What's in the News

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George

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Re: What's in the News
« Reply #840 on: December 21, 2008, 04:53:34 PM »
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but I've herd of others as well.
I've herd of cows and goats.
The higher they fly, the fewer!    http://neilson.aminus3.com/

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Spaghetti

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Re: What's in the News
« Reply #841 on: December 22, 2008, 12:32:06 AM »
The article named Koreans as the cut and run artists, but I've herd of others as well.

Having witnessed many Koreans express their views on China, this does not surprise me. It all goes back to the institutionalized and accepted notion of eugenics that is taught in Korean public schools, both as a science and as a cultural attribute.

Yeah, non-Dave. I'm guilty of thinking non-Asian westerners first, when I read that. bibibibibi
"Most young people were getting jobs in big companies, becoming company men. I wanted to be an individual."
Haruki Murakami

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old34

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Re: What's in the News
« Reply #842 on: December 22, 2008, 02:33:11 PM »
How to Help Finance a University's Expansion Program:

Using the students' private ID information, open online accounts and credit cards for the students. But don't tell them.

http://english.cri.cn/2946/2008/12/18/1781s434339.htm

The money quote from the school official:
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He confessed the deal was in response to the bank's financial support of the university's expansion project, arguing, "it was reasonable to pay back the bank by registering a large number of credit cards."

Oh, and when a reporter comes sniffing around about the story, detain the reporter.

http://www.zonaeuropa.com/200812b.brief.htm (Page down)
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad. - B. O'Driscoll.
TIC is knowing that, in China, your fruit salad WILL come with cherry tomatoes AND all slathered in mayo. - old34.

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Lotus Eater

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Re: What's in the News
« Reply #843 on: December 22, 2008, 02:52:38 PM »
The news has been around the uni for the last couple of weeks. As soon as the student got back to campus he hit the uni BBS.  According to my sources, the 'finance' department has been 'let go' - but there are also calls for the President to be fired.

In return for low interest loans, the uni agreed to ensure that students became ICBC customers - and this is how it was done!   ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah

The FAO set our accounts with Communications bank so we could be paid via bank deposit - almost 12 months ago.  hasn't happened yet - still get paid in cash.  Ummm.....
« Last Edit: December 22, 2008, 03:23:51 PM by Lotus Eater »

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old34

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Re: What's in the News
« Reply #844 on: December 22, 2008, 03:36:44 PM »
In return for low interest loans, the uni agreed to ensure that students became ICBC customers

Knowing you are a customer is a pre-requisite to being a customer.  ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah

I switched campuses last year and now my pay comes from this campus. The first thing they did was tell me I had to open a bank account at China Construction Bank so they could direct deposit my pay there. I didn't want to do that as I have had the same ICBC account for 8 years AND ICBC has the only English language online banking. This was never a problem at the other campus. I gave them my ICBC account details and the pay went into that account.

But I was told here, the Finance department requires all teachers (Chinese and FT) to have a China Construction Bank account and they can only pay into that one. To make matters even more fishy, the account had to be opened at one particular branch office only. If you've had a Chinese bank account, you know that your account is tied to the branch office it's opened at. So if you have problems, such as your ATM card stops working, or you lose it, etc. you must return to the original branch to get things sorted.

So off we went (the FAO assistant and I) in a taxi by-passing at least a dozen CCB branches until 5 km later we arrived at a CCB branch office in the middle of the city. Not a main branch either. I now have a CCB account into which my pay is deposited every month-and no English language online banking so I can easily transfer it to my main account.
Oh, and there's no CCB branch office within walking distance of the campus. I have found only 1 CCB ATM machine on campus, and that at the far end of the campus. In between that 15 minute walk, I pass by a half dozen ATM machines from other banks. The problem? CCB charges a 7 RMB fee per 1000 RMB withdrawal from any other bank's ATM. So if I want to withdraw my pay and deposit it in my main ICBC account, it costs me nearly 50 RMB.

In short, I am a knowing CCB customer, though not happy about it. But at least the corruption here was transparent.  ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad. - B. O'Driscoll.
TIC is knowing that, in China, your fruit salad WILL come with cherry tomatoes AND all slathered in mayo. - old34.

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Lotus Eater

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Re: What's in the News
« Reply #845 on: December 22, 2008, 03:55:27 PM »
The Communications Bank is on campus land - we can walk through the back door to reach it - so it's convenient, but.. still no money in it.  ahahahahah

You don't think the uni was being altruistic and helping the students out by doing all the work for them in establishing a credit card account, giving them an opportunity to build up a credit rating, linking them with a major banking institution at an early period in their career???

I thought it was jolly decent of them actually!! Such thoughtful, caring chappies, our admin.  ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah

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fox

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Re: What's in the News
« Reply #846 on: December 23, 2008, 05:40:54 AM »
accepted notion of eugenics that is taught in Korean public schools, both as a science and as a cultural attribute.

Wasn't Hitler into eugenics too?  But then again he was following what America was experimenting with at the time - taking it a step further and on a larger scale. I recall reading that America was into mass sterilisation of ethnic minorities and similar practices including segregation etc etc. all of which appealed to Hitler.
regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value.

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Spaghetti

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Re: What's in the News
« Reply #847 on: December 23, 2008, 07:25:33 AM »

Wasn't Hitler into eugenics too?  But then again he was following what America was experimenting with at the time - taking it a step further and on a larger scale. I recall reading that America was into mass sterilisation of ethnic minorities and similar practices including segregation etc etc. all of which appealed to Hitler.

Hitler definitely was, and the severity of which can easily be observed in history books. However,  to claim America - as in the whole nation - was conducting itself with a shared view towards eugenics post civil-war, is wholly inaccurate, and neither Germany nor America at that time (1930s and 40s)  - or even today - have had homogeneous societies. America's issues with racism are not necessarily the same as embracing eugenics as a social model, since they are not part of the nation's academic mandate, though many parts of the country once had infrastructure that legalized it and implemented it as a social norm, like the south and state-sanctioned segregation well into the early seventies, for example.

Our history books delivered to our public schools haven't emphasized eugenics since the slave days, and currently do not emphasize eugenics, nor do they in a manner which South Korean textbooks still do today.

I invite you to learn Korean and teach in a public school in South Korea and take a look at some of your elementary students' books. For further reference, check out how they explain the existence of ethnic Koreans in Asia. It's something Hitler probably would have envied had he the information in his day. It should be noted that the South Korean view of eugenics traditionally did not include extermination of other races, nor conquering of them. To the contrary, it was more about embracing isolationism from other races and cultures and sticking to its own, for the most part. That's a distinct difference, and one which places the prevalence of such thinking in Korea in a less dark (but no less disturbing) light when compared to Hitler-era Germany.

I also think bringing up America in this context weakens my point. Check our white house in late January for substantial proof that eugenics are not part of our educational system, nor our social structure beyond what the mouth breathers who read "The Turner Diaries" and wear white cloaks might preach under some rock. However, in South Korea, it's still being taught to children in their public schools.
« Last Edit: December 23, 2008, 07:30:41 AM by Spaghetti »
"Most young people were getting jobs in big companies, becoming company men. I wanted to be an individual."
Haruki Murakami

Re: What's in the News
« Reply #848 on: December 23, 2008, 09:43:26 PM »
Our sense of history diverges, Spag.  My reading tells me that ALL Western countries dabbled in eugenics via sterilization back in the 30's.  It was considered a humane kindness to eliminate retardation, mental illness and other genetic weaknesses from the gene pool to prevent future misery.  This scientific hubris pervaded the spirit of the age.

... until Nazi Germany took it to a whole new level, actually killing people with genetic and even non-genetic traits... then later, as I seem to remember, "purifying" the human race.

In Canada there were a lot of tragedies resulting from a liberal use of sterilization without consent, primary among mental patients.

Did America really sterilize along ethnic lines?  I heard rumour of some dark experiment involving castration of black people, but never was able to verify it.
And there is no liar like the indignant man... -Nietszche

Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task. -William James

englishmoose.com

Re: What's in the News
« Reply #849 on: December 24, 2008, 03:19:26 AM »
WHOA! This just 9 minutes ago:

Troops head toward Guinea presidential compound
Buzz UpSendSharePrint
9 mins ago

CONAKRY, Guinea – Three tanks and dozens of armed soldiers are heading toward Guinea's presidential compound.
An Associated Press reporter saw the troops and tanks moving in the direction of the compound, which houses the office of the West African nation's prime minister.
The troops' allegiance was not immediately apparent.
But they appeared less than an hour after Prime Minister Ahmed Tidiane Souare announced in a state broadcast that he was inside his office and that his government had not been dissolved.
Junior army officers had announced a coup d'etat earlier Tuesday. They said the government had been dissolved hours after the death of longtime dictator Lansana Conte was announced.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

CONAKRY, Guinea (AP) — Guinea's prime minister contradicted reports of a military coup Tuesday, saying that his government had not been dissolved following the death of the country's longtime dictator.
Prime Minister Ahmed Tidiane Souare said in a state broadcast that he was speaking from his office and that his government "continues to function as it should."
A military-led group earlier announced on state radio and TV that there had been a coup in the West African nation, saying it had dissolved the government and constitution hours after the death of President Lansana Conte.
The mineral-rich but impoverished country of 10 million has been ruled by only two men since it gained independence from France a half-century ago, and it had long been predicted that a military coup would follow Conte's death.
Conte, who took power in a military coup after the death of his predecessor in 1984, died Monday night, the country's National Assembly president announced at about 2 a.m.
At around 7:30 a.m., a uniformed spokesman for a group calling itself the National Council for Democracy began broadcasting its announcement of the takeover on state-run radio and TV. A TV reporter identified the man as Capt. Moussa Camara. It was not clear if he was a leader of the coup or only a spokesman.
"The constitution is dissolved," said Camara. "The government is dissolved. The institutions of the republic are dissolved. ... From this moment on, the council is taking charge of the destiny of the Guinean people."
He said presidential elections will be organized shortly, but did not elaborate.
Camara ordered citizens to stay home. He also ordered the heads of the various branches of government to go immediately to the Alpha Yaya Diallo barracks for a meeting. Camara is believed to be an army captain stationed at the Alpha Yaya camp, which has been the seat of army mutinies against Conte's rule.
And there is no liar like the indignant man... -Nietszche

Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task. -William James

englishmoose.com

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Spaghetti

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Re: What's in the News
« Reply #850 on: December 24, 2008, 06:54:11 AM »
Our sense of history diverges, Spag.  My reading tells me that ALL Western countries dabbled in eugenics via sterilization back in the 30's.  It was considered a humane kindness to eliminate retardation, mental illness and other genetic weaknesses from the gene pool to prevent future misery.  This scientific hubris pervaded the spirit of the age.

Now we're talking about eugenics beyond race and ethnicity and into malformaties and retardation. I definitely concede that.

I was missing the forest for the trees regarding eugenics as a whole, and focused on the racial and ethnic aspects that pervades Korean society. I was not referring to eugenics in relation to medical disorders.
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... until Nazi Germany took it to a whole new level, actually killing people with genetic and even non-genetic traits... then later, as I seem to remember, "purifying" the human race.

Yes, indeed. Then there's the nefarious activities of the Haerbin 731 squadron of Japanese scientists during WWII that did things right out of the Mengele playbook. Sickening and all true.


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In Canada there were a lot of tragedies resulting from a liberal use of sterilization without consent, primary among mental patients.


Disturbing and fascinating.

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Did America really sterilize along ethnic lines?  I heard rumour of some dark experiment involving castration of black people, but never was able to verify it.

Perhaps during the slave days. It would not surprise me.

Now there's the court-ordered chemical castration of pedophiles in some American states. That's one of those, "I see both sides of the argument" situations, in favor of and being against it. I definitely don't fall on the "liberal" side of how pedophiles should be dealt with legally. That may be the only issue where I fall in line with conservatives.

"Most young people were getting jobs in big companies, becoming company men. I wanted to be an individual."
Haruki Murakami

Re: What's in the News
« Reply #851 on: December 25, 2008, 02:01:27 AM »
Quake Pig China's Animal of the Year

December 22, 2008
Article from:  Agence France-Presse


A CELEBRITY pig that survived for 36 days buried beneath rubble in quake-hit southwest China has been named the nation's animal of the year, state press reports.

The pig won the award in an online vote after his ordeal earned him celebrity status and a plush life as the top attraction at an earthquake museum, the China Daily said in a weekend report.

The pig, known as "Zhu Jianqiang'' which means "Strong Pig'', shot to fame after he was discovered alive beneath rubble, 36 days after the magnitude 8.0 earthquake struck Sichuan province on May 12.

According to the Red Net forum, the website that held the online vote, the two-year-old pig "vividly illustrated the spirit of never giving up'' and has become a model for Chinese entrepreneurs'' amid the current economic downturn.

The pig survived on rainwater and a bag of charcoal during his ordeal and was sold to the Jianchuan Museum, which agreed to nurture him for the rest of his life as a reminder of the nation's resilience in disaster.

Now free from the worry of the slaughterhouse, the pig enjoys a cushy life at the museum, the report said.

"It's gotten fatter and lazier by the day,'' the paper quoted a museum staff member as saying.

"We used to take it out for a walk every morning and afternoon, but now it's too lazy, and too fat, to do it. So we're feeding it only twice a day.''



Four legs good.
when ur a roamin', do as the settled do o_0

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Spaghetti

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Re: What's in the News
« Reply #852 on: December 25, 2008, 04:28:40 AM »
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Quake pig....
"Most young people were getting jobs in big companies, becoming company men. I wanted to be an individual."
Haruki Murakami

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Escaped Lunatic

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Re: What's in the News
« Reply #853 on: December 25, 2008, 05:19:27 AM »
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Quake pig....

Shaken, not stirred.   ahahahahah
I'm pro-cloning and we vote!               Why isn't this card colored green?
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Lotus Eater

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Re: What's in the News
« Reply #854 on: December 25, 2008, 05:31:13 AM »
And so determined to live for the harmonious society as an inspirational symbol.  Can't help but be moved!!