Thoughts

I created a Slide Show! Check it out!

2006-09-06T10:37:00.000+01:00

1 year on

2006-09-04T05:23:00.000+01:00

So, I've been in Shanghai for just about a year now and the place never ceases to amaze me.

I love being able to go out at anytime of the day or night to get something to eat or go for a drink. I love the people, well most of them anyway, I love the fact I can speak Chinese to people without them staring at me, jaws at their feet, because someone who isn't Chinese can speak Chinese (this was aregular occourance during my 2 years living in Hong Kong) and most of all I love the general lifestyle.

Of course there are some attitudes that stink (much more than the sewers) in Shanghai.

It is after all supposed to be an international and cosmopolitan city, yet you still get people staring and pointing with the inevitable "lao wai, lao wai" being screamed at you. This seems to be a Chinese only occourance. When Chinses people are in the UK or France, or any other country for that matter, people do not point and scream "Zhong guo re, Zhong guo ren" or "lao wai" for instance.

On a recent trip to France, I saw a group of mainland Chinese tourists (they were definatly mainland, squatting, spitting/hawking, little man bags under their arms, what are in those bags anyway?) queing, or pushing and shoving, it depends or your cultural view, for the Eiffel Tower.

I decided to try a little experiment, so I stood and stared at them, started to point and cried "Lao wai, lao wai, zhe li you hen duo wai guo ren!" Roughly translated, "look at all the foreigners here."

The Chinese seemed confused and obviously thought this was rude. Well I say to them, yes it was, and welcome to the world of the average non-Chinese in China.

On a completly different note, I went to a so called Spanish party at La Vebena on Saturday night in Pudong.

It was advertised to start at 9pm. My friend put our names on the guest list in order to get the discount entry rate of RMB110 instead of RMB150.

This included 2 sangrias and a buffet. Sounds good?? Bollocks is the only word I can think of.

When we arrived we paid to get in, were given our drinks tickets and went in.

Got to the bar to order our free drink and were informed that the party did not start until 10pm so no free drinks or food until then.

Naturally I was pissed off (RMB60 for a pint of Budweiser beofre 10pm, it's not an issue of money it's the fact of being mislead). People were already queing for the buffet at 9:15pm, so for RMB110 you had the pleasure of fighting for food, and 2 very small glasses of sangria.

We asked for our money back so we could leave, but the lovely little, if not very effeminate Spanish man who so quickly took our money and gave us our tickets, without telling us we couldn't have food or drink until 10pm, said no!

My main rant here is against customer service, or the lack of it in China.

I told the guy that the adverts in print and on the web said 9pm, not 10. It is up to the organisers to provide accurate and non misleading information to people. If this was Europe I could have taken these rank amatuers to court for wrongful description of services and it would've cost them far more than the return of my entry fee.

The most annoying thing was the other gentleman who then proceeded to eventually, after much stamping of his feet and generally acting like a little bitch, give us our money back.

He proceeded to tell me that wanting my money back because they were still setting the food up and I could not get my free drink until 10pm was, "A weak excuse". Well Mr Fancy Pants, it is not a week excuse, your advertisements were totally misleading, illegal in many countries, and the event you set up was completly amateurish. People queing for a buffet that starts at 10pm from 9pm and having to buy drinks vouchers from the bar, only to have to go to another place to colect your drinks. I don't like to pay for the privilege of queing up twice.

Customer service my friend is the most basic tnant of the hospitality business.

Eventually we got our money back and went to Studio 78 on Tongren Lu, a most underated establishment. RMB150 open bar (at that for once meant all house drinks and a full pint of beer, unlike many places in Shanghai), with very good music. People should definalty try this place out, especially the hour of free drinks for men on a Wednesday evening (you have to become a member like me!).

And one final thing.

How exactly do the police work here?? Waiting for a friend last night on the junction of Zun yi Lu and Zi yun Lu in Gubei, I saw 2 police cars and counted 10 police officers suddenly appear to arrest 2 peasent women carrying small children for begging on the street. This may not seem strange (apart from needing 10 men to do, but I suppose jobs do need to be provided), but what left me amazed, was the fact that while these fine upstanding keepers of all things legal were valiantly detaining these two, obviously underfed ladies, no less than 3 hawkers were selling counterfeit wallets and bags and around 50 people jay walked to stand and stare at the arrest all in infront of the police. Sorry but I thought that both of these illegal acts were recently part of much publicised and successful crack downs??

More tomorrow, well if there's anything of interest to report.

Chinese Signs 4

2006-08-29T11:19:00.000+01:00

Chinese Signs 3

2006-08-29T11:17:00.000+01:00

Chinese Signs 2

2006-08-29T11:15:00.000+01:00

Chinese Signs 1

2006-08-29T11:13:00.000+01:00

It's been a long time

2006-08-28T10:34:00.000+01:00

Well, it seems I am back, where have I been I hear you ask?? No where I reply!!

As you may see from previous entries I came to China to study for a while and for a long time I could not access blogspot, well it seems to be working now.

I am now working in a Dutch company in Shanghai as the Sourcing & Export Manager, ooh what a fancy title!!

Well what's been happening?? This year has been crazy, one sister got married in January and one is getting married next week!! My 20 year old brother is going to have a kid with a girl who can be discribe as no less than a thinner Vicky Pollard, but then each to his own as I say.

I've been on about 100 flights in and around China for work over the last 8 months and 95% have been delayed (note to anyone planning to travel around China anytime soon!)

I plan to stay in Shanghai for at least another year and after that, who knows.

I am currently sunburnt after being poolside all day yesterday, poor me.

Anyhoo that's all for now.

Laters.

Censorship!!!

2005-08-07T11:18:00.000+01:00

Well I have had my blog up and running for a few months now. I started it so friends and family could read about my forthcoming adventures in China. All my friends around the world can access it, apart from the ones in China, no problem methinks.

But here's the rub....... the local governments in China don't allow access to blogger.com, so I'm not sure if I'm even going to be able to continue writing about my exploits (or lack thereof) unless I can find a blog site that the Chinese government allow access to (I am pretty lazy, so we'll see).

I can't make any cense of it!

2005-07-23T16:29:00.000+01:00

Ice on the Yellow River

Happy Birthday Slammy 2005!!

2005-07-12T15:58:00.000+01:00

One, two, three too many!!

London 7th July 2005

2005-07-07T23:44:00.000+01:00

Well, I don't even know where to start with this entry........

I was and am still in London today, about 1 mile from the bomb on the number 30 bus.

Wu Juan and I were on our way to Cambridge to visit the city and see my sister. We got on the tube, but were told that due to a power failure we couldn't stop at King's Cross (our stop). Typically, everyone, including myself, satrted bemoaning the tube service. We got off at Highbury, asked a station worker how to get to King's Cross, "Take a Taxi from outside mate" 15 minutes later we still weren't in a taxi. Back into the station and I asked which bus to get, "Number 30 outside and to the right sir".

The queues for the buses were enormous, so we decided to walk to King's Cross and get a later train to Cambridge.

After walking for some distance we came to a bus stop 20 minutes walk from the station, the bus would've taken 5 minutes to get there. I, as usual, had no patience to wait and we didn't get on the number 30.......

Half an hour later......... We all know the rest!

The next 2 hours were spent trying to call my sister to tell her we were alright, unlike the unfortunate people who were injured and even murdered.

I was also worried about James who works near Oxford Circus tube. I'm glad you're safe matey.

Even though I was close to the attacks, it seems unreal, as if it hasn't really happened.... People in the area just got on with their everyday lives....... Problems and worries seem so unimportant....

How can people do this sort of thing to each other??? What makes one person or a group of people hate others so much?? What breeds and nurtures such a putrid disdain for human life??

I'm usually hardened towards the suffering of others, but today, when those poor and undeserving people were murdered, I cried. I admit, not just for them, but for myself and Wu Juan, we were 5 minutes behind the first explosion on the tube....

Well done and thanks to the men and women of the emergency services.

I am lost and unsure with how to go on with writing this entry.......

Lupus est homo homini - Man is wolf to man....

Hands Knees and Bumps Adaisy

2005-06-12T12:30:00.000+01:00

So, my leg still hasn't got better since the water on the knee incident (two weeks before easter). So I bit the bullet and went to see the doctor last week, she told me I have pre patella bursitis, apparently it won't go away, nice. She didn't really explain much to me or offer any advice on managing the condition, will it go away? Will the pain stop? Can I now get the good parking spaces? I suppose that's all you can expect from a country that provides freeish (is that a word) medical treatment.

Starting Salsa classes tomorrow, quite looking forward to it, though I hope my knee doesn't play up.

Sitting in the library now, it's freezing, I can't beleive the weather again! It was really hot yesterday and now it's freezing!!!

Culture, or lack there of.

2005-05-31T15:11:00.000+01:00

Well, it just goes to show you. Britain is on its knees, the highest teenage pregnacy rate in the world, highest number of underage drinkers, chavs and general scumbags milking the system for everything they can get, and that frigging frog at number one! British music is the most exported in the world, I hope this utter travesty of music is not a nod towards things to come.

BEEP BEEP ARRRRGH! At Last!!!!
CREDIT FOR THE ABOVE IMAGE GOES TO MR J. BABYLON SHERWOOD, LATE OF WORTHING UPON SEA. MAY HE REST IN PIECES WATCH OUT FOR THOSE HILLS AND IRONS, SWEET SWEET JAMES.

Waste of 4 quid

2005-05-02T17:32:00.000+01:00

Just been to see Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy................

BAG OF PANTS!!

The Rise of the Chav

2005-04-07T16:06:00.000+01:00

I'm sure we're all aware of the ever present chav. Societies little scum bags who think the world owes them a living, cluttering up our streets with their own unique brand of urban leisure suits (what ever happened to the Camden Leisure Pirates of Yester year?? When exactly was yester year? anyhoo I digress, No Kieran, digress is not a type of bird and denial is not a river in the dark contintent!!! CHA!)

Here are a few witty japes to channel towards our little checked tracksuit, pregnant at 12, hanging around on "da streets" friendly neighbour hood hoodlums (too many hoods there? Well we are talking about Chavs!)

1. What do you call a chav in a box? Innit.

2. What do you call a chav in a filing cabinet?
Sorted

3. What do you call a chav in a box with a lock on it? Safe.

4. What do you call an Eskimo chav? Innuinnit.

5. Why are Chavs like slinkies? They have no real use but it's great to
watch one fall down a flight of stairs.

6. What do you call a Chavette in a white tracksuit? The bride.

7. You're in your car and you see a Chav on a bike, why should you try not to hit him? It might be your bike.

8. What's the difference between a Chav and a coconut? One's thick and
hairy, the other's a coconut.

9. What's the first question at a Chav quiz night? What you lookin' at?"

10. How do you get 100 Chavs into a phone box? Paint three stripes on it.

11. Two Chavs in a car without any music. Who's driving? The police.

12. What do you call a chav with 9 GCSE's? A liar.

13. What do you say to a chav with a job? Can I have a big mac please

14. What do you say to a chav in a suit? Will the defendant please stand

15. What do you call a knife in chaville? Exhibit A

16. Why is 3 chavs going over a cliff in a Nova a shame? A Nova seats 4

17. What do you call a 30 year old chavette? Granny.

18. How many chavs does it take to change a light bulb? One, they'll screw
anything.

19. What do you call 100 chavs at the bottom of a river? A start.

20. How many chavs does it take to clean a floor? None, "That's some uvver
bleeders job innit."

21. Why did the chav take a shower? He didn't mean to, he just forgot to
close the Nova's window in the car wash

22. Why did the Chav cross the road? To start a fight with a random
stranger for no reason whatsoever.

23. What do you call a Chav at college? The cleaner.

24. A bus full of Chavs were driving through Wales. As they were
approaching Llanfgogogferrinfourasoch they started arguing about the pronunciation of the town's name. They argued back and forth until they stopped for lunch. As they stood at the counter, one Chav asked the blonde employee, "Before we order, could you settle an argument for us? Would you please pronounce where we are... very slowly?" - The blonde girl leaned over the counter and said, "Burrrrrrrr-gerrrrrrr-Kiiiiing."

25. Two chavs jump off Beachy Head, who wins? Society.

We Live how we dream, Alone

2005-04-03T12:55:00.000+01:00

Although I myself am no longer, or was I really ever, a religious man, we have today seen the death of a highly respected and influential man:

Karol Wojtyla's election as Pope in 1978 stunned the Catholic world. Not one expert had tipped the 58-year-old bishop of Krakow for the top job.

His stand against Poland's Communist regime had brought him respect. But he was not part of the Vatican "in-crowd" and, above all, he was the first non-Italian pope in more than 450 years.

He went on to become one of the most familiar faces in the world. His papal odyssey covered more than 120 countries and he earned himself the reputation of an international fighter for freedom.

But, to his critics, John Paul II was the arch-conservative - an autocrat whose pronouncements on abortion, contraception and women's rights have had an effect on millions of lives.

Theologian in hiding

The youngest pope of the 20th Century was born near Krakow, Poland, in 1920. As a young man he excelled at sports, including soccer and skiing. He also had a great love for the theatre and, at one time, seriously considered becoming an actor.

Archbishop of KrakowWorld War II and the Nazi occupation saw Karol Wojtyla working as a labourer. He studied theology from 1942 and was forced into hiding in 1944 following a crackdown on religious teaching.

Continuing his studies after the war, he was ordained a priest in 1946. Rapid promotion followed and by 1964 he was archbishop of the city. Three years later he was a cardinal.

Throughout, he had continued his theological studies and was often seen in Rome, but no more than dozens of other cardinals from distant and obscure dioceses.

Approachable

"The Year of the Three Popes" came in 1978. Pope Paul VI died at the age of 80. His successor, elected in a single day, took the name John Paul in memory of his two predecessors. Thirty-three days later he, too, was dead.

The Pope as a boyOnce again the College of Cardinals conducted the centuries-old ritual of a papal election in the Sistine Chapel. After two days of deliberation, Karol Wojtyla became the next successor to St Peter.

Taking the name John Paul II, the new pontiff signalled a new era in Catholic affairs. He was dynamic and approachable, an instantly recognisable leader for the world's largest Christian community.

Above all, he travelled. On an early trip to Ireland, he appealed to the men of violence to return to the ways of peace. American Catholics saw him reject all calls for a change in moral teaching.

Ecumenical services

But his insistence on getting close to crowds almost led to his death in May 1981. Leaning out of his vehicle in St Peter's Square, he was shot and seriously wounded by a Turkish fanatic. After a long recovery, he visited and forgave his would-be assassin Mehmet Ali Agca.

The Pope moments after being shot In 1982 he visited Britain. This was a historically charged trip made all the more important as it occurred during the Falklands crisis. For the first time since the Reformation, the Pope met the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Pope appealed for a peaceful end to the Falklands issue, a plea which was mirrored in a visit to Argentina days later. He participated in a number of ecumenical services with the Church of England, something unthinkable in previous eras.

Huge crowds, Catholic and Protestant, attended his every move and the talk was of union between Rome and Canterbury - a union which today seems as far away as ever, because of the issue of women priests.

Influential in eastern bloc

With the break-up of the Soviet bloc, relations between the Kremlin and the Vatican gained a new significance. In 1989, Mikhail Gorbachev visited Rome, the first time a Soviet leader had crossed the threshold of St Peter's.

With Archbishop Robert Runcie in Canterbury, 1982"The Pope," he told his wife Raisa at the time, "is the pre-eminent moral authority in the world. But he's still a Slav." The understanding between the two men undoubtedly eased the way to democracy in the eastern bloc.

The collapse of Communism coincided with increasing demands in the West for a compromise on religious teaching. By consistently rejecting these calls, John Paul effectively closed the debate before it had started.

He was a complex man. While calling for action to combat world poverty, he insisted that contraception was morally unacceptable. He said that he wanted to improve the status of women while writing that motherhood should be a woman's natural aspiration.

Reign saw great change

He frequently criticised the liberalism which he saw all around him. Homosexuals incurred both his wrath and his pity, to the dismay of campaigners for gay rights.

Although dogged by ill-health in later years, the journeys continued - to Cuba, Nigeria, former Yugoslav republics and the Holy Land, each with its own particular set of pastoral and political problems.

A frail Pontiff

In 2002, the Pope made an emotional and nostalgic final visit to his homeland, flying over his birthplace in Wadowice and visiting the graves of his parents and brother in Krakow.

Once again, vast crowds turned out to see the man many Poles regarded as a living saint and who had, they believed, played a key role in liberating them from Communism.

John Paul's reign also saw other radical changes throughout the world - including the emergence of Aids.

And he had to deal with an increasing number of sex abuse scandals which have recently beset the Catholic Church.

Throughout his reign, his work to maintain the dignity of mankind against what he saw as the dangers of modern life, together with his personal magnetism, made Pope John Paul II one of the most remarkable men of his times.

Papa John Paul II, arrivederci, sarete
mancati.

Economy focus for election battle

2005-03-31T10:41:00.000+01:00

The economy is to be a central plank of Labour's re-election driveGordon Brown's record as chancellor will take centre stage at what could be the last cabinet meeting before an election predicted for 5 May.

Tony Blair is expected to tell ministers the economy will be at the heart of Labour's campaign.
Meanwhile, the Tories will set out more crime policies, and the Lib Dems will propose replacing the council tax.

Labour's cabinet meeting comes as official figures show household incomes fell for the first time in 15 years.

Take-home income

Labour's election supremo Alan Milburn said the apparent drop in average incomes was because self-employed people had been affected by the "world downturn" which had hit their profits.
The next election will be a fundamental choice about the future direction of the country

Tony Blair
"But if you exclude those people for most people who are not
self-employed who are ordinary workers their incomes - their take-home incomes -
actually rose ... by a further 1.8%," he added.

Since 1997 the reported average take-home income had "risen by 20% in real terms" if you took out the self-employed, Mr Milburn told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

He was speaking ahead of the political Cabinet, in which ministers normally focus on party matters.

Mr Blair will tell the meeting that Labour plans to fight the election on its health, education and economic record.

'Downright lie'

The prime minister will say Labour's purpose is to "break down the barriers holding people back from fulfilling their potential".

He will highlight the "strong and stable economy" and accuse the Conservatives of planning £35bn cuts - something dismissed by the Tories as a "downright lie".

The meeting marks the start of a 10-day Labour campaign to make the economy and public spending a dividing line between Labour and the opposition.

To coincide with the start of that campaign, Mr Brown will visit a Sure Start project for children in south London.

Conservative leader Michael Howard meanwhile will use a news conference in central London to focus on Tory plans to tackle crime and highlight what he sees as shortcomings in Labour's record.

Meanwhile the Liberal Democrats will highlight their plans to abolish the Council Tax.

Poll tax riots

Local government spokesman Ed Davey will tour London constituencies in an open-top bus to highlight the policy.

Mr Davey said: "Council tax is simply unfair. It hits pensioners and people on low and fixed incomes the hardest, and revaluation is going to make it worse.

"Fifteen years ago, the unfairness of the poll tax led to rioting in the streets.

"Council tax has already brought out the protesters, but with seven million families facing a 20% or more hike in their bills, the protests are going to get worse."

Le Français ? ? Pas encore !

2005-03-28T17:00:00.000+01:00

Airfrance doivent être la plus mauvaise compagnie aérienne dans le monde.
Non seulement vous font-ils la file d'attente pendant des heures, ont les
hôtesses malheureuses, ont la nourriture terrible et sans faute, perdez votre
bagage, elles vous font le salaire pour le privilège. Est-ce que je
l'extensivley parcouru et un problème avec une autre compagnie aérienne, comment
ont n'ont jamais eu restent-elles en fonction ? ? (je sais que ce Français ne
peut pas être totalement précis, mais je ne m'inquiète pas ? ?)

I'm Back

2005-03-28T13:55:00.000+01:00

Well hello all, it's been a while, but I'm back now, missed me???

It's been a mad week or so. Went to London on the 18th for Sherwood's birthday, it was good, a little messy, but good none the less. Friday night culminated in Sherwood being sick on himself in a bar (nasty stuff that aftershock ay woody?)

Ending up getting free beer and burgers!!!! Went to waggamamas (correct spelling?) and got very drunk indeed.

We ended up walking round London singing that amarillo song (or attempting to anyway).

Sammy boy was supposed to join us in the Friday but couldn't move his more than rotund frame out of bed and ended up geting to us at around 6pm L A Z Y B O Y!!

Those of you who can read Chinese can read my tirade against Airfrance below somewhere. Here's another one. My lovely girlfriend Wujuan went to paris on the 19th and they lost her bag. Promised to send it on to her in Rome, but failed to do so, when they eventually did, they sent it to the wrong airport. SORT YOURSELVES OUT HOW HARD CAN IT BE???????????

Show ME The WaY tO AMArILlO......something something pillow...... SwEET
MaRIE wAiTS For ME!!

HAPPY ST. PATRICKS DAY

2005-03-16T23:39:00.000Z

Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Daoibh, Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig!,Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh!,Tabhair dom a rud céanna mar atá ag an fhear ar an urlar!

LONDON CALLING

2005-03-15T22:20:00.000Z

Off to London on Friday for Mr. Sherwood's birthday. Me and Sammy have decided as Robin Of is now a wealthy journamalist (not quite in the same vein as Sir Bill) the milky bars are on him. fr Fr Fre Fresh Fressh.

Really looking forward to it! Brix tan! Cha!

London calling to the faraway townsNow that war is declared-and battle come
downLondon calling to the underworldCome out of the cupboard, all you boys and
girlsLondon calling, now don't look at usAll that phoney Beatlemania has bitten
the dustLondon calling, see we ain't got no swing'Cept for the ring of that
truncheon thing

My Favourite Things in hong Kong

2005-03-01T15:55:00.000Z

Inspired by Wang Jian Shou's list of favourite things in
Shanghai here is my list for Hong Kong:

My favourite place for afternoon tea: Grand Hyatt

My favourite book store: All Dymocks

My favourite Bar:Bamboo, Lan Kwai Fong

My favourite restaurant: W's Entrocte

My favourite road:Peak Road

My favourite shop: Hugo Boss

My favourite gym: Physical

My favourite view: Look out point, Discovery Bay

My favourite furniture design: IKEA

My favourite newspaper: SCMP

Chinese Poetry

2005-03-01T14:40:00.000Z

For those of you out there interested in Chinese poetry (come on there must be someone), I have found a site with 300 Tang Dynasty poems. Enjoy.

韋應物

夕次盱眙縣

落帆逗淮鎮，停舫臨孤驛。

浩浩風起波，冥冥日沈夕。

人歸山郭暗，雁下蘆洲白。

獨夜憶秦關，聽鐘未眠客。

Wei Yingwu

MOORING AT TWILIGHT IN YUYI DISTRICT

Furling my sail near the town of Huai,

I find for harbour a little cove

Where a sudden breeze whips up the waves.

The sun is growing dim now and sinks in the dusk.

People are coming home.

The bright mountain-peak darkens.

Wildgeese fly down to an island of white weeds.

...At midnight I think of a northern city-gate,

And I hear a bell tolling between me and sleep.

很好画

2005-02-28T22:34:00.000Z

nice

Seven Main Chinese dialects七大方言

2005-02-28T21:40:00.000Z

People generally don't know much about Chinese dialects and usually only know of Madarin and Cantonese. The following info is from Chinese Broadcast

北方方言Northern Dialects

又叫官话。使用人口占汉族总人口的70％以上，分布于整个中国的北部、长江以南的四川、贵州、云南、西藏，以及下列省份沿长江的部分地区：江苏、安徽、江西、湖北、湖南。又可分为四大次方言区：华北、西北、西南、江淮。普通话的语音就是建立在北方方言中北京话的基础之上的。

Also called mandarin. Speakers include over 70% of the Han population and live in Northern China along the Changjiang River in Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei and Hunan. Those areas can be divided into four hypo-dialect regions: Huabei, Xibei, Xinan and Jianghuai. The pronunciation of Putonghua is based on Beijinghua.

声调一般有四声；无浊音；有前鼻音和后鼻音；西北方言有儿话音；舌前舌后音区分较为明显。

Generally speaking, the tones include four intonations. Northern Dialects have front and back nasals, no voiced. North-western dialects have “er” sounds. Velars and dorsals differ greatly.

吴语Wuyu

使用人口约占汉族总人口的8%，大致分布于苏南、浙江大部分地区及江西与浙江一小部分。

Speakers include about 8% of the Han and are generally distributed in
most areas in Sunan and Zhejiang, and a small part in Jiangxi and Zhejiang.

有七、八个声调；韵母中单元音较多，复元音较少；没有舌后音。Seven or eight tones. There are several
simple vowels, while compound vowels are very few. No dorsal.

赣语Ganyu

使用人口约占汉族总人口的2%强，分布于江西的北部和中部。发音特点：有六个声调；只有舌前音；有前后鼻音。Speakers number more than 2% of the Han population. They live in the northern and central parts of Jiangxi Province.

有六个声调；只有舌前音；有【l】无【n】；有前后鼻音。Six tones. Velar only. Has【l】and front and back nasals, but no【n】

客家话Kakka (dialect)

使用人口占汉族总人口的4%，分布于江西南部、广东北部、福建的西部及台湾的新竹、苗栗等地。赣语和客家话很接近，有人认为可以把它们看作是同一种方言的两大支派。Speakers are 4% of the total number of Han. It is spoken in the southern part of Jiangxi Province, northern part of Guangdong, western part of Fujian and Xinzhu, Miaosu and other areas in Taiwan. Ganyu is very similar to Kejiahua. Some believe that they can be regarded as two main branches of one dialect.

一般有六个声调；只有舌前音；还有【m】韵尾；【x】和【u】相拼时念【f】。Six tones usually. Velar only. Has 【m】codas. When 【x】 and 【u】 come together, it pronounces【f】.

湘语 Xiangyu

一般认为包括新湘语和老湘语，使用人口占汉族总人口的5%，分布于湖南洞庭湖以南的大部分地区。It is generally believed that Xiangyu includes New Xiangyu and Old Xiangyu. Speakers amount to 5% of the Han population. They are distributed in most areas to the south of Dongting Lake in Hunan Province.

有五、六个声调；有舌前舌后音；【x】和【u】相拼时念【f】, 【n】和【l】混同。Five or six tones. Has velars. When 【x】 and 【u】 come together, it pronounces【f】. 【n】and【l】can be used interchangeably.

闽语 Minyu

使用人口占汉族总人口4%强。分布于福建（除闽西客活区外）、广东东部和海南岛及雷州半岛一部分、台湾大部分地区、浙南与福建比邻的小部分地区。Speakers number more than 4% of the total population of the Han. They are scattered in Fujian (except the region of Minxikehua), eastern Guangdong, Hainan Island, a part of Leizhou Byland, most of Taiwan and a small area along the border of Zhenan and Fujian.

有七、八个声调；只有舌前音；没有【f】。Seven or eight tones. Has velars; has no 【f】.

粤语Cantonese

使用人口占汉族总人口5%，分布于广东大部分地区、广西东南部。
粤语、闽语和客家活在港澳及海外亦有分布。发音特点：声调有九、十个；无浊音；【x】和【u】相拼时念【f】。Speakers number 5% of the
Han population. They live in most of Guangdong and the south-eastern part of
Guangxi. Cantonese, Minyu and Kejiahua are spoken in Hongkong, Macao and outside
China as well.
声调有九、十个；无浊音；【x】和【u】相拼时念【f】。Nine or ten tones. No voiced. When
【x】 and 【u】 come together, it pronounces【f】.

2005-02-28T20:55:00.000Z

nice

2005-02-28T16:20:00.000Z

This is James, he left the last post on my site!!!

18 bAlDInG STAr. GoLDEn FaLLiNG HaRD

Quotes from the boosh

2005-02-28T01:08:00.000Z

Here are some quotes from The BOOSH

"your moves are like being caressed by natural yoghurt..."

"It's like playing snooker in an earthquake"

"I see you through my minty eyes"

"I tried to get 'em"

"The walls are full of crack, the cracks are full of strangers -trying to guess my weight"

"I got Spain...I thought Al Murray would get that!"

"...she's about sixty!"

"OOOh Charlie...!"

"I am the head! Lead me to my hat collection"

"If an inner-tube told you to run around a graveyard shouting 'I'm the graveyard man' would you.....?"

"....and all the wolves were found upside-down in a box!"

"You're clearly French - you're a child of the croissant. Look at that nose, it's like the Eiffel tower, you've got cheeks like the Louvre and a chin like a baguette"

"We're in some kind of a forest - dense, yet frugal"
"I can have a gorilla touch you"
"Yeah - Laugh it up"
"I've never seen anything less like me in all my life, it's like looking at a cup."
"You should have been here yesterday, it was just an old toucan ginned out of her face telling dirty jokes to 2 year olds."
"This llama went loopy - loopy llama. He was hoofing everyone...he was a hoofing nutcase."
"I've got a special bond with the jackals, we rub wrists"

2005-02-27T17:49:00.000Z

told you he wouldn't be happy! OH NO Johnny!!

BALLS!!!! :(

2005-02-27T17:44:00.000Z

ARSE 3 - 2 to chelsea, JTCHEF wIlL NoT BE HaPPY, LuCKY he NeVER had that
bet!!!

18 balding star, GOlden falling hard!

我认识的外国人

2005-02-27T17:32:00.000Z

我住在香港的时候，我遇到一个香港人，她是我爸爸的职员，她的名字叫谭丽梅。她个子很高，头发很长，她很友好，很风趣幽默。那个时候，我没有工作，所以每一天，我去我爸爸的酒吧，跟他一起工作。
每天放工后，我和梅还有她的朋友一起去吃晚饭。我是外国人，听不懂广东话，所以她就教我香港的方言。她认识很多人，也让我认识了很多新的朋友，这些朋友后来帮我找到工作。
每个月，我们会到中国大陆旅游。我们去过深圳，珠海，澳门，海南岛。除了这些中国的城市，我们还去了新加坡和泰国。在我去香港之前，我哪里都没有去过。我第一次坐飞机就是从英国到香港。和梅一起，她帮助我提高我的自信，而且，我的视野开拓了。我们一起的时候，非常开心快乐。
我现在回来英国了，但是我们每个星期通一次电话。她鼓励我学习汉语，她当然是我最好的朋友！

一次旅行

2005-02-27T17:30:00.000Z

我十二月十六号坐飞机去香港。我很幸运，在世界最大的保险公司实习一个月。但是我的旅途不太顺利。
去香港我选择了Airfrance，因为他们的票价是最便宜的。在曼彻斯特机场，我排队排了三个小时，我非常不高兴。等我把护照和机票交给空姐时，她说“对不起先生，我们没有靠走道的座位，我只能给您靠窗的座位”这不好，我订座位时，说的是靠走道的座位。虽然不太高兴，但是我想“我反正一样，都是去香港”。所以我把行李托运了，空姐把登机牌给我。办理完登机手续以后我登上飞机。
在曼彻斯特机场，飞机晚点二十分钟，我先去巴黎 Charles de Gaule 机场，等一个小时，然后转机到香港。因为飞机晚点了，我只有十五分钟。下飞机以后我跟很多人一起跑着去赶公共汽车，司机开车开得很快，飞机准时起飞！
在飞机上，我的座位不太舒服，在我的旁边，有两个人，一个女人和一个男人，他们一路睡觉，我不能站起来！虽然我可以在飞机上看电影，但我也带了很多书。到达香港以前一个小时空姐告诉我，“我们把你的行李丢了，可能还在巴黎或者退回英国去了。” 在香港机场，空姐告诉我Airfrance。明天会把行李给我。我弟弟到机场接我，在香港的时候，我跟他一起住。从星期五到星期六我不能替换衣服，虽然我弟弟让我穿他的衣服但是我比他胖多了！星期六晚上十一点，我接收到我的行李，才放心。
我觉得我不能再坐 Airfrance!

Yo y Mi Familia.

2005-02-27T17:27:00.000Z

¡Hola! , mi llamo Terry. Soy inglés de Preston. Preston está en el noroeste de Inglaterra cerca de 50 kilómetros de Manchester. Soy estudiante, estudio lengua China y negocio internacional en la Universidad de Lancashire Central. Trabajo en un tenida de bocadillos, hago sandwiches. Tengo 26 años. Mis manías son; viajando, pasando tiempo con mis amigos, escuchando la música y lectura. Compro y leo todo tipos de libros y escucho la música de todo sobre el mundo.
No vivo con mis padres. Mi padre se llama Terry tambien. Vives en Essex en el suroeste de Inglaterra, él es el director general de un hotel.

Tengo dos hermanas y dos hermanas. Mi hermanas se llaman Elizabeth y Noelle. Viven en Cambridge en el sureste de Inglaterra, cerca de mi padre. Ambos tienen 37 años, son ambas amas de casa.Mi hermanas se llaman Kieran y Ben. Kieran tiene 19 años. Él es ingeniero informático. Ben tiene 13 años, él es un estudiante de la High School secundaria. Kieran y Ben viven en Hong Kong de China con mi madre del paso. Su nombre es Jane y ella es consejero financiero.

I R E L A N D!!!!!!!! COME THE BOYS!!!

2005-02-27T17:20:00.000Z

IRELAND 19 - 13 England

Man of the match Ronan O'Gara breathed a sigh of relief
after Grand Slam hopefuls Ireland beat England 19-13 at Lansdowne Road and
admitted "we made hard work of it".
FIRST GRANDSLAM SINCE 1948!!!

2005-02-26T23:44:00.000Z

it is I

2005-02-26T23:26:00.000Z

sleepy.... awww

2005-02-26T23:25:00.000Z

SURPRISE!!!

中国朋友

2005-02-26T11:22:00.000Z

这两个星期，我用了因特网认识很多新的中国朋友。他门帮我提高我汉语说，写的水平！
如果，你觉得你的水平，不太好。别怕中国人很喜欢帮助你，跟他们聊天儿。他们也能借机锻炼自己的英语。记住，只有时间才能出真知！

说汉语很好玩儿

Cheese

2005-02-25T21:19:00.000Z

CHEESE IS A TYPE OF
MEAT,
A TASTY YELLOW TREAT,
I MILK IT FROM MY TEAT,
THOUGH I TRY TO STAY
DISCREET,
CHEESE IS REALLY SWEET

OW

2005-02-25T21:12:00.000Z

Been Laid up for the last 4 days with water on the knee,

Bloody hurts, can't walk......

Bored !

AGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!