Alex's blog

Dalian possesses China’s only Guide Dog Training Centre, located at the Dalian Medical Science University. The widespread use of guide dogs is in it’s embryonic stage in China, Dalian’s training centre a cutting edge in this aspect of China’s disability assistance programs. Large dogs are unusual in China’s cities – while they may be seen the official permitted height for many larger cities in China is just 35cm.

Dalian News yesterday provided an interesting take on this and highlighted some especially perverse bureaucratic inefficiency:

In China, guide dogs were allowed in public places from July 20 to September 20 thanks to a temporary certificate issued by the authority for the Olympics.  read more »

Technology is moving fast, faster than I’m learning Chinese, and this is useful

I just saw forum topic asking “How Do I Make Da Pan Ji”. Da Pan Ji is a traditionally Xinjiang dish, slightly spicy, consisting large pieces of Chicken lightly fried with spices then stewed with potatos, carrots, tomatos and peppers, often served with thick flat noodles – the noodles soaking up the rich sauce. Whilst ignorant as to how it’s made I've been impressed by the dish ever since tasting it at my local Dalian Da Pan Ji vendor located in the dormitory area of Dalian Finance and Economics University.  Knowing exactly how to make it would be interesting.

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This is where technology comes in handy.

Perhaps a rant, perhaps really interesting, I'm not sure what I think about Dalian's 'creative' future.  We all create things, I create bad smells after eating baked beans, but 'creativity' in this sense perhaps means a shift in culture from a life of function and history to one of reflection and enjoyment.  Graeme said:

Of course the best coffee in Dalian is made by myself, at home, but Echo is probably the coolest place in town to chill out and drink other people's coffee...it's also becoming a key cultural hub for Dalian's small creative community, holding photo & art exhibitions, live performances, film nights etc. There are plenty other cafes which aspire to the same, but they seem to rely more on existing friends and a transient foreign community for their custom. Echo on the other hand is the only one run by local Chinese in their twenties, who are part of the Web 2.0 generation. It now has its own group on Douban.com, the Chinese social networking site for books, films, music etc. Membership is currently at several hundred. They've realised that to be a hub in the physical world these days, you need to be one in the virtual world too.

First, more on creative:  I get huge pleasure browsing Colour Lovers once a week, looking at patterns and colour combinations which are simply beautiful.  I could go to Dalian's shell museum and look at some shells which are also beautiful, perhaps it's staring at bland colours all day, I just something enjoyable about looking at patterns and colour schemes.  I also, and have always, enjoyed plants, as have many others for many millennia, so what's this sort of creative?  Echo Coffee has a small beer garden at the back, when there recently a friend pointed out two stickers on the door, they were placed roughly but not exactly half way up the door and on the inner-left.  Why put them there opposed to any other place?  It just made so much aesthetic sense to put them on the left rather than in the middle, or anywhere else - the colours and dimensions of the stickers complemented and conflicted with their surroundings no where else was as good.  Perhaps that's what I, and Graeme above, are talking about when we're using this term 'creative' - those that love the study and progress of art for a sake - understanding and completing the world around us.  Pre-amble over.

Will Dalian Ever Be A Creative Hub?  read more »

Maybe, for some niche areas, generally no, the race is already lost to Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai.  Again reverting to Graeme:

What are the advantages to logging in to this site?

Our privacy policy clearly states any email address submitted during the login process will not be distributed to third parties.  In addition, any passwords you use in association with this site are stored in an encrypted formfor which there is no key (nor any known method) to allow them to be decrypted.

First, as a non-logged in member what can you do, there is still quite a bit:

• You can view all published blogs, photos, listings, events, comments and the map,
• You can submit comments, either in text form or via Seesmic video.  BUT any comments submitted have to be pre-approved by a moderator,
• You can submit photos by uploading them to Flickr and taging them 'DalianDalian'.

That's quite a lot but there's much more missing:

• Any logged in member can actually make posts (blogs, forum posts, photos, events), rather than just comments.  Comments are automatically published, no need for approval,
• All blog posts, photos, forum posts, events and comments are editable even after publishing (useful for correcting typos).
• You can report something 'abuse' to get a moderator to look at it,
• You can 'favourite' something - adding it to a list of favourite posts,
• You can vote on stories to promote them to the front page and feature them on other pages,
• Get local:  By uploading your (or any) location you're alerted to new listings, reviews and other posts near and relevant to you (your location is not disclosed to other members),
• Use an editor where you can easily add text formatting, upload photos in posts and add smilies,
• Subscribe to and create groups.  What are groups?  The core forum addresses basic questions about Dalian.  If you're interested in any subject area you can create your own group!  Each group can be joined by site members, and has it's own forum.  In addition posts and replies posted to a group can be non-public, meaning only your group members will be able to see it,
• Use the shoutbox.  Not enough to waste time already?  Now you have a 24 hour shoutbox to chat live with other site members,
• Edit a user profile - connect with other site members that have similar interests or living in similar areas,
• Not have (Not Verified) appear next to your name on comments and reviews.  Is someone going to believe the opinion of "OMG the best food I've ever eaten.  by RaveMan (Not Verified)" or "A nice and reasonably priced bistro, recommend the grilled prawn. by BarryRapido" - reasonable words from a long term user.

This is all subject to random change.  If you're interested in a feature please <a href="/forum/suggestions">make a suggestion</a>, there's a good chance we can do it.

I recently bought a new computer from one of the stalls at Olympic Square. To buy something there is a sometimes tedious and sometimes joyful, depending on how amenable to bargaining they are. Before starting the process I did a few things which may be useful to share:

• A clear idea of the specification of the equipment I wanted to buy,
• Check prices for similar equipment in online stores in the US. The US, despite the recently depreciated US Dollar, still remains the cheapest place to buy most common computer hardware. It’s not going to be as cheap in Dalian or anywhere in China, perhaps add as much as 15% even for a good deal,
• Take an initial reconnaissance of stores in Olympic to see what they’re offering for what sort of price. Don’t spend too long as I don’t want to get into a bargaining conversation at this point only for them to recognize me when I return,
• Visit TaoBao.com. TaoBao is China’s eBay with a lot of first-hand equipment. I much prefer to have a physical shop in Dalian with a license and the ability to call 12315 on them should they turn out to be rip-off merchants,
• Revisit Olympic Square with a good idea of what to pay. Listed prices are certainly quite a bit higher than what would be on TaoBao,
• Bargain. They should come down around 1000 kuai for a 6000 kuai (ish) computer. Keep pushing. Ask for an extra GB of RAM is they don’t come down that extra 100 kuai more,
• It helps if you speak Chinese,
• Then ask to see the blue book (or green, depending on the store). This book contains the minimum prices staff are allowed to sell for. Sometimes the prices may be tiered (for bulk purchase, but the tiers are usually slim). Not all stores are keen to show away their blue book, some are, around 50% on my visit – it’s usually a soft plastic folder discarded on one of the shop’s tables. All credit to Rick for discovering this tidbit, it saved me a further 300 kuai,
• A canny store assistant did point out the possibility of fake blue books but given how few people seem to know about this trick that may be a while until that starts to materialize.

Despite the blue book price it’s still possible to get a nice bag and perhaps a stick of RAM thrown in for free too. Shops in Olympic new tend to sell new PCs with Vista Home Basic (genuine copy and proper license number). The trouble with Home Basic is that it’s slow and, well, Basic.

The shop is likely to have spare staff which can install Linux or WinXP together with all of the software drivers (sound, webcam, security device, etc) needed for your computer. If you’re concerned about getting an infected version of Windows ask for a copy of all drivers on a CD/USB stick, it is often difficult or impossible to locate drivers for unusual or non-standard pieces of hardware.

Dalian is a peaceful city, the last place I'd expect to see two forklifts having a bash at each other!

Food price inflation has driven general CPI price rises for the past year. Things, especially food, are getting more expensive, and it is starting to be passed through.

Last year the city of Lanzhou in Gansu province encountered a popular and political backlash. Shops selling the local delicacy of Lanzhou Beef Noodles were accused of collusion and price fixing as an overnight hike of noodle prices, a response to rising wheat, oil, beef and seasoning costs, was met with suspicion. The city government mandated a large bowl must not exceed 2.5 Yuan and the difference between a large and small bowl must not exceed 0.2 Yuan. Noodle shops are not a high margin business, as prices were capped the amount of contents contents inevitably reduced in size.

Two weeks ago, after enjoying a bowl of 米线, Mi Xian or rice noodles (cooked in a chicken or pork broth with tofu skins, vegetables and slices of chicken breast) the shop owner regretfully apologised for the price rising 2 Yuan from 10. He explained the price rise was essential for him to remain in business. For more than 3 years he'd charged 10 kuai for a large bowl/pot.

Roddy noted the filling of his dumplings was going down, an alternative way for retailers to deal with the soaring cost of ingredients. The Zhongshan Hotel have a notice on each of their tables telling guests to add 10% to food costs because of recent ingredient price inflation. Even Kailong, the king of cheap beers, went up 25% in price to 2.5 Kuai several months ago.

This is important phychologically. Not only are prices in the market going up, food prices are being felt outside of home too. It isn't just food prices, power stations made losses in the first quarter of the year as coal prices soared yet higher electricity prices was mandated not to be passed on to consumers - a 1% rise in the cost of electricity directly causes a 0.089% increase in general CPI according to the China Daily. Inflation expectations cause inflation, expect a bunch more.

Pic: Typical Northern Chinese 包子, now with less filling.

Pic: CC lincence, attribution, sharealike.

Related: An introduction to 米线 and an explanation of why the dog ignores the dumplings, or 狗不理包子.

Either society isn't yet harmonious enough, or the prospect of increased disharmony has increased to such a level Beijing has decided to take action. In Dalian the only places still open at 2am are KTVs, the odd nightclub, BBQ restaurant or bar, filled with either the very drunk or the very voracious, neither being particularly harmonious.  The guys at Hopsctch Bar, source of the directive, were pleased to be able to get to sleep a bit sooner.

While increasing prices and Guo Jingjing's pregnancy may drive some to the drink, the main reason for this policy would likely be associated with the Olympics. The Government control development initiatives: the Forbidden City has been spruced up, the Great Wall patched (in easy to reach places) CCTV 9 filled with programs in sober voices about China's 20th Century struggle and 21st Century modernity-meets-tradition.

In seeking to portray itself as a rapidly developing country rich in culture, the Government perhaps want to avoid any association as a party or 18-30 resort. It doesn't want to become Ibiza, or worse, Pattaya, if it did, it would have happened already.

China is not alone in alcohol concern. Melboure is experimenting with a 2am lockout and the UK has for decades prevented bars from operating past 11pm, a law only now being relaxed. The US had prohibition and every weekend Swedes get ferries to Denmark seeking cheap plonk.

Enforcement may also be selective. During the Davos meeting in Dalian during 2007 guests were explicitly asked "Are you with Davos?" to which, if the response was "yes", more adventerous seafood dishes were denied. Take care of visitors and keep them safe. Register them with 4 and 5 star hotels, have government officials working in the hotels during the Olympics. The PR of China is of concern to itself.

Pic: Nepalese Bar at Dawn, 2007.

The victor writes the history books" is the classic expression, in the Google age it should perhaps be suffixed by "and the reader reads what they're interested in Googleing". The images below come from the New York Times Archive when Dalian was little more than collection of small towns and villages, two competing and complementing ports, Port Arthur (now Lushun) and Dalny (now area around the downtown port, train station and Zhongshan Square), and when both the Russian and Japanese empires had eyes on the region.

Archives from 1951 to 1992 are free, leading to an accessible historical record more focussed on war than the development which occurred under and after occupation.  read more »

The International Club of Dalian is a new community-based club for the ever-growing international community living in Dalian.

Launching later this week, the not-for-profit club will provide a social and business network to enrich the living experiences of expatriates and their families living in and around the city. Whether your goal is to expand your business contacts, share common experiences and concerns, or simply meet new friends, The ICD will be organizing a range of social, business networking, & family events to meet your needs.

Organized by volunteers from the international community, the ICD launch will be held in the ballroom of the Swissotel at 6.30pm on Friday 29th February.  read more »