Comments on: Enter the (Paper) Dragon

By: Bill Compton

Bill Compton — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 19:54:14 +0000

Hi Jim. Photos i received. Thanks

By: mildlypiquedacademician

mildlypiquedacademician — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 23:25:50 +0000

I can attest from the many Chinese grad students I know that sci/tech instruction is predominantly in English. In fact, I asked one how well this is enforced. Her answer: The university sends unannounced observers into class rooms (like secret shoppers in big chain stores) to make sure that instruction is in English. If it isn’t, the instructor is in some doo-doo…. A Chinese friend and colleague of mine who is about 50 and has lived in the US for nearly twenty years commented on the English skills of the younger generation of Chinese students. He said they’re good compared to a generation back and I would agree. He’s not bad, but they’re just much more fluent, especially at writing.

I would also agree that many of the current generation are clearly not happy with same old-same old back home. While undergraduate education in China is VERY good (at least at the elite schools), graduate education really suffers due to lack of academic freedom. From what I understand, it’s not really a direct oppression, but rather a feeling of being watched. In fact, that’s why many of them are here in the first place and IMO the US could do far, far worse by encouraging as many smart Chinese people to come here as possible.

By: Angry Midwesterner

Angry Midwesterner — Thu, 31 May 2007 20:38:40 +0000

The world today seems absolutely crackers,
With nuclear bombs to blow us all sky high.
There’s fools and idiots sitting on the trigger.
It’s depressing and it’s senseless, and that’s why…
I like Chinese.
I like Chinese.
They only come up to your knees,
Yet they’re always friendly, and they’re ready to please.

I like Chinese.
I like Chinese.
There’s nine hundred million of them in the world today.
You’d better learn to like them; that’s what I say.

I like Chinese.
I like Chinese.
They come from a long way overseas,
But they’re cute and they’re cuddly, and they’re ready to please.

I like Chinese food.
The waiters never are rude.
Think of the many things they’ve done to impress.
There’s Maoism, Taoism, I Ching, and Chess.

So I like Chinese.
I like Chinese.
I like their tiny little trees,
Their Zen, their ping-pong, their yin, and yang-ese.

I like Chinese thought,
The wisdom that Confucious taught.
If Darwin is anything to shout about,
The Chinese will survive us all without any doubt.

So, I like Chinese.
I like Chinese.
They only come up to your knees,
Yet they’re wise and they’re witty, and they’re ready to please.

All together.

[verse in Chinese]
Wo ai zhongguo ren. (I like Chinese.)
Wo ai zhongguo ren. (I like Chinese.)
Wo ai zhongguo ren. (I like Chinese.)
Ni hao ma; ni hao ma; ni hao ma; zaijien! (How are you; how are you; how are you; goodbye!)

I like Chinese.
I like Chinese.
Their food is guaranteed to please,
A fourteen, a seven, a nine, and lychees.

I like Chinese.
I like Chinese.
I like their tiny little trees,
Their Zen, their ping-pong, their yin, and yang-ese.

I like Chinese.
I like Chinese.
They only come up to your knees…

-Monty Python