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| 2006/3/7-8 [Politics/Foreign/Asia/China] UID:42119 Activity:high |
3/6 Government monitors spending patterns as a flag for
possible terrorist activities: http://csua.org/u/f5u
\_ A friend of mine sent money overseas to his family in Asia. It
was only $10,000USD but it's a lot in that part of the country.
A day later he got a call from the FBI asking what the money's for.
I thought the US gov only cared about money coming in (to fund
fundamentalists) but I guess they care about everything.
\_ Where in Asia? My wife sent back $40k (inheritance) from Japan,
but I don't think that's that unusual for Japan <> USA.
\_ YMMV. My wife and I have received >> $10k from Hong Kong
\_ YMMV. My wife and I have received >> $10m from Hong Kong
with nary a peep from Govco.
\_ YMMV. My wife and I have repatriated >> $10m from Hong Kong
with nary a peep from Govco. --cpatten
\_ $10m? WTF are you doing posting on soda's motd?
\_ Dear motd re-editor, case sensitivity matters.
\_ I think "where in asia?" is a valid question in this case.
\_ I write one $1k check per month from my B of A checking account
to my dad's B of A checking account, and he regularly withdraws
the money in Hong Kong. We've been doing it for over seven
years, and neither of us have ever heard from the FBI.
\_ oooh HK, I bet the US government's really afraid of
angry yellow Cantonese Muslims trying to do something
little yellow Cantonese Muslims trying to do something
bad to us good Christians.
\- I endorse the OLD MANDARIN MUSLIM CHINESE RESTAURANT
\_ now you are making me hungry. sour cabbage mutton
soup clay pot and thick fat breads. yummy!
\- you may enjoy ball hot pot then:
http://csua.org/u/f60 |
| 5/28 |
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| csua.org/u/f5u -> powerofnarrative.blogspot.com/2006/03/holy-mother-of-god.html "We believe government should be way away from us in that regard." He was referring to the recent decision by him and his wife to be responsible, to do the kind of thing that just about anyone would say makes good, solid financial sense. The balance on their JCPenney Platinum MasterCard had gotten to an unhealthy level. They didn't call a suspected terrorist on their cell phone. They just paid a hefty chunk of their credit card balance. And they learned how frighteningly wide the net of suspicion has been cast. After sending in the check, they checked online to see if their account had been duly credited. They learned that the check had arrived, but the amount available for credit on their account hadn't changed. "When you mess with my money, I want to know why," he said. They both learned the same astounding piece of information about the little things that can set the threat sensors to beeping and blinking. They were told, as they moved up the managerial ladder at the call center, that the amount they had sent in was much larger than their normal monthly payment. And if the increase hits a certain percentage higher than that normal payment, Homeland Security has to be notified. And the money doesn't move until the threat alert is lifted. Walter called television stations, the American Civil Liberties Union and me. He learned about changes in something called the Bank Privacy Act. "It's scary how easily someone in Homeland Security can get permission to spy." I have an easy rule now: I figure the government keeps tabs on everything I do. Not exactly "American," in the way that word used to mean something. |
| csua.org/u/f60 -> www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/02/17/wfood17.xml Contact us On the menu today: horse penis and testicles with a chilli dip By Richard Spencer in Beijing (Filed: 17/02/2006) The menu at Beijing's latest venue for its growing army of gourmets is eye-watering rather than mouth-watering. China's cuisine is renowned for being "in your face" - from the skinned dogs displayed at food markets to the kebabbed scorpions sold on street stalls - and there is no polite way of describing Guo-li-zhuang. The waitress presents a dish combining the male organs of the ox and snake A dish combining the male organs of an ox and a snake Situated in an elegantly restored house beside Beijing's West Lake, it is China's first speciality penis restaurant. Here, businessmen and government officials can sample the organs of yaks, donkeys, oxen and even seals. In fact, they have to, since they form part of every dish - except for those containing testicles. "Of course, there are other restaurants that serve the bian of individual animals. Guolizhuang's owner, who set it up in November, is proud to combine his own surname (Guo), his wife's (Li) and his son's nickname (Zhuang) into its title. A booking comes with a trained waitress and a nutritionist in attendance, to explain the menu and to boast its medicinal virtues. A dog's penis, garnished with a plum Dog's penis, garnished with a plum In China, you are what you eat, and The Daily Telegraph's nutritionist, Zhu Yan, said the clients were mainly men eager to improve their yang, or virility. Women could benefit, too, she added, although she told the Telegraph's female photographer: "I wouldn't recommend the testicles. Some dishes appear unexceptional, such as the simple goat penis, sliced, dipped in flour, fried, and served skewered with soy sauce. But Guolizhuang also has its showpieces, such as the elegantly named "Head crowned with a Jade Bracelet" (provided by horses from the western Muslim region of Xin-jiang), for -L-20 a portion, or "Dragon in the Flame of Desire" (yak, steamed whole, fried and flambeed) for -L-35. For beginners, Miss Zhu recommended the hotpot, which offers a sampling of what the restaurant has to offer - six types of penis, and four of testicle, boiled in chicken stock by the waitress, Liu Yunyang, 22. The ox was, of all six, the most recognisable for what it was, even though it had been diced. The deer and the Mongolian goat were surprisingly similar: a little stringy, they had the appearance and feel of overcooked squid tentacles. The Xinjiang horse and the donkey, on the other hand, were quite different. Though both came sliced lengthwise, and looked like bacon, the horse was light and fatty, while the donkey had a firm colour and taste. The testicles were slightly crumbly, and tasted better with lashings of the sesame, soy and chilli dips thoughtfully provided. One speciality, Canadian seal penis, costs a hefty -L-220, and requires ordering in advance. Miss Liu confessed that Guo-li-zhuang was an unusual place to work, partly because of her training - she has to recite tales proving the vigour of the animals in question as they are being eaten - and partly because of the interaction with the clientele. "And sometimes the customers take advantage of me by asking rude questions." As for the supposed health benefits, Mr Liu, the most regular customer, was uncertain but hopeful. |