Stinking rich China?

I like this cartoon (Patrick Chappatte), published in the International Herald Tribune on 14 January.
Why? Well, here Chinese can be often “racist”, typically depicting foreigners as fat guys, smoking cigars (and sometimes driving big cars).

click to enlarge

click to enlarge


Now, the other way around. Cool. Mr. USA biting the dust on a Made-in-China bike.
Looks actually more realistic than the usual China Daily versions. Just have look at the Beijing traffic. And smoking cigars in the USA, well good luck. In China basically we still can puff wherever we feel like.

Latest guide to Belgium

Here comes the latest updated guide to understanding Belgium.
Of course, as this is about Belgium, you’ll need to understand French. Could be worse, could be in Flemish. As a born Flemish, I must agree it sounds pretty cool in French.
Bon, donc voici un guide, fait en particulier pour nos amis (ça dépend du jour) français qui ne connaissent pas bien notre pays qui est en général assez plat.
GuideBelgique.pdf
Vous pouvez cliquer le link pour downloade le document.
Au moins on ne se prend pas trop au sérieux.
Indeed, imagine some Chinese would make something like that about China. There would be an angry reaction, accusing the person of being a traitor of the Motherland and asking that his/her complete family should be persecuted. Chinese have not yet discovered a bit of sarcasm. Reason why foreigners are usually asked to refrain from telling jokes: humor cannot be translated into Chinese, and vice versa.
Oh yeah, forgot. In China they have a Motherland. In België we have a Fatherland (Vaderland). Explains a lot. Or?

Muslims (and others) in the EU

Got this in my mail (from my native Belgium). I simply copy what I received, not changing anything – I hope you read French.
francoisfillon
Pour une fois qu’un politique français a le courage de dire tout haut ce que Les Français pensent, et parfois crient:  BRAVO MONSIEUR FRANCOIS FILLON! Bien dit … !
Intéressant comme approche …  Apprendre à vivre en paix et harmonie …
Les musulmans qui veulent vivre selon la loi de la “Sharia Islamique” se sont fait dire tout récemment de quitter la France, dans le but de parer à d’éventuelles attaques terroristes, le gouvernement ayant ciblé les radicaux.
Apparemment, le Premier Ministre, Monsieur François Fillon a choqué quelques musulmans Français en déclarant ceci:

LES IMMIGRANTS, NON FRANÇAIS, DOIVENT S’ADAPTER.

À prendre ou à laisser, je suis fatigué que cette nation s’inquiète de savoir si nous offensons certains individus ou leur culture.
Notre culture s’est développée de luttes d’habileté en victoires par des millions d’hommes et de femmes qui ont recherché la liberté.
Notre langue officielle est le français, ni l’espagnol, ni le Libanais, ni l’Arabe, ni le Chinois, ni le Japonais, ou n’importe quelle autre langue.
Par conséquent, si vous désirez faire partie de notre société, apprenez-en la langue!
La plupart des Français croient en Dieu.
Il ne s’agit pas d’obligation chrétienne, d’influence de la droite ou de pression politique, mais c’est un fait, parce que des hommes et des femmes ont fondé cette nation sur des principes chrétiens, et cela est officiellement enseigné.
Il est parfaitement approprié de les afficher sur les murs de nos écoles.
Si Dieu vous offense, je vous suggère alors d’envisager une autre partie du monde comme votre pays d’accueil, car Dieu fait partie de notre culture.
Nous accepterons vos croyances sans poser de question.
Tout ce que nous vous demandons c’est d’accepter les nôtres, et de vivre en harmonie pacifique avec nous.
Ici c’est NOTRE PAYS, NOTRE TERRE, et NOTRE STYLE DE VIE.
Et nous vous offrons l’opportunité de profiter de tout cela.
Mais si vous en avez assez de notre drapeau, de notre engagement, de nos croyances chrétiennes, ou de notre style de vie, je vous encourage fortement à profiter d’une autre grande liberté Française, LE DROIT DE PARTIR.
Si vous n’êtes pas heureux ici, alors PARTEZ.
Nous ne vous avons pas forcés à venir ici.
Vous avez demandé à être ici.
Alors, acceptez le pays que VOUS avez choisi
====
Not that silly or far-fetched while some people of course might have strong objections.
When we go to some of Muslim-influenced countries, we are not allowed to be ourselves (like drinking a beer, as required by Belgian religious beliefs). We have to obey their strict and often medieval laws. Men, women, children can get flogged, stoned, whatever Imams claim is right. So, if they come to our countries, WE rule and WE say what can be done or not. Even this is what the Chinese tell us here (and Bill Gates agrees).
Unfortunately, poor old Europe, if it wants to survive, should make more kids and work harder, not leaving all that to the immigrants and to the Chinese. Otherwise the original population will be reduced to live in rest homes for the elderly and the Muslims will dominate.
Some of our EU countries are also a mess. Look at Italy, where most of the South (or maybe most of the country) is run by the Mafia and the only ones fighting it are …. African immigrants. Not to mention the parents who forgot how to make kids (we could show them?). The French might talk a lot (often a nuisance) but at least they make kids.
Studies demonstrate that Muslims will simply take over the EU within a few decades, by a demographic evolution. No need for a Holy War.
And the Chinese will buy up most of the factories and natural resources.
Maybe the leftover locals can work in the museums and Disney Parks, as attractions.
So, Monsieur François Fillon, make sure the French keep up the good work in bed.
As for the USA, well, we still have some hope they will come out of their difficulties. Anyway, Latinos seem more Western at least than other nations. But as Lawrence H. Summers said, last year before entering the Obama administration:
“How long can the world’s biggest borrower remain the world’s biggest power?”
Talking about challenges. On est mal parti les enfants.

How to cope with work overload

How to master your schedule and become more productive? This might also work for others!
2009 ended with many of my goals up in the sky, except for learning Chinese – goal 100% reached. Work overload, stress, external pressure and – who knows – some kind of permanent midlife crisis left a mountain of frustration. My book did not progress as I wanted. Prospects to have more free time seemed doomed.
People say, just do less. That’s easier said than done.
No end-of-the year resolutions but this first week I analyzed my work schedule and my so-called goals.
Simple – too many goals and too little time. Totally unrealistic. Too many people bossing me around, asking for help, asking to get involved in new business while I have zero assistance (read: no secretary, assistant or something – any candidates?).
Previous efforts always ended up in nothing. I now started a new approach, putting my old schedule upside down. In short:
Rule 1
E-mails are the biggest time-consumers; I won’t go for that blackberries/iPhone stuff; for me, lots of showing off and just results in shallow multi-tasking, doing nothing well (those people usually never read more than the first lines – Twitter philosophy? New rules: no e-mails till after lunch, Internet access only allowed for my top priorities (book – learning Chinese); no after dinner “checking mails”. So, a window of max. 2 hours in the afternoon. Be warned. I miss fax!
Rule 2
Cancel as many subscription to e-mail letters; my most used word is now UNSUBSCRIBE; unbelievable how much stuff people send to you; just ask yourself – any real use for my priority goals? No, I’m not interested in the latest use of Chinese customs rules. I use Postini it is just GREAT; allows to dump those annoying newsletters you can’t cancel – you have a list of blocked senders.
Rule 3
Most people know that as a former telecom guy I’m allergic to being bothered on the phone, especially mobile; the office already blocks most attempts (= cold calls) to talk to me about investing my precious money, real estate, etc. If you have urgent stuff, OK, and also send SMS. Some people (especially the French) seem only able to talk and can’t write. Too bad for them.
There is more, but the above looks like a good start.