GoK was once lively, contentious, at times abusive but also interesting, entertaining and always informative. The goal of harmony resulted in policy of forced moderation and eventual censorship. Only approved opinions and discourse was allowed. As the hand on the tiller grew heavier, GoK lost the wind.
Sorry for getting nautical but I bought a home less than a kilometer from the ocean in California and have been relaxing, enjoying my dotage, sailing, and the Kunming like weather here. I miss China and Kunming. American food is boring.
In the US we are being told that getting vaccinated will end the supply chain problem. Biden’s Energy secretary Jennifer Granholm on skyrocketing prices of goods:
"[Economists say] there is a transitory nature to the inflation problem…We wanna make sure we get everybody vaccinated so we can unclog the bottlenecks that we’ve been seeing.”
Found an interesting video (48 min) on the COVID pandemic and the vaccines being pushed. The mRNA vaxx are still experimental and controversy is raging on who should get the shot. I got the two Pfizer shots as I am 78 with additional high risk problems.
This is the link and there are many (100+ ?) links to additional resources.
@Alien: Your perception of free speech in the US is a bit weird, sorta like it comes from a propaganda script. There is only a few things things that are curtained by law.
It seems these days that political correctness is the biggest thing that attenuates speech but being un-PC is not illegal. Even hate speech is protected by the 1st Amendment. PC is now pretty much a left wing tool to limit divergent opinion and attempts to shame disagreement with labels like racist, denier, sexist and various phobias. Should the argument continue then the non-PC person is personally attacked.
In the case of Yang, most Americans would not even blink at her words. The reaction in China is quite different. To me, the issue is not about free speech but one of being naive.
@Trumpster You have constructed a response and argument to a position I did not state or refer to. My comment above provided a reaction of several of her fellow Chinese students. Other than pointing out the reaction was to defend Kunming's air quality, those comments avoided addressing freedom of speech, I did not comment on the merits of her, or their, words.
I have no issue with her speech nor the responses it generated. People have every right, in this American's thinking, to think and speak as they feel and do it freely. That said, in the context of a Chinese person, getting a liberal education at a US university who would shortly return to China, I find her words to be incredibly naive.
I have no doubt Ms. Yang read that speech to friends and perhaps faculty at UM. That no one suggested to her that those words held consequences strikes me as incredible. Further, the CSSA reaction was entirely predictable. It is my opinion Yang has a complete lack of situational awareness and that is unfortunate.
The Chinese Student and Scholar Association (CSSA) at the University of Maryland, which the Post describes as "loyal to the Communist Party," created a seven-minute video in which Chinese students and alumni respond to Yang's critique. You can view it here. What's striking about the response is how many of the students focus on debunking Yang's comments about the quality of China's air. None of them directly address what was clearly the point of her analogy.
Oddly enough, China committed to increased education spending about the same time it was renovating it's first aircraft carrier. The second carrier was launched this week.
Be aware they will push whatever they are selling. Some of the staff have no idea about the technical side of appliances.
I went there to buy a stove. I repeatedly told them I would be using bottled gas. They sold me a stove. When I went to my local gas guy, I learned there are at least three kinds of gas sold. Luckily, B&Q did not deliver as promised. I went back to the store and discovered they had sold me a stove they needed to be hooked up to the gas main. I got my money back.
The sales lady was almost in tears, 没有问题！I don't know if it a safety or design issue, but I would think B&Q would know and care.
Subway starts at 9am. I have no idea where to catch an airport express bus. Eight taxis refused to go to the airport. After almost an hour standing on Beijing Lu took a black taxi, this dude drives slower than my mother, 120 yuan.
Flight back was delayed so I learned the subway stops running at 6:10pm.
Getting a taxi back was easy, more taxis than customers. Taxi was 87 yuan including 1o yuan toll, airport to Beichen area. Yes, he took a longer route than necessary.
Kunming imagines being a gateway for international travelers. New airport but hard to get to and from it.
Chinese student apologizes after Maryland graduation speech sparks firestorm
Posted by@Alien: Your perception of free speech in the US is a bit weird, sorta like it comes from a propaganda script. There is only a few things things that are curtained by law.
It seems these days that political correctness is the biggest thing that attenuates speech but being un-PC is not illegal. Even hate speech is protected by the 1st Amendment. PC is now pretty much a left wing tool to limit divergent opinion and attempts to shame disagreement with labels like racist, denier, sexist and various phobias. Should the argument continue then the non-PC person is personally attacked.
In the case of Yang, most Americans would not even blink at her words. The reaction in China is quite different. To me, the issue is not about free speech but one of being naive.
Chinese student apologizes after Maryland graduation speech sparks firestorm
Posted byCould be
Chinese student apologizes after Maryland graduation speech sparks firestorm
Posted by@Trumpster You have constructed a response and argument to a position I did not state or refer to. My comment above provided a reaction of several of her fellow Chinese students. Other than pointing out the reaction was to defend Kunming's air quality, those comments avoided addressing freedom of speech, I did not comment on the merits of her, or their, words.
I have no issue with her speech nor the responses it generated. People have every right, in this American's thinking, to think and speak as they feel and do it freely. That said, in the context of a Chinese person, getting a liberal education at a US university who would shortly return to China, I find her words to be incredibly naive.
I have no doubt Ms. Yang read that speech to friends and perhaps faculty at UM. That no one suggested to her that those words held consequences strikes me as incredible. Further, the CSSA reaction was entirely predictable. It is my opinion Yang has a complete lack of situational awareness and that is unfortunate.
Chinese student apologizes after Maryland graduation speech sparks firestorm
Posted byThe Chinese Student and Scholar Association (CSSA) at the University of Maryland, which the Post describes as "loyal to the Communist Party," created a seven-minute video in which Chinese students and alumni respond to Yang's critique. You can view it here. What's striking about the response is how many of the students focus on debunking Yang's comments about the quality of China's air. None of them directly address what was clearly the point of her analogy.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG-s9nenvcw
China to overhaul high school education in "poverty-stricken" regions
Posted byOddly enough, China committed to increased education spending about the same time it was renovating it's first aircraft carrier. The second carrier was launched this week.