Happy New Year

Its new year already in hell, but it was uneventful.the Chinese really must be hurting for cash, for this year,s new year had no fireworks whatsoever. Of course this is not the Chinese. New year, but still.
Every year Ive been here these guys have shot off fireworks at this time. As restive as this place has been, the chicoms are probably worried that the fireworks will be shot at them…

China, Starbucks and Tech

I am sitting at Starbucks in Beijing. Starbucks, a  place for Chinese to spend five, yes five freaking dollars for a super big coffee. The chinese, do not worry, however, for it is in Starbucks where they pursue  that falsehood of normalcy in a land of smoke , mirrors and deceit.

As they labor over their steaming drinks, they can momentarily, at least, get away from the pollution, the despair and  general   reverse  darwinism that typifies this mess of a place.

My fellow squanderers of  money can sit behind the protective glass with that weird green image this place is famous for as the locals look down their noses at anyone without the financial means to  spend what amounts to  a days wages in the land where they unfortunately found life.

As for me, the Starbuckers, just as apple fanboys are a peculiar sort who through a unity of collective purpose claim themselves to be the ultimate in free thinkers or modern cowboys.

To these  modern day chinese emperors Starbucks is fashion, a chinese way of saying that they are not ignorant pugs and do realize that athletic socks are not the appropriate accessory for a flowing gown that so many chinese women seem to enjoy. aside frrom the white socks, it would seem, the chinese fancy clothing bringing to mind a ‘swashbuckler’ for the life of me i have no idea why they choose to wrp their bodies in such a manner, but maybe i am just an intolerant ugly american seeking answers in a place where none are found.