In rare form, I happened by the China Daily Web site and noticed a large picture with a caption stating, “Jiang Yu is among the most beautiful women in politics…” leading to an article lauding China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson’s appearence in a user-created poll at Spanish newspaper 20minutos.es. The poll has visitors rating the world’s [...]
Archive for March, 2009
“Earth Hour” VS “Serf Liberation Day”
It seems that whilst I have been happily elaborating on the duties of my teaching position this week, and spending 5 minutes of class making my students aware of Earth Hour, that I have in fact been being slightly controversial. And… I’m glad. I’ve not been involved in anything even remotely underhand since I first came to China, and fell into a weekly underground class, with 5 students, talking politics and religion.
Reaching the Back Row
Entering my second semester of teaching ESL in southern China, I’ve been rejuvenated by a weeklong trip to Hong Kong over winter break and put in high spirits thanks to the early arrival of spring. Life these past few months without heating proved to be nothing short of brutal. Nowadays, rapeseed blooms in the fields [...]
Traditional media losing the plot
When I was back in college we were expected to read and/or watch several sources of news daily. My Journalism-Print program even had a “Current Events” course requirement in which we would discuss, debate and be tested on – what else? – current events. This was just before the Dawn of Blogs and the coining [...]
China wants Chinese product importers to pay for her pollution
I am quite excited about the UN Climate Conference happening later this year in Copenhagen. It has all the promise of the Kyoto protocol, but unlike Kyoto, Copenhagen is set in a world with an increased sense of urgency and much deeper awareness to the issues that still seemed “in the future” 11 years ago. [...]
Complex’s 9 Hottest Chinese Women
I’m not entirely sure why it’s “nine” women, and not 10, or five, or 20 – but whatever the reason, Complex.com has come out with their list of “The 9 Hottest Chinese Women“. No huge surprises really, other than perhaps the fact that five of the women on the list are over 30 (including the [...]
Photo: Girl Shopping in Nanning
This intriguing photo by Tomek Pienicki has caught my eye a few times while browsing the Lost Laowai Flickr photo pool. Fantastic use of shallow depth of field gives this shot’s subject a unique frame, so much so that you barely notice the face of the old lady.
YouTube Blocked Ahead of Tibetan Anniversary
It seems some time since I’ve blogged about a major site being blocked in China, but with the National People’s Congress in full-swing and the 50th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising less than a week away – it appears the Net Nanny has quashed access to the world’s largest video sharing site, YouTube. Rick Martin, [...]
Getting a Tattoo in China
Tattoos are getting more popular — even in China, where they are traditionally frowned upon in all but one instance — and some of the more daring among you might be tempted to venture out into the darkened hutongs of whatever city you teach English in and find someone to stick needles into your skin. [...]
No Oasis for China! Chinese heard to say, “who?”
You may have heard that the planned Oasis shows in Beijing and Shanghai next month have been canceled. Apparently 12 years isn’t enough time to separate a musician and his ties to a certain autonomous region’s freedom concert. Though no “official” reason has been given for the cancellation, the concert’s promoters said it was due [...]
