Dali is a calm, calm town.
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china
Yunnan trip part 2: Dali
On Sweating
The official temperature in Shanghai has been hovering around 39C for a few weeks now, but only because city employees get to go home if the official thermometer crosses the big four O. Unofficial thermometers have been well above 40C when the sun is out. Recently Shanghai has also had the pleasure of Beijing quality smog, making visibility low and causing general malaise. We are all suffering through it; the white shirts that go translucent just by riding the metro, the sticky skin and that general desire to just get back in the shower every minute of the day.
Gross generalizations about China from the new guy: AKA Grumpy Grunting
Below is an email I wrote to a friend, who asked about living in Shanghai.
China is a bit like Blade Runner. I recommend the book ‘Wild Swans’ and the Mao book by the same author, which will give you some context & history. When you’re done, take the same characters and society then add billions of dollars and a bloodthirsty (government sponsored) desire, from each and every person, to become rich. it’s not pretty, or efficient, or ethical, or sensible, but it does make money. Lots of money. There are millions of millionaires here. there are hundreds of billionaires. Also, everything ever is a business decision, and until I learn enough Chinese to have more interesting conversations, here’s the one conversation I have, over and over:
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China’s Rare Earth Metals – Environmental Protection or Protectionism?
China’s share of the discovered Rare Earth Metals (REMs) in the world is staggering.
img courtesy NYTimes (click to view article)
Unlike other resource rich countries, China’s REMs mining are nearly completely controlled by State Owned Enterprises and private Chinese corporations. China has near total control of the world’s REMs supplies, so when they change their policies, sparks fly.
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