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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
 Posted - 02/06/2010 : 20:56:25
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| Yesterday we visited Prince Edward Peace Park, just on the outskirts of Toronto. It was the first time I saw Marple trees. Perhaps I have passed them by a few times without recognising them. It is interesting to note that the way they tapped their marple syrup was similar to how we tapped our rubber trees. Marple syrup was a little too sweet for me, and they liked to add it in some of their confectioneries and food, which don't really taste better. This park in in the vicinity of Richmond, a suberb where lots of chinese lived, and lots of chinese shops (selling ginseng, chinese herbs) and restaurants.In Canada you could purchase openly pirated copies of any Chinese movies at $C2 each. Foot reflexology, massages, incl erotic ones, are openly advertised. A hair cut for men at the shopping centre is around C$28; about C$15 just below my daughter's rented apartment; but cost about C$6 at China town! My daughter go shopping frequently with her mother, buying her many new dresses and bag. I spend most of my time reading in the bookstores while waiting for them. I like the bookstores here, lots of books on any topic, and they are not expensive. In the evening we had our dinner with my friend (a Malaysian who migrated here from Australia decades ago) and her daughter at a local Chinese restaurant. We have our first taste of giant lobster, cooked in four different ways. It was really excellent. |
Edited by - k.h. on 09/06/2010 09:19:42 |
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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2010 : 06:39:11
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| Today, my daughter purchased a day-pass at C$10 each so that we could travel around the city via the Street Car ( electric tram) for the whole day. It would cost C2.50 per trip up any Street Car otherwise. We visited the Harbour Front, Toronto Tower, and the famous musical garden. On entering the Garden, I was expecting some music being played, but, we had to rent their tape at C$6 each, played it in our ears as we strolled thru its path, imagined passing thru the Redwoods, with sounds of breeze, water and the chirping of birds, liked in Prelude 1 etc. Frankly, I am not much musically inclined or aestheically imaginative.We visited the old St. Lawrence church, Market, and the magnificent looking City Hall, despite the rain. |
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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
Posted - 05/06/2010 : 00:44:36
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Last night we had dinner with my daughter and their colleague from SGH. It appeared that Singapore is sending out a lot of their medical specialists, across all specialities and their sub, irrespective of ethinic origin or even nationality, for further training or update overseas. Some will stay as long as 1 1/2 years, others as short as few months. They will get their basic salaries, plus allowances, depending on duration of stay. Our MOH would find it difficult to match, mainly of colored problem. The buffet dinner, "all you can eat", at the Japanese Restaurant cost C$20 each, with about 13 % taxes and another 10 -15% tips. It's really value for money.
This morning, I send my grand daughter to Day Care, lessons start from about 9 am till 5pm. There is no formal teaching there, but the todler has picked up a lot of English, and can converse well. The Day Care there catered for staff of Power Generation Dept, and offered to outsiders if there's extra vacancies, paying about C $ 1 K p.m. They were divided into different age groups, about 6 pupils to a teacher. Outdoor activities twice a day, with field trips to the museum, library, police, fire stations, or farm. My grand daughter has just "graduated" from her kinder ballet, with lessons once every Saterday, and instead of a certificate, they held a concert for parents. In contrast to ours, education here is more broad based. The advantage is it prepared graduate and post graduate students with a more balanced outlook; its disadvantage is students can become too lax and easy going, and may not be as focus as our students. Parents must be aware of what kind of children they wish to provide their children. Too much academic with too little street smartness? I bought a new book at the University of Toronto Bookstore titled "Optimal Parenting" by Ba Luvmour, 2006, at C$2! It is quite an interesting book.
I think Education in Canada is free from Kindergarten onwards. Children under 8 years are paid C$500 each per month , thereafter, C300 plus until 18 years old. Old age pensioner for a couple could reach almost C$2K per month. In other words, they could migrate here, and spend their pension money in their home country, esp during the cold winter months. Hospital care is also free, or almost free. Maternity leave is almost a year and paid; there is also a shorter paternity leave. Despite all these benefits, one still observe quite a few able bodied beggers in the streets. Toronto is full of varied nationalities, lots of Indians, Chinese, and a fair number of Filipinoes working in the restaurants. Despite this, there is NO racialism here (at least much less than in Australia and UK), and people are generally very friendly.
It is just common sense that many students wish to stay behind here rather than return to their home country where there is much discrimination. For those who remained at home, it is sometimes a wonder why they wish to stay behind? For the many who qualified, the whole family could migrate here. Often the academic qualification at home is not recognised here, but, for the young, it is really not difficult to start anew. Sure it can't be just the Char Koay Tiaw, BKT etc. You get equally good food here. This concept of Home is more emotional than really rational/logical. Perhaps many are waiting for home politics to improve, but the longer one waits for progress, the more we observe the sliding ... Of course, age will be a de-motivating factor. Perhaps we need to learn more about migration and its implication.
We are packing to go home tomorrow. My daughter and her family will be back before this September. This is a truly beautiful and lucky country.
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Edited by - k.h. on 05/06/2010 05:18:57 |
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maggiespk
Verbose member
Malaysia
1613 Posts |
Posted - 08/06/2010 : 18:37:57
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KH, nice to read about your Canadian experience.
Hope to visit that country one day.... |
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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
Posted - 09/06/2010 : 10:00:33
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Maggie,
The Canadian Rockiers ,the Butchard Garden at Victoria Island, Vancourer, and Niagara Fall are worthy of visit. It was very pleasant to track around those beautiful lakes, gorges, canyons. Unlike me, you need to bring along proper attire and boots, and be physically fit. Lake Louise is much prettier than Jiu Sai Ko, Tibet, China, in sense of lesser pollution, better tracks for hikers, and much more spacious to move around, with eco-friendly toilets and good restaurants, and lodges to stay. Despite the snow and rain in the Rockies, my grand daughter was so happy there.
The restaurants around these National Park provide excellent cusine; a 20 oz beef, with generous amount of salads, cost only C$38 at Truffle Pig Cafe, Kicking Horse River, 10 mins drive from Yoho National Park. (I was told that in some restaurants in the city, if you could consume a 70 oz steak, with all the salads and potatoes, it's a free dinner! That is, if you could walk out alive.) Many of these places have free internet or WIFI servcies.
At Canmore (this small town was surrounded by Rockies on almost all sides), not far from Benn National Park, we rented a two- room apartment with kitchen (equipped with oven, microwave, utensils, wash disher, washing machines and dryer, two plasma TV, two king-sized beds, with musical showers, jet massagers in every directions and jacusi and bath. I think I have seen such showers/bath/jacusi in either KL or Singapore, but have never personally bathed in one. It's a novelty, and hell wastage of water, but its fun for beginners. It cost only C$300 per day. The Children's pool was fun. with warm water.
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Edited by - k.h. on 10/06/2010 09:52:32 |
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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
Posted - 10/06/2010 : 10:29:59
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While in Canada, my daughter loved to go shopping with her mother. Fortunately, they shopped the whole day, but bought only a few items. Ladies appeared to have craze on designer bags and shoes etc. There was a 50% discount on watches, and she also wished to buy one for me, but I rejected the offer, for I disliked throwing away my old watch. Time from my watch might not be as accurate now, but it mattered little, for I spent most of my time in the clinic or home anyway. Time is not so important for me now, except for the airport or for keeping appointments. (Despite this, I am always punctual). Frankly I have little interest in shopping centres, except in the bookshops. (Indigo Bookstores appeared to be a popular name in Canada.) These bookshops are usually large, full of books and titles, but patronage appeared lesser than I have seen in Singapore. There are comfortable seats for you to read, and they are opened almost daily from 9.00am till 9 pm. I saw an e-book on display there, but it's not attrative enough for me to purchase, not user friendly enough to read from it. Books here are relatively cheap. At the university of Toronto, many good books went on sale, and I bought almost a dozen; very heavy to carry indeed.( In our return trip home, we carried back a little more than 100 kg luggage for both; 23 kg x 4, plus hand-carried, without extra charge. There are my daughter's winter clothing and books.) One of them on parenting cost only C$2 ; fancy a hot dog outside the campus sold at C$2.50 each!
The range of food (and restaurants) available in Canada are excellent; you don't really miss any.The Chinese market here catered to all your need, incl Thai durian at C$5.50 per lb! Mangoesteen are available too. We cook sometimes, even in our travel in the Rockies, if there is a proper kitchen. Perhaps the only think that I miss is a good cuppo of local coffee from kopitian; the Expresso would do, but it lasted only a mouthful, and at such high price. You see a wide range of beef, pork, sea products, fruits and vegetables, but hardly see lamb available even in big super markets, except at special shops e.g. St. Lawrence Market.
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Edited by - k.h. on 10/06/2010 10:58:33 |
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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2010 : 15:48:57
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Mr. Chua's Datukship was taken away. Was it because he joined the opposition party? Well, another Chua kept his titles, despite involved in scandals. It thus appeared that joining the opposition was a greater sin in this country. Though I am not in sync with any party's political philosophy (I doubt they have any at all), but it is every citizen's right for such freedom. However, no one could ever robbed my datukship , and it came natural, without commerce or conferred by another. Yet our politicians and business people are forever crazy about such titles.The honorific were becoming horrific for the unworthy ones, for at best, they deserved our smirk rather than respect. Respect has to be gained, not bestowed by another. And who cares, for this is the world where money talks and walkes in strange ways .... Never mind how many times we pray.
As a parent and grand parent, how am I to teach my children and grand children about family and social values? It appeared that all I need is for them to get an "A" for Morals in their examination, irrespective of their character and conduct.
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Edited by - k.h. on 13/06/2010 10:04:39 |
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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
Posted - 13/06/2010 : 10:44:47
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Last night I watched Samuel Jackson's DVD: "UNTHINKABLE". A nuclear expert and a self radicalised new convert turned into a terorist who desired to "right" US obnoxious foregin policies. He placed three bombs (nuclear, C4 or hoax) in three separate locations, and threatened to detonate them if his demands were not met within three days. Infact one C4 exploded and killed 53 people in a supermarket. One FBI agent (acted as a goodie) and a special "cruel interrogator" were invovled in the atttempting to crack down the new convert to reveal the locations of his bombs. The triangular power tussle was ruthless, for more innocent could have died. Not only the torture and interrogation were "unthinkable", but his innocent wife was killed cold blooded infront of him, and his two equally innocent children's lives were threathened. The issue of "Human Rights", esp for an American citizen, stood on trial. How did this balance with potential countless victims? Despite the evil, we saw love; and we saw hypocrisy in such love too. The question of right or wrong, proper or improper become fuzzy. Morality become "unthinakable"; so was the outcome. What would happen if this self radicalised intellectual was without a family? And, infact most of them were willing to sacrifice their own blood and flesh for greater "good".
Did this new convert really understood his own old religion, and his new belief? Much as we disliked, did he really understood big power politics, esp foreign affairs? Was his education broad based enough for him to avoid "extreme" and tread on a "Middle Path"? And even this "middle path" need frequent adjustment to avoid being extremes again.
http://www.answers.com/topic/unthinkable-2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN3dYlaiFq0 |
Edited by - k.h. on 14/06/2010 20:00:22 |
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ngchmd
Verbose member
Malaysia
1981 Posts |
Posted - 13/06/2010 : 15:37:55
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quote:
Originally posted by k.h.
Last night I watched Samuel Jackson's DVD: "UNTHINKABLE". A nuclear expert and a self radicalised new convert turned into a terorist who desired to "right" US obnoxious foregin policies. He placed three bombs (nuclear, C4 or hoax) in three separate locations, and threatened to detonate them if his demands were not met within three days. Infact one C4 exploded and killed 53 people in a supermarket. One FBI agent (acted as a goodie) and a special "cruel interrogator" were invovled in the atttempting to crack down the new convert to reveal the locations of his bombs. The triangular power tussle was ruthless, for more innocent could have died. Not only the torture and interrogation were "unthinkable", but his innocent wife was killed cold blooded infront of him, and his two equally innocent children's lives were threathened. The issue of "Human Rights", esp for an American citizen, stood on trial. How did this balance with potential countless victims? Despite the evil, we saw love; and we saw hypocrisy in such love too. The question of right or wrong, proper or improper become fuzzy. Morality become "unthinakable"; so was the outcome. What would happen if this self radicalised intellectual was without a family? And, infact most of them were willing to sacrifice their own blood and flesh for greater "good".
Did this new convert really understood his own old religion, and his new belief? Much as we disliked, did he really understood big power politics, esp foreign affairs? Was his education broad based enough for him to avoid "extreme" and tread on a "Middle Path"? And even this "middle path" need frequent adjustment to avoid being extremes again.
This film examined an extreme situation when "what was usually wrong was right" and "what was usually right was wrong".  
ngchmd
"Cintai-lah Malaysia, negara kita."
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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
Posted - 15/06/2010 : 11:23:47
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Dear Dr. Ng,
Thank you for your response, but I beg to differ from your statement:
"This film examined an extreme situation when "what was usually wrong was right" and "what was usually right was wrong".
That statement was still within the realm of "thinkable"; or we were attempting a "thinkable" solution out of the "unthinkable". It would still be attached to morality or conduct of good or bad; it would be blaming or blamable. Samuel Jackson in his movie had given us a dilemma in a conundrum. When H pressured Yusoff or Younger to reveal his 4th bomb, at the threat of killing both his children, he chosed to "swallow" his own bullet. His death or silence would not betrayed his faith, and he "trusted" the destiny of his children to his enemies! At least he need not have to "think" a way out of danger for them. The visa for his family to travel to Arab countries was rejected, and I was unaware of any reasons given for that. The 4th bomb (perhaps a nuclear device)was set to detonate in 2012! The FBI ageent was abled to play the role of "goodie" because H helped her to play that role, so that he could played his role more ferociously and effectively. We were shown that each had their humane side, no matter how evil their individual expertise was called to do what they were supposed to perform.
How about 5 th or 6th bombs etc, for more of Yusoff would appear, as long as there were injustices (whether real or perceived) in this world, and as long as religion did not evolved out of politics. Such malaise of "modernity" was co-created by perhaps all of us.
If you have time, read the history of Islam and other religions, and you might find how humanity become caught in its own making. We are chasing a double mirage - the illusion of western democracy and the illusion of religious freedom or spirituality. If we care to put more thinking along these lines, the "unthinkable" might slowly dissolved. And we could "think" again!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQdGBu4biWU
http://as.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470841168.html
http://www.killingtrain.com/chasingamiragereview |
Edited by - k.h. on 15/06/2010 15:30:41 |
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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
Posted - 19/06/2010 : 11:53:09
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For the past two days, the e-New Strait Times reported the arrest of foreign terrorists leaders recruiting members from our local varsities. In the past, under the pretext of coming here to study, they came to solicit fund; now they were recruiting and breeding their JI and other terrorist groups.
http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/Noentryto_terror_students/Article/
Our students could fall easy prey to these "erudite" fundamentalist, for they hardly read anything outside their prescribed text - only less than 3 books per year, and God knows what sort of things they were reading. Even in my short travel, I had read more than that.
Our education system, with its persistent emphasis on scoring As in exam. does not encourage our students to develop reading habits outside their text, and even that, they hardly querry at all. This is the same even in our religious indoctrination (rather than teaching and learning).
"Despite the peaceful foundation of global monotheistic religion", we must inevitably asked oneself, "How can those who ascribe to peaceful beliefs suspend their own moral foundation to beat the drum of war?"
That quotation came from, "Conflict and Conciliation" by Jason Daverth.
http://www.ecumenics.ie/wp-content/uploads/clash_of_civilisations__building_alternative_futures1.doc
The short write up was excellent, whether you are theist or atheist, for it teaches about resposnibility and tolerance, esp in a multi-cultural and multi religious country liked ours.
Currently I am reading 2 - 3 books at the same time; I meant I read a chapter or less of a book, then skipped to another book likewise.
"Chasing A Mirage: The Tragic Illusion of An Islamic State" by Tarek Fatah is an interesting book, but please read the book review quoted above. The State of Islam and Islamic State was something that I learned to differentiate. And, irrespective of our own belief system or non belief, we learn to respect others' belief, and hopefully they aceept others as well. It is not always easy when one is in a pre-dominant position, for we all love peace.
"Guilt: The Bite of Conscience" by Herant Katchadourian, 2010, Stanford University Press, is a very impressive multi-disciplinary approached book for the lay. Religion is often connected with guilt and violence, and this is a book that helps to understand that part of human nature.
Happy reading.
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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
Posted - 25/06/2010 : 12:40:42
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So those idiots (because they were mis-educated in their varsities) desired to blow up Batu Caves & Keh Lok See Temple, Penang! And what would they achieved? More civil strife and conflict among the races would not attract more people to their camp; not even their own kind. I think they have read their religious books upside down. Maybe they would chase a few more to migrate; and even Malays are seen in large numbers in Perth. They, liked all parents, also worried about their children's education and social security.
In the last few days, the media showed that most people would now preferred to migrate to Canada, not just the usual Hongkies, Indians and Sri Lankans, but also Chinese from China, and even Americans. Canada, being the world's second largest country, in geographic sense, with a population of 33 million only, and full of natural resources. They are currently host to G20 meeting; they were strangely among the original G8 (with Italy), but their economies were not big enough. Their social welfare, health and education are excellent and socialistic, and are positive factors for migration. One of my lawyer friend, with 5 daughters, have migrated there. Imagine the amount of money collected every month! (C$500 p m for under 8; C$350 pm for under 18; pensioner C$1K; education and health services free) However, their winters are very cold, and went into sub-zeros. And, if you stayed too long at home without many relates, not difficult to get into winter depression! Of course, with such hand-out, they usually spend their winter in their respective home country, with a conversion rate of several times. However, don't forget they also have earth quakes (recent one was only 5; but Vancourer Island had scale of 9 and 7.5 few times); and tornadoes.
Their tax is heavy, up to 40%; lots of sales taxes, and tipping at 10 - 15 % minimum.
When we travelled there by Cathay Pacific/Air Canada via HK in May, the return journey to Toronto was only Rm4200 each. This morning, I asked my travel agent, the current tariff was Rm7700, before tax, and packed! I think it is Rm $ 5500 (incl tax) via Amsterdam, with few hours of waiting at Airport! It appeared that people have returned back to Canada from their original home, when the weather was much warmer now.
The last few days, I have read "Rivals: How the Power Struggle between China, India And Japan will shape our next decade" by Bill Emmott. Interesting reading. Here is a summary written by the author himself.:
http://www.billemmott.com/summary.php
I am currently reading: "Immigrants: Your country needs them" by
Philippe Legrain, 2007, Abacus.
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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
Posted - 29/06/2010 : 09:51:12
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June was a very eventful month.
First, the PM was given a new p***y. The tender was called to give this canine a name. "Naming" in this country is liked a war exercise. Despite this, many of our younger doctors cracked their heads to give "it" a name; beginning with A for ...; B for .... And they have yet to reach a consensus. You see, how difficult for people to see eye to eye. They called it "brain storming". Nevertheless, Malaysia and Singapore have finally agreed to solve the problem of the Railway Land. Infact, there's no real problem with land; there's only problem with recalcitrant people and fixated ideas.
Few days ago I called my daughter in Toronto to enquire about their safety. They had just experienced a tremor on their 16th floor an apartment building in the city of Toronto. There was no reported injury or building collapse; it's only 5 scale. The G20 meeting was held not far from their residence, esp the "legitimate" protest was only a street or two from where they lived and worked. Protest is part of our democratic processes, but when "legitimacy" turned into looting, burning and violence, even Canada could not tolerate it. They arrested 500 odd people. Had this happened in China, the western media would have blown it out of context, and demanded "human rights" protection. I could not help thinking that many of these people were "professional protesters", or they were people who required violent release of their suppression of one kind or another, even in such a lucky country.
There was not much China bashing in this G20, except some noises from the US. Fortunately China was not called a "currency manipulator", though they didn't print money liked the US. No doubt the Renbinbi was under value, and China had agreed to de-peg from the US dollar, and appreciate it with "flexibility" to prevent hot money disrupting their currencies. It had to appreciate in time with US patience. (Perhaps good to invest in it ) China is too big for US or Europeans to push them around, and yet they had to reform their financial structure if they were to survive in a modern world. It is easy to ask them to stimulate internal consumption as a way out of their surpluses, when the ordinary people had no cash. Asians saved more than the westerners because our education, health and old age pension system were not as good as the whites. These systems had to right first, salaries had to increase before we could talked about consumption; and inflation had to be considered too, along with all the flooding, and natural calamities.
If you are interested, the attached makes interesting reading:
http://www.cfr.org/publication/20271/ft.html
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Edited by - k.h. on 29/06/2010 10:42:28 |
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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
Posted - 29/06/2010 : 11:53:00
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President Obama bashed at China in G20 meeting for his "blindness" with North Korea's "belligerant behaviour" in the sinking of South korean vessel, Cheonan. In response to US-ROK War Exercises (now postphoned to July) in the Yellow Sea, the PLA would launch a live ammunition drill in the same China coast.If the US carrier moved their fleet so near to chinese mainland, the Chinese would consider the provocation as potential act of war. (Fancy if any country do the same to US>)
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-06/29/content_10031224.htm
Frankly, Obama often sent the wrong olive tree to the wrong party. The US has recently captured 10 Russian spies in their midst. The president has forgotton Jun 25th was the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War. I think he has to read that part of history again.
The Korean War started in June 1950. 54,000 American soldiers died; 103,000 wounded. 180,000 Chinese soldiers died, 360,000 wounded.
Uncertain about the Korean and Russian death and wounded. Who started the War, and who won are much clearer now with the release of chinese archives.
Kim II Sung of North Korea, with approval from Stalin, started it.
In the 50's, there had been thousand of border clashes at the 38th parallel between North & South Korea, but there was no full scale war until the big powers got involved. At the end of the war, the division was and is still at the 38th parallel. If you want, call it a deuce, with so many death and wounded, and the objectives of the War for both sides were not realised at all.
History told us that President Truman sent wrong messages to Stalin that the US would not be invovled in the geopolitics of the area, though he had strong views of the Domino Theory. Or, Stalin was deluded that the US would not sent its military to the Korean penisula, if the North began the invasion. They put their money in the wrong bet. The South Koreans were nearly wiped out, if the US did not intervene; same with the North, would have perished if Russia, and esp China, did not sent its "volunteers".
The Chinese communist had won over mainland China, and there were war preparation to liberate Taiwan, and they would have succeded, if not the untimely Korean War. The US had forsaken the corrupt Nationalist then. The Chinese generals were intially very tired of fighting another war outside their territory. There were many decisions and indecisions, as both Stalin and Mao did not trust one another, on whom should fight with the American first, knowing their fiery fire power. At one stage, there were prepared to let North Korean vanished and occupied by the South & US, until the US cross the Yalu River. The Chinese polito-bureau, under Mao, made a political decision, not military, to fight, even if they lost! Strangely, a deuce was considered a psychological won for them, esp under such heavy air fire. After the War, they had to pay Russia heavy debts on these weapons!
I hope nations and people learned from history, otherwise why we should we bother to study the past?
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Edited by - k.h. on 29/06/2010 11:59:43 |
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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
Posted - 08/07/2010 : 10:15:44
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China has just perfromed their life ammunition war game exercises.
Soon the Russian, Americans, Japanese and South Koreans will have their joint or separate war exercises wtih China as their imaginary foe. Even the Indians and Vietnamese desired to take their bite or revenge against this emerging power. And even far the short-sighted Aussies, despite huge mineral purchases by China, felt her "threat" several thousand miles away. This was no longer the 19th and 20th Century, where these nations could plunder and bully as they wished. Moreover, it's a nuclear age. Any miscalculation by any country would meant diaster for the whole world. Let the Koreans handle their problems in their own ways.
There's an amusing side to the current "war game". It appeared that the Chinese media have yet to improve their English vocabulary. The Chinese netizens desired to "masturbate over the bombing of American Aircraft Carrier":
http://www.peopleforum.cn/viewthread.php?tid=26465&extra=page%3D1
A virtual illusion is perhaps a kind of "masturbation", if the Chinese could not get these powers "f**ked".
Zinn wrote in 1977, "The world is topsy-turvy, where things are all wrong, and power resides in the wrong hand." Of course, the world includes what's currently going on in this country. We asked what would be our social responsibility? Here is an article in Critical Sociology, Sage, 2007, that might be of interest to some.:
http://crs.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/33/5-6/937
Please allow me to paraphrase or quote some interesting points from the article.
We spent billions funding private empries and enriching the treasures of some well connected individual. So intellectuals have to walk out of their ivory tower, and do not become mentally indoctrinated by these instituitions. We must free ourselves from "culture of silence", "passivity" and become "docile tools of production" on graduation. We are "being of praxis" and "it is our responsibility to speak the truth and to expose lies."
"Our education system merely filling empty vessels with water, instead of providing best conditions for flowers to bloom."
Happy reading. |
Edited by - k.h. on 08/07/2010 10:43:33 |
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Finding MOL In Godsibing/Gossiping
