Would like to be corrected if I'm wrong, but my impression is that the majority of Americans abroad who vote tend to vote Democratic, which helps to explain why it's particularly in the interest of Democrat Party types to encourage Americans abroad to vote.
Would like to hear more from non-Americans about US Democrats - points of view that most Americans can't seem to take seriously.
Sorry but I think enthusiasm among many Americans here for either of the 2 major US parties is pretty much on the wane. However, I do think that there may occasionally be issues on which we can form temporary coalitions, so if you guys can come up with projects that don't cause me to laugh, cry, or lose my temper, please let me know, I'll drop by for a chat.
Meanwhile, you might benefit from going back half a century and rereading the Port Huron Statement - tell us what you think, and maybe we can go on from there, at least until the inevitable conflicts between your whole circus with the Republicans, on the one hand, and the rest of us, on the other, become too intense to contain the charade you're involved in.
@KuiXing: any idea what the law is about refusing foreign guests? I've had the experience of staying in a hotel in Jinghong that was not, apparently, registered to accept foreigners or whatever, but then they accepted me, I just had to go to a photocopy place and copy my passport details, etc. Have returned to this place many times, they remember and accept me now with no trouble. Room 60rmb.
However, I think different provinces may have different regulations about all this.
@KuiXing: any idea what the law is about refusing foreign guests? I've had the experience of staying in a hotel in Jinghong that was not, apparently, registered to accept foreigners or whatever, but then they accepted me, I just had to go to a photocopy place and copy my passport details, etc. Have returned to this place many times, they remember and accept me now with no trouble. Room 60rmb.
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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.
Too bourgeois.
Really good pizza and steaks. The wine machine fuddles me when I'm a bit fuddled, & seems unnecessary. Good folks on both sides of the bar.
Ain't no flies on Salvador's.
Exploring history: Jianshui through the ages
Posted byJim's article is, as usual, excellent, but although he mentions renovations, perhaps he has left off a few that are really quite extensive. For example, there is a tourist street in Jianshui that has all the 'traditional' curved Han-style shop roofs you might like to see, but they were all built since the first time I went there some 10 years ago. More recently, the old South Gate has been built from scratch - wasn't there 10 years ago either.
The significance of the Confucian temple should not be missed - the conquerors of Yunnan were Mongols, with Central Asian troops, many Muslim. The fact that a Muslim ruler built such a large structure in this far-away province is a good example of the nature of the rulers: they were big supporters, not only of Islamic learning, but of Confucianism and Buddhism as well. And by the Ming Dynasty, if not before, the fact that this was the second largest Confucian temple in China, after the one in Qufu, the Kong (Confucius) family home in Shandong, is a clear statement of the attitude of the dynasty towards this frontier, Han-minority province, which had been very much independent, and under non-Han rulers, before the Mongols: This place is Ours now, and b'god we're here to stay!
And then note the role played by Lin'an (Jianshui) during the massive 'Panthay Rebellion' against the Qing (Man, or Manchu rulers), led by Muslims but with numerous Yi and Han followers, which went on for 18 bloody years in the 19th century...
Yunnan's history is unique, and it's fascinating.
$17 billion Chongqing-Kunming railway nears completion
Posted byTrain is as fast and more comfortable, I mean.
$17 billion Chongqing-Kunming railway nears completion
Posted byDoesn't it cost more in terms of the planet? And not necessarily cheaper in personal cash terms either. More comfortable too, and not faster to Chongqing - 3 hours, the article says - how much time would you spend getting to the airport, boarding the damn thing, then sitting scrunched up, getting baggage, etc.?
$17 billion Chongqing-Kunming railway nears completion
Posted bySeems to me this is a better idea than a lot of airports and air traffic.
Spring City's tallest skyscraper nears completion
Posted byGood question, nnoble. My not-too-informed knee-jerk reaction would be to say no, but I'd be happy to consider any opinion that came with reasons.
Also the question: 'Does Kunming need this building...' makes me think of another one: who, precisely, is this 'Kunming' who either needs or doesn't need?