Tiananmen Square Honour Guard

I took this video in December 2007 on my honeymoon in Beijing. It is my third most popular video on Youtube.

Cultural Differences.

Today, I will list some cultural differences between Canada and China that I have seen in my three or so years here in Wuxi.

• A Chinese teenager will tell you that he spend his weekend with his parents.  A Chinese teenager will tell you he will spend his Friday or Saturday night at home watching t.v. and doing homework.   Teenagers in Canada would be ashamed to say such things.  This is a good thing for China; bad for us.
• Chinese Drivers will rarely yield to pedestrians.  In the West, it is considered bad form if it is done.
• Collisions on the street that don't result in anyone being hurt won't result in shouting here in China.  Cut off someone in Canada, you will have an enemy for life.
• The Chinese think sleeping is a hobby.  No one would say that in Canada.
• It is not considered unusual to be living with your parents when you are 25 here in China.  In Canada if you do this, you are a loser.
• Male friends will embrace each other here in China.  I have seen three men walking done the street arms around each other.  It is practically taboo in Canada to do this because you would be considered gay.
• There is a lack of t-shirts that have to advertise to the world that I have been here, seen that concert or am a fan of that sports team.
• The Chinese don't have bumper stickers on their cars.
• Students go to school on Saturday.
• Students will say they are studying a subject because their parents told them to.  No student would admit to ever listening to anything their parents say in Canada.
• The Chinese, I am learning, aren't direct like Westerners are.  They will talk around till they get to the point.

Wuxi China Bengal Dog

Is this dog for real?

The wife buys an armoire and a set of drawers. Did Fred and Ivy have their baby yet?

• The wife went to Furniture City in Suzhou and bought an armoire (really a big closet) and two tall sets of drawers for the apartment.
• A student asked What is pee-pee and poo-poo?   This question was asked after I had told the students what songs I like to sing to Tony.
• I bet Leo that Tennessee will either win or lose by less than six points to San Diego.  I also bet him that Obama will beat Hilary in New Hampshire.
• Die Fidel Die already.
• The King took us to this place that serves great egg rolls.  I won't tell you where it is.
• Has USA Fred and Ivy had their baby yet?  The King does not know.
• John Derbyshire articles about China.
• I have been raving about the HBO series The Wire which I have watched two seasons of.  Here is an Atlantic article about the creator of the Greatest TV Series ever.
• I see I lost my bet to Leo on the San Diego game.  Final Score:  San Diego 17, Tennessee 6.
• There is so much on the Internet.
• Tony does a roll!  You can watch below.

 

Eminem, DMX, Obie Trice at a Chinese McDonald's

Luis (www.ponquenet.spaces.live.com) took a video and recorded the horrorible vulgar obscene music that a McDonalds in Wuxi was playing this morning.

Bitch.

I dug myself in a hole as far as my wife is concerned because I used the b**** word to her about three days ago.  I have tried to say that calling her a b****  was a back-handed tribute to her being a strong woman. 

Here are two links that praise the ideal of bitchiness:  Bring back the red-blooded bitch and Being a bitch will save the world.  I married the wife for her strength but I didn't think too much about her using the strength on me.

Wuxi Tony Update #11

Tony was able to roll over but not when I pointed the camera at him.
Oh well. Next time!

Watching NFL on Danish TV.

• Say what you like about the Danes.  Their marauding Viking ways have ruined many a nice mind-your-own-business person's life; and their recent effort to impose totalitarian dictatorship on the freedom loving Canadians of Hans Island will always be recalled as a moment of infamy by lovers of liberty and decency.  But, I will give credit to them when they do deserve it.  I can watch the NFL playoffs on the Danish Delight channel on my TVU player.  Thank you Denmark!
• Now if you are anything of a red blooded he-man, you are watching NFL football.  If you aren't, shape up!
• The people on this Danish TV station remind me of Niels from Wuxi Life.  They talk like him for one thing.  I will have to say that men who can trace their ancestry to areas around the Baltic Sea are very handsome.
• I say Bravo!  to Seattle for beating the Redskins.
• I was standing at a urinal stall at school yesterday, and had a student say to me: What are you doing?  He meant it as a joke but he was keen to know the various words to describe what we do in the bathroom.
• They were again playing that obscene Hip Hop music at McDonalds this morning. 
• Jacksonville are beating Pittsburgh 21-7.  It serves the Steelers right for their stealing of the Super Bowl from my Seahawks.
• The King and Steph took the wife and me to this Cantonese Restaurant in the Baoli Plaza.  I enjoyed some of the Dim Sum.  Afterwards, we went to Ronnie's Australian Pub.  The crowd there was small.  I would assume that all of Ronnie's customers were out of China for the holidays.

Construction across from my apartment.

Here is how construction is progressing across the street from my 21st floor apartment.