America has the Bald Eagle, a powerful symbol of might, individuality, and freedom -- even if Benjamin Franklin thought it was a bird of "bad moral character" inferior to the Wild Turkey. What does China have as a national bird? Well, it doesn't yet. The house sparrow, so common in China, and named one of the four vermin during the 1950's (and killed en masse), has received a … [Read more...] about Netizens vote for sparrow as China's national bird
(Letter) Beijing Paralympics Opening Ceremony
China kicked off 2008 Paralympics on September 6 (h/t to CBC for covering it): … [Read more...] about (Letter) Beijing Paralympics Opening Ceremony
Thailand's political turmoil
The recent political turmoils have received relatively scant coverage in the Western Press. Nevertheless, many of us here at Foolsmountain think the events in Thailand are important and interesting because they touch upon so many interesting issues - including the rule of law, democracy, class warfare, public education, and the role of military - all of which are also … [Read more...] about Thailand's political turmoil
(Letter) Translation: Jiang Yuyuan: Mommy You Don’t Have To Beg For Food
Below is a report about Olympic gymnast Jian Yuyung's humble beginning. I found it while trying to substantiate which year Jiang, one of the gymnasts accused of being underage, entered local gymnastics program in Liozhou (appearantly 1994 when she was ONE YEAR OLD - if the allegation she was born in 1993 is true): … [Read more...] about (Letter) Translation: Jiang Yuyuan: Mommy You Don’t Have To Beg For Food
(Letter) East is East and West is West… will they ever meet? (a famous poem)
Here's a bit from a famous poem by a famous colonial-era British author. I'll put the original and then an updated version, since his English is old and a little hard to understand. It's from "The Ballad of East and West," by Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936). … [Read more...] about (Letter) East is East and West is West… will they ever meet? (a famous poem)