My Rookie Pieces 4 Preservation of Environment

AWA ISSUE 13 Preservation of Environment
From a prospective of Goverment-Citizen Relation


Responsibility for preserving the natural environment ultimately belongs to each individual person, not to government



In speaker’s view, preserving the natural environment is undisputedly duty of each individual person, in other words, the preservation of natural environment has nothing to do with the government. I can by no means agree with the speaker’s viewpoint as I trust that environmental preservation is the obligation for both parts of society. Since any citizen knows that he or she is liable to preserve environment as he/she could, however, what de facto matters is, whether the liability isn’t correlated to government. From a macroscopical prospective, environmental issue always involves some problems that related to manufacture, regulation, legislation and so on, and which require the government to put their best foot forward.
(While nearly everyone would agree in principle that certain efforts to preserve the natural environment are in humankind’s best interest, environmental issues always involve a tug of war among conflicting political and economic interests. For this reason, and because serious environmental problems are generally large in scale, government participation is needed to ensure environmental preservation.)


Uncountable cases reflect an axiom that individual always tends to care for his own interests rather than that of public. For instance, some chemical producers in Chinese rural part often pour their pollutant immediately to the river instead of refraining them in some improved process. Similarly, for controlling cost, neither manufactures nor consumers of automobile are willing to ameliorate the emission-cleaning system. Only the government has the power to legislate to regulate such actions that are totally damage to environment.
(Experience tells us that individuals (and private corporations owned by individuals) tend to act on behalf of their own short-term economic and political interest, not on behalf of the environment or the public at large. For example, current technology makes possible the complete elimination of polluting emissions from automobiles. Nevertheless, neither automobile manufacturers nor consumers are willing or able to voluntarily make the short-term sacrifices necessary to accomplish this goal. Only the government holds the regulatory and enforcement power to impose the necessary standards and to ensure that we achieve such goals.)


Put the controversy about legislation aside, not a few of environmental problem are interrelated to issues of public-health, which involving the epidemic, food security, sanitation etc. However, these problems are next to impossible to be resolved if which simply rely on each individual. (Aside from the problems of self-interest and enforcement, environmental issues inherently involve public health and are far too pandemic in nature for individuals to solve on their own.) Therefore, the participation and effort of government in these issues is indispensable to public health. (Many of the most egregious environmental violations traverse state and sometimes national borders. Environmental hazards are akin to those involving food and drug safety and to protecting borders against enemies; individuals have neither the power nor the resources to address these widespread hazards.)


In the final analysis, the authority and power possessed by the government ensures a productive solution to environmental problems, simultaneously, the contribution of each individual to the environmental preservation is crucially essential.
(only the authority and scope of power that a government possesses can ensure the attainment of agreed-upon environmental goals. Because individuals are incapable of assuming this responsibility, government must do so.)

My Rookie Pieces3 Education and Success

AWA ISSUE 12


Education has become the main provider of individual opportunity in our society. Just as property and money once were the keys to success, education has now become the element that most ensures success in life.



Which is the most dominant factor that leads to success besides money and property? In speaker’s view, education is now gradually developing into one of the essential elements.( Which factor offers more opportunities for success in our society: education or money and property? In my view, education has replaced money and property as the main provider of such opportunities today.)In my mind, education now replays the role of property and money as it is now comes to be the crucial element of success, and two reasons will serve to illustrate why I agree with speaker’s view. First, as the welfare system in every nation extends, higher education is nowadays commonly available for most students all over the world, and which imparts them with a key way to broaden their vision, especially, to explore their studies in a certain discipline. Second, the necessity of knowledge is now more imperative than that of personal connection and unrefined experiences. (I base my view on two reasons. First, education—particularly higher education—used to be available only to the wealthy but now is accessible to almost anyone. Second, because of the civil-rights movement and resulting laws, businesses are now required to hire on the basis of merit rather than the kinds of personal connections traditionally common among the wealthy.)


Education always plays a crucial role in determining what a person can finally achieve. (Education probably always played a key role in determining one’s opportunities for success.)Nonetheless, a university’s degree was somewhat next to impossible while the property and money determined the admission of university. Even so, university is now available to most of the civilian, as the applicant who meets all the prerequisite requirements of admission have opportunities to enter university for further study. (But in the past, good post-secondary education was available mainly to the privileged classes. Because money and property largely determined one’s access to higher education, money and property really were the critical factors in opening doors to success. However, higher education is more egalitarian today.)Moreover, prohibitive tuition no longer exists and money is no longer a problem even for the penniless student. For plenty of universities and colleges are willing to offer scholarship to the students who perform excellently in academic fields, arts, sports, etc. (.Given our vast numbers of state universities and financial-aid programs, virtually anyone who meets entrance requirements for college can obtain an excellent college education and open up windows of opportunity in life.)


Another reason why education is truly essential lies in that the highly-developed society nowadays makes the persons who obtain profound knowledge and well-trained skill are in great need. The most sought-after profession in job market such as financial analytics, software engineer and attorney are that require professional expertise. An axiom that the more proficiency you have, the higher wage you get does come into being. Consequently, while competing in an job market, a graduate with higher degree can undoubtedly knock out a novice without any certificate in hand

(Another reason those opportunities will be open to educated young people from middle-class and poorer backgrounds is that hiring is more meritocratic today than ever before. In principle , at least, we have always been a society where all people are equal; yet in the past, children of the wealthy and the well connected could expect to obtain higher-status jobs and to receive better pay. But the laws and programs resulting from our civil-rights struggles have produced a modern business climate in which jobs are available on an equal-opportunity basis, and in which candidates have a legal right to be judged on the merit of their educational background and experience.)


In conclusion, education is a main way to open the door to success in our competitive society today. The truth that education has outweighed the property and money dues to that college is no longer a privilege for upper-class and bourgeois class as well as a societal pattern which rampantly desires more expertise.

(The fact that education has supplanted money and property in this role is owing to a more egalitarian system of higher education, as well as to more merit-based hiring practices that generally value individual education over family fortune or connections.)

Fred's Bursting Cited Piece 1

uncle gave me this, just check it up and have fun lah!

88 Ways to Know If You're Chinese
1. You look like you are 18.
2. You like to eat chicken feet.
3. You suck on fish heads and fish fins.
4. You have a Chinese knick-knack hanging on your rear view mirror.
5. You sing karaoke.
6. Your house is covered with tile.
7. Your kitchen is covered by a sticky film of grease.
8. Your stove is covered with aluminum foil.
9. You leave the plastic covers on your remote control.
10. You've never kissed your mom or dad.
11. You've never hugged your mom or dad.
12. Your unassisted vision is worse than 20/500.
13. You wear contacts, to avoid wearing your "coke bottle glasses".
14. You've worn glasses since you were in fifth grade.
15. Your hair sticks up when you wake up.
16. You'll haggle over something that is not negotiable.
17. You love to use coupons.
18. You drive around looking for the cheapest petrol.
19. You drive around for hours looking for the best parking space.
20. You take showers at night.
21. You avoid the non-free snacks in hotel rooms.
22. You don't mind squeezing
20 people into one motel room.
23. Most girls have more body hair than you, if you are male.
24. You tap the table when someone pours tea for you.
25. You say "Aiya!" and "Wah!" frequently.
26. You don't want to wear your seatbelt because it is uncomfortable.
27. You love Las Vegas, slot machines, and blackjack.
28. You unwrap Christmas gifts very carefully, so you can reuse the paper.
29. You only buy Christmas cards after Christmas, when they are 50% off.
30. You have a vinyl tablecloth on your kitchen table.
31. You spit bones and other food scraps on the table. That's why you need the vinyl tablecloth. 32. You have stuff in the freezer since the beginning of time.
33. You use the dishwasher as a dish rack.
34. You have never used your dishwasher.
35. You keep a Thermos of hot water available at all times.
36. You eat all meals in the kitchen.
37. You save grocery bags, tin foil, and tin containers.
38. You have a piano in your living room.
39. You pick your teeth at the dinner table (but you cover your mouth).
40. You twirl your pen around your fingers.
41. You hate to waste food.
42. You have Tupperware in your fridge with three bites of rice or one leftover chicken wing.
43. You don't own any real Tupperware - only a cupboard full of used but carefully rinsed margarine tubs, takeout containers, and jam jars.
44. You also use the jam jars as drinking glasses.
45. You have a collection of miniature shampoo bottles that you take every time you stay in a hotel.
46. You carry a stash of your own food whenever you travel (travel means any car ride longer than 15 minutes). These snacks are always dried and include dried plums, mango, ginger, and squid. 47. You wash your rice at least 2-3 times before cooking it.
48. Your dad thinks he can fix everything himself.
49. The dashboard of your Honda is covered by hundreds of small toys.
50. You don't use measuring cups.
51. You beat eggs with chopsticks.
52. You have a teacup with a cover on it.
53. You always look phone numbers up in the phone book, since calling information (*69) costs 50 cents.
54. You only make long distance calls after 11pm.
55. If you are male, you clap at something funny and if you are female, you giggle whilst placing a hand over your mouth.
56. You like Chinese films in their original undubbed versions.
57. You love Chinese Martial Arts films.
58. You've learnt some form of martial arts.
59. Shaolin actually means something to you.
60. You like congee with thousand-year-old eggs.
61. You prefer your shrimp with the heads and legs still attached.
62. You never call your parents just to say hi.
63. If you don't live at home, when your parents call, they ask if you've eaten, even if it's midnight.
64. When you're sick, your parents tell you not to eat fried foods or baked goods due to yeet hay.
65. You know what yeet hay is.
66. You e-mail your Chinese friends at work, even though you only 10 feet apart.
67. You use a face cloth.
68. You starve yourself before going to all you can eat places.
69. You know someone who can get you a good deal on jewelry or electronics.
70. You save your old Coke bottle glasses even though you're never going to use them again.
71. You own your own meat cleaver and sharpen it.
72. Your toothpaste tubes are all squeezed paper-thin.
73. You know what moon cakes are.
74. When there is a sale on toilet paper, you buy 100 rolls and store them in your closet or in the bedroom of an adult child who has moved out.
75. Your parents know how to launch nasal projectiles.
76. You iron your own shirts. 77. You play a musical instrument.
78. Even if you're totally full, if someone says they're going to throw away the leftovers on the table, you'll finish them.
79. You've eaten a red bean popsicle.
80. You bring oranges (or other produce) with you as a gift when you visit people's homes.
81. You fight over who pays the dinner bill.
82. You majored in something practical like engineering, medicine or law.
83. You live with your parents and you are 30 years old (and they prefer it that way). Or if you're married and 30 years old, you live in the apartment next door to your parents, or at least in the same neighborhood.
84. You don't tip more than 10% at a restaurant, and if you do, you tip Chinese delivery guys/waiters more.
85. You have acquired a taste for bitter melon.
86. You eat every last grain of rice in your bowl, but don't eat the last piece of food on the table. 87. You know why there are 88 reasons.
88. You see the truth in this and then send it to all your Chinese friends.


photo: Beijing Today....

My Rookie Pieces 2: Electronic Business

AWA Issue 8

"For hundreds of years, the monetary system of most countries has been based on the exchange of metal coins and printed pieces of paper. However, because of recent developments in technology, the international community should consider replacing the entire system of coins and paper with a system of electronic accounts of credits and debits.”



On the quote, the speaker is obviously affirmative with the application and prevalence of Electronic Monetary System. The prospect of converting the world’s monetary system of metal coins and printed paper into a computerized system of credits and debits is arresting. Even though the opponent of this viewpoint may argue that the suggestive way is unable to be applied in every corner of world, besides, in practical sense, the electronic facilities are some what impossible for undeveloped regions. Yet, the tendency of conversion from current system to electronic system is absolute potentially.
(My view, however, is that conversion to a digital economy has far-reaching economic and social virtues that outweigh the potential risk of misuse by a political elite.)


The enthusiast of digital sense will firstly regard the conversion as a crucial step towards global business development. In reality, the commercial exchange will be speeded up via the full use of digital system. (Herein lies the main virtue of a digital economy.) Moreover, the people all over the world will get more chances to browse what they desire, which intensify the profit-making exchanges globally.
(In facilitating trade among nations, consumers worldwide would enjoy a broader range of goods at more competitive prices.)

The second opinion to explain why I agree the speaker’s thought lies in that the electronic deal will considerably reduce the cost of business. Concerning the substantial time, energy, even paper we spend in the traditional dealing way, electronic system will thus obtain a great advantage to win.( In addition, a digital economy would afford customers added convenience, while at the same time saving money for businesses. Making purchases with electronic currency would be simple, fast, and secure ) In such expect, there is no need to carry cash out, i.e, the troublesome pay-and-go process will be get rid of. Simultaneously, the wild use of internet will more or less reduce the heavy burden of environmental protection.

The third point I cite to support speaker’s viewpoint is that Internet business will in some wise diminish rates of illegal deals. For the on-line police is capable to oversee the whole dealing process. Even the wisest sharp-shooter is under surveillance by then. (A third benefit of such a system is its potential to eliminate illegal monetary transactions. Traffickers of illegal arms and drugs, dealers in black-market contraband, and counterfeiters all rely on tangible currency to conduct their activities.) Let alone the business ethics, the internet business will reduce the use of bogus tangible money. In another word, it is no longer easy to be cheated by fake money. In addition, illegal conducts and transaction of money, evasion of tax even contraband will be decreased via internet. (As a result, illegal monetary transactions could be virtually eliminated. A related benefit would be the ability to thwart tax evasion by collecting tax revenues on transactions that otherwise would not be recorded)

To sum up, even though that computerized business are still defective and unpractical in that electronic equipments aren’t wide-spread enough to support the transaction in so far. At any rate, the benefit that it creates more opportunities for business deal, reduces the potential risk of illegal transaction, prevents the circulation of bogus currency has outweighed all defects it has. Hence, one can predict that an irresistible strike will take place in our life.
(The economic benefits, convenience and savings afforded by such a system, along with the potential to reduce crime, far outweigh the remote loss of a significant social or political shift toward totalitarianism.)


Photo:The THIRD POLE bookstore---Peking.

Fred's Choice website 1

A strongly recommended website of Beijing's art performance Box Office :
http://www.wanpiao.com.cn

Guys, enjoy it!

My Rookie Pieces 1

AWA ISSUE 6


There is only one definition of success — to be able to spend your life in your own way.”

The speaker has defined success as a realm in which one spends his or her life with his or her own intention. Under this definition, the truly successful persons are those who could choose their own ways of life. Nevertheless, I totally disagree with such a viewpoint. In terms of success, there are various definitions given by different people, depending upon their dissimilar objectives, unlike condition as well as diverse merits. In addition, the speaker’s definition will incur three problems.
(Viewing the definition in this light reveals three serious problems with it.)
Firstly, there is no person who actually attain the ‘success’，if this definition is drawed on to assess everybody’s life. Living in this pragmatic world, encounters numerous problems everyday, confined by diversified limits, every individual can’t get hold of the real freedom, not even to lead the life in his or her own way. In other words, unrestrained life is somewhat a kind of luxury for most of people, except for a modicum of tyrannical dictators.
(In other words, unrestricted freedom of choice is a luxury only a few people—perhaps a handful of tyrannical dictators and ultra-wealthy individuals—can afford.)

Secondly, the people who get high level of freedom will rarely be regarded as successful being by others. To illustrate this theory, I’d like to employ an analogy. Born in a wealthy family that controls 10% high-end property in Hong Kong, Li-cha-kai, son of top 10 magnates in the world Lee-ka-ching, has countless bucks sufficient to make him a successful person. Still, no one de facto thinks him really accomplishes success, since the loaded dandy is surrounded by plenty of scandals with a huge, complex financial group on his back.

A third reason this definition of success is unacceptable is that it violates some tradition concepts about success.(it repudiates some of our basic intuitions about success.) For most people, success represents achievement. Namely, whether you are successful or not solely depend on what you achieve in your life’s time. (The more you achieve, the more successful you are; conversely, the less you achieve the less successful you are. ) Defining success as freedom acts against this concept.

In conclusion, the definition brought forward by speaker is far-more-limiting, and belies our intuition of the concepts. I believe that most people in the world will be of the same opinion with what I suggest as the meaning of success which, explicitly, is that attainment of their own dreams, merits.

Preamble of Fred's Realm

Hey! It's so great to creat a new blog,eh? The life at this new hut will be fantastic...Let's forget all of my murmuring at that decrepit orchard....Get the party started now!!!