White almost has red in checkmate here – the two chariots in the sixth and seventh files. 

So my house isn’t as nice as Laura’s. 130 square meter Communist era cement edifice. Here are two pictures – the first out of one of the windows (the building across the way is basically the same), and a newspaper selling man nearby that I often patronize in the mornings. 

Picture taking has been light as of the last two weeks. I’ve either had flu + pollution or meningitis. Thinking it’s not the latter.

This picture was taken yesterday, after I noticed that there were about three times as many migrants clustering on the corner looking for work. I struck up a conversation with one and started a recorded interview, which quickly turned into a recorded interview with ten. They explained that their average monthly incomes had dropped from 2,000 – 3,000Y to 1,000 – 1,500Y; as a result of the economic crisis, and that many planned to go home soon though described they weren’t yet very sure what they would do – “I don’t know how to farm; I’ve been doing this [renovation] since I was 16.” They seemed rather jovial given the circumstances.

This is new also – a guy who has set up four Xiangqi boards with various asymmetrical scenarios (like starting the game using only half of the pieces, or something else absurdly difficult). He challenges would be customers to beat him. He’s also playing a game of poker on the side.

Heading home on a bus. My whole ‘odd picture through window-crank up contrast’ tricks are getting old. Liked this one though; it’s a possible site for interviewing migrants. 

Out for the next three days. Here’s a picture of Wuhan University.

Totally unrelated, the world needs more headlines like this: ‘Indian Navy Sinks Pirate Mothership‘ – India has a navy? Pirate mothership!? I can’t decide whether to make an obscure Haldeman reference, talk about George Clinton… The possibilities are endless: yes the world does need a U.N. Navy Police Force, to lay the foundations for the Pan-Terra Orbit Authority. Just saying.

continue reading