I don't think I've heard a satisfactory answer to this from any of the AznId-cluster communities tbh.
Happened right between the Qdoba and Chick-fil-A in Union in 22. I was in the far right lane when I saw a heavy set lady walking relatively slow across during a lull in traffic. I was concerned about her making it across and sure enough, car in the far left lane hit her going full speed. There was a car in the center lane that blocked peripheral vision and he probably didn't see her until it happened; she probably couldn't see the left lane car, either. Police and paramedics arrived within minutes but it was pretty obvious that was not looking good at all.
Fucking hell, knew it was only a matter of time. Crossing 22 on foot at any time is certainly a choice, let alone at 7PM on a major holiday weekend. Unfortunate situation for both involved; driver looked pretty devastated.
Some of the more draconian stuff that's come out recently in world politics seems like it could point to South Africa-style "load shedding" as an eventual goal.
Stuff like "UK wants to implement a national curfew for social media usage" or "Texans must verify their ID to even use the App Store" seem supportive of this. We're even seeing the Bronx cut down on electricity usage due to a local heat wave.
I feel like this is gonna be to Gen Alpha what COVID and its lockdowns etc. were to Gen Z.
One major hitch in this theory is AI and data centers though.
In the world (but espeically in east asia), there is a clash between masculinity (especially tradtional one) and feminism. But Mongolia seems to buck the trend. You don't need to tell me how mascuine Mongolian guys are. But Mongolian girls don't seem to fit the western or east asian traditional gender norms. They are much more independent and also quite tough. And this is not a modern thing. Traditionally, since they were from a nomadic tradition and not bound by Confucianism or Abrahamic religions, they took a more active role in the household. Some were even generals and warriors (Galdan Khan's wife was killed in the battle of against the manchus). Another reason why they were usually ideally stuck into a corner is because Mongolia's climate is ROUGH so everyone need sot work together to survive (setting up and packing yurts). If you look at ilkhanate paintings of the Khan's you can see the khan and his wife sitting on the same throne (the guide from the Chinggis khan museum said this is a uniquely Mongolian thing) since they ruled together. You cna read this post (https://www.reddit.com/r/mongolia/comments/1r2zc35/the_mongol_empire_was_the_most_feminist_empire_in/ ). And it is not just the Mongols, other steppe civilization had something similar (like Tomiris)
Modern day Mongolia is more feminist than other East Asian nations. There isn't that too much emphasize on virginity as in other societies like east asian and Abrahamic. Some girls told me they can tackle guys (if you watched physical asia you can see how strong some women can be). The submissive wife thing is not a thing there. It has a very high female workforce participation and women make up most of the university graduates (and no, gender studies is not a subject there). The first comment in this post has some good info (https://www.reddit.com/r/thepassportbros/comments/1kdzp1b/mongolia/ ) There is no gender conflict. Stuff like tattoos got adopted by Mongolians without much fuss and not taboo unlike east asia. Jessi is like seen as a maverick in Korea (in Mongolia she wouldn't raise any eyebrows since many rappers like her emerged) They have strip clubs openly advertised tho... (there is an unfortunate case of sex tourism) And yet TFR is much higher than east asia (it is still declining but still better than most countries). Divorce rate is actually quite low. Also Mongolia was communist so they also had soviet influence (but as I mentioned before it is not the only factor). Funny enough, they don't resent it like most of eastern eu. Like everywhere, Mongolia is feeling the effects of globalist capitalism (but it is pretty slow). And Mongolian guys are still very masculine (and live the traditional lifestyle unlike Japanese, Scandinavians etc.). And both Mongolian men and women are nationalistic and proud of their culture and history (most western feminists are not). I heard stories if foreign guy tries to sleep around Mongolian women too much, he could get into trouble
But yeah I am pretty distrustful with modern feminism. But do you think that east asian countries, asian americans or even the west can learn a few things from Mongolia. Mb some of the "red pill" guys should look at Mongolia.
Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan has elements of this but due to islam it is a bit muted
"Meshi" means "meal" or "food" in Japanese.
And while I've only gotten as far as the end of Vol. 4 (red dragon defeated, sister revived), the existence of multiple dungeons and ability to create them seems to be established.
Seems like maybe they were trying to avoid an IP issue with Dungeons & Dragons?
Recently there's been a lot of panic about heat waves throughout Europe, or arguments over the merits of A.C., and a lot of people are blaming climate change.
Do you think "Lockdowns 2" are due? (If so, this time they'll be clamping down or requiring ID for most of the internet.)
Recently there's been a lot of panic about heat waves throughout Europe, or arguments over the merits of A.C., and a lot of people are blaming climate change.
Do you think "Lockdowns 2" are due? (If so, this time they'll be clamping down or requiring ID for most of the internet.)
Some signs I might not be as Han as I thought:
better lactose tolerance than a lot of Han Chinese
better alcohol tolerance and less "Asian flush" than a lot of Han Chinese
hairier than a lot of Han Chinese (and as a closeted femboy, this is what distresses me the most)
The lactose thing actually came up in conversation once and someone suggested I'm actually secretly Mongolian. Seems a bit finicky since I'm of combined Wu and Southern Min descent, but if I secretly have Turkic or Mongolic (or "Altaic") blood, I certainly didn't inherit height. (Though maybe in some ways it's good that I didn't.)
Sorry if too controversial of a question, but asking in good faith. Might be a fun one.
So for context, I'm a Chinese American who's grown up in a car-dependent suburb in the NYC metro area, and just landed a decent job in a car-dependent suburb in the NYC metro area. But I've spent some chunks of my life in better settings, including a cool college town in my state, as well as the occasional NYC trip.
I haven't been to China, where a lot of my family lives, since pre-COVID. And now that I've graduated college and have some time before my job begins, I figured I'd reward myself by visiting China - specifically Shanghai, Jiaxing, Chengdu, and Chongqing - and seeing my relatives in the flesh for the first time in what seems like forever.
And I've got to say, my mind's absolutely blown.
Most important thing might be how connected everything is, transit-wise. Many cities of China really values public transportation in a way most parts of the US don't, whether it's a metro system, plentiful taxis, or (perhaps most understated of all) a robust bus network. It's miles upon miles better than the US, and I'm even including NYC. Compared to not only Shanghai but other cities I've visited (even ones prior to this trip), NYC just feels like a lower Tier 2 or even Tier 3 city. And mind you, NYC is considered one of the best cities in the US from an urbanism and lifestyle perspective.
Obviously car ownership is still allowed (unless you're in a city with rotating license plates through the week), but it's not absolutely necessary, and you won't be locked out of work or a social life if you don't have one. In fact one of my relatives drove me to Jiaxing. But once you're actually in Jiaxing things just seem a lot better developed than in, like, a US city of comparable stature to Jiaxing. (Newark? White Plains? Yonkers? Paterson? Morristown?) Like you can live in an apartment and get delicious food just by walking.
If you're hungry in (most of) America, your best bet is to hop into your car and drive to the grocery store parking lot. But in much of China, you can visit a ton of restaurants or local grocers. Even 1 city block (and I notice city blocks in China tend to be larger than those in the US for some reason) can contain a lot more business than many American towns. And if you can't be bothered to leave your residence, you can even order it online using JD or Meituan.
The food here is cheap and plentiful, though I'm aware not everything is (e.g. don't buy shoes in China!), and that Americans have a geographical arbitrage angle locals lack. But some of the meals can be really cheap, e.g. you can have a wonton soup or a zongzi for less than 20 RMB (3 USD).
And how is this relevant to "suburban hell", you might say? Should also mention I didn't stay in the Shanghai city center, but in a more suburban area (between the inner and middle rings), to be closer to my relatives. But all that still applies, even in the "suburbs". There are "exurbs" too (e.g. real outer districts of Shanghai), and they (usually) look quite different from North American exurbs, in a good way re: (sub)urbanism.
So for context, I'm a Chinese American who's grown up in a car-dependent suburb in the NYC metro area, and just landed a decent job in a car-dependent suburb in the NYC metro area. But I've spent some chunks of my life in better settings, including a cool college town in my state, as well as the occasional NYC trip.
I haven't been to China, where a lot of my family lives, since pre-COVID. And now that I've graduated college and have some time before my job begins, I figured I'd reward myself by visiting China - specifically Shanghai, Jiaxing, Chengdu, and Chongqing - and seeing my relatives in the flesh for the first time in what seems like forever.
And I've got to say, my mind's absolutely blown.
Most important thing might be how connected everything is, transit-wise. Many cities of China really values public transportation in a way most parts of the US don't, whether it's a metro system, plentiful taxis, or (perhaps most understated of all) a robust bus network. It's miles upon miles better than the US, and I'm even including NYC. Compared to not only Shanghai but other cities I've visited (even ones prior to this trip), NYC just feels like a lower Tier 2 or even Tier 3 city. And mind you, NYC is considered one of the best cities in the US from an urbanism and lifestyle perspective.
Obviously car ownership is still allowed (unless you're in a city with rotating license plates through the week), but it's not absolutely necessary, and you won't be locked out of work or a social life if you don't have one. In fact one of my relatives drove me to Jiaxing. But once you're actually in Jiaxing things just seem a lot better developed than in, like, a US city of comparable stature to Jiaxing. (Newark? White Plains? Yonkers? Paterson? Morristown?) Like you can live in an apartment and get delicious food just by walking.
If you're hungry in (most of) America, your best bet is to hop into your car and drive to the grocery store parking lot. But in much of China, you can visit a ton of restaurants or local grocers. Even 1 city block (and I notice city blocks in China tend to be larger than those in the US for some reason) can contain a lot more business than many American towns. And if you can't be bothered to leave your residence, you can even order it online using JD or Meituan.
The food here is cheap and plentiful, though I'm aware not everything is (e.g. don't buy shoes in China!), and that Americans have a geographical arbitrage angle locals lack. But some of the meals can be really cheap, e.g. you can have a wonton soup or a zongzi for less than 20 RMB (3 USD).
Should also mention I didn't stay in the Shanghai city center, but in a more suburban area (between the inner and middle rings), to be closer to my relatives. But all that still applies, even in the "suburbs". There are "exurbs" too (e.g. real outer districts of Shanghai), and they (usually) look quite different from North American exurbs, in a good way re: urbanism.
One of the places I visited in Shanghai was this urban planning exhibition hall in the central square. (It used to be known for a huge model of the city, but sadly they've gotten rid of it a few years ago, I was told.) They had exhibits about "15 minute districts" and how good they were - sure to make most US conservatives cry, I'm sure. "Ooh, 15 minute cities, how dystopian!" But the "15 minute districts" I've spent time in this trip made the average US neighborhood feel dystopian!
Oh yeah, another major thing I've learned from this trip is how poorly North American Chinese enclaves replicate China. You can have a bunch of the most authentic restaurants you want in one district, yet the food's really expensive compared to China, things are probably considerably less clean, and in most cases the urbanism is far worse. (Like maybe the NYC ones or Richmond BC are OK, but... look at Edison, NJ or Bellaire, TX lmao.) And you could probably get cheaper, better, and more authentic food in China anyway. At least if I were a Chinese immigrant that's how I'd feel about them.
Notwithstanding any drawbacks (which did exist, e.g. squat toilets, elite overproduction), I love China, and I'm real bummed that my trip's now over. I unironically wanna move there now lol. I know citizenship is almost universally a non-starter, but maybe extended PR? Study abroad could also be a valid option for slightly younger visitors, but I graduated already.
Back here in my humble suburb I'm just kinda feeling like Gulliver back in England and thinking my own countrymen are Yahoos. Sigh...
People in these corners seem to often talk positively about expatting to their heritage countries or how better their life has gotten. Some even seem to go as far as to say that this is something all Asians living in the West should be trying to do, lest they face immense discrimination that could kill them.
But having just come back from a fairly long trip to China (Shanghai, Chongqing, and Chengdu), one thing that stood out to me was how bad, or at least non-native-coded, my Chinese was, despite my best efforts.
For reference, I'd say in the grand scheme of things, my Mandarin's still far better than the average Chinese American. Speaking, listening, reading, writing, all of it. I've met plenty who can only converse but struggle immensely with the written language, and I've even encountered some who can hardly do much in their heritage language at all. And most significantly of all, I actively consume media in Mandarin with ease: Xiaohongshu, CCTV documentaries, even those travel magazines or brochures they have at airplanes, hotels, or tourist attractions in China.
Skill issue? Do I need to git gud, and am I deluding myself about how good my Mandarin is? Or is this going to end up being a major obstacle for any repatriation efforts?
People in these corners seem to often talk positively about expatting to their heritage countries or how better their life has gotten. Some even seem to go as far as to say that this is something all Asians living in the West should be trying to do, lest they face immense discrimination that could kill them.
But having just come back from a fairly long trip to China (Shanghai, Chongqing, and Chengdu), one thing that stood out to me was how bad, or at least non-native-coded, my Chinese was, despite my best efforts.
For reference, I'd say in the grand scheme of things, my Mandarin's still far better than the average Chinese American. Speaking, listening, reading, writing, all of it. I've met plenty who can only converse but struggle immensely with the written language, and I've even encountered some who can hardly do much in their heritage language at all. And most significantly of all, I actively consume media in Mandarin with ease: Xiaohongshu, CCTV documentaries, even those travel magazines or brochures they have at airplanes, hotels, or tourist attractions in China.
Skill issue? Do I need to git gud, and am I deluding myself about how good my Mandarin is? Or is this going to end up being a major obstacle for any repatriation efforts?
(Last pic is like 1 block south and 1 block west of even that, fyi)
Context: KOSA might actually pass this time
I know of the individual websites used to watch the anime; what about downloading it?
Pretty sad loss for Shanghai, especially considering this is where it all began.
UK and EU have already been seriously discussing mandating age verification on all VPN services to prevent children (defined as under 16) from bypassing social media bans, and most existing VPN companies (e.g. Mullvad) have indicated they'd rather just block access in those countries than cower to demands that could compromise privacy so seriously. This may also bankrupt smaller VPNs.
Is it as apocalyptic as I foresee it to be?
Current US status quo, for reference, is that the minimum age to use social media is 13, and this is loosely enforced using an honor system (per COPPA).
Some related questions to think about:
What should enforcement look like?
What is "social media"?
What, if anything, needs to be changed about the status quo?
What should the age be? 13? 16? 18?
To what extent should the parents bear responsibility? To what should the state bear responsibility?
How would you defend yourself against accusations of sympathizing with predators (or even being one yourself)?
What about phone usage in general?
If such a restriction does come into effect locally or nationally, how would you feel or what would you do? (Or how are you feeling / what are you doing if one is already in effect?)
Reason I ask is because the UK just announced their intention to implement it, and Australia has maintained one for months.