Well, one might argue that it is slightly unethical to strengthen the centralized power of large monolithic corporations by giving them money - it's not simply a question of the supposed 'quality' of the product, since money is undemocratic in principle, qualitatively neutral, and can be used to buy/control any thing, as well as most people.
On the other hand, thinking too carefully in this manner will eventually make it impossible for one to breathe, so that it's virtually impossible to live without guilt, maintain a fantasy of ethical behaviour, and think clearly at the same time...I think I wrote somewhere that I respect both dogs and pigs, who are similarly intelligent and anyway feel pain; and love to eat bacon. I don't eat dogs. Sentimental tripe, of course, but perhaps bacon-lovers should slaughter their own pigs, & dog-eaters their own dogs. Some vegetarians and some Buddhists have much to tell us.
"NAKED Lunch - a frozen moment when everyone sees what is on the end of every fork."
Now: I'll have a Big Mac, a big fries & Coke, please.
zhulaoye - exactly right, and this is not only a Chinese syndrome either - although the food at such places is usually a bit better than elsewhere and rarely seriously bad, it's never 5 times the value of common sense behaviour either.
On the other hand, common sense can become boring, and people do like to have hired help which is good at pretending to respect them.
So choose your fantasies, pay for them, and suspend your disbelief, like when you go to the theatre. AND ENJOY GOOD FOOD! wherever you find it.
Cuihulongjing: I do indeed fathom the difference between the evolution of humans & pigs vs. humans & dogs. My point is that, rather than being guided by what we may or may not happen to know about evolutionary or historical development, one might concern oneself with actual beings, even though the beings are animals. Or should we love/hate/eat/coddle the actual person, animal or not, just because our ancestors (whom we didn't know) knew his ancestors (whom he didn't know either)? One might as well go about fearing/hating snakes just because of the myth in Genesis, or hating Danes because the ancestors of some of them invaded England well over 1000 years ago. Multiply by as many examples as you can think of.
We can get over our attachment to dogs and our attachment to bacon is we want to. Or not. AAs for myself, I indulge myself with both. Mea culpa.
@flengs, 1. okay, I bow to the voice of greater experience. What are the places that are not walkable in one day? I know there's a lot of area that I have not visited there.
2. getting a bit lost can be worthwhile - art of discovery dept.
PS: Shibaoshan is really worth the visit - there's a place to stay there, or you can walk down the trail to Sideng (the main tourist-oriented Shaxi village) in an hour or two.
I think you can ignore the 'plan well get guide must have van perfect route' stuff - lately it seems that an awful lot of non-Chinese people in this area need a GPS every time they leave their apartments.
Living in a cave & making fire with flint isn't necessary, as it's perfectly possible to live in houses & make fire in easier ways without polluting the universe. However, 'dealing with it' is exactly what I propose, rather than simply using something because it exists and somebody wants to sell it to you, regardless of the effects it has - simply going along with everything is not 'dealing with' anything at all: no decisions, no thought is required. And just because the horses produce manure doesn't mean you've got to have an airplane.
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.
Yunnan's Stone Treasure: Shibao Mountain
Posted by@flengs, 1. okay, I bow to the voice of greater experience. What are the places that are not walkable in one day? I know there's a lot of area that I have not visited there.
2. getting a bit lost can be worthwhile - art of discovery dept.
Yunnan's Stone Treasure: Shibao Mountain
Posted byPS: Shibaoshan is really worth the visit - there's a place to stay there, or you can walk down the trail to Sideng (the main tourist-oriented Shaxi village) in an hour or two.
Yunnan's Stone Treasure: Shibao Mountain
Posted byI think you can ignore the 'plan well get guide must have van perfect route' stuff - lately it seems that an awful lot of non-Chinese people in this area need a GPS every time they leave their apartments.
Kunming to monetize street vendor chaos
Posted byShyam, I don't understand what is natural about markets and festivals, but if they are, why aren't supermarkets 'natural'? Or are they?
Changshui once again closed by fog
Posted byLiving in a cave & making fire with flint isn't necessary, as it's perfectly possible to live in houses & make fire in easier ways without polluting the universe. However, 'dealing with it' is exactly what I propose, rather than simply using something because it exists and somebody wants to sell it to you, regardless of the effects it has - simply going along with everything is not 'dealing with' anything at all: no decisions, no thought is required. And just because the horses produce manure doesn't mean you've got to have an airplane.