Ask a chinese guy!

[normtwofinger]

Yah it's similar here in Costa Rica too. I guess maybe us Canadians are too polite.

[TheyCallMeBruce]

Yup, the "every person for themselves" thinking is pretty prevalent in Asian countries. Canadians are considered very polite. Like AMG I've had the same incident of people pushing their way into the elevator before I could get out. Good thing I had 30 pounds on the guy trying to muscle his way in, and pushed him to the floor while I walked out.

[Zee]

Originally Posted by TheyCallMeBruce

Yup, the "every person for themselves" thinking is pretty prevalent in Asian countries. Canadians are considered very polite. Like AMG I've had the same incident of people pushing their way into the elevator before I could get out. Good thing I had 30 pounds on the guy trying to muscle his way in, and pushed him to the floor while I walked out.

I wasn't so lucky, I never made it to the door, so I had to go for a ride back up. Happened once on the C-Train too, I had to get off at the next stop and double back.

[CarlW]

Originally Posted by TheyCallMeBruce

Yup, the "every person for themselves" thinking is pretty prevalent in Asian countries. Canadians are considered very polite. Like AMG I've had the same incident of people pushing their way into the elevator before I could get out. Good thing I had 30 pounds on the guy trying to muscle his way in, and pushed him to the floor while I walked out.

Ah yes, I hated this. I have had many a friend get stuck on a train with no choice but get off at the next stop in Beijing cause they couldn't get out due to being stuck inside a human jigsaw puzzle known as a subway train packed full of people. I learned to put aside my Canadian politeness and channel the power of being pissed off and just plow through crowds with brute force to get off a train.

Subway trains in Hong Kong are much better, even when crowded and during rush hour. Damn Mainlanders! I blame it on Communist Rule and their abandonment of Confucian teachings.

[normtwofinger]

We had no problem with this on the Hong Kong subway. But I had to physically lift and remove a man so I could exit the bus in Beijing. Him, along with 20 other people, were trying to get on the bus by the back door. I'm 6'4" so I probably scared the crap out of him.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I want to go back and answer a question from earlier in this thread (and from years ago apparently) about why Asians choose Western names they can't pronounce.

This is a vestige of colonial era, British ruled, Hong Kong where it was fashionable to give yourself an Anglophone name. Most professionals, entertainers, and people of younger generations and middle-class to higher wealth would have an English name and this is often what you would go by with your friends.

You won't really find this to be the case anymore as the overwhelming majority of Asian immigrants are from mainland China where this custom never existed and they often never take English names.

i used to work with a guy that was born in Hong Kong, then came to Canada with his family when he was 5. he has an incredibly difficult to pronounce name by western standards, so when he first enrolled in school here and the teacher asked him his name and he told her, she looked at him for a few seconds and said "I think I'll just call you Joe". and he's gone by Joe ever since

[FlameOn]

Originally Posted by CarlW

Subway trains in Hong Kong are much better, even when crowded and during rush hour. Damn Mainlanders! I blame it on Communist Rule and their abandonment of Confucian teachings.

Originally Posted by normtwofinger

Why does no one form an organized line? McD's for example in Beijing for example. It was similar to trying to get a drink order at a busy bar in Calgary. However, McD's in Hong Kong was more civilized. Maybe the British influence?

Mainlanders are mostly the problem with the whole Chinese are rude, impolite, not reading the sign things but I don't think its as much Confucian teachings. Mostly has to do with Communist era "Cultural Revolution" policies. Back then, communist theory stated everyone can do everything equally well (which we know is not true). So the masses were to be given the opportunity to do what the bourgeois were doing.

The most educated people in the country where sent to be farmers/miners/labourers and the farmers were sent to the cities to do the educated people's work. So your teachers, scientists, engineers, doctors became farmers and vice versa. If you spoke out against the Communists you were put into the group that got sent to do farming/labour. Kinda makes everyone develop a look out for yourself attitude since you couldn't really trust your neighbours not to rat you out to the communists.

All the people who would have instilled "modern consideration" type of values (i.e. politeness, reading signs, queuing in line, etc) on society were more or less sent to the camps/collective farms/mines. Either that or they died off when the engineers started trying to work on the farms, famine happened and tens of millions of people died. Add to this mess decades of the Single Child Policy where increasingly rich parents/grandparents are raising and spoiling only a single child and you have China rudeness as it is today. More or less this is why in general Taiwanese/HK/Singaporean Chinese are considered more "polite". Stupid Communists.

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by normtwofinger

We had no problem with this on the Hong Kong subway. But I had to physically lift and remove a man so I could exit the bus in Beijing. Him, along with 20 other people, were trying to get on the bus by the back door. I'm 6'4" so I probably scared the crap out of him.

One thing about Hongkong is that barely anyone wears deodorant there. Even on the subway with a/c it still smells bad.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

One thing about Hongkong is that barely anyone wears deodorant there. Even on the subway with a/c it still smells bad.

Are you sure you're not smelling Durian?

Someone bring Durian on the bus... you've got no chance.

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Are you sure you're not smelling Durian?

Someone bring Durian on the bus... you've got no chance.

Dude when i was back there durian wasn't in season. You shouldn't comment until you actually go back there and try to take the MTR in rush hour. It stinks, and with you being a girl you might get groped too.

[Psytic]

Maybe this was asked but how do Asian's get the meat texture that they get in beef dishes. I have heard conflicting reports that they either use baking soda or soak the meat in high alkaline water but I find the meat has a springy soft texture and in the case of Vietnamese pho its super springy. So how do you get that texture?

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by FlameOn

Mainlanders are mostly the problem with the whole Chinese are rude, impolite, not reading the sign things but I don't think its as much Confucian teachings. Mostly has to do with Communist era "Cultural Revolution" policies. Back then, communist theory stated everyone can do everything equally well (which we know is not true). So the masses were to be given the opportunity to do what the bourgeois were doing.

The most educated people in the country where sent to be farmers/miners/labourers and the farmers were sent to the cities to do the educated people's work. So your teachers, scientists, engineers, doctors became farmers and vice versa. If you spoke out against the Communists you were put into the group that got sent to do farming/labour. Kinda makes everyone develop a look out for yourself attitude since you couldn't really trust your neighbours not to rat you out to the communists.

All the people who would have instilled "modern consideration" type of values (i.e. politeness, reading signs, queuing in line, etc) on society were more or less sent to the camps/collective farms/mines. Either that or they died off when the engineers started trying to work on the farms, famine happened and tens of millions of people died. Add to this mess decades of the Single Child Policy where increasingly rich parents/grandparents are raising and spoiling only a single child and you have China rudeness as it is today. More or less this is why in general Taiwanese/HK/Singaporean Chinese are considered more "polite". Stupid Communists.

Yeah, the one child policy of the past several decades has resulted in a society of made up of only-children that have only been pampered and doted on by their parents their whole lives and they are used to getting their way.

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by Psytic

Maybe this was asked but how do Asian's get the meat texture that they get in beef dishes. I have heard conflicting reports that they either use baking soda or soak the meat in high alkaline water but I find the meat has a springy soft texture and in the case of Vietnamese pho its super springy. So how do you get that texture?

corn starchie

I don't think they do anything with pho meat though. Thats why rare beef tastes way better than the over cooked beef.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

corn starchie

I don't think they do anything with pho meat though. Thats why rare beef tastes way better than the over cooked beef.

Maybe he's talking about the beef balls in Pho meat? There are so many different cuts of meat in there, you have to be specific.

[Rerun]

Whats your favorite place to go for Dim Sum? and is there anything they serve that you won't eat?

[JohnnyB]

Originally Posted by FlameOn

Mainlanders are mostly the problem with the whole Chinese are rude, impolite, not reading the sign things but I don't think its as much Confucian teachings. Mostly has to do with Communist era "Cultural Revolution" policies. Back then, communist theory stated everyone can do everything equally well (which we know is not true). So the masses were to be given the opportunity to do what the bourgeois were doing.

The most educated people in the country where sent to be farmers/miners/labourers and the farmers were sent to the cities to do the educated people's work. So your teachers, scientists, engineers, doctors became farmers and vice versa. If you spoke out against the Communists you were put into the group that got sent to do farming/labour. Kinda makes everyone develop a look out for yourself attitude since you couldn't really trust your neighbours not to rat you out to the communists.

All the people who would have instilled "modern consideration" type of values (i.e. politeness, reading signs, queuing in line, etc) on society were more or less sent to the camps/collective farms/mines. Either that or they died off when the engineers started trying to work on the farms, famine happened and tens of millions of people died. Add to this mess decades of the Single Child Policy where increasingly rich parents/grandparents are raising and spoiling only a single child and you have China rudeness as it is today. More or less this is why in general Taiwanese/HK/Singaporean Chinese are considered more "polite". Stupid Communists.

While I agree with you that the cultural revolution is the source of having such a pushy culture nowadays, the idea that it is because the educated city dwellers were necessary to instill manners and modern consideration to the uneducated masses (whom I can only assume were mannerless by your post) seems more than a little unfair towards the masses at that time. The suspicion of neighbours and the need to fight for every little edge to survive no doubt had a massive influence in making things the way they are now, but that's hardly about the masses being deprived of the enculturing influence of the educated city dwellers. Other than that, I agree.

[TheyCallMeBruce]

Originally Posted by Rerun

Whats your favorite place to go for Dim Sum? and is there anything they serve that you won't eat?

very good question. I am surprise it took this long for someone to ask me that. For your reward, I will tell you a very special place that is cheap and has outstanding dim sum. The place used to be called pine lake (or maybe it's still called that). Here's the address:

http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&saf...group&ct=image

Probably one of the best dim sum places in Calgary. Enjoy!

Also, I don't think I have ever rejected eating anything there. I am willing to try everything once. Even if I'm not chinese I would still try it due to my obsession with food.

Edit: Hmm, I friend informed me that the place had changed ownership. So I'm not sure if it still serves the same quality food. Anyway, that is/or used to be my favorite place. Maybe give it a try still.

[Psytic]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Maybe he's talking about the beef balls in Pho meat? There are so many different cuts of meat in there, you have to be specific.

Yea I was talking about both. The rare beef such as in beef and black bean sauce and also the beef balls in Pho. Both have a different texture than if I just chopped up steak and cooked it. I was wondering the prep process to get the texture and chew in both.

[Fobby]

Why are y'all asking a Chinese guy about viet food?

Half green text for being half sarcastic half serious....

[ranchlandsselling]

What's with Asians and pools/swimming. They generally seem to like to swim but are terrible at it, slow as molasses and can't grasp the whole fast, medium, slow lane? I'll be swimming in a fast lane and some asian will just jump in and start doing some weird dog, breast crawl thing at a 10th of the speed. Is it just "lanes" in general that the group has issues with? Thus translating into any method of locomotion?