Only in China

Well, as the title of my post suggests, I am currently in China on another one of my "product development" trips. I am actually sitting in front of my laptop inside my 5 star hotel room typing this post.

Why, you may ask, am I not playing poker and instead writing? Well, its because the internet is so crappy here that I can't seem to get a decent connection. It just keeps getting cut for some reason.

Actually, what's weird is that the other sites like google, yahoo and ebay work well. But I've tried to log into Pokerroom, Full Tilt and Pokerstars and they are all unavailable which is kind of impossible. So I'm logging this post at Thursday 9PM just to see. I have the suspicion that China censorship is responsible in some way.

The only poker site that's working is poker.com but the connection is so laggy that its like I'm playing in slow motion. I've tried some tourneys but my actions are so delayed that I'm checked or sit out automatically by the software even though I'm trying to bet. WTF!! After awhile, I just gave up.

To test this censorship theory, I tried to log into a porn site. And true enough, the connection suddenly cuts and I get the explorer message that says that internet is not available. I try another one and it suddenly works.

Hmmm... I'm thinking that they have some kind of filter installed in the ISPs that are blocking some of the known controversial sites but since there's tons out there, they can't block everything which kind of explains whys some sites work and some sites don't. Heck, I don't know if that's even it as I'm just guessing.

OK, but that's not really why this post is called Only in China. As you know, sometimes when you stay in a 5 star hotel room in the Philippines, and you open the side table drawer, you see a Bible. Well, that's the Philippines. Guess what I found in my side table drawer.

Heheh... a box of DUREX condoms. And its for sale for 30RMB.

Talk about proactive customer service. =) I'm guessing that some guest brought back a China Prosti, then suddenly realize he doesn't have any shield. Calls up the concierge and asks if the hotel has some. The hotel realizes what an embarassing situation this is and voila. Some chinese guy comes up with a great idea. Why not leave a box of condoms in the drawer and sell it for a profit? Brilliant !!! LOL