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One more to add to your list:

Have you ever been sold fake eggs before?

> They just don't bother to monkey in our elections, because they're already winning either way.

Has anyone actually looked into that? They have an organization of paid online trolls and I have no idea why they wouldn't push China's view of things with respect to the US elections as they do on every other matter.

Could be worse, comrade. Your destination needs paved roads, trains with adequate seating inside - not on top - and rivers without dead bodies floating down them.

https://www.chinasmack.com/fil...

That's a good deliberate attempt to malign India's image. Images are not untrue. But that percentage is low. We have beautiful cities and sceneries too. Search for Leh ladakh and Kerala in google and see yourself. I will not give any link to mark my words. Try searching "Incredible India" or "Beutiful India". In India- you get what you search+ few more .

Could be worse, comrade. Your destination needs paved roads, trains with adequate seating inside - not on top - and rivers without dead bodies floating down them.

https://www.chinasmack.com/fil...

https://www.chinasmack.com/fil...

Or how to explain?

https://www.chinasmack.com/fil...

Go home to this?

http://www.chinasmack.com/2010...

Would you? It's no wonder them indians want to leave to greener pastures. Any pasture!

Somewhat related, a fascinating set of images from a Chinese tourist trip to India.

The photos must have been taken on a large time span. They don't even seem new.

The thing is, their way of life is incomprehensible for us. They could be living materially better, if they really wanted to.

Somewhat related, a fascinating set of images from a Chinese tourist trip to India.

No, "flesh" is NOT a racist typo! That is the direct translation of the actual Chinese phrase "ren rou sou suo".

ren rou: human flesh
sou suo: search

The idea is simply to leverage on the wide viewership of Internet communities (i.e.g forums and BBSes) to search or identify the actual "human flesh" responsible for the atrocities depicted in viral videos.

No, that is NOT a racist typo! That is the direct translation of the actual Chinese phrase "ren rou sou suo".

ren rou: human flesh
sou suo: search

State control is not a solution to negligence.

If you want to end world hunger and drive down food prices then it's that simple, everyone would just need to convert to a plant-based diet. But people don't want to end world hunger enough to give up their meat, so this is where we are

There is so much missing/wrong with this. Contrasting things with India? Which grains are these people eating? Are they the ones pioneered by Norman Borlaug and made possible by American science? I'd say western but in this case we have a citizen who has made a tremendously positive impact worldwide and is something more of us should strive to emulate. What about the impact of current farming methods draining aquifers to feed other countries who are arguably unsustainable. America exports 50% of its wheat. As far as countries with food issues, maybe those are the ones that should worry about how many people they can realistically support, or is that asking too much of a government? This is as insightful as listening to someone say how the world is over populated, who isn't living in one of the overpopulated countries, and suggesting ridiculous things like not having any children despite the population growth being negative without rampant immigration. Why aren't these people the first in line?

Contrast that with India, where the average person consumes 440 pounds of grain per year and has very little meat in their diet

I enjoy Indian food. The thing about food is cost, and until very recently the vast majority of India was extremely poor (they still are, just slightly less). Not poor by western standards, but true poverty levels. Not to mention the Caste system and their religious beliefs which factor heavily into their diets. As their economies grow and people better themselves their diets change, we're already seeing this with China as well. India is an extremely filthy place where many people shit wherever and bathe where they ditch bodies. It has a rich history but using it as an example of agriculture and diet to be emulated is hilarious. I implore you to look at those photos and take note of the livestock compared to the people.

You're ignoring how some of these countries exist in shitty areas (deserts!) as well as the logistics issue. Africa is a giant tribal cluster fuck of humanity and the issues there don't simply stem from meat, it's an ugly social problem. Our ancestors were completely aware of how valuable land was for this very reason. As far as a wholly plant based diet what about b12, you know that vitamin that keeps your hair from falling out, why is this an issue with this allegedly superior diet?

I really wish we could all get along, there is so much we could achieve. Unfortunately this is contrary to human nature, we're wired to be tribal. This should underline the importance of advancing as a culture and why it is important to strive for excellence (see Norman). As an example look at how Japan has embraced western things coming up from wooden armor and swords 150 years ago to steel high rises and mastering industry. Life isn't fair. Nature is an equalizer and I'd like to think that eventually things will improve for everyone with the steady march of progress. The issues you've mentioned about diet and distribution are multifaceted issues that are more social than technological at this point. We still have some growing to do ;)

Ma Ying-jeou, the president of ROC government, just gave a talk on several days ago, claiming mainland China was part of ROC under the R.O.C. Constitution. link 1 link 2 link 3 link 4.

. Do you really believe that people making millions upon millions of dollars have movies full of "accidents" or unintentional messages and content? That is not a realistic thought process, yet many have it.

In China, many people felt that the movie Avatar was social commentary about the occupation of Tibet. It got to the point where the government cancelled all 2D showings (about 4500 screens) leaving only the 3D version to play in much smaller number of theaters. Who really knows what was in Cameron's head, but it sure seems unlikely that Tibet was the focus of the movie. Just because some films are propaganda doesn't mean that everything in a film is propaganda.

http://www.chinasmack.com/2010/stories/avatar-movie-chinese-reactions-long-lines-shanghai.html

School is more or less standard for kids in China up through middle school. However, some kids are kicked out of school, or choose not to attend for some reason (or their parents pull them out for some reason). It is not unheard of for 14-year olds to be working full-time. For example, there is this 10-year old auto mechanic who does this work "as a hobby" since he was kicked out of school for bringing down the test scores:

http://www.chinasmack.com/2010/pictures/10-year-old-boy-skilled-auto-mechanic.html

China is basically a different beast altogether. This country does not follow the same rules as a first world country, and some things may seem completely alien to us. They are also very hostile to what they view as "western meddling," and with good reason (past history, and frankly western countries do have that tendency). As someone who has lived there in the past, my only advice is that other countries should have strict standards for labor practices if they are doing trade with China, and to realize that China is a very different animal (things may be legal in China that are illegal in the U.S., and vice-versa). In my view, China is really the "Wild West of Asia," in which there is very little rule of law, and things mostly still get done through networking and favors.

On the morning of May 3rd, Sichuan Chengdu city resident Lin Zhaoqiang carried 50,000 yuan in torn 100 yuan bills from Chengdu Jintang to the Bank of China Sichuan Branch, looking for help. May 1st, Lin Zhaoqiang's wife all of a sudden had a fit and tore the 50,000 yuan life-saving money into pieces. Facing thousands of pieces of cash, 12 bank employees sorted and spliced for 6 hours only to piece together a single 100 yuan bill. The remaining money, if unable to be pieced back together, face the unfortunate possibility of being declared null and invalid. Because this money is for treating his wife's mental illness, Lin Zhaoqiang said he won't give up.

One of the commenters said they should just weigh the cash, but obviously that would be too simple. Nothing is simple when dealing with Chinese banks and their ridiculous rules. They'll flat-out refuse to take small bills or coins ("What the heck are we going to do with all these jiao notes? What are we, a bank or something?")

On the morning of May 3rd, Sichuan Chengdu city resident Lin Zhaoqiang carried 50,000 yuan in torn 100 yuan bills from Chengdu Jintang to the Bank of China Sichuan Branch, looking for help. May 1st, Lin Zhaoqiang's wife all of a sudden had a fit and tore the 50,000 yuan life-saving money into pieces. Facing thousands of pieces of cash, 12 bank employees sorted and spliced for 6 hours only to piece together a single 100 yuan bill. The remaining money, if unable to be pieced back together, face the unfortunate possibility of being declared null and invalid. Because this money is for treating his wife's mental illness, Lin Zhaoqiang said he won't give up.

One of the commenters said they should just weigh the cash, but obviously that would be too simple. Nothing is simple when dealing with Chinese banks and their ridiculous rules. They'll flat-out refuse to take small bills or coins ("What the heck are we going to do with all these jiao notes? What are we, a bank or something?")

What you say? The Bomb never happened? (NSFW)

Just wondering, have you bought a house in China to compare your American one to? Have you seen the quality of construction work that passes for "acceptable" around here? There was a news article the other day about a bridge where the construction workers used stones instead of cement and that one construction worker admitted "“I wouldn’t dare ride [any trains that go over this bridge] once its opened."

I have lived outside Shanghai for 3 years and the way they cut corners in this country is mind-blowing in its thoroughness. Remember the melamine-tainted milk from a few years back that killed all those babies? What about the toys containing lead made for export? Did you know that 10% of oil used in restaurants in China is carcinogenic because it's been recycled using harsh chemicals? In my opinion, the Chinese as a whole are far less concerned about "doing the right thing" than people are in America are. The culture just doesn't see a problem with screwing other people over, if you can get away with it. Doesn't stop at manufacturing, either--people litter shamelessly, don't stop at red lights, and extortion is considered a viable business strategy. Call me racist if it makes you feel better, but I've seen too much to pretend that Chinese culture isn't shit. I didn't come to this country with such notions, but I certainly will leave with them.

"To be rich is glorious." - Deng Xiaoping

Articles that mention the stuff I said:
http://www.chinasmack.com/2011/pictures/corner-cutting-exposed-in-jilin-railway-bridge-project.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Chinese_milk_scandal
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/16/world/asia/china-recycled-cooking-oil-poses-risk.html

See more on these English sites:
http://shanghaiist.com/2011/07/25/wenzhou_high-speed_rail_col.php
http://www.chinasmack.com/

Shanghaiist and especially Chinasmack tend to republish a lot of rumors without bothering to verify them.If you want to get some facts, better check Robert Soong's EastSouthWestNorth blog.

Such as this post: Rumors About The Wenzhou Train Crash: How Many Have Your Forwarded? (Permalink does not work, scroll down about half the page)

By the way, both Shanghaiist and Chinasmack can be reached from within China, while EastSouthWestNorth is blocked, guess what?

~ Stan

See more on these English sites:
http://shanghaiist.com/2011/07/25/wenzhou_high-speed_rail_col.php
http://www.chinasmack.com/

1. Rescue efforts were called off twice, first time 5 HOURS after accident, and again 3 hours later, with officials claiming both times there were no more signs of life. Survivors were pulled out after each time. When questioned about why this could happen, railway ministry spokesman calls finding survivors "a miracle" Press and public extremely disgusted at irresponsible rescue effort and crassness in public relations. Railway spokesman says they relied on on-site rescue officials in making the determination, with quote "it doesn't matter whether you believe them or not, I believe them" -- which has now become a meme used to mock gov officials.

2. Removal and dismantling of wreckage began HOURS after accident. Wreckage was broken up and BURIED on site for some reason, leaving experts and lay public shocked and dumbfounded. Public suspicion is that the railway ministry was trying to hide evidence, pointing to the way other nations handle accident scenes (not touching it until investigators have combed through everything). The dismantling and burial was caught on amateur film, which shows 2 bodies falling out of the wreckage as a team of excavator machines break the train carriages apart for on-site burial. MUCH anger over this issue.

3. Victim families were immediately offered 172000 RMB government compensation plus 50000RMB "early signing bonus" to those who agree quickly. Chinese internet explodes again in disgust at the thought of using the phrase "award money" for death compensation, and of trying to rush grieving families into legal settlements. It looked like they were selling condos rather than giving financial aid. Most families refuse, saying they want answers rather than money. Internet is filled with posts comparing the disparity between compensation amounts for foreign nationals who die in China vs Chinese citizens -- tens of millions of RMB vs hundreds of thousands. Also comparisons to Chinese nationals who die in other countries (mainland tourists who died in Taiwan: 1.8 million RMB each) Yesterday, after Premier Wen visited the site, the compensation package was raised to a minimum of 915000RMB. People still calling this insultingly low.

4. Second day of the accident, media was informed of official narrative and government directive. Press is ordered to use only the official name for the accident, devote most of their air time to stories of rescue heroism, and forbidden from investigating on their own initiative. Some journalists are rebelling, with public offering support but also voicing apprehension about safety of these journalists.

5. Official death toll is currently at 40 with the passing of a critically injured passenger yesterday. The passenger manifest is still not public. List of dead, missing, and injured is still not released, even though the railway moved to an id card based ticketing system earlier this year, which would make this information computerized and easily accessible. Public is comparing this to the release of names of deceased in the Norway shooting incident. Public suspicion is that the real death toll is far above 40. Much frustration directed at railway ministry and government over lack of information.

There's a lot more controversies here but those are the main ones. This has blown up to a HUGE national discussion about transparency and government accountability. Much disgust on the Chinese internet over the handling of this accident.

If you can read one, it's pretty trivial to read the other. Now with writing, you will have to re-learn over half of it, but I can't see why you would bother learn how to write either with IME being so damn convenient.

A good example of the difference and relative fluency would be here when this moron is frozen in ice and is trying to write 'calligraphy' to say 'long live the Chinese Communist Party' in Traditional characters but kind of screws up and writes the last 3 in simplified because if he wasn't an illiterate retard he would not be doing such a stupid thing in the first place. He got 4 of the characters right, which is lovely, but it's not as if he doesn't see the traditional form of the second last character like EVERY time he plays Mahjong.

And here's the thing, if you're fluent in Chinese, you can talk to guys like him, university graduates all can read and write fluently in English and can usually at least understand it most of the time, so it's not as important. It's an interesting language, but you do not _need_ to learn it unless you have an interest in learning a particularly difficult foreign language.

ChinaSmack has much more detailed coverage on this story, including translated Chinese netizen reactions and ton of photoshops. There are only a few ways that the Chinese can criticize the "ZF" (Chinese Government), these sorts of harmless mockery is one of them.

http://www.chinasmack.com/2011/pictures/floating-chinese-government-officials-stun-netizens.html

I found this comment on chinaSMACK, but I think it fits well here, too.

Chinasmack Rule 1. Subcategory A:
i) A commenter cannot criticize one country without criticizing America in equal or greater amounts. If a poster criticizes China that person is inevitably from America, and must be met equal and opposite criticisms of the US (e.g. “But, but, America!”).

Thank you Cheech Wizard, you are in compliance with protocol and will be allowed further commenting privileges.

Besides, the Chinese and Asian in general are quite relaxed people.

I just wanted to provide a counterpoint about the "relaxed" nature of the Chinese people, from Chinese people themselves:

http://www.chinasmack.com/2010/pictures/guns-in-america-wal-marts-chinese-netizen-reactions.html

If you want actual news about China from Chinese folks, try ChinaSMACK. They cover whatever Chinese internet users are talking about. Half of it is tabloid type crap, but it's more authentic than what you get in most newspapers.

Are you getting 50 cents for these posts? "Those who do not conform from birth are inferior, and must be cleansed!"

Nah, they have Baidu, which is the main search engine in China. Bing isn't even on the map. Even here, they have to pay people to use it with those shopping deals they put out.

If you want to see what actual Chinese people think, look here. I actually submitted that as a story, but it was rejected.

Agree. If you think the translated Chinese comments from KDS forum on ChinaSMACK represent what the majority of Chinese people think, you are horribly wrong. Read the racist nonsense from the same group of people on ChinaSMACK:

http://www.chinasmack.com/stories/shanghai-black-girl-lou-jing-racist-chinese-netizens/

The closest I've seen to something like that is called ChinaSMACK. I wouldn't really call it "subversive," though. It focuses on whatever is currently popular in China. It's interesting to see all the translated comments talking about the USA...

Suffice it to say, we both have a lot to learn about each other...

http://www.chinasmack.com/stories/shanghai-black-girl-lou-jing-racist-chinese-netizens/

At least blacks can appear on TV in the US.

link (original) and link (translated) for the citation.

This is rather old news. The Chinese have had slang used to bypass filters for a VERY long time now. (Note that the link is just for general slang, but there are several terms like "grass-mud horse" and "river crab" society in there.)

Yes, it's clever. But this isn't exactly new...

You can get a little more perspective by reading sites like chinaSMACK. It's pretty good for finding out how the average Chinese netizen sees things (with the caveat that the average of netizens may not be the same as the average person, though net cafes do seem pretty widespread).

They won't understand if you put things like that, because most of us have our own ideas about what China is like based on the news we see in our own newspapers. Most of us have never been and will never go to China, so I doubt people will understand how the Chinese see their country.

That said, I recently found a site called chinaSMACK which has helped me better understand how things are over there. Apparently, someone has enough spare time to translate random, popular blog posts and the comments on them into English. Maybe that will provide some perspective. Assuming anyone reads the information there, that is. We all know how many people like to comment without RTFA...