I take your point and don't disagree, but it makes it difficult to come to any conclusion about anything. Imagine if scientific discourse were that way (e.g., Isaac Newton, apple..."Yeah,Isaac, but, you know, I prefer oranges" " But they cost too much because we have to get them from Spain" "Spain has nice beaches, though..."), or a meeting of parliament, or an academic seminar, or a meeting of military officers confronted with a battle plan, or anybody who's trying to come to a decision or mutual understanding about almost anything in less than an infinite amount of time. There are types of discussion which are not just bull sessions.
E.g.: somebody wants to know where to buy an ebike in Kunming and I tell them that their question reminds me of when I wanted to find a cheap 2nd-hand motorcycle when I was 16 in Bombay (which, by the way, is now called Mumbai...).
In short, the fact that somebody bothers to come up with a specific topic for discussion in the first place tends to indicate that they find some importance in it - there is more than one 'natural way of discussion'. I think that should be respected, and that anybody who wants to talk about something else can do so - elsewhere.
God knows there are enough bullshit chat groups around, and I'm not objecting to occasional humor, but I think that gokunming can be better than that.
I'm interested in many topics, there are some to which I think I can make a useful contribution, and there are others from whom I learn a few things. In addition I'm interested in the capacity and willingness of others to think things out. I also believe that agreement, as well as clear disagreement, between people is useful and hard to establish without dialogue, and that dialogue can improve our common environment - social and otherwise.
I'm not saying that any or all of the above is guaranteed, but I don't have much confidence in anything else, and I think that action, or even activity, without the above is probably disastrous in the long run.
Is there a point to having different topics of discussion on gokunming? If so, what is it? And if so, is there a good reason for bringing up other topics with no clear relation to the topic of discussion of the thread? If so, what?
@Petrer: while I was busy not making the obvious Gandhara/Kandahar id (yeah - damn I knew that!) it occurred to me that Alexander's name in Persian languages is pronounced Sikander (a men's name used even today in Afghanistan), so I thought of Si(x)-kandar > Kandahar - ever thought of that one? Sheer speculation, no digging for any sources.
Kandahar/Gandhara - yeah, I think I knew that but forgot. But I'd think it would have been Dali, during the Nanzhao & Dali Kingdoms, that would have been called in Sanskrit(?), rather than Kunming. I take it you're saying that Qiantuoluo is a transliteration of Gandhara into Chinese? Sounds like it could be; and then the Tuo > Tuodong (east, yeah). Which tuo is it and what does it mean?
Logical - are there documents or steles or something in/on which the writers themselves make these connections?
@Peter: I've never heard that Kunming was ever called East Kandahar, or that the name Tuodong was ever associated with Kandahar. Kandahar is in southern Afghanistan today, but the Old City of Kandahar (the Zor Shar), where I participated on an archaeological dig some 40 years ago, had 'Greek' style remains that allowed us to identify it as one of many 'Alexandrias' taken over (remains at Zor Shar go back a couple thousand years before Alexander's armies) and renamed by the Macedonaian/Greek armies of Alexander the Great and/or the Hellenistic Empire that followed it. The Kandahar area of Afghanistan, as well as much of the Indian subcontinent, was later part of the (Buddhist) Mauryan Empire, centered in what is today's India - wouldn't be surprised if the Mauryans claimed all of Bengal, which included what is now Bangladesh, and perhaps the foreigner kingdoms of what became Burma and called it all something. However, there is no indication that any of the Hellenistic rulers or the Mauryans ever conquered, or even invaded, the Kunming area, although it wouldn't be surprising if they heard of it and claimed it, as conquerors are wont to claim anything they hear of. But I don't know the origin of the name Kandahar, in Afghanistan or anywhere else.
If you go via Luang Nam Tha, check out the Bamboo Lounge restaurant there, which has an ongoing program of helping to provide textbooks, with part of its profits and with a contribution from an anonymous donor, for the schoolkids of the area, most of whom do not have them at present.
The late Sam Mitchell, whose PhD was in Indian History, and who had a great love for India and Indian culture, played a part in establishing and advancing connections between Kunming and Rabinra Bharati University before his unfortunate death in Kolkata in 2011. I once had the privilege of hearing him go on at dizzying length on Indian metaphysics with a very bright US student upstairs in Salvador's.
Not quite what you'd call a jumping place, but not bad at all for rather standard US-type meals, not overly expensive, and with a really good salad bar that's cheap, or free with most dinner dishes after 5:30PM. You can get a bottle of beer or even wine if you really want to, but I've never seen anybody do it - maybe that's just to take out. Chinese Christian run, and they hire people with physical disadvantages, who are pleasant and helpful. Frequented by foreign (mostly North American) Christians and Chinese Christians - was started by a Canadian couple associated with Bless China (previously, Project Grace), who are no longer here, but no religious pressure or any of that. Steaks are nothing special, and I avoid the Korean dishes, which I've had a few times but which did not impress me.
As a shop and bakery, it's very good bread at reasonable prices, of various kinds (Y18 for a good multigrain loaf that certainly weighs well over a pound. Other stuff too, like granola and oatmeal that is local, as well as imported things, including American cornflakes and so forth, which some people seem to require.
Large portions, seriously so with the pizza, which is Brooklyn/American style, I guess. Convivial, conversational, good place to drink with good folks on both sides of the bar, especially after about 9PM.
China's first 'school of yoga' to be established in Kunming
发布者@Petrer: while I was busy not making the obvious Gandhara/Kandahar id (yeah - damn I knew that!) it occurred to me that Alexander's name in Persian languages is pronounced Sikander (a men's name used even today in Afghanistan), so I thought of Si(x)-kandar > Kandahar - ever thought of that one? Sheer speculation, no digging for any sources.
China's first 'school of yoga' to be established in Kunming
发布者Kandahar/Gandhara - yeah, I think I knew that but forgot. But I'd think it would have been Dali, during the Nanzhao & Dali Kingdoms, that would have been called in Sanskrit(?), rather than Kunming. I take it you're saying that Qiantuoluo is a transliteration of Gandhara into Chinese? Sounds like it could be; and then the Tuo > Tuodong (east, yeah). Which tuo is it and what does it mean?
Logical - are there documents or steles or something in/on which the writers themselves make these connections?
China's first 'school of yoga' to be established in Kunming
发布者@Peter: I've never heard that Kunming was ever called East Kandahar, or that the name Tuodong was ever associated with Kandahar. Kandahar is in southern Afghanistan today, but the Old City of Kandahar (the Zor Shar), where I participated on an archaeological dig some 40 years ago, had 'Greek' style remains that allowed us to identify it as one of many 'Alexandrias' taken over (remains at Zor Shar go back a couple thousand years before Alexander's armies) and renamed by the Macedonaian/Greek armies of Alexander the Great and/or the Hellenistic Empire that followed it. The Kandahar area of Afghanistan, as well as much of the Indian subcontinent, was later part of the (Buddhist) Mauryan Empire, centered in what is today's India - wouldn't be surprised if the Mauryans claimed all of Bengal, which included what is now Bangladesh, and perhaps the foreigner kingdoms of what became Burma and called it all something. However, there is no indication that any of the Hellenistic rulers or the Mauryans ever conquered, or even invaded, the Kunming area, although it wouldn't be surprising if they heard of it and claimed it, as conquerors are wont to claim anything they hear of. But I don't know the origin of the name Kandahar, in Afghanistan or anywhere else.
Myanmar-Thailand-Laos-China: 4 countries, 4 days, 400 yuan
发布者If you go via Luang Nam Tha, check out the Bamboo Lounge restaurant there, which has an ongoing program of helping to provide textbooks, with part of its profits and with a contribution from an anonymous donor, for the schoolkids of the area, most of whom do not have them at present.
China's first 'school of yoga' to be established in Kunming
发布者The late Sam Mitchell, whose PhD was in Indian History, and who had a great love for India and Indian culture, played a part in establishing and advancing connections between Kunming and Rabinra Bharati University before his unfortunate death in Kolkata in 2011. I once had the privilege of hearing him go on at dizzying length on Indian metaphysics with a very bright US student upstairs in Salvador's.