I discovered the police registration requirement for newborns by accident when we went to apply for Z's visa. Mrs. Imagethief and I had waited a while to do this because we hadn't applied for the passports right away. We were, as you might expect, a bit overwhelmed by the presence of a newborn and didn't have any immediate plans to travel.

“Free Tibet” has become the cry of the backward and the reactionary. Across the West, it has been turned into the pet cause of poor little rich girls (and boys) who feel disillusioned with modernity and the evil forces of progress. "Free Tibet" activists expend much of their energy campaigning against anything that smells modern—especially Chinese jobs, industry, and infrastructure.

Maybe, one day, ChinaBounder— as well as all the other foreign men in China just like him—will grow up enough to fully appreciate the emotional harm they have caused, not only to some of these girls who have been used but to all the other foreigners in China who are judged and responded to on the basis of the actions of just a handful of extremely immature, base, and poorly-behaved Westerners

If ever an argument needed to be made for watching less TV, then the groups of Western Free Tibet protesters that have snuck in to China are it.

Beijing's recently announced that they'll allow protests that don't harm national, social and collective interests. I've just got one question - what's that leave to protest about? If history is anything to learn from, protesters should be wary as what is allowed now could land you in a cold dark place come the closing ceremonies.

The Chinese society today, like the Arabs, doesn't really come across as a culture that is overly satirical or funny to the outside world. More so with the current international political and societal stance of China it is hard to view China as a funny nation.

Here's an interesting item on Walkley Magazine with an interesting slant on how a future world will feel when China sits on top. Thanks to the Joyceland blog for bringing attention to it.

One thing I don’t really understand –why do some westerners come to China if they ’hate it’ so much? Not understanding the culture or the language – well, have you tried even to learn the language? Or how about getting some Chinese friend? I haven’t loved every country where I have lived, but I have always at least given it a try, and tried to make the most of it? Well, I suppose living abroad is not suitable to everyone.

Teacher, photographer and blogger Dezza (Mask of China) relays his brush (off) with a China Daily HK reporter who got pissed when asked the paper's circulation, and made a joking remark about the CCP mouthpiece's quality. The comment was not meant to offend the (laowai) reporter, but he was told "It would be best not to offend those who can help you," despite it being he who was doing the favour.

This man begins with It’s the end of the era of the white man. It just gets better (or worse?) from there. Basically another piece that acknowledges that America is but a sneeze in the long wind of Asian civilization. But all things are cyclical, and though the pendulum may appear to be swinging in one direction, it may surely swing to the other.