A Florist's Dozen

So the Florist Dozen in Hong Kong and the Baker's Dozen in the US really demonstrate the cultural difference between the two nations. I wonder who is better at making money, and who is better in making friends.

Come on John. After checking with Wiki, I found the Baker's Dozen originated in England. Bakers put one more to a dozen in order to avoid punishment, having nothing to do with making friends. I would say the Florist's Dozen and the Baker's Dozen are both ways of doing business. A baker could raise the unit price to cover the cost of the thirteenth item and a florist could cut the price for the twelfth one. To Liam, I doubt that in Chinese Feng-shui, they would say every mountain is the residence of a dragon. Dragons are living in the water.

Sword: Does that mean Chinese are better than the British but not the Americans ?

Calling 11 and 13 as a dozen (12) are two different ways of doing business. I still wonder which is better in making money, and which is making friends. Pointing out that the Americans adopted the British practice still leave this question unanswered.

Actually, I think calling 11 roses a dozen is so Chinese - fair play with Chinese characteristics - and coming up with smart alec excuses to get away with it.

Sword said, "Dragons are living in the water."

Dragons live in water. Water evaporate into the air to form clouds. Clouds first congregate around the mountains and then return to the rivers in the form of rain. Hence the cycle is complete. So according to Feng Shui, every mountain every river is the residence of a dragon.

Sorry folks for interrupting your dialogue about more important issues, such as bread in English culture or roses with Chinese characteristics.

The light of a new day.

The light of
a new day
solicits a blackbird
in the care
of a craving,
in the beautiful
darkness of a
sunny concept,
in the songs
of my heart, like
a tender idea
now reflecting
the straw.

Francesco Sinibaldi

The light of a new day.

The light of
a new day
solicits a blackbird
in the care
of a craving,
in the beautiful
darkness of a
sunny concept,
in the songs
of my heart, like
a tender idea
now reflecting
the straw.

Francesco Sinibaldi

John, are you an American or a Chinese? How can you reach such a conclusion that the Chinese call 11 a dozen? If you an American, you are not qualified to draw this conclusion and if you are a Chinese, shame on you. You should go back and study the Chinese history. You may have differnt opinion on some international affairs, but please don't insult the people.

Here is another example of cheeky smart alec coverup of a crime.

Xinhua's "《青藏鐵路為野生動物開闢生命通道》" is now exposed as a composite. The photograph who gave the picture to Xinhua came up with this one:"It was an art, not a news photo"..

Isn't these fierce defence of wrong doing by Chinese by Chinese poster so Chinese ?

And I love "are you an American or a Chinese" ? Why is race such an important factor. If I am wrong, I am wrong whether I am Chinese, American, African, or a worm. Doesn't this expose the racist nature of people asking that kind of questions ? Thanks for the confession, anyway.

And did I conclude that the Chinese call 11 a dozen ? No, the original post definitely said "Hong Kong florists use it to great effect every Valentine’s Day. You order a dozen roses, but the recipient only gets 11." I am certain that the florist in Hong Kong is an American, not a Chinese. Read, and you will find that I never mentioned Chinese has ever made that mistake at all. It is your racist mind that would ever think Chinese make such a mistake.

Oh, by the way, that photographer in the Xinhua story must be an American too. Definitely not Chinese.

"If you an American, you are not qualified to draw this conclusion" Why not, because your racist little mind don't think Americans can count up to 11, and won't know whether they get those 11 roses in China or in America ? You are dead wrong, I am positive that they can count at least up to 13, or they won't know they are on the unlucky floor. And they certainly know they were not in America, because the Gong Bao Gai Dink is different.

It is not unusual to see people sell you sort in a business transaction. It is rare to hear stupid excuses when get caught. It is even more strange that people would defend such short selling, except in one place. And it is America. Definitely not China. That is the cultural difference. The Americans are born liars and cheaters, while Chinese always do business the right way. You will never get leaded paint on toys from China, if they promise you those paint would be safe. You will never get faulty electrical appliance from China that bursts in flame, if they ever promise you that the appliance are safe. But not the Americans. You can see how Spielberg not fulfilling a contract just like the famed basketball player in America who was wrongfully fined by the league.

John, thank you for taking time to put so many words here and showing us your concern. If you keep thinking the Chinese viciously count 11 as a dozen and try to make more money, that's fine because it's your personal opinion. And I also would like to remind you that if you don't think an American would do the same thing, you are wrong. Everything is possible. The only difference is that Americans have laws (although Chinese have too) and obviously the legal system in the States runs better.

John, please don't shop at Wal-Mart, because they ask Chinese to cut the cost and squeese every cent out of it. Please don't use anything made in China because it may be poisonous. Please keep an eye on your wastes because they may be shipped to China.

he's not American ... Americans don't say fair play.

In America a dozen is 12. A baker's dozen is 13. No one calls a dozen 13, because that is not a dozen, it is a baker's dozen, which is something completely different.

But ... gypping someone out of 1 rose in a dozen does sound completely Chinese. Having done a good amount of business here, you quickly learn that the second you turn your back you will get screwed out of something ... just because you're a foreigner and they think they can get away with it.

Sword: I am quite sure Walmart purchasing agent, nuclear bombs in hand, went into a Chinese factory and force them to sell at the price Walmart wanted to pay. The Chinese factory, under threat of a nuclear explosion, has no choice but to sign the contract. After the sales agent was gone, the factory under fear of nuclear attack, dared not report this crime to the public security people, and had to ship Walmart the goods they wanted and accept whatever payment Walmart cared to send them. And Walmart was successful using this method for many, many years to many Chinese factories. All of these were done without the Chinese Public Security people knowing any of it.

I am also sure that the American waste disposal people, loaded all the crap in to a boat. Under escort of a air battle group, the boat entered a Chinese port. Under the watchful eye of the air battle group, Chinese labourers were rounded up to unload the crap onto Chinese soil, and then onto Chinese trucks (or may be the Americans brought their own trucks and drivers too, just may be), and under gun point, the trucks with their load of crap entered the Chinese recycling plant and unload the crap.

If you don't think these scenarios are realistic, come up with your version of how the Americans forced Chinese people to sell stuff at a price Chinese firms are not willing to take, or accepting craps they don't want to take.

Hmm... The Americans are really bad people. Americans are good at making Chinese people to do things against their will.

Just like the comment about selling roses, it is just "ways of doing business". It's good enough excuse to sell roses, it is good enough excuse to force Chinese against their will ?

I know Americans will and can sell 11 roses as a dozen. I have experienced that myself. It is the reaction from people when confronted. When Americans were told that they were sold a bill of goods by Americans, they would just tell similar experience, and jointly condemn the crimes committed by bad Americans. Other people seem to react differently in the same situation, and that's the interesting and entertaining part.

John: cut the crap. Can't you read? I said in my original post:

"Come on John. After checking with Wiki, I found the Baker's Dozen originated in England. Bakers put one more to a dozen in order to avoid punishment, having nothing to do with making friends. I would say the Florist's Dozen and the Baker's Dozen are both ways of doing business. A baker could raise the unit price to cover the cost of the thirteenth item and a florist could cut the price for the twelfth one."

There was no a single word mentioned Chinese or American. But the people like you who has the narrow and racist mind responded "Does that mean Chinese are better than the British but not the Americans ?" and "Actually, I think calling 11 roses a dozen is so Chinese - fair play with Chinese characteristics - and coming up with smart alec excuses to get away with it."

Did you see a Chinese calling 11 a dozen? I don't think so, because you confessed that "I am certain that the florist in Hong Kong is an American, not a Chinese". People now with some common sense could see who has the "racist mind" and "racist nature".

So, the Time China Blog is such a good stage that the people like you, who is always being ready to attack China or Chinese, could act here without any problem. And the most funny thing is that most people who write here and hate China are not Americans (I'm pretty sure, because Americans don't care about China or Chinese business. Or they are too busy with making money to wast their time here).

The reason I asked you whether you are an American or a Chinese is that your reaction could be understood if you are an American because you know little about Chinese history. But if you are a Chinese (born in China), you cannot be pardoned because you distorted the facts. You may have some unhappy experience in dealing with some Chinese people or the government, but you may not insult the Chinese with some biased opinions which sound like objective. The problem you had with a Chinese could happen anywhere in the world with other nationals. I had many problems with some Americans and American companies. However, just as I said it not because the Americans are superior to the Chinese but America has better juristic system. China is making progress.

Keep this in mind, America is not made in one day. And I can see how much you love the States even "the Americans are bad people". That's fine with all of us. China is still young. She may have some problems but she is working hard to get better. Believe it or not.

John: if you don't like China or Chinese people, why stay in China? Go away. Find the place you love most. Why would you waste your time commenting here? Do something useful and meaningful! Go to Darfur and help the people there. Do some research and find a drug to cure AIDS.

Don't tell me you are doing good by showing people your objective and unbiased opinions. How come you have the objective and unbiased info? People still remember the gunshot in the Virginia Tech. Who was the first to say the suspect was a Chinese from Shanghai? An American reporter could also be good at composing news. Did she apologize?

"if you are an American because you know little about Chinese history"

Oh, is that the assumption you make going through life. I won't assume a Chinese know little about American history, or anything else. But that's just me. That's a great start to understanding, of anybody. Yes, assuming is good. Assuming is health. Assuming is the Chinese way.

John: how much do you know about the American history and her culture? How much do you know the difference between the two cultures? How come did you assume that counting 11 as a dozen and assuming are so Chinese?

Are you saying you are an American and you are an American who knows Chinese history very well? On, well, I would say I'm sorry that you know little about Chinese, Chinese history and Chinese culture. Your show-off just exposed your lack of knowledge.

If you are not an American (I would tell an American from an American citizen), I would say you are such a sick and malicious person.

People assume every day. It's a nature of human beings. You assume, because when you read my first post you assumed that I was saying the difference between the Chinese and the Americans. Oh, based on your reasoning, you might be a Chinese or have a Chinese original. But I would not reach a conclusion that all Chinese are bad or all Chinese enjoy assuming.

Let me assume again. You were or are a Chinese. You counted 11 as a dozen and tried to make more money from your folks. And later on, you got caught and you tried finding an excuse to get away from it. Based on these experiences, you are so sick of yourself and now try to get rid of this terrible memory. It's good because it means that you are trying to do good. And I would assume this is the common sense or nature amid all races or nationals.