with good folks on both sides of the bar, especially after about 9PM.
Kunming begins anti-polio drive
Posted by"...Yunnan's rural areas - where health care is not as universal..."
And one looks around Kunming and sees where all the new money goes...seems to me that the economic system and administration have built in, bad priorities.
Beijing to manage entirety of Yangtze River Basin
Posted byProblem is indeed massive, but ships are leaking everywhere. As for foodscams & the morality related, I don't think they will resemble civil war, nor do I think that the polluted Yangtze does either - though we're talking about 400 million people and something indeed needs to be done. I hope the central government is as serious as they say they are, but it's a big leak to plug and, yes, one has to wonder if they're up to it. Anyway, the metaphor of a leaking ship implies an absolute win/lose situation for all on board, and I don't think it's likely to turn out that way any time soon. I doubt if all the leaks will ever be completely plugged, here or anywhere - they never have - but that's no reason to stop trying.
Beijing to manage entirety of Yangtze River Basin
Posted by@Peter99: Well, okay, but I have a feeling that this may finally be something more than a 'national ethic campaign'. I'm not sure what you mean by a 'backup plan'.
Beijing to manage entirety of Yangtze River Basin
Posted by@Pter99, I understand what you mean about 'campaigns' in China, but I think this one may well be different. I think this is necessary and I don't think it's too late for something to be done. Seems to me it's a good idea, but I hope they carry this out in a manner that involves more than just consulting with local bureaucrats and the heads of local enterprises, who are, largely, part of the problem.
Beijing told Yunnan's cultural heritage "vanishing"
Posted byYou cannot 'preserve' cultures - however, you can allow authority/power/control over the changes that all cultures inevitably go through to lie in the hands of those who are affected by them, rather than in the hands of some social-engineering outside force, which will have its own agenda (for example: promotion of Chinese nationalism; tourist profits; propaganda; etc.).