Mark, this term stands for grovelling weasel. It is generally given to people who have lived in china and are dead set on keeping their "everything is good" perspective while completing letting the bad things fly over their heads. Also these people are vulnerable to doubt themselves whenever a local chinese disagrees with them over some issue (not always something the foreigner brings up himself/herself, either). Generally you would need to be uninformed of how the chinese side comes to these conclusions and also just prone to feel guilty and to please everyone. If you tend to have a "please everybody" mentality you probably shouldn't go to china. You just might end up feeling miserable.

Also, Silverboy's viewpoint on the racism in china is pretty much dead on. The chinese government teaches (read BRAINWASHES) children from when they are very young to hate western foreigners for the supposed humiliation brought upon to them, as well as towards the japanese. This propaganda of half truths and cliches makes chinese people suspicious of others, even other chinese who are from other regions (ask about Henanese people to a chinese personn). Of course any deaths in the millions caused by chinese themselves onto their own brethren as well as the continued bad treatment of darker skinned ethnic groups and poorer chinese are completely ignored. With a shrug of the shoulders and a "mei ban fa" they push their own ignorance under the rug.

One thing to remember when you go to china, the "saving face" mantra brought up by chinese is in fact just an excuse for "i'm right because that's how i feel". One is hard pressed to actually find a local and engage in conversation about something two sides truly disagree on. I'm not saying other countries are better at this but just remember, when you see this excuse being brought up you might want to ask yourself if the opposite side is truly respecting your opinion as well and not just outright trying to humiliate you to bolster their own ego.

So please, enlighten me. Why does the fact I chose to comment about some of the remarks made by Smiler because I find them racist and completely uncalled for make me strange?

THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR IT....EVER!!! I dont give two [edited] what someone has done to someone else. Call them pretty much every name under the sun by all means. They deserve it and whatever repercussions may follow but bigoted remarks which are offensive to an entire race of people is uncalled for. If that makes me strange trouble causer buddy thats fine by me. Id sooner be considered strange than a racist any day.

I cant believe we are even arguing over the issue. So in other words San Migs you think it is fine to use racism and anyone who disagrees is a trouble causer.

How old are you just out of interest anyway?

Ha ha San Mig awesome pic! Yeah it's obvious he's never worked in china before. Maybe after a bad experience or five he'll finally "get it". On the other hand people who work hard enough to rationalize everything in china as being nice just might end up gw's anyway.

How exactly do you interpret that pointing out someone elses comment was inappropriate as causing trouble anyway?

I agree - Mark you are not even in China yet and you are causing trouble - best stay away - Try Africa - then come back on here and tell us if they are racist or not.................