User Comments - tvan

Posted on: Pre-Valentine's News

paulinurus, I use the Far East Chinese-English Dictionary.  It is comprehensive both in characters covered and, just as important, English definitions provided.  However, because it is published in Taiwan, it uses traditional radicals, then stroke count, then zhuyin (versus pinyin).  The traditional radicals isn't that big of a deal (probably educational), but the zhuyin is a deal-breaker.  Thus, it isn't for most Cpoddies.  For what it's worth, here is a review of dictionaries on Yellowbridge.  I own the Oxford Dictionary, Harbaugh's Genealogy and, of course, The Far East dictionary pictured there, plus a middlin' mainland dicitonary.

On lesson content, it's been discussed here before.  It's basically a choice between breadth versus depth.  I think you can argue either way.

Posted on: Pre-Valentine's News

paulinrus, at some point if you are serious about learning Chinese, you should memorize the radicals in order.  (I'm using radical in the sense of the element used to find a character in a dictionary.)  In addition to forming a good base of knowledge, it's the only way to use a Chinese dictionary with any speed.

I'm not sure if mentioning radicals on CPod would do much good, but there might be some useful way to work it in.

Posted on: 中国崛起

tgif, I will let Pete give you his translation, but 偏 means slanted or biased (e.g. 偏心) and, in this case, I think 激 translates as "violent."  You can find the definition on Nicku. Likewise with 雷人/Thunder Person.

Of course parsing the meaning of a word from the individual characters doesn't always work.  

Posted on: 中国崛起

My father-in-law served as an officer in the Nationalist Chinese army, and was, I think it's fair to say, a true patriot of China; he certainly sacrificed a lot more for China than any Fudan/北大 brat.  Normally, he was quite taciturn; however any mention of Taiwanese independence was guaranteed to bring a tirade.  And the only thing he hated more than Japanese was.... communists.

Extending Changye's thesie, you could hate Obama and still love America.  Likewise China.

Posted on: 中国崛起

Changye, actually Pete's comment probably applies a little to my friend.  He's not as well-educated as the Fudan guy (only a MBA), but quite a bit more cosmopolitan.  Still, as you say, it's funny albeit in a scary way.

davidtzau, your concerns are well-founded, and this site has been blocked before.  You should note that I had unstated reasons for posting the 土豆 link.  Considering the free-ranging nature of Chinese blogs and leaky nature of the Great Firewall (e.g. Pete's article), I've always been confused on what could possibly get a site blocked in China.

Posted on: 中国崛起

miantiao, 大概我跟你同意,但对西方的媒体,我觉得这个录像真对.  CNN, FOX news, 等等,真的很偏心.  不过它们不是反正中国,很多的西方政治家也是这样说.

changye, 我有一个香港朋友,他也是这样.  如果我们两个讲日本,台湾,一定要说, "台湾不是独立的,日本人都很恶劣,中国很伟大,等等.  别的事情我觉得他很聪明,可是对他母国就瞎忙.  当然我不会怪他,这是很平常的错误.  过新年我们两个不但常常喝醉,而且也常常吵架.  我们的两个妻子都很恐怕.

Pete, I actually thought the video, including the music, was quite effective in a visceral sort of way.  Also, for someone interested in nationalism, your New Yorker article was excellent.  (Almost as good as the flying spaghetti church!)  

Posted on: 中国崛起

I hesitated to post this video due to its sensitive subject matter and would certainly understand if it were to be deleted.  However, I believe that the following video helps to see Chinese nationalism in the context of a contemporary issue.

In the interests of not getting CPod blocked, I think it would be best not to mention the separatist movement portrayed in the video.  (There are plenty of other issues raised.)  However, I think the video accurately portrays both legitimate and imaginary nationalistic grievances as well as the ugliness that clashing nationalist movements can engender (e.g. assaulting a young lady in a wheelchair).  Also, note the reactionary tone and open criticism of the current leadership.  

If you have problem with the YouTube link, you can also find this video here on 土豆。

Posted on: 中国崛起

Used Deleted.

Posted on: Pregnancy Series 2: Pregnancy House Ar-rest

tabushuai, the date you give is the conclusive date for entry.  The earlier date I gave was a speculative one.  (Here's are a couple of Wiki's on the earlier and later dates for what they're worth.)  That said, I'm an accountant, not a historian, so I'm just repeating what others say.

Now, before Kesirui/Pete/Lunette bust a kung fu move on me, on pregnancy, it isn't just while you're pregnant.  There is also a pre-pregnancy diet.  My brother- and sister-in-law married and began having children about the same time as our family.  Taipei rents being rather high, we moved in together.  The building had an old lady who seemed to be the local pregnancy guru.  She prescribed a strict dietary regimen designed not only to maintain the mother's health, but also to produce a son.  (My wife ignored it.)  In December, my sister-in-law, Quen, gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.  

The old crone then convinced my brother-in-law （Jimmy) that what was called for was a special "pre-pregnancy diet."  So, after a three month rest period, Quen was put on a diet which, although I don't remember all the particulars, included a healthy dose of dried pork and pickled vegetables (酸菜).  Also, Jimmy was prohibited from selecting an alternative girl's name.  Of course, in April of the following year, Quen produced another beautiful baby girl, this time in San Francisco.  (We were still living together.)  I was called to the hospital because the nurse wanted a （English) name for the birth certificate, and Jimmy didn't have one.  Anyway, that was Linda, who is now a beautiful young lady in her early 20's.

During this time, interspersed between both births, my wife, who ignored all the advice (here, the husband's opinion seemed paramount), gave birth to two sons.  My brother-in-law wanted to impose the same pre-pregnancy diet but, after seeing my two sons and a brief egg-flinging incident, he dropped the diet and consulted me on names prior to birth.  A year later, they had their son.

Posted on: Pregnancy Series 2: Pregnancy House Ar-rest

Miantiao, Bababardan, thx for the info.