Hell has eight-day weeks
At least think of the children. China isn’t just a rather unpleasant authoritarian empire that resembles a coop full of retarded chickens. It’s also one of those countries in the world where human decency happens to other people. My first National Day Holiday here was preceded by an eight-day week, but the key word is “preceded”. We had a few days off over New Year, but because of the miserable, puritanical attitude of the empire’s tyrant overlords to time off, we lost last weekend. I can well remember that first eight-day week and how trying it was, but at least it preceded the holiday. This one followed, and the benefits of having a few days off came to nothing before last weekend was even over. We also had exams this week, but the combination of marking, dull, tiresome invigilations, pointless babysitting classes, and general end-of-term ennui was enough to have us wilting. I hate to think what it was like for my students. And at last we look out over the plains o...