I can say that the new computer cost me half of what I had expected to pay, and the money saved will almost pay for a special trip I'm planning to the other side of the country in October. We had our conversation on a Tuesday at about 11.45am at the end of March, and two days later on the Thursday, I picked up my brand new computer already loaded with all my programs. It also came with a gift of some high definition movies (Mr. Kang is able to provide 1500 HD Movies on an external hard drive.) If you are coming to Suzhou and you really NEED to buy a new computer, go talk to him. Maybe you just need some repairs - he'll fix you up. Maybe you want some High Definition Movies - he's the one to talk to.
My New Computer thanks Computer Specialist Mr. Kang of SuZhou
On Oct 20, 2007 I published a story about my visit to 'SuZhou Giga Notebook Repair' on the 3rd floor of the big computer store on the corner of West Gan Jiang Road at the intersection of Chang Xu Road in Suzhou.
My computer was already 4 years old and having some problems and my school's computer expert told me to buy a new one. I actually set out to do just that but ended up having it repaired by Mr. Kang. I was so extremely pleased with his professionalism and assistance - not to mention his price - that I wrote the above story about him. When he read the story he wrote to thank me and told me a little about himself, and I published that letter on Oct 24, 2007 in an article entitled: A Letter from a Chinese Businessman
After I left Suzhou I spent a year in Yancheng City in Jiangsu Province before travelling to Inner Mongolia to work. While I was working in Baotou I had two very tragic accidents with my computer, one caused by my Chinese friend and one cause by me. By the time I left Baotou I was having a lot of trouble with the computer and when I returned to Suzhou I went to see Mr. Kang.
I wrote about those woes and the kindness of Mr. Kang on November 9th 2011, in the article entitled: Thank God for my Suzhou Computer Repairman from which I will now quote:
What happened in fact, was that there was so much wrong with my computer, that Mr. Kang used a spare casing and wot-not to 'recondition' my computer. I walked in with a thin silver 'no name' computer (it was a prototype), and walked out with a black IBM computer. Total cost was 400 rmb! The reason it was so cheap of course was that I really do not wish to buy a computer in China. A Chinese friend in Baotou got a Chinese Computer with a legitimate English program, but it still threw up Chinese pop-up messages.
Mr. Kang told me that as long as I promised to return the computer once I went home next year and bought a new computer, then he was happy to do this for me. At the time, he installed a 'remote' feature on the computer so that were I to have some troubles in the future I could send him a text message and we could handle the problem by remote.
Well as bad luck always follows me, I kept having trouble with my internet connection, with viruses (using a Chinese Security program) and with several of the keys on the keyboard. It drove me to such distraction that despite my reluctance to buy a computer in China, I finally went to see Mr. Kang and asked him to help me buy a brand new computer.
I had priced new computers in 2007 and again in 2011 and 2012 and knew it was going to be a big expense for me to buy this computer, but what the hell, 'beggers can't be choosers'. I explained to Mr. Kang that I truly trusted him and therefore figured that we could help each other out. He could get just the right computer that I needed to work with and buy it wholesale, then make a profit by selling it to me retail. He could 'make a buck' and I would know that when I picked up the computer it would have everything already installed, including my preferred Anti-Virus Security Provider -'Symantec's Norton's Anti-Virus'.
We had our conversation on a Tuesday at about 11.45am at the end of March, and two days later on the Thursday, I picked up my brand new computer already loaded with all my programs. It also came with a gift of some high definition movies (Mr. Kang is able to provide 1500 HD Movies on an external hard drive.)
After I took the computer home however, I began to have more internet troubles. Mr, Kang had checked the computer using the remote feature, and helped me out for awhile, but finally the troubles just got so annoying that I went to the Telecom company that provides my service and complained. They sent out a repairman who did a little of this and a little of that and quickly walked out and when the follow-up call came asking me if I was satisfied, I told them that I wasn't as I still did not have internet access.
The next day the repairman came back and connected a brand new modem (replacing their original brand new modem) and I haven't had a problem since. I have absolutely no 'Chinese pop-ups' on my computer. I have Windows 7 and a variety of 'u-beaut thingymebobs' that I don't know how to use; a 'webcam' (which I can't use on 'skype' because I can't use my credit card) and I have Norton's Anti-Virus protecting me.
(Despite some claims that Norton's slows down your computer I never suffered from any malicious attacks in all the years I was using it. I never had to reformat my computer. It didn't have 'issues'. It lasted me from 2003 to 2011 and I am sure that had my friend and I not committed unpardonable sins against it, it would still have been running fine today. A Good Computer and excellent Security protection.)
So how much did it all cost? Well I guess that should remain just between Mr. Kang and me, but I can say that it cost me half of what I had expected, and the money saved will almost pay for a special trip I'm planning to the other side of the country in October.
I can never thank Mr. Kang enough for being such a kind hearted professional and helping friend.
If you are coming to Suzhou and you really NEED to buy a new computer, go talk to him. Maybe you just need some repairs - he'll fix you up. Maybe you want some High Definition Movies - he's the one to talk to.
Here are his particulars:
'SuZhou Giga Notebook Repair' Kang Yongjun Tel: 18915436805 Email: kahunakang@gmail.com QQ: 393110900 No.456 West GanJiang Rd. U-town, B3158 (3rd Floor)
'SuZhou Giga Notebook Repair' shop is located on the 3rd floor of the big computer store on the corner of West Gan Jiang Road at the intersection of Chang Xu Road. (Chang Xu Road is where the Tall Jasmine Holiday Inn is located). Take the escalator from the ground floor (in China 1st floor) and go up to the next level then walk around to the next escalator and go up again. You have to turn right at the top of the escalator and then turn right again and follow the aisle. Watch for the Big illuminated signs with the Numbers. You want B 3158 which will be in the last alley on the left.
P.S.This article was not written as some form of 'financial deal' between Mr. Kang and Me. I write it from a heart that is grateful for his wonderful care of me and my original computer. (Since this article was published I have received emails thanking me for publishing it and helping other foreigners in the process. [Nov 2012]) Read the article A Letter from a Chinese Businessmanand you will get an idea of what type of person he is. He is wonderful. Foreigners on his mailing list are frequently emailed updates to train timetables, City Events News, and other helpful information for expats living in China.
It was decided that unshod horses would not be allowed to be used in commercial ventures. People couldn't ride horses for a living; salesman couldn't load goods onto their horses; and horses could no longer pull carts. While it all seemed quite logical and humane, the unforeseen consequence of the law was that the supply of goods into and out of the town began to dwindle, until in the end, business after business went bankrupt. As time went by the whole city went bust until the only ones left were those who could not afford to move, and one of these was our blacksmith. One day, considering that since the council itself was now gone, the blacksmith decided to restart his business.
Having stated that the Governor is one of the very first elected officials to take this action and that there is no play book to show him what to do next, the American Policy Center is calling on citizens to sign a 'Letter of Thanks' to Governor Bentley: If you care about protecting our Constitution and our way of live from attacks by the United Nations, then you must stand with Governor Bentley by signing and returning you "Letter of Thanks for Opposing United Nations' Agenda 21". The newsletter warns however that if Governor Bentley is left to fight alone, then he is probably doomed to be destroyed by the very powerful UN/Agenda 21 forces.
The original command to anoint Jehu as king over Israel (not Judah) was given to Elijah the prophet in 1 Kings 19:15-17 in which he is commanded to anoint Hazael as King over Syria (in place of BenHadad) and Jehu over Israel in place of Ahab's son Jehoram. And there is a promise from God that those who escape from Hazael will be slain by Jehu and those who escape Jehu will be slain by Elisha. But even though the Scripture talks about killing the King of Israel's heirs (the house of Ahab), no where does it say that anyone is to kill the King of Judah "Ahaziah", who was either Ahab's grandson, nephew or son-in-law. (2 Kings 8:18 makes his mother to be the daughter of Omri and therefore sister of Ahab and so he was Ahab's nephew, while verse 26 states that his mother was Ahab's daughter therefore he was Ahab's grandson but verse 27 refers to him as son-in-law).
Since that article was not about the Computer Repairs, I did not go into detail about what had happened. What happened in fact, was that there was so much wrong with my computer, that Mr. Kang used a spare casing and wot-not to 'recondition' my computer. I walked in with a thin silver 'no name' computer (it was a prototype), and walked out with a black IBM computer. Total cost was 400 rmb! The reason it was so cheap of course was that I really do not wish to buy a computer in China. A Chinese friend in Baotou got a Chinese Computer with a legitimate English program, but it still threw up Chinese pop-up messages. Mr. Kang told me that as long as I promised to return the computer once I went home next year and bought a new computer, then he was happy to do this for me.
Yunyansi pagoda is called Tiger Hill pagoda by local people. It was began to built in 959 A.D. and was completed in Song Dynasy (961 A.D.) It is a brick pagoda with seven floors and eight sides. The height is 47.7 meters. It leans to the north to the east and has a lean of 3.59 degrees. It weighs about 6000 tons. This pagoda has become the Symbol of ancient SuZhou. It was put in the protection list of national important historical relics in 1961
This Stele is made of Shandong Jiaxiang Blue Stone, and composed of stele cap, stele body and stele pedestal. Its facade is engraved with Zhang Ji's (Tang Dynasty) poem To Moor at Night at the Maple Bridge inscribed by Yu Yue (Qing Dynasty); while the back is engraved with The Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra (Prajnaparamita Hridaya Sutra in Sanskrit) handwritted by Emperor Qianlong (Qing Dynasty).
The Garden of Couple's Retreat. Located on the northeastern edge of the ancient city of SuZhou, the garden was first created in the early Qing period as a pleasure garden of Baoning Prefect Lu Jingzhi. In the 13th year of Tong ZhiReign (1874 AD), Shen Bingcheng, governor of Susongtai Region, acquired it and expanded it into the present scale.The park is located by one of the major canals on the North / East side of SuZhou. It is not far from the Old Water Gate, and right behind it is the SuZhou Zoo. I have been in YanCheng now for 6 months and no longer have a map of SuZhou from which to give precise directions. The entrance looks great from the overpass, but otherwise you wouldn't know it is there. I did take some photos of it at night when I was on the canal tour. That tour leaves from 'ShiLu' which is the 'small' walking street - not Guanqian Jie which is the big walking street.
This year marks the founding centennial of the Suzhou Polytechnic Institute of Agriculture, and yesterday Sunday 11th November 2007 there was an all day celebration of the event.
Leo Rosten in the Joys of Yiddish wrote that there is an old Jewish saying, that the difference between psychotics and neurotics is that while psychotics believe that 2 + 2 = 5 neurotics, although fully cognisant of the fact that 2 + 2 = 4, just simply can't stand it! Personally, I think there are a lot of neurotics in the world. When I read all the bad press Israel gets for it's Terrorism in Palestine, and compare it to the press coverage of the current situation in Lebanon, I can't help but think that the Media are neurotic
Jiaye Ancient Library is a famous private library with the largest collection of books in modern China. the construction of the library was started in 1920 and completed in 1924. It covers an area of 13,340 square meters, and expended the gold of 120,000 liang. After liberation in 1949, it has become part of Zhejiang Library that mainly houses ancient books. In June of 2001, Jiaye Ancient Library was deemed a National Preserved Cultural Relic Unit.
I ran into Jian up at Shi Lu one night, just before the Americans left town. We had a long talk about the fact that he was wasting his life; that his parents really just wanted him to apply himself equally to Chinese and Math studies, as to his English Studies. When I left him, I thought that maybe he was finally going to go home. I spoke to him about the parable of the Prodigal Son and asked him to get the Americans to explain it
Traduzione di Chiara Braccagni: Nel 2005 mi sono trasferito a Wuhan da Hong Hu, in modo da poter insegnare inglese e allo stesso tempo imparare il cinese. Tuttavia, dopo due anni a Wuhan, avevo seguito solo un semestre di studio del cinese. Avevo accettato il lavoro di insegnante a Wuhan ad uno stipendio minore rispetto a quanto mi era stato offerto da altri istituti, in modo da mettere in pratica il cinese che impraravo in un dialetto che mi fosse familiare. Quando ho richiesto all'agenzia di trovarmi un nuovo lavoro per il 2007 ho messo in chiaro che lo stipendio era la mia priorita'. Sebbene il governo cinese avesse decretato che gli insegnanti stranieri potevano ritornare a casa in anticipo lo scorso semestre, cosi' da trascorrere il Natale con le loro famiglie (decisione resa possible dalle anticipate festivita' del capodanno cinese) la mia scuola non mi ha lasciato partire. Infatti, una clausola mi obbligava a rimanere a scuola fino all'ultimo giorno del mio contratto. E cosi' ho fatto (e sto ancora aspettando lo stipendio che mi devono).
Hu Qiu Road leads to Tiger Hill, and commences in Tong Jing Road at the end of my Street. It took about 10 minutes to ride my bike to Tiger Hill. This scenery is not what you expect in China yes?
With 3 field locations for student's practical experience, and many close business relationships within the Province of JiangSu, SuZhou Polytechnical Institute of Agriculture has a distinct professional teaching advantage. This advantage has been extended in recent years to include new subject majors, such as Business English and Business Japanese, and has resulted in an increase in our flexibility and creativity in training students to be specialists in their chosen fields
You will arrive at Taipa House Museum Area with so much to see. If you want to go into the Museum you must pay. But there is also much to see outside. This is a museum beside the A-Ma Temple on Macao Island. This sits on the waterfront and you can see Zhuhai in China across the harbour.
Mt. Emei - The first day we climbed to 940 metres. The Second Day we took the bus up as far as the Cable car. just 200 metres or so below the summit. At over 3000 metres the clouds just kept coming and going. Rather like the tourists! Bloody tourists! Noisy nuisances! Don't know why they let them spoil the tranquility!
In the temple, there are many places of cultural and historical interest. Tianwang (Heavenly Kings) Hall, Guanyin Hall, Wuyou Hall and the Arhat Hall are solemn in ancient style, Kuangyi Pavilion is charm and elegant. On Erya Terrace you can overlook the river, while in Tingtao Pavilion, you can enjoy the music of the current. If you want to see how the three rivers meet go to Jingyun Pavilion; to enjoy flowers, butterflies and singing birds, go to the Plum Garden. What is mostly worth mentioning is that it is the temple and the hill on which it stands that form the hesd of the Giant Sleeping Buddha.
Many people say that my cursive Chinese writing is just terrible scribble. Now I know that they are just jealous because I have mastered a unique form of calligraphy. Du Fu Selected Poems Translated by Rewi Alley Foreign Languages Press 2001
Beijing
(Note: Chiara Braccagni's articles are in both English and Italian)
A una di queste chiamate, ci fermiamo a fianco a una coppia di giovani. Non solo i due incauti avevano diversi sacchetti, ma portavano con sé anche una torta. Dopo varie discussioni con la bigliettaia perché la torta nel pulmino proprio non ci stava, provano ad aprire il finestrino e a passarla alla ragazza seduta di fronte a Justine. Visto che non riuscivano a spostare il vetro, sporgendomi, faccio alla bigliettaia: "Lo faccia passare da qui" (okkei, va bene, ho detto solo "da qui", il resto della frase era sottinteso!). Io, anima ingenua, credevo che una volta saliti i due giovani avrebbero trovato il modo di riprendersi la torta. E invece no! Mi sono fatta una decina di chilometri di strada sterrata con una torta gelato sulle ginocchia! E giusto per renderla ancora più precaria, era una torta a due piani con complesse decorazioni, tra cui un drago giallo con occhi e baffi di cioccolata. Avevo il terrore di spetasciarla. A questo punto, però, ridevamo da non riuscire più a respirare.
Built in 1406-1420, The Imperial Palace, popularly known as the Forbidden City, was the permanent residence of the Emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It's buildings are divided into two parts. The front part, or the 'outer court', consists of Tai He Dian Hall, Zhong He Dian Hall and Bao He Dian Hall, which are taken as it's main body, plus Wen Hua Dian Hall and Wu Ying Dian Hall, which are taken as it's two wings, Where the Emperor held important ceremonies
If you do an internet word search for Badaling, you will find many addresses to choose from in your pursuit to know more about the Great Wall. After leaving the great wall we traveled to the Ming Tombs. Unfortunately we never got to go into any because there was a good deal of restorative work being carried on at that time. One of the lesser appreciated side effects of the 'Cultural Revolution' was the amount of malicious damage done to these tombs and other relics of China's past, and our guide was quite open in informing us of some of these events. Such a pity
After years of living in China, I finally got around to organizing a trip to Tibet. I was due to pay for the trip at the End of June and I was to go in October during the Chinese National Holiday. If you have been wondering why the Chinese Government put a ban on foreigners going to Tibet, then now you know the reason. It was to stop me! Alleyways and Streets are more narrow than the canals in Xitang Town ZheJiang. Once we cleared the bars it quieted down. Now this is where I point out why the title of this article has 'Clown' in it.
Qing Ming, means clear and bright in Chinese. It is both the fifth term in the traditional lunar calendar and a festival to hold memorial ceremony for the dead. Being as how I was the only white face in the crowd, the Chinese attendants jumped on me, baptised me, confirmed me and handed me the brochure with all the church services times listed on it. They wanted to know if I was Catholic or Christian. Usually I just tell people I am a Muslim, and it makes them think twice. This time I said something that I regretted. Ha! I'm not telling you what I said!
I provide here two links from which you may glean information should be coming to Yancheng and decide to stay at the YanFu Hotel. The Hotel is located in the very heart of YanCheng near to Da Tong Ma. "Ben" - Guo Haibin - Advertising Manager at the YanFu Hotel on the left.
Do you know how to Samba? You do? Well you know how you have to bend the knees and at the same time push your bum down so that you do a pelvic thrust - yeah? Well I gave my teacher two options. I could bend my knees or do a pelvic thrust, but not both at the same time. He told me that I would eventually learn it. Surprise Surprise! By the end of my second night I had it figured out, and let me tell you - it is not a pretty sight! I should know - I have to watch my self in that monstrous bloody mirror!
Xiangfan is a historical and cultural city in the southwest of Hubei Province. It has an area of 26.7 thousand square kilometers and a population of 6.75 million. The central part of Xiangfan is a plain. The rest are mountains and hills. Xiangfan has a subtropical monsoon climate with an annual average temperature of 15.8C, and has 240 frost-free days. Annual rainfall averages 878 millimeters.
, 2006My Student friend has already 'cheated' in 4 exams this school year. Well, he doesn't actually 'cheat', he just 'pretends' to be someone else, and does their exams for them. It's a simple process really. They merely substitute photographs in their identity cards. The first thing I had to tell him was that the reason I seem so happy, is that if I allowed myself to be controlled by all the 'negatives' that surround me, I would have to quit my job and go home. 'The Secret of Being Happy', I informed him, 'is that happiness comes from within you. It is not the result of happy experiences.'
You may find this hard to believe, but Chinese students can memorise a 20 minute monologue - perfectly. They memorise their lesson texts. They might understand nothing. They certainly cannot commence at paragraph two or three: they must start from the first word and go through to the end. However, they can memorise perfectly. So this is what these two girls did.
Definition: King's Calendar Chronological Research
The Premise: Between the 5th and 3rd centuries BCE (but continuing down to at least 104 BCE), Sectarian redactors transcribed the legitimate 'solar year' chronological records of Israel and Judah, into an artificial form, with listed years as each comprised of 12 months of 4 weeks of 7 days, or 336 days per year, thus creating a 13th artificial year where 12 solar years existed.
When the Synchronous Chronological Data provided in the Books of Kings and Chronicles for the Divided Kingdom Period are measured in years of 336 days, the synchronisms actually align. [Refer to Appendix 5. to see how it synchronises the Divided Kingdom Period]
About the KingsCalendar Publisher
R.P.BenDedek is the owner and Editor of KingsCalendar.com which was originally set up to publicize his research results into the Chronology of Ancient Israel. Those results were published under the title: 'The King's Calendar: The Secret of Qumran'.
Whilst there have been many attempts to solve the chronological riddle of the Bible's synchronisms of reigns of the kings of Israel and Judah and their synchronism with other Ancient Near Eastern Nations, no other research is based on a simple mathematical formula which could, if it is incorrect, be disproved easily. To date, no one has been able to dismiss the mathematical results of this research.
Free to air Academic articles set forth Apologetics for and results of his discovery of an "artificial chronological scheme" running through the Bible, Josephus, the Damascus Documents of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and Seder Olam Rabbah.
During the current economic downturn, this book has been drastically reduced in price but will eventually rise as the economy improves.
Check the Chapter Precis Page to see details of each chapter and to gain access to the Four Free to Air Chapters
R.P. BenDedek writes social commentaries and photographic 'Stories from China' both at KingsCalendar, and as a contributing columnist at Magic City Morning Star News in Maine USA.
(He has been teaching Conversational English in China since 2003 and currently (2013) is teaching in Suzhou City Jiangsu Province.)
