Tony_onrock

Knock on wood, so far I have not been in an accident. I get to work and back home on rollerblade these days when it does not rain. 13.5 km each way, at rush hour in Shanghai! Bikes, cars, mopads, motor cycles, you name it travel with me. Some how I have lucky to navigate through traffic, a bit faster than bicycles, but slower than motorcycles, on my 100 mm race training roller. Only problem is that I tried to buy life insurance and was declined coverage by all the major insurance companies. Seriously it is safer than bicycles. It is the perception that due to the shere volumn of traffice accident must happen all the time. Actually, it does not.

Recently went on a business trip to Nanning. The police gave it green light (or should be red?) to go ahead. If you are in Beijing, check out the newly opened "Hotel G" in the Salitun Bar district.

Things are pretty bad here now. Houses are not selling, offices rent going down and workers losing their jobs. other than the world economy turning south, Chinese government bad policy played a role too. Tightening credit, enacting new labor law, etc. It has impacted every one's life. Not sure if the new package is going to work. China is definitely going through a transition. Labor cost is pricing China out of the market to a certain extent even before the economic down turn. My first nanny's salary was 1000 /month, the last 3000/ month. Now I laid all of the helpers off.

T.I.C. (This is China)

Got on the plane before it hit. Was just talking to my driver in Sichuan when I landed on Thursday that the earth had not shaken for 3 or 4 weeks. Well, it did again. Was there in Chengdu for a few of the after shocks, nothing scary.

In the process of renewing my work visa. Don't expect any problems for myself and wife and daughter. But my son's on a tourist visa and he has been here for almost a year now. Not sure how it will work out with his visa (he is over 18). On another note, has any one tried to get a permit to visit Tibet? I am thinking of going in the summer and wonder if they have tighten up the policy of USC visiting in Tibet. I would not venture out there without a permit in today's envirnment.

Chendu is cool. I spent quite a bit of my time during the last 12 months here in Chengdu, a U.S.$400 mm investment to make it even better, amusement park, ski slopes and rennovation of old town.

Just look back in history. The difference between Deng He and Columbus. Deng went around to Africa and along south east asia with presents and brougt back presents. He did not follow up with army to conquer those places. Even with Tibet and Vietnam, as well as a large part of Korea that China invaded, China was content with getting tributes from those countries and not real occupation. The tributes are more symbolic than real. As far as foreign policy is concerned Chinese have traditionally been rather passive even at the height of its power in ancient time

One thing you did not mention about Bao Ding. Gou Tui Zi. Ask your wife or other people there. It literally means Dog's legs, referring to those that serves for the Japanese, by mistake. Originally it actually refers to "tripping other people's legs". Bao Ding, in the old days is known for producing lots of wrestlers. Been there a couple of times and dated one girl from that city a couple of years back who worked in Bejing.

It certainly can be a wild ride sometimes there. Some vehicles are obviously not meant to be on the roads and some roads are not meant for vehicles. Of course there are sidewalks that are not meant for some vehicles either ! I found myself on the street dodging trucks and cars on the sidewalks. I sort of got used to the varying types of motorcycles... at least they usually used horns. Must be goats? Then there are very few who actually wear seat belts. We ran across a number of taxis that the seat belts were inoperable or cut out too. Although being thrown around in a bus was not always my cup of tea, it was a hell of a lot safer in most cases. Sad truth is, I can not see it getting better anytime soon? I think the most dangerous occupation in China would be riding double on a Mo-Ped. They love to tailgate you. They beep like crazy when travelling in the same lane with me, except that I got 8 little wheels. Did a 20 KM this morning in the rush hour around Puxi in Shanghai by myself. Quite a thrill. two weeks ago, we had 100 strong rolling on the streets in Shanghai and 5 were taken to the police station when 100 pairs of roller started a wild race with police on Mopeds. Well, 6 of them mopeds plus two police cruisers won the race. 2 french, one german and two Chinese nationals were taken and scolded at for over an hour and let go.

Darfour? Not sure what exactly is the problem, but one thing I do know is that China imports almost 10% of oil from that place. Not sure if Clooney is doing the right thing, but do hope more people, including governments do more to stop the violence. Too oftern we are blinded by our own interests to see the damage caused by the government policies. I am not familiar with the issue and facts in Dafor, but of all the nations, China should know better than supplying arms to a government that .... Well, any one remember the business deals between US and Japan in the 30s? Even from a pure economic perspective, every nation should look at the long term interests. If the government is overthrown, I am sure the new government will, undoubtedly, throw all the Chinese businesses out. Stopping the violence is in every one's interest, including China and if China is not doing what it is supposed to do, any one has the right to point the finger.

China has a long way to go on discrimination. I don't see that much discrimination along racial lines, such as Han against muslim or other minority. Rather it is along age, gender and location. For instance there is a general bias against those from Henan province. As far as race is concerned, there is not that much contact with other races for the population at large to form discrimination. whatever hatred towards the Japanese were from historical, rather than present resentments. That being said, Chinese do have a tendency towards generalization, as with any other group that are more or less closed to the outside world.

pick pocketing, panhandling and burglary are the most common crimes in China and indeed on the rise. unemployment is not the main cause. In parts of China, esp. around the Pearl Delta, labor shortage is becoming a problem, caused by higher wages in the Yangzi river area and even in Shichuan, which used to be and probably still is a large if not the largest labor source. Migrant workers and growing gap in the rich and poor drive a lot of people to easier and faster way to get money.

It looks like the property tax for residential housing is coming one day or another in China. For commercial properties there is already such tax. Well, I don't mind it if it is collected on all real estate. But knowing the Chinese gov. they probably will only collect from apartments larger than 140 Sq. meters. As for the health insurance tax, Hil. proposed it in her hubby's first term, without much sucess. It is fair any way. I am afraid that one day US will be a magnified Crwon Heights in NYC.

Did any one watch the local news tonight? My daughter was on TV in Nanning they kept filming her at the latern show. Alas I had to cut short my vacation to negotiate a deal in Chengdu.

I understand your feeling. My boss gave up his US citizenship in Feb. He immigrated to the US before high school. I am also trying to get another country's citizenship (other than China which also impose world wide tax) before my profit share vests.

The real property prices is, it appears coming down in most places in China now and may get lower over the next couple of month. Wanke, the largest developer in China just lowered their price in Shanghai. Even in Chengdu the prices by Lan Guang is coming down. They just listed some apartments for 3880/sm, while the land they bid for next to it last fall has a AV price of 4000. In other words they are selling below pre-construction land price. One thing in common between these two are that they both bid for quite a lot of land at high price last year and it is now time to pay for the land. They have to do these emergency sales to recoup some cash to pay for land, repay bank loans etc. So for the consumer,there may be quite a few bargins with developer that run into these financial difficulties. Did any one look at the RMB exchange rate today?

Sell the darn thing. Just sold our proud service apartments in Shanghai, 103 units building bought in March 2006 at over 130% return a year to the Koreans. Flying back to Shanghai in half an hour, smelling like Kimkee all over.

I am waiting for a chance to dispose of my HK stocks and convert all to RMB and invest in China. ouch on the losses, almost half a mil taking into account of the currency loss as well.

Good luck. It is actually a common disease among Chinese woman who had kids before. One thing to avoid is using the pad on non-period days esp. in warmer weather. Well, my sis is a doc specializing in women and other diseases

It is ovary infection.

I don't quite understand. She does not work, live with her family unding a poor living condition, yet she has a car to drive around? Something is missing. Joanne, I am surprised that you are asking this question. (1). Would a Honda Civic be more telling? (2). Heard of the story how Dong Cun Rei died? Well, he was conned by his comrade from Henan (3). I am sure Drew does not want to know the answer. Marriage is important, cause whoever gave her the Honda Civic, I mean Hyundai Coup, can't not give her marriage. P.S. Recent update on this front: to show class, upgraded to Mercedes now, but still the low end one. Reason: If the boss has to ride it with her, one, he can still fit in, two, it is non-the-less a Mecedes. But then the girl has to be of a class that fit the car as well. Highly doubt they have too many of those in Henan.

Never doubt your wife Charles... I agree with her...I think the second and third tier cities will not see these tremendous drops because they have not seen the tremendous run-ups... Just one of the reasons, but not the most important, we decided on smaller cities... The only thing I regret is that she tried to get me to invest in a Shenzhen house a couple of years ago but I wouldn't listen. My GF did the same thing. I could have bought in at the heart of the city in Futian for a bit over 5k. It is now like 26k. Let it drop 150%, still would have been a good investment.

The same deal has been offered to Taiwan on many occassions and if people here recall the negotiations for HK you will see my point. At that time Deng, apart from the ecnomic benefits, openly proclaim that he wants to set an example for Taiwan, i.e. to set up a system that can be applied to Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, call YI Guo Liang Zhi, or one country witrh two systems.

Two observations: (1) Laolao is from the Northeast (2) The can may have watched too much Michael Jackson viedoes.