Chowhound.com gets our Zeal of Approval

In light of the suspension of eatingchinese's discussion forums, and while its lazy webmaster searches for a more spam-resistant alternative, eatingchinese.org suggests, nay, insists that its visitors try hanging out at chowhound.com. For those who are unaware, chowhound is a shining example of what God or Gore or whatever Geek invented the internet intended it to be, a vast Community Memory Project, an attempt to pre-empt the power of the computer for the use of the community. Sure it covers "civilian" cuisines, but within its vast network of discussion boards it contains as much appreciation and deconstruction of Chinese cuisine and its bypaths as any two single purpose message boards might have. You can dissect your favorite (or least favorite) Chinese restaurant on the appropriate regional discussion board, ask about restaurants in Turpan on the China board, share your recipe for Strange Taste Chicken on the Home Cooking board, indulge in some serious wok talk on the Cookware board, or give your props to Panda Express on the Chains board. No one will stop you from crying in your pijiu over burgers or doughnuts, either, if that's your perversion.

And you probably will run into me.

Communist Party unit formed at Wal-Mart HQ

Being a, shall we say, non-fan of Walmart's, I've liked the way that Beijing has jerked Wal-Mart's around, forcing them to allow trade unions in their China stores. Although symbolically stunning, though, that didn't have a whole lot of meaning (as it was probably explained to the Good Ol' Boys in the Bentonville HQ) because independent trade unions in China are just a form of window dressing and have little real power. Imagine my glee, therefore, to read the news that the 300-lb. gorilla, namely the Chinese Communist Party, had decided to camp out at Wal-Mart's China headquarters in Shenzhen.

December 21, 2006

Following the foundation of a trade union at its headquarters in November 2006, Wal-Mart China has now announced the establishment of a Communist Party Branch at its China headquarters in Shenzhen.

Wang Suiming, commissioner of the Shenzhen CPC Standing Committee and director of the Shenzhen Municipal Organization Department, says that the establishment of the Communist Party Branch at Wal-Mart China's headquarters shows that Shenzhen has made a great achievement in pushing foreign enterprises to open party branches in their companies. Wang also says this will help promote the city's efforts in constructing the "Two New Organizations"–economic organizations and new social organizations–particularly the construction of a party league in foreign-owned firms in the city.

Wang asks party members and members of the Two New Organizations to play an example and work to constantly expand the Communist Party's influence and sense of team spirit.

All the glad tidings are in this article.

OK, no more Wal-Mart's postings in 2007. Unless they force my hand, of course.