Fist Full of RMB

Following up on the previous story, here’s more.

Tens of thousands of migrant workers are leaving the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou after losing their jobs, railway officials say.

The increase to 130,000 passengers leaving the city’s main station daily is being blamed on the credit crunch.

Guangzhou is one of China’s largest manufacturing hubs, but many companies who export products have collapsed.

Chinese officials are worried that a sudden increase in unemployment could lead to social unrest.

By “social unrest” they mean “questioning the Party.” That being said, the Chinese aren’t going to pull an Obama and tighten up their trade agreements.  If anything they’ll liberalize them further to provide an incentive for other countries to continue to buy products manufactured in China.

What do 100,000 people in China do when they all lose their jobs at once?  Sounds like a disaster.

By the way, there is this oriental guy in the lab next to mine.  He may be Chinese.  Every day he constantly makes giant nasty hocking noises like he’s permanently coming off a cold.  And he frequently sits there and whistles (while listening to headphones at that so he can hardly hear his own whistling I suppose).  I want to fucking kill him sometimes.

Dude, I have EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM!  There’s a Chinese guy who sits next to me at work.  He snorts like a fucking farm animal all day.  I think it’s a sinus thing, it doesn’t sound like a runny nose.  He’s releasing pressure in his head.  Still, that doesn’t make it any less disgusting for me to have to sit there and listen to.  And when he’s not sniffing and snorting he hums crappy Chinese pop music.

I want to rip the guy’s throat out.

I guess it’s like a cultural defect.

Lee and David - Thank you! I wondered if it was just at my workplace - evidently not. Genetic defect? Sinus problem? Pollution? Nervous tick? I don’t know, but it drives me freaking nuts! Just consider yourselves lucky you only have one apiece - I’ve got a whole ‘chorus’ (male and female).

What amazes me most is that they absolutely refuse to even consider going to a doctor with the problem.

Great blog - keep up the good work.