As a benchmark for how big a training challenge they face, new recruits in China are given hats and are told to put them on, with no coaching from anyone. Judging from the response here, I wouldn’t give these guys guns anytime soon. Or maybe that isn’t what’s happening here at all. Feel free to submit your own alternative captions via Post a Comment. 
Recruits stand still as they balance caps on their heads during training in southwest China’s Chongqing municipality January 9, 2007. REUTERS/China Daily
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These recruits are being inspected by the fellow in the center of the photo, and he’s balanced those hats on their heads to ensure that their posture remains perfectly upright throughout the inspection. Although it looks silly, I would say anyone who assumes Chinese military recruits are actually so dumb they don’t understand the concept of a hat probably has a tinge of prejudice that just surfaced.
- Posted by mikeI wanted to find some material to change your mind of joking you think from Chinese military, but actually, there is no joke at all. I sent pictures to my friend because I could not post any photos here in comment area.
All though the practice is in a way to make a perfect performance at last, it might sound really strange for different culture background people.
The point is, maybe the world is laughing at them and think they are doing some screwing-ups to entertain people, just like most celeb will do , but in China, there is no such a thing as showing off from military organization, they are not making fun of anyone, especially for a serious photo taken moment after which the picture would be revealed to the world, they will never think about joking.
Anyway, it doesnt matter, even though you do change your mind on Chinese army after reading my posting, millions of other people out there wont. They still think its a screwing-around-thing. I think it really doesnt matter, its a culture conflict, usually Chinese dont talk too much to try to persuade people anyway ,except me.
World peace.
Nan
- Posted by Cherry Nanits so obvious, they are training for learning focus and balance in the midst of distraction and chaos, a perfect strategy everyone needs in life these days, to survive all the upheavals.
- Posted by hottcherrithose men will sit ina foxhole for over htree days no food, etc..and meanwhile the american troops want to be fed at 5 and in bed by dark. there is millions of those chinese men verses all the limited thousands of northamerican men, ready. americans are no longer the boss, and they learned this when they fought korea and vietnam. or did you forget allready?
Very funny pic but I can’t really imagine that they don’t know how to put them on.
@Mike is probably right and this is a part of the training the posture.
- Posted by Shanghai ChinaI think everyone is taking this a little too serious. Its just a joke and I think its funny but am not prejudice to Chinese people at all. I would laugh if they were American, Mexican, German or anything else!
- Posted by KELLYThey have to get used to looking silly since their job involves arresting Americans who have to land in China after incompetent Chinese fighter pilots crash into them.
- Posted by Michael James“Well, private, you’ve got your shorts on upside down as well. How DO you do it?”
- Posted by FrankAnother example of good self discipline. Don´t you think their aura is at work at the moment?
- Posted by armstrongfl or E.F.EffeGood evening, Sargeant Smirk (top right corner).
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to make these recruits feel so low and demeaned (without any physical hurt), that the weak-willed among them bawl like little children and quit. You and your boot camp force will have twelve weeks in which to separate the crybabies from the soldiers.
This blog will self destruct immediately after Mr. Basler decides it needs to.
Good luck.
- Posted by Shawn HendricksAt least they aren’t worried about having to carry a rifle, getting bruises on their legs and ruining photo shoots.
- Posted by Shawn HendricksDear Odd Blog Game Support,
There seems to be a problem with your game. I found a bunch of things wrong with the pictures but nothing happens when I click.
I’m accessing your pages using Netscape on a Windows XP Home Edition platform. Should I switch over to IE?
Thanks.
Your buddy,
Shawn
p.s. All of your other games work just fine. I have almost won enough credit to collect the “Small Tropical Island, item #2438, retail value $774,900.00 US” Keep up the great work.
- Posted by Shawn HendricksI don’t care what anyone says. Performance artists should not be allowed to train recruits.
- Posted by Shawn HendricksThe Flying Nun’s recurring nightmare, just before the wind picks up and the soldiers turn into pandas with bad habits.
- Posted by Shawn HendricksWell, never mind, I did not see these small prints on top of this blog:
“FROM BLOG: Reuters Oddly Enough - It’s news, but not, you know, the important kind…
The following blog post is from an independent writer and is not connected with Reuters News. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by Reuters.com. ”
After all, this is not a political forum, this not connected with Reuters News, this is not as bad as I was worrying about…phew!
lovely day,
Nan
- Posted by Cherry Nanmethinks mike is an id-ten-t
- Posted by avgJonesUpon further reading, I think there be a bunch of folks here with fried humor circuits.
- Posted by avgJonesIt’s obviously a Commie plot - this “exercise” is a staged photo, enacted entirely with the intent to distract and confuse the Great Sat- err, Esteemed American Consumers, and while we ponder the meaning of said photo, they are now sneaking over the Canadian border.
- Posted by Someone ElseNot much different from our military, not too many combat troops “drop and give ‘em 20″ when under fire… And that whole running in formation thing kind of goes by the wayside when the bullets start flying… Oh, BTW, if you love your freedom - thank a Vet…
- Posted by Robert