Wow. I'm able to post today without a VPN. So I will take advantage of this spat Google is having with the Chinese government and give everyone some advice on how to beat the Great Firewall of China. There are a couple of options. You can use a proxy website or you can use a VPN or TOR. There are benefits and drawbacks to all of them.
Proxy websites:
Example: http://www.vtunnel.com
These are web pages that you navigate to in your browser. The actual definition of proxy server is that it is a server that acts as an intermediary for requests between the client and other servers. In other words, your computer sends a request to a server that is in another location and that server in turn makes a request of another server for the same information. The proxy server then connects the client with the relevant service. This is great for access to some of the 'banned' web sites in China (such as anything to do with Tienanmen) but the amount of information that can be sent this way is very limited. This means that videos are difficult to get. Also, it is not always anonymous so your actions can be tracked. Another downside to the web-based proxy is that the size of files you can download is often restricted to something like 4 MB. A third issue with this method of getting around the GFW is that Java or Java-scrips often don't work very well so forget about Facebook, Myspace, or Twitter (not to mention any gaming sites). For more information about proxys and proxy servers visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proxy_server
VPN
This is an acronym for Virtual Private Network. Information that travels via a VPN is not visible to the underlying network. This is accomplished with very strong encryption. VPNs are often billed as "network tunnels" to navigate through nasty firewalls. However, some VPNs work in China and others do not so do your research. There are free VPNs out there such as Hot Spot Shield, which can be downloaded at http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,71209-page,1/description.html . Hot Spot Shield works OK, but the amount of information you can request per month is very limited and if you go over the limit, you need to wait 4 weeks. There is also a lot of unnecessary crap that is included with Hot Spot Shield, such as adverts and a nasty habit of automatically forwarding your webpage to the Hot Spot homepage if the one you are downloading takes too long. This can be a pain in a$$ so I actually recommend downloading a VPN that you have to pay for. There are plenty to choose from. I like StrongVPN. It is a little slow when accessing local Chinese sites, but it will access your gaming sites and Facebook, etc. pretty quickly. ti can be downloaded at http://www.strongvpn.com/ . A note about buying a VPN, you want to choose an "Open" VPN not a PPTP for China. The standard version at StrongVPN will runabout $15.00 (US)/ month.
The drawbacks to VPNs are that to download them, you typically have to disable your anti-virus software. So be careful and do your research. There are a lot of scams out there. Also, the cost thing is another issue. However, this is the most reliable way to access banned sites in China. You can access Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, World of Warcraft, etc. on most of the purchasable VPNs. If you have specific questions about a particular VPN's services then you should ask the company. For example if you are a WoW fanatic and need your daily fix, you should ask about whether or not the VPN supports WoW.
TOR
TOR stands for The Onion Router. It is a software installation and open network that was originally invented by the US Naval Research Laboratory to hide their online activities while in foreign countries (like ye olde USSR). It as since gone public and is now run and supported by TOR Project. TOR is essentially a proxy server on steroids. It does much the same thing as web-based proxy does, but in much larger portions. It uses many layers of cryptography to send information between routers (hence the "onion" moniker). The benefits to TOR are that it is available free and can be used anywhere in the world to send as much or as little information as you need. However, there are several downsides. TOR does not and can not encrypt the traffic at the end-point or exit node.[1] Therefore, anyone with access to an exit node can get all of your information. This does not necessarily mean that they can get things like your e-mail address or personal information; they will only be able to see that if that is the information your are using TOR to send. That said, the more people who use TOR, the safer it becomes because more servers will be located within its massive hulk.[2]
There are some other drawbacks to this technology. Due to the nature of the beast, TOR is rather slow compared to smaller proxy severs. Yes you can send larger amounts of data through TOR than through either a VPN or regular proxy, but you have to wait for a really, really, really long time. This is because when you sent information through TOR, that information is like a little Hansel and Gretel dropping bread crumbs. TOR has to clean up all those crumbs before it can send the information on to the next layer of routers. This process is repeated over and over until your information reaches its destination. Likewise for information returning to your computer. Also, in order to download TOR, you first need a VPN as the files are far too big to download over a standard proxy server. This kind of defeats the purpose don't you think?
It is for that reason that I recommend using a VPN. Whether you use a free one or not is up to you, just make sure you do your homework and avoid the scams. Hope this helps.
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tor_(anonymity_network)
[2] http://www.torproject.org/
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Google Uncensored
Many of us here in China have heard about Google-China's many battles in the last few months. Early this morning, Google decided to route all of its searches in mainland China through its Hong Kong based servers rather than servers located in the mainland. Why? Because as we all know, Google is very much against censorship and the servers in Hong Kong are not required to be censored. This move will essentially shift the responsibility of censoring the internet from Google to the Government.[1]
Many people both in China and abroad fall on both sides of this issue. For some, they think that Google is violating the laws of a sovereign country by refusing to censor its search engine. Some people even believe that the move will hurt business in China. Others feel that in this global environment, the Internet and all its facets should be open to anyone who wants access to it.[2] The Chinese government has its own set of complaints about Google. These include access to pornographic material and "unsuitable" webpages that encourage so-called subversive behavior on its search engine as well as copyright infringement.
Lets first address the last allegation of copyright infringement. This is a great example of the pot calling the kettle black. People in China have wondered at the reasons behind some companies refusing to sell their products in China. The answer is the complete lack of respect for international copyright laws or intellectual property rights. China is a place where anything goes as long as it makes money. You can buy DVD players here that have no restrictions about what formats they play. Likewise you can buy DVDs here in legitimate stores long before they are officially released by the studios that produce them. I highly doubt that the industries involved in this pay commissions or compensation to the studios for the right to distribute these DVDs. Now, I'm not condoning what Google did with respect to the Chinese authors, but let's be realistic here. For a country that does not protect intellectual property rights or international copyrights, it is funny that they are pressing this point.
As for violating the laws of a sovereign country, I ask what laws are you talking about? In China there are many different systems of government. Hong Kong maintains its own system based on British Common Law, while Macau and other regions have their own legal systems.[3] So what laws should Google abide by since they are a presence in all these regions? Should they be liable to any laws outside of their own country? This is a question that is probably better left to the legal big wigs of various organizations who know more about the matter than I do. What I can say is that the students I teach generally support Google's move and so do many of the educated elite of the world.
In fact, many people support this move if only because it will bring about greater understanding between the Chinese people and the outside world. It could also pressure the Chinese government to make some very important improvements with regard to Civil and Human Rights in this country. According to an ABC News article, Teng Biao, a Beijing law professor and human-rights lawyer stated, "I feel that people will greatly respect Google's action...China's censorship of the Internet search engine results is a violation of the most basic of human rights. By doing this, Google will bring more global attention to China's human rights situation."[4]
For my personal opinion, I think that it is about time! As a westerner teaching in China, I look forward to the day when the Chinese people will have access to the same information that I did when I was in grade school. As China becomes more of an economic and political force in the world, the Chinese government is going to have to come to terms with the fact that a key part of China's ability to rise will be information transparency.
My students have often asked me why the US and other Western governments seem not to trust the Chinese government and the answer has always been the lack of transparency. This move by Google is just one small step, but hopefully it will bring a greater awareness to the Chinese people about world events, politics, ideas, and most importantly perhaps how the rest of world sees China.
As of right now, there are very few resources to which my students can turn for information about their own country that is not the sanitized "correct" version approved by the government. This has been a major stumbling block not only for Chinese students, but for anyone living in China who seeks to better understand the world. If the Chinese government wants to be seen as a legitimate leader--and it seems that they do--then they must to come to terms with the concept that a key part of that leadership means transparency; including access to information online. Otherwise, other countries like the US and those in the Euro Zone will never be able to trust China. There will always be a stumbling block if the Chinese government insists on limiting access to information for its mainland residents.
Note: As of the time of this blog, the Chinese government is already blocking access to the Google Hong Kong search engine results. Currently, I have to use a proxy to access the article on Wikipedia about Hong Kong.
Sources:
[1] China Media Accuse Google of Violating Promises. Alexa Olsen. ABC News Article http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wirestory?id=10176097&page=1 .
[2] Google China Move Hurts Businesses, Academics. Lara Farr. CNN News Article. http://edition.cnn.com/2010/BUSINESS/03/23/china.google.impact/ .
[3] Hong Kong. Wikipedia Article. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong
[4] China Media Accuse Google of Violating Promises.
Many people both in China and abroad fall on both sides of this issue. For some, they think that Google is violating the laws of a sovereign country by refusing to censor its search engine. Some people even believe that the move will hurt business in China. Others feel that in this global environment, the Internet and all its facets should be open to anyone who wants access to it.[2] The Chinese government has its own set of complaints about Google. These include access to pornographic material and "unsuitable" webpages that encourage so-called subversive behavior on its search engine as well as copyright infringement.
Lets first address the last allegation of copyright infringement. This is a great example of the pot calling the kettle black. People in China have wondered at the reasons behind some companies refusing to sell their products in China. The answer is the complete lack of respect for international copyright laws or intellectual property rights. China is a place where anything goes as long as it makes money. You can buy DVD players here that have no restrictions about what formats they play. Likewise you can buy DVDs here in legitimate stores long before they are officially released by the studios that produce them. I highly doubt that the industries involved in this pay commissions or compensation to the studios for the right to distribute these DVDs. Now, I'm not condoning what Google did with respect to the Chinese authors, but let's be realistic here. For a country that does not protect intellectual property rights or international copyrights, it is funny that they are pressing this point.
As for violating the laws of a sovereign country, I ask what laws are you talking about? In China there are many different systems of government. Hong Kong maintains its own system based on British Common Law, while Macau and other regions have their own legal systems.[3] So what laws should Google abide by since they are a presence in all these regions? Should they be liable to any laws outside of their own country? This is a question that is probably better left to the legal big wigs of various organizations who know more about the matter than I do. What I can say is that the students I teach generally support Google's move and so do many of the educated elite of the world.
In fact, many people support this move if only because it will bring about greater understanding between the Chinese people and the outside world. It could also pressure the Chinese government to make some very important improvements with regard to Civil and Human Rights in this country. According to an ABC News article, Teng Biao, a Beijing law professor and human-rights lawyer stated, "I feel that people will greatly respect Google's action...China's censorship of the Internet search engine results is a violation of the most basic of human rights. By doing this, Google will bring more global attention to China's human rights situation."[4]
For my personal opinion, I think that it is about time! As a westerner teaching in China, I look forward to the day when the Chinese people will have access to the same information that I did when I was in grade school. As China becomes more of an economic and political force in the world, the Chinese government is going to have to come to terms with the fact that a key part of China's ability to rise will be information transparency.
My students have often asked me why the US and other Western governments seem not to trust the Chinese government and the answer has always been the lack of transparency. This move by Google is just one small step, but hopefully it will bring a greater awareness to the Chinese people about world events, politics, ideas, and most importantly perhaps how the rest of world sees China.
As of right now, there are very few resources to which my students can turn for information about their own country that is not the sanitized "correct" version approved by the government. This has been a major stumbling block not only for Chinese students, but for anyone living in China who seeks to better understand the world. If the Chinese government wants to be seen as a legitimate leader--and it seems that they do--then they must to come to terms with the concept that a key part of that leadership means transparency; including access to information online. Otherwise, other countries like the US and those in the Euro Zone will never be able to trust China. There will always be a stumbling block if the Chinese government insists on limiting access to information for its mainland residents.
Note: As of the time of this blog, the Chinese government is already blocking access to the Google Hong Kong search engine results. Currently, I have to use a proxy to access the article on Wikipedia about Hong Kong.
Sources:
[1] China Media Accuse Google of Violating Promises. Alexa Olsen. ABC News Article http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wirestory?id=10176097&page=1 .
[2] Google China Move Hurts Businesses, Academics. Lara Farr. CNN News Article. http://edition.cnn.com/2010/BUSINESS/03/23/china.google.impact/ .
[3] Hong Kong. Wikipedia Article. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong
[4] China Media Accuse Google of Violating Promises.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
TEM 4 exam
Test for English Majors Grade 4
This is the major exam that all Sophomore English majors are required to take at the beginning of April. It has sections that test the student's listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills. Although I can not speak for the reading and writing portions of the exam, I can give some hints about the listening and speaking parts. I find that my students typically struggle in three major areas. Two of them are listening and one is speaking. The first and perhaps the most problematic area for my students is the NEWS section.
This section of the exam involves the students listening to several VOA or BBC newscasts and answering questions that are either fill-in-the-blank or multiple choice. To help my students prepare for this portion of the exam, I have them listen to a podcast called "Deutche Welle: Asia Compact." This is available through iTunes under the podcast section or you can get it online from http://www.dw-world.de/dw/0,,266,00.html you just need to search for Asia Compact. I recommend getting it through iTunes because the Chinese government tends to block the Deutche Welle English homepage, although you can get to it through a proxy. I use this one because it involves speakers with many accents and they tend to speak slightly slower than CNN or BBC newscasters do, but faster than VOA newscasters. While they are listening to it, I have the students answer 2 or 3 questions about each news section. This ability to listen and write an answer at the same time comes into play in a much more focused way in the second problem area.
The second listening area that my students tend to struggle with is the dictation portion of the exam. For this there are myriad websites that can assist teachers who need to get their students to be able to listen and write at the same time. One that I particularly like is http://www.englishclub.com/webguide/Listening/Dictation/ as there are several options and difficulty levels. The TEM 4 exam will read a short essay of two or three paragraphs to the students four times. Once at almost normal speed, twice at really slow speed, and the final time at almost normal speed again. Another good website for dictations is http://www.dictationsonline.com/ . All you have to do is play the dictation in class. Most of the websites will read the exercise three times; once at normal speed, once slow (with punctuation) and a final time at normal speed. This makes the practice harder than the actual exam, which I think is a good thing.
The third problem area for my students tends to be in spoken grammar. This is because they do not practice English outside of class except occasionally in e-mails or text messages to their instructors. As a result, they have very poor spoken and written grammar. Since the one is directly related to the other, I force my students to use good grammar in their homework by taking away points for gross mistakes. This was a shock to many of my students at first, but now they are beginning to get the point. Another good thing to do is to have them recite speeches or short stories to the class. This way they hear themselves speaking and using good grammar and are more likely to correct themselves.
This is the major exam that all Sophomore English majors are required to take at the beginning of April. It has sections that test the student's listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills. Although I can not speak for the reading and writing portions of the exam, I can give some hints about the listening and speaking parts. I find that my students typically struggle in three major areas. Two of them are listening and one is speaking. The first and perhaps the most problematic area for my students is the NEWS section.
This section of the exam involves the students listening to several VOA or BBC newscasts and answering questions that are either fill-in-the-blank or multiple choice. To help my students prepare for this portion of the exam, I have them listen to a podcast called "Deutche Welle: Asia Compact." This is available through iTunes under the podcast section or you can get it online from http://www.dw-world.de/dw/0,,266,00.html you just need to search for Asia Compact. I recommend getting it through iTunes because the Chinese government tends to block the Deutche Welle English homepage, although you can get to it through a proxy. I use this one because it involves speakers with many accents and they tend to speak slightly slower than CNN or BBC newscasters do, but faster than VOA newscasters. While they are listening to it, I have the students answer 2 or 3 questions about each news section. This ability to listen and write an answer at the same time comes into play in a much more focused way in the second problem area.
The second listening area that my students tend to struggle with is the dictation portion of the exam. For this there are myriad websites that can assist teachers who need to get their students to be able to listen and write at the same time. One that I particularly like is http://www.englishclub.com/webguide/Listening/Dictation/ as there are several options and difficulty levels. The TEM 4 exam will read a short essay of two or three paragraphs to the students four times. Once at almost normal speed, twice at really slow speed, and the final time at almost normal speed again. Another good website for dictations is http://www.dictationsonline.com/ . All you have to do is play the dictation in class. Most of the websites will read the exercise three times; once at normal speed, once slow (with punctuation) and a final time at normal speed. This makes the practice harder than the actual exam, which I think is a good thing.
The third problem area for my students tends to be in spoken grammar. This is because they do not practice English outside of class except occasionally in e-mails or text messages to their instructors. As a result, they have very poor spoken and written grammar. Since the one is directly related to the other, I force my students to use good grammar in their homework by taking away points for gross mistakes. This was a shock to many of my students at first, but now they are beginning to get the point. Another good thing to do is to have them recite speeches or short stories to the class. This way they hear themselves speaking and using good grammar and are more likely to correct themselves.
New Semester
Ahhh....back to school. The new semester started on the first, but I haven't had the time sit down and write a blog. "Why?" You may ask. Well, the reason is that for the first four weeks or so of every semester, teachers at the school I teach at are busy making sure everything looks perfect to the supervisors who pretend to know more than you do about your subject area(s). If you are going to teach at a University in China, this is something you need to understand. Teachers are required to submit not only our semester course outline, but also all of our lesson plans for the first four weeks (in the case of my school) by the end of week one. I don't know about the rest of you teachers out there, but I usually tailor my lesson plans on a weekly basis based on how each class performs the week before.
This seems logical to me, especially since I teach four classes whose ability levels vary widely. Renji 1 and School of Foreign Language Studies Class 1 for example are at roughly the same level and any one of those sophomores could pass the TOEFL exam and study abroad; it's not them I worry about. Renji 2 however is a class that constantly surprises me in their ability to forget everything. Renji 3--the supposed lowest rank of classes--usually scores higher on their listening exams than Renji 2, but they have difficulty grasping simple concepts in Speaking. I typically find myself changing the lesson plans for Renji 2 in both listening and speaking because they require much more review than the other classes. I do the same for Renji 3 in the speaking class, but for them it is more basic and involves aspects from classes such as grammar, writing, and reading.
On the other hand, Renji 1 and Class 1 are so far ahead that even if I were to make a lesson plan that fell in the middle of the abilities of the four classes, it would be far too simple for Renji 1 and Class 1 and would in all likelihood be far too rigorous for Renji 2 or Renji 3 (although Renji 3 could probably handle the listening class). Yet we are allowed only two lesson plans per week (one for listening and one for speaking in my case) and if we don't stick to it, we receive "visits" from the administration to our classes. This is the dilemma we university teachers find ourselves in at the outset of every semester. The only good news is that they lose interest in us after the first four weeks, so for the rest of the semester we are generally free to do what is needed. I just really wish I could have those first four weeks to actually teach what the students need and not what the administration wants.
This seems logical to me, especially since I teach four classes whose ability levels vary widely. Renji 1 and School of Foreign Language Studies Class 1 for example are at roughly the same level and any one of those sophomores could pass the TOEFL exam and study abroad; it's not them I worry about. Renji 2 however is a class that constantly surprises me in their ability to forget everything. Renji 3--the supposed lowest rank of classes--usually scores higher on their listening exams than Renji 2, but they have difficulty grasping simple concepts in Speaking. I typically find myself changing the lesson plans for Renji 2 in both listening and speaking because they require much more review than the other classes. I do the same for Renji 3 in the speaking class, but for them it is more basic and involves aspects from classes such as grammar, writing, and reading.
On the other hand, Renji 1 and Class 1 are so far ahead that even if I were to make a lesson plan that fell in the middle of the abilities of the four classes, it would be far too simple for Renji 1 and Class 1 and would in all likelihood be far too rigorous for Renji 2 or Renji 3 (although Renji 3 could probably handle the listening class). Yet we are allowed only two lesson plans per week (one for listening and one for speaking in my case) and if we don't stick to it, we receive "visits" from the administration to our classes. This is the dilemma we university teachers find ourselves in at the outset of every semester. The only good news is that they lose interest in us after the first four weeks, so for the rest of the semester we are generally free to do what is needed. I just really wish I could have those first four weeks to actually teach what the students need and not what the administration wants.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Interesting and Easy Recipes
Here are some more interesting things to cook using ingredients that you can find in China.
~~~Citrus Pork Chops~~~
Ingredients:
rice-wine vinegar (white or yellow, not the dark)--up to 1/4 cup
juice from 5 or 6 fresh medium sized oranges (can also be OJ from the jug)--equal amount to vinegar up to 1/4 cup
vegetable oil--2 Tbsp
soy sauce--2Tbsp
2 cloves fresh garlic--minced
chili paste*--1 tsp.
4 pork chops**
Directions:
**First, you need to remove the skin from the pork chops. Pork in China is sold with the skin on and while this is great for frying or slow roasting the meat, it is not so great for marinating. To do this, take the tip of your knife and cut along the muscle. You can leave a little of the fat on if you like so long as all the skin is removed.
In a large bowl or big plastic zip-top bag, combine vinegar, orange juice, oil, soy sauce, garlic, and chili paste. Place pork chops in bowl or bag with and seal it up. refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. To cook, heat a large skillet or heavy pan over medium heat. Remove chops from marinade and place into hot pan. Sauté until browned. Turn once. This will take about 5-6 minutes per side for chops that are 1" thick. If your chops are thicker, it will take longer. Serve with rice.
To test your chops to see if they are done without using a thermometer, use a flat spatula or spoon and press down on the chop. if the juices that come out are clear, the chop is nearly done. If the juices are pink or cloudy, it is not done. Remember to let your chops rest for 5 minutes before cutting into them. This will help keep them moist while you are eating them.
* If you can't get chili paste, use chili oil instead of vegetable oil. You can also make a paste out of 1 tsp. chili oil mixed with a little flour, pinch of sugar, dash of salt, and mustard. If you don't like it too spicy, use less chili paste/oil. If you can't find chili oil, you can use fresh minced chili peppers.
~~~Easy Roasted Chicken or Game Hens~~~
(I ate this the other day with peas and couscous)
Note: you will need an oven for this one.
Ingredients:
Whole Chicken or Game Hen(s)
Butter--some cold and some melted for basting
Instructions:
Remove the head from the raw chicken by inserting your knife between the vertebrae of the neck about and inch from the shoulders and applying firm pressure. The neck and head should pop off fairly easily. Separate the skin on the breast from the muscle by inserting a finger between the skin and muscle at the neck and wiggling the finger around. be careful not to puncture the skin. When you have a nice pocket formed, place a wad of butter in it and let the skin close over the butter. Repeat this for both sides of the beast and on the back as well.
Pre-heat oven to 350 F (177 C). Baste bird with melted butter and place in a roasting pan (or on a spit if your oven comes with a rotisserie). Roast for 45 minutes or until bird is done. The internal temperature of the breast should read 155-160 F (68-72C). Remove the bird and cover with foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. While the bird is resting, the internal temperature will rise to around 162-165 F (72-74 C). Serve with your favorite veggies.
*Note: for extra flavor, you can add onions, garlic, or leeks to the butter. You can also salt and pepper the skin lightly. Lemon grass is also good, as is sage or rosemary if you can find it.
~~~Citrus Pork Chops~~~
Ingredients:
rice-wine vinegar (white or yellow, not the dark)--up to 1/4 cup
juice from 5 or 6 fresh medium sized oranges (can also be OJ from the jug)--equal amount to vinegar up to 1/4 cup
vegetable oil--2 Tbsp
soy sauce--2Tbsp
2 cloves fresh garlic--minced
chili paste*--1 tsp.
4 pork chops**
Directions:
**First, you need to remove the skin from the pork chops. Pork in China is sold with the skin on and while this is great for frying or slow roasting the meat, it is not so great for marinating. To do this, take the tip of your knife and cut along the muscle. You can leave a little of the fat on if you like so long as all the skin is removed.
In a large bowl or big plastic zip-top bag, combine vinegar, orange juice, oil, soy sauce, garlic, and chili paste. Place pork chops in bowl or bag with and seal it up. refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. To cook, heat a large skillet or heavy pan over medium heat. Remove chops from marinade and place into hot pan. Sauté until browned. Turn once. This will take about 5-6 minutes per side for chops that are 1" thick. If your chops are thicker, it will take longer. Serve with rice.
To test your chops to see if they are done without using a thermometer, use a flat spatula or spoon and press down on the chop. if the juices that come out are clear, the chop is nearly done. If the juices are pink or cloudy, it is not done. Remember to let your chops rest for 5 minutes before cutting into them. This will help keep them moist while you are eating them.
* If you can't get chili paste, use chili oil instead of vegetable oil. You can also make a paste out of 1 tsp. chili oil mixed with a little flour, pinch of sugar, dash of salt, and mustard. If you don't like it too spicy, use less chili paste/oil. If you can't find chili oil, you can use fresh minced chili peppers.
~~~Easy Roasted Chicken or Game Hens~~~
(I ate this the other day with peas and couscous)
Note: you will need an oven for this one.
Ingredients:
Whole Chicken or Game Hen(s)
Butter--some cold and some melted for basting
Instructions:
Remove the head from the raw chicken by inserting your knife between the vertebrae of the neck about and inch from the shoulders and applying firm pressure. The neck and head should pop off fairly easily. Separate the skin on the breast from the muscle by inserting a finger between the skin and muscle at the neck and wiggling the finger around. be careful not to puncture the skin. When you have a nice pocket formed, place a wad of butter in it and let the skin close over the butter. Repeat this for both sides of the beast and on the back as well.
Pre-heat oven to 350 F (177 C). Baste bird with melted butter and place in a roasting pan (or on a spit if your oven comes with a rotisserie). Roast for 45 minutes or until bird is done. The internal temperature of the breast should read 155-160 F (68-72C). Remove the bird and cover with foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. While the bird is resting, the internal temperature will rise to around 162-165 F (72-74 C). Serve with your favorite veggies.
*Note: for extra flavor, you can add onions, garlic, or leeks to the butter. You can also salt and pepper the skin lightly. Lemon grass is also good, as is sage or rosemary if you can find it.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Drills, Hammers, and a Bib
No this isn't some strange hardware store. It is in fact a dentist's office. Dental facilities here in China are much the same as those in the States, but there are a few things the average lao wai should be aware of.
When you think about visiting the dentist back home, the first thing that pops into your head is probably the front waiting room with the receptionist sitting behind the desk, a couch, some magazines, a water cooler and maybe a couple of toys for the kids; right? The next thing you might think of is the hygienist or nurse opening the door and asking you to "please follow me." She (sometimes a he) then takes you into one of several rooms, at the center of which is a dental chair with all the usual tools. You then sit in the chair, the hygienist places a bib around your neck and starts poking and prodding and cleaning and talking. In fact you probably don't see the dentist until near the end of your visit when he or she checks on the hygienist's work, or when you need a cavity filled.
Let's pretend that you need a tooth pulled. After the hygienist is done with you, you may or may not be escorted into another room, this one with even more equipment and brighter lights. In the case of my dentist growing up, they usually closed to door also (all the better to prevent any screams from escaping the torture chamber). Then the dentist gloves up, turns on all the gizmos, and sticks you with a needle to get your face feeling like it sticks out 10 inches, and begins drilling. When you are done, the dentist gives you a prescription for some anti-inflammatory drugs, or just tells you to take a lot of Ibuprofen, and an antibiotic. This is what my dentist office was like back home.
For the most part, Chinese dental offices are similar in some ways, but VERY different in others. To begin with, when you check in, you must first register with a receptionist who gives you a paper to fill out with all of your essential information--name, sex, DOB, residence, job. Then you take that paper to another window where all the information is placed into a computer system. This receptionist then hands you a small book (your outpatient record), a paper slip, and something that looks like a debit card. This card is linked to an electronic copy of all your records. You then take all of that to another floor where you see something that looks like an airport terminal (bench seats included) and hand your small paper to a nurse sitting at a desk who puts your name on "the list."
Depending on what time of day you arrive and how many people are there with you, you could wait anywhere from 10 minutes to 2 hours for them to call your name. When they do, you are told to walk down the hallway to cubicle X. In the case of the clinic near my place, there are 12 such cubicles, each with its own chair and nurse/hygienist. The nurse/hygienist then takes a cursory look at your mouth. If you are there for a cleaning, you are in and out in 20 minutes. If you are, as I was, there to get "work" done, she pokes and prods for about two minutes and then tells you to go to another office, wait in another "terminal" and see the dentist.
This office has fewer cubicles--4 in my case--and like before, a chair, tools, and nurse/hygienist in each one. This time however, there is a dentist. when they call your name, you hand your small booklet, card, and piece of paper to the nurse/hygienist who pulls up all of your information on a computer. You sit in the chair (which by the way has not been cleaned since the last person sat in it). The doctor gloves up, but does not place a bib on you and starts poking and prodding. Then he numbs your mouth with Novocaine and begins to work on whichever tooth is causing the offense. Meanwhile, everyone who is waiting for the dentist to call their name is standing around and watching. In other words there is no privacy. it's like what I imagine those old 19th century operating theaters must have felt like; "Hey, everyone look at the freak in the chair!" You can hear the yells of the person in the next cubicle as loudly as you can hear your own.
When he is finished, you return to the second receptionist and turn in your small paper and give them your card. They then pull up the cost of your medications on the computer and you pay for them there. Then you take the prescription receipt to yet another counter and get your medication. Once you have your Amoxycillin in your hands, you return to the dentist where you hand over your book. The hygienist places a stamp in it and you sign it. Then you are on your way. Bit different, huh?
For those who are wondering, I had to have one of my wisdom teeth pulled because it broke and got a humongous cavity. It cost a whopping 150 yuan for the 3 hour visit (only 45 minutes of which were spent with the dentist). That said, if you have molars with twisted roots (as many westerners do, me included) remember that Chinese dentists are not accustomed to this so they will be pounding, pulling, and drilling for a lot longer than would normally happen in the comfort of your dentist's office back home. What does that mean? It means that your mouth in going hurt a hell of a lot more.
When you think about visiting the dentist back home, the first thing that pops into your head is probably the front waiting room with the receptionist sitting behind the desk, a couch, some magazines, a water cooler and maybe a couple of toys for the kids; right? The next thing you might think of is the hygienist or nurse opening the door and asking you to "please follow me." She (sometimes a he) then takes you into one of several rooms, at the center of which is a dental chair with all the usual tools. You then sit in the chair, the hygienist places a bib around your neck and starts poking and prodding and cleaning and talking. In fact you probably don't see the dentist until near the end of your visit when he or she checks on the hygienist's work, or when you need a cavity filled.
Let's pretend that you need a tooth pulled. After the hygienist is done with you, you may or may not be escorted into another room, this one with even more equipment and brighter lights. In the case of my dentist growing up, they usually closed to door also (all the better to prevent any screams from escaping the torture chamber). Then the dentist gloves up, turns on all the gizmos, and sticks you with a needle to get your face feeling like it sticks out 10 inches, and begins drilling. When you are done, the dentist gives you a prescription for some anti-inflammatory drugs, or just tells you to take a lot of Ibuprofen, and an antibiotic. This is what my dentist office was like back home.
For the most part, Chinese dental offices are similar in some ways, but VERY different in others. To begin with, when you check in, you must first register with a receptionist who gives you a paper to fill out with all of your essential information--name, sex, DOB, residence, job. Then you take that paper to another window where all the information is placed into a computer system. This receptionist then hands you a small book (your outpatient record), a paper slip, and something that looks like a debit card. This card is linked to an electronic copy of all your records. You then take all of that to another floor where you see something that looks like an airport terminal (bench seats included) and hand your small paper to a nurse sitting at a desk who puts your name on "the list."
Depending on what time of day you arrive and how many people are there with you, you could wait anywhere from 10 minutes to 2 hours for them to call your name. When they do, you are told to walk down the hallway to cubicle X. In the case of the clinic near my place, there are 12 such cubicles, each with its own chair and nurse/hygienist. The nurse/hygienist then takes a cursory look at your mouth. If you are there for a cleaning, you are in and out in 20 minutes. If you are, as I was, there to get "work" done, she pokes and prods for about two minutes and then tells you to go to another office, wait in another "terminal" and see the dentist.
This office has fewer cubicles--4 in my case--and like before, a chair, tools, and nurse/hygienist in each one. This time however, there is a dentist. when they call your name, you hand your small booklet, card, and piece of paper to the nurse/hygienist who pulls up all of your information on a computer. You sit in the chair (which by the way has not been cleaned since the last person sat in it). The doctor gloves up, but does not place a bib on you and starts poking and prodding. Then he numbs your mouth with Novocaine and begins to work on whichever tooth is causing the offense. Meanwhile, everyone who is waiting for the dentist to call their name is standing around and watching. In other words there is no privacy. it's like what I imagine those old 19th century operating theaters must have felt like; "Hey, everyone look at the freak in the chair!" You can hear the yells of the person in the next cubicle as loudly as you can hear your own.
When he is finished, you return to the second receptionist and turn in your small paper and give them your card. They then pull up the cost of your medications on the computer and you pay for them there. Then you take the prescription receipt to yet another counter and get your medication. Once you have your Amoxycillin in your hands, you return to the dentist where you hand over your book. The hygienist places a stamp in it and you sign it. Then you are on your way. Bit different, huh?
For those who are wondering, I had to have one of my wisdom teeth pulled because it broke and got a humongous cavity. It cost a whopping 150 yuan for the 3 hour visit (only 45 minutes of which were spent with the dentist). That said, if you have molars with twisted roots (as many westerners do, me included) remember that Chinese dentists are not accustomed to this so they will be pounding, pulling, and drilling for a lot longer than would normally happen in the comfort of your dentist's office back home. What does that mean? It means that your mouth in going hurt a hell of a lot more.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
China-Taiwan-US Charlie Foxtrot
So everyone and their brother has heard about the Chinese response to the recent arms sale to Taiwan by the United States. I'm not even going to go into the economic politics but rather I am going to state a few facts and ask a few questions.
I would just like to point out that the US would not sell arms like the UH-60 Blackhawk or the CWIS or any of the other arms which have been sold over the decades if there were not a market for such items. Until such time as the people of Taiwan vote to re-integrate with China, Taiwan is a separate country. This is something that China has historically and rather conveniently ignored. I'm not saying that they should remain separate or re-integrate; all I am saying is two things. The first is that Taiwan IS a sovereign country at this moment in time and is therefore free to determine its own course of action.
The second point is directly related to the first. The ONLY way Taiwan can buy such arms is by approval of the government (this is the market for US arms). One therefore must ask the question, "if Taiwan and China are so much more friendly now than they were in the recent past then WHY would the government of Taiwan claim the need to purchase 'defensive' weapons?" also, why is China so worried about an independent Taiwan? If it came to a military conflict (as seems to be China's main worry according to the 'experts' I'm currently listening to on CCTV-9) China would kick Taiwan's ass in a heartbeat.
The Chinese military is no longer the backwater laughingstock that it was in 1950. They have modern technology and equipment and the people who know how to use them. They have even integrated western military doctrines into their training. What are they afraid of? As a Taiwanese expert recently stated, the People's Liberation Army out numbers the Taiwanese Army, Navy and Air Force combined at least 10 to 1. According to the CIA, Taiwan has just over 319,800 men and women available for military service (this means these people fall within the legal age limits and are not disqualified for medical reasons); a minute amount even IF all of them were trained military personnel. (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tw.html). According to the library of Congress, the PLA has 2,250,000 active-duty personnel (http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles/China.pdf). Even if Taiwan instituted a draft for all military-age men and women, the most people they could draft would only amount to 1/10 of the numbers China fields on a regular day. According to the CIA, China could potentially call-up 600 million souls for military service (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html). From the perspective of Taiwan, a confrontation with China would be suicide.
In summary, the US would not sell arms to Taiwan unless the China-friendly government of a sovereign Taiwan decided it needed such weapons. Secondly it would be suicidal for Taiwan to enter armed conflict with China. Even assuming that the first statement somehow deeply offends the Chinese government, the second statement is true; so what is China afraid of?
**note: I say "sovereign Taiwan" because by the definition of a people electing their own government, it is a sovereign country regardless of the pseudo-statehood status it currently has in the world.
I would just like to point out that the US would not sell arms like the UH-60 Blackhawk or the CWIS or any of the other arms which have been sold over the decades if there were not a market for such items. Until such time as the people of Taiwan vote to re-integrate with China, Taiwan is a separate country. This is something that China has historically and rather conveniently ignored. I'm not saying that they should remain separate or re-integrate; all I am saying is two things. The first is that Taiwan IS a sovereign country at this moment in time and is therefore free to determine its own course of action.
The second point is directly related to the first. The ONLY way Taiwan can buy such arms is by approval of the government (this is the market for US arms). One therefore must ask the question, "if Taiwan and China are so much more friendly now than they were in the recent past then WHY would the government of Taiwan claim the need to purchase 'defensive' weapons?" also, why is China so worried about an independent Taiwan? If it came to a military conflict (as seems to be China's main worry according to the 'experts' I'm currently listening to on CCTV-9) China would kick Taiwan's ass in a heartbeat.
The Chinese military is no longer the backwater laughingstock that it was in 1950. They have modern technology and equipment and the people who know how to use them. They have even integrated western military doctrines into their training. What are they afraid of? As a Taiwanese expert recently stated, the People's Liberation Army out numbers the Taiwanese Army, Navy and Air Force combined at least 10 to 1. According to the CIA, Taiwan has just over 319,800 men and women available for military service (this means these people fall within the legal age limits and are not disqualified for medical reasons); a minute amount even IF all of them were trained military personnel. (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tw.html). According to the library of Congress, the PLA has 2,250,000 active-duty personnel (http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles/China.pdf). Even if Taiwan instituted a draft for all military-age men and women, the most people they could draft would only amount to 1/10 of the numbers China fields on a regular day. According to the CIA, China could potentially call-up 600 million souls for military service (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html). From the perspective of Taiwan, a confrontation with China would be suicide.
In summary, the US would not sell arms to Taiwan unless the China-friendly government of a sovereign Taiwan decided it needed such weapons. Secondly it would be suicidal for Taiwan to enter armed conflict with China. Even assuming that the first statement somehow deeply offends the Chinese government, the second statement is true; so what is China afraid of?
**note: I say "sovereign Taiwan" because by the definition of a people electing their own government, it is a sovereign country regardless of the pseudo-statehood status it currently has in the world.
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