Review: The Truth

Terry Pratchett is strangely witty--that's the best way I can think to describe his novel, The Truth. Published in 2000, this work of Pratchett is a great commentary on politics and news reporting of its time (and possibly the future).

The Truth is a fantasy novel that really has little to do with the fantasy world and more to do with social commentary and the search for the truth. It possesses all the fantasy elements--dwarfs, vampires, trolls, wizards, zombies, and the like--but only uses them in comic situations (or when poking fun at fantasy stories).

Pratchett's novel revolves around William de Worde, a man who is hired to write a brief newsletter every now and again for the elite citizens of Ankh-Morpork. His life changes drastically when some dwarfs turn lead into gold in a sense. Before encountering the dwarf Goodmountain, the newsletter was simply engraved and printed. The dwarfs use the lead to make movable type for a printing press--and the Ankh-Morpork Times is born. However, the engravers decide that de Worde's paper is a threat to their livelihood, and open a competing paper, The Inquirer, which simply runs stories that false yet interesting for the local populace.

The Times begins its life just as a devious plot to frame and unseat Patrician Vetinari unfolds. The plot involves outsiders, Mr. Pin and Mr. Tulip, being paid to do the deed by whatever means necessary. De Worde finds himself in the middle of the scandal of Ankh-Morpork, frantically attempting to write the truth for the public to read.

Terry Pratchett's prose is witty and humorous--there are moments of brilliant insight and outright laughter. This is a work of fantasy that will appeal to aficionados of the genre as well as those who would rather not read book filled with dwarfs and vampires.

Time for a Vacation

This post is brought to you by Riverbend Angler Resort

Although it's been nice relaxing for an extra week due to the error in class scheduling, I'm already looking forward to this summer's break. Unfortunately, because my university is from the north of China, we're on the northern schedule. This means we get a longer winter break and a shorter summer, which is almost torture in the heat and humidity of Shenzhen.

One place I've wanted to visit for some time is Montana (and it has nothing to do with that kid of Billy Ray Cyrus). Montana vacation rentals do sound like an intriguing getaway. It seems like a bit too much luxury for adventure in the outdoors, but I'm sure there are plenty of people who would love some nature from the comfort of a cabin equipped with a 50-inch plasma TV. Personally, I'd enjoy the Bighorn River fly fishing--although I've only tried fly fishing once.

The Web site for the Montana cabin rentals and vacation packages is rather interesting. They provide some useful information about the area, including history of Fort Smith. The sire is easy to navigate and loads quickly (even on a slow connection from China Telecom). Unfortunately, I doubt I'll scrape up enough money by July to rent a cabin out there. If I'm lucky, I might persuade my wife to go camping--but that's not likely either. I suppose I'll just have to keep dreaming of my kind of vacation.

Notes from America and a movie

I think Jia misses being in my hometown more than I do. She keeps talking about the food--specifically the pastrami at Harold's in Parsippany and Crif Dogs in NYC. I can try to cook some food that we got back home, but those two definitely cannot be recreated with my kitchen in China. Other foods we sampled were Greek, Indian, Japanese, Lebanese, Italian, Mexican, Cuban, Spanish, and Jersey Diner.

We watched Juno the other night. I can see why it got such positive reviews--it has a good story with interesting characters and wit. The dialogue sounds fairly natural and differentiates itself from most films I've watched. The father and step-mother are definitely the most amusing characters in the film; it's a shame they didn't get more screen time (but that probably would've ruined the story considering they're secondary characters). I'd place Juno as one of the top movies I've seen in the last year (note: I haven't seen any other Oscar-nominated movies).

Minor Delay

I had my first day of class for the new term today. Oops, not today.

Five students showed up to class and called their classmates to try to get them in as well. Twenty minutes into class, I was notified that they made a mistake and classes would begin next week. We had a good laugh about it. It gives me time to get myself better prepared for the term.

On another topic: Will a zombie still want to eat your brain if you have brain freeze? I'm stocking up on ice cream just in case.

I'm back

Jia and I have been back in Shenzhen for three days now. I'm still exhausted from the trip--I didn't sleep well on the flight or at the hotel in Hong Kong. I hope I can sleep better tonight to get myself ready for work on Monday--I think I have to teach resume writing.

Anyway, this week I'll begin writing up some more in-depth posts about our trip to the states, and I might even post a few photos (assuming I edit and resize them).

Other news from the land of the waiguoren: My new year's resolutions will begin now that Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) is over. This means that I will spend more time learning Chinese and writing those half-finished novels. I will also do my best to stick to a schedule with goals--my wife has permission to beat me if I don't.

Trip Update

I know I got lazy with the title of this one.

I'm exhausted and ready for my vacation to end. We spent last week in southern California with my grandparents. We didn't do much besides meet relatives and eat for four days. At least we got to Laguna Beach for a little while. Jia really enjoyed the area and I think she wants to move there--now, she has to convince me to do the same because I don't have any desire to move to California. I guess I just have to introduce her to Colorado this summer so she'll forget all about it.

After our return to New Jersey, we took a road trip to Washington, DC, for a few days. We had bad timing--the weather was terrible. We got to see quite a bit--the Capitol building tour, Native American museum, Washington Monument, Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, and few other brief stops in the area. I'm still amazed at how many Chinese tourists we ran into--Jia's been talking to all of them. I scared two girls on a school trip by saying, "bu ke qi," after taking a photo for them.

Choke

How does a team go 18-0 and lose in the Superbowl to the wild card team that was a double-digit underdog? Just ask the choke artists up in New England. Congratulations to the Giants for shutting up those damn Patriot fans.

Notes from the City

We managed to cover quite a bit of ground in New York City the last three days. I'm begining to think that I might be more overwhelmed than Jia. We visited monuments and streets that I've never been to even though I lived 45 minutes away for 23 years. I should also note that Jia loves the food so far--she's convinced that the reason Americans are so fat is simply because the food is so good.

Highlights from our journey include a visit to the Native American museum at the old Customs House, Federal Hall, MoMA, Chinatown, SoHo, Statue of Liberty (but we missed the last ferry to Ellis Island), and whole lot more of lower Manhattan. We both enjoyed the Native American museum--the art and cultural displays were beautiful. Jia was excited to see the original paintings at MoMA that she learned about years ago in school--and my aunt provided much better explanations that I could.
Now we're relaxing at my parents' house in Jersey--we may go to Philly tomorrow if the weather is good. We fly out to southern California Tuesday for a few days with my relatives.

The Road to NY

We walked around quite a bit of New York yesterday. Our first stop was the New York Public Library--Jia was impressed with the architecture, I was more impressed by the Jack Kerouac exhibit. They now have "Beatific Soul" featuring the original scroll of On the Road unrolled in the center of the hall. It's amazing to see Kerouac's original words and corrections. There are also some photographs of Kerouac and other Beat writers along with some of his other work, including sketches and paintings. If we had more time, I would've spent significantly more wandering through his work.

After the long day of wandering around Grand Central Station, Times Square, Toys R Us, and some souvenir shops, we headed back to Jersey. Dinner was excellent at Skinner's Loft in Jersey City, just a short walk from the Grove Street Path station. The chicken, salmon, risotto, calamari, and spring rolls were all terrific--and that's not just because I haven't eaten Western food in quite a while. My brother told me that they also have a rooftop dining area for when the weather warms up--inside has a rather pleasant atmosphere for the winter.

We'll be back in the city for more adventures later in the week before the Super Bowl.

Many Happy Returns

Jia and I arrived in New Jersey yesterday. It was a pleasant trip. I'm still feeling a bit of shock being home, but I'll survive.

I have to place a plug for Continental Airlines because they gave us some great service. I've never had a bad flight with them, and this one was no exception. We arrived an hour early at Newark, which is great on a flight that's supposed to be 16 hours. And it was the smoothest landing I can remember. Now, all they need to do is get a deal with the airport ferry from Hong Kong airport so I can return to Shenzhen more easily.

The other shock was at customs. The first of the series of pleasant surprises was that Jia was allowed to stand in line with me (foreign spouses have privileges). And everyone at customs was really friendly--they all greeted us and were polite... did I really land in Jersey?

Checking Out

Jia and I are leaving Shenzhen this afternoon on our trip to the states. This will be her first trip to the US and only her second outside China. She's excited to see my hometown and New York City and DC. She showed her excitement by overpacking. My mom had to talk her out of bringing three coats and quite a few warm shirts. I had to try to talk her out of more. Of course, I think I packed four days of clothes--that's all the space that was left in the suitcases. Fortunately, the suitcases are also packed with gifts for friends and relatives, which will leave us space to bring stuff back to Shenzhen in February.

Assuming all goes well at the border today, we'll be spending the night in Hong Kong to ensure we get to the airport early enough for our flight tomorrow. We may also get to see my uncle who's there on business for the next couple weeks.

So long, readers. I'll try to make a few posts on my vacation.

Didn't think it possible

I was browsing China Daily this morning and found some interesting articles. As part of the "One China" policy*, the mainland government will increase direct trade with Taiwan. This is the smartest idea for reunification--if politics doesn't work, economics certainly will. Due to the pressure put on foreign countries about the One China policy, the mainland refuses to trade with any nation that recognizes that little island off the east coast. This has made China the largest importer of Taiwanese products. Taiwan has also spent billions of dollars on investments in the mainland--although, new restrictions (mostly in Guangdong province) on factory ownership are worrying some investors.

The surprising facts from the article include the trade deficit. China's deficit with Taiwan was more than US$70 billion. Meanwhile, most of the exports to the island were from Hong Kong (possibly indirect trade from the mainland, but the article doesn't specify). How is this small island the only place in the world with a trade surplus to China? Maybe the US needs to learn something from them.

*I back the "One China" policy. I firmly believe that there should be no more than one China in the world.

Going Postal

On my first day off I went to the post office to send some Chinese New Year cards to friends I won't get to see on my trip back to the states. A while back, Jia took me over to show me the sets of really nice cards that China Post is selling (with domestic postage included). They have a variety of Olympic cards--most of the Olympic cards have the Friendlies on them (I've been told that the Friendlies have been renamed "Fuwa" for some stupid reason).

I was impressed by the friendly service at this post office. I've had mixed experiences in the past. This time around, no one tried to speak English to me, but they were patient and understood my Chinese without me having to repeat myself. However, there was one snag that had nothing to do with communication. I walked outside to place my letter in the mailbox only to find that it was inaccessible due to the construction. Unfortunately, I don't know how to ask, "Where can I send this letter?" or "Where is another mailbox?" So, I walked home instead. Jia told me that there is another mailbox inside the post office, but it's hidden under the tables somewhere.

Cue Alice Cooper

"School's out for Spring Festival..." Ok, it doesn't sound as good with those lyrics. I never uploaded any Alice Cooper before I left the states two and half years ago. But I'll get a chance to add new music to my hard drive in another week when Jia and I leave Shenzhen for the icy weather of New Jersey. Why do I want to listen to Alice Cooper, you ask? Because, I handed in the final grades for my PhD class today. I'm done for the term, and don't have to return to campus til Feb. 25. I'm proud to say, I didn't have to fail any students (a few came close though).
For the next week, I will have the opportunity to sleep late, sit around the apartment, and pack for our trip. I suppose I should also wander around a bit more in search of some gifts to give to friends--I really need to think of what I can get for some people. I'll also be spending some time making our itinerary for the time in the states. Specifically, I need to think of all the sights in New York City that I haven't seen in 20 years. Anyone have suggestions? We're already planning on going to the Statue of Liberty (maybe I can buy another "made in China" souvenir of it), the Empire State Building, MoMA, and the Museum of Natural History. We're skipping Central Park since it'll be way too cold to walk that much.

Get Thee to an Art Gallery

A while back, Jia and I went to Overseas Chinese Town (OCT) to see a new exhibit at The Loft. They had a special event with urban artwork called "Redo." I think they were redeveloping the area as many of the buildings were being renovated at the time. I'm not sure what the area looked like previously as this was my first trip through The Loft.

I was wholly unimpressed by most of the exhibition. I don't think crushed paper cups as candle molds is really fine art, and neither are blinds made from paper cups with Chinese writing on them. Most of the work had to do with urban development and over-development--I suppose they were trying to grab the publics attention to the excessive construction going on in China.
The graffiti art exhibit did grab our attention. There were some temporary walls set up for the artists outside and a gallery for graffiti-influenced work inside. This was a much more international selection of art than the other urban exhibitions.

This was my favorite painting by a French artist who goes by S2ONE. There was no title.

New Driver's License

I've been reading the news about the REAL ID driver's license that all Americans will need soon. The last article I was reading mentioned that I'd need one starting in the spring if I want to fly around the U.S. However, it makes no mention of substituting this new ID with a valid passport (which I need to renew within two years).

Here are the problems I have with this new license legislation. First, I have Colorado license from the years I was in grad school prior to moving to the other side of the world. This license is supposedly valid until 2013. The problem with obtaining a new license is that I don't have a residence anymore. That is, of course, unless I claim my parents' house as my residence. The problem with this is that New Jersey doesn't have reciprocal licenses, which means I have to retake the driving test.

I really don't see what's wrong with most states' driver's licenses. I can understand the government wanting more security added so that they can't be counterfeited as easily, but the new law is a bit of a pain in the ass. Realistically, the government needs better legislation pertaining to citizens obtaining a license rather than the licenses themselves. It's very simple to hand over an old license to obtain a new one. Why is it so difficult to find people who have multiple driver's licenses? This is not really a state problem, it's a federal government infrastructure problem that they're trying to pass off on the states. Way to go Congress, just keep on piling up the bureaucracy.

Exams

In the last four weeks of the term I explained the exam to my students (an essay for the MSc classes and a comprehensive essay and short answer exam for the PhD class). I'm now busy marking the PhD exams as I need to hand in their final grades at the end of next week. The MSc classes will continue next term and I'm allowed to sit on the exams a while (although, I'd like to get through at least one class next week).

As I'm looking through the exams, I'm seeing the levels of my students. I've certainly recognized a few students who really didn't pay attention to class. I've also noticed a few whose English skills are lacking, thereby making it difficult for them to answer the questions. In some cases, the students simply did not read the questions carefully--I know I reviewed components of a speech three times in class, and I lost count of how many times I mentioned primary and secondary research. It looks like quite a few underestimated the difficulty of this exam.

I've been impressed by some students' answers thus far and disappointed by others. Overall, I don't expect my students to do too poorly in the end. At this point, it looks like I may have two failures (they didn't participate in class, skipped presentations, and left much of the exam blank). I hope that as I re-evaluate (and slightly curve) the final scores of exams and assignments, I won't have to fail any students.

Truth about Shenzhen

My mother-in-law had a great story to share with us today. A while back, she made friends with a woman in our building. She's now decided that this woman is rude and there is no reason to even talk to her anymore.

Apparently, this woman has lived in Shenzhen 20 years and feels she's better than anyone who isn't a "real" resident of the city (keep in mind that I'm older than this city). She kept making comments about how uncivilized and poor people from Xinjiang are. She doesn't believe that there is any "modern" thinking that province. My mother-in-law's response was, "Yes, all the people in my hometown run around naked." This woman continued with how successful Shenzheners have to have multiple affairs--changing partners at least every three months. Supposedly, this is considered modern thinking. And yet, she confesses to having difficulty sleeping at night because her relatives have more money and better cars than she does.

So, there's your proof folks. Shenzheners are wealthy, disease-infested whores with an inferiority complex.

SNAFU?

Something is wrong with Blogger and/or the hamster running my Chinese Internet connection. I've been trying to post some photos today for a little post, but it doesn't seem to work. Every time I try to upload a photo I get a blank box. So, until Blogger gets fixed or the hamster gets replaced there will be no more photos. I hope this situation will be rectified in the near future.

Happy New Year from RIAA

Happy New Year to you all. According to this article from the Washington Post, the RIAA is now dumber than ever. They have decided to complain about people who copy legally purchased CDs for personal use. They apparently don't like people buying CDs and copying those CDs to personal computers so that consumers can upload their favorite songs to MP3 players.

I guess the Recording Industry Association of America doesn't like me now because I copied plenty of my legally purchased CDs to my laptop before I moved to China for the simple reason that I didn't want to carry 200 CDs to the other side of the world. Would the RIAA also like to complain about how I used to pay $13-$16 for a new CD at a major retailer? Or how I wised up in high school and began purchasing all my CDs used from a local store?

Maybe if the major record companies would start finding interesting bands that actually make GOOD music for a change, instead of all the same crap they keep putting out year after year, consumers might be inclined to BUY a CD every now and again. Perhaps they should consider not charging ridiculous amounts of money for music. If I wanted to, I could find plenty of new CDs on the streets here for about $1.50 (something I haven't bothered to do since I arrived).

This new crusade against legal music consumers has got to be the dumbest idea in history. I was planning on buying some new music on my trip home, but now I've decided not to. I can live without it.

Congratulations RIAA on your award for biggest asshole in the world--you had a great last-minute run right before the end of the year. You beat out W., Karl Rove, Dick Cheney, thousands of terrorists, and all the other idiots of the world. You have now alienated ALL of your legal customers. Maybe you should pay attention to good business sense and start working on customer service.