Chinese Homework Assignment!

Source: funny-city

So in school there's an assignment to teach kids about 1870s America. This particular one is about Chinese railway workers and what they would write in a letter back home.

So the student answered appropriately I think!





Translation:
My living conditions here are poor.
The working environments here aren't great either, and there is very little welfare.
But don't worry, every day there are only about 10 people who get into serious injuries, and I'm very careful.
We opened a little shop, the business isn't very popular.
Even though my english isn't very good, I can still kind of understand the white people.
I hope I can succeed. I will be working really hard here, and watching my health.
Are you guys well?
I miss you guys, hope we can see can see each other again.

English Teachers - Episode 3 "Hail Mary"

PANIC!

English Teachers - Episode 2 "(Un)equilibrium"

Tom is distracted by a new teacher and the school is in trouble.

English Teachers - Episode 1 "First Days Suck"

Those of you who have taught English in Japan or intend to will find this series very funny. This is the first episode, I look forward to new episodes in the future.

Culture can challenge foreign students

Source: College Media Network

If living at home, Bangladesh native Refayat Haque would not see unmarried men and women publicly holding hands.

It's forbidden. But in America and at GW, the taboos around sex dissimilate, Haque said, giving students from other countries new perspectives on sex and relationships.

"Sex is very taboo and sex before marriage is even worse. Almost everyone is Muslim and they aren't supposed to have premarital sex," Haque said of his home.

With scantily clad men and women on television and couples engaging in public displays of affection in plain sight, the sex culture at Western colleges and universities can challenge the beliefs of international students. In a study on Asian students adjusting to college life in the U.S., Dr. Jun-Chih Gisela of Texas A&M said a lack of familiarity with American customs and culture can sometimes cause international students to feel isolated.

"Many Asian international students feel uncomfortable with the individualism and competitiveness associated with the American culture, " Dr. Lin said in her study.

But for Haque and other international students interviewed, America's sexual culture was less of a shock because they attended international boarding schools before college.

Haque's experiences freshman year led him to the conclusion that certain values held by college students weren't for him.

"I realized what situations were good for me and what's not. My morals and ethics are still how they were at home," he said. "It wasn't hard to adjust, but [it was] a bit weird."

Very simple. If the 21-year skank is hot, than the situation is good, if she's not hot, than it's not.

Top 10 Reasons to Learn Cantonese

Source: Due-East

A friend of mine just sent me a link to a New York Times article about how Cantonese is slowly dying out in New York’s Chinatown. I couldn’t help but get a little sad reading it. Sure, it’s a ridiculously difficult language to learn (which is why it should be spelled Can’t-onese), but it’s also an amazingly interesting language brimming with character. So, here I make my case for why people should try to learn it in addition to Mandarin. Here you are: My top 10 reasons to learn Cantonese!

Reason 1: The Wow Factor – As I said above, Cantonese is ridiculously difficult. Nobody seems to agree on exactly how many tones it has. Some people say 7. Some say 9. And some say over 11, referencing so-called silent tones. Sorry, but if it’s silent, it’s not a tone. But the insistence on the existence of these so-called silent tones only ups the ‘cool factor’ of Cantonese. If you can master it, you’re pretty much an unstoppable language learning force. Native speakers will lavish you with praise, giving your self-esteem a temporary boost (at least until you say something wrong and get made fun of. See reason number 8). And also, I’ll be really jealous of you.

....more

Cantonese is a very cool language. I like it much better than Mandarin. It's clear and easy to understand, even if it sounds a little hard. Mandarin sounds very lazy, lots of words slurred together.

I was totally convinced that Mandarin sucks when I heard Mandarin speakers try to speak English. It's awful. Sure we all know the Cantonese accent for English sounds pretty funny.. but at least it's understandable. I was on China Airlines and the way they spoke English on there with their slurred words and their purposely high-pitched voices.. I might as well have been listening to Mandarin. Didn't understand a word! What if there was a important announcement like... the plane is falling? It was very frustrating.

So yeah. learn Cantonese. Don't let it die!

DNA tests for Chinese children

There's good and bad in this. This would put alot of pressure on kids at a young age to be either sporty, musical,or a brain. That's what China needs, more 8 year old gymnasts in the Olympics :)

On the good side it does give parents an idea of where their kid's strength is. Not everyone can be a doctor right? So force feeding a kid biology when a simple frog disection sends them off barfing in the bathroom is not a good idea. Something alot of Chinese-Canadian parents could learn.

Animated Short: Water Brain

A Cartoon produced by students of Guangzhou (Canton) Academy of Art, about how Chinese middle school students suffer from the work load. In our six years of middle school studies, we study Chinese, maths, English, geography, physics, politics, history, chemistry and biology (not including PE, music and other subsidiary subjects), all of which are mandatory. We can not choose what we are interested in. Also, the studies are memory based and test oriented, which means we have to remember tons of theories, concepts, terms in order to pass exams.

Youtube Link


Youtube Link

Doesn't this remind us all of our school days? Late nights studying, runny noses, heavy books, paper airplanes. All that to become the office rats we are today :P

I really enjoyed it. The art work is cool and I especially liked the musical score attached to it

Chinese universities faking employment rates to boost ratings

Source: Canada.com

Some Chinese universities appear to be faking employment rates among their graduates in an effort to keep their own ratings high in these economic hard times.

On Tuesday, the official China Daily confirmed the Internet buzz that some universities are providing the government with documented "proof" their graduates have found jobs, even though they are still unemployed.

"Due to fierce competition among universities, especially second-tier ones, the performance and reputation of a school largely depends on its employment rate after graduation," an unnamed "education expert" was quoted telling the English-language newspaper.

According to the Chinese language Southern Metropolis Daily, the job scam was revealed on the popular Internet forum Tianya when a "netizen" got a peek at his university records and was astounded to find he had a job.

"I was immediately stunned. Heavens! I have obtained employment. The agreement documented stated the name of my employer in black and white, next to a big red stamp of that employer," he wrote.

Chinese lying? Noooo. Say it ain't so. Universities obviously want to show they have a good employment rate to prove they program delivers results!

I love how a student found out he's employed when he's not! woohoo!

Chinese Parents Caught Cheating For Their Kids

Source: UPI Asia

Cheating has become a prevalent feature of Chinese society, ranging from fake foods and medicines; fake identity cards, bank cards and credit cards; imitation products in violation of copyrights; scams sent via mobile phone text messages; academic plagiarism among scholars and diplomas purchased by officials; as well as inflated official statistics, budgets and expense reports.

It is therefore hardly surprising that the latest form of cheating to be exposed – students lying about their ethnicity to gain affirmative action benefits for college entrance – has drawn little condemnation from society. More than half those polled online expressed sympathy for students who resorted to this tactic in order to get into college.

After the national college entrance exam was administered to 10.2 million students in June, the Ministry of Education announced that more than 2,200 students were caught cheating during the exam. Apart from that, another type of cheating was discovered – some students had altered their ethnic status from Han Chinese to one of the minority ethnic groups in order to benefit from a policy that grants minorities extra marks on the exam.

The matter came to public attention when the media reported that 31 students in the southwestern city of Chongqing had resorted to this tactic – including the city’s top student. Ironically, this student’s score was high enough to get him into the country’s best university without the extra marks, an opportunity he lost when the lie was exposed.

.....more

Sad isn't it. These kids are smart and have enough marks to get into a good school. They didn't need the extra 20 point boost. But their parents changed their ethnicity 4 years prior to the test "JUST IN CASE".

It's such a shame that people would think a 20 point difference in a test scored in the 600s would be worth breaking the rules for. Now the kid who probably knew nothing about it, can't get where he wants to go.

Yo parents, it's the kids life, not yours. If they're good enough to make it, they make it, if they're not they're not. Don't muck around.

57% of 20-Somethings Ignorant of Korean War

Source: Korea Times

Fifty-nine years after the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War, nearly four in 10 South Koreans aren't familiar with the tragic fratricidal war, according to a recent survey.

A survey of 1,000 adults over 19, conducted by the Ministry of Public Administration and Security (MPAS) in April, showed that 36.9 percent of respondents said they didn't know when the Korean War had broken out.

By age, 56.6 percent of those in their 20s said they didn't know when the war had occurred, while 28.7 percent of those in their 30s and 23 percent of those in their 40s said the same thing, it said.

``This is a very serious problem that more and more people, especially youngsters, are not well aware of or not interested in the Korean War, where millions of South Koreans were killed,'' an official of the Ministry of National Defense said. ``Pan-governmental efforts are required to make people understand properly about the Korean War and, in particular, educate youngsters about the war and history.''

The official referred to a survey last year, suggesting that more than 35 percent of elementary school students misunderstood that the Korean War had broken out following the South's invasion into the North.

The war broke out on June 25, 1950, when North Korean troops invaded the South, crossing the 38th parallel, the line diving the two Koreas. Twenty-one countries dispatched troops under the United Nations flag to fight against North Koreans backed by China.

The war resulted in a devastating death toll with at least 2 million Korean civilians killed, according to data. South Korea sustained more than 1 million casualties, while estimated communist casualties were 2 million. Casualties among the United Nations allies totaled 16,532.

The war ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. The two Koreas remain technically at war.

.....more

Similar to the previous article about Korean-Canadians being sympathetic to North Korea I find this story puzzling. How can South Koreans not know their history? In Canada WWI and WWII were more than 60 years ago but all Canadians know the stories and pay our respects everytime there's Remembrance Day or an anniversary.

Is the South Korean school system just not teaching anything related to the war? If so that's a shame cause all war veterans should be rememebered. Why is there no hatred at all between the two Koreas? Is it foreshadowing for a possible reunification? That's seems to be a pipedream. As the article states, the two countries are still at war. IIRC The Vietnam war ended nearly 35 years ago and the two sides still hate each other. They still argue over the flag every day!

Sake Education Show

Source: Wine Library TV

Here is a show about the most underappreciated wine of them all. SAKE!

Alot of background in the first part, taste testing and details in the second part.


Youtube Link


Youtube Link

Love Gary's stuff always bring so much energy and information in his videos.

China detains 40 over exam cheating: state media

Source: Yahoo!

Chinese police have detained 40 people in multiple cases of alleged high-tech cheating on the country's make-or-break university entrance exams, state media reported.

In north Shanxi province, six people were detained for allegedly selling receivers to students so they could be fed the correct answers during the June 7-9 tests, the Xinhua news agency said late Sunday.

The detainees included four students and one middle school teacher, according to the agency.

In northeastern Jilin province, a total of 34 suspects have been detained for trying to cheat during the exams, Xinhua said.

It was not immediately clear if the suspects had been charged, or what the charges would be.

Ten million students sat for the highly competitive exams, which are considered crucial for Chinese families, as they can determine whether a student enters the country's educated elite or joins the general work force.

Authorities this year announced stepped-up efforts to crack down on cheating after more than 1,000 applicants were caught cheating on China's civil servant exams, with some using earpieces and wireless transmitters.

As mentioned in the last post, there's an immense amount of pressure for youths to succeed in China. One test at the end of high school makes or breaks your life.

You pass the test you become a somebody and go to a good school. You fail the test, you're on the manufacturing line forever.

Man, 96, graduates on same day as grandson

Source: Ananova

A 96-year-old Taiwanese man who enrolled for university to set an example for his grandson has graduated with a master's degree.

Chao Muhe, 96, and grandson Zhao Shuangzhan, 32, graduated on the same day, reports IC Media.

Chao, a retired university teacher, said he started his university studies again six years ago when his grandson was set to enroll for university.

"He didn’t work hard at all. So to set a good example for him, I told him I am to apply for university studies with him," said Chao.

He received his master’s degree in philosophy from the University of South China in southern Taiwan, while his grandson graduated from Chung Hua University.

Chao, better known to his classmates as Grandpa Chao, said he had also needed a new interest after being told he was too old to continue as a volunteer at a local hospital.

And he never missed a class - despite needing to get up at 5am each day to catch several buses to get to university.

And although he was more than 70 years older than his classmates, he says he did not feel out of place.

"We are good friends," said Chao, but added that he often had to study until 2am or even 3am to keep up with his younger classmates.

Grandpa Chao’s thesis tutor, Chen Dezhi, said his thirst for knowledge was an inspiration to the other students.

That's really cool. However it's much easier to study and graduate when you're 96 cause there's no pressure! For everyone else who's 18 there's alot of pressure. You whole future depends on graduating. If I don't graduate i'll never get a good job, parents want me to get straight A's, I'm dating this great guy and if I don't graduate he'll dump me cause I'm dumb etc....very stressful!

At 96 if he doesn't graduate then... nothing, he just goes back to being 96. He's already accomplished everything. It's easier to succeed when nothing is on the line.

But he's really nice for him to help his grandson. Graduate at 32? He must have been slacking off all those years.

Internet is Evil: We shock you into therapy!

Source: China.org

Electroshock therapy is being administered to youngsters at a controversial Internet addiction clinic where patients are "reborn".

More than 3,000 youths have been tricked or forced in to a four-month program run by Dr Yang Yongxin at a clinic in Shandong province. About 100 people are currently receiving treatment at the clinic.

Patients are given electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for breaking any of the center's 86 rules, including eating chocolate, locking the bathroom door, taking pills before a meal and sitting on Yang's chair without permission, the Information Times reported.

Parents or guardians sign a contract acknowledging that the child will be given ECT and pay 6,000 yuan ($878) per month for treatment.

Details about the treatment were revealed online recently when a number of former patients began to write about their experience.

According to the posts, the clinic administers continuous ECT in a current of up to 200 milliamperes.

Meanwhile, patients are forced to admit "wrongdoings" and those of others and are also instructed to kneel down in front of their parents to show obedience.

....more

Wow. Who determines that being on the internet is a bad thing and how much is too much? This a clear case of parents too lazy for parenting and officials cashing in on this paranoia. And how do they treat you? By continuous tasering?

Kids are going to use the internet, there's no getting around it.

Amitabh Bachchan Takes A Stand

Source: Slant Eye For The Round Eye

First let's all just hail the red jacket.

Second - let's give it up for Amitabh Bachchan who's taking a stand and refusing an honorary doctorate from the Queensland University of Technology because of the racists attacks on Indian students from the past year (as many as 70):

"I have been witnessing, with great dismay and shock the recent violent attacks on Indian students in Australia," his blog post said.

"Under the present circumstances, where citizens of my own country are subjected to such acts of inhuman horror, my conscience does not permit me to accept this decoration from a country that perpetrates such indignity to my fellow countrymen."

Looking cool as MF and using his stature to shed light on racism?

Give that man a double.

Wonderful! Shows that the man has principle and will not accept a degree as school is giving just to masked reality. Hope that this being awareness to the issue of Indian students being assulted.

Kavya Shivashankar wins 2009 Spelling Bee

Just saw it on tv :)

Source: AP

Kavya Shivashankar was amazing. Nailed every word without any trouble at all. This was amazingly her 4th time in the final round finishing 10th, 8th and 4th in previous years. Her final word was Laodicean.

My favorite Kyle Mou finished 4th bombing out on "schizaffin" spelling it "schizophine". He was very quick but I don't think took enough time to figure out the words. Either he knew it or he didn't and it finally caught up to him.

The fan favorite was Kennyi Aouad, he finished tied for 5th going out on the word "palatschinken". He had no idea what the word for a type of German pancake was and tried to put in german rules but came out with "pallachinkin"

All in all great entertainment and once again I feel alot dumber today. Until next year!


Youtube Link

iPhone to replace register at Japan university

Source: Reuters

A Japanese university is giving away Apple Inc's trendy iPhone to students for free, but with a catch: the device will be used to check their attendance.

The project, which is being tested ahead of its formal launch in June, involves 550 first and second year students and some staff of a department at Aoyama Gakuin University, which is located just outside Tokyo in Sagamihara city.

The school's iPhones are meant to create a mobile information network between students and professors, but they are also a convenient way for the teachers to take attendance in class.

As students enter the room, instead of writing their name on a sheet, they simply type in their ID number and a specific class number into an iPhone application.

To prevent students from logging in from home or outside class, the application uses GPS location data and checks which router the students have logged in to.

.....more

They take attendance in university? I thought at that point you are old enough to determine if you want to show up to class or not. You're paying for it. I figured the University would be cheering for students to fail so they could get more years and money out of them. That's what spring and summer semesters are for!

This is terrible. It's like having a dog tag on you. GPS tracking? I can see a professor checking up on a student cause he's absent and see him humping some chick in his dorm room.

My Vietnamese 8th Graders are new Linux users

Source: SaigonNezumi

With just less than one month left of class, I decided to see if my 8th Grade students at the American International School in Saigon would be interested in learning Linux. I am glad I tried because these kids seemed to be having a lot of fun.

This week I just wanted them to learn the basic Linux command line. Since the school only uses Windows XP, I worked with the IT staff and got Putty installed on all of the student computers. They then used Putty and and secure shelled to my Easy Peasy Ubuntu Netbook. I just created one generic username and password for my 8th Graders. Next week they will all get their own accounts on my Netbook. I just wanted them to get a feel of Linux first.

.....more

That's pretty cool. Something that can only be done in small class with private teachers. In Canada, I don't think Linux is taught in junior high cause everything is Winblows!

Exam result "stolen" for official's daughter

Source: Yahoo

A Chinese police official has been arrested for stealing another girl's exam results and passing it off as his daughter's to ensure her a place in college, a newspaper said on Wednesday.

Competition for college places is fierce in China where stories of cheating surface every year. Students pay for leaked exam papers, smuggle in mobile phones and electronic dictionaries, or pay others to take the exam for them.

Wang Zhengrong, formerly of the Public Security Bureau in Shaodong county in the southern province of Hunan, was charged with forging and altering official documents and seals in 2004, the China Youth Daily said.

.....more

Since 2004!? Wow. So since 2004 some rich girl is in college (and probably graduated college stealing someone elses' results) and some poor village girl is wandering around pondering how she failed that test.

Actually this being China, I'm surprised the dad was arrested at all. I'm sure this happens all the time to alot of students. If you have money or your father is in a position of power, you'll get places.