Me, me, me.

Well, I'm the sort of guy who is always self-involved, or, at least, with that tendency. I don't like this aspect of my personality. My weakness in the past has been my unwillingness to take risks. I always tended to play it safe. And, so last month or so, I took a risk and went to the dentist and asked the dentist to crown two of my front teeth. And, frankly, in my opinion, he didn't do a very good job. (*)

You know, I came to China, just coming to China, has been liberating for me. I'm in this foreign country. That, in itself, is interesting. When I first came here, I had big problems. The first and foremost problem I had was a sore left-ankle.

I don't want you to think I only post negative stories here on my blog. Actually, I have a lot of positive stuff to report on too. First and foremost, I have solved the sore ankle problem, thanks to the special orthotic insoles this brilliant Israeli orthopaedic specialist had designed for me. Great. Believe you me, this improvement alone has enhanced my life greatly.

I'm fitter now than before. Keeping up a exercise regime of going to the gym on a fairly regular basis, although, recently, because of the stress of finishing examining my students for their end-of-term oral English exams at my college, I have neglected exercise. But, hey, here's a picture of Fatso me about 16 months ago.



FATSO ME

Okay, here's a picture of my present fucking teeth. I don't like them. I had two of the front teeth whitened.



See the front tooth on the left. Now, the dentist took a lot of the right bottom side of that tooth off (WITHOUT MY PERMISSION). I'm furious with him about that. When, I brought this up with him. He says to me, something like, people don't usually look at the front teeth. Oh, I see. So, I go to the dentist to have two of my front teeth crowned and, guess what, I'm wasting my time. I'm one dissatisfied customer.

I don't mean to be. I was genuinely hoping that, you know, I would be a mighty satisfied customer (**) but I have no reason to. Every time I look at these fucking teeth, I feel a pang of pain. Ouch. Yeah, the dentist was Chinese. The dental practice is located in Beijing. I won't identify it. And, his English wasn't too fucking good. Well, fuck this, if only I had the wisdom of hindsight. Perhaps, I could have told the guy, you know, don't fucking touch the other tooth. It was straight, straight, straight before (at the bottom edge). In fact, in terms of shape, it was a perfect tooth. It was also a nice yellowish white colour, nice, nice, nice. I have photos below to show you what I mean here.

Here's a photo of my set of teeth BEFORE the fucking dentist got to work..








Okay, you see the difference. Okay, you see the two front teeth that are discoloured. They're dead. The inside pulp were taken out years and years ago and over the course of years, the colour of the enamel changed to grey. I had some bleaching both inside and outside the teeth done to lighten it up with some limited success. So, recently, in China, I decided to get crowns put in to finally, once and for all, end the problem. And, crowns are also cheaper here in China. Like each tooth, 3600 RMB. I had to have two done, so that's 7200 RMB. In my country, Ireland, I think we're talking about 8000 RMB (about 800 euros) for each crown. What a rip-off!! But, at least in China, the rip-off isn't as large. But, now, I can see the fucking trade-off.

The dentist (or doctor as they're called in China), decided to take off with his drill some of the good tooth. Look at the good front tooth above. It was a perfect shape!!. It's the right colour. It's alive. It's a movie star tooth. The other front tooth, albeit discoloured, wasn't too bad either. Admittedly, a little out of shape. But, given that the tooth has been dead for years and years, perhaps, that is understandable. But, anyway, the dentist then, WITHOUT MY PERMISSION, drills away at that and now, as an end result, as an end result of my paying 7200 RMB of my fucking money, my teeth, in terms of shape, are worse than before. And, the colour matching isn't perfect either. I mean the new teeth are B1 colour (to use the terminology he was using), to use the dentist's language, making them whiter than the surrounding teeth. But, I told the dentist, that, you know, okay, if they're whiter than the surrounding teeth, it's okay, I can brush the other teeth more with whitening toothpaste and perhaps, they'll match up more perfectly in colour and brightness in the future. So, I still don't think that's too big a problem.

Anyway, I'm thinking about going back to this dental practice and asking for my money back. You know, I was pretty confident the dentist would do an okay job.(***) But, he fucked up. First of all, the first crowns he fitted were too fucking grey. So, I had him destroy them and make a new pair. And, then, after the second pair had been fitted, I discovered to my horror, the next day, my handsomely *shaped* front teeth were not fucking handsome anymore. And, in its place, I had a what I can only describe as a teeth cleft. Jesus. What a fucking humiliation. I remind me of Bugs Bunny.



So much for the George Clooney Handsome Man I wanted to be before and with those fine teeth I had before, I could come close to that. The ruggedly handsome teeth I had before are no more, now, replaced with bugs bunny teeth. Cartoonish, freakish.

Oh, I can write a long long story about this fucking dentist. How he doesn't fucking answer my questions. How I asked him to show me the fucking photo he took of my front teeth before he stripped away the enamel of the two grey teeth and how he ignored my request.(****) It's good to be Chinese and you only speak English as a second language. Then, you have an excuse to do whatever you fucking well please. In his case, play God with my teeth. (*****) I didn't give him my permission to drill away at the alive front tooth, the perfectly shaped front tooth. My question is: Why? Why the fuck did he do it? (******)You know this has been very upsetting for me. And, it kinda has taken me by surprise. [sighs]. Should I come to terms with it? Or should I go back to that dental practice and, at least, ask for my money back?

Indeed, last week, I went back to see this dentist again and I asked him to crown BOTH of the front teeth again to make the bottom edge flat. I told him, you know, this is the shape of normally shaped teeth. Indeed, I told him, I have been doing oral interviews of my English language students and I see that for the great to vast majority of them, the bottom of their front teeth are straight straight straight, not comic round like mine. Here's an example of such perfect teeth below.



Here's another fucking photo of my disastrous molars...(********)



You know what I'm thinking.. I'm thinking the dentist fucked up and decided to cover it up. Hence, he wouldn't show me the photo he had taken of my front teeth before he started to do the crown work. I'm thinking he may have accidentally chipped a chunk off the good front tooth (whilst drilling off the enamel from the other tooth during the inital stripping off phase of crowning) and so decided to take off more and more to make it round and round so that apparently I wouldn't be able to see. And, initially, he had success because it wasn't until the day after I had the new crowns fitted (I mean the second pair of crowns - the first pair were too grey) only then viewing some old photos of my teeth on my computer (I knew there was something amiss and unfamiliar about my new front teeth but couldn't quite place what it was), only after viewing the old photos that I realised what the dentist had done WITHOUT MY PERMISSION on the good living tooth with the previous perfect shape and I mean PERFECT SHAPE. It was a normal fucking tooth was what it was. And, the dentist did away with that. Why? I have no idea. Never asked him that. I know he drilled away at it because I can feel away at the bottom edge of the tooth and it's rough. Whereas, the bottom edge of that tooth (about 60% of it, that he didn't touch with his damn drill is still smooth, smooth as it should be like a baby's bottom). Anyway, I went back to the dentist last week and he offered to add, what did he call it, composite. But, he warned that you know I shouldn't eat hard things like carrots. So, what's the fucking point in having teeth when I can't eat anything hard which might damage the composite. And, from what I have read about composites, the dentist will have to roughen up the tooth first before applying the composite. So, I'm thinking the dentist will wind up doing more damage to my original teeth. Especially this dentist whom I have now lost all confidence in that he will do a good job on my teeth which is not going to leave me disappointed and upset.

I suppose the front teeth are okay. But, hey, I want perfect front teeth. And,for 7,600 RMB, isn't that not too much to ask for? So, anyway, I said to the dentist last week, hey, do the front teeth again, I mean crown both again including the living tooth. The dentist advised against this. He said that it's a living tooth. I'd need an injection for the pain. He said that the gum was already well receded at the top and that I'll probably need root channel treatment. He said, in that event, I'd need a post put in. He said that my gum above the tooth will receded by 1mm, (in the event of root channel treatment) which, considering that a front tooth is 10 mm long, is a significant recession. He said that I would feel discomfort (for the rest of my life I presume) because the new tooth which will be prepared will be thicker and straighter than the old living one and will push up against my inner lip. He even mentioned the possibility of pain if memory serves. He was trying his best to deter me from doing that. But, I do recall that he was willing to do it for me FREE OF CHARGE if I insisted, which appears to me to be an admission that, yes, indeed, he accepts he drilled and reshaped my other front tooth without my permission.

This is all very complicated. I don't mean to make it so. [sighs]. The first crowns were too grey, as I told you. So, I got a second pair of crowns put in. During the week in the run up to the fitting of the second crowns (they take a week to prepare apparently), BOTH my front teeth fell out. Each on different days. Kinda upsetting. I was in a restaurant when the first front tooth fell out.I had been eating a hard cookie, which didn't help obviously, with the wisdom of hindsight. Yeah, it was a front tooth. I rushed over to the dentist in Beijing. The dentist put a post in and fitted the temporary crown back in again. And, then, during work, two days later, the other fucking temporary crown fell out and again, I had to go to the dentist immediately, this time, cancelling my fucking college class to go. What a pain in the fucking ass. My dentist wasn't in the dental practice that day. It was his day off. Some other guy dentist just glued the temporary fucking crown on and that night, as soon as I ate something, just something soft at McDonalds, it came loose again, necessitating another day off work and another trip to the dentist the following morning. So, yeah, all of this was fucking traumatic for me.

Anyway, I am not a happy customer. I'm just so so frustrated about this.

But, hey, let's move onto something optimistic again. It's nearly 3 o'clock in the morning. I've been writing this for over an hour. I'm entitled to go to bed soon. I've written about my/the resolution of the left ankle problem. THIS IS PROGRESS. Another example of progress, I've written about before. My ability these days to consciously orgasm. THAT IS HUGE PROGRESS. I can masturbate and jerk off once or twice a day. Twice yesterday. Nice. Something to look forward to. And, when you consider that before I came to China, I was, without a shadow of a doubt, suffering from mild depression, as well as living my play-it-very-safe lifestyle and consequently leading a do-nothing-at-all lifestyle and a so-so-boring lifestyle, this is mighty big progress. I'm enjoying life so much more now, perfect teeth or no perfect teeth. I'll soldier on.

Paul Carr

(*) That's a fucking understatement. He did a fucking shit job.

(**) Let me tell you something. I was even going to place a photo of my front teeth (before I discovered the fiasco) on my msn picture window with the caption. "Teeth Worth Defending". Well, that's not my plan now. That plan has gone out the door. [shakes head].

(***) I placed my trust in this dentist and, frankly, I fear the worst. I fear he abused my trust. Hence, the possibility, that he was dishonest with me, failing to tell me he chipped away at my good tooth by accident, then having fucking teeth crowns placed in he knew were too fucking dark, so that it would distract my attention from the damage he did to the fucking shape of my teeth.. He could do the teeth again and later, like he did actually, he will complain that, hey, I told him to make the teeth round. I did this by-the-way but I said for the one crowned front tooth only which was a little out of shape before. I told him to make the bottom edge rounder. That goes to show you how fucking little I know about teeth. Doh!!. [sighs]. Most normal teeth have a flat bottom edge. I know this from examining closely my students' teeth during the oral english examinations I have been giving each of these 350 or so students over the past 2 weeks. A lot of teeth. I know what fucking good shaped teeth are.(*********) I had at least one such good tooth before this dentist started playing God.

(****) Yes, he took a fucking photo of my front teeth and, the first time, he still couldn't get the right coloured crowns to match the other teeth around them. I should add though that there is some laboratory somewhere and a laboratory technician that prepares the crowns. He first takes an outside impression of the old tooth and an outside impression of the dentine after the enamel has been stripped off and sends instructions to the laboratory technician who prepares something. I'm not sure on exactly what the dentist does. But, I have reason to believe from my own unfortunate experience that the level of communication between these two teethcare professionals leaves a lot to be desired.

(*****) And, Jesus, these fucking teeth. Are they like, what, Chinese teeth or something? You know, I was planning on writing about this fiasco two weeks ago but I couldn't bring myself to do it until now. I've just been so disappointed and upset. And, I still am , let me tell you. Fucking devastated. I just have to soldier on.

(******). I still haven't asked him.

(*******). I will say, in fairness, the teeth aren't bad. Actually, they're pretty good. Maybe 7 out of 10. It's just that the failure of this doctor/dentist to communicate with me, like answering my questions, is so fucking annoying. It's like he's covering up something. [shakes head]. [sighs].

(********). I should say "disastrous incisors".

(*********). And, badly shaped teeth too. . But, I'm not going to get into that in this post.

New Hampshire Primary - What a Disappointment!!

I got up the following morning.(*) I had gone to bed that night, checking in on yahoo.com . It said that the first results of the New Hampshire Primary were in - and Obama was leading. Alas, only 15 votes or so were counted. But, I was thinking, Obama is on a roll. The Presidency was his. Such was my disappointment then the next morning, I go to yahoo and find out that, alas, Hillary Clinton had nabbed it. "The Comeback kid".

I don't think so. I mean, okay, Bill Clinton, apparently, when running for the Democrat nomination way back in 1992, lost the Iowa Caucuses like Hillary Clinton did and Bill Clinton, like Hillary Clinton, won the following New Hampshire Primary but, hey, I don't think Bill Clinton back at the close of 1991, had the huge leads in the polls that Hillary Clinton was enjoying. You know, like 51% or so to Obama's 23% or so. So, "Comeback kid"? Come on.

I don't hate Hillary Clinton. I like Hillary Clinton. I just don't like the people around her. Okay, I borrowed those lines from some political pundit. Put it this way.

Oh, look, the day before the New Hampshire Primary, maybe two days before, some jackasses apparently gatecrashed a Hillary Clinton rally and shouted "Iron My Pants". A sexist comment, of course. But, it got me thinking. That was staged for sure!!. And, there was Hillary Clinton with a neat response and summoning the police to escort them away.

But, yeah, I was mighty disappointed by Obama's loss in New Hampshire. He came close though. 35% to 38% for Hillary Clinton, I think.

But, anyway, to go back to the theme, "The Comeback Kid". Come on. Clinton clearly was leading all the time. Even, after the Iowa Caucuses, such was her huge lead in the run-up to the Iowa Caucuses, her lead in the national polls, I think, could only be reduced, not overturned. I think she still leads Barack Obama by 10% or so. Can Hillary recover?

I hope not.

Paul Carr

(*)The 10th of January, I think...

I hope Obama will become US President.

I have to say it. I hope he does it. Truth be told, I am surprised he pulled off a victory in the Iowa caucuses.




Oh, I hope Hillary Clinton doesn't make it. I'll try and be nice and civil about Hillary in this post. But, should I dare to dream? Barack Obama ran an energetic campaign in Iowa. Turnout was twice that of 2004, I think. More women voted for Obama than Clinton. As the other guy said, "Change won.". (the other guy being John Edwards)

And, after the vote, Hillary changed her tune, talking about "young people" (i.e. the under 40 year olds) and what they want. Hillary Clinton has made a point that, yes, she isn't her husband and, you know, if elected president, she would be 15 years older than her husband was when he was first elected President. She just comes across to me as being angry. I went to crooksandliars.com the other day and read a comment from some Hillary Clinton supporter in the wake of the Barack Obama win. It was absolutely appalling. The summary of it was this. "Barack Obama is black and America will never elect a black president.". You don't say?!. I mean, that's racist. That sort of angry statement sorta reminds me of some Southern Hick landowner in pre-1860 slave-owning America, insisting on his rights to own his black slaves who are his property and are indistinguishable from property.


Here's a photo I found on crooksandliars of Hillary Clinton merged with Republican contender, Mitt Romney. I like it.



Hillary Clinton to me wants to come across as too perfect. Look in google and you'll find examples of Hillary Clinton's perfect straight front teeth. Barack Obama's imperfect dentures strike me are more realistic. A man of the people.

But, seriously, Hillary Clinton, after the Iowa Caucuses, changed her tune, for the first time since she launched her campaign back, I think, in January 2007. Now, she's generously mentioning "young people" and what they want. They came out in droves for the Iowa caucuses and pushed Hillary Clinton into 3rd place behind Edwards and Obama.

You know, to be realistic, I think Obama is the best of a bad lot. I don't really see any inspiring Democrat candidates, truth be told. Certainly in the realm of foreign policy, I see no guy with the liberated thinking of a Ron Paul on the Democrat side. They're all timid on the foreign policy front. [sighs]. I thought that Barack Obama's reference back in August, I think, when he said that he may, as US President, consider an air-strike into Pakistani territory if he had actionable intelligence that Al-Qaeda training camps et cetera were there and possibly Osama Bin Laden in its midst, was foolhardy. I mean, after that disastrous statement, I noticed that Hillary Clinton's lead in national polls doubled from 13 percent or so to 26 percent. Other than that, 2007 was a boring year for Democrat polls (unlike the Republican polls) which didn't seem to change that much.

Barack Obama accused Hillary Clinton of being "Bush-lite" in 2007. But, you know, it seems to me, making that statement about Pakistan, Barack Obama is kinda "Bush-lite" too, following the Bush doctrine of "preemptive war". Crazy!!. And, you know, if Barack Obama fails to distinguish himself from Hillary Clinton in breaking away from establishment politics including the dominant neo-conservative doctrine of "pre-emptive war" where the USA starts wars of aggression, such as in the Middle East to secure oil supplies to the Motherland, i.e. the USA. You know,I think, 60 percent of the USA's energy needs are imported, right? But,anyway. You know, what I'm saying is, if you can't distinguish yourself from your opponent then when your opponent boringly and pedestrianingly points out, ahem, I have more experience than you do, then the person with more experience will win, albeit on a low low turnout. Not so in Iowa, and yeah, I was real surprised by the high turnout. Real surprised. And, afterwards, during his victory speech, Obama talked like a boxer would after having been weighed and sitting with his soon-to-be-opponent-in-the-ring, talking defiantly about his strengths and this is a significant staging post on his road to the White House and that, yes, he WILL take the White House. I can't blame him for that. I like Obama. Really, I do think he is the genuine article.

But, I have concerns about him too. You know, I think it was the right-wing punditocracy on the Fox news network who started calling Obama "Obambi", claiming he would be too soft on terrorism. You know, actually, I think there is an element of truth in this, sorry to say, Obama. You want to unite the country behind change, but, behind the rhetoric of uniting the country, I fear, you'll adopt a Republican agenda of no-change. What about getting ALL the troops out of Iraq? No. He'll keep a residual force, I understand. Hillary Clinton and John Edwards will do the same. Lookit, your army is a force of occupation in Iraq. Since 2003, it has been roughly estimated that a million Iraqis have been killed, have died unnatural deaths, a further 2 million displaced within Iraq and a further 2 million forced to leave the country altogether because of massacres and genocide. Look at what has happened to the once-million-strong Christians there who enjoyed many freedoms, including the freedom to worship under Saddam Hussein's regime. It would appear they have now been decimated. And, you 3 Democratic candidates think it would be okay to keep some US personnel in Iraq indefinitely? I think I know what the Iraqi people want. They want you out, they want your army of occupation and humiliation and murder and torture out. Get out. So, yeah, Barack Obama can be disappointing too. But, as I say, the best of a bad lot.

So, yeah, I have to confess I am a little bit excited about the Iowa caucuses outcome. I mean. Historically the Iowa Caucuses have been an important and fairly accurate indicator in the past of who will win their respective party's nomination. One exception to the rule was in 1976, when George H W Bush beat Ronald Reagan in the Iowa Caucuses but still lost to Ronald Reagan to win the Republican nomination that year.

I mean the national polls so far indicate that Hillary Clinton still has A COMMANDING LEAD. Like, she's near 50 per cent or above. Some media reports are speculating that she may become the comeback kid, like her husband, Bill, was in 1993, er, sorry, 1992 and bounce back and clean up the remaining primaries and take the Democratic nomination But, maybe, she doesn't need to comeback at all. We'll have to wait until the next national poll. What if it says more of the same, like the polls did in 2007? You know, Hillary Clinton on 51% or so, Barack Obama on 23% and Edwards on 12%. Yawn. What's wrong with America?

Hillary Clinton, as revealed in Michael Moore's documentary, Sicko, took money from health care provider lobbyists to the turn of between 800,000 and 900,000 dollars. As I recall, according to the documentary, she was the second highest recipient of health care donations behind some guy called Santorium. (Rick) I mean. It's called honest bribery, ladies and gentlemen. The money may be declared but don't you think, that Hillary Clinton (or anyone else for that matter (it's human nature)) will listen more to lobbyists who pay her bucketloads of cash than she would to the ordinary guy on the street who wants reliable and decent health care for his/her kids? Hillary Clinton come back to the real world. Stop attacking Barack Obama and recognise your own failures.. Can't you give that money back? Or donate it to a charity of your choice? Hillary Clinton, if elected President, yawn, will be just more of the same.

I guess though, there is always a sliver of light on the edge of a dark cloud. I mean, if she is elected President, or becomes the Democratic nominee, there will be Bill Clinton in the background, providing guidance to her. And, you know, Bill Clinton did bequeath onto George W Bush a balanced budget which George W Bush ruined especially with his policy of pre-emptive warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan. "Fiscal conservativism", it seems to me, means, huge budget deficits, borrowing money from the Japanese, Saudis and especially the Chinese to finance never-ending wars and, letting your grandchildren pay for it, if they can. As Ron Paul says, the country, under its present course, is heading for bankruptcy. So, maybe, Hillary Clinton will seek to rebalance the budget like Bill Clinton successfully did, and, in so doing, you know, pare back on the USA's military industrial complex around the world? Possible? Perhaps to some extent but I wouldn't expect anything radical from her. I just hope she isn't nominated by the Democrats.

Enough written.

Paul Carr

It'll be between Mitt Romney and Hillary Clinton. You've heard it here first. Watch this Space.

Okay, here's my prediction for the US Presidential contest next year. Mitt Romney versus Hillary Clinton.

(**********)

I think, come next November, Hillary Clinton will just edge out Mitt Romney but it'll be close. There'll be a record low turn-out of 45 per cent of the vote. Clinton might squeeze in but, my looney prediction is that the Democrats will lose control of the Senate and, possibly, the House of Representatives too.

Yes, George W. Bush is a fucking disappointment. But, the Democrat controlled Congress is even more of a fucking disappointment as reflected in the polls which show that even more USAites disapprove of the Senate and House of Representatives (what do they do exactly?) then they do of their President. You've got Nancy Pelosi and that guy in the Senate, something Reid, they do nothing but bow to the President. What did we have this year? The USA Patriot Act was it called? Allowing a suspension of Habeas Corpus. And other matters like rendition, illegal wire-taping and all that stuff to do with a symptoms of a pre-fascist society. What have the Democrats done there in Congress to put a stop to George W. Bush's warmongering at home and abroad? Very little, so far as I can tell. Comedian, Jon Stewart, called the Democrats in Congress a "bunch of pussies". I call them a fucking disappointment. By failing to stand up to this President, the Democrats give him carte blanche to do as he pleases. I read recently that documents have been made public that reveal that in 1950, J Edgar Hoover, who if I recall correctly was head of the CIA (or was it FBI) can't remember, asked the then-President Harry S. Truman, in all confidentiality, to ask him to suspend Habeas Corpus for an estimated 12,000 "disloyal" Americans. He had compiled a database. He wanted to arrest them. I figure Harry S. Truman said "No". But, it has occurred to me. A Democracy. Can it really come under assault by fascism and fascist forces (*). For example, under the stress of an unrealistic foreign policy, such as the one the USA pursues across the world, can a Democracy like that in the USA really collapse, a Democracy that has been intact and has evolved since the foundation of the country. Yes, of course, I should add here, that women didn't have the vote until 1919, as I recall, and African Americans, throughout the country, didn't enjoy the benefits of this "Democracy" for many a year. But, anyway. Let's take a look at this unrealistic foreign policy that the USA is pursuing. My summary of it is, "We own the fucking planet". "We won't sign multilateral agreements" (**). "We want to spread "Freedom" and "Democracy" across the World". And, finally, "We're better than anyone else and yes, we are fucking cranky, what are you going to do about it?". Is this a sustainable foreign policy? I don't know. I don't think so. I think this is a foreign policy aheading for disaster.

For me, the world's most dangerous trouble spot is not Iraq, or even Pakistan. The world's most dangerous trouble spot is Taiwan. Think about this. You have the Neo-Conservatives who control the Government in Washington. For years, they have told us that Al Qaeda is the real threat to global peace and security. In the wake of 9/11, the people of the USA were compliant, granting their President whatever he wanted. The people could be controlled using the instruments of fear and confusion. When the President wanted to roll the drum-beat of war, in the run-up to the invasion of Iraq in the Spring 2003, he could, and ALL the domestic news networks joined him in his strident militancy, the SAME kind of militancy that Al Qaeda also advocated. Like two kids on the playground having at each other. George W. Bush and Dick Cheney could easily get 80% support in those, the good ole' days, for a UNILATERAL invasion, without UN approval, of Iraq. But times, they are achanging. Now, the boogeyman is Iran and its leader, Mahmoud Admadinejad, and, hey, Georgey boy wants to roll the drum-beat of war again but, this time, he can only get a bare majority of the USA people behind him, about 53%, a bare majority. Gone are the days of 80% to 85% support. And, this is, in spite of, the disappointing equivalance of the major Democrat candidates for President, including Hillary Clinton who supported a war-wongering motion in Congress recently designating the Iranian Republican Guard, or a branch of it was it?, as a Terrorist Organisation. Kinda sounds like a unilateral declaration of war by the United States on Iran to me. But, anyway, let's move on.

I mentioned Taiwan. Here's my theory. The Neo-Cons aren't stupid. They're just thick. Not stupid. They need a new issue to beat the drum-beats of war. Telling the USA people that, you know, a bunch of guys hanging out in caves in the Afghan/Pakistan border, are a real and imminent danger to their livelihoods and security and their lives won't cut it any more. The people of the USA are catching on now. 4 of the "Mainstream Liberal Media" have since 2005, sloughed off Bush Syndrome and have gone back to reporting facts and things happening on the ground (***), you know, doing what they're supposed to do. That is, MSNBC, NBC, CNN and the other one, ah, erm, CBS. Leaving only the Fox Network to continue waging that official Government line that Al Qaeda are the biggest threat to the USA today. In point of fact, the biggest threat to their livelihoods today is their own Government. So, the Neo-Cons needs to find a new issue.

Taiwan will be just the ticket. Let's take this scenario. What if? What if the People's Republic of China were to invade the island of Taiwan? Can it happen? I think so. What if? For me, Taiwan and the Taiwan straits issue is the world's most pressing international problem because the fall-out could be catastrophic. Let's bear in mind, how the US Congress has been approving military loans, last I checked 42 times, to be sent to Taiwan. Okay, strike the 42, I'm not sure on the number. I can tell you this though. REPEATEDLY, and DESPITE, the Taiwanese parliament rejecting each offer. What does that tell you? It tells me the US Congress, even with a Democrat majority, is a war-wongering entity that seeks to promote conflict throughout the world, just like the USA is doing in Iraq, where the USA is funding and financing rival Sunni and Shiite groups who, in turn, are fighting a vicious civil war with one another, in the haze of which, the most appalling atrocities are being perpetrated against the most vulnerable in society. Religionists, eh. They sound like Fascists and Cowards to me. But, anyway. The USA has a huge military/industrial complex. It needs to be paired back. But, in a way, it's like a cancer, a malignant cancer, that has a tendency to grow and grow. It feeds itself. Pairing it back will take political courage and, to be frank, the only US candidate, I see, who has that courage and expresses that courage, at any rate, with honesty and integrity, is Ron Paul, a Republican running for President. He's the only one. I don't agree with much of his foreign policy, such as not participating or participating less in international bodies like the UN and cutting back on Government at home, but, at least, I agree with him when he says what he sees. That is, the USA is an Empire, stop the nonsense, call it what it is.

http://www.xiaoli.cc/video/detail/397/xxctdWzxcI

Here watch this above. For "Lord of the Rings", the first movie. Bilbo has the all-mighty ring of power which has consumed him. He is possessed by it but think he possesses the ring. In fact, the ring controls him and his thoughts and feelings and emotions. He needs to get rid of it and, being a good man, he has promised others that, indeed, he would get rid of it, but he hasn't. He keeps it and keeps it and keeps it. He never keeps his promise to be rid of it. The ring holds him. Bilbo, you need to get rid of the ring. Finally, under the guidance of his wise, Humanoid friend, Gandalf, he lets go of that abomination, that evil thing cast in the fires of Mount Doom (****), and he's rid of it. And, in the end, he turns back to his friend, Gandalf, after he had let go of the ring and says, "I've just thought of a title for my book, "And he lives happily ever after, until the end of his days"".

Yes, Bilbo was right to let go of the ring. By doing so, he could breath again the air like a human being can. And, yes, in that moment, when he dropped the ring, he felt a sense of defeat and resignation and he felt like a failure, but, nonetheless, he did the right thing. And, yes, he will live happily ever after, until the end of his days.



The USA is an Empire. And like all Empires, it will end. The question is how. Harmoniously? So far, I don't see evidence of that with the USA Empire as of 2007. Look at the savage punishment meted out to the good Iraqi people since the USA invasion of 2003. 2 million Iraqis since displaced within their homeland. A further 2 million displaced outside of Iraq, living now in refugee camps in neighbouring countries. A million or so, we will never know the exact number because the invading USA army and administration won't allow such tallies to be taken, a million or so Iraqis dead. What a savage and brutal Empire the USA Empire can be. But, it's nothing new for Empires. In 303AD, the Pagan Emperor Constantinius instituted a most brutal crack-down on Christians throughout the Roman Empire, killing perhaps tens of thousands. Within a few years, the new Emperor, Constantine, had become a Christian and Christianity became the State Religion for the entire Empire to replace the pantheon of pagan Gods and Goddesses so beloved by Constantinius. The USA Empire is coming to an end. Like Bilbo, the USA government has the ring of power, like Bilbo, the USA government, feels "stretched, rather like butter spread over too much bread". Your Empire is coming to an end. And, yet, you still have a choice. Let go of the ring. For fuck's sake. It's simple. As Ron Paul says, get your troops out of the world and take them back to the USA, your homeland. Close down all those bases you have around the world, in Europe, in Asia, in the Middle East. You're not wanted so get out. Stop fooling yourself. How many military installations do you have anyway? I recall Ron Paul saying, like 750 or so. How many troops do you have servicing your military industrial complex? I heard Tim Russert, interviewing Ron Paul recently, say about 572,000, I think the number he said was, or 576,000, whatever. A lot. Take them home. As Ron Paul says, your troops are encouraging conflict, not resolving conflict, of which the most egregious example, is Iraq and Afghanistan.(*****) Al Qaeda? I hear they barely had 200 members at the time of the September 11st attacks in 2001. Since, then courtesy of the world's most powerful man, George W. Bush, pop idol status has been bestowed upon them and now, they are a leading part of the insurgency in countries like Iraq and Afghanistan which no amount of USA military might is going to clamp down upon. End this insanity, George W Bush, and take all the troops home. Military supremacy doesn't resolve conflict, it only perpetuates it. (******)

Okay, what was I talking about. Okay. Conflict, War, Hostility and Misunderstanding. Oh, yes, Misunderstanding, if there's anything that's going to cause World War 3, it's Misunderstanding. Take China. People in the USA know so little about this country. I read recently that there were as little as 12,000 USAers in the whole of China. The whole of China, whaaa?!!. Let's put that in perspective. In South Korea, there are about 47,000 USAers, excluding Army personnel I think. Many of them, I presume, English language teachers (*******). In Japan, 18,000 USAers. Let's think about that for a second. 47,000 civilian USAers in South Korea, which has a population of 47 million people, like, what is it, 0.1% of its whole population, not a lot, very little in fact, especially so when you consider that there are 300,000,000 people in the USA, a big little country, not comparable in size to the Global Big Countries of India (1.1 billion) or China (1.3 billion), but still, 300 million isn't bad. But, let's pretend for a moment, let's just say that, as a benchmark, 47,000 civilian USAers is a sufficient number, a satisfactory number. Now, let's extrapolate that figure to Japan. A country with a population of 127 million. 3 times the population of South Korea, but with only 18,000 USAers. And, so the percentage of USAers constituting the population of Japan as a whole is so much lower than 0.1% as in south Korea. It'll be more like, oh, I dunno 0.015% or maybe 0.02%. Think about that. Think about how impenetrable the Far East still is to Westerners,even a country like Japan, which has already been developed and a liberal democracy and , relatively, open for a few decades, has so few foreigners from the West there, so few even it would appear in cosmopolitan cities like Tokyo and Osaka. And, so, when we turn to China, the picture gets even bleaker still. China, a population of 1.3 billion people, you, the people of the United States of America, have, what is it, 12,000 in the whole country. That's it? Sighs. Oh, yes, I think there is plenty of scope for misunderstanding between people in the USA, a country, which, let's be frank, faces an internal identity crisis as well as being saddled with an uninspiring, costly Empire, they can't afford. A bare 12,000 people in the whole country. And of those 12,000, how many of those can speak decent passable Chinese and are endeavouring to do more than scratch the surface of this mysterious to our occidental eyes society. Well, I live in China now and I am endeavouring, I think, to do just that. But, it takes time. I've been here for 17 months plus already. But, anyway. 12,000 people, of these, a few might be in e-mail contact or phone contact with Congressmen and women and Senators on the Hill back in Washington educating people in the USA (********) about what's really going on in the People's Republic of China, instead of all the negative Press reports that go around, talking about human rights abuses et cetera et cetera, as if the USA didn't have this sort of problem. Guantanamo Bay, anyone. So,yeah, a lot of ignorance, I think, USA people have of Chinese people and culture and society and people. But, in fairness, I will say, that Chinese people know more about the USA than USA people know about China. But,anyway. I will add the proviso that my 12,000 figure for all the USA people in the whole of China is probably on the downside of things, by how much I don't know, and, I will also say that, yes, China is opening up to the rest of the world and more and more USAers and other foreigners are going to China and learning about China every year. Around the world, Confucius Centers are opening up so that people can learn more about China, its language and culture, before actually going there. That's great. But, still, there's a long way to go. I think most Chinese people and the Chinese leadership will agree with me there.

But, yes, I have my worries and I write this piece because I want to articulate to you what my worries are. [sighs]. The neo-cons are war-mongers. They have a vested interest in keeping the bloated military industrial complex in the USA, well, bloated. And, Taiwan, an invasion of Taiwan by the People's Republic of China, if that were to happen, would be an excuse for them to beat the drums of war again, to decree a new Cold War, a new war for the spread of "Freedom" and "Democracy" and military expenditure, which I think now, is about 750 billion dollars a year, will hit the roof and break the one trillion dollar year a mark. [sighs]. Anyway, to be honest with you, I hadn't really planned on talking about my thoughts on the Taiwan issue on this post. But, I do want to. Talking, even my own humble contribution on my blog, is a modest and constructive way to resolve problems. But, if you think, my blogging here about it or other issues, is merely a means for me to air my prejudices, that's okay. You're entitled to your opinion. All I'm saying is, let's not let fear win. Let's let understanding win.

It's time for a global debate. (*********) In the USA, I see a lot of phoney debates. You know, I'm not from the USA. I'm from Ireland. Since this summer, I wanted to learn more about USA society aside from the glitz and glamour of their movies and movie stars. I wanted to study something about the hard underbelly of USA society. This summer, I was watching a Youtube video of Michael Moore being interviewed by Wolf Blitzer on CNN about his recently released movie, "Sicko" and it was entertaining to watch and listen to. Michael Moore was real indignant about the reporter guy (not Blitzer, another guy) who had just dissed his movie. But, anyway, from there, I visited Michael Moore's website and from there, I stumbled upon http://www.crooksandliars.com and I've been going there 3 or 4 times a day. Very engaging. A Progressive website. I have to learn the new political terminology that is used in the USA but we don't use in the Republic of Ireland or Britain. Anyway, I've learned about new media personalities, new to me, like Keith Olbermann, Bill O'Reilly, Dobbs and so on. You know, I've learned that the USA is more than just celebrities like Tom Cruise, you have serious people there too who don't scream like Wacko Jacko.. So, since this summer, I have been learning about this sober underbelly of USA society. And, frankly, it's intriguing. Of course, you have the US Presidential Primary Process going on too and that also engages my attention. I guess this long and involved Primary Season is a good one (***********) and people really do blog intensely on the issues such as John Amato at Crooks and Liars. That's great and amazing and inspiring. People are waking up to the rubbish they are being fed by their Government. And, I'm learning to, as an outsider.

But, you know, anyway, for me, Taiwan is the world's most dangerous trouble spot, not Iraq (the third most dangerous trouble spot) or Pakistan (the second most dangerous trouble spot (but if you're from India, I perfectly understand that you think Pakistan is the number one trouble spot and you're right!!.) But, really, in terms of the potential damage this will cause to the USA-China relationship, in terms of the fallout that a Taiwan straits conflict will cause (China, in my opinion, now possesses the overwhelming military force to conquer the island), in terms of the fact, that the USA is a considerable World Power if not a superpower, certainly in terms of military expenditure it is a superpower and China, as the next Superpower and rising Military Power, I think that, on a global basis, Taiwan is the world's top trouble spot. It could trigger a new cold war and a sustained cold war and corresponding arms race. But, again, the candidates for US President are blind to that. They're all focused on the Middle East.. Even Mike Gravel and Dennis Kucinich on the Democrat side. And, of course,that "Liberal Media" may have something to do with that too. We should be dealing with the Taiwanese crisis, not sweeping it under the carpet.

I've written enough for today and I am sure I will return to these issues in the future. Thanks for reading. This article is too fucking long for me to proof read.(************)

Paul Carr

(*) Both from within and from without.
(**)"We won't obey multilateral agreements we signed up to previously."
(***) Such as places like Iraq and Afghanistan. Abu Ghraib and all that.
(****) Oh, let's not forget the "evil-doer", Sauron.
(*****). Oh, I want to mention at this juncture, the Korean Peninsula!!. Where I think, the USA has something like 30,000 troops stationed, maybe more. As Ron Paul pointed out, keeping those troops there is postponing a final peace settlement in the region and has been undermining peace and stability efforts in the region for many a year. Of course, the negative impact of this US occupation of military bases in the region, isn't as obvious as in Iraq and Afghanistan where we have the actual drama of war (*************) but, nonetheless, this negative impact is just as real. No final resolution of conflict there yet were they would be, if the USA would only just dismantle its Empire there in Japan and Korea too. Oh, and I must mention here now, the sense of embarrassment and shame I felt, reading a story recently on yahoo about a Japanese women taking 4, I think it was 4 USA service men, to court for gang-raping her on the island of Okinawa, I think, where the USA have a large military base. She lived beside the Military base. Embarrassing and shameful. Japan and South Korea are Democracies. Why continue to occupy these countries? It's 2007, not 1945. Time has moved on. The USA Government should recognise this fact and also move on, and, therefore, get out.

(******) By citing the Lord of the Rings in this post, I'm betraying to you my belief, that even the worst of men and women can be redeemed. I still hope and pray that George W. Bush, will have a change of heart and do something new. You are the most powerful man in the world. Time for new thinking. I can't relate with you, Mr Bush. I'm sorry. And, yet, I must confess, in 2000, I egged on for you in that year's Presidential Election against "Gore the Bore". I wanted you to win, I wanted you to do your father proud. It was kinda like a Soap Opera, that Presidential Election was to me. And, yeah, back in those days, I was younger, 25 or 26, and kinda stupid, you know, like one of Bill Maher's "Pinheads", following other pinheads like Russ Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly, even if back in 2000, I had never heard of them because I wasn't really engaged in USA politics apart from what I read in Irish and British newspapers and media which wasn't much. I was following the Tom Cruise/Wacko Jacko USA culture instead. I believe that every person has it in them, even George W. Bush, no matter how much he is demonized by the Media or some media, can do the right thing. George W. Bush, do the right thing. Listen to your heart. Get out of Iraq and Afghanistan. Stop the murder of innocent Iraqis and Afghanis. Okay, your troops may not be directly involved in the murder of these people (**************) but your troops are complicit in it.. Let go of the fantasy that you are helping. When, in fact, you only make things worse. Remove the screen from your eyes. Let go of this "Alice through the Looking Glass" conception of the World around you.
(*******) They're well paid.
(********) And, Powerful people in Congress. Recently the Dalai Lama gave a speech to a joint session of Congress. One and half hours long. John Kerry was there, an eminent US Democrat. I wonder what the Dalai Lama said. Did he actually educate the people there, including the US President, about Tibet and China? Did he, for example, tell the assembled people that Tibetans are, in fact, only the 9th largest minority in China as a whole? Did he tell, the assembled crowd, starved probably as they are of information about China as a whole, of which Tibet is a part, that there are 4 times more Tibetans living in neighbouring Qinghai province than there are in Tibet?
(*********). One real global debate is on the issue of the environment. As Al Gore and others are pursuing. Fair play to them. But, it's only one example of a global debate. For me, another real global debate is on the issue of language. The world is becoming smaller and smaller. We need a world language. And, English won't be it. Neither will Chinese. I think we will need to construct a new language. We need to get the world's foremost linguistic experts together, put them in a room and give them a maximum of a year, to bang out a new global language and script for the rest of the world. Of course, there needs to be the political initiative for this to happen. The USA Government can participate on that. Perhaps, after the first 3 months, there will need to be a political meeting of political heads to discuss the fundamental nature of the world language, for example, what kind of script will it use, phonetic, pictographic, syllable based and so on, what kind of oral language will it be, tonal, agglutinative and so on. With the political will, it can be done. Let's just stop the phoney debates first please. Al Qaeda?! Pleassssee.. Come on. Men hanging out in caves. Iraq and Afghanistan and Pakistan, it seems to me, dominates the media in the USA and other countriess media too perhaps. What about South and Central America, what about India, what about sub-Saharan Africa? To a lesser extent, also the Far-East. Perhaps, this is changing though. I am pleasantly surprised to read some stories breaking through on yahoo, which I try to read every day, from and about China, usually from Beijing and Shanghai and the big cities. But, anyway. Much of the rest of the world might as well not exist. For example, in Brazil, wasn't there this brutal Government or Province sponsored crack-down on drug dealers recently that resulted in the deaths of tens of people, if not hundreds? (***************) I didn't see much of that reported. Anyway, going back to a real global debate, yeah, we need to discuss real issues. The Environment is one. Language is another. World Government is another. Controlling military expenditure with binding global agreements is another, a stronger UN is another, World Democracy is another. Let's dare to dream. Let's dare to take a leap of faith. Stop sitting around with our thumb up our collective arse and not doing anything, screaming, "Al Qaeda" and "We got to fight them over there to stop them from coming over here". I last heard that talk in the school playyard between the bully and the vulnerable child. Let's get real.

(**********). Of course, I will concede that Mitt Romney will more-or-less buy his Party's nomination. I've heard that up to a quarter of his funding so far has come from his own pocket. Oh, it's great to be rich.
(***********). It's also a very good idea.
(************). Well, actually, I did proof read it. In the end.
(*************). And,massacres, and suicide bombings, and killings and displacements (at least in greater numbers than from North Korea)
(**************). Sometimes.
(***************). Mercenaries were used.

Sicko had disturbed me.

I know it's stating the obvious. But, I'm 33 years old. Past 33 and a half years old. And, you know, watching this film kinda scares me. You have a healthy 35 year old French guy in the film struck down with cancer in the prime of his life. You have a young woman of 22, I think she was, struck down with ovarian cancer. God knows, when one will have an illness or sickness of some sort. In "Sicko", we see how uncaring and, frankly, evil the health care system in the USA is. HMOs, which I think stands for, "Health Management Organisation"s, are concerned with making a profit, not with keeping you healthy. So, if you have a pre-existing condition, you're fucked, you're screwed. In France, by contrast, as revealed in Michael Moore's film, if you have a pre-existing condition, the doctors take this information and want to help you with it. I guess "Sicko" is about just now sick and unrealistic USA society has become. Oh, am I anti-US? Oh, should I be referring to the USA as "America"? Oh, and what does that make the Brazilians then? Excellent soccer players perhaps?

Anyway, let's get back on subject. Yes, yes, HMOs. Oh, my God!!!. For me, health care is a key litmus test in the health of a society. A strong society, a developed country,such as the USA, should have universal health care, or as Michael Moore terms it, "Socialized Medicine". Just like the rest of the developed world. To me, a key test in accessing the quality of a civilisation is whether or not that society has universal health care for all its citizens regardless of health care insurance coverage. Oh, let me try to articulate this a little better. A key indicator of the health or strength of a society or civilisation is the quality of its health service. In Michael Moore's film, we see a woman, who had paid a fortune for drugs in the USA, go to Cuba and pay only a fraction of the price for the SAME medication. So, yeah, is the USA health system, as George W Bush would have us believe, the best in the world? I don't think so.

But, like in all Michael Moore's films, his film goes beyond just health care and touches on other issues, such as the stupid and pathetic war in Iraq. "We're fighting them over there so that we don't have to fight them over here", you know. Good grief!!. Also, I found interesting Moore's chat with the USA ex-pats in France, singing the praises of the French health care system, as well they should. One lady, an African American, made a very interesting observation. She said that a key difference between France and the USA is that in France, the government is afraid of its people. But, in the USA, it's the reverse, people are afraid of their government. Gawd, the USA!. I was there, you know. In the summer of 1994, working as a waiter in two gulf clubs on Long island, New York, caught up, as I was with the glitzy and false glamour of the place i.e. the USA. Sorry USA, for being so anti-USA. I was there for 2 weeks in 1995 too, visiting briefly such cities as Los Angeles (it was hot) and San Francisco.

But, yeah, I guess people in the USA would fear their government. I have read reports of army recruitment personnel hanging around like vultures outside high schools and colleges and universities, seeking recruits to join the army and, without a doubt, being almost promptly shipped off to Iraq. No doubt, some of them will be coming back in body bags later on, barely 20 years old, or with one or both of their eyes ripped off, or one or two or three or all of their limbs ripped off. In total dispair, and, guess what, next, they receive a letter in the post from their government telling them that the bonus they were paid for joining the army in the first place needs to be paid back because, hey, they didn't finish their military contract, because, gosh, they had their arms blown off. How stupid of them!!.

And, so it seems with health care in the USA. If you have cancer, you must have been stupid to have had it. You must have been leading an amoral lifestyle or you were just plain lazy or obese. If you have an illness, you're fucked.

Anyway, the film shook me up to my core. About 2 weeks ago, I had a headache. And, my left nut (testicle) was throbbing with a little pain. Oh, testicular cancer maybe? Who knows? I hope not. And, I had this tightness in my upper chest today and I am pretty convinced I already have some artherosclerosis in one or two of the arteries near the heart. Pretty damn sure of it. I just have to go to a doctor to find out for sure. And, if so, well then, I guess I'll have to have surgery. I think I may have, pretty sure I have for sure, a mild form of angina. Mild, I say, because, I'm still only 33. It's a tension in my upper chest, not a pain just yet. But, I figure it will get worse and worse if I don't get it treated. So, I should. And, I reckon to get good treatment for it, I'll need to have an angioplasty. And, how much will that cost? A lot I'm sure. And, I have no bloody insurance in China. I should take this moment to thank my dear mother for all her financial help and other help.

My point is this. No man is superman. Everyone is subject to the whim of fate. God knows, when we, each one of us, will meet our maker. And, a good health care service, like you have in France or Germany or Britain, is an expression of social solidarity. An expression of our collective willingness, regardless of our actual income, whether we are billionaires or paupers, to help each other out, a safety net, that's there to stop our fall and thereby save a broken back. I guess a major reason why French people live longer than USAites is because, they know that that safety net is there and they can chill. Okay, they too may be struck down with cancer or angina but, at least, they know, if the worst comes to the worst, they won't be faced with a diabolical and heartless and evil and sadistic medical bill that will take the rest of their little lives to pay off, if they are even offered that chance.

Me, by contrast, here in China, I fucking worry about money and I shouldn't. Because, frankly, health should always be more important than money, always. I shouldn't fucking delay about the possible angina situation. Get fucking treatment now before it's too late or it gets worse and worse. Jesus, Paul, stop being like the stunned rabbit in the headlights of an on-coming truck. Do something!!. Money? Well,fuck it. Get health insurance in China. But, in the meantime, your health is important. Do you want to have a tight upper chest for the rest of your life? Might it affect your concentration when you are looking for gorgeous girls? Get it sorted. Life is short. Enjoy life Enjoy what life has to offer.

[sighs].

But, anyway, what I'm saying is that Sicko reminded me of just how vulnerable I am. It reminded me that my life is indeed a series of choices, good, bad or indifferent. It reminded me that, yeah, I led a fucking stupid life from age 18 to 33. I mean, fuck it, my diet for a start, pretty damn shit. Sugar, chocolate, grease. Stop that. Now, I've started to exercise. So, you know, an angioplasty would be a great thing to do now. I can follow it up by continuing the exercise at the gym. And, I'm trying to get my teeth fixed to look, at least, superficially beautiful so I have started to seriously brush my teeth twice a day now. So, yeah, I am determined to change my lifestyle in a fundamental way. Surely, I do deserve a second chance !!!. Am I going to be punished because I led a fucking stupid life for 15 years? Am I going to be screwed because I do have a pre-existing. Oh, come on.

Paul Carr

Tried to post to thebeijinger website just now.

But had problems. Now,the ad was too too long and thebeijinger website wouldn't accept the changes. I mean it automatically wouldn't accept the changes because the bloody ad was too long. But, fear not. I saved the changed to my laptop. Here's the full ad I wanted to submit. In the end, I was only able to change the red-highlighted part. The green highlighted part I was unable to change.

---

I'm a 33 year old single man living and working in Beijing. I was born on the 22nd of April, 1974. I live in Dongzhimen, in Beijing city. I am an English Language Teacher in Beijing. I think I'm 174 cm tall on my bare feet. I'm from Ireland originally. I'm looking for a Chinese girlfriend in Beijing. I rent a 2 bedroom apartment here in Beijing and I'm looking for someone to live with me. I'm looking for a girlfriend, not a roommate.

I've been in Beijing for 14 months now as of the 3rd of September,2007 and I love it here I'm thinking of making a new life for myself here. I'm looking for companionship and fun with a like-minded woman. We can have an intense day-to-day language exchange. She learns English from me. I learn Chinese from her. I'm a beginner in Chinese.

I always make a special effort to be 100 per cent honest with whoever I meet. I don't think anyone can be 100 per cent honest all the time but I do think we all ought to try to do that, to strive to be as honest as possible in our daily lives both with ourselves and with others. So, yes, I am seeking an honest woman, a good communicator.

I'm a philosopical guy with opinions on the issues of the day. I'm very interested in politics and world affairs as well as history. I like to do exercise every day and try to lead a stress free lifestyle.

I view life as a challenge. I want to rise to the challenge and enjoy life. No life is honky-dory. There are ups and downs and pitfalls on the way. It's a rollercoaster ride but it's not necessarily always fun.

I'm looking for a physically fit, independent woman(both emotionally and financially) who is creative, tolerant and open-minded.

I keep blogs here:

http://worldpaulcarr.spaces.live.com
http://europeanpaulcarr.spaces.live.com

My msn messenger address is worldpaulcarr@hotmail.com
My e-mail is paulcarr1974@yahoo.ie
You can phone or text me at 13521715098.

At least one photo would be appreciated.

Thank you.

Paul Carr

UPDATE: (26/12/07) I'm a very happy guy. I'm enjoying my life in China. I've been here for 17 months now. The people are very friendly to me. Being here in China has built my confidence up a lot. I'm keen to learn the language and change my entire life and lifestyle. Sometimes, I am busy but even then, sometimes, I do feel lonely. I don't want to be by myself. I long to be with someone. In bed with someone. I hate, you know, doing things by myself. ;-). I'd like a bit of excitement and fulfilment in my life. So, anyway, I am looking for an adventurous woman. A woman with an imagination and a woman who is tolerant and cheerful. No Christians please. Also, no sexually repressed women. I'm seeking a sexually liberated and exciting young woman. In other words, a woman likeminded to myself. Life's too short not to be able to express oneself openly and honestly to each other. I don't want a woman who is too serious!!. But, neither am I seeking a bimbo either. Do you know what I mean? Maybe not. HeHe.

Anyway, this update to my ad is roughly and casually written just now. The summary is this: I am happy and I want to share my happiness with someone else. I want to be with someone who will inspire me as much as I will inspire her. And, I am not seeking a woman who will set impossible and unfulfilable preconditions on me. Rather I seek a woman who can take it easy.

I just want fulfilment in my life. Don't you? I just want to be happy. Don't you? So, let's be happy. I just want someone to put my arm around, to be mine as much as I am hers. Isn't that too much to ask for? I don't want to be alone and lonely. I don't want to be in a crowd and yet feel alone. I want to be had by someone, to belong to someone, as much as she belongs to me. Isn't that too much to ask for? Am I asking for too much? We talk together. We are happy together. We are easy-going together. We are human together. We have our faults but we are in love with each other. Who cares about our faults. Let's go hand-in-hand into the sunset. Life is brief. Let's enjoy it while we can. Please help me. Please give me a chance. I love it here in China. Since coming here, my life has been transformed and, frankly, I'm not looking back. Looking ahead it too too interesting. I choose life.

Thank you for reading this. Please get in touch with me.

Paul Carr

New Rules.

Actually, enforcing the "No photo, no reply" rule might be a good move for me. Also, I will enforce the "No photo, no meet-up" rule too. In other words, I want your photo before we meet up. Because, two of the nasty dates I have meet in the past, two real nasty ones, they both rang me (*) and I, being the adventurous jackass/donkey that I am, agreed to meet them on the basis of their phoning me earlier, like only 4 hours earlier, I recall, for one of them and 8 hours earlier for other other. Oh, and they turned out to be nasty, nasty. I didn't even write up on one of them.

So, maybe, I should persevere with the dating thing. And, these dating rules, which I declare I will enforce from now on, will give me some?/all? protection from meeting with wing-nut-jobs in the future. Worth a try.

Paul Carr

(*) Allow me to clarify. They both rang me. They didn't send me their photos. So, in future, I think, I will ask women who ring me to send me their photos first. I think this gives me a level of protection from man-haters/man-eaters/foreigner-haters et cetera. My online ads has both my e-mail address and phone number.