User Comments - wolson
wolson
Posted on: Evading Nosy Questions
June 14, 2008 at 3:26 PMkandedong says
20 hours ago
I'm just wondering, what's so problematic about revealing one's income? Why exactly is it considered an inappropiate question?
In Western culture, how much you make often places you in a social paradigm. If you make little, then you must be a pauper or somebody without social status and someone to be avoided because they will drag you down too. If you make a lot, then you are a powerful person and somebody that people want to be associated with and somebody to do favors for because of the potential of returned value. In an egalitarian society, these values statements on people are abhorrent: everyone should be treated equally. Therefore it was rude to ask value questions on one's life or social status.
This answer is somewhat over simplified but I know of a case, today where a factory worker in a large city would dress up in a suit every morning to leave his house and then change shortly before he arrived at work in more suitable clothes. He wanted his neighbors to believe he was a businessman of some wealth rather than a factory worker (who, incidentally was making more than many businessmen.)
In my line of work, I can always tell the young assistant professors who will eventually go into college administration by the fact that they, unlike most professors today, will always wear a suit and tie to work. As one of the most influential professors on my campus, I am singularly unimpressed because these people will usually bend their ethics and morals to serve someone in power. But they will make more money than the average professor who in my opinion has far greater value.
Sorry: I seemed to have gotten onto the soap box. Will someone please direct me to Hyde Park? :)
Posted on: 室内装修
June 14, 2008 at 2:47 PM我觉得这个课可不错。
Dave, 我知道你不喜欢这节课；但是谁也喜欢都课。你挑肥拣瘦。我注意，你不投票。
art4jazz,你不要写得恶意话。咱们各抒己见。
Posted on: Fortunate Cookies
June 13, 2008 at 11:36 PMcajunlowkey says 
my non-chinese friends here in the states are incredulous when i tell them that you can't find fortune cookies in China. I am equally incredulous when they say they went to the greatest chinese restaurant, based on fried rice and sweet and sour pork. It's a little sad-a lot of people here know only about buffets and take-out type places
It is really sad that few Americans really know how Chinese food can taste. As I tell people, I can not go to an American Chinese restaurant for at least a month after I return from China because the food is so bad.
While there are a few exceptional Chinese restaurants in the United States, most should be called "lajidian" or 垃圾店 and should display this on a prominent sign so as to forewarn people who have had the real thing.
Posted on: Chinatomy: Chinese Gods and 'Shanghai Diaries'
June 12, 2008 at 8:34 PMI went back and listened to a number of Aric's vlogs as far back as April as well as all of the recent ones.
I had heard as far back as February that F-Visa's were not going to be honored during the period of the Olympics ... it appears that Aric has been caught up in this fray. Today, Aric appears to be having problems of his with his visa which was not an F Visa. I wonder if there are people at CPod who will also have problems and we will lose them from Cpod. I sincerely hope not.
It is clear to me after reading and watching vlogs from the CBL that Aric's vlog was pretty tame stuff. However, it also appears that he has rubbed the nationalism of some Chinese people the wrong way. I could understand this based on his comments following the interview with Hong Huang as well as his comments regarding the Olympics in his June 5th vlog. I applaud Aric for his honesty and his willingness to comment but I also think he was ill advised to do so, particularly at this time. I agree with Aric: this is a time to be scared.
There are sensitivities in any country that can not be violated without repercussions. We have them in the US and it does not take much imagination to figure out what those are. China as well has certain sensitivities that may not be logical but certainly do exist. We as foreigners need to understand and avoid rubbing these while in their country. We may not agree with them. We may be even strongly abhorrent of the sensitivities. But while we have the privilege of being in a foreign country as a guest, as our passport and visa allows us to be guests, we must try to observe at least neutrality on certain issues. Once we leave their country, them I feel we can be a strident as necessary to comment on those sensitivities consistent with our ideals.
It is my hope that Aric’s successfully retains his Z visa and stays in China. I enjoy his reports but I do wish that he not cross the fine line of insult that will force him to leave China.
Posted on: Fortunate Cookies
June 12, 2008 at 4:12 PM你说怎么意思？幸运饼干错错了？
是亵渎的！幸运饼干是都对好的！
What do you mean? Fortune cookies wrong? Blasphemy! They are always correct!
Posted on: SBTG: Sun Yatsen
June 10, 2008 at 7:13 PMEveryday, while I was in Qinhuangdao, I walked by a statute of Sun Yatsen. This was in a park between my apartment and the building where I had my office. In the morning, a fair number of older people would gather around the statute to do exercises.
The first time I saw I was somewhat surprised as my understanding of Chinese history during the 20th Century was flawed. I did not think that there would much regard given him in the Communist Era... I was definitely wrong. People in China do hold him in the highest of regards.
At first, I could not read the characters on the statute although I vaguely could recognize who the statute was from pictures that I had seen. When I finally did recognize the name, I did not know what to think as I read “Sun Zhongshan” and not “Sun Yatsen” … for a while I wondered if this was different person that I had confused with Sun Yatsen. But then I asked someone and found that this was his name in Chinese that he remembered by.
This park between my apartment and my building was one of the high points of my visit in China and is something that I miss as I leave my nice big house in the suburbs and drive several miles to office. The walk in the park was in some way mind clearing and really prepared me to take on the day’s activities. This so much more relaxing and healthful than fighting traffic and the stress of driving to work.
Thank you, CPod for reminding me of this.
Posted on: Seoul
June 4, 2008 at 6:40 PMSoju (소주) and Rice Baijiu ( 米白酒), (I think,) are essentially the same drink. Both are distilled from rice.
Posted on: Seoul
June 4, 2008 at 4:38 PMI used to think that Seoul was the best place in the world to shop. I used to love perusing the markets at Dongdaemen and Nandaemen. (Liked Nandaemen a little better.) When the electronics market opened in East Seoul, I really liked that place for cut rate electronics. I don't know if it is still that or not... It has been a dozen years sine I was last there.
Incidently, I am a "Kia Scholar" as appointed by the Korean Government. I was spoonsored by Kia Motors for work that I did with the automotive industry. It was quite a nice affair when I was appointed. One of these days, I really hope to get back.
I do love Korean food, particularly "kimchi" which I learned in China is referred to as 辣白菜. The Korean restaurants in China that I have been to are not identical to those that I have been to in Korea. For some reason or other, the tastesw are just not right although they do seem to get 辣白菜 right.
Posted on: Seoul
June 4, 2008 at 4:27 PMAnyonghasimnika
I lived for a some time in Korea while I was in the Army.
I was told by my ROK counterpart that there is a big reason why Koreans get upset if you confuse them with Chinese: it is because they are not and definitely do not consider themselves Han Chinese. Their "Han" as in "Hangul" comes from "Khan" of the Mongolian Steppes which they claim ancestry to.
There is some use of Chinese traditional characters in Korea. Many of the more common words are very similar to the Chinese words. Becuase of this, during my early days in Korea, I did quite well with directions because I could read the Chinese characters and hear the Chinese sounds. Of course, the longer I was there, I did learn some Hangul.
Anyonghasimnika!
Posted on: Fortunate Cookies
June 15, 2008 at 2:21 PMnotinks says
3 hours ago
“… To expect a Peking Duck in the States is unrealistic. …”
“ So I am learning to think of American Chinese as it's own category. Thus at better U.S. restaurants I can enjoy what they offer without constantly comparing them to "what they should be".”
I actually did find Peking Duck in Philadelphia that would compare favorably with the Peking Duck at the Qian Jude in Beijing.
I would have to agree, American Chinese is its own category. Still when I see 麻婆豆腐 (ma po toufu) on a menu, I want to be able to taste the 花椒(huajiao). If there isn’t any in the dish, then it just can not be 麻婆豆腐!