Hai from Shanghai
-
Showing posts tagged economics
-
”At times, (our guide) marvelled at Europe’s high standard of living—bombarding us with statistics on the price of Bordeaux wines or the average height of a well-fed Dutchman—but, if there was ever a time when Chinese visitors marvelled at Europe’s economy, this was not that time. Li made a great show of acting out a Mediterranean life style: “Wake up slowly, brush teeth, make a cup of espresso, take in the aroma.” The crowd laughed. “With a pace like that, how can their economies keep growing? It’s impossible.” He added, “In this world, only when you have diligent, hardworking people will the nation’s economy grow.
From “The Grand Tour,” Evan Osnos’s wonderful piece about a Chinese tour group’s trip through Europe, from last spring’s New Yorker Travel Issue. The story works on two levels, with deep insights about that Great Inescapable 21st-Century Topic (i.e., the Inevitable Rise of 21st-Century China) woven into a hilarious travelogue (Oh, those wacky Chinese — so different than we…).
-
Wouldn’t be egregious except that this is a bookstore. The Popular Bookmall, to be exact. (Actual name.)
-
This is pretty surreal. Back home, blinded by the light of countless China-is-eating-our-lunch stories, you don’t read too much about all the abandoned projects here.
I did some googling to find out more, and came across this.
China’s Deserted Fake Disneyland
-
-
Chinese Labor, Cheap No More
While China’s industrial subsidies, trade policies, undervalued currency and lack of enforcement for intellectual property rights all remain sticking points for the United States, there is at least one area in which the playing field seems to be slowly leveling: the cheap labor that has made China’s factories nearly unbeatable is not so cheap anymore.
…
In the past, China’s migrant workers were just thankful not to go hungry; today they are savvy and secure enough to start being choosy. Higher salaries, basic benefits, better working conditions and less physically taxing jobs are only the beginning of their demands, and for many factories, these are already too costly to be tenable.
-
I wonder where Americans in China fall…
Daily chart: which countries have the happiest people? The world is happier than before the financial crisis. The most cheeful citizens tend to live in poor and middle-income countries, while the gloomiest are in rich ones.
-
As China’s population and economy continue to grow, the country is scrambling to solve challenges in housing, elder care, cultural and political institutions, the environment, and other areas of everyday life. Today’s collection, a recent gathering of images from across the nation, covers a range of subjects from wheelchair dancers to bear bile farms, a monkey-controlled robot arm to a Tibetan exile protester who set himself on fire earlier today, and much more.
See the rest. [Images: Reuters, AFP/Getty]
-
The Atlantic: Why Are Some Countries More Expensive Than Others?
Good analysis from The Atlantic, but I’m dubious of the EIU’s index, at least with respect to Shanghai, which they rank five spots above New York. I moved here from New York, and there is no way Shanghai is more expensive all-around. Maybe if you buy into the real estate bubble here, maybe if you eat overpriced Western food for every meal every day, maybe if you attend movies every week and drink Starbucks and go clubbing on the weekends… Then you could probably spend more than you would living a standard, comfortable existence in Brownstone Brooklyn. But, to use the only example I really can, I am living in the nicest apartment I’ve ever had — alone — in the most desirable neighborhood in Shanghai, going out fairly regularly, and eating plenty of Western food, and I’m doing it all on a salary less than what I earned at my first job out of college, at a suburban nonprofit… and I’m still putting away plenty of yuan.
If the EIU didn’t charge to poke around, I’d be elbows-deep in their data trying to figure out how they reached that conclusion (among others).
Zenaide Muneton is a nanny in New York City. Last year, she made more than $200,000, Planet Money reports. Yes, with five zeros.
How in the world can Manhattan nannies be worth $200,000 a year? One answer is that they’re more talented than your typical babysitter. The highest-paid nannies can…
-
Chinese Insider Offers Rare Glimpse of U.S.-China Frictions
In a joint conclusion, the authors say the level of strategic distrust between the two countries has become so corrosive that if not corrected the countries risk becoming open antagonists.
…
Both Mr. Wang and Mr. Lieberthal argue that beneath the surface, both countries see deep dangers and threatening motivations in the policies of the other.
Likes
-
CYBERDOG
-
SHANGHAI’S GANGNAM GRANNIES
-
HOW MY ST PATRICK'S DAY ENDED
-
Huskies look pretty pumped to be taking part in a training session at Feshiebridge, in Aviemore,...
-
WALKING PAST THAT CD HAWKER ON DONGHU LU WHO'S ALWAYS PLAYING 'THE ROSE'
