Progressive Democracy?

Hmm the term 'progressive democracy' that I am discussing here is different from the one described by Herbert Croly in 1915, although I haven't been studying that one. The one that I am discussing is what Chinese Author Wang Lixiong described in his book 'Progressive Democracy', which is said to be a system that would lead China into a smooth and safe transformation into a democratic society, although it would remain a theory until there are any sort of practise of this method somewhere in the society.

The principle of this progressive democracy is to consider all the 'cells' of the society, for example, families, and weave them together and erect them upwards to the top of the society, in this case, the country. Every family would have the right to elect one family representative, who interacts with other families' representatives within a small area such as a natural village in the countryside or one/several floor(s) in an apartment in the city. The principle of deciding the size of the area is that everyone has to know (or it would be easy to get to know) each other personally. After every one of the families in one such area has a representative, they form a representatives committee and a representative of the committee would be elected, whom would enter one step higher into the representative committee of say a governable village in the countryside or the whole building of the apartment in the city. A term 'layer' is adopted to describe the entirety of committees in a same grade, such as 'family' and 'natural village' in which 'natural village' is a layer one step higher than 'family'. These representatives create 'links' between the lower and higher layers, which are restricted themselves by the member of his/her lower level committee that they have the right to re-elect their representative at any time if they are not satisfied with their representative. Any single person is only allowed to be in two adjacent layers at most. The art of negotiation is what plays an important role here, that is, to have the aim for benefits that could represent the entirety of his/her lower committee, instead of his/her own benefits in order keep him/herself in the current place and not to be overthrown by the committee. This structure goes on and on, the governable villages in the same township would elect their representative for the town, and then the townships in the same county would elect the representative in the county... Until the layer of province representatives elect a representative of the country.

Every single person is involved in this system, and it is said that everyone's voice is heard because they make sure their representatives represent their benefits when it comes to any decision, or the representative will be overthrown. This is different from current democracy societies practiced in many countries in which peoples thoughts are abstracted to 'yes' or 'no' or 'A' or 'B', which eliminates many of the possibilities between 'yes' and 'no' or 'A' and 'B'. For example most Chinese would say 'no' when voting whether Taiwan should be separated from China, but many might change the idea if it cost their own benefits such as heavier tax in order to establish a competitive army and the requirements of themselves to attend the army and risk their own lives for this good.

Wang preferred to describe the the thought of a person to be a vector instead of a number, which has not only an amount but also a direction, the direction could be multi-dimensional and would have unlimited possibilities, unlike just 1 for 'yes' and -1 for 'no' in counting votes, of cause the absolute value of each vector is the same (let's say 1) in order to represent the equality among people. The sum of vectors follows the rule of parallelogram in maths, which would represent a dimension compromising all the thoughts and the amount of all the sums of the components of individual vectors on that direction. The representative of a committee is elected to represent this sum of vector among its members and deliver it up to the upper layer to perform another summing.

There are obvious benefits that Wang described in his theory of progressive democracy, such as that there is no need to restructure the current society, the only difference is that rights are delivered upwards from the mass instead of downwards from the leader. On the other hand, difficulties are obvious too. The practise of progressive democracy requires the knowledge of its principl of it in the entirety concerned, while this book is still banned from publishing in China, initiation of this practise is extremely difficult. Once the first layer is formed, people would disrespect the government-appointed leader of this layer and obey only the representative elected for the committee, which dysfuntionalizes the local government, and unless the higher grade of government accepts the new committee, they will be dysfunctionalized as well. The restructure of the governance system in China under progressive democracy will start from the bottom end and the new system will gradually grow upwards, which is more gentle than a sudden transformation to Western style democracy which breaks the whole system down before establishing a new one.

Well I do appreciate such a method that sees a better future of China. Thing is, no matter how carefully thought through this theory had been before it is published, it is until practiced that the flaws will show, Wang said the system will perfect itself, but we will have to see this in practice as well. Until then, it's only a theory, which no one would know for sure whether it works for modern China. We definitely hope so.

The Outback

OK where to start,we hopped on the Overland in Southern Cross station at 8:30-ish and the trip just rolled over. The train started sort of slowly (well, it'd never been real fast during the whole trip) in the suburbs but I soon started to struggle to recognize the names of the suburban train stations.
As soon as we got bored of taking photos of each other we are in Geelong, this city did not look nice from the train station but I loved it when I watched it from the top of hills down the coastline the first time I saw it years ago. This is actually only just the second time. The Overland then turned northwest towards the border of VIC and SA. We are in Bordertown not long after midday, which is already a few km's into South Australia. I realized that I forgot my cell phone charger back in Melbourne, which is far too late... I switched off the phone immediately though, tried to save the battery, I managed to get it working when I want during my whole trip.
Nothing much that exciting onboard but there is a German guy taking out his lunch which amazed us... He brought on toasts not spread with jams, peanut butter and Nuttella, but whole jars instead! Well, we stalked him for the whole time he spent on his lunch, although sometimes we would be distracted to the herds of sheep and horse and cows and stuff.
The most exciting thing in the afternoon would be that we saw the Murray for the first time. On the Murray Bridge. Really beautiful river, although whenever I press the shutter there would be an iron bar appearing at the centre of the picture which is quite disappointing, we did get a couple of reasonable shots of the river. I would consider the Murray definitely worth a visit, in depth. We arrived Adelaide at dusk and just in time for my friend Will to pick me up in the station. I haven't seen him for two years now...

Adelaide is a big town instead of a city, as many people had told me. A pretty nice and quiet one though not to my surprise. Will drove us around after dinner and I could feel that it'd not been long after I realize we are going pass the same places over and over again. The next day was basically Glenelg, the beach. As our onwards travel of the Ghan set out at midday, we didn't see much of Adelaide in the daylight at all.

The Ghan is not quite a pleasant to travel on with a seat, but that's all we could afford.
Beautiful scene along the way though. with the introduction to the towns we passed, and impressive country style scenes until sunset when we reach Port Augusta, the 'crossroad of Australia' and once almost chosen the capital of Australia. Just off the station we stopped aside a sort of tree-lined road, still, for more than an hour for some reason, and when we set out again, it was all dark. I was amazed we still made it on time to Alice Springs.
We had our dinner in the diner that evening, not as bad as I'd imagined luckily. What actually annoyed us was that there are kids onboard kept faking their cries, without a proper reason even after the light's dimmed for sleep, the seat is not anywhere close to comfy for sleeping, I struggled quite a bit to fall asleep and I didn't get much of sleep at all that night.
I slept pretty poorly and started realizing the very first light out the window, the view has definitely changed, with some sort of grass and rock-like stuff (which later proved to be yet another kind of weird vegetation with more light) moving quickly past the window in the twilight.
We are in the outback.
I pictured the whole process of the sunrise although it was not quite impressive with my digital compact camera with so little light available. When the day brighten itself up, the sort of savannah view amazed us. We were imagining nothing but desert on this land, but well, the arid vegetation still exist and they did adapted themselves up to this sort of impossible environment. The SA-NT border was not far after dawn, which is no more than a weird sign.
I picked up a Latte in the diner which is tasteless while Shandi's still asleep. We crossed Finke river just before approaching Alice Springs, the so-called river is just a sand bed, no water at all, the riverbed is actually sandier than anywhere else in sight. When arriving in Alice springs at around 1pm, we are all shattered with hurtful bones...

Adelaide would have been a metropolis if it were comparing to Alice Springs, but anyway I was here for the outback instead of the skyline. It is obviously a quiet small town brought up almost solely by tourism. We were too tired to wander around it yet after the night on the train that we head straight to the inn we were staying, picking up some junk food from McDonald's on the way.
We decided to find something fancy for dinner that night in Alice Springs, and we picked a restaurant randomly from the local tourists' handbook we got from the information centre. Well the dinner was not cheap, but we waited for 45 minutes before we got any food after ordering, and I decided not to tip.
On the way back there was a few aboriginal people wandering around the street but we just kept going until we are back in the room.

The following day was supposed to be a relaxing one. And it is, probably more relaxing than I've planned before. I woke up around 10AM and went around the main streets of the town scouting, confirming our tour the next morning in the shop where I got the first non-mobile internet access in a few days.
Going back to the inn Shandi's still sleeping. We finally set off on the streets and I finally lost my virginity on Red Rooster, although I've went past it quite a few times and wondered if I should go in. Well I actually appreciate the fillets there, way better than the ones sold in KFC I have to say.
After brunch we went out wandering around the streets in town again, visiting all those gallery/art store of the aboriginals we could. I wasn't quite interested in the Royal Flying Doctor thing and the Reptile Museum, but rather the old telegraph station, but when Shandi heard that it was a 40 mins walk away she just refused to go... We went to Woolworth's for some snack and water that we were supposed to bring with us the next day on the tour. In the evening, junk food in KFC, not impressive hey, we've had all the junk food we could in town, except Hungry Jack's which is too far away in the highway.

The next morning we had to wake up at 5AM, we've been waiting at the gate of the inn for like 40mins before the bus arrived and picked us up. Well this is probably the only dissatisfying thing happened during the next 3 days of our tour.
The tour guide/driver Hayley had always been an energetic girl and whenever she speaks she start with 'Wee~' or some sort of opera, cute. Well anyway with her guide our 3-day tour'd been a really exciting and fun one.
Well I'm obviously not suppose to remember everyone elses' names, even if I do I wasn't keen to list. Just see them pop out later.

Day 1 was to visit the King's Canyon, which is 5 hr drive away from Alice Springs. Had a pretty light lunch on the tour bus and we are ready to climb that thing! The first part of the tour was called 'heart-attack hill', which is quite physically demanding with intense and steep uphills. It wasn't very hard for me at all so I was among the first 5 to reach the top of the hill in our group. Shandi barely made it and headed back later for the easy walk, shame.
The canyon was in sort of a surreal atmosphere, with sedimental domes and wicked vegetations along the way. It'd been really hard to capture the depth of the canyon with a camera standing atop, that you will have to experience it. Very dangerous to get close to the edge though as Hayley says, the canyon itself was formed by all those sediments chipping and falling. I got to know a pretty nice guy called Andy from Germany in our group during the climb and found ourselves going on pretty well.
After the climb up such a wonder we headed off to the campsite close to Curtin Springs, Along which we went into a bush to get firewoods for the night. We got quite a few of them that Hayley started to call us 'greedy'. The fire that night was nice and warm and we actually saved our time collecting firewoods the next day as the woods we collected lasted that long.

Day 2 was Kata Tjuta, this is the mot magical day of our tour, although we paid for it. We didn't suppose we would catch a rain shower here, not even a shower, I would rather call it drizzle. Kata Tjuta is so much different from whatever postcards it had appeared on. It is the rain that made this tour so much different. Streams of water started to run out of the holes on the domes and the whole scenery started to look like Lijiang in Guangxi back in China where the mountains and water was considered the best in such drizzles. The price for the rain is, well, my postcards and stamps got all soaked although there wasn't much of them at all... My only jacket brought out for the tour was also soaked, as well as my tee changed in the morning. I was surprised that my MiniDisc player was not affected although it was also wet and I didn't realize that until I am on the flight back Melbourne days after.
Luckily the sun's out after lunch, when we were supposed to visit the cultural centre of the aboriginals where we were introduced to their world...

***
Well sort of my own opinion towards the aboriginals in central Australia, they are mostly polite and nice as far as I see, although they smell funny. They don't actually do harm unless threatened. But there is something about there religions which practice strict gender segregation such as men and women must use different tools and there are sacred areas which if owned by men, women must not see. Heavy penalties would be applied if such rules are broken, including blinding the offender's eye etc. They say they never climb Uluru but there're actually paintings left all over the rock since the ancient times and they actually admit that it was their ancestors who did the paintings. There are places on Uluru where photographing is prohibited and penalized while although they were not happy they still allow climbing of the rock when the condition allows, which might seem a more severe insult to the rock than photographing, suggested Andy. This might sound ridiculous towards the general public, but still, we are to appreciate and applause for the difference as we could.
***

I sort of rushed my visit in the cultural centre actually as the sun's out, and headed outside to get my jacket sundried, it did not long after. And I am pretty happy with that.
The sun was hidden again when we arrive the sunset deck for Uluru for a bit of fun, the rain started to fall again but just when we were bit disappointed the most amazing thing appears - rainbows beyond Uluru, not one, but TWO! We were all amazed by this and we just can't help taking heaps of photos of this wonderful trio. My lens was not wide enough to get the whole of them though it was already a 28mm.
We spent the evening in the camp area in the national park, where we shared some alcohol and stuff, and when it gets late we started asking each other those wicked questions which no one's gonna solve. Well I've only got some easy ones though.
The dew soaked the outside of our swags the next morning when we were heading to the sunrise, and Andy told me I was snoring loudly the night before...

So the last day was all about Uluru, the sunrise and then the base walk. The weather was pretty pleasing that they actually allow climbing of Uluru, most of us chose not to though in the respectation of the customs of the aboriginals.
The base walk was generally calm and even uneventful. with many places marked as sacred sites which were not to be photographed. I was still regretting that I couldn't take a photo of a wicked face like cave on the rock, as it was a sacred site. Uluru showed us the other side of it, far from the impression we've all got from those postcards, and far from just a rock, you'll totally have to see it to know what I meant here.
The trip was getting to an end after the walk and we drove back to Alice Springs. I attended the dinner with some of the mates I met in the tour and Hayley, the food and beer was both amazing, we went to Ryan's house after that for his birthday the next day. What a night!

The day after we wandered around Alice Springs again and were really depressed to have found out that the beanie festival was too far for us to attend as our flight would leave pretty soon... And there was a shop in Todd Mall selling all those wicked beanies and displaying the winners of the years before, it was really sad that they are not for sale but we took a few pictures in them anyway so that we would regret less.

Tiger Airlines was pretty stingy and greedy that they are probably the only airline that actually weight your hand luggage, but it does its job anyway, so we arrived Melbourne quite a bit earlier than expected. The kid sitting next to me showed me some wicked scenes from the Incredibles with his portable DVD player, although I don't actually have the sound they seem pretty funny. We made the right decision in the airport to have used a cab instead of bus as it was proved cheaper and way faster, which doesn't actually need to be proved.

Another Blog?

I am actually considering opening another blog, which will be in Chinese. BUT, this new blog is probably pure political and anti-China. I don't actually think that I have such a brave heart or anything like that to be attacking my shamefully 'own' country while I am still practically its citizen. What I have in hand is my own conscience to fight against those brain-washing state-run media and education within the country and the brain-washed pitiful youths turning a blind eye to all the facts, believing only in the lies that they were told by the government. I wasn't actually willing to do this, their minds have virtually nothing to do with myself except that I might recognize and get annoyed on the internet their ignorant and shameless comments about almost anything.

College students in China are educated as if never, both academic and lifestyle wise. Plagiarism is the basic form of assignments all the way up to master degrees, and probably even some of the doctorial degrees. Not cheating in the exams is rare. For those arts degrees involving history, politics or philosophy, the government's voice is the only one. Don't get surprised if you ever read Marxism as a compulsory subject for mechanical engineering students in any of the universities in China. While the intakes of universities are increasing every year, the already underpaid graduates are placed in even harder situation in terms of finding a job. Reverse-elimination is the rule of the society that hypocrites get promoted while the real hardworking people never would have a chance until they learn the art of hypocrisy and bribing. Scums take the leadership of the country.

If I did open such a blog I might have to reduce the frequency of update in this blog, which I currently set to myself as at least once per ten days on average by the month. Or actually, I should just write all I wish to in English although mine's not the perfect so that I am letting English speaking people know more about what China is like in the fact. Yes I do have access to more facts than most Chinese people as I am out of the government census of the internet in China.

What Am I?

I often wondered. What am I to have been such a devil, hypocrite and slut? I love to do things that insult myself and then going back of them to insult myself again, such as writing about them right here right now. I always do something inappropriate in the wrong time and wrong place that force people to have fake impression of myself, and when I realizes that and wished to correct it always get worse until the exact point of the collapse of friendship, relationship or whatever. I fall into any random person's embrace, without thinking of what impression would I get from my loved ones. Yes they don't love me, but I am making every effort to image myself worse to them and then hoping like an idiot that one day they will turn to me. How ridiculous!

I am actually camming someone at this time, you were pretty drunk at 4AM and horny before going to bed. Saying that you 'lied' when requesting me to show face only and is now asking me to take everything off. doesn't have a cam yourself though and I've already shown you this time last week while he was drunk just like today. Well I did it again anyway... Hoping that I won't be that stupid next week to have answered you in facebook. Yes I do feel shame for myself doing that to someone I've never met in person, let alone having any feelings. That person's still only a few pictures and some flirty words, not much more than that if there's any at all to me.

About telling the truth, I wasn't aware so far what should I actually tell and use white lies or other truths to cover truths that I don't wanna tell, making the impression that I've never lied. This is probably a classic hypocrite trick but as far as I know most people does that, whether they do aware or not. Well what was real amazing was that I am able to tell a truth which sounds like I'm telling a lie without awaring what would that statement affect the person I was talking to, especially the ones that should be covered by other truths.

I don't know if people talk to themselves like me when no one's noticing. I would talk to myself while I was walking alone on the streets or something like that, I talk to myself about everything, the things I see on the streets, where am I going, even gossips and speculations about people. I would be extremely embarrassed while caught doing that, I myself, on the other hand, never caught anyone doing that so I supposed this might have been the problem with my own self.

Love, what a word! I don't know if I am still believing in it. I'll have to have a reason to do that, and I've already got a few reasons like that and believed, and when the reason's gone my belief's gone. And I started to doubt what should I actually do when facing another reason, if believing is always finally turning out doomed, why should I still believe? Yes there are examples around us, but who knows if it was the bubbles just last long enough for a lifetime, given more, it will still break into those powdery droplets? Well, wishing for a bubble like that sounds like a choice, but it is none the less a bubble, not the so-called eternal love.

My heart? Astrology would suggest that Cancers would always put someone they used to love deep in their heart, which is why they will shed a tear passing by the long bench they dated 30 years ago. This is partially true to me. The ones I used to have loved, I mean with my life, seems to always occupy a corner of my heart, while thinking of them I could easily get moved. But none of these people had actually have a relationship with me. Those who have, I actually know from the start that they are not what I want, I go ahead for various reasons, whatever it is, after the relationship goes to an end, they would always be replaced by new ones. I just haven't met anyone whom I had a relationship with that I loved with my life, or if I were to show my positivity towards life, not yet.

Ups and Downs

Haven't been feeling this way for quite a long time now, and there's too much happening these days... Don't even know where to start...

Sad things first then. I thought I did not bad, really, although I wasn't looking at the highest grades, I mean, at least I don't deserve a fail for that exam. I did study, I did those sample questions, I did attend the revision session, I did think I know how to answer those questions and I did have enough time for them as I was actually the first to have handed in the paper. The results of that exam have been delaying and I haven't been panicking because I thought I did OK. And now at the end of the semester I got my result as failed and was told that there's a hurdle on that (so I practically failed the subject but only if I did well in the finals I stand a chance for a supplementary or probably a straight pass (which is implicated by the lecturer but obviously not the sense of hurdle))? I can't imagine that.

And the second one is barely my own stupidity. I was attending a ferry party and was required to dress formal, so that I went shopping for a jacket or something after work on Saturday. Well I was planning to get something warmer before that as well. What did I finally get? A pretty slim fit long Brooklyn, not warm and not quite formal... It was nice to be worn in that party, but it wasn't of much more uses, I can't even cycle in it. And I've thrown $299 on this thing which is definitely not worth itafter I realized I was paying retail for a beautiful crap. Yes it does look nice, just not worth it. And the sales terms in Politix was fucked up that they don't accept my return addressing that I've worn it... Well I was thinking of selling it on eBay for say $200 or just keep it to myself... I still do want a warmer jacket and a more formal stuff though, as my graduation's approaching that I might have to start hunting for jobs.

Yeah mentioning jobs, I was surprised to have seen that the Australian economy has escaped recession by increasing 0.4% of GDP in the first quarter of 2009, that was not necessarily a good thing for me honestly. A delayed recession? that means I'll be in a worse situation when I graduate by the end of the year. Otherwise if Australia is actually in a healthy growing and barely dipped into recession it'll probably be better for me. So I would say we'll have to wait for the report of the second quarter to decide.

OK some good news, probably not news anymore. I've already booked everything for our trip to Uluru so it is now all confirmed. Will be departing 20th of June, early in the morning on the Overland, and arrive in Adelaide in late afternoon. There will be an overnight stay in Adelaide but I don't think we could see much at all. The next day we'll be on the Ghan by midday and head for Alice Springs. If we were lucky we'll definitely go for the whistle tours on the way. Arriving in Alice Springs the next afternoon, and we will go around the small desert town for a relaxing day the day after I think. And on 24th we'll be up early again for the camping trip to Uluru for three days, which I'm sure they will arrange well for us. Back to Alice Springs on 26th and stay overnight again then flight back to Melbourne the next afternoon, hopefully in time for the course dinner in Docklands with classmates?

The place I've just moved into was a pretty large house, with two homestays (a boy and a girl) and me as a tenant, plus the landlady and her parents, such a big family... The house was pretty nice I have to say, and rent is acceptible. The only thing would be that a friend of mine is asking me to take a house with him, which means I'll have to move soon if that was the case :S It waas until this moving time that I realized how much stuff I've actually got with me all these two years living in that shabby flat! I still haven't unpacked my Wii after moving to this house for 5 days, maybe I'm getting over it? Who knows.

I should be studying for today but I spent much of the time typing all these stupid stuff... I have sinned!

Settling...

It's been such a busy, furious and frustrating period for me, and it seems this period is coming to an end. The period of looking for houses everywhere, rushing through assignments, not having enough sleep every single day and working not-there is coming to an end. I've finally got a new home in Coburg, which is a bit far from the uni than my current place, but still seems a pretty nice one to live in. I've handed in all the assignments and hopefully did not too bad. I'll have a presentation later today and a concert tonight, then move tmr. I've already started packing my stuff for moving and I will move on Friday. Work on weekends as usual and then a big birthday party of a friend on Sunday night. I will still have to find something 'formal' to dress for that party which I don't know what to...

Well it's still pretty busy a week for me but I hope it will get better soon... And the exam's coming as well... But I'll at least have several days of relaxing first I guess, to insist on my laid-back or slack if you like type of lifestyle.

House Hunting

In one word, PAINFUL.

I'm not taking a whole house or signing a contract for a whole year obviously, so I'm not going to agents. What's left? Internet. Tried many of the sites so far... Really struggling to find a good place... Almost got some of them and then suddenly they are gone (sometimes it's my fault though)...

And I got heaps of scams as well... many people 'happened to have' a very nice house in a great place leasing at an incredibly low price, and they 'happened not to' be in Melbourne 'on a project' or stuff like that and asks you to send your bond overseas then they promise they will send you the key. They 'know' that this is hard and they understand 'trust' is very important between the 'two of us'. I noticed that most of the scams are written in a same manner, and are even using the same words and similar sentences, all that was different was their name and address. It was this kind of similarity that alerted me...

Well anyway, just wish me luck...

ACN?

Well went to an introduction to that thing on Tuesday, where one of my high school mates that I met coincidentally in Melbourne a year before took me. Well that introduction is obviously made tempting and welcoming to newbies like me, but I was calm through it. I don't understand the need of standing up applause for someone who made big money out of yourself, what's the point? And yes I do believe some people did made big money from this business, simply by keep encouraging people to join the team, and tell them how to ask people to join their team, making it terribly big and make a lot of money from it. It seems easy as many of such people showed themselves up in the introduction, thing is, the ones who failed in this didn't show up, and the 'successful' people's huge earnings are based more or less on them.

Pyramid scam? Probably. $500 to have you started, plus you are encouraged to becoming a customer of ACN's mobile and probably internet or land line yourself as a start, which costs money too. I've read here that US representatives have to pay annual installments on top of the fees of joining, They did not mention a single word of this to me either in the introduction or after that in the 'persuasion' event. I don't know if this fee exists in Australia but obviously they wouldn't want you to know prior even if it does.


As the 'persuasion' goes late they started to become aggressive and started pushing me. A girl who joined the team for a month told me that she quit 2 of her part time jobs earning her like $1000 per week for this thing. I immediately got cautious at this: OK you are a year 2 commerce student in our uni, I know that commerce is an easy course but our uni would not get too easy on you as any other courses. As I am soon graduating what I was looking at was around $40k per year which is about average salary for a new graduate and I know how much time do I have while I was in year 2 even if my study is obviously busier than commerce. You are still studying and the part time jobs you quit got you more money than a full time one I was looking for? There are possibilities of course (which I'm not willing to mention). Maybe I should not doubt if ACN had got you more than that in a month, I would not believe the the part time jobs you described earn you that much even if you are telling the truth. I simply don't believe.

I don't actually mind being ACN's customer just to try it though, as my contract with 3 is over. I signed a month-to-month plan with them and they are using Optus network which I was to switch to, well it doesn't hurt right? I could cancel it if I am not satisfied. And when I started to sign those stuff my high school mate told me I am her first customer besides herself, and she's been in for two weeks. OK, back to that one-month girl, how much could you actually earn? She's got a pin saying ETT, which is the first achievement you could get in system, the requirements? 5 customer points and two down-lines. I doubt this would even get her $50 per month. She would wear the ETL (next level) pin if she did achieve that right?

I would see though. I will have to know whether they are selling genuine good products like Amway did, and I'll then consider making money out of it, with my own belief on the product. I did not tell anyone about this company yet, time will tell.

New One

I've actually been bit of regret purchasing this monster, but I did and there's no turning back anyway. It was in a two day sale with $150 off plus free speakers (I will sell the speakers as I've already got way better ones and hopefully get another $100 out of that)

Looking back I do think I did the right thing in terms of the price I got it for. The Studio XPS 435 which is just out is from over $2000 and with worse components, just better expandability and less noisy, with way larger chassis as well.

I've seen that many comment on this one that it's bit noisy, so I expected that and it's true. It is noisy but not that bad that you would throw it away. The expandability of it actually surprised me. The sales from Dell told me in the online chat that there would be only one PCI slot free so I was like 'well, I will not get a PCI WiFi card then, get a USB one instead and leave it for say a better sound card' and I did. But when I opened the chassis when it arrives, It actually come with 3 free PCI-Express x1 slots, well I only need one for a sound card anyway, probably a Creative X-Fi Extreme Music. Lucky I didn't get a PCI WiFi card prior cos that one doesn't actually fit in PCI-Express x1 slots...

There had been some frustration with the software side of this thing. The dardisk wasn't partitioned properly out of the factory, so I obviously have to divide it again and I actually had to hide the recovery partition myself! And after that I had to reinstall Windows, there are problems with the bluetooth thing comes with it, which I can't manage to install a so-called 'bluetooth peripheral', however it does not affect the bluetooth communication among my phone, my desktop and laptop so I just leave that alone. The Windows Vista 64-bit is bit weird, especially when it comes to media playing. I'll have to try to work this out some time. Or I'm actually considering Linux, I was to switch to Linux for my laptop but now I started to consider maybe this one is the thing that I should switch. The only thing worried me was the compatibility of the hardwares and stuff, I won't start until I got them relatively clear.

The power system is another concern of this desktop to me. It is probably more of a living room computer than a workplace one, I can't imagine my computer has lights on when it's not turned on but it has. The light itself is not a big issue, I could just turn the power supply off, but as most of my appliance is on the same surge protector I still want my phone charger on!

Hmm for the customized build part, I basically only chose the basic parts for it, although it's already more than appealing. The core components are Intel Core i7 920, X58+ICH10, 3G DDR3 1066MHz, 500G HDD, ATI Radeon 4850HD 512M. It is obviously not worth it to spend almost $1000 to upgrade to i7 940 as there's nothing much more than a 133MHz higher clock speed which I think I actually could overclock my CPU to if I want it cos the basics such as number of cores and amount of caches are absolutely the same, while the RAM and HDD could be added by myself easily later. It was said that a RAID series would match better with the performance of the system than a single hardisk, I guess so when it becomes the bottle neck of the system, with all those hi-end CPUs and graphic cards. I would actually prefer a graphic card by nVidia but it didn't provide me with a choice...

Well that's about it, my new computer. I've yet to try it on one of those hard core games but I'm definitely eager to get my hands on Diable III whenever it comes out, and I'm ready with this thing hopefully.

A Worse than Nothing Holiday?

5 reports, 1 assignment and then 2 exams after the Easter break, WTF? It's supposed to be EASTER!! Wait is Easter about the break or the suffering? I am no Christian so it is all about the break for me obviously, I should be able to demand it and the piled-up homework is all that I get.

Now, the 3rd day in 10 is almost gone, what have I done towards those? None. I've been enjoying MY days off uni so far. Which would turn into greater suffer close to the due days of the homework and exams...

Anyway, I'm going to bed and call this a day, the 3rd of 10 days' break.

Simply Moved

This is a very old piece of story. A shepherd was shepherding sheep on the hills and watching out for wolves. One day he was bored and tried to cry out 'The Wolf is coming!' and the whole village ran up the hill to help just to find out it was a lie. The shepherd found it funny and did it several times later, and people knew that he's lying and didn't bother running up the hill again. And there's one day that a wolf had really appeared, no matter how the shepherd cries no one runs up for help.

It's bit different in the McDull book, while nobody believes the shepherd again, there's still McDull running up the hills every time the shepherd cries. It wasn't that McDull does believe the shepherd, he once told the shepherd, 'If there's once that the wolf is really coming, just once, you will die. I lose nothing but weight running up every time you cry, I just don't want to risk your life.'

The Yellow Peril

Problems? Definitely.

Solutions? Definitely.

Consequences? Who cares!

I do. Although this is only a political prophetic fiction written some twenty years ago, it points out the way China (and consequently the world) is heading towards. Actually some of the scenarios described in the fiction had already happened, such as self-burning on the Tiananmen Square and the reign of Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan.

I don't know whether the once-in-800-years yellow peril would actually occur in this 21st century, which is exactly 800 years after Genghis Khan's famous western expedition into Europe.

The Yellow Peril described in the book was about the collapse of Chinese Communist Party government after the assassination of the Chinese president and a series of natural and nuclear disasters, which leads to the insane invasion of 1 billion refugees towards Russia, Western Europe, North America and Australia. The refugees are not armed, using its number and the sympathy of the Western World as weapons instead, while the crippling temporary government tried to negotiate with any nations on their way - Pakistan, Afghanistan, Japan, Philippines, Malaysia, Iran, Turkey etc., even Russia itself who wants toead the refugees out of the nation towards the United States, to force them to open up a corridor and give help of food and transportation on the way. Well they can't afford to deny hel lping, cos if they do, hundreds of millions of refugees will be forced to staying in the country that denies passage, which will definitely cripple that country promptly.

Well, such description of invasion is alarming, given that Chinese people (including myself) as well as other people from developing countries are already fleeing out of the country to the Western World in hope of a better life and escape from the corrupt government, a phenomenon known as Neo-Colonization.

What's ahead of us?

Hope

After all those pains, there is hope.

This is somewhere close to Kilmore on Hume Highway, where the Black Saturday bushfire had burnt over. I'd been passed this area like ten days after the fire, and it was all black, with nothing but desperate death all around, and the smoky odor sneaking into the car.

More than one month now, the pain and horror was obviously not gone far, we drove by this area again and I snapped this picture. There is green new leaves thriving up the burnt black trees although it is autumn. There is grass starting to grow, almost transparent but definitely green. There is hope.

I was very glad to see there is sense of life reviving this fire-ravaged ground, after all those savageness and extinction. Yes there is hope.

7 months, 7 days

Well in a word, we were together for 7 days in our 7 month relationship. That's it.

I don't quite remember most of the other days that we'd not been together, but I do remember in every detail all the days I'd been with you. No matter how much it hurts thinking of you during those 'intervals', it's pure pleasure being with you. Those were the sweetest memories that were to last.

You are always as you are, no negotiations, even when it comes to our relationship, which is not your own matter. And I've learnt that, although I doubt you could eliminate me completely after you said that. I was to ask you if you ever think of me after breaking up, but I'll hold it up til later.

Distant relationships are not easy to maintain, I knew it from way before you. But it was our choice so I made myself believe in it, and I did til days before we broke up. I prayed for our relationship to last while I was back in China in a temple, and there's obviously not a need to redeem it as it doesn't work out just after two months. That's probably because I started doubting it first, you've only made the actual move.

I tried to make myself cry, I couldn't. I was stronger than I thought I was, I actually wished I could just cry and all is gone instead of having to occasionally panicking about things.

The Easter plan of me going up to meet you was obviously ruined. My friends from Gold Coast was so kind to have invited me up on hearing that but I was obviously booking too late while flight tickets had become so expensive I could not afford it (this was a reason and an excuse). And I feel pretty sorry not to have shown much interest at the invitation, don't get me wrong I was eager to go up and see you guys again, it's just not the right time at the moment...

I haven't quite got used to life without you, I don't know whom to think of in my sleepless nights. To be honest.

Mr. Lonely

I first heard the song in a flash anime several years ago, in which the sound was very distorted due to excessive compression, it still impressed me. All I remember about that flash was that it was about a cat or two, but I remember the song very well.

I saw this movie not very long ago, like a year after its release. Not so impressive to be frank, probably worse than that flash. The story itself being bit complicated involving heaps of people who want to be somebody else. The blog from which I read about this movie says the blogger was moved by it and he cried, I didn't.

Yesterday was Sunday, and I worked as usual. It's been almost two weeks I haven't heard from you. Suffering from a still very bad sore throat I didn't bother talking much to customers. When the shop is empty I started to panic and changed my facebook status to the first verse of Mr. Lonely. I started singing that song very quietly in the shop and tears started welling up my eyes. And there's customers coming in. I didn't bother serving them yet, can't let them see me cry at least. I tried to open my eyes wide and accelerate the evaporation and it worked. But I can't help myself singing that song to myself, and when I sing it I will cry. I feel like I am Mr. Lonely.

Lonely, I'm Mr. Lonely. I have nobody, for my own. (Actually I'd rather sing the last one as 'I'm on my own')

My First Day Back, from Fungi Fight to Ikea, Yesterday

It was during those record hot waves that had hit Melbourne while I was escaping it in the extreme cold in China, that one of our tubs broke and flooded the house... When my housemate's back a few days before me she told me online that there was mushrooms growing in her room and I started to worry. Luckily though she told me that one of our neighbours might have seen water coming out of the house and turned off our water supply so it's not that wet while she was back.

While I enter the house I could smell the mould obviously but I didn't know it was that bad until I had a shower and started checking my stuff, which seem absolutely normal at first sight. A pair of my shoes which I do love for years was moulded seriously and the suede was dyed by the moulds and became hard that I had to thow away. All five of my bags that I've left on my floor was moulded and I throwed two of them away, one other suede one costs a fortune so although I should throw it away I tried to rescue it, but it's main problem was not with moulds but with extended soaking that distorted the shape of it... I don't know what will I do about it yet. One of my bedside tables was so moulded that the drawers stuck in. My undies and socks inside were safe though, but I had to throw this drawer away obviously. The boxes which I've put past lecture notes and bills and stuff was also soaked through I had to dump the bottom part of it. Luckily the important documents were stored in a different place. Mystically my printer, subwoofer and Wii were all safe although they were all placed on the floor...

I tried to clean the carpet a bit, using those powders and vacuuming them spray disinfectants on, I could still smell the mould though...

I had a 2 hour nap on the flight so I should be tired but I decided to go to Ikea, at least I have to replace my drawers and those boxes. So there I went, taking a bus to Northcote then train to North Richmond then tram to Ikea. I saw what I want for the drawers right at the entrance of Ikea but I went around the showing rooms like three times trying to find it, asked the staff and they were as helpless and I had to get out to the entrance again to look at it, mark down the funny Swedish name and go back, I finally found that it was only showing in the marketplace though... It was a good choice though, cheap and most importantly relatively easy to carry cos I had to use public transport to go back home. There was some funny looks at me at the bus station though, I didn't bother to care.

That thing didn't require screws or something like that to assemble, instead it uses only a hammer which is the only thing that I don't have in my house... I used a spanner that did the same thing though. looks pretty nice at last. Huh~

And yesterday I spent another day in Ikea with a friend, bought heaps of stuff again and sort of got caught in the extremely packed tram :S Was home safely at last though with a tabletop for my drawer which I wasn't able to carry last time, a cute panda cushion which my friend didn't want to hand back to me obviously and a swivel chair. That's about it. I helped building her shoe shelf in her place and then got my chair and tabletop onand went to sleep almost straightly.

Quite a While Huh?

I tried several times to post something here but all gave up at last...

The first ten days of February, very busy back there in China... I haven't had much time staying in China actually, and I do have heaps and heaps of friends to catch up with, so it was like non-stop. Plus the fact that I had to prepare for my coming back to Australia. Was pretty glad to have seen some people again though, I am still an innocent boy in people's eyes, just because I tell the truth. Some other people had changed, in the way I don't want them to be but they are no longer part of my life anyway so I just don't bother worrying.

After that was obviously my coming back to Australia. It was a night flight but I didn't managed to sleep much at all. Watched a handful of movies though.

Finally got to see Coming Down the Mountain, it's still dead on my eMule but i still want to download it. The story was quite nice, and although David did something horrible, he's still the most miserable kid in the family and parents don't usually think of his feelings apparently just because of his intellectually defected brother Ben.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas almost made me crying loudly out. It was just bland and beautiful at the beginning while Bruno's exploring their backyards and accidentally found Schmuel in the concentration camp and made friends with him, bringing him food and stuff. They were aware of people missing and those chimneys exhausing inbearable gases but they never knew what that was. While Schmuel was treated pretty badly in the camp Bruno was cheated by the video that life in the camp was even better than outside and he does think that it was because he was not Jew that he doesn't have the right to get in the camp (not the other way), until the days comes when Schmuel's father was lost. Bruno dug into the camp in the 'striped pajamas' that Schmuel brought and they set out to look for his father. They were mistakenly taken to the toxic gas 'shower'... And just before that Bruno was suggesting 'why not try the cafe in the camp' while they were bit tired. And there was those desparate cries from Bruno's parents and sister when they finally know where their missing Bruno is.

After landing in Melbourne I had to deal with all those moulds growing in my room for the whole first day, I think I should write this in another post :P And I got a cold somehow after that... It had just become better that I was up here in Dookie campus for a Viticulture subject.

So, here we wrapped it all up again.

skins Season 3 the New Crew

Freddie. A less overwhelming and less controlling Tony, actually sort of like Maxxie in terms of character sometimes. The actor (Luke Pasqualino) was hot btw :P

Cook. Supposed to be Chris, well combined with Anwar's homophobia and lechery. Messing up with gangsters are like Sid messing up with that PHD thing? Not so sure... So far the craziest role in this season.

JJ. Sid obviously. Same geeks.

Effy is still Effy and Pandora is still Pandora, nothing much to say here...

Katie. Abby? Almost same slutty.

Emily. Michelle? Almost same miserable.

Can't really find much of the connections other than these so far with characters in the previous skins.

We've yet to meet Thomas but I have a gut feeling that he represents Jal...

So, who's Naomi? I don't see such an isolated person in the previous skins... Wait Sketch? She should not be that hated cos she's done nothing wrong...

And where's Maxxie? Cassie? Anwar anyone?

Choir

Been back to my middle school choir the other day for an event of the departure of the graduating members. it was 8 years since my departure and I know no one in the current choir obviously cos they change members completely every 6 years along with the school. Luckily some of the old members which I know had attended that as well so that I could have someone to talk to.

I am pretty glad to see that I was not the oldest one there. One of the leading voices in my time had gone back to the school as a teacher and to assist the director with the choir. I've seen that the style of the choir have some what changed after seeing the DVD they gave me, from more general and international works into more remote and aboriginal style, especially the addition of Tibetan elements. And I don't see a single Mandarin work through the DVD.

I saw one thing from their performance. The director kept telling the choir to sing with their deepest emotion, well they did seem like they did. Yet I don't think that it was their true emotions cos I don't think I understand all those songs all that good by the time I was like 14. I don't even understand them quite well now when I'm 23. The conclusion is easily drawn here: they act. There is nothing wrong with acting, thing is, you better call an acting an acting instead of 'the truest emotion' as the director do. Of course this does no harm to the choir, on the contrary it adds to the reputation of it, what it does is the harm to the soul of the students. In a simple word, the school teach students to pretend and to lie, for the good of the reputation of the school itself. What will the students do when they grow up? Pretend and lie for the good of the company or country or whatever? They have a decent excuse for wrongdoing.

It was a shame though that some of the old members which I were longing to see didn't come along, but I think we'll make it another time, better before I go back to Australia this time.

Leaving etc.

Not actually that willing, it is always good seeing family back home I know. And I understand it would be a long time after this time I go back that would happen again. Not actually know how long. I can't stop eating in my first dinner home, mum always is the best cook in the world.

Yes the year 2009 is my year of the Ox. And it is a crucial year to China of course. Looking back, from when the Communist party had controlled mainland China from 1949, every ten years there will be some big disaster taking place in China. And the year of 2008 had already set a fantastic background for all that to happen. I was actually bit of worried that I might be blocked out of the border but I got in without a problem which means I'm not actually nasty enough for them to consider arresting me. But there are plenty of examples that China jails democracy fighters and people speak of bad towards the Communist Party.

Another thing to do before leaving an empty house behind would be to clear up the fridge, I actually did this one pretty badly, getting myself an ingestion that I could not sleep the night before departure past midnight while I had to get up at 5AM the next morning to catch the flight, and I still had to get rid of some of the remaining stuff at the last minute.

Well anyway I was tired after such a long day and I really should go to sleep, now.

Looking Back on the Year 2008

The year 2008 slipped away, before I realize it (just like every other year actually, and it usually takes a few days for me to recognize it was another year). The rising sun doesn't seem any different to me on my way back on early in the morning of New Year's Day, every day the sun is new anyway.

During this remarkable year, my rent's been rising for three times and I'm surprised that I still bear to live in the same place... Well if I got the chance in that Homeshare program I will definitely leave here, crap as hell for that sort of rent. But otherwise I don't see myself leaving, mainly due to the trouble of moving all my stuff... (consider the day I step on the earth of Australia with a suitcase, a shoulder bag and a backpack, I think my stuff could well fill up a van now)

During this remarkable year, heaps of new people enter my life, only two important ones though. I would like to thank them, for, everything. I can't imagine a 2008 without you two (doesn't necessarily mean it would be difficult, but obviously the two of you changed me a lot). There are other guys though, people comes and goes, and the best stays. I would always treasure all the friends that kept me in touch for long time.

During this remarkable year, I sort of ended the chaos of my intimate life thanks to you. A distant relationship is hard to sustain as far as I experienced. I didn't hesitate to jump into another one with you though, still hoping that it would work out at last, and last. At least it was not an international one this time.

There are lots of other things happened in the year 2008 outside of me as well, which makes me more aware of the existence of evilness. There will definitely be more of such events taking place in the year 2009 though. And I wish that the devil will be punished soon, we'll see. I signed the Charter 08 on the first day of the year 09 after a bit of struggling, but it's obviously not regretting it.

Untitled

I miss you honn. Missed your touch, missed your hugs, missed your kisses, missed your breath into my ear, even your scratches.

I understand that I wouldn't be able to see you in quite a few months this time... I actually should visit again some time but it seems not quite possible to me cos I got more shifts at work plus you must be busy close to Christmas... Visiting New York in the New year for your birthday and I'll soon be home back in China, that's another one and a half month gone. Not long after I come back my uni will commence again and all I could do is wait for you to visit, which I won't be sure when... I know that you'll be taking another course in January as well, you didn't tell me when will that finish though... Maybe I'll not be looking to seeing you til next Easter...

It seems it's been long time since the last time I heard your voice... I was to call you but I was afraid that you might be busy or whatever that you wouldn't pick up... Well I hadn't even tried and I got that conclusion, although should only be called speculation. Well I should argue that you never called me though...

Well, Merry Christmas.

The Power of Discount

Hmm, what do you think a sexy Stussy jumper, a Stussy tee, a Stussy shirt, a small Stussy bag, an Independant tee, a Freejive tee, a huge Mossimo bag, a white Penguin shorts and a cute Penguin vest worth altogether? No matter what you think, I got all of them for A$190, which I think was fair (for me) enough, the Jumper's A$40 and the tees are 3 for A$50, all the other items are $20 each. So I got myself quite a lot for this Christmas, end of story.

Not sure if I should tell but if you don't regard me as advertising (I really am not), the sale is still on 500 Brunswick St, Fitzroy til Christmas I guess everyday 10AM - 5PM. But going early is highly recommended as things seem to go fast. The sale range is simply street brands such as Stussy, Mossimo, Paul Frank, Superdry, Globe... The lines include clothes, accessories, shoes, undies and other weird stuff. No high end brands such as Bape though... All at crazy price!

So, it's Holiday

Exams over, life gone. I've actually expected this. I always feel like uni when I'm on holiday and holiday when I'm in uni... I've become so lazy that I have to push myself hard to get myself on this post...

Well I did almost nothing lately, applied for that homeshare thing though, which means if I'm lucky I won't have to pay rents anymore and replacing that by doing housework and caring for elderly or disabled people.

Been spending a lot of money lately but fortunately I'll be working more from next week so that I'll not be that struggle.

Been moving away from Bach a bit now, since listening to sonatas by Brahms and Beethoven, Bach seemed real cold and cruel comparing to them, but still dignified and elegant. Well I'm finally off just Baroque I guess... Although Baroque is still appealing to me.

I think that's it, the start of my holiday, meant to be, er, nothing.

From This to That

Hmm you've changed, I mean you towards me, since last time we met.

After the last time, I was like pretty sure I'm in love with you while you kept telling me things like you enjoyed being single, you're not ready and all sorts of stuff. And you always tell me that I love you more than you do. Well, I can't think of a reason not to admit that until this time. And I've been giving myself various excuses when it comes to all those temptations.

And this time, I do feel that you've changed, Although you didn't tell or you might not have realized yourself, that you love me. While you are still telling me that I love you more than you do and I'll start to think about it now. And, I'll not be able to persuade myself with those excuses anymore, because I started to feel my responsibility to you. And I felt like I've hurt you before using those excuses, and I feel guilty. I do.

Well responsibility, a long lost word for me. And I'm picking it up. And I'm not dropping it again, hopefully.

the Ugly Chinese

This book is written some 20 years ago in 1984 by Bo Yang, a famous Taiwanese author who passed away earlier this year. I've heard of this book for a pretty long time but I hadn't got a chance til recently to have bought it from Taiwan and read it thorough. This book is also published in mainland China in the year 2004, but censored of course, I guess most of the second part of the book is gone cos "different" voice from the government is presented as the responses to the book goes on like a war on the Chinese magazines of the United States.

Well it was my opinion, I don't know whether it was that Chinese people had become uglier or something, this book doesn't seem to have revealed every ugly thing about the Chinese people, such as shameless and greedy as far as I see. Anyway, Mr Bo Yang wrote this book in the hope of seeing the 'uprising' of the Chinese people and community in the world, whereas I've already lost every single hope of Chinese ever being any good again. They are just hopeless. They are boasting of what a long history or what dazzling achievements Chinese had achieve in the ancient times, well note this 'ancient times', look around yourself now do you see any modern utilities been developed or invented by Chinese? Nothing.

Self-humiliation while comparing themselves to the people in developed country while cynic towards everything in the developed world and jeer anyone that goes towards them as toady to foreign powers, well, if there is something that the developed world is doing better than the traditional way (not just some I guarantee, heaps), what one should do is not to try to push it down by groundless blames and not admitting that you yourself is inferior but to think of what is so good about it and either find a way to make yourself superior of even simply mimic is better than just satirizing the good ones and keep your stupid way. And that is what Chinese people are doing and that is why I lost all hope.

Every single time that the government had done something wrong or lied about something, what they do was not to try to find the truth but help the government to cover its fault 'for good' or 'for the respect of our glorious China' while your rotten China had already been known as the biggest liar in the world.

Most recently, the so called 'Shenzhou 7' the spaceship, absolutely fake and few people actually doubt that within China after a bunch of hints pointing directly towards the falseness of it: a news leak about the spaceship describing in every detail of the spaceship in the space when it was not even launched, bubbles (well they manipulated the videos on Youtube so that the 'bubbles' look like pieces of paper as they say, which further proves the falseness of the spaceship) that indicates the video is shot underwater, an aside that calls for two 'motiles' approach 'underwater', the sudden change of type of clothes from cordless from the ship to corded indicates airflow need when you think of they are underwater so that there would be less bubbles (still proved to be inevitable though), the time difference between the portion of earth shown in video and the 'actual' time demonstrated, plus the video had demonstrated the 'getting out' from various angles showing the astronauts while there's nothing about the spaceship itself and all the camera is focussed at the door of the cabin, don't think it bit ridiculous? Well if there's only one suspectation was observed I might trust the the saying of the government, but what about all these? I wouldn't believe these evidences are all fake and only what the Chinese government says is true.

Someone asked me recently that whether the Chinese government was corrupt or not, my answer was very. And when asked 'could you buy someone over?' the answer would be you will HAVE TO buy someone over in many circumstances or you are just nothing. The whole government is corrupt like that and nobody ever give a shit that they are even happy to buy them over for a ‘reassurance'. No wonder huh?

The bottom line is that, this is a pretty good book for the mainland Chinese people as an enlightenment. It does show many of ugly behavior that is unique to Chinese people and will show them that 'if you guys don't do anything about such I don't see a future of China', and they did absolutely nothing I would say.

And believe me buying the uncensored Taiwanese version is a must if you are gonna read this one or you could actually compare the two versions and see how evil the Chinese government is that they don't even tolerate any say against it.

Newcastle

Actually been back for like a week now, was impressive and I liked it.

I was pretty shocked mistaking Sydney as Newcastle on the plane, well if it really was that would be horrible, endless lights spreading into the night, a city that never sleeps. I thought Newcastle would not be that huge, and I was right.

The airport is obviously small, with only two or three parking places for planes. and you will have to go around the plane to get back to the terminal building. Switching on my phone, considering that you might not have arrived that I should call after going to toilet. I was rushing to that sign of a faceless stand straight man while you suddenly spoke into my ear that you are going to pay for your parking.

You drove me around the city although it is dark and not much is actually seen, all I could feel was Newcastle is actually a pretty hilly city with heaps of beaches. Then to your place, which was pretty dark (no doubt at night). We are both bit tired and we just fell asleep.

The weather next morning was pretty pleasant as far as I remember, and I was surprised that it was actually Lake Macquarie outside your window. Was to go to the beach but it seems we are pretty slack so we only got to go for grocery shopping and for the materials I need to cook for tonight.

It took quite some effort to find the Asian grocery that you found on the Yellow Page, we finally got there though. Well, just really a grocery, pretty small, we found all what we need though, that's good enough.

It was hard to find the steamer under your housemate's bed, we pulled out every single box and opened them and checked, and it was finally there. Pretty small one, means we'll have to divide the chicken into two and steam them separately.

Yes steamed chicken with Shitake mushroom is one of the dishes that night, with boiled dumplings and a stir fry. Rice had to be bought from a nearby restaurant as you don't have a rice cooker here.

The vegetarian stir fry was surprisingly good as I actually seldom do stir fries. (stir fry is actually not Asian, instead American-Asian as we don't actually do it at home, it was invented by the immigrants but you guys love it) It seems the chicken was not as welcomed, think it was bit bland though but I still love it. Seems we had a lot of alcohol that night.

The next day we got up at 6AM, going to Maitland where you worked, I just go around the small town and take pictures everywhere. Two things surprised me, it was not a big town and there are like half a dozen churches, and the churches sound bells! This immediately evaluates my favor towards the town. At the centre of the main street mall was all kinds people singing and dancing hilariouly. Bored and tired by the last one or two hours of the waiting, I just sat at the back.

It rains in the afternoon and we were trapped in the cafe of Hunter Valley Gardens, pretty regretful that we didn't visit the vineyards though, just comforting myself that the grapes are not ripened at this time of year, and there is always next time.

It was another slack morning on Sunday, and a 'completely Aussie BBQ experience' for me at lunch. Everything's overcooked (just as usual) though...

Beach. Simply wonderful.

The last day, we had a fight in the morning, my fault though. And we just drove around trying to kill the time before the flight, realizing there's no opening restaurant for a dinner at 4PM the only choice was junk food.

We seated ourselves right opposite to the chek in counters chilling for like an hour and felt the guys inside peeping at us, and it was time to go.

Got myself a Latte and a window seat, a bit of a rush, just finished replying a guy on facebook and it was boarding time.

I will remember that old man running on and off the skybus like five times and making me miss the train home!!!

Lots of Podspeakers by Scandyna Recently

Yes you don't have to tell me they are cute, I knew it. Well I've been dreaming to have a pair of the Drop with the Amp from Scandyna, and I finally did. And as usual, things that you don't actually own is always more attractive. And yes, I am thinking of the Minipod now...

I'd been wondering the difference between the two, same manufacturer, same units, would it be same performance just different design? I found an article that indirectly says: Not really. Although this review rather than mentioning the Minipod, tested the Cinepod, which is pretty close to the design of the Minipod. Btw, a review solely and technically on the Drop is pretty hard to find on the internet at the moment...

The biggest difference between the Cinepod/the Minipod and the Drop is, that the drop is a sealed box design while the other two are relax cabinet, see the holes down there? That one's not present on the Drop although it might just look decorative for symmetry on the Minipod.

Well I do not have a Minipod or Cinepod, but according to the articles I've found, the main difference in terms of sound would be that the Drop have a quick, slick and punchy sound while the other two would rather have a mellow, widened and laid-back sound thanks to that hole there. (I've read some of the reviews solely on the Minipod which support this)

That means I really should have, both... orz

Well I'm at least not regret with my choice cos the design of the Drop are simply astonishing, and I do listen to musics such as trance and D'n'B which are punchy by the nature (I tried them and they sound gorgeous). But on the other hand I do enjoy some chill out and Bach while relaxing which is obviously more on the Minipod's end. So, how about the Julibee matte black version of Minipod with golden sputniks? Well when I have that money and if they are still there I might. But here comes another problem, the Amp would only support one pair of speakers and, I don't actually have a desk big enough for both pairs, the Amp, my SACD player by Marantz and my laptop...

OK let's talk about the sound of my Drops and the Amp (the other components of the system include the Microsub which I got some time ago and sound sources including an SACD player, my laptop and my MD player), one word, incredible. Especially when it comes to the details. I'm not good at explaining such but you will know it when you hear it. The high is slick and dazzling while the mid-range is smooth and flaring, the bass is sort of not deep enough as the Microsub is the smallest sub within the line of Scandyna. (Mentioning the Microsub, I got it with my Micropods as a set and sold the Micropods when I made up my mind to get the Drop and the Amp but saving the Microsub cos I knew I'll need it :P)

Another thing that I began to miss is the Ferguson Hill FH007, a totally transparent speaker system minimized from the luxury FH001-003 system. I just comforted myself by wondering how long does it take to turn yellow and again, although minimized, I don't have the space for them. The class A/B amp included in this system does sound tempting though. (The Amp is a revised design class D which is said to be comparable with class A/B amps, well using the technologies from B&W again I suppose?) Well I have to say that the huge version is way astonishing though.

Yes I am in love with Scandyna the day I got my box of Micropod+Microsub 2.1 system. for that one, the process of sticking the spuniks into the pods are dodgy as far as I recall and I was actually upset that the manufacturing is not very good for that one (again the sin of Made in China) that made me sort of disappointed until I hear the sound from that little round white box. Well the Drop, you might have known after seeing the price tag, is Made in Denmark and the finish is way better than the Micropods, thile the Amp is still a Made in China, it was not as bad as the Micropod, again, related to its price tag I have to say.

Sushi

I've actually never imagined I would work in a sushi shop like this... Not even now did I ever consider that I would stay there for any long. But I actually stayed and decided to work here at least for now.

They pay shit no wonder. There are good sides though, I got a free lunch there and the sushi that is left over could be taken home for dinner which means i got two meals on top of the pay, well we earn for living and eating is no doubt part of it right? Plus the people working there are nice to me and I could actually burn some serious fat doing the hard work. Yeah, so why not?

Btw, just found that the avocado rolls from this shop is nice :P

Die Welle

The English name is translated 'the Wave'. This movie's in German, as my German is obviously not good enough to watch it straight and the English subtitle is mystically missing (hope it will be on the internet soon though), I actually had to change my windows setting to make it able to encode non-Unicode Chinese so I could load a Chinese subtitle and I was finally watching it, and change it back after finishing. The effort is all worth it though.

The movie's recomposed from a true story about a high school teacher's experiment on his students on autocracy, the original story started 1967 in California's Palo Alto Cubberley High while in the movie the story is relocated within Germany. The use of simple but strict discipline, uniform and the collective consciousness, which made himself a autocrat to the group in a stunning five days. After all these the mind control slipped in without the conscious of even the teacher himself, the students have all changed. They become adulatory, selfish and not even conscious of what they are doing as the concept of a group had gone too far in their minds.

The students named the group as 'die Welle', established a website, made their own logo and spread it, they even made up a gesture for the group and tries to exclude and isolate everyone that opposes the motivation, all spontaneously. And they finally become some kind of gang that even go out on streets to fight other gangs.

The ending is obviously not happy. As the teacher realized he is going a bit too far after all those five days, he demonstrated the harm that had already done on their students, to show that Nazism and Fascism is already successfully established in the group and how disastrous it can be if they simply allow this going on. Some of the students, unfortunately, had already gone too far that one of the students even regard 'die Welle' as his whole life that he refuse to end this farce. He's got a gun somehow and after hurting a classmate he shot himself in the throat as 'die Welle' is dead and there's nothing left on earth for him. The teacher is arrested for going too far and the story ends.

The movie thrilled me, deeply. What is most shocking to me is that most of the methods used to achieve autocracy in this movie, I've actually been through while I was back in China. From elementary school we are asked to practice stepping simultaneously, sit properly, raising hands before allowed to speak in class, compulsorily wear uniforms on school days, arranging seats so that 'good' students are usually sit next 'bad' students, elimination of individuality, be encouraged to tattle against even the closest friends... And I believe that this is how the Chinese government achieve its autocracy, and most of the Chinese people are not aware what they have been through and they are still mind-controlled by the government after growing up and even til death. Hey, these students are treated this way when they are like 16 or 17 and there are people who know this is wrong and tries to stop it while others can be woken by demonstrating the harm done to them, and they have the right to choose another subject in the first place; every single Chinese kids are treated this way since they are 6 or 7, totally innocent and haven't got the foggiest idea of democracy or autocracy, every single one that oppose such brain washing is either tortured or made suffered til they surrender or be isolated and excluded for the rest of his/her life in China.

Is this obvious enough?

Wicked Logics of Quilts

Been pretty sick for quite a few days now and skipped heaps of uni... And I was so bored lying in bed daydreaming. And, here's what I've got out these days, about the warmth of 3 quilts, the arranging.

Let's assume quilts 1, 2 and 3, same materials, thickness 1+2=3. Arrangement 12 means quilt 1 is inside with quilt 2 on top, 21 means quilt 2 inside with quilt 1 on top. Simple huh?

Which one's warmer, 123 or 321?

123 definitely. Heat loss rate 1>2>3 no doubt? Heat loss from 3 is easier to go through 2 and 1 than heat loss from 1 to go through 2 and 3, as simple as that. We could go further. The space between two quilts stores heat that is lost from the bottom quilt but not able to go through the top one, the heat is easier to go through the thinner layer than the thicker layer, and if you like, consider the heat between itself as one layer, isn't it warmer when the layer of heat is closer to you?

Does 1+2=3?

No. You could think of it simply because 12=/=21=/=3. Don't mean either 12 or 21 is warmer than 3 though. The opposite. 3 is solid thickness of 3 while either 12 or 21 is not. Think of the heat layer again, yes some of the heat might go back down but there's not as much thickness above to prevent it from the loss.

Conclusion, 1<2<21<12<3<31<13<32<23<321<312<231<213<132<123. Well, not quite a conclusion like that yet, this one is based on the speculation that thickness being the first rule. If not things will be different.

Time to Write a Bit about You

Well it's been... A month and a half since then? My little elf.

I don't actually know what to say here, we chatted a lot and we had a great weekend together and that's all we had been through. I know we have more than that. And yes I do look forward to seeing you again, a whole week? That sounds extremely exciting to me!

Well that's about what I could write here, there are more but I'll leave it for now. You know I love you.

Not Supposed to Be Here

There is something going on that it seems we are not as close as it used to be. Was it just that I think too much? Or this is actually the way it should be right from the start? I can't think.

I was worried about you. I messaged you to ask if you are ok cos it's been days that I wasn't in contact with you. You replied like few days later but did not answer. You made me even worried but I was afraid to ask again. Well I suppose you will tell me if there is something wrong. I suppose you are going fine. I just can't help thinking.

I thought we were like soul mates. I still think so. I feel connected with you, especially intellectually. Yes one message from you warms me up for a whole day that I just can't stop grinning, I am a sinner.

I watched a movie called Drift lately, well the characters wasn't good looking but I'm not for that anyway. I feel like Ryan playing as Leo in that movie. Interestingly enough, the movie has three endings, I liked the second one and forgot what the first one was about already. I don't know how it will actually end up to be though, I don't have the ability to choose the best ending for myself. It's just time will tell.

I've never said I love you, but I do and you knew it. Thing is, you wouldn't know how much was there and I don't wanna tell. I cannot just say it, partly that I was not brave enough, and that it would be more than irresponsible, for them both.

Just so you know.

Tire

I though the middle break was RIGHT NOW and it's NOT! I'll have to wait for another TWO WEEKS for it to come along... Well in these two weeks, we got two or three microbiology reports due, one nutrition simulation and one microbiology mid term exam... Well these are not the worst things. Thing is, my body's ready for the break and all I could feel is nothing but tire...
Let me have some more sleep now... And I'll wake up to start the reports, or who knows...

Russia!

The US must be pretty embarrassed by now on the incidence of Georgia. The trick played by Russia is definitely wise and stunning, given the fact that it mimes the model what NATO got used to on other countries (Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq etc) and uses it back on the NATO itself. Well, it is clear that this time Georgia is in fault timing the attack during the Olympics and wishes to involve the US, and called ceasefire once the Russian army started 'helping' the attacked territories defending and realized that the US is not gonna help.

Russia took the chance and swung a big slap right at the face of the NATO, then recognizes the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. See what US says? Separatists? Why don't they recognize themselves as separatists while separating Yugoslavia? Well given the Yugoslavian government is evil in NATO's eyes, what is so good about the Georgian one in Russian eyes?

I'm proud of Russia this time, even if only by the smart trick it played.

China, a Giant in Sports?

I know that China is leading the medal tally in the Beijing Olympics, however, I don't think number of gold medals represents a country's level in terms of sports, this is especially not true under China's government funded 'professional' athletes.

I don't see any other countries than China ever establish so-called 'college of sports', where you don't do much other than training. Such colleges are government-funded and aim for the medals in Olympics solely. While the trainings inside the college is evil, i.e. one will easily be beaten up for making a mistake something like that in training. The athletes, in their youth years, knows almost nothing more than training and competition. Not only had the prolonged training ripped of the right of the athlete being educated normally, to the age of retire from their career as an athlete, they may probably suffer chronic injuries from it. I've heard a former gold medaller of women's 10,000m running suffers so seriously from the training that she cannot even walk for long distances and her feet is distorted. She cannot work as a PE teacher due to her injuries, her whole life is ruined by the training. And, this is only one of the countless cases of athletes don't get a job and suffering for the whole life thanks to the training and gold medals.

Outside the 'college of sports' the sport is completely different. There are some sports such as badminton and table tennis that have a massive base of popularity among the mass, it is no wonder that Chinese people can do well in such sports and these gold medals are the only ones China deserves. The others, well, which woman else the hell in China does weight lifting of hundreds of kilos other than the ones inside the training just for the fun of it?

Actually for many of the sports that China had a gold medal on, at least half of the citizens had never touched it ever in their whole life! Diving? Rings anyone?

Besides, the physical education outside the 'college of sports' are extremely poor. For anyone in the 3rd year of middle school or high school in China, you can see PE classes are around one session out of 40 per week if not completely eliminated in there timetable. And if you ask the students, they will probably tell you that many of these one per week session are looted by other subjects, simply because PE is not essential for graduating and move onto the higher level of education!

Well what Chinese people concern is solely on the number of the gold medals gained, they never ask the value of each medal, well if Chinese boys could ever get a gold medal in men's soccer in my life extend, I think I will be more than happy to admit that all of the above is bullshit and fly a blood flag cheering for China.

WHITE SENSATION!!

I couldn't be any more exited to get the ticket in the first possible stage for the White Sensation Party this New Year's Eve!!

Just see the video, which was the 5th July one held in Amsterdam. already can't wait!!

Minor Miracle

I bought some German beer from Aldi the other day as they were on sale. And before I finish them, I found my gum stopped bleeding! Amazing, although I'm not quite sure if there's a definite link between the two. Stop spitting red foams while brushing my teeth would never be bad though.

Recently

I've been pretty hazy these days. I should have finished my prac book by now but it was not yet halfway. I know I got another week for it but I really don't want to spend the rest of my holiday working on that 30 page book... Now, who can tell me who is the "classic" producer in Sicily for Nero D'Avola? I know I'll have to Google such and dive into the ocean of frauds to get some usful information because I can't even find the answer on Wikipedia... Grrr...

My gum's been bleeding for quite a few days and for no reason. Especially when I brush my teeth, I spit red foams. I don't even know where the blood was from because I can't see a cut or anything. It's just there, bleeding.

Been a pretty crappy day yesterday. I don't touch basketball as someone knows me may know. I was dragged to a basketball field and standing at the side alone doing almost nothing for more than one hour, extremely upset but what else can I do? I just shouldn't have accepted to be there. It was so stupid just to telling that me ridden a bike there and stand for an hour then ride back. And when I was back home I found a birthday present for me, which is the one that I was most looked forward to this year, had been attempted delivered and no one's home! And the delivery people had left me a wrong consignment number that I cannot get it redelivered until tomorrow! I was so pissed off and helpless, but all that is left to do is wait.

The photos taken on my birthday is seen today... I don't know why I look so fat and my face perfectly round! I hate that and I'll have to work harder on my Wii Fit. Well, mentioning that, I had not touched it for over a week now cos last week was a real busy one and I've been trying to sleep back those times these days...

Ya better off for it now.

Difference

I noticed recently that many Chinese college or university students are complaining that their teacher doesn't allow them to cheat in the examination... What is wrong with them! They sound like cheating is perfectly justified because everybody does it, without thinking of what cheating actually is! I feel quite a bit of mercy to these guys but more of a despise. I can't understand why the student don't do what they should during term time and end up cheating in the exam to get a pass for the subject while they learn absolutely nothing after getting a diploma for the degree they are doing!

The overly extended intake of universities in China has been causing a huge problem, which makes people disrespectful the bachelor and even master degrees because it sounds like everybody is getting one. As the teaching resources are not capable in amount with the need of the students overly taken, resulting in horrible sacrifice of quality of education, and hence further reduce the value of the degree. Adding those guys that shouldn't be qualified for entry of universities entering and struggling with it, you could imagine.

The pay for the graduates, on the other hand, is horrible. A bachelor from a regular university would probably accept an office job paying under two thousand Yuan per month. What's the concept? In a regular city the rent of a regular apartment room for the person would be 600-800 Yuan per month, food is at least 15 Yuan per day, eating out would cost more than 30 per person. A T-shirt not from luxury brands costs about 100-200 Yuan. Transportation would be around 5 Yuan per day. That means a graduate might not even afford average everyday living costs. Now, what about the tens of thousands of Yuan that his/her parents thrown onto the higher education? There's not only no sign of higher pay in reward for the input, the graduates are even suffering from poverty after expensive higher education, isn't that ridiculous enough?

Not trying to give suggestions here. The universities is not to be blamed for extended intake. Parenting is different in China that all kids are expected to finish university no matter what they are actually into. This is a big problem itself as with the population boom and place of universities limited. The government's probably forcing the universities to extend intake to please parents without considering bigger disaster following up.

University, as well as other higher educations, should be offered and "Elite Education", people who are not really keen to or able to receive a university level education should not be pushed into universities, I would rather be happier to see them earn their own living early with some skills instead of struggling in the universities playing tricks for a pass and ruin the image of university as well as graduates.

It is gone quite a bit off title but I ain't keen to hold it back for such long days, so here it goes.

Round Trip, the Other Way Though

Back in Melbourne more than one hour late from Gold Coast as Qantas engineers strike delays my Jetstar flight... When the bus reach Southern Cross it's like 12:20 so no wonder no trains or trams anymore on a weekday... Took a cab home and have to change the linen something and take a shower, bed at about 2.

Turn back a bit.

I don't remember I have ever cried like that in a bus, well actually I haven't been crying for quite a long while, and I don't even know what it is for. We'll definitely meet again right? It doesn't work that way no matter what right? Why is it like something very important that I lost somehow while I've never had it? I know I did seem weird taking up two seats with my backpack, sobbing and looking around a crowded bus through my tears, I meant to stop it but I just can't help until it was like fifteen minutes to the airport that I managed to calm down. I tried to make myself cry last night on the bed but it did not work until I am writing such stuff now.

It's maybe that hug. I finally work out.

You remind me too much about that person I guess, whom I had never hugged like that from the front. I've not been imagining the scene we say good bye, but I never expected I would cry as I was like forgot how to, I managed not to cry in front of you though. You weren't easy at that stage as well, I could see that.

Home (not mine though)

I haven't been getting used to sitting at that table on the floor crossing my legs as I told you my durability is horrible, plus the sore legs I had from that climbing. So I have been virtually lying and shifting while we were talking. I noticed that you didn't get used to look at me while we talk, that makes sense though as following what you told me later. I've been enjoying all those chats like that, very much, and I don't think I have ever talk about all those stuff to a friend face-to-face... Bit too embarrassing isn't it? Sometimes for me, but I guess it gets lots worse if I were chatting to somebody else.

Mt. Warning

All I hope is that while that large woman went pass very quickly me saying sorry on the way down she didn't hear me say 'inertia'... The rental car stuff had been very frustrating throughout the day as we almost hit on all the tricks that stupid company made...

Dream World

Bit of regret not having played Tower of Terror, not the other one though... Well if I were having someone to go with whom I could grab while falling and screaming, I would probably go.

Brisbane city

I was to say that it was bit like Sydney with a botanic garden in CBD that I realized that Melbourne has one as well... Difference is, there's not much stuff special in the Melbourne one as far as I remember, while all what Sydney botanic garden had left in my memory was the annoying flies, this one in Brisbane is actually pretty nice, I think I only mean the wet land ecosystem part beside the river looking over to Kangaroo point though. walking in there was a pretty good relax.

Picasso

The one currently showing in GoMA is not actually all Picasso's work, instead, was his own collection of some of his work and the others. The show's been pretty nice but takes too long and I didn't know that prior that I got hungry at about 2/3 of it and had to rush through the rest and run out for a Subway. Well the other bad thing for travelling alone is that I would feel weird entering gourmet restaurants alone, which ends up junk food all the way...

BEAT

The last stop of my pub tour on the first night. Not much actually, only thing is I promised a crazy girl that I will say goodbye before leaving while I actually ended up not finding her before leaving... Well I doubt I had put any effort on that though...

Brisbane Airport

Like always, feeling bit of dizzy arriving a strange city. Worked out my way to the hotel without much trouble though. The train stop I was to get to is closed... I realize that it should be the case in Brisbane just like showground in Melbourne as well. It's alright though it only takes a 10-minute walk from Brunswick St station anyway. One thing embarrassing is just that the train opens theirs doors in a different way than Melbourne trains does as the button is not on the door...

Melbourne Airport

Been arriving early, a big Boost just kept me running to toilets...