Dan R

TCM is made up of several disciplines (just as there are specialists in Scientific Medicine [don't like western medicine as the term seems to overlook traditional medicines still practiced in the West]). Herbals is one of the disciplines and is not limited to herbals since both flora and fauna are used as ingredients. It is effective or "Scientific Medicine" would not use herbals and aromattherapy as sources to develop new drugs. Over 200 currently widely used drugs were developed from traditional Native American herbal treatments. Herbals are used worldwide by all indigenous peoples. Hot and cold is way over simplified to the point of being useless for diagnosis. At least you would need to determine Hot-Wet, Hot-Dry, Cold-Dry, Cold-Wet and whether the condition was a deficiency or excess. This means a possibility of 8 times the 6 pulses being checked (three fingers on seperate pulses feeling at three depths). As you see diagnosis is not that simple and it does find the entire body condition. The less knowledgable the person checking the less accurate the treatment to the point that it becomes just hit or miss used by an untrained person. Pulse reading is thought to have originated in eastern Iran and the energy theory of meridians in northern India or Pakistan. Pulse reading was popular among the Greeks and Romans and taught in all Medical Colleges around the time of Hippocrates who himself was an expert in massage herbals and baths. The disciplines taught in TCM Universities include Tuina, Herbals and Qi Gong (currently prohibited to be taught because of the prohibition in China but absorbed into other curriculum). Within each is a variety of specialized modalities or specializations. Chinese Medicine was greatly advanced under the Yuan Dynasty (primarily the area of herbals) as in the 1200's to 1400's the Mongols were regarded as the most knowledgable doctors in the world. They greatly influenced medicine everywhere they ruled. Even in Tibet until the 19th century all court doctors were Mongolian. This is still greatly generalized but should give you a rough idea of the subject. By the way Cornell University has traced the meridians using new technology. They found the Chinese charts to be accurate with a plus minus of 1.5%. Since they still have no means of testing what they actually do and the interrelations only the existence of "energy lines in the body is now science.

Think you are missing a not on that one. Originally SO was a way for couples living together but not married to avoid long explanations and embarassment when introducing their "SO". by around the late 80's it started applying to any person with whom you have an involved intimate relationship.

Xiao is a prefix to the name as I understood it used by ones own age group or younger for friends. That would make it similar to the kun suffix used in Japanese or like Dan or Danny rather than Daniel. A matter of familiarity. Can any Chinese native speakers help me with this?

Unless the law was revoked recently in Hubei Sheng a woman who is found during the premarital exam to not be a virgin faces a fine of usually several months pay. Thus there can be economic concerns in a country that manadates morality by law in the long Chinese tradition of the legalists. Two years ago the Wuhan internet boards were full of protests about this practice. The intended grooms were most vocal because it often became locally known that they had to pay the fine. Legalists meet loss of face and modernization. The Legalists believed that man would look out for himself first and was therefore evil. Like Confucius, the Legalists wanted to unify China, but they wanted to do it very differently. They believed that society functioned best through strong state control and absolute obedience to authority. They created laws that ordered strict punishments and rewards for behavior.

Come on guys don't scare a poor old man. Government + moving office = scary situation which at best may only result in a few shuffled papers at worse .... Oh My God! I hope they don't make us start over. I may not get any sleep now until the interview. Thanks loads and you guys thought I was already nuts. Ok if I can't sleep I'll seek the only refuge left to me. Ooooohhhhhmmmmmmm Bbbbbbblllllluuuuuueeeee Ttttthhhhhhiiiiiinnnnnggggggiiiiiieeeeeee Ooooooohhhhhmmmmmmm Bbbbbbbllllllluuuuuueeeeee Tttttttthhhhhhiiiiiinnnnnnnggggggiiiiieeeeee Ooooooohhhhhmmmmmmm Bbbbbblllllluuuuuueeeeee tttttthhhhhhiiiiiinnnnnggggggiiiiiieeeeeee

I had wanted the Tao marked cups we drank from in the vegetarian restaurant in Wuhan. They said they wouldn't sell them but directed me to the Taoist Temple several doors down. They had the cups and many other things in a shop as part of the Temple. I wasn't allowed to buy them though because they were over priced . You don't take pictures of the statue of Lao Tsu either. Actually that I knew. I have never taken pictures of any religous objects in China.

Careful David she might get arrested for practicing witthout a license. It isn't really something to play around with. Only licensed practicioners can do accupuncture in China and the U.S. Is she actually styudying it or just reading out of couriousity? Ask if she knows Xiao Er Tuina for children. Very interesting way to treat all childhood ailments. I believe it is only practiced in the northeast. There is differing opinion on whether parents or TCM doctors should be able to do this. Actually doing it wrong with any of the meridian therapies can worsen the condition.

Your post is making me chuckle. I am a holistic practioner of massage and aromatherapy. I have studied Qi Gong, Tuina, Cupping and Xiao Er Tuina in China. Our situation is the opposite. She believes in the quick western medicine fix and I look for the holistic and herbal approach. By the way, Ginseng and Deer Antler really kicks butt on pnuemonia but tastes horrible. This will be one of our cross culture problems but the opposite of what would be expected.

Not exactly the L.A. riots. I was in the middle of that and it wasn't anything like what the news portrayed. The biggest problem was the police were called off the streets and gangs and petty theives were left to reign. I saw young men break windows at the Sears auto center and take the goods. Then the crowd waiting at the bus stop charged them, took the goods and placed them back. Over the next couple days I saw incidents like this while the police stayed at the stations and finally the national guard were sent in. I was teaching ESL at the time and my lesson was showing what a small percent of the city it took to make a big problem. Including thieves involved the highest estimate was 10,000 involved in a city of 11 million = less than 1/10th of 1 percent. In a city of 12,000 that's only 12 people. The news ran the most shocking pictures for 4 days with no new ones. Makes me wonder what is really going on today in the China demonstrations.

processed foods that have been cooked,pickled or otherwise preserved other than simple drying are usually diregarded if they are in commercially sealed packages. These can not pass pests into the environment which is what the agricultural quarantine is for. Meat & Poultry in any form is prohibited to be brought from China. Seafood that is cooked and in sealed commercial packages is ok. This is in reference to small (less than 5 pound quantities for private consumption.

First you you have to worry about the power.. it's probably 220v. Second, you can buy this in the US for about $45. Whether you try Radio Shack or the internet as a search, you want: CyberHome CH-DVD-300. It will play DVD, VCD, CD, MPEG, JPG, NTSC, PAL. There's a 'hack' way to change the Region from 0-6. (they must set them prior to shipping to different countries). I brought back many movies, some of which would not play in my Panasonic DVD player.. but they play on my CyberHome... Sears has them too. Just check the manual to see that they play what you need. VCD is important for me as it is common in China and friends send me things on that. I am looking at several VHS/DVD Player/Recorders at Sears. They play all the formats plus you can transfer your old VHS collection to DVD as well as record from the TV on DVD. Those are more pricey, in the 250-370 range. I think we had a region code problem on the Panasonic player. It didn't play the audio track for some of the DVDs from the U.S. The man it was bought from came out and made everything honky dory. Part of that Chinese service people have talked about in another thread.

Yup wages and benefits will change all that. When I first went to Japan there was a girl at the escalator on each floor. Her job was to bow and welcome you to the floor. Now they have a lifesize placard of the girl bowing with welcome written on it or just a speaker saying welcome to you anytime you go to a shop or floor. Safely store your memories. Come gather 'round people Wherever you roam And admit that the waters Around you have grown And accept it that soon You'll be drenched to the bone. If your time to you Is worth savin' Then you better start swimmin' Or you'll sink like a stone For the times they are a-changin'. Come writers and critics Who prophesize with your pen And keep your eyes wide The chance won't come again And don't speak too soon For the wheel's still in spin And there's no tellin' who That it's namin'. For the loser now Will be later to win For the times they are a-changin'. Come senators, congressmen Please heed the call Don't stand in the doorway Don't block up the hall For he that gets hurt Will be he who has stalled There's a battle outside And it is ragin'. It'll soon shake your windows And rattle your walls For the times they are a-changin'. Come mothers and fathers Throughout the land And don't criticize What you can't understand Your sons and your daughters Are beyond your command Your old road is Rapidly agin'. Please get out of the new one If you can't lend your hand For the times they are a-changin'. The line it is drawn The curse it is cast The slow one now Will later be fast As the present now Will later be past The order is Rapidly fadin'. And the first one now Will later be last For the times they are a-changin'.

I also feel the vague answers are a cover up for failure to record properly and general slip ups that would be obviouse if they gave us what is in the computer. Sometimes they give concise info from the data base and other times just a statement "nothing recent still processing" in answer to my question "what is the last entry in the file". Or maybe it is just me and my question is too vague.

Go, go, go I've only been away from my SO for 10 months and no child. I can't begin to imagine the strain you both are under. Have a good flight and best wishes

Some truth to it because of increased fat and protein. Low fruit is desirable to keep sugar down. Vegetables on the other hand are good for vitamin/mineral intake and avoiding constipation. Soy with leafy greens like kale and spinach are very important for the increased soluable calcium, iron and protein needs. The meat thing is related to traditionally available foods and TCM. All things in balance and moderation is a good rule.

maybe [in america] men take it more seriously than the woman ... Maybe men keep track so they know which week to go on a fishing trip.

Gee I am trying to figure out why more men than women are knowledgable on periods?

Darren read the threads in the LL forum on sheep/goat. This is a serious issue and no fence straddling allowed. (pssstt don't tell anyone but I like both as well, even had both this weekend)

David that is related to protein fat ratio in the body. Most athletes in training have a very low fat ratio which inhibits hormone production thus stopping the period. Happens with anorexia too.

All cultures have traditions surrounding the period. Most regarded it as being unclean or an affliction. Some cultures required the women to live outside of the house in a hut during the period and afterwards the hut was burnt. Maybe mankind has made some progress.

Darren, Welcome to the Official Guangzhou Consulate Waiting Room. Just pull up a chair and go quietly crazy waiting (or not so quietly as with some of us). As Jim points out no one but the great GUZ knows when they will call for interview. About 5-6 months from the first contact GUZ has with your SO seems to be the current trend. By the way do you like goat stew (birria)?

I have to agree with this. By indicating their friend did not do well for them and could have gotten a better price the Chinese friend who previously seemed a hero for getting such good priices lost face. To Asians also the idea that Americans have no face to loose falls into the category of being less civilized and without pride. At least as I understand it.

Once you are married she is entitled to an SS# though it can be marked "not for work" whether she lives here or in Timbuktu. This is because as your spouse an SS# is needed as your beneficiary. That is the established need per the SSA's regulations.

True about installation. We bought a television and I negotiated the price including carrying it up 8 floors and installation. When there was a problem with it a month later. They came back and did the set up again. Here everything is by contract and extras have to be added in. There it is more reputation and who can yell louder and longer. I can remember when it was like that here too before the warehouse stores eliminated private ownership.

I know just what you mean. I wasn't nearly as nutty before the process started. Well, at least a little less. Your timeline is about the same as ours and I'm betting on a P-4 next month to interview in June. Come on GUZ daddy wants a P-4... NEW HAMPSHIRE!!!!! I hope you found someone from Harbin. They'd be excited at moving to such a warm place.