The Chinese say

I’ve learned a few new Chinese sayings on this trip.

“Do gooders attract trouble.” Sums up the mentality of not rocking the boat. Keep your eyes down and just go on your way. I’m not sure if it’s an accurate generalization, but there are quite a few people in my own family do tend toward the attitude that “things just won’t change” or worse, that “causing a big ruckus can bring unwanted attention and trouble”.

电灯泡 = Electric light bulb. Last night, my mom and I went to sit on some beach chairs by the pool to look up at the stars. Beside us was a canopy with the curtains drawn down. My mom thought there might be someone inside and asked if we should find some other chairs because she didn’t want to be a “ding dang dam” or an electric light bulb. This is basically Chinese for a cockblock. The idea is that two lovers (or as my mom put it, “two people who are not just dating but courting”)would want to kiss in the dark. To be an electric light bulb would be to spoil their romantic fun (or sexy shenanigans, as people like to say!)

Swearing in the House of Commons is news

Environment Minister Peter Kent chides the other parties for not having been in Durban at the recent UN Climate Conference.

This is despite the fact that he is directly responsible for their absence, as he banned them from attending as part of the Canadian contingent (it is not unusual for opposition parties to be included, allowed to attend).

Justin Trudeau swears at Environment Minister Peter Kent then later apologizes.

“And I think the opposition has its back against the wall and doesn’t know what to do,” [University of Ottawa political science expert Michael Behiels] said. “Not a single opposition amendment has been accepted. Everything they try to do is basically laughed at, dismissed. So the opposition MPs have had it, and it’s just pouring out.”

Frustration all around.

Read more here.

Politically incorrect medical terminology

There is lots of it.

Corynebacterium, often described as looking like "Chinese letters".

More chinese letters. I don't see it.

Invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast has this "Indian File" pattern of cell infiltration. Like footprints of Indians walking through the sand. Obviously.

"Mongoloid facies" of Down Syndrome.

Images link to their sources.

Word of the day

In honour of this week’s Pathology system: GI

tenesmus: painful defecation