Archives

Notes on building a home network around an N100 mini PC running PVE 9.0 with iKuai as the main router and Debian 13 as a sing-box side gateway. Covers port assignment tricks for PVE management access, choosing sing-box over dae due to Shadowsocks 2022 support, bringing IPv6 to the LAN via ULA + radvd when the ISP has no v6 uplink, and fixing the Happy Eyeballs stall on domestic apps by forcing the direct outbound to ipv4_only.

A firsthand account of leaving a backup phone on a train during a trip from 新潟 to 酒田 and back to 東京, then recovering it through JR East's Lost and Found Office with no extra transport cost thanks to a 5-day JR EAST PASS.

A Chinese opinion piece arguing that OpenClaw is better suited to non-developers than developers, because Skills can never cover every workflow and browser-driven automation burns tokens. The article uses MailClaw as a counterexample to show why dedicated APIs and CLIs are often a better fit for developer workflows.

I migrated my blog comments from Artalk to a custom Cloudflare-native stack using Workers, D1, and Telegram moderation, and now my entire blog infrastructure runs on Cloudflare.

A discovery of a JR East fare calculation quirk where splitting a journey at Kinshichō was cheaper than riding continuously, caused by the tiered distance-based pricing system jumping to a higher bracket at the 120 km boundary.

A technical guide to bypassing SAKURA VPS international QoS bandwidth throttling by establishing a GRE tunnel through a commercial VPS like GreenCloudVPS, with detailed nftables port forwarding configuration.

A technical guide on using nftables with GeoIP to block inbound traffic from China, featuring a custom Go tool (auto-update-mmdb) that automatically downloads GeoLite2 database and generates IP sets for firewall rules.

An explanation of the two types of International Driving Permits under the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna conventions, why Chinese citizens cannot easily obtain them, and the workaround through US state license exchange.

A detailed account of an extremely frustrating AppleCare+ replacement experience at Apple Taipei 101, where staff refused in-store service for an international iPhone, contrasted with successful resolution at the nearby Xinyi A13 store.

A comprehensive guide for mainland Chinese residents to visit Taiwan using an overseas-issued entry permit, detailing the application process, transit strategies via Hong Kong, and practical tips for navigating Chinese exit controls.

An updated 2025 guide to WeChat multi-opening on iOS with push notification support using specific Bundle IDs like com.tencent.qy.xin and proper Apple Developer Capabilities configuration.

The process of applying for a Real ID at Pennsylvania PennDOT after the May 2025 enforcement date, plus a strategy of maintaining both PA State ID (Real ID) for flights and NJ DL for longer validity.

A Docker Compose deployment guide for ShadowTLS V3 with Shadowsocks or Snell, offering a more compatible alternative to Snell for users without Surge.

A simple PostgreSQL master-slave replication setup using bitnami/postgresql Docker image across Los Angeles and Pittsburgh servers, as an alternative to Supabase's free tier limitations.

A quick guide to upgrading Proxmox VE without an enterprise subscription by adding the no-subscription repository and running apt dist-upgrade.

A detailed guide to converting a Chinese driver's license to a New Jersey license with road test waiver at specific MVC locations (North Bergen, Bayonne, Lodi), including a Telegram channel for appointment monitoring.

The story of acquiring a G Suite Legacy account and upgrading it to the permanently free Google Workspace Starter edition before the conversion window closed in 2023, now supporting 300 users and Gemini AI features.

A flight enthusiast's detective work identifying friends' flights from social media photos using clues like aircraft type, airline, flight duration, and Flightradar24 to deduce exact routes.

An upgrade story from Acer N7000 to Samsung 990 EVO external SSD for Mac Studio, resolving Finder freezes and enabling Apple Intelligence via the XcodeLLMEligible workaround for external drive users.

A comprehensive US credit card strategy guide for international students with and without SSN/ITIN, recommending application sequences including BoA, Amex BCE, Chase CFU/CSP, and Apple Card to build credit history.

A 2024 Black Friday deal guide for the $199 Straight Talk iPhone 13 at Walmart, including carrier lock unlocking after 60 days and tips for maximizing Chase credit card cashback.

Wi-Fi 7 speed testing on iPhone 16 Pro showing disappointing 1.4Gbps max throughput due to 160MHz limitation instead of 320MHz, with notes on China's continued restriction of the 6GHz band.

A photo-documented trip to NYC and Six Flags Great Adventure via Spirit Airlines, including tips on NJ Transit, LIRR, driving in Manhattan, and reflections on reconnecting with an old friend.

A guide to deploying a Reverse DNS server using the SND project for ARIN-allocated IP addresses, enabling automatic PTR record generation for both IPv4 and IPv6 ranges.

The journey of acquiring three ASNs (AS206729, AS60614, AS30700) across RIPE and ARIN, including tips on obtaining rare 2-byte ASNs and IPv4 allocations directly from ARIN at lower costs.

A technical guide to setting up an IPv6 HTTP proxy pool using BGP-announced addresses, including BIRD configuration, network interface setup, and the http-proxy-ipv6-pool tool for rotating outbound IPs.

A troubleshooting guide for replacing a China Unicom modem with a 2.5G ZXHN F7015TV3 unit, detailing DNS hijacking issues caused by incomplete ITMS registration and the solution to force registration status via Telnet commands.

A firsthand account of entering South Korea visa-free with a US visa while transiting through Japan, including airline check-in challenges and immigration secondary screening at Busan airport.

A guide to obtaining the Hong Kong SAR Entry Permit at Chinese embassies abroad, offering 14-day stays with unlimited entries for 2 years at $10, plus a personal story of missing a flight to get it.

An overview of the author's AI toolkit including ChatGPT Plus, Claude Pro, and Perplexity Pro subscriptions, along with self-developed projects like bob-plugin-cohere, FreeGPT35, and various API converters for Claude and Cohere.

A crowdsourced guide to Industrial Bank (CIB) international wire transfer fees for Huanyu Rensheng/Wujie cardholders, listing fee-free correspondent banks and collecting user-reported data points.

A Go implementation of file hosting using Discord Bot API that refreshes CDN links every 24 hours to prevent expiration, supporting 25MB files compared to Telegraph's 5MB limit.

An investigation into whether mainland Chinese travelers can use the LAX-XMN-TPE Xiamen Airlines route with only a passport and Taiwan entry permit, concluding that Chinese border control requires the Taiwan Travel Permit.

The story of a free Telegraph-based image hosting service that grew to 1PB monthly traffic and 140 million visitors, triggering Cloudflare warnings after being abused by adult content sites.

A quick guide to deploying a Palworld dedicated server using Docker with a simple compose.yaml configuration, including port forwarding requirements.

An invitation to schedule voice chats via Google Meet to discuss topics like studying abroad, immigration, work, or anything else, with booking available through cal.com.

A Japan travel guide covering visa options, Airalo eSIM, Suica/ICOCA transit cards, and cashless payment tips, plus reflections on Japan as a potential retirement destination compared to North America.

A tutorial on converting GitHub Copilot Chat API into an OpenAI-compatible API endpoint, enabling free GPT-4 access through the copilot-gpt4-service project with Docker deployment.

A personal VPS inventory listing providers including DMIT, GreenCloud, BuyVM, and Oracle across multiple regions with pricing and use cases for CN2 GIA, IIJ routing, and BGP sessions.

A 2023 year-end reflection covering life milestones including graduate school in Pittsburgh, losing grandparents, travels to New Zealand and Japan, and thoughts on career planning as an international student in tech.

A guide to applying for a Japan eVisa as an F1 student in the US, detailing required documents, processing times varying by consulate, and the limitation to single-entry visas for students.

A workaround to subscribe to ChatGPT Plus during the new user restriction period by accessing a hidden checkout endpoint through browser console JavaScript or the invite/accepted URL.

A success story of obtaining an SSN as an F1 student without employment by visiting a rural SSA office, where the agent processed the application without asking about work authorization.

A curated list of macOS applications across categories including development tools (iTerm, VSCode, Proxyman), utilities (Alfred, Bartender, Bob), social apps, and browsers with brief descriptions for each.

A comprehensive guide to selecting VPS providers optimized for China connectivity, covering routing analysis with NextTrace, payment security via PayPal, and recommendations for providers like BandwagonHost, GreenCloudVPS, and HostingInside.

A personal narrative of pursuing a CS master's degree in the US, from initial inspiration via Clubhouse conversations to TOEFL/GRE preparation, application process, and early observations on the challenging tech job market for international students.

A comprehensive guide to iOS app self-signing for multi-opening apps like WeChat and installing modified apps, covering certificate types, signing tools like 全能签, and software sources for IPA files.

A guide to obtaining a Taiwan Entry Permit for mainland Chinese students studying abroad, covering eligibility requirements, required documents, and the transit strategy via third countries to bypass PRC exit controls.

A photo gallery capturing the downtown Pittsburgh cityscape during a weekend visit.

A photo-filled Auckland travel guide covering immigration rules, car rental tips, and dining experiences during a stopover trip from Shanghai to Los Angeles via New Zealand.

A DIY guide to applying for a New Zealand visitor e-visa online, approved in 8 days for a 5-year multiple entry visa, useful for transiting between China and the US via Auckland.

A frustrated account of five terrible experiences at China Construction Bank branches, documenting queue-cutting, rigid policies requiring physical cards, unhelpful staff, and ultimately the decision to close the account.

A step-by-step guide for F1/J1 visa holders to open a Bank of China US account through the "美好前程" program, enabling fee-free transfers between BOC global accounts for tuition and living expenses.

A guide to upgrading from Magisk to Magisk Delta for better ROOT hiding, solving issues with banking apps like UnionPay and biometric payment features in WeChat and Alipay.

A guide to opening an HSBC Hong Kong One account as a mainland Chinese visitor, covering required documents, branch selection, account tiers, and a fee-free funding method through BOCHK and FPS.

A detailed account of obtaining a 5-year F1 visa at the US Consulate in Hong Kong as a CS student, avoiding the administrative processing common in mainland China, with practical tips on preparation and passport pickup.

A personal inventory of SIM cards across China (Mobile, Unicom, Telecom) and international options (CMHK, GiffGaff, PayGo, Globe) with pricing and use cases for number retention and service registration.

A comprehensive tutorial for setting up Rime (Squirrel) input method on macOS with the rime-ice dictionary, including WeChat keyboard themes and Dropbox-based vocabulary synchronization.

A security research disclosure revealing an IDOR vulnerability in Himo (Haima Ti) photo studio's WeChat mini program that exposed customer order details and contact information through predictable order numbers.

Live U.S. visa interview wait times for selected embassies and consulates, refreshed every 3 hours from travel.state.gov.

A detailed firsthand account of opening a Bank of China Hong Kong account as a mainland Chinese visitor, covering branch selection strategies, required documents, and tips for navigating the increasingly strict verification process.

A reflective essay on four years of university life as a CS student in Shanghai, from early programming experiences and internships to the decision to pursue graduate studies in the United States.

A quick guide to setting up GPG commit signing for Git and GitHub, including key generation, export, Git configuration, and VSCode integration.

A tutorial on automating Homebrew formula updates using GitHub Actions, with shell scripts that fetch latest release versions and update SHA256 hashes automatically after each release.

A technical guide to bypassing ChatGPT IP restrictions using Cloudflare WARP as an IPv6 proxy, with XrayR/V2Ray configuration examples for routing OpenAI traffic through WARP.

An early adopter's experience subscribing to ChatGPT Plus using a browser workaround, including tips on IP requirements for accessing OpenAI services and a self-developed OpenAI-Checker tool for verifying IP compatibility.

A technical guide to building a high-performance query API for the 500 million Weibo data leak using ClickHouse with dual tables indexed by UID and phone number for fast lookups.

A tutorial on removing the pre-installed National Anti-Fraud Center app from MIUI devices using ADB commands or a Magisk module for rooted phones.

A promotional post for Bandwagonhost's $99/year VPS plan featuring 2 CPU cores, 2GB RAM, 40GB SSD, 1TB monthly traffic, and access to premium data centers including Hong Kong and Japan Softbank.

Documentation of migrating from the abandoned Gridea blogging platform to Hexo, using the same Pure theme and switching from Disqus to Gitalk for comments.

A satirical placeholder for a 2022 year-end summary, stating the content cannot be displayed due to relevant laws and regulations.

A step-by-step guide to adding an English name to a Chinese passport through notarization and the Exit-Entry Administration Bureau, including required documents, costs, and timeline.

A guide to purchasing Affinity Universal License at Argentina pricing (~$8 USD) through Microsoft Store by changing region settings and using Upwork to find someone with an Argentine payment method.

A step-by-step tutorial for setting up a hexagonal NFT avatar on Twitter Blue using OpenSea, MetaMask, and Coinbase wallets, costing approximately $2 in ETH gas fees.

A technical exploration of bypassing WeChat multi-open app activation codes through MITM request interception and brute-force code generation using multithreaded Python scripts.

A comprehensive guide to subscribing to services at regional prices, including Spotify Philippines, YouTube Premium Argentina, Netflix Pakistan, and Turkish App Store for apps like Surge, Telegram Premium, and iCloud.

A reflection on resigning from PwC AC Shanghai after just two weeks due to unexpected assignment to Salesforce development instead of preferred software engineering work.

A step-by-step guide to permanently keeping a Google Voice number for $10 by purchasing a new number and using the legacy console to mark the old number as permanent, confirmed by Google support.

A comprehensive guide to applying for an ASN (AS206729) through RIPE, setting up BGP sessions with VPS providers like BuyVM using Bird, and configuring XrayR for custom IP routing to unlock regional services like Netflix Taiwan.

A photo journal from a 2019 trip to Hong Kong, traveling by train from Jiaxing to Shenzhen and then by bus to Tuen Mun, staying at USA Hostel in Tsim Sha Tsui.