Confession of a linguistic spy
2010-03-18 07:55:40
Yes, I am guilty. Put me up against a wall and hang a wooden board around my neck. Let all around know of my crime of linguistic imperialism.
Close encounters of the weird kind can be unsettling
2010-03-18 07:55:40
In the summer of 2008 I enrolled in a German language class in Berlin. The school was a 40-minute ride by tram from where I lived. To save on travel expenses and to get some exercise, I bought a used bicycle at a flea market.
Tips for finding a stress-free 'shelter'
2010-03-18 07:55:40
Psychologist Abraham Maslow in his seminal psychological paper A Theory of Human Motivation introduced the hierarchy of needs, which ranked human necessities in a pyramid with the physical fundamentals of food, clothing and shelter on the bottom. Why? Because without them getting to those other tasks, such as feelings of belonging and self-actualization, would be impossible to meet.
Local hospitals healthier than in LA
2010-03-17 07:56:56
Just in case some of you foreigners (Americans) don't have universal healthcare coverage, and sweat when you contemplate paying for sudden illnesses, I feel duty-bound as a fellow human being to share the good news.
No tears for cheated cheaters
2010-03-17 07:56:56
My patience wore as thin as Donald Trump's comb-over after I read recently about people who ran to the authorities in search of justice after their own attempts to beat the system left them out-of-pocket.
Vanishing bookstores speak volumes
2010-03-16 10:42:36
I am not a bookworm, but I like going to bookstores more than anywhere else.
Long road ahead for emissions
2010-03-15 11:09:00
Expatriates who have lived in Beijing for a long time have recently been squinting with disbelief when looking at the sky.
Diversifying the drinking culture
2010-03-12 10:26:59
Chinese drinking culture consistently makes the news, whether it's deep interest from the Western observer or chastisement from a native viewpoint, it's certainly forever appealing to discussion.
Fight against mums, officials
2010-03-02 13:38:33
There was an interesting story last week about a woman, asking to be known as Vivian, who advertised online for a man to pretend to be her boyfriend while her mother visited her.