Making a statement...

Several of the expats here have mentioned seeing this, but I actually saw it for the first time yesterday.  First some background.  The wearing of surgical style face masks is very popular here.  The idea is to keep your lungs clean and healthy.  So what king f statement does it make when you see a man pull his aside to take a puff off his cigarette?  Just how bad is the air in Shanghai?  Wish I had caught a picture of that.

Right-of-Way

Came across this thing yesterday as I was walking across the job site:

Nw the body on this wee beasty was over and inch and a half long.  I assumed that meant it had Right-of-Way.

Too damn cute

Tuesday I was taking my usual walk thru the village outside the ZMPC gate when a cashier from one of the grocery stores I frequent flagged me down.  Seems they all wanted to take my picture.  Expats rarely, if ever, go to this part of the village so I am an unusual sight.  (no comments on that!)  So they all brought out their phones and took some pictures.  Well turnabout is fair play so here they are:

ZPMC

Zhenhua Port Machinery Company (ZPMC) is one of those companies few people have ever heard of, but almost everyone knows their product.  Specifically they mass produce these:

They finish on average one a day, 365 days a year.  They have more than 75% of the market.  As you can guess their site is huge, really huge:

If you have Goggle Earth (and everyone should) go to 31-23-47 N / 121-38-30 E.  Have I mentioned the place is really huge?  35, 000 people work here..

Lost in translation

From the official "Notification about Safe Work Actions in S.F.O.B.B. Project"

It is forbidden to drive after drinking, without certification or excessive speed.

It is forbidden to walking across placenta, shall walk through safety channels, and shall be careful about your way when walking to avoid falling over yourself.

Welcome to China.

Should you find yourself in China....

Never, ever go in a building that looks like this:

You risk permanent emotional damage.  Trust me on this.

Hospital Tour

It has been suggested (or in the case of my daughter ordered)  that I end my tour of the world's hospitals.  This is probably a good plan.  Especially for the elderly Chinese woman who saw this coming at her down the hallway.

Electric Bicycle

This is an Electric Bicycle "e-bike".  They are becoming the most popular vehicle in China.  They come in a huge variety if shapes and sizes, some with pedals, most without.  An 8 hour charge will take you about 100 km.  They only have one downside, they are TOTALLY silent.  Fortunately due to the reliability of PCHN we know these things will never make it in Nigeria, because the one upside of Okada is you can hear them coming.  Nigerians on silent motorcycles is a scary thought.

Have to love China

Because of the 2010 Expo China has clamped down even further on internet access.  That essentially means the 70 million people they expect to visit will not be able to tell the world about what they have experienced.  That is so very Chinese.