Life in the City / JRN 112 Section 041
A thought provoking year for China
(Photo: Colour China Photo/ AP www.globeandmail.com)
Chloe So
October 2, 2008
Following the success of Shenzhou V and VI,
Astronaut Zhai Zhigang, who wore the nation’s first attempt of spacesuit, etched his name in history for his 15-minute spacewalk. The whole historic event of the landing was broadcasted live by the China Central Television. It was watched by the cheering crowds all over the nation on large outdoor television screens.
Being the third nation in the world to acquire the skills for space activity, Premier Wen Jiabao described it as an important milestone to the nation’s rise to become a world power.
Together with the success of hosting Olympic Games on Chinese soil this summer,
However, this year is not all good. The nation’s euphoria over the success of the two realized dreams is shadowed by a series of natural and man-made disasters.
From the snow storm in January to the deadly Sichuan Earthquake in May, the countless mine accidents to the recent tainted milk scandal, all these expose the weaknesses of
Last year, the Chinese government had already promised it would improve the food safety after exported pet food, cough medicine, toothpaste and toys made with toxic products sickened and killed pets and people in North and
The melamine-tainted milk has killed four babies and caused about 53,000 children sick in
Although the government quickly responded to the problem with extensive investigations, urging all companies to learn a lesson and strengthen the food safety systems, what are the measures to deal with the problem?
Also, a better
It’s time for the Chinese government to think about the directions for the difficulties and contradictions arisen from such a rapidly-changing society. Otherwise,
Posted at 07:37PM Oct 02, 2008. Last updated at 07:37PM Oct 02, 2008 by Kit Ying So in News | Comments[0]
Sky no longer the limit for China
Photo: Colour China Photo/AP
Sky no longer the limit for China
by Jesilou Tongio
October 1, 2008
Almost 51 years to the very day Sputnik made the Soviet Union the most advanced nation in space technology, the Chinese Shenzhou-7 spacecraft returned to earth Sunday after a successful mission that also included China's first ever spacewalk.
Mission commander Zhai Zhigang and fellow astronaut Liu Boming's historical spacewalk "was the latest milestone in an ambitious space programme which could one day rival past American and Russian missions in its rapid expansion," says David Smith of The Observer.
Half a century ago, the USSR launched Sputnik into orbit on October 4 1957, making the Russians the world leader in space exploration. This sparked the Space Race with the United States, leading to the Americans sending the first man to the moon in 1969.
Half a century ago, the Chinese were not even in the picture.
Now, however, you've got people saying China could one day rival the US and Russia as the world's leading nation in space exploration. But lately, it seems like China is surpassing the US as the world's leading nation, period.
On the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory, the character of Dr. Sheldon Cooper embodies the growing popularity of people desiring to learn Mandarin. And why shouldn't they? Twenty-one per cent of people in the world read Chinese while only 8.3 per cent read English.
Speaking the language of the world's most populous nation only opens the doors for people to be part of a market that has already been more of a dominating presence than the US market has.
Think about it. The Chinese have got a "Made in China" sticker on just about everything.
For example, the latest prototypes for the world's fastest electric car belong to Japan. The Eliica is said to be faster than a Porsche, but its battery is apparently too heavy and too expensive to produce. So where are they turning to for the cheapest, most compact lithium-ion batteries?
You guessed it: China.
Even Warren Buffet invested 10 per cent in a Chinese lithium-ion battery maker, BYD -- a company aiming to create its own battery-powered cars to sell to other automakers.
Clearly, China is changing the world's future... and they've got the stickers to prove it.
Sources used:
http://lechinois.com/toolsbox/howtolearn/whymandarin.html
http://www.engineeringamerica.org
Posted at 01:48AM Oct 02, 2008. Last updated at 09:32AM Oct 02, 2008 by Jesilou Tongio in News | Comments[0]
Angst or Rebellion?
(photo by Vesa Moilanen/AFP/Getty Images, courtesy of globeandmail.com)
Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008
By: Candis Nevardauskis
With school shootings on the rise it makes us wonder what or who is to blame. Were they hurt emotionally? Was a teacher unfair? What goes through a person's mind to bring them to the scary solution of suicide?
Maybe they are thinking about what will benefit them. They probably don’t think about the outcomes for everyone else involved. What I want to know is what are they thinking when they make this choice. This choice where they look inside themselves and decide that taking their life and the lives of others is their only answer.
The most recent example was last week at a vocational college in Kauhajoki, Finland when Matti Saari, 22, opened fire killing 10 people before shooting himself in the head. Can you believe that? 10 people! Surprisingly the crime was not targeted towards females considering the fact that eight of the victims were women.
I wonder if he was getting even with an institution he felt was unfair. Or, was there no one there to tell him it was going to be okay.
Sometimes I hear these
stories and I can’t help but wonder, what made their lives so bad? Honestly,
how can death ever be the answer?
I heard a
story a few years ago about a girl who was being bullied so badly at school
that she jumped off her apartment building. The girl was 11 years old. I
remember sitting down and thinking about what that poor girl must have been
thinking when she leapt to her release. She must have been petrified staring
over that edge. She probably ran their words over and over in her mind. What I
would have given to take both my arms and wrap them tight around her and tell
her that she matters. That if no one else is willing to give a damn, I am.
Sometimes people need to know there is a solution. Tell them rage isn’t the answer. Or are we just to busy to listen? Maybe we're all moving too fast.
Sources used:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080924.wfinnish_shooting0924/BNStory/International/
Posted at 01:31AM Oct 02, 2008. Last updated at 01:31AM Oct 02, 2008 by Candis Nevardauskis in News | Comments[0]
On Eggshells: The Road to Exoneration
Codi Wilson Photo: Pouya Dianat/AP Photo October 1, 2008 A peace sign is given outside the Georgia Department of Correctional Facilities in support of Troy Davis receiving justice. Davis' pursuit of getting his day in court has not gone unrecognized. I couldn't imagine the struggle. I can only relate on a much smaller scale; a rumour for instance. I can remember how terrible it felt to have a rumour spread about me and how much I wanted to people to know the truth. It is such that everywhere I would go I would need to know if a person was told the lie so that they could be set straight. A silly rumour with no factual basis can quite easily become a quest for exposing truth. But I suppose a moderately bruised ego and a death sentence are hardly comparable outcomes. Its strange how our justice system works sometimes. In some cases, it doesn't take much more than a rumour to condemn a man to death. Take Troy Davis for example. Davis was arrested on August 23rd, 1989 for the murder of a 27-year-old Savannah police officer. There was no physical evidence linking him to the crime. In fact there was a lone witness that placed him as the murderer and that was sufficient for a conviction despite testimony discrediting the witness.
His case received attention from U.S. Congressman John Lewis, Amnesty International, and former FBI director William Sessions among many others who approached the board to spare his life. The parole board received thousands of letters on
His new execution date was set for September 23rd, 2008. Many people rallied against the courts decision not to pardon Davis as there was insufficient evidence for the conviction. Two hours before his execution he was granted another stay-of-execution by the Supreme Court. It is unfortunate that miscarriages of justice happen as frequently as they do, but high-profile cases such as David Milgaard, Guy Paul Morran and Steven Truscott our all proof that our justice system can be corrected. Now whether or not Davis is guilty is unclear but it is that fundemental principle of "reasonable doubt" that keeps our society fighting for justice and truth in an imperfect system. 
more links...
Posted at 12:01AM Oct 02, 2008. Last updated at 12:13AM Oct 02, 2008 by Codianne Wilson in News | Comments[0]
Finland: Another School Shooting
Photo: Vesa Moilanen/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
By Marlee Kostiner
October 1, 2008
The image is just of candles, although, to me it’s not merely wax and fire. At the sight of the image of the memorial for the recent school shooting in Finland, I suddenly felt nausea creep up on me; I became nervous and anxious as my hands started shaking and my heart began to pound hard in my chest.
A photo like this wouldn’t have affected me the same way three years ago, but now I know – now I know what’s it’s like first-hand, and the image of these candles usher in a tidal wave of memories I wish I could forget.
I was attending Dawson College when the shooting happened two years ago – not only was I in school that day, but I was about 50 feet away from the shooter. I saw herds of students running and screaming; I saw blood, and I saw terror. I had to lay on the floor in the dark newspaper room where my fellow editors and I had been preparing to put out the next issue until we were yelled at by an unidentified voice to run – run as fast as we could.
I became totally and utterly obsessed with the news surrounding the shooting from the moment I got home that day. When I wasn’t plopped in front of the television screen I was on youtube; I literally sat in front of my computer for days on end and could not peel myself away from the bright screen and disturbing images. I numbly watched videos over and over until I finally lost it.
I was studying in the library at Dawson when the Virginia Tech shooting happened – I immediately turned on my laptop, plugged in my headphones and started to watch the news and youtube videos online – my heart raced, my palms were sweaty and I was shaking uncontrollably, but I had to find out every detail of what was happening. That shameful, addictive fixation I had felt not too long before crept back and I felt like I was in some sort of horrific time warp; every emotion came flowing back to me as if it were once again September 13th 2006.
Although it is now two years later, the exact same thing happens every time I hear about another shooting. When I saw the photograph of all the candles lined up in memoriam of the shooting in Finland my heart raced, my head spun and a lump formed in the back of my throat – I knew I had to write about it. I write about my experience with Dawson’s school shooting every moment I can because it seems to be quite therapeutic.
Although some might say that we have become desensitized to tragedy, I am definitely as sensitive as I ever was. I find it sad and disheartening that in order to have your heart strings pulled by tragedy, you may have had to experience it for yourself – it shouldn’t have to be that way, but I guess there’s no better way to truly understand.
Posted at 11:51PM Oct 01, 2008. Last updated at 12:17AM Oct 02, 2008 by Marlee Kostiner in News | Comments[0]
France Stays a Skinny-Mini, while Mexico Becomes Plus-Size
October 1, 2008 France Stays a Skinny-Mini, while Mexico Becomes Plus-Size Leigh McEachran
Photo: globeandmail.com Eric Feferberg/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
French Women Don’t Get Fat and either does French President Nicolas Sarkozy. What a good example of a healthy lifestyle by the President and First Lady Carla Bruni, a couple that jogs together stays together. While the French fights the flab, Mexicans are losing their battle with the bulge.
Mexico is second in line for the obesity throne, behind the United States. Ready to burn those “fat pants,” Mexico is trying to lose weight; working to lose two million pounds to be exact. According to the Mexican government, if the country fails, in 10 years Mexico will be the fattest country. Does Weight Watchers have a group discount?
Weight Watchers would certainly get a lot of new members, as 110 million Mexicans are overweight. Not to mention other health problems such as the 24 per cent increase in high blood pressure and a 31 per cent increase in Type 2 diabetes. Childhood obesity is increasing too, with an eight percent increase per year.
Weight loss projects in Mexico include: new sports facilities, nutritional education and healthier meal options in school.
So what can be blamed for the obesity crisis in Mexico? Sure, access to vehicles and watching more television doesn’t help, but the real culprit is tacos.
Well, not just tacos, although a delicious soft tortilla filled with beef, salsa, lettuce and cheese is hard to resist, but all Mexican cuisine.
The calories in Mexican cuisine are staggering: nachos are 1, 000 calories and beef fajitas are 1, 300 calories. The total calories for this starter and main course is the equivalent to all of the following items at McDonald’s:
-a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese and
-a Premium Crispy Chicken Club Sandwich and
-20 Chicken McNuggets and
-Sweet N’ Sour Sauce.
This must be the only case when McDonald’s has fewer calories per meal than Mom’s cooking. But if Mexicans really want to shed those pesky extra pounds, they should consider Japanese or Korean take-out as they are home to the world’s healthiest population.
So the next time there’s a Friday night dinner, consider opting for Pickle Barrel instead of Chipotle Mexican Grill, if you want to stay trim and slim that is.
Sources:
http://calorielab.com/restaurants/mcdonalds/
http://www.healthzone.ca/health/article/507997
http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/calories/calorie_content/tex_mex.htm
Posted at 02:12PM Oct 01, 2008. Last updated at 10:15AM Oct 02, 2008 by Leigh McEachran in News | Comments[0]
