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“Back to your ranks, soldiers!” the General spits, his awards jingle with every step.

“YesSIR!” his troops reply.

I organize my toy soldiers by weapon type. Four crouch on one knee, their identical faces hide behind long machine guns that are supposed to be AK-47s, but my father insists... [ Read more. ] 
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Story Inspiration: The people-watching on China's cross-country trains

Real-Life Review: China's trains transport much of the country's 1.3 billion people, though fortunately not all at the same time... Read more. ] 

 
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The Chinese vocal projection is a practiced achievement idiosyncratic to this otherwise soft-footed culture. From a silent standstill, their vocal chords can vibrate into a visceral roar that shatters stillness and rattles brains. This startling skill seems a show of strength, not unlike lions marking their territories with louder and louder exhibits of teeth, tongue, and tonsils.

Consider the two grandpas. The clack-a-clack of this lumbering locomotive lulled them to a snoring snooze in the early evening, just after the dinner carts rolled on the next car touting their savory, slurpy suppers.
[ Read more. ]
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Story Inspiration: China’s cross-country trains and the cultural phenomenon of sudden and seemingly random vocal projections.

Real-Life Review:  China’s cross-country trains are categorized into three classes: soft-sleeper, hard-sleeper, and seats. Each... Read more. ]