The Chinese still have a way to go!!

Several weeks ago, Theresa spotted this great sticker. I think if there was ever an opportunity for me to go into business, it would be as a cultural translator and help the folks understand you can't use Google translate for everything.

Consider this your laugh for the day.

What's on the menu tonight

If it's Zhejuang Province in China it's not dog.

Seems a 600 year old festival of slaughtering and serving up mouth watering BBQ'd dogs has been cancelled after outrage and protests from tens of thousands of animal activists forced the community to rethink their annual three day festival scheduled for Oct 18.

In past years, the Shanghai Daily news reports 5,000 to 10,000 dogs would be butchered on the streets and served to the people living in Hutou, a village near Jinhua City. This year a campaign to boycott the festival was started by animal rights activists online and after their message went viral, authorities stepped in to halt the festival, described as "Doomsday For Dogs".

It's a small step, and quite frankly in our time so far in Shanghai we have yet to pass by a butcher store selling dog (not that we would know what it looks like) so here's a high five for the people who managed to stop this grusome tradition.

Wanted: Female Babies

The World Bank"2012 World Development Report just released this week shows that nearly four million women are "missing" from the world's population - this the result of aborted female fetuses, female babies killed at birth and generally poor healthcare.

Leading the pack is China at one million missing females. World Bank researchers found that China should have 1.2 million more baby girls than were actually born in 2008. Put another way the birth rate in China is alarmingly distorted at 118 boys per 100 girls.

So what does all this mean? Economist predict that a new generation in China will struggle to marry and have families because quite simply there won't be enough women for men to marry. The implications of this will cascade through every aspect of life in China

The Chinese government has recognized the problem and among other measures now makes it illegal for ultrasound technicians to tell parents the sex of their baby.

Just thought you'd like to know..

Looking out my back door

Although October is fast approaching, it would be hard to tell from the way it looks out of our sliding doors. Enjoying a morning tea with clear blue unpolluted air, green grass and my daily copy of The Globe And Mail in our backyard is a real treat. It's been now almost two weeks since I've been home and though I miss the hustle and bussle of Shanghai, there is no place like home. Lots of catching up getting done, poker played and friends visited. Still lots of people to see and new restaurants to try and with the High Holidays coming up lots of great home cooking to eat.

Toronto can't compete with Shanghai when it comes to just plain weird stuff though I'm sure it all goes on here as well but living at Bayview and the Sunnybrook ravine is not quite in the center of cultural action in this city so for now at least you will have to put up with some pretty boring blog postings.

Time flies when you are having fun

It is hard to believe but it has been over 9 months since Theresa started her new job as Regional President, Asia Emerging Markets for Pfizer.

In that time we've sold our condo in Montreal, sold our Toronto condo, bought and moved into a new condo in Toronto and as well, moved into a new apartment in Shanghai. That's a mouthful to say the least.

We have travelled all around Shanghai getting to know the city, had some great dinners at world class restaurants and visited Hong Kong, Beijing, and Singapore. In the months ahead we plan to spend some vacation time in Thailand and look forward to exploring more of Asia and China.

I am flying back to Toronto today and will be joined by Theresa later in the month to celebrate the High Holidays and Thanksgiving in Toronto with our kids, family and friends.

While packing I sadly realized at least in Toronto the summer is pretty much over though here today it is sunny and 80 (well smoggy and 80). When we return to Shanghai in October fall will also have arrived here which will be a pleasant change from the sweltering summer heat but nothing like Toronto - I'm told fall is one of the best times in the city with clear blue skies and temperatures in the low 70's.

As is always the case with China there will continue to be strange and bizarre news which I will continue to report in the months ahead so keep checking the blog and let us know when we can get your guest room ready.