like...

Another simple error of assumed grammar. People, including myself say I like this. But, I always assume the do like construct where as people here assume the I am like construct. Endless confusion. Just because I like things does not mean that I am like them. Nor do I expect others to need to be like this. So saying that I like piercings, does not mean that I want a piercing, or that I think you should get one. This is just the same as saying that I like a football team means that I was to be a football player or that I think you should be a football player.

• I (am) like
• I (do) like
  

Chinese and Chinese

When people in Sydney talk of liking the Chinese, they mean the government of China. When I speak of liking the chinese, I mean the people of Chinese ancestry, such as myself. Anyone who knows anything about Chinese culture would understand the importance of ancestry. But apparently not Australians and Americans. I would have something to say about Jews and Israelites as an analogy, but I will not for now. But I say this, I insist on being on my own side and that means I will be honorable to my ancestry.

T3

In the industry I work in we use T3 links. These are the American equivalent of links like E1 links I discussed previously. They are defined by the ITU-T which is a branch of the UN. They are nothing to do with the third tranche of sale of Telstra shares (also known as T3). Even though I used to (and to some extent still do) work for Telstra.

Don't care

In boolean algebra, people often wrongly think that there are only two logic states: true and false, or 1 and 0 in the world of digital logic. However in boolean algebra there are two super states. Care and don't care. That is in Care, the 1 and 0 are important. In don't care, their value is irrelevant to the outcome. Sometimes I talk abort the don't care state. That is something that is irrelevant to the end result. You can probably see how easily this is misinterpreted. But some people, from no Anglophile-societies work it out very quickly.

Out!

When I say I am going out, I mean like as in outside or out for dinner. But people here think something else. But I cannot infer what it might be. Just know that it is different.

對不對的對

See, nothing to do with John Howard, the Liberals or National Party at all!

In English - Right ≈ Correct is most often what I mean by right.

BTW - this Chinese construct is my favorite. Must be something from when I was kid. There are bits of Chinese grammar in my head. When I strike them, I just feel happy.

Mongolian barbecue

For ages now, most probably since I went to Mongolia, I have been thinking that about the last thing a Mongolian BBQ is is Mongolian. No such food exists in that country. My mother said that it is like that because the used to cook their food on their shields. It seems that the latter is indeed true, but that this is not the origin of the BBQ. In Mongolia, they mostly eat bread and yogurt (as a more traditional food). They do not eat anything they files, swims or burrows. They do not kill animals as this would be against their religion, but they still eat meat. I never saw a BBQ.

People say that as I enjoyed Mongolia, that I should want to eat this Mongolian food, and I would, if it were indeed Mongolian, but it is not. I developed this theory that a Mongolian BBQ is indeed Chinese food, and that they wrongfully attribute it to Mongolians. Well, it seems that this was a close approximation. According to Wikipedia, it is the Taiwanese who came up with this cuisine. So it is Taiwanese food! (And also, it is not a BBQ.)

Anyway, eating food to indicate that you like a place or a people is bizarre. I'd much rather eat food because it is good.