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Eat This Glob posted:Awesome. That'll be a great help. Now to get my boss to cover the cost of booze and smokes for gifts! Is there a limit I can bring in to the country? I'm not planning on filling a duffel bag full, but would two 750ml bottles of Johnnie Walker and a couple cartons of smokes get me in trouble? Most countries, and I think China is one, you can have three 750 ml bottles of whatever and Customs won't care. I've never had customs in China even look at my stuff, and I doubt they'd care if you're a little over. You can buy Johnny Walker pretty much anywhere that stocks foreign hard liquor in China; though it's more expensive here. Same with Jack Daniels, and most other popular mass-market brands of booze. (I can't recall seeing Maker's Mark in China, though) If there's some decent local or regional booze you can bring, bring that.
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Aug 3, 2013 05:46
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VideoTapir posted:Most countries, and I think China is one, you can have three 750 ml bottles of whatever and Customs won't care. I've never had customs in China even look at my stuff, and I doubt they'd care if you're a little over. Maybe i'll bring in some Templeton Rye. Al Capone's whiskey of choice. Still bottled about an hour from here, but I doubt folks in China know who Capone is. That'd be something homespun nonetheless.
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Aug 3, 2013 06:20
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I'm in Hong Kong for a week. I've been here before, so I've already been to the major tourist places like the Peak, Star ferry, TST and Mongkok. I want to see something uniquely Hong Kong, something that tourists don't usually get to see. Do you guys have any recommendations?
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Aug 3, 2013 11:56
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Modem Noise posted:I'm in Hong Kong for a week. I've been here before, so I've already been to the major tourist places like the Peak, Star ferry, TST and Mongkok. Mainlanders with arms full of baby formula legging it through customs.
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Aug 3, 2013 12:39
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If you like city stuff then you can try shum Shui po and go get electronics and try the tofu pudding store opened since the 50s. There's hk Disney if that's your thing. If urban city stuff is getting boring,.then go to the out lying islands and go for a hike. Or bike ride from the new territories to the Shenzhen border. Oh there are also quite a handful of still inhabited old tolo tribe and hakka village houses. Actually climb Sharpe peak. It's my favorite hike in sai kung. Ask the hk goons to hang out. I'm busy in Maine and won't be back until August 10
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Aug 3, 2013 13:44
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Eat This Glob posted:Maybe i'll bring in some Templeton Rye. Al Capone's whiskey of choice. Still bottled about an hour from here, but I doubt folks in China know who Capone is. That'd be something homespun nonetheless. The actually have Templeton in China and it's drat good
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Aug 3, 2013 14:28
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tacoman165 posted:The actually have Templeton in China and it's drat good Get some moonshine, moonshine wins friends.
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Aug 3, 2013 14:34
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Apparently this is all you need to breathe cleaner air. Article
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Aug 5, 2013 16:46
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SB35 posted:Apparently this is all you need to breathe cleaner air. That's basically what any off-the-shelf model is, except with better sealing around the edges.
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Aug 5, 2013 17:06
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VideoTapir posted:That's basically what any off-the-shelf model is, except with better sealing around the edges. And probably hundreds less!
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Aug 5, 2013 18:26
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I just ordered crap off taobao to make one.
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Aug 6, 2013 00:12
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Eat This Glob posted:Maybe i'll bring in some Templeton Rye. Al Capone's whiskey of choice. Still bottled about an hour from here, but I doubt folks in China know who Capone is. That'd be something homespun nonetheless. Yeah I really wouldn't go to too much trouble in this regard. There really isn't the concept here of appreciating a 'thoughtful' gift. Also the Danish Butter Cookie system is in effect 365 days a year here, so your gift will probably sit in a cupboard somewhere until that person needs something to give to someone else.
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Aug 6, 2013 05:21
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Magna Kaser posted:I just ordered crap off taobao to make one. I made on of these at the weekend after getting some filters from Taobao but I don't think its working (still waiting for the AQI monitor to arrive). I find it hard to believe the filter he made is effective as I found a hell of a lot of air was escaping from the sides and blowing back through the other side of the fan. There didn't seem to be much fresh air coming through the filter itself. Kept in on for a few hours when going out and when we got back in the room smelled really strange (unless fresh air smells weird to me know?). I may give it another go but meh 
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Aug 6, 2013 05:31
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So I have arrived in Shenzhen! First thoughts are drat its hot, I'm staying across from central park and really surprised how green the city is. Went flat hunting yesterday and everywhere had a view of building construction and was expensive as its in the middle of town. Today we are hunting further out of the center in Futian so fingers crossed.
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Aug 6, 2013 05:51
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You're going to have to seal the edges somehow. Duct tape, I guess.
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Aug 6, 2013 05:55
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ally_1986 posted:So I have arrived in Shenzhen! Welcome to Shenzhen. By central park do you mean near the convention center? Where's your job located, because central Futian has basically the most expensive rent in the city if that matters to you. e: also it's not hot today 
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Aug 6, 2013 06:29
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VideoTapir posted:You're going to have to seal the edges somehow. Duct tape, I guess. It depends on what you're doing with it. If you're putting a filter on some kind of intake fan then you need to, but if you're trying to build a scrubber that will sit in the living room then sealing is unnecessary. All you have to do is force air through the filter.
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Aug 6, 2013 07:17
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Arglebargle III posted:It depends on what you're doing with it. If you're putting a filter on some kind of intake fan then you need to, but if you're trying to build a scrubber that will sit in the living room then sealing is unnecessary. All you have to do is force air through the filter. And if you dont' seal the edges, you're just forcing air AROUND the filter.
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Aug 6, 2013 07:23
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What if you out the filter on the back where that type of fan is flatter, it would suck air in through the filter and blow out clean air instead of blowing dirty air through the filter.
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Aug 6, 2013 07:50
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VideoTapir posted:And if you dont' seal the edges, you're just forcing air AROUND the filter. Some of it will probably go through
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Aug 6, 2013 08:12
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There is a negligible amount going through in the middle but most is being pushed round the sides. I read on some DIY forum where they were discussing this, one guy who said he built 99% of his house using recycled/DIY materials conceded home made air filters were impossible to replicate the quality of the expensive bona fide ones. A lot to do with the design of the fan or something technically boring like that. Edit: I also guess when the filter expires you have to go through the rigmarole of untying/ducktaping/whatever all over again....
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Aug 6, 2013 08:20
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So basically unless you find the perfect combination of box fan and nearly-same-sized super-cheap filter, it isn't worth it.
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Aug 6, 2013 09:43
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So, the feedback is that the interviews went well and the company are preparing an offer. So I will become a China (Shanghai) goon. More to come...
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Aug 6, 2013 13:07
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MeramJert posted:e: also it's not hot today There is literally a big sign across from me that says Shenzhen central park. If your Scottish anything above 30 is hot! Flat hunting went better today, agents are really strange. Yesterday a guy, who was maybe the quickest walker i have ever meet, showed us around with two pretty hot chicks who were giggling ever two seconds. Today was a different guy who seemed to have no idea where any of his flats were and was on the phone the whole time. Sadly the only decent flat was around 5000 which I was interested in but the landlord wasn't wanting me to take it as her paperwork was not on record with the government and if take the place i need to get some signed receipt from her which would maybe land her in trouble! So day 3 of flat hunting is tomo yippie! SO far loving the food here and its pretty cheap compared to the UK!
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Aug 6, 2013 17:02
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ally_1986 posted:There is literally a big sign across from me that says Shenzhen central park. If your Scottish anything above 30 is hot! Flat hunting went better today, agents are really strange. Unless this agent came recommended to you by someone you trust and have good reason to trust, they're probably looking to screw you. Agents are scum.
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Aug 6, 2013 17:05
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VideoTapir posted:Unless this agent came recommended to you by someone you trust and have good reason to trust, they're probably looking to screw you. Agents are scum. I dunno, I've used Century 21/HomeLink/etc to look at apartments occasionally (even online, most listings are through these guys these days it seems  ). I don't think I've really been screwed outside of the fee which is part of the deal of using these guys, and seems pretty standard wherever you are.Also, to be honest, agencies and stuff are pretty useful if you're looking for something specific. Like in Chengdu, some places have 20M internet, some places 100M, some places more... but most places are stuck with crappy ADSL. Even online it only says 宽带 without any specifics. If you go to an agency and say "I want a place in this area with a at least a 100M internet connection" they can pretty much make a list and you're on your way. Of course you should negotiate the price of the place a bit, and you do get stuck with that fee, but I really don't think it's quite as bad as you're making it out. When I lived in Qingdao I was pretty busy from the second I moved there and an agent really helped me out as I gave them some vague criteria and they found a ton of decent places. I ended up negotiating the price of the place down 500/month (from 2200 to 1700), and the fee I paid the agent was only like 1000 or something. Seemed pretty fair. I'm apartment hunting too, and on all the big web portals listings from people renting places themselves are bleak as hell. What happened Chengdu????
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Aug 6, 2013 22:42
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So after 2 years in China I returned home to the West for my summer holiday. This place is strange and everyone is fat.
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Aug 7, 2013 00:30
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Private Snowball posted:So after 2 years in China I returned home to the West for my summer holiday. This place is strange and everyone is fat. I did this too. I learned fat people also exist in continental Europe, which blew my mind as everyone always told me it was only English-speaking countries that are fat.
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Aug 7, 2013 02:50
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Private Snowball posted:So after 2 years in China I returned home to the West for my summer holiday. This place is strange and everyone is fat. I remember my first time going to a fast food place back in America after living in China for a while. I couldn't believe how big the portions were, even for the smallest combo meal. And the people eating there were enormous, plus it felt weird to order in English.
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Aug 7, 2013 02:56
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Private Snowball posted:So after 2 years in China I returned home to the West for my summer holiday. This place is strange and everyone is fat. Girlfriend and I flew into Detroit, and holy poo poo, 9/10 people that work in that airport are enormous. She was simply amazed. Then we ate Taco Bell.
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Aug 7, 2013 03:02
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SB35 posted:Girlfriend and I flew into Detroit, and holy poo poo, 9/10 people that work in that airport are enormous. She was simply amazed. I consistently have the worst experiences with security and staff at Detroit airport but they're probably upset because their city is lovely.
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Aug 7, 2013 03:23
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Detroit staff aren't so bad. I've even seen them being helpful and friendly at times, unlike Houston where all the TSA guys are on a huge power trip.
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Aug 7, 2013 03:48
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synertia posted:I consistently have the worst experiences with security and staff at Detroit airport but they're probably upset because their city is lovely. Sport the latest bootleg Lions jersey and everything is a breeze.
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Aug 7, 2013 03:54
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Hey, is there any consensus among you goons about which is the best VPN to go for? Or are they all much the same and I can just pick any of the ones in the OP?
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Aug 7, 2013 06:49
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SB35 posted:Girlfriend and I flew into Detroit, and holy poo poo, 9/10 people that work in that airport are enormous. She was simply amazed. When I got into Detroit once, the family across from me as I waited for my flight to Atlanta were fat rednecks in hunting camo. It was just a sampler for Florida, my final destination.
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Aug 7, 2013 07:39
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I'm still a little confused about the visa stuff.When I came here I just got a F visa for 6 months study, no need a resident permit or medical check up etc. (under 6 months study F visa) I'll hopefully leave mainland China next week or so and am going overseas to my home county and a few other places. The school suggested I change to an X visa in the mainland thereby allowing me to stay in China for a year..but I will need to wait here and extend the visa get medical check ups etc, seems like a bit of a pain. I'll definitely do that if I 100% have to, but not really keen on 2 chest xrays and blood tests etc if not necessary. [Especially since I'm leaving anyway.. then returning to study a separate course] Since I'm leaving anyway, can I just get a new F visa the same as when I first got here? I have heard that the new regulations come into play SEP 1. That way I can leave now, skip chest xrays, save the medical costs, and it's a lot less hassle. I'd be applying before September for sure. Edit: I have all the forms to apply for an F visa again JW202 and invitation letter blah blah. pyr0maniac fucked around with this message at 08:57 on Aug 7, 2013 |
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Aug 7, 2013 08:39
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BadAstronaut posted:Hey, is there any consensus among you goons about which is the best VPN to go for? Or are they all much the same and I can just pick any of the ones in the OP? Vita VPN is very good. They have a free trial of 888mb but if you run out of that all you gotta do is make a new email address and you've got another account ready to go. It literally only takes 3 minutes to make a new account so I think it's worth it.
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Aug 7, 2013 09:04
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VideoTapir posted:Unless this agent came recommended to you by someone you trust and have good reason to trust, they're probably looking to screw you. Agents are scum. You guys must have the local telephone poll and cork board posting thing there. Private Snowball posted:So after 2 years in China I returned home to the West for my summer holiday. This place is strange and everyone is fat. ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 09:49 on Aug 7, 2013 |
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Aug 7, 2013 09:46
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ReindeerF posted:7 years on, my biggest realization on my last trip was, "Holy poo poo, there is a TV every 5 feet everywhere you go and no matter what activity people are engaged in, they're staring blankly at a TV." And about 2/3rds of what's on TV is some sort of consumption — cooking shows, eating shows, shopping shows, auction shows.
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Aug 7, 2013 09:50
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Do ISPs in China generally have uncapped or limited bandwidth?
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Aug 7, 2013 09:53
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