独一无二, 无尽的爱

As Avatar continues to rake in money across China, in both 2D and 3D projections, Chinese authorities have moved to take the movie out of the circuit, so that Conficius, a movie about the Chinese philosopher, can go out without real competition. Avatar was due to be shown until the end of next month, but as from 23rd of this month, Avatar will now only be played in the few 3D cinemas that exist here. The movie Avatar has proved to be a success, with queues and advance booking for weeks. About a couple of weeks ago, when I queried I was told that you could only buy February tickets for the movie.

Conficius (the movie) does not look so bad, but it’s unlikely to portray the real life of the man. I mean, his life was quite ‘dull’, and you can’t make a dull movie and expect to get back your investment, right? Could it be that the authorities want the locals to remember about Chinese concepts and patriotic stories rather than the plight of Na’vi, who to some portrays the oppressed land-dwellers forced to relocate by the government?

Local Chinese movie makers can make some nice movies, but they are always ‘advised’ on how the film must pan out by local authorities if they want their movie to be fit for screening. As such, they rarely manage to make a really great movie. I once read that when Kungfu Panda came out, a local director said if this was made by a local company, that movie would never have been able to make it to the screen as they would not have had such freedom of expressions. I do not know where KfP would have stepped over the line, as I only remember it as a fun cartoon. Maybe I have not yet become fully ‘Chinese’ yet.

(PS: IMDB is the latest site to fall foul of the government and can no longer be accessed without proxies/VPN on mainland China)

So another year comes to an end. And along with it fresh hassles regarding visa renewals. Since 2010 will be Expo year for Shanghai, the authority will be more strict and annoying than ever, probably worse than Beijing at its pre-Olympics period.

I hope everyone had a good Christmas and getting geared for the New Year. Best wishes and have fun.

I was just wondering. If someone someday hacks your site and redirect the traffic to another site. Is it easy to regain control of the ip address so that people looking for you will successfully reach your site?

Ok, I’m tired of being blocked from accessing all those sites. The ‘harmonious’ society is making me very unhappy. I’m thinking of buying a VPN for a few months. Say a 3mths trial period. The free VPNs have already been blocked by the Great Firewall, and I’m not sure if paying ones will still work for long. Anyone got any recommendation?

Although I am no longer living in Beijing I still frequently check one of its expat-based forums for news about life up there. So I was kind of taken aback with the pictures which give yet another indication of how bad the air quality is in the capital. The quote is from someone who used it along the 3rd/4th ring (not really downtown) and away from cars, on a pedestrian pathway.

my experience over the weekend:

Post-use dissection of dust filter. I used it for the past two mornings, walking outside. 4 hours total usage time.

I bought these filters for 16 kuai each at Beijing United. They can, for sure, be found cheaper elsewhere and if you buy in bulk.

1. At left: 3M™ Particulate Respirator 8210, N95, New.

At Right: 3M™ Particulate Respirator 8210, N95, after I used it for a total of four hours over two consecutive days in Beijing.

2. Filter cut in half.

3. First outer gauze layer peeled away, exposing main exterior filter.

4. Main exterior filter cut away, showing second layer.

5. Second layer peeled away to show inner layer. Thankfully, looks clean — so at least the major shmutz didn’t make it to my lungs.

CONCLUSION: WEAR A F*ING MASK

Well, it certainly makes you wonder how healthy one can be in that city. The official air quality figures given by the govt there is of course a rose-tinted one and it will keep going on as such, much to the oblivion of most of the population there. Now that the Olympics are over, they can revert back to their old ways. As the die-hard locals would say, “you don’t like it? Then go back to your country.” TIC indeed. (This Is China).

As from today, the taxi fares in Shanghai have risen up. The initial fare has gone up from 11 kuai to 12 kuai. Similarly, every additional km will see the fare go up by 2.4 kuai instead of the 2.1 kuai we used to have. It’s going to be quite expensive for me since when I go out with friends, my return cab fare used to be around 90kuai …. It will be over 100kuai now :(

12 kuai initial fare

Dan 48 ere la Sin pu fet so 60an. Guverman p mari kontrol tou gonaz. Dan rezion gnaijniX (lir depi drwat a gos) zot fin aparama koup tou sort kominikation. Pna internet, pna telefon, pa kav avoy sms …. nwar komple. Ena sipa 2 zour de cela zot ti p fer repetition fet dan Pkin. Tane dir ena 2 zournalis ti p tir foto depi ene la fenet, larmee rentrer flank banla ene bezer, ek kass zot lapareil. Tou loto ek dimun ki rent Pkin p mari kontrole.

Aster la mo nepli kav akces koobec@F (lir drwat a gos) akoz banla p kontrol internet. Tout sa ban espes pr0xi, VPN gratis, lozisiel pu evit blokaz nepli marser. Ek letan mo akces ban sit dehor, souvan paz la pa load ou bizin esey plizir foa. Se ki fe ki mo penser zot p mari fer zefor evit nimport ki nuvel ki pou fer la Sin paret vilein.

P priyer banla pu moinss sever apre fet, me mo kroir koobec@F in kaput. Mo p koncider VPN peyan, me pa koner ki kaliter la vi internet pu eter apre. Mo p tap sa post la an kreol akoz mo pa envi banla kompran ek ban mo sit.

Sinon mwa mo p al pas conze dan Hainan. Repoz mwa ene ti p dan bor la mer. Bien kontan mo pa Pkin kot tou dimoun p inkomoder ek ban larmee ek gablou zot aktion.

Ale, bai!

Actually, I’m not that happy. Yesterday we had a meeting to tell the staff that SH office is being closed and that they’re all being fired. Haha! Well, it’s more or less the truth. We gave them notice of closure yesterday, and today we have already started moving office furniture out of the office building. Guess what? My desk was among the first to leave through the doors. LOL! No desk, no PC, no internet (of course) …. WTH am I going to do?

We’ll be based at the staff apartment for a few weeks while we settle everything out, and I am guessing till the National holidays (first week of Oct) we will be moving things out bit by bit.

So, just another Chinese joke for today:

Tribulations of a simple-minded husband

※ Wife on a business trip for a week
1. Wife went on trip yesterday, so today she not home. No dinner.
2. Today wife still not home. Again no dinner.
3. Today wife still not home. Still no dinner.
4. Today wife still not home. Visit parents, dinner at parents’ home.
5. Today wife still not home. Visit sister, dinner at sister’s home.
6. Today wife still not home. Visit old pal, his wife also not home. No dinner.
7. Today wife still not home. Call wife ask when she back.

※ Chess with wife
1. Today Saturday. Play chess at home, win all 5 rounds with wife. No dinner.
2. Today Sunday. Play chess at home. Lose all 5 rounds to wife. Wife give me roasted meat for dinner.
3. Today Saturday. Negotiate with wife. I win first two rounds then lose last 3 rounds. Then play with wife.

※ Love wife
1. Today wife ask if I love her. Immediately reply yes. Wife asks if I considered it out carefully. Answer: “Usual answer, no need to consider.” No dinner.
2. Today pondered long long time before telling wife I love her. No dinner.
3. Today dare not answer if I love her. No dinner.

※ Familiarity and punishment
1. Today during dinner criticize wife’s cooking. After dinner I wash the dishes.
2. Today wife make joke, I not smile. Spend one hour trying to make her smile.
3. Today wife not switch off lights before going to work. Fined her 5rmb.
4. Today wife find me smoking at home. Fined 50rmb.
5. This morning before going to work, kiss wife. Late for work.
6. Today is Saturday. In the morning wife kiss me. All housework mine to do.

※ Shopping
1. Saturday wife wants go shopping. I say no, tired. No lunch. Promise go tomorrow, finally have dinner.
2. Sunday go shopping. Wife buy 2 shirts for me. One for 300, one for 200.
3. Monday go to jewelery store. Buy necklace for wife. Price 1500.
4. Today say wife fat. Evening wife lose weight. No dinner.
5. Today wife wears new clothes. Ask me if nice. Answer “Not bad”. Tonight wash my own clothes.

※ After writing diary ….
1. Today publish diary. Writer’s fees will give wife. Dinner will be twice better than usual.
2. Today wife see published diary. Wife eats alone, I wash dishes alone.

Just a small joke I saw on a Chinese site today. I translated it into simple English for you guys.

Look at them, so romantic

Why don’t you learn from him?

I’d love to, but I don’t dare

Pick up some courage, a man should dare to think and dare to act

(Sidenote: See how the pink shirt girl seems willing but embarrassed that it’s in front of her guy. The blue girl’s reaction is not evident. Is she encouraging? What does the pointing means?)

I’ve noticed this year that several of my friends seem to have picked up an interest in digital photography and bought a digital camera for their needs. After browsing around a bit, I’ve set my mind on a Nikon D90. It’s expensive (quoted around USD1000), and at a time where I’m likely to be losing my job in a few months, it doesn’t make too much sense in forking out such amounts. Right?

But I still can’t get it out of mind. I need to have it. Whatever happens later. Even if after a few weeks I dump it in a drawer. I’ve missed fiddling with the manual settings, changing apertures and ISO, focusing on a subject while making the background all fuzzy ….. I guess it’s a memory of the old times that I can’t get rid of, and that’s why I want the camera so much.

Nikon D90

Of course, there are cheaper digital cameras, but I’m kind of stubborn. I like this model, I want to buy this model, not others.

I’m probably going out of the country for the October holidays, and I’m hoping I’ll be able to buy it beforehand or at one of the airports’ duty free shop.