Chinese Nationalism - Grace under fire

I am allergic to all forms of nationalism, be it Canadian, American, or Chinese nationalism. Here are some articles about some recent acts of Chinese Nationalism that alarmed me. In particular, the attack against Grace Wang (Qianyuan, 王千源), a Duke University Chinese student under attack.

• New Freedom, and Peril, in Online Criticism of China - WaPo
• Grace Wang and Chinese Nationalism - NYT Blog
• Grace Wang's home vandalized in China - Duke Chronicle (student paper at Duke where Grace is a student)
• Here is a NPR interview of Grace Wang on NPR - "Tibet Protests Stir Chinese Nationalism"
  
• Protests against French supermarket Carrefour spread
• France target of mass protests in China

And here is an excerpt from an insightful article written by Grace Wang in the Washington Post - "Caught in the Middle, Called a Traitor" (emphasis mine),

I study languages -- Italian, French and German. And this summer -- now that it looks as though I won't be able to go home to China -- I'll take up Arabic. My goal is to master 10 languages, in addition to Chinese and English, by the time I'm 30.

I want to do this because I believe that language is the bridge to understanding. Take China and Tibet. If more Chinese learned the Tibetan language, and if Tibetans learned more about China, I'm convinced that our two peoples would understand one another better and we could overcome the current crisis between us peacefully. I feel that even more strongly after what happened here at Duke University a little more than a week ago.

Trying to mediate between Chinese and pro-Tibetan campus protesters, I was caught in the middle and vilified and threatened by the Chinese. After the protest, the intimidation continued online, and I began receiving threatening phone calls. Then it got worse -- my parents in China were also threatened and forced to go into hiding. And I became persona non grata in my native country.

It has been a frightening and unsettling experience. But I'm determined to speak out, even in the face of threats and abuse. If I stay silent, then the same thing will happen to someone else someday.

So here's my story.

When I first arrived at Duke last August, I was afraid I wouldn't like it. It's in the small town of Durham, N.C., and I'm from Qingdao, a city of 4.3 million. But I eventually adjusted, and now I really love it. It's a diverse environment, with people from all over the world. Over Christmas break, all the American students went home, but that's too expensive for students from China. Since the dorms and the dining halls were closed, I was housed off-campus with four Tibetan classmates for more than three weeks.

I had never really met or talked to a Tibetan before, even though we're from the same country. Every day we cooked together, ate together, played chess and cards. And of course, we talked about our different experiences growing up on opposite sides of the People's Republic of China. It was eye-opening for me. [...]

Some people on the Chinese side started to insult me for speaking English and told me to speak Chinese only. But the Americans didn't understand Chinese. It's strange to me that some Chinese seem to feel as though not speaking English is expressing a kind of national pride. But language is a tool, a way of thinking and communicating. [...]

The next morning, a storm was raging online. Photographs of me had been posted on the Internet with the words "Traitor to her country!" printed across my forehead. Then I saw something really alarming: Both my parents' citizen ID numbers had been posted. I was shocked, because this information could only have come from the Chinese police.

I saw detailed directions to my parents' home in China, accompanied by calls for people to go there and teach "this shameless dog" a lesson. It was then that I realized how serious this had become. My phone rang with callers making threats against my life. It was ironic: What I had tried so hard to prevent was precisely what had come to pass. And I was the target.
[read the rest of the article]

Grace, your levelheadedness is truly a breath of fresh air and I really admire you and your family for being so brave. I hope some reasons will get into the head of the fen qing (angry youth), internet mob, and the people that have been threatening your and your family's safety.

Nursery University - Hot Doc by Lawyer Marc Simon

An interest interview at WSJ Law Blog.

Links: 2008-04-18

1. Chinese ship carries arms cargo to Mugabe regime - this is just terrible
2. Hedge fund managers reap billions amid slump
3. Starving Cancer - with video
4. NAB snapshot: “Flying-Cam”
5. RED Scarlet 3K camcorder, James Cameron on the future of digital cinema
6. Guardian: The value of Jeff Jarvis’ blog

Watching Plane Paint Dry

It is actually interesting to see how they do it — painting a plane! Would love to hear a technician explain the process. (smile) [via OpenSkies blog]

The making of a Pulitzer winning photo

A video and story behind the making of a Pulitzer winning photo.

Dalai Lama - Golden Period

Here is a link to 43 minutes long and insightful video interview with the Dalai Lama by Ann Curry for NBC Nightly News (transcript included). Great job Ann. (emphasis added)

ANN CURRY:

China says you're not helpless. China blames you for it. (LAUGHTER) It calls you, "A wolf in monk's clothes. A devil with a human face. A terrorist." Are you a terrorist?

DALAI LAMA:

(LAUGHTER) You should judge. (LAUGHS) Is sometimes you see uh the wolf with Buddhist robe during Cultural Revolution, now these words is used. So, now again, you see they use these uh also they-- these old words. Okay, doesn't matter. But one thing I really consider is-- (SNIFF) uh because of official propaganda, millions of innocent Chinese in mainland China, who have no sort of, I would call access to know through sort of third information or some more, I think realistic information. uh they're only relying, they have to rely on their own, how to say, government sources. So, if those innocent Chinese, very sincere Chinese brothers, sisters-- millions of these people really feel-- how-- is something uh demon. (LAUGHS) Then I feel really sad. But otherwise no problem. Whatever you call me-- people call me-- I'm still a human being. (LAUGHTER) I'm still a simple Buddhist monk, and that's all. No problem. And in fact, as a Buddhist practitioner, this is-- now, this is real sort of test period that I sincerely practicing, sort of Buddhist teaching. Teaching of compassion, tolerance, and these things. If because of such sort of circumstances, if I lose my temper, heated. Then that means I'm not really sincere Buddhist practitioner. So, these are for practitioners, (UNINTEL PHRASE) Golden Period.

ANN CURRY:

A Golden Period?

DALAI LAMA:

Uh-huh (AFFIRM).

ANN CURRY:

Is this a period in which you are, as the Chinese government says, did you or your government encourage any of these protests in Tibet, in London, in Paris--

DALAI LAMA:

No.

ANN CURRY:

--in San Francisco?

DALAI LAMA:

No.

P.S. I applaud NBC for posting the full 43 minutes interview online. I hope CBC, CTV, and other news media in Canada will post more full length interviews online.

Tales of a Chinese Purchaser, Episode 9 (買手的故事, 第9集)

In episode 9, we talk about

• The decision of moving from small production CNC (Computer Numerical Control) to larger production quantity tooling (決定由小生產的CNC （電腦數值控制）轉用較大生產量的工具)
• The process of including new suppliers for larger production (為大量生產找新的供應商
• Sending out Request for Quotation (RFQ) (發送請求競標)
• The price differences between high-end original supplier and lower-end supplier (高檔原供應商與低檔供應商的價格差異)

You can click here to listen to episode 9 of the program in mp3 (or you can download or stream the program here).

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Program Info:

My friend Simon has worked as a Hong Kong-based purchaser for over 30 years before his retirement. Simon has agreed to record a series of Chinese audio shows/podcasts call “Tales of a Chinese Purchaser 買手的故事“ to share his years of experiences and insights in purchasing and working with Chinese factories.

(Note: This program has been recorded in the Cantonese dialect.)

Beijing Olympics Water Trouble

From TorStar, "Beijing Games water policy troubling",

"There's just no water," she [Fan Xiangnu, straight-talking grandmother of 63] says bluntly, squinting into the sunshine. "So there's no wheat."

As she speaks, just 300 metres away a legion of labourers is hard at work building a broad canal to transport desperately needed water supplies.

But the canal won't supply her family – or those of the other parched peasants in this community.

Instead, the canal will take 300 million cubic metres of Hebei's remaining waters and rush them some 300 kilometres north to Beijing.

It's all part of the national effort to prepare for the Olympic Games.

The central government wants Beijing green and gleaming come August.

Green and gleaming it will be – even if it means others may have to go without.

A government slogan painted on a nearby wall trumpets the goal, urging everyone to support the project to "guarantee a secure water supply for the Olympics."

Links: 2008-04-12

1. Scrabulous - Scrabbling for Legal Rationalism: No Copyright for Games - a nice legal analysis
2. Stars and their silent partners - Production co. co-toppers keep slates on track
3. IBM Research Spins ‘Racetrack’ Nano-Magnetic Memory
4. really cute video of Contortionist octopus. [via Marc]
5. CJR: Dave Marash: Why I Quit [Al Jazeera International] [via Richard]
6. WSJ Law Blog: Chinese Blogger Sentenced to 3-1/2 Years for Subversion, Libel
7. WSJ Law Blog: Administration Declassifies 2003 Torture Memo

Ted Turner on Charlie Rose

Very interesting and insightful chat between Ted Turner and Charlie Rose. [Hat tip: Byron]

Funny Business with Carmen Stockton - part 1

I love all kinds of good comedies and I’ve always been curious about how comedies are created and the working of stand-up comedies as a business. I am excited and lucky that Calgary-based comedian Carmen Stockton has kindly agreed to help me to look into the funny business of stand-up comedy. (You can see a clip of Carmen’s comedy on Comedy Central here.)

In the beginning of this creative journey of cooperation with Carmen, l want to get to know more about her and we ended up chatting for 2 hours on and off camera.

In Part-1a, Carmen and I talked about many things including,

* Carmen’s idol, the funny comedian Gilda Radner. (Check out Gilda’s “Lets Talk Dirty to The Animals” bit and her bit with Steve Martin.)

* How Carmen started doing comedy. Her trouble of doing “comedy” in class in grade 9 and what happened when the teacher found out.

* Her marriage, at 19, to a vacuum cleaner salesman with a lazy eye.

* Her first two shows - Rubberneckin’ (1993) and Afterthoughts (1995).

* And her leaving comedy behind (she thought at the time) after two years at that point and became a hair dresser.

In Part-1b, we talked about many things including,

* Carmen’s treasured comedy bag with all her notes, notebooks and ideas for her show. A look inside Carmen’s comedic mind.

* The material for CBC Comedy Festival in 2007. And how she created the show.

* Carmen showed the working notes that helped her remember the flow of each and every joke in the show. She walked through a three-minute joke in particular and gave us some interesting insight. (Note: This joke is in the Comedy Central clip.)

* Talked about the use of teleprompter in telecast performance.

* The poodle (Carmen’s step-mom) segment.

* Writing lots and lots as many jokes will never work.

In Part-1c, Carmen and I talked about many things including,

* The story of her comedy bit “Jesus Christ Carmen”.

* Carmen’s style of slow-burn comedy. A story teller of dry humour.

* The stories of Carmen’s four trips to LA to try to be a comedian there. [K: Very honest and insightful.]

* The logistic of a Canadian comic working in the US (especially in recent years).

* What bought Carmen back to Calgary from her most recent 2-year stay in LA?

* Coming back to become a comedian once again after 6.5 months of being a hair dresser.

* Carmen talks about her up-coming trip away to just write her new 45-minute show call Waiting to Exist. The general structure of the show.

Check out this 2003 Globe and Mail article about Carmen.

By the way, after doing the researches, chatting with Carmen, and watching some of Carmen’s clips and performances, I have quickly become a fan of her. She has worked so hard. I wish Carmen will have a creative and fruitful trip in creating some wonderful comedy in the next few weeks. It has truly been my pleasure to be in this creative journey of cooperation with Carmen to look into the funny business of comedy.

P.S. Special thanks to my friend Christine Cheung for connecting me to Carmen.

*******

Carmen Stockton Bio

Carmen’s comedic career began in 1993 when she wrote, produced and starred in her first one-woman show Rubberneckin’. This was a love story for the ages; the haunting tale of her falling head over heals in love with a rubber sex doll. In 1995 the curtain rose on her second show Afterthoughts, the lighthearted look back on her not-quite-forever-marriage to a lazy eyed vacuum cleaner salesman. In 1998 Carmen took her unique comedic voice into the world of stand up comedy. She won the Yuk Yuk’s new talent competition in 1999 and during that same year was invited to perform at the prestigious Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. She has twice been featured on CBC’s nationally broadcast radio program Madly Off In All Directions in 2001 and 2003. In 2004 Carmen drew critical acclaim for her Canadian television debut for the CBC Comedy Festival and was invited back to film another gala in March of 2007 (airdate tba). In 2005 she made her American television debut for Comedy Central’s Premium Blend. After living in Los Angeles for the past few years, Carmen has come home to Canada…plastic surgery free and is now feverishly working on her new show Waiting To Exist scheduled to delight audiences in Spring of 2008.

Canadian Stars fight Bill C-10

From CBC report (with video),

Members of Canada's film and television industry are on Parliament Hill Thursday to voice their concerns over a proposed bill that would give the government the power to deny tax credits to productions it considers offensive.

Canadian filmmaker Sarah Polley, actress Wendy Crewson and Brian Anthony, CEO of the Directors Guild of Canada, are among those appearing before the Senate committee on banking, trade and commerce, asking for changes to Bill C-10, an omnibus bill proposing a host of amendments to the Income Tax Act.

"These clauses are an attack on freedom of expression and will destroy film financing in Canada," Crewson said in a news conference ahead of her presentation.

It will cause TV and film producers havoc if the tax credits can be retroactively withdrawn as financing risk will simply to too high for investors to invest and banks to make loans or interim financing available.

Christmas in April

What is new? (big sigh)

City of Calgary
8:13 AM MDT Thursday 10 April 2008
Snowfall warning for City of Calgary issued

10 to 15 cm of snow this morning.

An intense and very localized snow storm has positioned itself over Calgary. Amounts of 10 to 15 cm can be expected before the snow tapers off later this morning. Areas just to the east and north of Calgary may also receive amounts of 5 to 10 cm.

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See CBC report "Calgary slogs through slippery, snowy commute".

Space technologies stay in Canada (for now)

Hot off the press from Globe and Mail (April 10, 2 AM EST) "Ottawa rejects space firm's sale to U.S.". (Note: also see my earlier blog entry about this sale and a link to a legal opinion.)

OTTAWA — The federal government has said no to selling Canada's leading space company to U.S. interests, concluding that the deal would not be in the best interests of the country, The Globe and Mail has learned.

Industry Minister Jim Prentice made the decision to issue an initial rejection of the deal on Tuesday, when he wrote a letter to the potential buyer, Alliant Techsystems Inc. of Edina, Minn., that said the takeover of MDA Corp. would not provide a “net benefit” to Canada.

Under Canada's investment-review law, the company has 30 days to make new arguments to the minister, and Mr. Prentice must then confirm his rejection. But Mr. Prentice's move signals his intention to take the unprecedented step of blocking a major corporate takeover, in an issue that has been fraught with controversy as opponents argued that the sale of MDA could impair Canadian sovereignty.

A spokesman for Mr. Prentice, Bill Rodgers, confirmed Wednesday that the note had been sent, but he was unable to provide further details. When contacted by The Globe and Mail Wednesday night, Alliant officials responded with a two-sentence statement that indicated that they are not willing to declare the deal dead. [...]

The proposed sale of MDA Corp.'s Information Systems Unit has raised nationalist sentiment and fears that Canada could lose control of the data from Radarsat-2 in a dispute over Arctic sovereignty. [K: I agree the Radarsat-2 data has an important role in our national interest and won't trust any US companies (which has to follow US government directives in case of national security related issues). At the same time, I reject the unfair negative implication associated with using words like "nationalist sentiment".] Alliant, also called ATK, is a U.S. weapons and space contractor. The systems unit is responsible for most of MDA's operations and 1,900 employees. [...]

Some of the staunchest criticisms came from within the Conservative Party. Tory MP Art Hanger voiced sharp concerns, and Conservatives on the Commons industry committee treated the sale with skepticism.

One Conservative MP, speaking on condition he not be named, said the sale had raised a surprising backlash among Canadians, who saw it as a point of pride being peddled to the United States – which might possibly use it against Canada's claim to Arctic waters.

I think Minister Prentice did the right thing here in rejecting the sale.

*******

Update: See report by CBC (with video report) and Reuters.

Olympic Torch - A beacon of light on Chinese Human Rights, Tibet, etc.

Few days ago I spent sometime talking to Calgarian Ralph Maclean, a Hong Kong veteran who fought for Hong Kong in the Canadian army during the Second World War. In fact, Ralph was captured by the Japanese army and became POW for 3 years and 7 months. His love of Hong Kong has continued to this day and he actually visited HK in recent years and was part of a HK-made documentary about that war and these HK vets.

The reason of my chat with Ralph was that he was really upset and disappointed of what he saw how the Chinese government has mistreated the Tibetans and jailed other innocent Human Rights activists in China. He read this article “Olympics? I will not run, jump or dive in China” and wanted to hear our thoughts on it. So I called Ralph to share with him my thoughts.

I told Ralph that, in my humble opinion, having the Olympics in Beijing and the torch relay around the world can actually bring some unintended but needed attentions to Chinese Human Rights problems, the Tibet stalemate, and even Chinese investment in Sudan (which indirectly prolong the genocide in Darfur). The protests in London, Paris, and today in San Francisco created an unprecedented international platform to focus on, I repeat, Chinese Human Rights problems, the Tibet stalemate, and even Chinese investment in Sudan.

Membership to World Trade Organization, host country of the Olympics, de facto “Factory of the World”, etc are achievements that the Chinese should be proud of. At the same time, it is about time the Chinese government also starts to respect human rights, helping to halt the genocide in Darfur, etc.

I can write more but I should stop now and end with a crowd-shot London protest video clip and an excerpt from Telegraph.

Here is an excerpt from Telegraph.

Sebastian Coe, the chairman of the London Olympic Committee, has described the Chinese officials guarding the Olympic torch as “thugs”, piling more embarrassment onto the Games’ organisers. [...]

Lord Coe made the comments as a member of Channel 4 News staff was attempting to contact him over the telephone and they were accidentally connected via the switchboard to a private conversation.

“They tried to push me out of the way three times. They are horrible. They did not speak English … I think they were thugs,” he said.

In a statement, Channel 4 News said: “By chance Channel 4 News had attempted to contact Lord Coe’s press office via their switchboard and was accidentally connected to the conversation he was having with a colleague, a 2012 press officer Jackie Brock Doyle.”