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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Nirish guy
One a serious note whilst i'm sure you're right but DO you think on a daily basis that IS the case there and that you are being formally watched or details of your movements / actions are recorded in any way or do you just mean IF you were to carry out some illegal action "someone" would probably report you either morally or to get their own brownie points built up with the powers that be - or is it more organised than that - just out of interest re how things like that work there ? PS I assume you're using a VPN to post here etc too ?
With face recognizing technology and small number of foreigners in China now it is easy for them just follow you by drone non-stop and record all your actions "for future analyse". They will know all your habits, places and routines very soon. After that they will leave watching of you to robots who will alarm human only if some your path will be out of typical routine. Nothing of too much complicated.
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Uranus
In Standard (Mandarin) Chinese, yuán literally means a "round object" or "round coin". During the Qing Dynasty, the yuan was a round coin made of silver. The Japanese currency, the yen, derives from the Chinese word yuan.
Mandarin is a spoken dialect as is Cantonese, Hakka etc. The written language is simply Chinese. Mandarin being the dialect of the capital city and its region has been determined to be “standard” spoken Chinese.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandarin_Chinese
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Nirish guy
One a serious note whilst i'm sure you're right but DO you think on a daily basis that IS the case there and that you are being formally watched or details of your movements / actions are recorded in any way or do you just mean IF you were to carry out some illegal action "someone" would probably report you either morally or to get their own brownie points built up with the powers that be - or is it more organised than that - just out of interest re how things like that work there ? PS I assume you're using a VPN to post here etc too ?
Don’t fret NIrish - the Chinese government hackers will have followed arsenal’s every move as a Forum Moderator and have got all your details safely on file too.
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
NIrish. I don't use a vpn to post here and no, I don't feel like I'm.being formally watched any more than anyone else in what is basically a police state.
steviewonders wrote
"whenever I think of you" (me)
All the time apparently..
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Quote:
Originally Posted by arsenal
steviewonders wrote
"whenever I think of you" (me)
All the time apparently..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JWT...neyhoustonVEVO
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Moses wrote.
"With face recognizing technology and small number of foreigners in China now it is easy for them just follow you by drone non-stop and record all your actions "for future analyse". They will know all your habits, places and routines very soon. After that they will leave watching of you to robots who will alarm human only if some your path will be out of typical routine. Nothing of too much complicated."
Perhaps. A drone following me might be quite useful, carry the shopping etc. But, any threats to China come from within and the authorities know that.
Of course in Thailand you need your passport to get a SIM card and every hotel reports foreigner check ins to the police as well of course as the 90 day reporting for expats.
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Moses
With face recognizing technology and small number of foreigners in China now it is easy for them just follow you by drone non-stop
The crazy thing being that after watching a documentary about just that subject a few weeks ago it seems your suggestion is just about spot on ! I'm not even sure if you were joking or not but as I suspect you already know that IS ( or can) be whats happening now already on any given day in China it seems ( and probably in many other Countries too if only we plebs knew !) Scary stuff !
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Quote:
Originally Posted by arsenal
I don't use a vpn to post here and no, I don't feel like I'm being formally watched any more than anyone else in what is basically a police state.
There's a lengthy investigation in the New York Times about the efforts China made to suppress news of the coronavirus spreading earlier this year. To the point made by arsenal and Moses, the NYT states
"Though China makes no secret of its belief in rigid internet controls, the documents convey just how much behind-the-scenes effort is involved in maintaining a tight grip. It takes an enormous bureaucracy, armies of people, specialized technology made by private contractors, the constant monitoring of digital news outlets and social media platforms — and, presumably, lots of money."
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/19/t...ensorship.html
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Uranus
In Standard (Mandarin) Chinese, yuán literally means a "round object" or "round coin". During the Qing Dynasty, the yuan was a round coin made of silver. The Japanese currency, the yen, derives from the Chinese word yuan.
There was a programme on TV recently about silver. It related how China came to depend on silver originally coming mostly from traders based in the Philippines and was the richest country in the world early in the Manchu Dynasty. It was also to prove the downfall of the Dynasty. The silver coins all had holes in the centre and if I remember correctly they were often grouped in eight pieces - hence the phrase "pieces of eight". Do you have any idea if that is correct?
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
All things peak and trough and Chinese clubs are no different. It's been boring there recently and while I wish it weren't so I know why.
Usually the party boys are straight. They go round chatting up girls, chatting up boys, drinking, collecting contacts, dancing and having fun. It's their job. Sadly recently many of the straight boys have left and been replaced by gay ones. They do none of the above. They congregate with each other in a huddle and don't bother to interract with anyone. As a result the party atmosphere has been totally diminished. Time to go to a different club, at least for a while to let the stocks of straight boys replenish.
As well as causing untold misery and death the virus has also made people fat, apparently. The reply below from a boy on blued when I said I don't like fat boys.
"Slim for the first two years, fat now after the outbreak"
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Excess weight is reversible with an assessment of what's wrong with the diet, followed by some discipline and self control.
I also don't like fat boys and prefer to live the dream, shagging models, rather than pigs.
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Armando
There was a programme on TV recently about silver. It related how China came to depend on silver originally coming mostly from traders based in the Philippines and was the richest country in the world early in the Manchu Dynasty. It was also to prove the downfall of the Dynasty. The silver coins all had holes in the centre and if I remember correctly they were often grouped in eight pieces - hence the phrase "pieces of eight". Do you have any idea if that is correct?
https://www.encyclopedia.com/history...y/pieces-eight
PIECES OF EIGHT
Pieces of eight were Spanish silver coins (pesos) that circulated along with other hard currency in the American colonies. Since the settlements in the New World were all possessions of their mother countries (England, Spain, France, Portugal, and the Netherlands), they did not have monetary systems of their own. England forbade its American colonies to issue money. Colonists used whatever foreign currency they could get their hands on. Pieces of eight (from Spain), reals (from Spain and Portugal), and shillings (from England) were in circulation; the pieces of eight were most common. The Spanish silver coin was so named because it was worth eight reals and at one time had an eight stamped on it. To make change, the coin was cut up to resemble pieces of a pie. Two pieces, or "two bits," of the silver coin made up a quarter, which is why Americans still may refer to a quarter (of a dollar) as two bits.
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Supermarkets are back to requesting masks be worn after two Chinese cities were put into lockdown. For months the temp testers stationed at the entrances had barely bothered with their thermometers. No other changes.
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
One of our lovely bridges. Look familiar?
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
They've had a few cases here and a couple of cities have gone into lockdown. As a result a couple of the malls are checking everybody's health code.
The police are sometimes out and about dealing with traffic violations. This is usually riding without a helmet or more often riding the wrong way. The fine is 20rmb. However a simple refusal by me to understand anything they're trying to communicate results in my being let go unfined once any witnesses have moved on.
The checks for drunk drivers are a whole different ball game. Many officers and always one carrying a long pole with a neck restraint on one end.
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Quote:
Originally Posted by
arsenal
The checks for drunk drivers are a whole different ball game. Many officers and always one carrying a long pole with a neck restraint on one end.
I guess you’re not in Xinjiang then:
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/...r-labour-camps
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
"Please bend over so that I can check you for covid".
Allegedly the popular new chat up line in China, so this is for you Arsenal.
Quote:
China starts using anal swabs to test 'high-risk' people for Covid
https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...nfection-areas
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Brad the Impala
"Please bend over so that I can check you for covid".
Allegedly the popular new chat up line in China, so this is for you Arsenal.
Quote:
China starts using anal swabs to test 'high-risk' people for Covid
I was under the impression we were already taking anal swabs here in the UK, Brad the Impala. ;)
Attachment 10694
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Off to the club last night. Same old same old. FYI. The photo is not great but it's a guy of about 20, not bad looking actually. And he's wearing a stegosaurus costume, not because he's in fancy dress but because he thinks it's an ok thing to wear to a nightclub. I kept pretending to suck the end of his tail which he didn't like very much but my table did. Haha..
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Back to the club. The doorman wouldn't let me in. I called my contact and he contacted the manager so of course the doorman was told not to be an ignorant twat. But he was pissed at having to let a foreigner in. A few, a very few Chinese get terrified of foreignets when there's s new outbrea, even a small one a thousand miles away. This compares to the supermarket guy who waves me through without even checking my health code.
A nice vignette when one of the delicious host boys took to the dance floor with what can only be described as a rightf at old moo. I gave him a look of "you poor guy" which he accepted and acknowledged.
Currently a little the worse for wear, dancing.like your drunk uncle at a wedfing on the bouncy dance floor and on a bottom feeling quest. More news if it happens.
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Quote:
Originally Posted by
arsenal
. . . Currently a little the worse for wear, dancing like your drunk uncle at a wedding on the bouncy dance floor and on a bottom feeling quest. More news if it happens.
Sounds like you’re having a rave, arsenal. Lucky you! :)
Attachment 10722
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Well I'm up to about 11 firm and springy Sino bottoms nicely fondled so it's a good night's haul.
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
As an addendum to last night. The door staff were dressed in full hazmat gear, slightly ott. I'd needed one of my contacts to get me in due to the simpleton doormans ignorance but a Lebanese guy I met inside had no such difficulty cos he wasn't white and so didn't register as foreign.
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
A bit of streetlife. Shucking mussels or maybe oysters next to the river. They're huge. Rent a bikes piled up. Several wet markets complete with blood everywhere and dead turtles in the same water as live ones.
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
A live post. I'm in a bar, the one pictured below. I just popped in for a beer. Now I've been butyonholed by a local. He's ordered a whole case of Budweiser and it's only him so he wants me to drink with him. He speaks English, sort of but it's incredibly loud and then only word I can understand is 'China' to which I reply 'absolutely' or some similar platitude. It could be a long night. Haha. The waiter is very handsome but typically Chinese already has the beginnings of a beer gut.
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Nice!
Let us know of he managed to finish the case of Budweiser. Could be a very messy night!
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Well it was a very messy night but not for the reasons you might think. It all got very Chinesy. Shortly after the picture post we had to vacate the table and I was ushered back to the bar, I don't know what was going on but the waiters very unhappy disposition and the failure to drink any more bottles suggested this guy didn't have the money to pay for them.
Then he went into full and total Chinese apology mode complete with much bowing, "So sorry" and so much arm round shoulder gripping that I had to move away and handsome waiter gently led him almost sobbing away. I went outside to finish my beer and one of the staff brought me some peanuts and apologised to which I assured her it wasn't the bars fault.
Oh well. As any foreigner in this nut house country can tell you. I'm used to people acting strange around me.
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Quote:
Originally Posted by
arsenal
I'm used to people acting strange around me.
They might say the same about you given you seem to measure the success of an evening out in how many unsuspecting bottoms you succeed in fondling!
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
None last night thank you for asking.
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Out and about. Man performing Tai Chi to traditional Chinese music, beautiful. Odd pickled vegetable hanging with menace, an acrid smell and looking like a prop from Alien. Men playing cards. Very odd fish with legs for sale. Exquisite spoons, look at the animal heads, I suspect powder use. A table of mixed things. The sun sets over the lake.
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Quote:
Very odd fish with legs for sale.
These aren't fish with leg (although such thing exist in the form of mudskipper), but amphibians (newt).
With the Chinese you never know: pet or lifestock?
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Quote:
Originally Posted by
christianpfc
With the Chinese you never know: pet or lifestock?
Occasionally I’ll answer an online survey but I was confused by a recent one about household pets. There was no option for “Thai boyfriend” as an answer.
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Christian wrote.
"These aren't fish with leg (although such thing exist in the form of mudskipper), but amphibians (newt).
With the Chinese you never know: pet or lifestock?"
The pet shops and their live supermarket sections are strikingly similar. They have tiny tiny rabbits that only live for a few months as if they're genetically bred to die young.
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
A few of the huge barges travelling up/down The Grand Canal. A very busy waterway.
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Are those 'fish with legs' axolotls?
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Yes, I think that's what they are. Quite beautiful.
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
A gloriously warm and sunny day today. A stroll along one of our 'ancient' waterways. The buildings are probably post Mao but the street has steps going down the the water so it's likely older. A scene from a bygone era when goods were bought, sold and transported by boat. In full flow it must have been quite a sight. The stone bridge could be a century old. I don't know how the hanging tree doesn't fall into the water.
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Another day of very warm sunshine. So much so that this chap has gone fishing, though for what I'm not sure. Not for him standing on Loch McFloogie or somesuch pitting his wits against the leaping salmon. No, he wades through the water in his full body wetsuit feeling for whatever with his feet.
And it's strawberry season here. Look how red they are and they taste better than any strawberry I've eaten in the UK. Some are the size of a duck egg so who knows what they're feeding them.
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
Quote:
Originally Posted by
arsenal
Look how red they are and they taste better than any strawberry I've eaten in the UK. Some are the size of a duck egg so who knows what they're feeding them.
Probably best not to ask!
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Re: Tales from the Dragon
You might be right. They're all sold right outside the farms that grow them and they offer PYO if you choose to. Not cheap though. That plateful cost 45 rmb. But so good they don't even need cream and sugar although I will of course add them anyway.