News

[JBI]

The Chinese will be the first to tell you that they will eat almost anything edible. More than one of my Chinese friends has told me so and I see no reason to disbelieve them.

Well, seeing as one person on this thread of Chinese descent has already denied that claim, I think it is safe to say you are generalizing, despite what ever your friend says.

[Emil Miller]

Well, seeing as one person on this thread of Chinese descent has already denied that claim, I think it is safe to say you are generalizing, despite what ever your friend says.

I would refer you to the posts on this thread by Dramasnot6 and Kasie.

[JBI]

I would refer you to the posts on this thread by Dramasnot6 and Kasie.

Yes, they too are Orientalist perspectives. If some Chinese people eat Monkey brains, does that mean they eat anything? when touring the countryside of one Chinese province, being told that the people there will eat anything, does that mean it is so, or even that that province of China represents the country, or the people as a whole?

That's like saying Texans are statistically large people relative to the rest of the world, therefore all Americans are fat. Not only does that generalize, it even insults skinny Texans.

So far, from what I can tell, unless Kasie is Chinese, the only person of Chinese descent who has commented on your statement has contradicted it, by stating that just because someone says something doesn't mean it is true. I guess the English are pompous tea drinking colonialist self-superior elitist snobs. Get the point? Reductionism, especially coming from a perspective limited to second hand experience, or, if you have been there, outsider experience, is more dangerous than informed.


The fact that some people will buy a pigs head (an animal, by the way, considered unclean by over a Billion people in this world, despite what the English may eat for breakfast) does not mean they will eat gerbils, or other rodent pests.

I also find it ironic, that this is coming from a Western perspective, where people will eat the most unhealthy garbage, such as McDonald's, and all other forms of unhealthy junk, yet criticize the culinary habits of others they know nothing about.

[Equality72521]

Yes, they too are Orientalist perspectives. If some Chinese people eat Monkey brains, does that mean they eat anything? when touring the countryside of one Chinese province, being told that the people there will eat anything, does that mean it is so, or even that that province of China represents the country, or the people as a whole?

That's like saying Texans are statistically large people relative to the rest of the world, therefore all Americans are fat. Not only does that generalize, it even insults skinny Texans.

So far, from what I can tell, unless Kasie is Chinese, the only person of Chinese descent who has commented on your statement has contradicted it, by stating that just because someone says something doesn't mean it is true. I guess the English are pompous tea drinking colonialist self-superior elitist snobs. Get the point? Reductionism, especially coming from a perspective limited to second hand experience, or, if you have been there, outsider experience, is more dangerous than informed.


The fact that some people will buy a pigs head (an animal, by the way, considered unclean by over a Billion people in this world, despite what the English may eat for breakfast) does not mean they will eat gerbils, or other rodent pests.

I also find it ironic, that this is coming from a Western perspective, where people will eat the most unhealthy garbage, such as McDonald's, and all other forms of unhealthy junk, yet criticize the culinary habits of others they know nothing about.

You really have no idea how much fun it was for me to read that.

[Emil Miller]

Yes, they too are Orientalist perspectives. If some Chinese people eat Monkey brains, does that mean they eat anything? when touring the countryside of one Chinese province, being told that the people there will eat anything, does that mean it is so, or even that that province of China represents the country, or the people as a whole?

That's like saying Texans are statistically large people relative to the rest of the world, therefore all Americans are fat. Not only does that generalize, it even insults skinny Texans.

So far, from what I can tell, unless Kasie is Chinese, the only person of Chinese descent who has commented on your statement has contradicted it, by stating that just because someone says something doesn't mean it is true. I guess the English are pompous tea drinking colonialist self-superior elitist snobs. Get the point? Reductionism, especially coming from a perspective limited to second hand experience, or, if you have been there, outsider experience, is more dangerous than informed.


The fact that some people will buy a pigs head (an animal, by the way, considered unclean by over a Billion people in this world, despite what the English may eat for breakfast) does not mean they will eat gerbils, or other rodent pests.



I also find it ironic, that this is coming from a Western perspective, where people will eat the most unhealthy garbage, such as McDonald's, and all other forms of unhealthy junk, yet criticize the culinary habits of others they know nothing about.

You appear to be taking this thread too seriously. I'm sure that none of the comments were meant to imply that there was something wrong with Chinese eating habits but simlpy to point out that, as exemplified by an old Chinese maxim, they will eat anything edible. It may be that some Chinese are generalising in stating such or it may have some basis in truth when one considers the famines that the country was subjected to in the past.
I have been involved with Chinese people for a number of years, and more than one has mentioned the phrase about eating all things edible, and whilst I have never seen particularly unusual eating practices on those occasions when I was in China, there are parts of the country that are very different to the urban areas that I visited. As I said in a previous post on this thread, who knows, apart from the inhabitants, how true some of the more bizarre stories regarding Chinese food are in those distant regions?

[JBI]

You just enforce my point with your "Who knows..." The fact that you don't know means you cannot comment without making an assumption or relying on exterior perspectives, etc. "Some of my friends say," or "there is an old Chinese Maxim," or "I was only talking about the remote areas," don't really signify anything, as whatever Chinese Maxim this is (a Cantonese one, a Wu one, a Mandarin one, certainly not an English one) stands for nothing.

One shouldn't report things on a "serious discussion" thread, unless they are serious.

[Emil Miller]

You just enforce my point with your "Who knows..." The fact that you don't know means you cannot comment without making an assumption or relying on exterior perspectives, etc. "Some of my friends say," or "there is an old Chinese Maxim," or "I was only talking about the remote areas," don't really signify anything, as whatever Chinese Maxim this is (a Cantonese one, a Wu one, a Mandarin one, certainly not an English one) stands for nothing.

One shouldn't report things on a "serious discussion" thread, unless they are serious.

Well, seeing that it was I who initiated this sub-forum, after discussion with the moderators, I do of course realise that it is for serious debate but how serious does anyone need to be on a thread about gerbils and Chinese food ? Unless of course one is arguing for the sake of it.
I thought it might be interesting at this point to mention one of your New Year's resolutions for 2009:

d) argue less, though in all likelihood, I will probably argue more.

Plus ca change.

[Scheherazade]

Women may be better at sniffing out biologically relevant information from underarm sweat, a US study suggests.

Researchers found it was difficult to mask underarm odour when a woman was doing the smelling, but quite easy to do so when it was a man.

They speculate that a woman's highly attuned smell radar might help her select a mate.

The study, by Philadelphia's Monell Center, appears in Flavour and Fragrance Journal.

In the study, women and men rated the strength of underarm odours, both alone and in conjunction with various fragrances.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7981133.stm

Those who would like to carry on with the Chinese cuisine debate can do so via PMs.

[papayahed]

Women may be better at sniffing out biologically relevant information from underarm sweat, a US study suggests.

Researchers found it was difficult to mask underarm odour when a woman was doing the smelling, but quite easy to do so when it was a man.

They speculate that a woman's highly attuned smell radar might help her select a mate.

The study, by Philadelphia's Monell Center, appears in Flavour and Fragrance Journal.

In the study, women and men rated the strength of underarm odours, both alone and in conjunction with various fragrances.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7981133.stm

I know, I put my sniffer up against any bloodhound any day.

[Sapphire]

I read about this too: I wonder whether it is because guys do not care as much about smells like that and thus learned themselves not to notice it, or whether it is really in the genes. I think the last one, as there is a difference between not caring for an odour and totally not smelling it. But still, does this mean that guys have an excuse not to change their shirts after a game?

[Scheherazade]

Police in Australia say they are "dumbfounded" by the dumping of a live shark on the doorstep of a newspaper in Victoria state.

The two-foot (60cm) creature was found lying at the front door of The Standard in Warrnambool city under cover of darkness after midnight on Wednesday.

The fish - a Port Jackson shark - was said to be relatively harmless.

Police released it into the harbour after carrying it in a bucket of water borrowed from a McDonald's restaurant.

Police said the juvenile Port Jackson shark - a common species on Australia's south coast - was spotted in the early hours of Thursday by a man leaving the fast-food restaurant, located next door to the offices of The Standard.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asi...ic/8015205.stm

[motherhubbard]

It couldn't have been there long. I wonder how long a shark will live out of water

[Stargazer86]

That's pretty sad about the shark. I hope its being out of water doesnt do it any long term harm. Who would do such a thing and why, I wonder?

Amusing news:
as reported by msnbc.com

"MONTCALM COUNTY, Mich. - A western Michigan man helped deliver his wife's baby boy — though he hadn't known she was pregnant.

The Grand Rapids Press reported the man called 911 early Thursday as his wife was in labor. The man told the dispatcher that he had not known his 27-year-old wife was pregnant. He said they recently quit smoking and thought her recent weight gain was related.

The couple has two children, and the mother has an additional child from a previous relationship.

Following the successful delivery, the dispatcher talked the man through post-birth procedures. The child was taken to a hospital"


Oh man...I thought this was pretty funny. That woman was either really good at hiding it or the man is a total idiot.

Although, I have to wonder why she didnt tell him...hopefully the baby is a welcome surprise in the home!

[motherhubbard]

I've heard about women not knowing they were pregnant, but I find it a little hard to believe. They move around in there. One of mine had the hickups for the last three months! I wonder what I would have thought about that if I hadn't known I was pregnant

[skib]

I read about this too: I wonder whether it is because guys do not care as much about smells like that and thus learned themselves not to notice it, or whether it is really in the genes. I think the last one, as there is a difference between not caring for an odour and totally not smelling it. But still, does this mean that guys have an excuse not to change their shirts after a game?

I think it depends on the guy- some notice and don't care, and some don't even notice. I have never met a guy who commented on a foul smelling person unless it was absolutely horrid. I notice myself when I smell, but I don't tend to notice other people at all. Regardless, a guy should change his shirt after a game unless he is going straight home. If he isn't, and is planning on making any more public stops, he should have a fresh one ready.