SMALL TALK WITH ... David Basmajian

Every Vote Counts
With the U.S. election looming, David Basmajian is spearheading local voter registration initiatives.

How did you get involved with voter registration here? My family and I moved here from San Francisco in February. I worked in politics back home and wanted to get involved here in Shanghai. I met some great people working with Democrats Abroad and the next thing I knew I had volunteered to register Americans here to vote. What events have you organized? We organized parties to watch the Democratic National Convention, a mixer for volunteers and supporters and debate-watch parties for the first presidential debate. There will be more events between now and Election Day, including a party to watch the results on Nov. 4. How many Americans actually vote from Shanghai? Not enough! We don’t have hard numbers, but we do know that due to the complexity of the process, many Americans who are eligible to vote don’t. So it’s not apathy that deters people? No, especially not this year. It’s the process itself which puts people off. What are the issues that you think people in Shanghai are most concerned about? Mostly the same issues that Americans care about at home: the economy, Iraq and putting the Bush Administration behind us. China issues aren't up there? Of course there is a strong interest in China-U.S. relations and foreign policy in general. I’ve gotten several questions about Obama’s position on tax policy for Americans living abroad. Is there a website where people can find more voting information? Go to www.votefromabroad.org to register to vote. You still have to print, sign, date and mail the form back to the U.S., but it’s a very helpful website and of course you can contact the U.S. Consulate in Shanghai for assistance. What deadlines should people know about? State registration deadlines and turnaround times vary, so don’t delay! Starting from now, if you're sending in an absentee ballot registration (it’s called an FPCA), it’s best to fax it first to the U.S. toll-free number (01-703-693-5527), set up by the Federal Voter Assistant Program. This way, your request can start being processed right away. You still need to mail in your signed original FPCA for your vote to be valid though. You can also vote by sending in your back-up federal ballot, the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot, at the same time. When you receive your state ballot in the mail, send that in too! They won’t double-count the ballots. Doing it this way helps make sure that your vote gets counted. So hit us with your best voter registration pitch. In 2004, if Kerry had won six more votes in every precinct in Ohio, he’d be president today. Every vote counts.

DETAILS

What: Vote from Abroad
Email: USVoteChina@gmail.com
Web: www.votefromabroad.org

EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT ...Go Big or Go Home

Marks & Spencer and new boutiques begin to fill the “size” void in our supposed fashion mecca

Unable to find shoes and clothing that fit, many expats limit their shopping sprees to annual pilgrimages to their home countries or Hong Kong and maybe the occasional “help me” package sent from home. However, the imminent arrival of Marks & Spencer on Nanjing Xi Lu marks the latest in what seems to be a slow-moving paradigm shift, as shops selling “Western” sizes sprout like rare, wild flowers throughout the city.

One of the first “plus size” carrying stores on the scene, H&M (645 Huaihai Zhong Lu), sparked excitement–it wasn’t couture, but it was clothing that fit. Since then, a handful of boutiques have emerged, mostly targeting women. Lingerie shop Amour Cache stocks local and European items in a range of sizes and the latest addition, British superstore Marks & Spencer (863 Nanjing Xi Lu), will be bringing in women’s underwear in UK sizes, 8-18 and bras from 32A to 40D, as well as men’s shirts with larger neck measurements, women’s shoes up to UK size 8 (U.S. 10) and men’s to UK 11 (U.S. 12). Excitement is again, understandably, stirring. Estimates of average heights and weights for men and women vary, but the average Western woman is generally considered to be 163cm (5’4”) tall, 66kg (145 lbs) and between a U.S. size 12-14 (UK 16-18). Men, on average, are 178cm (5’10”), 80kg (175 lbs) and a U.S. size 40-44 (UK 44-48). Contrasted with their Chinese counterparts, many foreigners bemoan, yet accept, the lack of larger sizes, but not all locals fit the “tinier-than-thou” stereotype.

Meet Crystal Tao, the voluptuous Shanghainese owner of Scarlet’s (Rm. 101, 1/F, 343 Jiaozhou Lu), a new boutique which provides both local and imported lingerie and footwear for women in need of larger sizes. “It’s hard [for me] to find the right sizes and good products,” she says. Something of a shoe addict, Tao is quick to snap up any shoe that fits, though this “if it fits, wear it” approach means those needing larger sizes often lose out in the style department. “Maybe only one-fifth of Shanghainese women are big,” says Tao, “but people like beautiful things [and like having the] right size.” Providing style and size in one is what Tao strives to achieve. She believes that, with the number of foreigners coming to Shanghai, the market is large enough for big name stores and small boutiques alike to prosper. Amen.

SHANGHAI DIGITS

81
Number of wines available at the new La Vinoteca Torres Shanghai in El Willy.

￥100
The ticket price for an adult at CW's Family Day. Kids are free!

￥50,000
Compensation paid to the family of a taxi driver who was felled by a heart attack after being kicked by an unhappy passenger.

A SHANGHAI MINUTE: Visa Revival

Our favorite little island becomes a business visa haven (again)

According to Reuters, stringent security restrictions on visas during the Beijing Olympics will soon be slackened, at least in relation to foreigners traveling to the Chinese Mainland via Hong Kong. Reportedly, by mid-October, this gateway to the business world will again be able to issue multiple and double-entry business visas as well as a 144-hour visa for groups of three foreigners traveling to Guangdong, a popular site for factories and trade fairs. Previously, business travelers were required to apply for business visas in their home countries, a restriction which made many business people simply forego the trip altogether, causing strain on both the business and tourism industries. Paul Leung, president of the Hong Kong Inbound Travel Association, is quoted in The Straits Times saying that the visa restrictions will be lifted as early as Oct. 16. If ever there were a market for “I (heart) Hong Kong” t-shirts, it’d be now.