@samuelwa.de
Vancouver-based editor at @chinadigitaltimes.net, a Berkeley-based nonprofit publishing news and translation about human rights and censorship in China.
Knows changes aren't permanent, but change is. Will stand on the ocean until I start sinking.
Knows changes aren't permanent, but change is. Will stand on the ocean until I start sinking.
Pinned
samuelwa.de
@samuelwa.de
· 12d
Translation: Q&A - What Should I Do if I’ve Accidentally Used a Sensitive Word in My WeChat Post?
"Don’t speak, don’t argue, just shut up and accept your fate."
"Don’t speak, don’t argue, just shut up and accept your fate."
Translation: What Should I Do if I’ve Accidentally Used a Sensitive Word in My WeChat Post?
The following translations are from a series of posts on WeChat public account 育知录 Yuzhilu—a reference to a quotation from the Great Learning, one of Confucianism’s "Four Books": 育人先育己，知世先知人 Yù rén xi...
chinadigitaltimes.net
“Q: What’s your opinion on public account posts getting shot down?
A: I have no opinion, and feel nothing but gratitude toward the public account platform.”
A: I have no opinion, and feel nothing but gratitude toward the public account platform.”
My dude, the UK's domestic emissions peaked in 1972.
November 11, 2025 at 7:47 AM
My dude, the UK's domestic emissions peaked in 1972.
There's no Moutai Zero? The taste is what people really love anyway.
China’s favourite tipple falls flat on alcohol bans and Gen Z’s changing tastes
Prices of Moutai’s baijiu hit decade low and revenues notch slowest growth since 2016 as consumers pull back
www.ft.com
November 11, 2025 at 6:12 AM
There's no Moutai Zero? The taste is what people really love anyway.
Brilliant contrast in translation decisions in Physical: Asia: audio says "just try to think about something else," subtitle says "let's go get fried chicken after."
November 11, 2025 at 2:54 AM
Brilliant contrast in translation decisions in Physical: Asia: audio says "just try to think about something else," subtitle says "let's go get fried chicken after."
Wow. Things must have been PRETTY CRAZY back then. Phew!
"[Qing] decision-making was not what Western states imagined. The structure most Europeans assumed was *The Chinese Govt*... was actually the Outer Court.
Real power increasingly lived in the Inner Court. The Emperor & a handful of confidants could & often did bypass the "official" govt entirely...
Real power increasingly lived in the Inner Court. The Emperor & a handful of confidants could & often did bypass the "official" govt entirely...
November 11, 2025 at 12:10 AM
Wow. Things must have been PRETTY CRAZY back then. Phew!
Just caught myself typing "investigatory journalism" … DAMN YOU, @benstiller.redhour.com.
Investigatory Journalis Make A Name Zoolander 2001 Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor Paramount
YouTube video by Sequential Geek
youtu.be
November 11, 2025 at 12:04 AM
Just caught myself typing "investigatory journalism" … DAMN YOU, @benstiller.redhour.com.
Reposted
Translations: As Tributes Pour In, Chengdu’s You Xing Bookstore Gets a Reprieve From Feared Closure
"When an online commenter asked, 'Why [might it close]? The bookstore has always had such good events,' Zhang Feng replied, 'That’s exactly the reason.'"
"When an online commenter asked, 'Why [might it close]? The bookstore has always had such good events,' Zhang Feng replied, 'That’s exactly the reason.'"
Translations: As Tributes Pour In, Chengdu’s You Xing Bookstore Gets a Reprieve From Feared Closure
Following more than a week of speculation that Chengdu’s You Xing Bookstore (有杏书店, Yǒu Xìng Shūdiàn) would soon close, amid an outpouring of tributes from customers and supporters, it appears that the...
chinadigitaltimes.net
November 10, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Translations: As Tributes Pour In, Chengdu’s You Xing Bookstore Gets a Reprieve From Feared Closure
"When an online commenter asked, 'Why [might it close]? The bookstore has always had such good events,' Zhang Feng replied, 'That’s exactly the reason.'"
"When an online commenter asked, 'Why [might it close]? The bookstore has always had such good events,' Zhang Feng replied, 'That’s exactly the reason.'"
I don't think it's fair or constructive to distract from the substance of a report by highlighting the howling stupidity of a couple of responses, so I won't.
November 10, 2025 at 9:37 PM
I don't think it's fair or constructive to distract from the substance of a report by highlighting the howling stupidity of a couple of responses, so I won't.
Reposted
SCOOP: China's top 2 gay dating apps, Blued and Finka, became unavailable on app stores over the weekend. Apple confirmed to WIRED that it removed the two apps following "an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China."
latest with @lmatsakis.bsky.social
latest with @lmatsakis.bsky.social
Apple Pulls China’s Top Gay Dating Apps After Government Order
The removal of Blued and Finka marks another setback for China’s marginalized LGBTQ+ community.
www.wired.com
November 10, 2025 at 5:27 AM
SCOOP: China's top 2 gay dating apps, Blued and Finka, became unavailable on app stores over the weekend. Apple confirmed to WIRED that it removed the two apps following "an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China."
latest with @lmatsakis.bsky.social
latest with @lmatsakis.bsky.social
Reposted
We are now less than $100 from our goal thanks to so many generous donors. Help us get there before the year ends!
We are now extending the campaign to help fund another crucial item in our budget: translation. Help us keep providing high-quality and timely translations so we can introduce more Chinese voices to the world. This is the most important way we help the world better understand China. Thank you! (2/2)
Keep CDT Online: We are extending our campaign!
China Digital Times (CDT) is a non-profit organization that relies on institutional and individual donations to sustain our operations. In recent months, we have lost a significant portion of our inst...
giving.chinadigitaltimes.net
November 10, 2025 at 7:37 PM
We are now less than $100 from our goal thanks to so many generous donors. Help us get there before the year ends!
"Some journalists say criticism is part of campaign to destroy the BBC …." Of course it is, all the more reason not to hand them ammunition like this. The edit is genuinely bad! And quite unnecessary!
Why is the BBC expected to apologise over a Donald Trump speech edit?
Boris Johnson and White House criticise the corporation, but some journalists say criticism is part of campaign to destroy the BBC
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:11 AM
"Some journalists say criticism is part of campaign to destroy the BBC …." Of course it is, all the more reason not to hand them ammunition like this. The edit is genuinely bad! And quite unnecessary!
Reposted
November 9, 2025 at 1:01 PM
My cold has got into the inner ears now, and I'd try ramming a stiff wire brush in one and out the other to stop it itching, but Claude says I shouldn't try this until day 3.
November 10, 2025 at 12:32 AM
My cold has got into the inner ears now, and I'd try ramming a stiff wire brush in one and out the other to stop it itching, but Claude says I shouldn't try this until day 3.
Reposted
Looking for a long read to go with your coffee this morning? The Line is a project of incredible hubris - we got the story of how it unravelled.
NEW: The End of the Line: the centrepiece of Saudi Arabia’s Neom gigaproject - a 500m tall, 170km long wall-like building intended ultimately to house 9 million people - can’t get out of the ground, say more than 20 former Neom architects, engineers and senior executives.
ig.ft.com/saudi-neom-l...
ig.ft.com/saudi-neom-l...
End of The Line: how Saudi Arabia’s Neom dream unravelled
Mohammed bin Salman’s utopian city was undone by the laws of physics and finance
ig.ft.com
November 9, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Looking for a long read to go with your coffee this morning? The Line is a project of incredible hubris - we got the story of how it unravelled.
Looks cool. Hope they roll out North America coverage soon.
A high-resolution digital map allows people to plan their routes along the ancient roads of the Roman Empire
go.nature.com/4nHZmoM
go.nature.com/4nHZmoM
‘Google Maps’ for Roman roads reveals vast extent of ancient network
Nature - A high-resolution digital map nearly doubles the known length of the ancient road network.
go.nature.com
November 9, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Looks cool. Hope they roll out North America coverage soon.
Reposted
Taiwan’s ex-president Tsai Ing-wen has landed in Germany. She’s to speak at a Berlin conference Monday.
Tsai flew commercial on China Airlines, Taipei to Frankfurt, notably avoiding PRC airspace. Usually CI61 overflies Guangxi. A passenger on the flight told me crew cited the weather when asked.
Tsai flew commercial on China Airlines, Taipei to Frankfurt, notably avoiding PRC airspace. Usually CI61 overflies Guangxi. A passenger on the flight told me crew cited the weather when asked.
November 9, 2025 at 7:35 AM
Taiwan’s ex-president Tsai Ing-wen has landed in Germany. She’s to speak at a Berlin conference Monday.
Tsai flew commercial on China Airlines, Taipei to Frankfurt, notably avoiding PRC airspace. Usually CI61 overflies Guangxi. A passenger on the flight told me crew cited the weather when asked.
Tsai flew commercial on China Airlines, Taipei to Frankfurt, notably avoiding PRC airspace. Usually CI61 overflies Guangxi. A passenger on the flight told me crew cited the weather when asked.
If there'd been signs of Americano involvement, there'd likely have been an even robusta official reaction.
A Chinese coffee shop called itself People’s Cafe. That name got it roasted www.cnn.com/2025/11/09/c...
A Chinese coffee shop called itself People’s Cafe. That name got it roasted. | CNN
A Chinese coffee chain has apologized and changed its name after state media roasted it for misusing a word revered by the nation’s communist government.
www.cnn.com
November 9, 2025 at 7:30 AM
If there'd been signs of Americano involvement, there'd likely have been an even robusta official reaction.
No way, I've seen what that kind of money does to people.
policy idea: when you get a spam text, your mobile carrier owes you $20
November 9, 2025 at 4:04 AM
No way, I've seen what that kind of money does to people.
I’m amazed by how much fiddlier they’ve managed to make something as simple as displaying two iPad apps side by side.
November 9, 2025 at 1:07 AM
I’m amazed by how much fiddlier they’ve managed to make something as simple as displaying two iPad apps side by side.
Reposted
engineers: there’s a 50% chance this might fail
VC: ok then do it twice
VC: ok then do it twice
November 9, 2025 at 12:31 AM
engineers: there’s a 50% chance this might fail
VC: ok then do it twice
VC: ok then do it twice
Reposted
We love to celebrate a creative force 🙌🏾
This weekend @thetyee.ca launched its new Creative Forces series with a spotlight on Anthonia Ogundele. Much appreciation to @roughclub.bsky.social for your beautiful photography and @harrisonmooney.bsky.social for interviewing, writing and producing this piece. 🌟
thetyee.ca/Culture/2025...
thetyee.ca/Culture/2025...
Anthonia Ogundele Is a Creative Force | The Tyee
She founded a Black-centred, Black-led academy connecting youth with science and the arts. First in a series.
thetyee.ca
November 8, 2025 at 10:47 PM
We love to celebrate a creative force 🙌🏾
Reposted
Really easy to read into Pluribus what overglazing AI chatbots are doing to individuality, but I think it’s real interesting Vince Gilligan says he had the basic idea of (originally) a guy everyone is being way too nice to right around the year Breaking Bad made him famous & he got hardcore fans.
November 8, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Really easy to read into Pluribus what overglazing AI chatbots are doing to individuality, but I think it’s real interesting Vince Gilligan says he had the basic idea of (originally) a guy everyone is being way too nice to right around the year Breaking Bad made him famous & he got hardcore fans.
Ugh … there doesn’t seem to be any acknowledgement that it’s AI unless you click through to the bio.
November 8, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Ugh … there doesn’t seem to be any acknowledgement that it’s AI unless you click through to the bio.
It’s like they never even really listened to Stairway.
November 8, 2025 at 8:39 PM
It’s like they never even really listened to Stairway.