This is great news for our economy! Let's see how it affects the ideas of the Chinese towards democracy. Yes, they see Hollywood's representations, but we shall see if those that experience America from the eyes of a tourist will have take back any different attitudes concerning communism vs. democratic ideals.

Los Angeles Times, Part 1 (A), page 3, February 1, 2008
"For U.S. teen in China, it pays to speak the lingo"
A single dad raised his curly-red haired, blue-eyed son with the idea, "I wanted to give him a good life, to do distinguished things." He enrolled his then 5-yr old in a bilingual English-Mandarin school in San Francisco. Although his son disliked it (there were many tears along the way, "I'm not Chinese--why do I have to learn Chinese"), the son is now 17 and is fluent in the language and is reaping many, many benefits. Living in Shanghai with his dad, he is now very glad that his dad pushed him to learn the language. He is described as the "must-see personality" and a cultural ambassador. The Chinese students love to talk to him in Chinese (they are embarrassed and frustrated by their poor English), the Chinese teachers love him as a role model, colleges and universities are very interested in him, he has met President Bush and Chinese dignitaries, and is set to appear in a Chinese movie. In about a seven year period, the number of American K-12 students learning the Chinese language has multiplied by 10. AP exams in Chinese were offered for the first time last year. And Americans are realizing that (as Rosemary Claire often said), "Chinese is the language of the future." The dad, Mr. Rothstein, did the right thing in having his son learn the language at such an early age. As in the PVPUSD, offering the language at age 5 is the best because the students absorb so quickly. The students learning Chinese in their kindergarten PE classes have acquired the language at such a fast pace. Although I would love to learn Mandarin, I think it is beyond my abilities at my age. I will pass this article on to our Chinese language teacher at our high school. I think even the parents of our Chinese language students will be happy to read about it, if they haven't see it already this morning.[Edit by="willoughbyak on Feb 1, 6:39:55 AM"][/Edit]

Great article in Westways Magazine, the January/February issue, put out by the Automobile Club. It is titled "Awakening Dragon." A frequent traveler to China reflects on China's changes over the past century. So much of what is covered is what has been discussed by our Professor's at our meetings. The best is this wonderful picture of children in the streets. The author discusses the changes in the attitude's of young people- filled with energy and enthusiasm. Even the police are learning to change their attitude- going from "tugging citizens by the hair" to taking a "crash course in niceness." It concludes with places to stay in Beijing for the upcoming Olympics.

"Ancient Mass Sacrifice, Riches Found in China Tomb" National Geographic News 1/29/08
"Ancient Mass Sacrifice, Riches Found in China Tomb"
I have been reading the book East Asia: A Cultural, Social, and Political History (Ebrey, Walthall, & Palais) to learn more about China's history (I was told this was a book distributed to past participants of this seminar...). Whenever I come across articles like this I am more and more pleased that I know some of the dynasties mentioned and can place these articles in context. It is hard to fathom the "importance of loyalty and duty in ancient China" that is associated with human sacrifice.

Fanning the Flames into Fame

What does it take to make it in America? Is there a secret key to affording success inside this age old melting pot? A Los Angeles Times article, featured in the business section on January 24, 2008, discusses a small business that shows the eye of the tiger on the face of Korean immigrant Hee-sook Lee, CEO of BCD Tofu House, which now operates over a dozen restaurants in Southern California, Seattle, Tokyo and South Korea with a revenue of $19 million. With more than 300 employees, Lee, a native of Seoul, has been dubbed the "Bead-Curd Queen" due to a common native Korean dish that has turned into the axis of a worldwide hub of restaurants operating around the clock. Fierce obstacles did not elude this Renaissance woman from creating her own dynasty, rising to notority as a top entrepreneur across the globe, during the new millenium.

Cooking, cleaning and carrying children would be on Lee's resume, prior to her immigration to California. Her skills and hours in the kitchen at home would help to create the signature dish that spawned a chain of popular restaurants causing this common Korean woman to emerge as a competitive, yet revered chef on the Southern California scene. When interested reporters asked her to reveal the secret to her amazing achievements, she quietly replied, "To succeed in anything, you just have to be fanatically devoted to it" (Lee). Lee's tenacity and timing are visually depicted in the photo splashing across the front page of the C section, with Lee suited up in her chef whites, hair pulled back tightly as she carefully tends to ten boiling pots of tofu stew amidst the grill's four inch flames. Even with the busy action of the kitchen help in the background, Lee, eyes squinted squarely and hand clenching a large wooden spoon does not vere from her careful gaze on a special recipe from home. Barely speaking English, Lee arrived in Los Angeles in 1989, with only part of her family, two sons, leaving her spouse and 18-month old son in Korea in order to pursue a proper education for the young boys (Kim). Raised in the traditional role of wife, housekeeper and mother, Lee held the hope of being able to live in Southern California but had no idea how she would be able to make a living. As many inspirational women have proved in classic novels, the female gender has a core of strength, flexibility and ingenuity that rivals many men. Lee, with only a community college degree in design from Santa Monica College and limited work experience as an accountant for her husband's restaurant believed enough in herself and in the value of her sons' educational opportunities in America to risk an investment in her own restaurant (Kim). Her devotion to this new business venture was boundless and sent her downtown each morning at 2 a.m. to hand pick the fresh produce. Whatever inspirational drive moves this maternal whirlwind through the long days that accompany a new marriage to a food establishment also gave her the energy to fly back and forth from Las Vegas to Los Angeles, when her husband and toddler finally made the transcontinental move to their Vegas family property.

Even though many doubted her agenda and motives, Lee pressed on toward her goals.
She decidedly did not abandon her commitment to home and family; however, and made a decision to make both work. Lee's objectives were clear and somehow conceivable, at least to her "I wanted to be home by the time the children got home from school and cook them dinner, so I would take the 6:30, 7:30 flight back...The children would get tired of waiting and fall asleep which was painful for me to see" (Lee). Even with a work ethic that would tire most any human being, male or female, Lee promised herself to keep a balance between her two loves. Both sets of children, her own offspring and her new restaurants, would need constant attention, assistance with development and a careful eye on value in order for Lee to succeed in the role of mother, the best mother.

Not even a year after opening her first restaurant, Lee opened a second one and then diversified when she began to export her secret recipe, her soon-dubu to South Korea. Currently, she oversees a baker's dozen of eateries located on both sides of the Pacific Ocean. Undauted by her first major achievement, Lee stated "I could have just operated one restaurant to perfection, but anyone could do that" (Lee). This South Korean tigress rages on with new restaurants appealing to non-Korean palettes, like BCD Pollo Pillo, located near McArthur Park on Alvarado Street in Los Angeles, featuring Korean chicken stew, a favorite of the Hispanic population in that area. A wife, mother, business woman and entrepreneur, whose husband professes the need for his wife to take a breath, Lee has single-handedly brought South Korean culture to the outside world. Devoted customers are said to savor her homestyle East Asian delicacies. Lee has not only experienced monumental success, but she has also faced the fears of every restauranteur including claims of food poisoning that spread like flames on the grill (Kim). Lee's efforts are certainly not reflective of the qualities attributed to a rabbit, the Korean symbolic animal, for she no certainly does not avoid conflict like the hare, but rather embraces it, like the revered tiger. Jumping directly into clear view, Lee faces her challenges, conquers them and then continues on her way, thus resulting in a vivid success story of noteworthy Korean immigration to the United States.

Whether it is learning a new language, developing skills of survival or conceiving an innovative concept from an age old tradition, Lee has triumphed in her endeavors. Perhaps Lee's famous stew serves as a symbol of her own evolution, bringing the old to the new, for she combined age old Korean cuisine with her natural talent to recreate a improved sense of self in both gender role and personal strength. Lee has earned her place on the throne of female entrepreneurs who have not only acclimated to a new country but have honored their own heritage in tradition and culture, creating an entirely new vision of ethnic Korean cuisine in Southern California as well as abroad.

-Susan Pavelka Gregg

[Edit by="spavelkagregg on Feb 7, 10:10:05 PM"][/Edit]
[Edit by="spavelkagregg on Feb 7, 10:11:07 PM"][/Edit]
[Edit by="spavelkagregg on Feb 7, 10:12:30 PM"][/Edit]
[Edit by="spavelkagregg on Feb 7, 10:15:29 PM"][/Edit]
[Edit by="spavelkagregg on Feb 7, 10:27:58 PM"][/Edit]
[Edit by="spavelkagregg on Feb 7, 10:29:53 PM"][/Edit]
[Edit by="spavelkagregg on Feb 7, 10:30:20 PM"][/Edit]
[Edit by="spavelkagregg on Feb 7, 10:30:41 PM"][/Edit]

Looks like E.T. will be staying home this summer. Renowned Hollywood director/producer Steven Spielburg's decision to pull out of his commitment to serve as artistic adviser to the opening and closing ceremonies of the Summer Games in Beijing, has the Communist Party's official newspaper up in arms, "A certain Western director was very naive and made an unreasonable move toward the issue of the Beijing Olympics. This is perhaps because of his unique Hollywood characteristics" (People's Daily). The newspapers, the internet blogs and the public seem quite outraged over Spielburg's recent retreat from Olympic involvement due to his disappointment in China's lack of assistance toward making peace in Sudan. Since China buys two-thirds of the this African country's oil exports, Spielburg believes that they have some influence over the Sudanese leaders, "This renowned film director is famous for his science fiction. But now it seems he lives in a world of science fiction and he can't distinguish a dream from reality" reported China Youth Daily, in a scathing printed response.
With over 200,000 casualties due to a conflict between militias backed by the government and rebels in Darfur, Spielburg is perhaps unrealistically reaching for a resolve that is beyond China's grasp, "He is not qualified to blame China because he knows nothing about the great efforts the Chinese government has made on Darfur...he broke his promise to make his contribution to the Beijing Olympics and betrayed the Olympic spirit" according to Guangming Daily. This action was announced by Spielburg following a special envoy sent by China to Darfur by the Foreign Ministry as well as a testimony from the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown regarding China's peacemaking efforts. Director of the Marketing Department for the Beijing Olympics, Yuan Bin seems to agree that China is actively involved in seeking peace in the Sudan and made a statement clearly asking that the Olympics be kept nonpolitical. Spielburg is not the only major player in protest over this issue, as recently there has been an onslaught of criticism on an international level prodding China to take larger steps toward ending the Sudanese strife. Many of the journalistic commentaries regarding this recent blowout blast Spielburg and voice regret in giving him an invitation to be involved in the Olympics in the first place. The Chinese government has not slandered Spielburg in any way; however, many critics cite that the Chinese government often uses the journalistic publications to make statements that would never be made in an official capacity. With this type of biting outrage, it does not appear that China is setting out a trail of Reece's Pieces to lure the well known alien back to the East for the big show.
It is any wonder what act will follow this bloody banter. Hopefully, an act of peace. :~

Just Add (Gray) Water
"2010 will be the year China embraces "toilet-to-tap" water treatment technology, predicts environmental engineering professor Siqing Xia."

This is a great article because it not only showcases another of China's technological advancements, but it relates to the important environmental issue of water stress. Also, as a bonus, it contains a Southern California connection. Now the obstacle will be to change public perception on using reclaimed water.
Good article for a discussion in a Biology classroom's Ecology unit.