TLB

I really like the way you have expressed this. I also believe the Buddhist tenets are alive in the ways of the people in China; in the same sense, one could say that growing up in the U.S., no matter what one's religious beliefs (or lack thereof), it would be very difficult to avoid a strong Judeo-Christian imprint on one's developing sense of self and the world. I do think it's important to separate Zen as a particularly Japanese invention (or development), though having said that, I would have to agree with the counterpoint that Zen and Chinese Chan Buddhism seem to have more in common than does Chan with the Buddhism that came to China out of India. I have found it interesting recently when, out of three young Shanghai (female) teachers with whom I've spoken this last month (I get a phone Chinese lesson once a week via chinesepod.com), two have told me they're Buddhist. That's a good data sampling, right, three? thanks for your contributions on this topic David, I find them very thoughtfully expressed and thought-provoking as well. One question for you (I think you said this earlier): what do you mean by a "vertical" sense of time?

Wow, a week out of my planned 12-day trip would be a real downer. I wonder if they'd allow conjugal visits?

Where I am (central Texas) there are lots of H1N1 cases, including some of my co-workers and their families. When I went to China this last July, some folks came onto the plane and checked the temperatures of everyone on board (it reminded me of a scene in the movie "ET") -- rumor was that if anyone was found with a fever, everyone within a certain number of feet would be quarantined upon arrival. It made for a surreal and somewhat stressful half hour or so (as far as I know, no one had any problems). I'm returning to China in December; has anyone heard about or run into any trouble with regard to China's fear of our bringing H1N1 there? I have befriended a couple of young students from Shanghai who are one semester exchange students at the university where I work. They told me that when they return to Shanghai in December, they will be forbidden to return to their university campus for at least two weeks (they can stay at home and in the general vicinity of their home). I guess I'm looking either for a reason to relax about it and let it go because I'm over-reacting, or a justification for my low level fears... Anyone with any experiences to share?

would you all mind moving this thread to cfl.rightwing.org?

Seems like the happiest states are in the West and in the Northeast. The Midwest and South didn't fare too well (except Minnesota). We Texans are doing okay at 21st; we'd be happier though if everyone simply realized and admitted our superiority in all things, so we could stop having to remind y'all all the time!

Possibly; but the BBC is owned by the British Government, and it's a pretty darned good source of news, and pretty independent, too (arguably more independent than our business sponsor-owned news).

As a matter of fact it did happen. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_State_shootings Larry VOW you learn something new every day. I guess never say never. It happened but not to the same extent. Larry Yes, it did happen here (I was at a college not far away); but, as Larry says, it didn't happen to the same extent, and it was national news immediately and *everyone* in the country knew about it by nightfall, there were investigations, etc., and future observances of that tragedy were not banned or shut down. It was also not the result of a governmental decision to fire but rather the act(s) of a few scared soldiers in a stressful situation. A governmental commission later harshly criticized the guardsmen who fired.

I think one of the interesting things about the new "internet" world is that, ironically, one can become more socially isolated (in the sense of experiencing the kind of diversity of opinion mentioned earlier) while at the same time increasing the number of people in one's network (by only "socializing" with those whose views mirror your own).

In talking with several young university students from China lately (in the States as exchange students), I've become aware of an interesting attitude toward government: on the one hand, they laugh and make fun of the "Green Wall" and governmental attempts to control access to information; on the other, perhaps due to lack of a free press, they swallow a lot of what they're handed -- and, as has been suggested, don't know a lot of what goes on.

In case anyone's interested in looking into the horse paradox a bit further: http://faculty.vassar.edu/brvannor/Reader/whitehorse.html

I'm 75 miles away in Austin, and have friends and friends of friends who teach in the local school district. This is horrible.

depending on where you live or where you'd consider living, you might be able to use Craigslist to find folks interested in learning Chinese. Probably not a permanent answer, but might help bring in some money.

I have been using chinesepod.com for some time now and am very pleased with it. I think there are free lessons there, or you can pay a few bucks a month for additional study materials. It is out of Shanghai and has 5 or 6 levels starting from very beginning. Their focus is on listening and speaking, not so much writing.

I can't decide that; someone who wants to know should ask them. However, I do agree with another poster that indoor plumbing would probably be appreciated.

Too bad in our so-called democracy, no one asks what the populace wants on this! For what it's worth, I think it's a crock. {edit} Fixed Quotes.

it's kind of fun to imagine how that would have changed things in the States.

Pinyin has its quirks, but I'm *so* glad I didn't have to learn Wade-Giles -- what a nightmare! Hey kevins, where in the Lone Star State are you? Tim in Austin

First one to use this, please come back and report. I've been using xoom.com, which costs me $10 per transfer and she picks it up in RMB at the post office around the corner from her apartment. I wouldn't mind keeping the $10, though...

Texan here! I'm happy on two counts: my Austin is #12, which is good, but not so good it would encourage even more people to move here each year than already do(!), and my hometown of Houston (54) at least beat big city rival Dallas(56) They're right about the lack of good higher ed in all Texas cities except Austin; the state has done a lousy job of that (I guess we wanted California's model of developing a dozen or so top flight universities to play itself out for 50 years or so before we tried it)