China Blog - All things Chinese

BBC News - China claims supercomputer crown

2010-10-28T17:34:00.001-07:00

China has overtaken the US in the supercomputer wars. With dual-CPU Intel’s and nVidia Tesla GPUs apparently.

He added: "I would say it's 47% faster than the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's machine, 1.7 Pflops (ORNL system) to 2.5 Pflops (Chinese system)."

Tianhe-1A is unusual in that it unites thousands of Intel processors with thousands of graphics cards made by Nvidia.

BBC News - China claims supercomputer crown

Should be only a matter of time before this is doubled.

Taiwan to axe China from name of Mandarin Chinese | World | Reuters

2008-02-14T19:47:00.001-08:00

Haven't posted here in awhile. The stories about China's rapid growth have been trumped over here by worries with the US economy and the upcoming election.

Plus, Taiwan has decided that Chinese doesn't exist... though they're not sure what to call it.

"In the 21st century this is too much of a distortion," he said.
The word "Chinese" will also be struck from literature course material and replaced with the term "this country's literature," Chen added.

Source: Taiwan to axe China from name of Mandarin Chinese | World | Reuters

March 22 is the referendum for the UN action that is causing so much grief for world diplomats. Things will probably get interesting before then.

The Hunt for Red November

2007-12-02T16:41:00.001-08:00

A Chinese sub unexpectedly popped out of the water during some US military exercises.

One Nato figure said the effect was "as big a shock as the Russians launching Sputnik" - a reference to the Soviet Union's first orbiting satellite in 1957 which marked the start of the space age.

Source: The uninvited guest: Chinese sub pops up in middle of U.S. Navy exercise, leaving military chiefs red-faced | the Daily Mail

3,500 Chinese Children Named "Olympics"

2007-11-12T08:56:00.001-08:00

Vanity names are all the rage in China these days...

Most of the 3,491 people with the name "Aoyun," meaning Olympics, were born around the year 2000, as Beijing was bidding to host the 2008 Summer Games, the Beijing Daily reported, citing information from China's national identity card database...

3,500 Chinese Children Named "Olympics"

Surviving Beijing since 1980 - Factories close for 2008 Olympics

2007-11-11T15:52:00.001-08:00

This should slow demand for certain materials the factories require for manufacturing, and increase demand for materials the factories manufacture.

The closures could be from May - August. I wonder if it will be enough to get rid of the brown cloud.

Here's a list of some Factories in Beijing... I wonder if the Worsted Mill is closing down... or just the Bested one...

Beijing is preparing for 2008. The rumor mill and the stories of the people who have received “notices” provide some interesting gossip.
When the US athletic delegation was in town a few weeks ago they were assured of a “clean Olympics”. Indeed, “All factories will be closed for 3 months”. I am not really sure if the journalist (Stephen Wade - ASSOCIATED PRESS) got that right:
“They’ve have told us the factories will be closed for three months in 2008 and that they will have a directive to encourage residents to stay off the roads with their cars”.
A lawyer with office in Jianwei SOHO apparently received a notice they will not be allowed to operate during 3 weeks at least. So, holidays for the staff. Just wondering if that will apply to all offices.
The entertainment sector? Curious what will remain open to the public in the now famous “Gongti Strip”. Also, some venues such as bars and restaurants might be taken over for big bucks by companies who will set up their hospitality center.
So, hopefully one will be able to have a good time after watching the Games, like in Sydney where visitors were very happy and had a good time.
Well, let’s hope the city will not be too much sanitized.

Source: Surviving Beijing since 1980

Try Mango! It's Free Language Learning!

2007-09-25T03:42:00.001-07:00

Knee How?

Wah Shu?

Ching Wen?

Here's one language learning tool that's worth a look.

Mango Beta is available for your previewing

Source: Try Mango! It's Free Language Learning!

and here's a Social Learning Tool for language.

http://www.livemocha.com/

Big Trouble in Little ... Paris

2007-09-04T04:38:00.001-07:00

Isn't the Eiffel Tower trademarked?

An aerial view of Tianducheng, a residential area on the outskirts of Hangzhou in east China?s Zhejiang Province September 1, 2007. After five years of development by Zhejiang Guangsha Co. Ltd., around 2,000 residents now live in Tianducheng, local media reported.

Link to

China uncovers "worms, substandard goods" from U.S. - Yahoo! News

2007-08-31T03:36:00.001-07:00

Non-nutritional value in a US food product? Shocking!

I hope they test Twinkies next. I always wondered what is actually in those things...

The pine wood worms, or nematodes, were found in 13 sets of packaging in the manufacturing hub of Shenzhen, the China Daily said.
Harmful organisms were found in another 10 of 70 batches of wooden packaging sampled between mid-July and mid-August.
This meant the rate of sub-standard packaging from the United States was higher than that for the European Union, Japan, Korea or Canada, the newspaper said.
The labels on some of the wooden packaging were unclear, the report said, adding that that this suggested some exporters might have used fake documents.
Officials have destroyed the goods and urged tighter supervision of wooden U.S. packaging, the paper said.
The vitamin and mineral pills and children's fish oil were discovered in the eastern coastal province of Zhejiang, the China News Service said.
"The two failed to reach the nutritious levels promised on their labels," it said, citing the Zhejiang industrial and commercial department.

Source: China uncovers "worms, substandard goods" from U.S. - Yahoo! News

TED | Talks | Hans Rosling: Debunking third-world myths with the best stats you've ever seen (video)

2007-08-30T14:17:00.001-07:00

China's doing better and better.

You've never seen data presented like this. With the drama and urgency of a sportscaster, Hans Rosling debunks myths about the so-called "developing world" using extraordinary animation software developed by his Gapminder Foundation.

TED | Talks | Hans Rosling: Debunking third-world myths with the best stats you've ever seen (video)

China Bans Reporting on Bridge Collapse - washingtonpost.com

2007-08-18T08:13:00.001-07:00

Unidentified locals roughed up a group of five newspaper and magazine reporters as they interviewed families of those killed, according to a photographer and a reporter whose colleague was among the journalists involved.
The collapse of the bridge, which was under construction, left at least 47 people dead, making it one of the worst building accidents in China in recent years.

China Bans Reporting on Bridge Collapse - washingtonpost.com

India surpasses China in arms race

2007-08-13T08:02:00.001-07:00

Interestingly, according to the US Congressional Research Service, India has surpassed China as the leading importer of conventional weapons, the Paper said adding, in 2005 India spent dollar 5.4 billion on defence equipment, against China’s dollar 2.8 billion.

Source: Dollar 1.5-billion Indo-Israel deal to trigger arms race in Region

China threatens 'nuclear option' of dollar sales - Telegraph

2007-08-08T03:49:00.001-07:00

What happens if you owe your distant cousin $900 billion dollars, and you keep adding $20 billion a month?

Well, if you're buying stuff off of him, not a whole lot if you can keep the payments up, unless he can find another market for his TVs and exploding veggie cans.

He Fan, an official at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, went even further today, letting it be known that Beijing had the power to set off a dollar collapse if it choose to do so.
"China has accumulated a large sum of US dollars. Such a big sum, of which a considerable portion is in US treasury bonds, contributes a great deal to maintaining the position of the dollar as a reserve currency. Russia, Switzerland, and several other countries have reduced the their dollar holdings.
"China is unlikely to follow suit as long as the yuan's exchange rate is stable against the dollar. The Chinese central bank will be forced to sell dollars once the yuan appreciated dramatically, which might lead to a mass depreciation of the dollar," he told China Daily.

Source: China threatens 'nuclear option' of dollar sales - Telegraph

Science and Civilisation in China - Cambridge University Press

2007-07-15T11:47:00.001-07:00

Volume 1 is $170.00. The definitive account of Chinese science and culture.

Dr Joseph Needham’s account of the Chinese achievement in science and technology will stand as one of the great works of our time. It has been acclaimed by specialists in both East and West and also by readers with wider and more general interests. The text, based on research of a high critical quality, is supported by many hundreds of illustrations and is imbued with a warm appreciation of China. Volume I is an introductory volume, in which Dr Needham prepares his readers for the study of a whole human culture. He begins by examining the structure of the Chinese language; he reviews the geography of China and the long history of its people, and discusses the scientific contacts which have occurred throughout the centuries, between Europe and East Asia.

Source: Science and Civilisation in China - Cambridge University Press

Forbidden City Forbids Starbucks

2007-07-14T03:17:00.001-07:00

Both Starbucks and Forbidden City protect their brands and part company.

Starbucks closed the 200-square-foot outlet Friday after Forbidden City managers decided they wanted all shops on its grounds to operate under the palace's brand name, said Eden Woon, Starbucks' vice president for Greater China.

Source: Starbucks shuts controversial China shop - Yahoo! News

China public restroom has 1,000 stalls - Yahoo! News

2007-07-06T17:07:00.001-07:00

Don't take any souvenirs..

Officials in Chongqing are preparing to submit an application to Guinness World Records to have the free four-story public bathroom listed as the world's largest, the state-run China Central Television reported Friday.
"We are spreading toilet culture. People can listen to gentle music and watch TV," said Lu Xiaoqing, an official with the Yangrenjie, or "Foreigners Street," tourist area where the bathroom is located. "After they use the bathroom they will be very, very happy."

Source: China public restroom has 1,000 stalls - Yahoo! News

And with a handshake, cash is given...

2007-06-13T18:26:00.001-07:00

Taiwan, the world’s seventh-largest importer of U.S. wheat, agreed Wednesday to a $48 million deal that will send nearly 4 million bushels of Montana wheat to the country over the next two years.

The purchase covers 2008 and 2009, and is part of a $425 million national wheat-export deal that includes Idaho, South Dakota and other states.

Source: Great Falls Tribune - www.greatfallstribune.com - Great Falls, MT

China Threatens War Escalation Over Bush Handshake

2007-06-13T18:21:00.001-07:00

Where were the Chinese when Bushie's watch got stolen?

In a headline story that aired at 10pm Shanghai time Wednesday night on the Hong Kong based PHTV news channel, Chinese government leaders threatened to plan new war games and heighten military readiness in anticipation of any attempt by the U.S. to defend Taiwan should a Chinese invasion occur, or simply if Taiwan declares its independence.

Source: China Threatens War Escalation Over Bush Handshake

“Quite frankly, it's probably the most time I've spent with my wife in the last year”

2007-06-07T19:35:00.001-07:00

Travel perks for Canadian MPs...

“Quite frankly, it's probably the most time I've spent with my wife in the last year,” he said.
Liberal MP Judy Sgro said she has been receiving invitations to Taiwan ever since she became an MP seven years ago, and accepted only last year.
“I went because I had an opportunity for my husband to join me, as well as hearing from my colleagues that it was a very interesting, albeit tiring, trip to do,” she said. “We're away from our families enough.”
When asked about his trip, New Democrat Peter Stoffer emphasized that the costs of the travel for two were entirely borne by the Taiwanese.
“The Taiwan government … paid for it. It doesn't come out of the Canadian dime,” he said.
Overall, pro-Taiwan groups paid $200,000 to bring over the 30 Canadian MPs and 28 travel companions. On average, each visit to the country, which is struggling to obtain recognition on the world stage in the face of Chinese opposition, was worth almost $7,000.

Source: globeandmail.com: Free travel: an ethical perk for our MPs?

St. Lucia in October of 2006 - Times have changed...

2007-06-07T18:46:00.001-07:00

Apparently Saint Lucia now recognizes Taiwan.

Bousquet had indicated that any decision would be based on which country could offer a better deal to St. Lucia, where some 20 percent of the population lives in poverty.

As he put it in April: "Support those who give you the most."

Nationalistic pride in St. Lucia, which won independence from Britain in 1979, also played into the equation.

"St. Lucia did not win its sovereignty from one power to be now dictated to by another as to who its friends should be," the weekly St. Lucia Mirror said in a recent editorial. It added that Beijing's One China policy cannot "be legally or diplomatically thrust on St. Lucia, as though we, too, were a colony of China."

St. Lucia indicated last week that if it resumed relations with Taipei, it would still want to be friends with Beijing. The Chinese Embassy sent a rebuff on Friday, saying that China does not accept "double recognition."

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/05/02/news/island.php

This flip-flops their original stand on the issue of relations between China & Taiwan...

Prime Minister Anthony also commented on the Taiwan issue. He said: “The policy of recognizing Taiwan is not only a bankrupt policy, but it is contrary to the appropriate resolution of the United Nations”. He noted that only two CARICOM member-states maintain relations with Taiwan today.
The Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister, for his part, thanked the Prime Minister and the Government of Saint Lucia for the country’s support for China and their mutual support for specific international issues. He also expressed his government’s satisfaction with his country's nine-year relationship with St. Lucia, which began on September 1, 1997.
The highest ranking diplomat in China told the Saint Lucia Prime Minister: “The government of China is ready and willing to work with you to further enhance our bi-lateral cooperation and to intensify our efforts to have an even closer coordination and cooperation on major international and regional issues.”
He said “Saint Lucia’s smaller size does not matter to China” and referred to the UN Charter, “which says in its very first line of its very first paragraph that all nations are equal despite size or population.”
Since the establishment of diplomatic ties with China, St. Lucia has benefited from the construction of a Free Zone and a National Stadium in Vieux Fort.
A new and modern Psychiatric Hospital is currently being built along the Millennium Highway by the Chinese, which will be part of a new hospital complex including a new national general hospital being funded by the European Union (EU).
A new National Cultural Complex is also to be built here by the Chinese, once the new hospital is completed.
Chinese companies are also engaged in construction projects here – such as building schools and hospitals -- while an increasing number of private sector businesses are starting to trade with Chinese companies.
Since St. Lucia severed ties with the Republic of China on Taiwan nine years ago to commence relations with Beijing, several other countries in the region have also established diplomatic relations with China. These include the Commonwealth of Dominica and Grenada, which were the latest to switch ties from Taipei to Beijing.
Today, among CARICOM member-states, only Belize, St Kitts and Nevis and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines still maintain relations with Taiwan.

Source: St Lucia :: Harold Doan and Associates Ltd. :: News when you need it.

Not enough bribes? Costa Rica ditches Taiwanese for Chinese

2007-06-07T18:03:00.001-07:00

Apparently China is trying some economic warfare against Taiwan by breaking out the chequebook and spending some of its reserves.

Taiwanese Foreign Minister James Huang accused China of offering Costa Rica "an astronomical figure" to ditch Taipei. He did not specify what it was.

Costa Rican President Oscar Arias acknowledged that the decision to go with Beijing was related to Costa Rica's desire to bolster its economy, and he criticized Taiwan for giving "insufficient" aid to its allies.

"I was always critical of the Taiwanese, and I can say now that I always told them ... if you want to have friends in the world, you should be more generous," he said.

Source: Costa Rica criticizes Taiwan as stingy - Yahoo! News

Apparently the $6 million dollars towards a presidential palace wasn't enough.

Taiwan has been known to fish in Costa Rican waters and exploit their environment. In one incident, a Taiwan fishing vessel landed 30 TONS of shark fins in an illegal fishing expedition off the coast of Costa Rica. That's a lot of soup.

http://www.seashepherd.org/news/media_030605_1.html

Of course, Taiwan gives back. How about $1M worth of motorcycles to the Costa Rican Tourism Institute?

http://www.ticotimes.net/dailyarchive/2007_03/0330071.htm

Not to mention the $27 million bridge, some highways,

http://www.amcostarica.com/

Or $150k for flood victims?

http://american-european.net/blogs/2005/09/

According to one source, Taiwan contributed $132.6 million to Central America from 1992 - 2003.

http://www.ticotimes.net/dailyarchive/2005_01/daily_01_03_05.htm#story1

Back on May 25, 2007, it was a different story between the two.

Costa Rica has never considered changing its longstanding diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Costa Rica's Acting Foreign Minister Edgar Ugalde Alvarez said on Wednesday during an interview with the Central News Agency (CNA).

Ugalde Alvarez added that Costa Rica has maintained cordial diplomatic ties with Taiwan for more than 60 years and that bilateral relations have continued to grow steadily.

Costa Rica has done nothing to warrant Taiwan's suspicion of its motivations, he said.

He said that all bilateral cooperative projects had been very conducive to Costa Rica's national development, and any report about its dissatisfaction with Taiwan's aid projects was sheer speculation.

Ugalde is meeting Taiwanese Minister of Foreign Affairs James Huang (黃志芳) and other representatives of Taiwan's allies in the region in Belize today.
He further clarified Costa Rica's stance on Taiwan's bid to join the WHO, saying his country had never opposed Taiwan's membership bid.

In a May 14 vote at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Costa Rica unexpectedly voted against the proposal initiated by Taiwan's other allies to include Taiwan's membership bid on the agenda of the ongoing World Health Assembly (WHA), the WHO's decision-making arm.

Ugalde argued that what Costa Rica opposed was a 'rearrangement of the WHA meeting agenda,' not Taiwan's WHO"

Looks like Alavarez got vetoed by Sanchez. Strange comments from a man who won the Nobel Peace Prize....

http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1987/arias-bio.html

Algae bloom prompts crackdown in China - Yahoo! News

2007-06-06T04:22:00.001-07:00

China's environmental watchdog ordered factories polluting a scenic lake to stop production Tuesday, following an algae bloom that contaminated the drinking water supply for 2 million people.
ADVERTISEMENT

Foul-smelling blue-green algae on Lake Tai last month turned tap water yellow and smelly in Wuxi, a city on the lake. Alarmed residents swarmed stores to stock up on bottled water.

Source: Algae bloom prompts crackdown in China - Yahoo! News

LiveLeak.com - Chinese Factory Workers Work 'Inside' Huge Metal Press

2007-05-21T17:47:00.001-07:00

Working conditions in China... no wonder there are so many accidents. Hope they start getting Workers Comp...

Source: LiveLeak.com - Chinese Factory Workers Work 'Inside' Huge Metal Press

Chinese Water: A Picture is Worth... (TreeHugger)

2007-05-11T03:45:00.001-07:00

Lets see.... I think I'll try the pink one first... no wait, how about the red one!

Link to Chinese Water: A Picture is Worth... (TreeHugger)

Turning Japanese - I think so... TOKYOMANGO

2007-04-24T18:00:00.001-07:00

Even ordering Starbucks in Japan is organized and methodical.
Here's how it works:
1. There's one employee who makes sure everyone is standing in single file against the wall before ordering.
2. Another employee goes down the line passing out this illustrated menu and taking each person's order. She writes it down on a piece of paper and hands it to you.
3. Once you get to the front of the line, you don't have to waste time perusing the wall menu or, for that matter, uttering a single word. Just hand the paper over to the cashier, and she'll ring you up.
4. Your coffee comes out from the opposite end of the bar the same way it does in the US.

Source: TOKYOMANGO

Have fun tracking Wang down - Yellow River turns Red

2006-10-23T15:02:00.000-07:00

A news photo from the local paper showed a resident in the city center by a stretch of the river — a drinking water source for millions — that was rose-colored instead of the usual milky brown. Other photos showed patches of bright red and pink.

An official from Yellow River Water Resource Committee in Lanzhou confirmed the pollution. He said they were still analyzing the sample and had not determined what caused it. Like many Chinese officials, he gave only his family name, Wang.

Chinese telephone translation service

2006-10-16T03:37:00.000-07:00

The world just got a little bit smaller.

http://www.london-translations.co.uk/speakchinese/

Next step in pirating: Faking a company - Technology - International Herald Tribune

2006-04-29T19:34:00.000-07:00

Next step in pirating: Faking a company - Technology - International Herald Tribune: "the counterfeiters had set up what amounted to a parallel NEC brand with links to a network of more than 50 electronics factories in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan"

Big Government in Little China

2006-04-27T03:03:00.000-07:00

EconLog, China's Stationary Bandits, Arnold Kling: Library of Economics and Liberty: "The Chinese state remains deeply entrenched in the economy. According to official data for 2003, the state directly accounted for 38 percent of the country�s GDP and employed 85 million people (about one third of the urban workforce). For its part, the formal private sector in urban areas employed only 67 million people. A research report by the financial firm UBS argues that the private sector in China accounts for no more than 30 percent of the economy. These figures are startling even for Asia, where there is a tradition of heavy state involvement in the economy. State-owned enterprises in most Asian countries contribute about 5 percent of GDP. In India, traditionally considered a socialist economy, state-owned firms generate less than 7 percent of GDP."

Chinese Leader Dines With Bill Gates - Yahoo! News

2006-04-19T04:07:00.000-07:00

Chinese Leader Dines With Bill Gates - Yahoo! News: "'Because you, Mr. Bill Gates, are a friend of China, I'm a friend of Microsoft,' Hu said through a translator. 'Also, I am dealing with the operating system produced by Microsoft every day,' he added, to laughter.

Gates responded: 'Thank you, it's a fantastic relationship,' and then quipped: 'And if you ever need advice on how to use Windows, I'll be glad to help.'"

This would explain why in China there are 14-foot high advertisements about fighting software piracy, and right under it some guy selling rolex watches for $3. (Starting price $100!)

10,000 Travel Videos for your iPod

2006-04-08T08:33:00.000-07:00

Check this out

ZoomAndGo has released a ton (10,000+) iPod videos of places around the world. Works on the PSP too!

What's wrong with the world today?

2006-04-08T08:21:00.000-07:00

Trump Heads to Scotland || HotelChatter: "The Donald's quote:

I have never seen such an unspoilt and dramatic seaside landscape. The location makes it perfect for our development." - Donald Trump

Yeah, and while we're at it, that's a beautiful view of the ocean you have there. Let's fill it full of sand and build a museum of water.

Way worse than any sponsorship scandal

2006-04-08T08:14:00.000-07:00

"The Ryugyong's 3,000 rooms and 7 revolving restaurants were to open in June 1989 for the World Festival of Youth and Students, but problems with building methods and materials delayed it. Japanese newspapers estimated the cost of construction was $750 million[3]'2% of North Korea's GDP' and it is generally assumed construction came to a halt in 1992 due to lack of funding, acute electricity shortages, and the prevailing famine. It still has a crane on the top."

This would be a good place to bury nuclear waste I think...

China suspends industrial projects citing environmental risks - Yahoo! News

2006-04-06T03:55:00.000-07:00

The assessment was carried out after a toxic spill in the northeast in November shut down water supplies from the Songhua river to four million residents in the city of Harbin, while threatening Russian water supplies down river.

"There have been 76 incidents related to water pollution since the Songhua incident, more than the total in 2005," Pan said.

A combination of rapid economic development and continued population growth means China is putting unsustainable pressure on its water resources.

Previous government reports have said that more than 70 percent of China's rivers and lakes are polluted, while underground water in 90 percent of Chinese cities is polluted.

China's hunger for luxury goods grows - The Boston Globe

2006-03-25T17:56:00.000-08:00

China's hunger for luxury goods grows - The Boston Globe: "''Money is the new god in China today,' said Dr. Ding Ning Ning, director of social studies at the Development Research Center of the State Council. ''People are in a selfish mood. They want to show off and be extravagant.'"

The China Stock Blog » China’s Number One Export: Stocks

2006-03-22T15:55:00.000-08:00

The China Stock Blog » China’s Number One Export: Stocks: "While Chinese stocks listed in China have been relatively poor performers since December 2001, an equal weighted basket of Chinese ADRs has returned in excess of 1,000%. "

Buy American-made China.

Yellow snow, meet rainbow water...

2006-03-20T04:04:00.000-08:00

"Cancer village" highlights China's water woes - Yahoo! News: "'Look at all the different colors: red, black, yellow, brown,' said Wei as she picked up the bottles containing samples of water taken from the canals and viaducts surrounding Wuli, a village of 1,500 people in eastern China."

Don't eat the yellow snow...

2006-03-16T20:00:00.000-08:00

Ananova - Red snow falls on Russia: "The red snow comes just weeks after yellow snow, caused by pollution from an oil and gas factory, fell on Russia's Far East island of Sakhalin."

China's Military Budget - $105 Billion?

2006-03-16T15:09:00.000-08:00

Pentagon Official Warns of Chinese Buildup - Yahoo! News: "China's reported 2006 military budget is about $35 billion.
These numbers, Rodman said, fail to capture what the Pentagon estimates is the true scope of the growth. He said the 2006 figure could be as much as $105 billion, making China Asia's largest defense spender."

The U.S. is still 1.1 trillion, according to this site.

That's around $110/year for every person in the world if I figured it out right.

There's been over 100 million AK-47's built At $400-$1200 a pop, that's a big economy.

YouTube - Halcali - Twinkle Star [New PV]

2006-03-13T18:17:00.000-08:00

YouTube - Halcali - Twinkle Star [New PV]

Best Buy to Open First China Store

2006-03-13T14:42:00.000-08:00

Best Buy had orginially planned to open its first China shop in Beijing, use a 15,400 square meters of commercial space vacated by Swedish furniture giant Ikea. But the plan was thwarted as Pengrun Electronics, a subsidiary of China's top electronics retailer GOME, secured the lease contract from the owner of the commercial building at 20 million Yuan ($2.5 million) per year.

Although Best Buy offered 80 million Yuan (some $10 million) as a yearly rent, the owner of the commercial building preferred the Pengrun deal because of its 15-year contract, terms of payment and good credit and financial strength of parent company GOME.

Virtual China

2006-03-04T15:56:00.000-08:00

Virtual China: "China Word of Mouth Blog started me on a journey to better understand Chinese BBS (Bulletin Board Service) aggregators. A lot of the most interesting things are happening on China's BBS, including the circulation of sensationalistic photos and lots and lots and lots of pictures of women with very few clothes on. "

Virtual China looks great so far.

CN-Markets - PE Picker

2006-02-23T22:08:00.000-08:00

CN-Markets - PE Picker

80 Chinese stocks with a P/E between 8 and 11.

Half white-collars keep blogs, privacy top theme

2006-02-22T14:35:00.000-08:00

Half white-collars keep blogs, privacy top theme: "logging has increasingly become more popular in China, with 52% of white-collar workers now keeping weblogs (blogs) according to CBP Career Consultants Co., Ltd., a leading career consulting firm in China."

Financial Data and Resource Locators: Stock Exchange and Stock Market Information

2006-02-22T04:53:00.000-08:00

Financial Data and Resource Locators: Stock Exchange and Stock Market Information: "Asian & International Stock Exchange and Stock Market Information"

China's skyscrapers as polluted as air outside - Yahoo! News

2006-02-21T17:43:00.000-08:00

China's skyscrapers as polluted as air outside - Yahoo! News: "'If you scan every office building against the official indoor air quality standard, you can rarely find one that is fully qualified,' the paper quoted the decoration association's director of indoor environment testing, Song Guangsheng, as saying.
Construction and decoration materials, furniture, electronic apparatuses and poor ventilation all contribute to the air pollution, according to Song."

Scientists fear leaping carp to invade US Great Lakes - Yahoo! News

2006-02-20T16:24:00.000-08:00

Scientists fear leaping carp to invade US Great Lakes - Yahoo! News: "Fish that leap into passing boats may be a fisherman's fantasy, but scientists fear that hyperactive Asian carp will reach the U.S. Great Lakes, devour the base of the food chain and spoil drinking water for 40 million people. "

Public outrage that followed the Cuyahoga River catching fire in Cleveland in 1969 spurred passage of the U.S. Clean Water Act.

Why is it we have to wait for our water supply to catch on fire before doing something?

Water Supplies to 28,000 Chinese Suspended - Yahoo! News

2006-02-20T04:21:00.000-08:00

Water Supplies to 28,000 Chinese Suspended - Yahoo! News: "An employee with a local water supply company noticed the river water had turned yellow last Tuesday, the China Daily said. Tests showed it was polluted with high levels of fluoride, nitrogen and phenol, also known as carbolic acid, it said."

Macau, the new Vegas

2006-02-15T18:37:00.000-08:00

MSN Money - Las Vegas bets big on Macau: "“It’s like a dust cloud, there is so much construction going on there. It is mind-boggling,”"

Eyes on Netease, mobile numbers and China's economy - MarketWatch

2006-02-13T14:44:00.000-08:00

Eyes on Netease, mobile numbers and China's economy - MarketWatch: "What China really needs is to stimulate consumer demand, in a broad sense. Building a consumption-based economy with even a tiny fraction of the per capita spending rates of the U.S. would provide a more reliable growth engine than China's current reliance on exports provides. Accomplishing this is a challenge, because so much of China's potential economic power is tied up in state-owned assets.
But sky-high savings rates (roughly 45%) and the Chinese tradition of frugality also depress consumer demand."

Not making any more water

2006-02-03T14:48:00.000-08:00

MSN Money - Invest in the coming global water shortage: "China, which is undergoing a vast rural-to-urban population migration, is emblematic of the places where water has become scarce. It has about as much water as Canada but 100 times more people. Per-capita water reserves are only about a fourth the global average, according to experts. Of its 669 cities, 440 regularly suffer moderate to critical water shortages. "

The China Stock Blog » The Commodity Super-Cycle and the Chinese Economy

2006-02-02T17:40:00.000-08:00

The China Stock Blog » The Commodity Super-Cycle and the Chinese Economy

China imported over $64 billion in December.

China will grow 9.4% this year.

Trade surplus with US is $204 billion.

Iran is China's biggest oil exporter.

I hear a sucking sound from the east...

The China Stock Blog » Getty Images on its Approach to Doing Business in China (GYI)

2006-02-01T04:15:00.000-08:00

The China Stock Blog » Getty Images on its Approach to Doing Business in China (GYI)

KryssTal : The 30 Most Spoken Languages in the World

2006-01-31T04:36:00.000-08:00

KryssTal : The 30 Most Spoken Languages in the World

English is.... #3 after Spanish and Mandarin, two of the languages I'd like to learn the most.

Hacking Google China

2006-01-30T14:17:00.000-08:00

Hacking Google China

Use icerocket instead...

Soylent Green is our future?

2006-01-30T04:26:00.000-08:00

Edward G. Robinson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Robinson was a hugely popular box-office draw in the 1930s and '40s and was able to avoid many flops over a career of over 90 films spanning 50 years. His last scene was a suicide sequence in the science fiction cult classic Soylent Green (1973) in which he dies in a euthanasia clinic while watching nature films on a wall-sized screen"

Trivia

* The voice of Chief Wiggum on The Simpsons is Hank Azaria's imitation of Robinson.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Harrison

Soylent Green is our future?

2006-01-30T04:16:00.000-08:00

The Year: 2022. The Place: New York City. The Population: 40,000,000

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2005, New York was the third largest state in population after California and Texas, with an estimated population of 19,254,630 [1], which is a decrease of 26,097, or 0.1%, from the prior year and an increase of 277,809, or 1.5%, since the year 2000.

Soylent Green!

Soylent Green - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Predictions for the future? I watched this movie yesterday, and for being set in 1973 it was amazingly up-to-date on some of the key issues of the present.

Global warming, pollution, scarcity of resources, an overcrowded housing market, the loss of books and paper to all but the wealthy, and overpopulation are all items the movie touches on. What's fascinating is that this is a movie filmed over 33 years ago, that still strikes a nerve. It even mentions 2006.

You know, when I was a kid, food was food! Until our scientists polluted the soil... decimated plant and animal life. Why, you could buy meat anywhere. Eggs, they had. Real butter. Fresh fruit in the stores! How can anything survive in a climate like this? A heat wave all year long! The greenhouse effect! Everything is burning up!

Replace scientists with 'general population and big business' and would this be our near future?

Charlton Heston is his usual cheezy self, famously stating the last line in the movie with over-the-top anguish, "Soylent Green is people! Soylent Green is people!"

You don't understand... I've seen it. I've seen it happening. The ocean is dying, the plankton is dying... It's people! Soylent Green is made out of people. They're making our food out of people. Soon, they'll be breeding us like cattle -- for food! You gotta tell 'em! Listen to me, Hatcher! You gotta tell 'em -- SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE!!! We gotta stop them! Somehow! Listen! Listen to me... PLEASE!!!

The parts when he's carefully stepping over sleeping crowds of people on his apartment stairs is reason enough to watch the movie. Plus Chuck Connors. Oh wait, I thought it said Chuck Norris. Sorry.

Taipei Times - archives

2006-01-29T05:26:00.000-08:00

Taipei Times - archives: "Hon Hai Group (鴻海集團) achieved its goal of raking in annual business revenues of NT$1 trillion (US$31.25 billion) last year, three years ahead of its original target, chairman Terry Gou (郭台銘) said on Friday."

Chuck Norris Facts

2006-01-28T19:03:00.000-08:00

Chuck Norris Facts: "There is no chin behind Chuck Norris' beard. There is only another fist. "

The Great Wall of China was originally created to keep Chuck Norris out. It failed miserably.

Chuck Norris invented Kentucky Fried Chicken's famous secret recipe, with eleven herbs and spices. But nobody ever mentions the twelfth ingredient: Fear.

Contrary to popular belief, America is not a democracy, it is a Chucktatorship.

Chuck Norris does not teabag the ladies. He potato-sacks them.

Wo hu cang long. The translation from Mandarin Chinese reads: "Crouching Chuck, Hidden Norris"

Bill Gates on the China Censorship Cause (CCC)

2006-01-28T18:00:00.000-08:00

World Economic Forum Davos The Times Times Online Sunday Times

Ray Ozzie heads to China

2006-01-28T10:36:00.000-08:00

Ray Ozzie: "If 2005 was a year of 'change' for me, 2006 will be a year to 'build'. Much of what I seek to accomplish here is already clear; some is emergent thinking. As plans gel, I very much look forward to interacting with some of our largest customers so they can play an active role in shaping the 'services transformation' of enterprise systems in a way that's material and meaningful to their businesses.

I very much look forward to this spring, when I'll have the opportunity to spend a bit more time in China than I have in the past. It will be a time to clear the mind; to learn; to again reset assumptions."

Most Highly Rated Webcams

2006-01-27T04:37:00.000-08:00

Most Highly Rated Webcams

Travel the world through a lens.

China's 400 Richest - Forbes.com

2006-01-25T15:30:00.000-08:00

China's 400 Richest - Forbes.com

Sushi Eating HOWTO

2006-01-22T18:22:00.000-08:00

Sushi Eating HOWTO

So it's not Chinese... it still tastes good. I stopped eating tuna though, after I read about how the demand for sushi is depleting the world supply of tuna to a critical point.

RedFlagDeals.com - Canadian Deals, Coupons, and Freebies!

2006-01-21T05:12:00.000-08:00

RedFlagDeals.com - Canadian Deals, Coupons, and Freebies!: "Interested in flying to Hong Kong or Beijing? Then check out TourEast.com. You'll see the following deals:
Depature from Vancouver to Hong Kong or Beijing - $370 Return + Taxes
Depature from Calgary to Hong Kong or Beijing - $470 Return + Taxes"

Japanese game shows RULE!

2006-01-17T04:02:00.000-08:00

??bra - Google Video

Crazy Shirt Folding - Google Video

2006-01-15T18:50:00.000-08:00

Crazy Shirt Folding - Google Video

TianAnMenKiss1 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

2006-01-15T18:17:00.000-08:00

TianAnMenKiss1 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Guard #1 to Guard #2 - "You never kiss me like that any more..."

Thanks to Pete & BoingBoing...

Rick Mercer's Blog

2006-01-15T18:09:00.000-08:00

What's wrong with this picture??? Wrong, on so many levels... but some of these are hilarious.

Re-elect Chretien in 2006.

2008 Olympics in China

2006-01-15T17:49:00.001-08:00

manners22

2008 Olympics in China

2006-01-15T17:49:00.000-08:00

manners22

smoking gun

2006-01-15T17:44:00.001-08:00

manners12

That picture made me cry a little inside...

smoking gun

2006-01-15T17:44:00.000-08:00

manners12

That picture made me cry a little inside...

China Vitae

2006-01-10T04:36:00.001-08:00

China Vitae

China Vitae is a resource of information for more than 2500 current Chinese political, military, economic, business and academic leaders. The extensively cross-referenced biographical database is designed to be an indispensable research tool for those who closely follow activites in China.

Chinese Activists Put Under House Arrest - Yahoo! News

2006-01-10T04:36:00.000-08:00

Chinese Activists Put Under House Arrest - Yahoo! News: "Officers detained Li Jinping, a Zhao family friend, on Sunday, taking him from his Beijing home a day before he planned to hold the memorial service marking the Jan. 17, 2005, death of Zhao, who spent his last 15 years under house arrest after being ousted for expressing sympathy with the protesters."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhao_Ziyang
According to western observors, the two years Zhao served as General Secretary were the most open in modern Chinese history—many limitations on freedom of speech and freedom of press were relaxed, allowing intellectuals to freely propose improvements for the country.

Internet forums, such as the Strong Nation Forum and the SINA.com Forum were flooded with messages expressing condolences for Zhao, but these messages were promptly deleted by moderators, leading to more postings attacking the moderators for deleting the postings.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_Peng
He spent much of his time monitoring what he considers his life's work, the Three Gorges Dam. Like many in his generation, the hydraulic engineer, who spent much of his career presiding over a vast and growing power industry, considered himself a builder and a modernizer.

The economic success of the years unfolding after the Tiananmen Square protests have perhaps solidified Li's legacy and defended his notion that social stability would be required to ensure a successful transition to a market economy, and this premise is now accepted by the Communist Party.

Archaeology in China - China.org.cn

2006-01-08T16:06:00.000-08:00

Archaeology in China - China.org.cn

Check out the top 10 discoveries lists.

China adds pollution to list of exports - Yahoo! News

2006-01-08T04:54:00.000-08:00

China adds pollution to list of exports - Yahoo! News: "Smog carried over the Pacific to the west coast of the United States, acid rain in South Korea and Japan, and destruction of forests as far away as Africa. These are among other unwelcome exports that experts say might cloud China's hopes of being seen as a responsible global power.
'At the moment, China's top leaders have not realized how important, in terms of international relations, environmental conflicts can be,' said Ma Zhong, vice-dean of the School of Environment and Natural Resources, at Renmin University.
'They are more concerned about economic and social relationships.'"

if you build it, they will come and gawk at how nice it looks

2006-01-06T11:32:00.000-08:00

Wonders of the world, Chinese architecture

I went to China back in October and saw a few of these. Very impressive! I wish I could have seen the resort by the wall, though I don't think we could have afforded to stay there...

TheStreet.com: breaking financial news, market commentary and stocks coverage that is insightful, irreverent and thorough

2006-01-03T16:18:00.000-08:00

TheStreet.com: breaking financial news, market commentary and stocks coverage that is insightful, irreverent and thorough

FXI vs. PGJ - Who ya got?!?

FXI is trading much higher than PGJ. However, FXI is the true China play while PGJ is a US-based fund play.

I'll stay out of Asian markets for awhile longer I think... they laid various charges against over 800 bank employees in the last year.

Thaistocks.com :: Independent investment research, global investing, thai stocks

2006-01-03T16:06:00.000-08:00

Thaistocks.com :: Independent investment research, global investing, thai stocks: "Thaistocks.com never engages in specific investment advice. Thaistocks.com o�nly expresses my own & timely and regular opinions -straight as I see them. Since April of 1997, I have here demonstrated again and again, that if you get beyond the obvious (and the broker reports), much investor value besides high cash dividends can regulary be found o�n the Thai stock exchange! Thaistocks.com since 1997, is the accumulation of that achievement. "

Bill Cara: Shanghai stocks to fly says the Fly, Thurs., Dec. 29, 2005, 6:30 AM

2006-01-03T15:10:00.000-08:00

Bill Cara: Shanghai stocks to fly says the Fly, Thurs., Dec. 29, 2005, 6:30 AM

In China, the new year is Year 4704 (don’t like those 4’s – my tel number is 6333 just in case you are wondering), which is the Year of the Dog.

So when thinking about FXI and PGJ, rrruff! Go get ‘em. :-)

btw, sometime in January, I will start tracking all the major stocks on the Shanghai Exchange daily, and I'll be writing more about specific stocks as well as these two ETF's. I'll devote more time to timing.

Also, people born in the year of the DOG are believed to be honest, loyal, and have a deep sense of duty. Their intelligence and industrious nature make them good leaders in the business world. The Dog people are usually steady workers, they can easily become both trusted and valued members of any community. Those people born in Dog years would make a superior industry leader, priest, educator, doctor, writer, or scientist.
Ideal Partner: Horse, Tiger
Dog Years: 1910, 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006

Informed Comment

2006-01-02T13:44:00.000-08:00

Informed Comment: "7. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization composed of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan as members and India, Iran, Mongolia, and Pakistan as observers, will follow up on its success in getting US troops out of Uzbekistan and on strengthening energy cooperation between Kazakhstan and China on the one hand, and Russia and Kazakhstan on the other, as well as security cooperation between Russia and Uzbekistan. The conjuncture of gas, petroleum, Islam, terrorism and great power jockeying will keep the new Great Game going, this time with Russia, China and the United States all playing. The US hand is weak."

Peasants support the cities

2005-12-30T04:51:00.000-08:00

2,600-year-old Agricultural Tax Abolished: "In 1953-1985 period, Chinese government purchased grains, cotton and other agricultural products with unified prices which were much lower than the prices in free market, so as to save money for developing industry.

In this way, Chinese farmers contributed 600 billion to 800 billion yuan (about US$75 billion - US$100 billion) to the country's industrialization."

Ex-Microsoft Executive Can Recruit for Google

2005-12-30T04:50:00.001-08:00

Ex-Microsoft Executive Can Recruit for Google: "Ex-Microsoft Executive Can Recruit for Google

Google Inc, the most-used Internet search engine, has won a court ruling that allows a former Microsoft Corp executive to recruit staff for Google's research centre in Beijing."

Microsoft, Google Reach Agreement on Employee Dispute

2005-12-30T04:50:00.000-08:00

Microsoft, Google Reach Agreement on Employee Dispute: "Microsoft, Google Reach Agreement on Employee Dispute

Microsoft and Google reached an agreement to settle the dispute on Google's employment of Mircrosoft's former employee Lee Kai-Fu."

Publications and Research - Periodicals - Bank of Canada Review Spring 2005 - Bank of Canada

2005-12-23T20:52:00.000-08:00

Publications and Research - Periodicals - Bank of Canada Review Spring 2005 - Bank of Canada: "The casting of coins originated in China in the seventh century BC. Moulds made of clay and other materials were used to cast bronze coins in the shape of small spades and knives. By the eighth century BC, most Western countries had begun to mint coins using engraved dies, but China and neighbouring countries in the Far East did not adopt the practice until the late nineteenth century. Some countries that had been minting coins for hundreds of years resorted to casting in order to mass produce low-denomination coins for small change. One such country was Morocco."

Doh! How do you say oh @#$%^! in Japanese?

2005-12-20T03:45:00.000-08:00

President, Execs at Tokyo Bourse Resign: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance: "The Tokyo Stock Exchange failed to stop an erroneous order placed by Mizuho Securities Co. earlier this month that cost the brokerage about $333 million.

Not $333 million, $333 thousand! I thought the number was in K!

Last month, trading was suspended for all but the last 90 minutes of the trading session due to a glitch in the bourse's transactions system."

China's printing lots of cash

2005-12-20T00:34:00.000-08:00

Losch Management - Client Letters - November 2005: "So why worry about inflation? Hasn't the FED (as Greenspan so gleefully claims) been able to keep a check on inflation in the past? The problem is, I am not sure the past matters. I do not think you can extrapolate anything we know about domestic monetary policy. Inflation is caused by too much money in the system. The FED may be able to control our money supply but it has no power over foreign central banks. Our M2 is up 3.9% in the last twelve months, which is very reasonable growth, but the same cannot be said for the rest of the world. James Grant says the EU money supply is up 13% and for China and India the estimates are somewhere between 20% and 30%."

So if 95% of the antiques in China are knockoffs, how much of the 20% - 30% of new cash is counterfeit?

Value-Stock-Plus

2005-12-18T19:13:00.000-08:00

Value-Stock-Plus: "While we expect moderate deceleration in the coming year, it is important for investors to mind the risks. When sentiment towards China or India turns negative, we think investors should rapidly decrease the beta in their portfolios.
'Believe' is okay. 'Be prepared to run' is vital."

www.miningmx.com | mining_fin China coming a c(r)opper

2005-12-18T18:35:00.000-08:00

www.miningmx.com | mining_fin China coming a c(r)opper: "Liu agreed to sell copper he didn't own on the London Metal Exchange (LME), betting a drop in prices would let him buy it back more cheaply. Instead, copper prices rose to a record. Liu is now under house arrest, according to media reports"

Paul van Eeden's Weekly Column on Kitco

2005-12-18T18:33:00.000-08:00

Paul van Eeden's Weekly Column on Kitco: "'I read in the Figaro that the American economy has become completely dependent on China,' said a friend at a dinner party recently. 'But I guess the Chinese have no choice. They need Americans to continue buying their products.'
We are alarmed. Even chemists and shoe clerks have taken up macroeconomics. Everyone thinks he understands how the world economy works.
'Well, it is a little like that,' we began to explain. 'The Chinese do sell to the U.S. and they do lend money back to the U.S. But there's no law that says this has to continue.'
'Imagine a shopkeeper whose biggest customer was having a hard time paying his bills. He extends credit . . . hoping the man will get his finances in order. But the more credit he gives him, the worse the man's finances are. It would be very nice if that could work out. But it rarely does. Instead, it eventually blows up. The customer has to stop buying and the shopkeeper has to stop lending. There's going to be hell to pay, in other words.'
'What should an investor do to protect himself?' our friend asked.
'Buy gold.' "

Shai Dardashti on Grahamian Value: Value Investing in 2005 is not strictly an American game anymore.

2005-12-18T17:27:00.000-08:00

Shai Dardashti on Grahamian Value: Value Investing in 2005 is *not* strictly an American game anymore.: "Another way of looking at things in Asia:

Just check out my message entitled, The World is Flat!

Step #1) Simply look at the page counter of the website that I linked.

Step #2) Check back a week later, and see how many people read the materials in the time that elapsed between visits... That's the whole story right there.

It is absolutely wrong to think that investors in Asia aren't learning about Warren Buffett. Using an online translating software, I was shocked to realize that this Chinese language site had far more materials on Buffett than any site I have seen in English.

So, not only are people in Asia also learning about Buffett-and-Mungerville, they are learning the art better..."

Communist book request gets Feds attention

2005-12-17T18:15:00.000-08:00

Agents' visit chills UMass Dartmouth senior: 12/ 17/ 2005: "Dr. Williams said he had been planning to offer a course on terrorism next semester, but is reconsidering, because it might put his students at risk.
'I shudder to think of all the students I've had monitoring al-Qaeda Web sites, what the government must think of that,' he said. 'Mao Tse-Tung is completely harmless.' "

WFMU's Beware of the Blog: Jesus Christ Superstar in Japanese (MP3s)

2005-12-17T15:37:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays everyone...

What better way to kick off Christ's month-long birthday bash than with the Japanese version of Jesus Christ Superstar? Here it is in its entirety, featuring a great Judas, a lame Pilate (a shame, since Pilate has many of the best songs), the needless knockoff song Can't We Start Again Please, inappropriate livestock sound effects and inexpicable excursions back into English.

American McGeeï¿½s Personal Weblog

2005-12-16T15:43:00.000-08:00

American McGee's Personal Weblog: "The conference served to confirm my feeling that Asia is the place to be these days if you're an entrepreneur in the interactive entertainment space. More and more I feel that trying to start something fresh in the US is a bigger than necessary gamble. Many of the participants at the Lab agreed. It seems the American Dream is being replaced by the New Old West of Asia. "

China gets a Wal-Mart

2005-12-15T20:12:00.000-08:00

China gets a Wal-Mart

RPG Sequence (Final Fantasy Re-enactment) - Google Video

2005-12-13T17:18:00.000-08:00

Ok, I'm not sure who has more time on their hands... the guys who made this, or me for digging this crap up and posting it here.

Final Fantasy, Mark Burnett Survivor-style.

Money was invented by the Chinese

2005-12-12T18:51:00.000-08:00

Printing was first invented in ancient China and so it is not surprising that government paper money began there as well. It emerged from the government’s seeking a way to avoid physically transporting gold collected in taxes from the provinces to the capital at Peking. As a result, in the mid-eighth century, provincial governments began to set up offices in the capital selling paper drafts which could be collected in gold in the provincial capitals. In 811-812, the central government outlawed the private firms involved in this business and established its own system of drafts on provincial governments (called “flying money”).

Murray Rothbard,
The Mystery of Banking

The world's most populous countries

2005-12-10T19:48:00.000-08:00

Donkey Kong is a sex-crazed pervert.

2005-12-07T19:55:00.000-08:00

Mario Vs. Donkey Kong Commercial - Google Video

I have never seen Mario pop out of a girl's chest before... twice...

The Legend of Zelda SNES - Long Version - Google Video

2005-12-07T19:51:00.001-08:00

Janet Jackson eat your heart out...