Bigguy_33

By 2020, China plans to give all its 1.4. billion citizens a personal score based on how they behave. Some with low scores are already being punished if they want to travel, get mortgages or put their children in private schools. The program will start expanding nationwide https://www.cbs.com/shows/cbs_this_morning/video/w38auT8S_gaOmB7J1fou34ddOxKw6Tsu/china-s-social-credit-score-bans-some-from-travel/

FYI, she doesn’t speak English.

I searched this website and didn't find this topic already mentioned. Watch this PBS documentary. I watched this program yesterday, on my PBS station, and it is unbelievable. It's filmed by a truly brave Chinese woman who wants to hold the Police and local Chinese officials responsible for the rape of 6 little girls when it goes uninvestigated because it involves the local government. Within the first 2 minutes of the film, I was scared and I wasn't even there. The film was smuggled out of China and has since won many awards. The film made me sick to my stomach, but you need to keep watching it if you want a better understanding of the legal system in China and what common people have to endure everyday living there. A few weeks ago I watched a YouTube video by "Serpentza" about how safe China is. He doesn't have a clue what many common people in China have to face everyday. He never mentioned about the tens of thousand of babies getting kidnapped every year or the horrible crimes shown in this film. When "Serpentza" gets fed up with China, he can go on a road trip to America, but common people in China can't leave. Instead they have to face getting beaten up and face a campaign of intimidation, including secret police surveillance, threats and government-organized mob violence, break-ins, imprisonment and the kidnapping of their little children if they speak up against the government. Here's the movie (I don't know how long it will be available) http://www.pbs.org/pov/hooligansparrow/video/hooligan-sparrow/ Here's the movie's description: http://www.pbs.org/pov/hooligansparrow/film-description/ Speaking truth to power is dangerous in some places, including modern-day China, where corrupt government officials deal very harshly with critics. Chinese officials prove especially displeased when their critics include an activist lawyer, outraged parents, a fearless filmmaker and a sex workers’ rights activist with a wicked sense of humor. Hooligan Sparrow, Nanfu Wang’s feature debut, centers on a horrible crime that took place in 2013: A school principal and a member of the education bureaucracy abducted six female students 11 to 14 years of age, took them to a hotel and sexually assaulted them over a 24-hour period. When parents and their supporters demanded justice, the perpetrators insisted the girls were prostitutes. Then the powers-that-be and their hired thugs really started playing hardball. The film starts with Wang introducing herself with the help of footage that escaped government confiscation. “That’s me with the camera,” she begins. “Those guys are watching me because of the camera,” she says of a group of men who are keeping her under surveillance. “This is the story I captured before they took the camera from me.” Authorities also tried to silence Ye Haiyan (a.k.a. Hooligan Sparrow), who gained notoriety in 2010 for offering sex—for free—to expose the horrors in some of the nation’s brothels. Her video went viral, as did a nude photo of her and other Chinese dissidents, including artist Ai Weiwei. Fast forward to 2013, when Sparrow, as she is known, was joined in her support for the abused schoolgirls by Wang Yu, one of the very few female lawyers who specialize in human rights in China. Both would suffer greatly for their activism. Their initial protest will seem, to Western viewers, very low-key. Sparrow, lawyer Wang and a handful of activists positioned themselves near the victims’ school in the Hainan Province in southern China, where they carried signs and handed out literature. The crime they protested was not unusual. “In China,” government officials get away with rape by charging that their victims were prostitutes.” A rapist will receive a life sentence or the death penalty, whereas the sentence for engaging with a child prostitute is five to 15 years. The perpetrators were obviously willing to roll the dice. The real crime, at least in official eyes, is calling out the abusers. The penalty for protest, Wang says, is sometimes devastating. “You can be sent to a mental hospital or detention center.” Despite these dangers, Sparrow made sure the small protest would get maximum attention. She carried a sign taunting the prime suspect that read, “Hey principal, get a room with me. Leave the kids alone!” A video of Sparrow and her message went viral. She definitely got the authorities’ attention. They soon unleashed a campaign of intimidation, including secret police surveillance, threats and government-organized mob violence and break-ins, much of which was captured on film, including the May 2013 arrest of Sparrow on trumped-up assault charges. While the intention was to intimidate, it had the opposite effect. “You can kill me,” she warned officials, “but you can’t kill the truth.” Sparrow, a single mother who comes from a humble rural background, is a riveting figure. Her wit is all the more remarkable for its fearlessness. During her 2010 protest against brothel conditions, which also illuminated the harsh living situation of migrant workers, she gave away condoms—and sex—with the assurance that she was acting at the behest of the government. “We need some humor in our life,” she explains. But there was little mirth awaiting her. While the publicity for the 2013 school rapes might have had some effect—the principal received a sentence of 13 years, six months (his accomplice got 11 years, six months)—Sparrow and lawyer Wang were shown little mercy, despite being right. Secret police kidnapped Sparrow and her 13-year-old daughter, Yaxin, threw their belongings into a van, drove them to a remote area and abandoned them and their worldly goods on the roadside. “I don’t care what happens to me, but I can’t forgive myself for the harm I’ve inflicted on my family,” says Sparrow. But her bravery has rubbed off on her remarkably mature daughter, who remains calm and even upbeat throughout the film. The state media conducted a smear campaign against lawyer Wang, accusing her of faking her educational and professional credentials, and later arrested her and her husband, Bao Longjun, also a human rights lawyer. Both are still being held without trial. Her son was placed under house arrest, which has not been lifted. Filmmaker Wang was not spared official harassment either. Her life was threatened and some of her footage confiscated, though she was still able to piece together her documentary by fleeing on trains and buses in the dead of night and smuggling the remaining footage out of the country in August 2013. “The chain of events I witnessed in the months that followed the protest shocked me,” the filmmaker says. “I’ve never had illusions about fairness in China’s justice system or the accountability of its government. But I never expected to see ordinary people turn on their neighbors who were fighting for their rights. I never expected to be attacked by screaming mobs just for filming on the street. I never expected to be interrogated by national security agents, and that my family and friends would be harassed and threatened by secret police.” “But this is the China I saw.” And the China she now presents to the world. The film concludes with Wang visiting a 2014 exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum mounted by Ai Weiwei. Sparrow and her daughter’s belongings, abandoned by the police in China, had made their way to New York, where the scene along the highway was painstakingly reconstructed in the museum. And Sparrow remains defiant. “If I believe something is right and I’m obliged to do it, they can’t stop me by arresting me or even killing me.”

I can't remember for sure if this program was posting back when the program came out. I searched CFL to see if this was discussed already, but I didn't find any results using both GOOGLE and the CFL search. If it was already discussed just delete this posting. I don't know exactly why, but the program made me so mad; I turned it off half way through it. I'll finish watching it later. I must agree with a lot with that American man said who doesn't want to buy anything from China for Christmas and his feelings. Well, here's the link to the program and the PBS provide summary: http://www.pbs.org/show/xmas-without-china/ Premiered November 2013 Chinese immigrant Tom Xia challenges one American family to live a month without the ubiquitous “Made In China” label on anything you purchase. That month is December. The rules: One family must remove everything made in China from their home while not purchasing anything new with that label for an entire holiday season. There’s comedy and tragedy in this intimate documentary, but more than that questions of family, success and consumerism that swirl around our idea of personal identity.

Believe me, I cleaned it up before I wrote it, there was more very hurtful things posted. But you know, I read the same type of things said here by a few members over the years. I believe they both had an agenda at the start of their relationship which wasn’t base upon love, support and commonality in language, culture, religious beliefs, values and personality. Still, it was very interesting to watch. Maybe that was their first mistake, having their already fragile relationship be part of a television documentary for the world to see and be part of the documentary producer's speaking tour. It seems the only person who was successful in this relationship was the documentary producer.

Update: I see from Steve's Facebook page, that they were having lots of problems. He wrote, he needs to get rid of Sandy. Here's a pic from a years ago on the right, the left is from when Sandy arrived.. I could not even recognize Sandy anymore. http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/drafted72/Default/steve%20and%20wife.jpg

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/immigrant-population-at-record-high-in-us-study/ar-BBlIPKA You know what makes me upset? It seems like whenever I read anything, such as comments from foreigners on YouTube or an article's comment section online, and it has to do with America, most everyone hates America. But most everyone wants to come here and take take take. I have several language partners, from China, who are students working on their Masters or PhD in America, and they all want to stay here. Not one of them wants to return to China. Then when I ask why. They all dance around the answer and never give a straight forward answer. Then I ask why so many people have negative views of America and Americans, and the students will agree and just say something like "that is just the way it is" , but want to stay. Then we have whole segments of our own population, who hate America and think everyone owes them something. Remember what JFK said? “Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country”. Well nowadays its “Ask not what I can do for my country, but ask what can my country do for me and my group”. And what did I get for being born an American? Two years of my life taken away from me, aka being drafted. While others just walk in and start demanding and take take take. I can see why so many people have xenophobia. Well, back to studying Mandarin, at 1:00 AM.

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/1711073-a-chinese-entrepreneurs-rude-awakening-at-a-german-manufacturing-fair/ Editor’s note: The following article was recently published on a website devoted to discussing advanced manufacturing in China. It later disappeared, having either been censored or removed by the author. Written by a Chinese businessman, the piece is a vivid account of his experience at Hannover Messe 2015, the world’s largest industrial trade fair, held in April. The author uses his disappointing experience at the fair to reflect more broadly on China’s social and moral malaise. This was the fourth time I have attended the Hannover Messe in northern Germany. It is the world’s largest and most comprehensive annual industrial trade exhibition. We were there to promote an e-commerce platform website in Shaanxi. During my stay, I was surprised to notice “Made in China” has been marginalized. The trade fair, held from April 13 – April 17, consisted of 25 exhibition halls. On display were mostly traditional products, except for exhibition halls 7, 8 and 9, which displayed high-tech products. Good booth locations were taken by developed countries and newly developing countries, as well as Turkey, India, and former Eastern European countries. Their booths ranged in size from 60 to 500 square meters. Products made in China, however, were displayed in the least favorable areas, with 90 percent of booths ranging in size from 9 to 12 square meters only. Low-Tech and UnpolishedVisually, foreign companies’ booth designs were splendid, eye catching, brilliant, and customized. In contrast, Chinese companies’ booths looked dowdy, lackluster, and similar to each other. Likewise, products exhibited by foreign companies were large in size but refined in their details. They were carefully-designed, innovative, and difficult to manufacture. Chinese products, on the other hand, looked old-fashioned, clumsy, low-tech, and unpolished. There were 6,500 exhibitors from 65 countries and regions and more than 180,000 foreign visitors. However, barely anyone visited Chinese booths. Some visitors reacted with impatience when Chinese vendors tried to introduce their products to them. Previously, I always dismissed articles about moral decay in China. But after the week at Hannover Messe, I came to realize the serious damage to work ethics caused by decades of moral decline. We went over to the high-tech exhibit halls 7, 8 and 9 to take a look at the leading-edge products, including a variety of high-precision analytical and testing equipment. Intelligent robots have been developed very fast by hundreds of companies. There were eight categories of robots, designed to perform tasks from grabbing large automobiles to installing small watch parts. Their performance was dazzling. To my surprise, I did not see one single Chinese company there! Many of our businesses brag that “our products have reached or exceeded the world’s advanced level.” How come they were not there to compete? I also noticed that many visitors did not trust products made in China. They either showed contempt or were afraid of them. In order to promote our website, we visited all exhibition halls and talked to many customers. Not many people were interested in Chinese companies. They did not pay much attention. Some even said: “We do not do any business with Chinese companies, please stop!” Quick Profits and Lack of IntegrityWe felt very embarrassed. Several years ago, products made in China were the top pick of many countries and regions. Why are Chinese products being ignored and marginalized now? After quite some introspection, I came up with a number of reasons. One is the drive in China for GDP and quick profits. For years, China has been focused on GDP. The government cared only about increasing GDP or achieving their GDP goal, without caring about how it was realized. It resulted in imitation and blind expansion of production. People were not in the mood to engage in research, innovation, and new product development. There was no spirit of work ethics or pursuit of perfection. Driven by quick profits, people did not have an interest in taking time to learn. A heritage of corporate culture, technological development, management, and workers’ skills was not being fostered and passed down in China. Lack of moral integrity and responsibility is another reason why products made in China cannot compete on the world market and are being shunned. Previously, I always dismissed articles that decry the problems and consequences of moral decay in China. But after the week at the Hannover Messe, I came to realize the serious damage to work ethics caused by decades of moral decline . Other detrimental elements affecting Chinese product development are arrogance, an opportunistic attitude, and lack of international vision. Our society and enterprises are accustomed to praising and boasting. We only report the good news and often hear compliments, such as, “our products are reaching the international standard; they are in the leading position in the world.” This is an exaggeration. Some indicators of our products may have reached international standards, but there is still a wide gap between our products and the international standard overall. In fact, we just copy the technology or product from developed countries. We brag among ourselves, but we dare not compete on the international stage. Additionally, collaboration between universities, research institutions, and enterprises in China has been poor over all these years. Many cases of fake and false research reports have made matters worse. A series of projects were made up to obtain research funding from the government. The projects brought minimal results, thus no one wanted to put in the time, effort, and money to conduct additional research into a new technology or a new product that didn’t look promising to begin with. People just cannot wait for future returns. The Hannover Messe has forced me to think a lot. It made me realize that the crises of integrity, morality, and humanity in our society has finally resulted in an image crisis of our products and manufacturing industry in the global market. We are being marginalized in the global market, and “Made in China” is in great peril now! This is an abridged translation of an account by Song Chaopeng, originally published on the website of the China Advanced Manufacturing Technology Forum, a site in which Chinese entrepreneurs and manufacturers discuss their trade. Song Chaopeng is the president of Shaanxi Allstate Tech&Trade Co., Ltd. and editor of productsx.net, an e-commerce platform.

He announced on one of the videos (this one or another from this month) that they were engaged. He mentioned she was a physician. I wonder if she was one of the docs he trained in his language/cultural classes. When I was at STU, I taught English to medical students from time to time, but most of my work was with graduate English majors and those in their graduate Journalism School. Most of my students were 22 or older as many of them had completed their undergraduate work. I suspect the same is true with his classes. He met Beer Girl at a pub in Hong Kong as I recall. She was advertising beer and passing out samples as I recall, hence her name, "Beer Girl." I enjoyed him also, I watch his videos to pick up some colloquial day to day Mandarin. Just the other day I picked up something new.

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2015/07/15/age-is-just-a-number-50-year-old-chinese-model-releases-new-photobook-drives-the-internet-crazy/ Very pretty woman. " Generally, 50 is not the age at which models will release a solo photo collection of themselves posing in various states of undress. As unfair as it is, there simply don’t seem to be a lot of people willing to pose for the camera in skimpy clothes at that age — probably because most 50-year-olds have better stuff to do with their time. Like yell at the kids on their lawn. But Candy Law isn’t exactly your average 50-year-old, which is probably why she’s just released a new photobook of herself all dolled up. She’s not only proven she’s capable of moving copies, she’s also proven to be extremely popular online. We’ll allow you to recover from your shock at that news before heading below to see some, um, samples of her work."

I always enjoy watching this guy's video on YouTube about China. This video shows how to tell fake vs real money in China. It's very interesting. I never knew these tests, even though I lived there. I doubt many Chinese know about these tests. Also there are some good hints on how to avoid getting fake money.

From the International Business Times. http://www.ibtimes.com/war-inevitable-between-us-china-russian-chinese-media-1982123 Additionally, last year I was watching the Charlie Rose program. He had on a NY Times columnist who has lived in China for many years and knows many high officials in the Chinese government. He was discussing, a PLA Senior Colonel Liu Mingfu. Well the Colonel wrote this book in 2010 titled the "China Dream". In it he writes the following: where he defines a national "grand goal" to "become number one in the world" restoring China to a modern version of its historic glory. This is, he writes, require displacing the United States ( by any means). Well the NY Times columnist said it was a wildly popular book in China. Additionally before it was published, it had to pass all the highest Chinese government censors, or else it wouldn't been published. Therefore, their government gave their blessings to the idea or feelings that Colonel Liu Mingfu wrote about It seems that China's overall current activities at home and through out the world should be watched very carefully.

Transition ǰF Dui Bu Qi IJ/span> This one is really a catchy tune, that stays in your head. I've learned a few lines from this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XTBwvi0h2E O'karey - I can speak Chinese This one starts slow, but I like the chorus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCJ5G4t5adU I've been told a few times by Chinese teachers in China, that black people pick up Mandarin and the tones much quicker the other groups.

They sure are building a lot of ship while saying they are not kicking any one out of Asia. http://defensetech.org/2014/12/03/report-chinese-navys-fleet-will-outnumber-u-s-by-2020/ Report: Chinese Navy’s Fleet Will Outnumber U.S. by 2020 by Kris Osborn on December 3, 2014 351100161 China has plans to grow its navy to 351 ships by 2020 as the Chinese continue to develop their military’s ability to strike global targets, according to a new report. The 2014 U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission recommended to Congress the U.S. Navy respond by building more ships and increase its presence in the Pacific region – a strategy they U.S. military has already started. The commission asked Congress to increase its Pacific fleet up to 67 ships and rebalance homeports such that 60-percent of the force is based in the region by 2020. The commissions’ recommendations, which are based on Congressional testimony, expert assessments and open-source information on China’s military and U.S.-Chinese relations, are consistent with Pentagon’s stated plans for the region. The Navy’s intended Pacific rebalance is designed to station 60-percent of the fleet in the area, rotate more ships and sailors through Pacific ports and move Marine Corps units through Darwin, Australia. Part of the Navy’s Pacific rebalance strategy includes plans to rotate up to four Littoral Combat Ships through Singapore, among other things. Defense analysts have questioned where the U.S. Navy has the resources and funding to expand its presence in the Pacific adequately enough to meet the emerging Chinese threat. Critics point to the sweeping sequestration cuts as an example of the budgetary challenges that U.S. Navy officials face. Opponents to this strategy point out that the U.S. has 11 aircraft carriers, the Chinese have one. And that one carrier still lacks an aircraft wing capable of operating off a carrier deck. The commission cites a platforms and weapons systems the Chinese are developing, which change the strategic calculus regarding how U.S. carriers and surface ships might need to operate in the region. The report mentions the Chinese DF-21D, a precision-guided, land-launched anti-ship ballistic missile designed to reach surface targets at ranges greater than 900 nautical miles. “China is pursuing a missile-centric strategy with the purpose of holding U.S. aircraft carriers at high risk if they operate in China’s near seas and thereby hinder their access to those waters in the event of a crisis. Given China’s growing navy and the U.S. Navy’s planned decline in the size of its fleet, the balance of power and presence in the region is shifting in China’s favor,” the commission states. While the commission says the exact amount of Chinese military spending is difficult to identify, China’s projected defense spending for 2014 is cited at $131 billion, approximately 12.2 percent greater than 2013. This figure is about the sixth of what the U.S. spends annually. The Chinese defense budget has increased by double digits since 1989, the commission states resulting in annual defense spending doubling since 2008, according to the report. Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Virginia, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Seapower and Projection Forces subcommittee, cited the increase in submarine and surface navy patrols tripling since 2007 as an area of concern. “What they are doing with patrols is just the tip of the iceberg. It is not just the number of the ships, but within five to eight years they will have about 82 submarines in the Asia Pacific area and we will have about 32 to 34,” he said. “If you look at where we are today, they outnumber us about 60 to 32 in subs. If you look at their surface ships they can get us further out with their anti-ship missiles than we can hit them,” Forbes said. The Chinese have used cyber espionage of the U.S. military to boost their weapons development programs, the report said. In particular, the review cited a 2012 Defense Science Board report which explains how Chinese cyber spying resulted in their learning details on a number of U.S. systems such as the Littoral Combat Ship, F-35, FA/18, Black Hawk helicopter, Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense, Patriot and Global Hawk. Chinese Naval Power While Chinese naval technology may still be substantially behind current U.S. platforms, the equation could change dramatically over the next several decades because the Chinese are reportedly working on a handful of high-tech next-generation ships, weapons and naval platforms. These include the LUYANG III, a new class of Chinese destroyer slated to enter the fleet this year. The ship is being engineered with vertically-launched, long-range anti-ship cruise missiles, the commission said. The new destroyer will carry an extended-range variant of the HHQ-9 surface-to-air missile, among other weapons, the report says. Furthermore, the Chinese may already be beginning construction on several of their own indigenous aircraft carriers. China currently has one carrier, the Ukranian-built Liaoning. It is not expected to have an operational carrier air wing until at least 2016, according to the report. The Chinese are currently testing and developing a new, carrier-based fighter aircraft called the J-15. Regarding amphibious assault ships, the Chinese are planning to add several more YUZHAO LPDs, amphibs which can carry 800 troops, four helicopters and up to 20 armored vehicles, the report said. The Chinese are also working on development of a new Type 055 cruiser equipped with land-attack missiles, lasers and rail-gun weapons, according to the review. “They are becoming a blue-water Navy,” said Larry Wortzel, a commissioner tasked with helping to oversee the compilation and publication of the annual review. China’s surface fleet is also bolstered by production of at least 60 smaller, fast-moving HOBEI-glass guided missile patrol boats and ongoing deliveries of JIANGDAO light frigates armed with naval guns, torpedoes and anti-ship cruise missiles. The commission also says Chinese modernization plans call for a sharp increase in attack submarines, nuclear-armed submarines or SSBNs. Chinese SSBNs are now able to patrol with nuclear-armed JL-2 missiles able to strike targets more than 4,500 nautical miles. The Chinese are currently working on a new, modernized SSBN platform as well as a long-range missile, the JL-3, the commission says. The commission also specifically addresses areas of Chinese-Russian military developmental cooperation, saying the two countries are working on a joint deal to build new attack submarines. “China is pursuing joint-design and production of four to six Russian advanced diesel-electric attack submarines containing Russia’s latest submarine sonar, propulsion, and quieting technology. The deal would improve the PLA Navy’s capabilities and assist China’s development of quiet submarines, thus complicating future U.S. efforts to track and counter PLA submarines,” the commission writes. In addition, China is reportedly pursuing a new class of nuclear submarines, called the Type 095 SSGN, which could bring the country its first-ever submarine-launched, land-attack cruise missile. Read more: http://defensetech.org/2014/12/03/report-chinese-navys-fleet-will-outnumber-u-s-by-2020/#ixzz3c6SctRm1 Defense.org

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/8000-chinese-students-were-expelled-from-us-universities-last-year-mostly-for-cheating-and-bad-grades/ar-BBknrKv 8,000 Chinese students were expelled from US universities last year, mostly for cheating and bad grades Chinese students regularly rank among the best performing in the world, but that’s not always the case when they enroll in US schools. As many as 8,000 Chinese students in the US, were kicked out of their universities last year, according to the Pennsylvania-based education consultancy WholeRen. In 81% of 1,657 cases studied by WholeRen, the reason for expulsion was poor academic performance or cheating, according to a white paper released by the company. “Chinese students used to be considered top-notch, but over the past five years their image has changed completely—wealthy kids who cheat,” Chen, chief development officer at WholeRen, told the Wall Street Journal. According to Chen, past generations of Chinese students were poorer and relied on their grades and scholarships to get into universities abroad, but now these students are often wealthy Chinese who weren’t able to get admitted to a good school at home. This challenge to the stereotype of the “studious Chinese student” also calls into question the quality of education that Chinese students are used to at home. Critics say that China’s university drop-out rate is so low—just 3%, compared to 54% in the US or 32% in the United Kingdom—because professors rarely fail their students. (One theory is that the students, after years of enduring punishing hours of study and testing in order to get into university, are given a break.) Plagiarism is also common and often goes unpunished. When administrators of China’s notorious college entrance exam, the gaokao, tried to crack down on cheating last year, hundreds of parents rioted, reportedly yelling, “We want fairness. There is no fairness if you do not let us cheat.” This week, 15 Chinese nationals were caught trying to scam standardized tests like the SAT and the GRE. Sidebar: 1) FYI, read the comments under the article !!!

Very interesting documentary program on the "Haves and the Have Nots" ( 白富美 vs. 屌丝 ) women in China's society. Also their relationships and how they struggle with their new roles in China’s society. Check your local PBS listings for times. My PBS station has this documentary on today 5/21 and 5/22 and 5/25. Here is a review: SPILLED WATER explores how the economic transformation of China is changing the roles, rights, and social status of its women. Wanting to connect with her 'distant sisters', decades after emigrating to the United States, May May returns to China and explores the very different lives of four women: a rural farmer who, against all odds, became a teacher; a successful lawyer in a male-dominated profession; a divorced factory worker struggling to brighten her daughter's future; and an ethnic minority singer torn between her dreams, and her responsibilities as a peasant's wife. From the urban hustle of Beijing to the desolate beauty of rural provinces, their intimate stories show us why gender equality in China is so rare, hard-earned, and worth the struggle http://schedule.wttw.com/episodes/308998/Spilled-Water/ http://spilledwaterdoc.com/ http://spilledwaterdoc.com/?page_id=6 https://vimeo.com/81825881 Note: If this program has been posted before, then just deleted this.

To the Original Poster. Sorry I am a little late replying to your posting. I do not visit this site as much as I did in the past. I do not know if this will help you in anyway or even if this is your question. But FYI, I had a Chinese girlfriend a few years ago. She wanted to visit me in America after I returned from living in China. Therefore she applied for an American Tourist Visa. I thought it was a waste of time, base upon all the negative comments I read here at CFL over 10+ years. Well, she did all the leg work for applying for the VISA. I did not get involved at all and didn’t have to supply any information. When asked by the Visa Officer why she wanted to come to America, she simply said to visit her US boyfriend. No other reason was given. Well, contrary to all the long winded and negative postings here about getting a Tourist Visa, she was granted an America Visa. It was very simple. I am extremely glad she had an opportunity for her to visit me in American. It was one more piece of the puzzle that helped me to decide to focus on learning Mandarin rather then getting married. Good Luck!

Another Chinese movie recommendation: I just watched this Chinese movie on YouTube. [Eng sub] 《回到爱开始的地方》 / A Moment Of Love It's about a girl who is engaged to be married, but she doesn't really know if she's in love with her boyfriend. Then while on a trip for work, she finds out about this old man and woman who stayed in love their whole lives, but were forced to be apart. Even apart, they stayed in love. It was a simple, but enjoyable movie, with lots of local culture and experiences.

Ms. Catherine, Thank you for the nice reply. I hope you enjoyed “ 好雨時節 ”. I’ve learned a few wonderful Mandarin expressions from the movie. As you can guess the first one I learned is “这是好雨知时节”. I can’t wait until someday, I’m able to use that expression. But I am still working on my cadence or tempo when I say it. My tempo sounds unnatural compared to a native speaker. Additionally, I read DuFu’s poem “Welcome Rain on a Spring Night” from which that line in the movie is taken. I also enjoyed the traditional Chinese song 凤凰 姑娘 (Phoenix Girls), which is in the movie. You wanted another movie recommendation: "Ocean Heaven" http://www.hulu.com/search?q=Ocean+Heaven Please watch if you haven’t already I’ve just watched it on Hulu.com. It’s also on YouTube, but Hulu’s version is of better quality, but you have to watch a 1 minute commercial every 20 minutes. ( I forgot at about the 15 minute mark the Hulu video starts acting a little fun. Don't worry just pause the video after 1 minute then un-pause it. I know we don’t know each other, but trust me, you will remember this movie forever. It’s a Chinese movie and is beautifully done. The scenery is great, the actors are wonderful and the theme of the movie is something we should all try to follow. Here’s the storyline…” The story of a father's tireless love for his autistic son. A terminally ill father's attempt to teach his autistic son the necessary life skills to survive on his own before he passes away. It is also a poignant tribute to the infinite love that parents have for their children and their unending desire to take care and look after them to their best abilities, no matter the struggle, no matter the effort” Catherine, I must warn you first, you should have a very big box of tissue 薄纸 ready because you will be crying during the whole movie. If you do watch “Ocean Heaven” let me know what you think of it….

Thank you Mr. dnoblett it looks like I am on my way.....

Test #4 好雨時節 copied from MS Word using AR PL New Sung fonts - directly into the editor window Test #5 copied from MS Word - but changing fonts with CFL editor window Thank you for the nice reply. I hope you enjoyed “ 好雨時節 ”. I’ve learned a few wonderful Mandarin expressions from the movie. As you can guess the first one I learned is “这是好雨知时节”. I can’t wait until someday, I’m able to use that expression. Additionally, I read DuFu’s poem “Welcome Rain on a Spring Night” from which that line in the movie is taken. I also enjoyed the traditional Chinese song 凤凰 姑娘 (Phoenix Girls), which is in the movie.

Thank you so much for helping me. I’ve been on this site for 10+ years and for the last 4 years I’ve been studying Chinese almost everyday. I haven’t had a problem writing, reading or posting Chinese characters before on any site. It was just the editor’s "preview post" window, which I use each time before I post which concerned me. I didn’t want to make a post with missing characters. I am using Windows 7 Professional, with Servie Pack 1. As a test, below are some Chinese characters, if I see them on my posting, then all is good. /span> (no Chinese characters appeared) Hmmmm. looks like it me..... Test #2 我的生活乱七八糟. - this was copied from Google translation page, but editing my original post Test #3 这是好雨知时节”. - this is being copied from MS Word 2002 - but editing my original post

Sir: What am I doing wrong? Why can’t I see Chinese characters that I use in a posting when I select “posting preview” from the posting editor window? I can’t even see Chinese characters in the preview window, if all I am doing is quoting another members posting with Chinese character in the quote. Thanks,

Here’s a great movie you need to watch – “A Good Rain Knows” AKA “Good Rain Know Season” Now that I’m in my fourth year of studying Mandarin, I’ve been watching a lot of Chinese movies to practice my listening abilities and to pick up some new words. I’ve ran across this movie by accident recently, since it’s listed as a Korean movie. But it’s completely filmed in Chengdu China, and is full of Chinese culture. It’s almost like a travel guide for Chengdu China. It’s a love story with the most adorable and beautiful Chinese actress playing the lead role. Her accent and cadence, when speaking English, is so heart warming. The lead characters speak in simple English that adds to the charm of the movie. There are English subtitles for everything. Some critics wrote it’s a slow movie, but that only adds to the building of emotion of love between the two characters. I didn’t want the movie to end. On a snowy, cold and windy winter day, it was a perfect way to spend a few hours. If your eyes are not welling up with tears at minute 42:00, you must have a cold heart. Then around minute 51:00 if you don’t think she is the most beautiful Chinese woman you have ever seen, you must be watching a different movie. Finally, at minute 1:12:00, I screamed aloud “WHAT”! Mostly importantly the movie can teach members here a few things. When you are watching “May”, notice how many times she doesn’t want to say the truth but instead changes the subject or says something else. I’m not saying that it’s right or wrong or that she’s lying, but it’s something which westerners should be aware of. I have seen this many times. Finally, I think many men could learn a few things from the character “Dongha”. He always approached “May” with a quiet tenderness. Then when he received the most heartbreaking news, he didn’t scream or shout but instead he quietly said he was going inside. He didn’t cause “May” anymore pain. I know it’s only a movie, but still that is a good way to conduct yourself. Well, I think you will enjoy the movie. It’s 1:41:00 minutes long and it’s on You Tube. I noticed You Tube deletes movies for copy write reasons, so you better hurry. Here’s the link. I was able to download the movie with Realplayer, but you need to have the most updated version. Watch it, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88KpO2TpiQ4

https://gma.yahoo.com/river-china-mysteriously-turns-bloody-red-overnight-182207097--abc-news-topstories.html A waterway in eastern China has mysteriously turned a blood red color. Residents in Zhejiang province said the river looked normal at 5 a.m. Beijing time on Thursday morning. Within an hour, the entire river turned crimson. Residents also said a strange smell wafted through the air. “The really weird thing is that we have been able to catch fish because the water is normally so clear,” one local villager commented on China’s microblogging site Weibo. Photos: Strange and Mysterious Happenings in China Hazardous Air Quality Forces Beijing Residents Indoors Inspectors from the Wenzhou Environmental Protection Bureau said they have not found the cause of the incident, although water samples seem to indicate the suspicious color was a result of illegal dumping in the river. “We suspect that somebody dumped artificial coloring in the water because he thought the typhoon yesterday would cause heavy rain, and nobody would notice [the color],” Jianfeng Xiao, Chief of the bureau told China News. “It turned out there wasn’t heavy rainfall yesterday, so the evidence is left behind,” Xiao said. Xiao said there is a paper manufacturer, a food coloring company and clothing-maker a long the river. The bureau is still investigating the incident