Vancouver and Hong Kong- On Transit and Politics

SkyTrain malfunction. Photo from CBC

"Umbrella Movement" in Hong Kong - Oct, 2014, photo taken from demotix

And so it is, on a hot summer sleepless night in Vancouver, a stumble across a CNN article on the success of Hong Kong's metro system, the MTR, finds myself discussing politics inside my head. A true sondry serendipity.

I voted "no" on the recent transit plebiscite held in metro Vancouver. Why did I vote no? I think I, along with many others who voted no, support developing transit to be more convenient so we can take transit instead of driving a car. It's occasionally thrilling to feel the speed and listen to the tune of of a 6-cylinder-twin-turbo engine, but the costs - in currency and carbon footprint - spurs us to get up from our lazy bums and walk to our nearest bus stop.  The biggest reason for saying "no" to the mayors' council's transit plan is that Translink has now developed an unbreakable image of inefficiency in both its administration and its operations. Paying taxes is not too different from purchasing a good or a service: We all want to make the most of our money, and investing more money in Translink clearly doesn't seem a good idea.

Why isn't a good idea? Commuters on the Canada Line may have seen ads that are trying to tackle the "myths" of inefficiency. Apparently, the cost per kilometre of transit in Vancouver is cheaper than our counterparts in Toronto and Montreal, and administration costs are lower than most other North American transit agencies. An article on Vancity Buzz titled "Vancouverites are spoiled with SkyTrain" compares how the SkyTrain fares much better than Toronto and Portland, and is very competitive when it is viewed along with other Canadian and American transit systems. I trust that all of these information are correct, and frankly quite appealing. The SkyTrain system has a on-time performance of 95%, a daily ridership of 390,000 (according to Wikipedia) which is 15.6% of the population of Greater Vancouver. The fastest frequency of the SkyTrain during rush hours is having a train in 2-3 minutes. However, this is precisely why Translink is sorely out of touch with the demographics of the city.

BC coins itself as the "Pacific Gateway," and Metro Vancouver is home to many ethnic Asians. Whether Asian or not, the culture and mindset of the people in Vancouver do not revolve around Toronto and New York. Our horizons do not settle in this continent, but on our neighbouring one as well. Whether it'd be a second home or a memorable destination, we have experienced transit systems that are leagues above what Vancouver has. Seoul Metro moves 9.8 million riders, which is 38% of its population, and its entire network is 4G and wifi accessible. Tokyo has a daily ridership of 6.4 million (even up to 10 mil in some sources), which is 18% of the population of metropolitan Tokyo, while train service frequency is as fast as 30 seconds during rush hour. The Hong Kong MTR system, if you've read the first link in this article, has even more amazing features. If you think the SkyTrain system is cool with 95% on-time performance, the MTR has 99.9% on-time performance while achieving a daily ridership of 5.2 million, which amounts to 72% of Hong Kong's population. It is also one of the most profitable transit systems in the world, and they've got their smart card payment system working since 1997. The MTR corporation does not hide its secrets of its success: A World Street Journal report tells us that it has helped the London Underground and Melbourne metro reach on-time performances of 96.7% and 93.7% respectively, up from 88% and 84%. 

So, Vancouverites are not spoiled by the SkyTrain. Maybe if you're from Portland and are moving to Vancouver, then maybe you'll feel spoiled. It's all about the expectations. And we've got plenty of people who has much higher expectations. 

Is this the purpose of me writing this? Just to diss the SkyTrain and praise the MTR to the heavens? No! In fact, Hong Kongers regularly criticize the MTR, even when the MTR must submit reports to the government for any delays that are longer than 8 minutes and will be fined proportionally for every delay that is longer than 30 minutes. Of the 0.1% occurrences of its delays, some have shut a small part of its system for more than a few hours. In their latest project, the connecting of the High Speed Railway to China, the MTR is grossly over the estimated budget and construction time. Hong Kong media is relentless in finding fault in that rail system that attracts the envy of the entire world. 

There is a Chinese saying that goes like this: It is easy to go from being frugal to being extravagant, but it is difficult to reverse this process. It is all about the expectations. It is the spirit of expecting more that drives progress and excellence. For Hong Kong, people are in political dissatisfaction because expectations are not met. Things seem to go downhill since Hong Kong became a part of China in 1997. Large infrastructures have turned to white elephants and blunder, promises are not being kept, values of integrity and excellence are being corroded. Many in the rest of China will think that Hong Kongers are "spoiled" because it has already enjoyed much more than the rest of the country and yet are still complaining. But Hong Kong is promised to receive much more in terms of political freedoms and are accustomed to excellence, integrity and efficiency.


The same can be said of Vancouver. People who say that the SkyTrain "spoiled" Vancouverites are not recognizing the spirit of excellence, integrity and accountability while in service to the public. Politically, we are much freer than the people of Hong Kong. But this freedom carries no meaning if there are no repercussions when the governments elected are not producing the results that are mandated by the people. 

So this concludes my sudden epiphany, and I'm sleepy enough to go back to bed.

Shima-Ya Japanese Restaurant

For those of us who are particular about food, our favourite pastime is looking for hidden gems in the city. For enthusiasts of all edible things Japanese, there are always cheap sushi around the corner, or the izakayas that are taking over the city like a storm. However, it seems harder now to find a quality sushi bar. If you live in the east side of Vancouver, here’s a suggestion for you.

Despite its location on the busy part of Victoria Dr near 40th Ave, Shima-Ya Restaurant is relatively harder to spot. For those of us who do spot it however, this small establishment creates a very different atmosphere than the surrounding area. As you finally find the restaurant - with its logo hidden behind a tree - then open its doors, you’ll find Sumo related decor, white walls, and plain wooden tables and chairs. The small store is run by a Japanese family, with the father and a helper at the sushi bar, and the wife, and occasionally the daughter who take of everything else. Unlike the modern and hip izakayas, the ambiance this place give out is more like a humble neighbourhood joint that you see in Japanese dramas. And finally - on to the food.

Their menu consists mostly of sushi, sashimi, and rolls, some appetizers, with a small selection of cooked fish. There are also seasonal items that are not on the menu. They serve up the usual favourites for Vancouverites like Salmon, Tuna, and maki rolls, and their specialty are the nigiri sushi that are more commonly found in Japan. Some of my favourites there are Toro (Tuna belly), Botan Ebi (Spot prawns), Tamago (Egg), and Geso (Squid tentacles). The two latter dishes are inexpensive, but the effort the chef put in making them shows his skills and professionalism as a sushi chef. The Tamago smooth and sweet with the surface caramelized just a little. The Geso is cooked perfectly and is topped with a homemade sauce because we all know how unappealing over-cooked squid can be. Although not very fluent in English, the chef would always be happy to strike up a conversation with the customers, and his wife will make sure you are enjoying the dishes the right way. Don’t be shy when you visit them and ask for special items!

As the chef puts it, the food he serves are “old style.” The decor is not hip, you won’t be served by a beautiful and charming waitress, and I hope you’ll like the 90’s - 00’s J-pop that they play. But one thing is for sure, you’ll be served with some solid, traditional and delicious Japanese delicacies every time you visit.

Nostalgia for school

After having lunch with a friend who is completing his degree at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, I decided to take a walk on the campus. The brick red walls and students hurrying between classes bring out a nostalgic feeling of something I didn't realize or thought to be so significant when I was in school.

The day to day worries as a student lies in completing the upcoming assignment that is due in a day, or in scoring a nice presentation that impresses the professor. Success seen in our eyes as a  student is, of course, getting an A. And the criteria of success is in how you think. You are rewarded for thinking out of the box, for examining the object in question in relentless detail, for displaying a spirit of intellectual honesty.

This criteria for success, after graduating from school, is an incredible luxury. Because outside of school, nobody except for the people closest to you give a damn about how you think. They are only remotely concerned about it only if it can help them make money. This is what makes school special. And this is partly why I think many of us like to keep blogs.

A Tribute to My Xanga Page (aka. a recent past)

Xanga was the sh*t before Facebook became popular. So when I found out through a Facebook status that it is closing down, I had to archive everything and take a quick look at my own blog before it is gone for good.

Reading my own past through my Xanga page is like reliving my own emotions through out the five years of which I've been actively blogging, and yet uncovering parts of myself that I've forgotten about, as if they are new. A lot of posts were two world cups ago, way before the financial crisis, and at a time where China wasn't as much as a spotlight as it is now. Yet even for someone as interested in current issues as myself, none of those really mattered as I flip through the pages of my dying Xanga page.

There is immense nostalgia when I reread the carefree after school bubble tea sessions with my high school friends, and how this combination of names may probably never appear together again. There are pictures of faint dreams that I had; of people who I thought I would hang out with forever, but now when I see them I'll only nod, try to have a small chat, then realize there's nothing more of which I can say. There are some who I wish I can hang on to further, but it all comes down to timing. A lot of my posts are not as coherent as I thought they were. Most of my later posts were quite cryptic, meant only for a selective audience. Although I wasn't a good chronicler of events, I was good at recording emotions. And for several times I choked up a bit as I reminisce the "golden age."

And then I discovered the poems of which I wrote, most of them quite free in structure, but there is one Shakespearean Sonnet that I wrote for a friend, because as Robert Frost said, writing free verse is like "playing tennis without a net."

If there is a dividing line between the "real" happenings of life and mere fantasies, most of my documentation on Xanga would be about the latter. Yet perhaps because of this, even if I forgot a lot of the things that happened and the words that I wrote, this Xanga page is a witness of how I came to be who I am.

Alas, I could go on and on forever about this neglected part of the past that I found again, but all (or many at least) good things must come to an end. And I shall bid thee farewell, and Godspeed. Ciao. Au'revoir. Goodbye.

www.xanga.com/archyami
7 June 2004- date soon to be

P.S. I did download all my past posts, photos, videos and music... but that is just to say a person is survived by his creative work. It'll never be the same again.

Food and Character

Man does not live by bread alone...

"Man does not live by bread alone..."

Today we're mainly focusing on the unorthodox and out-of-context meaning of the passage above. Man does not live by bread alone. There's chicken, beef, pork, lamb, rice, pasta, pastries, soup... And what if I tell you, the food that you eat may also reflect on your personality and character?

Of course I'm not pointing a finger at your dietary restrictions, nor am I talking about eating healthy and what that means to prolonging your life. And by all means, I'm not saying that you're a better person if you like sushi over burgers and fries. But my question is, given the chance and budget, will you choose something out of the "ordinary" and how adventurous are you?

When we think about a culture that is foreign to our own cultures, what is the first thing that comes to mind? If you're a white man living in North America and you grow up in the eighties, the first thing you think of about Chinese culture would probably be sweet and sour pork, egg foo yung, and Chinatown. If you are from Hong Kong and you think about American culture, the first thing that pops up would probably be McDonald's (or "jumping gym," but that deserves a separate post altogether). The first thing that we think about and that which is the most relevant to our lives would probably be the food.

Food is like a gateway to a different culture, and it is one of the most important aspects of our encounter with someone who is different from us. The difference may be geographical or cultural. Despite all the differences people have in traditions and values, we all need nourishment. And there is nothing easier than sharing the good things that nourish us.

Food is the first and the easiest thing for us to learn about, but it is easier for some people than others due to different preferences in taste. However, how open are you in trying at the first place, then understanding and appreciating the diet of people who have very different backgrounds from you? When we can spend the effort to understand the diet, then we can further understand the rest of their culture, and the people of that culture as real human beings and not just an exotic idea. Although I may sound weird in a society where words like "tolerance" and "multiculturalism" rule supreme, we must always revisit time and again of whether we do view a person of another culture the same way we view ourselves.

When we see or try something that is different, do we do it with open hearts and minds? Or do we keep casting judgement upon them, constantly comparing on how it measures up to what we're used to? Can we genuinely consider the things that are different from us, and then delve deeper so they are not merely exotic notions?

There is nothing wrong with liking or disliking something, particularly when it comes to food. But the underlying question is, can you put down yourself for just a second and embrace something else?

Internet Tyranny

Very so often there are these things that I want to write and share about, and yet at the same time I hesitate. The source of hesitation is that despite the speak of tolerance, we always ask only of others to tolerate ourselves, but are ever in haste to judge others. And with the internet, information can travel thousands of kilometers and come to us effortlessly with a drag of a finger or the click of a mouse.

Imagine that each person has a different set of "moral balance" in their hearts, where everyone has a different level of acceptance to whatever views you hold, and depending on how many friends you have or how famous you are, every word that you publish may come under the scrutiny from dozens to millions of people. You don't go to jail from holding views that are different from a lot of people, but you are surely condemned by some Facebook friend who doesn't really know you too well.

Obviously the things that I hesitate to write about are most likely views that aren't "mainstream" or "post-modern" (because even 'modern' isn't modern enough). Now I am no columnist or public figure, so it is less of a problem for me. Yet this imposing wave of public opinion may be serious enough to be called a "tyranny." This "internet tyranny" is probably the most recent incarnation of the "tyranny of the majority" popularised by John Stuart Mill. This classic problem of democracy, combined with the internet, is more powerful than ever. Laws may be passed in the past that put a minority in the disadvantage, but at the end of the day, what the law dictates may not influence our lives as much as the internet does nowadays.

Imagine further that on the internet, people tell you what you think is wrong day in and day out, doesn't that take a bigger toll on you than paying a several more dollars of taxes a month?

Running Away

My reading speed is explained fully by completing this book. I started this in the summer of 2011 and finished it yesterday. This means that I was reading on average 1 page in every 2 days. In fact, the original blog for this is actually completed when I was half way through the book during a trip to Hong Kong. The blessing from this is that I was able to see what I was thinking back then.
Coincidentally,  I am in a similar situation as I was then. I have just received my bachelor's degree and was taking a break in Asia in 2011. And now, I quit my job and am taking a break now.

I found that the act of reading a new book itself brings reflection about myself. At the very least, it brings myself back to intellectual honesty. And anything good can only start from being honest with yourself.  This is also a reason why I like to read non-fiction now. Because the real life experiences of a real person touches me in a way a made up character may not, and press me to think about the issues and problems this real person is talking about.

Running Away

"Have a Little Faith" by Mitch Albom surrounds two figures, one is his rabbi, and the other, a Christian pastor. One has been a rabbi all his life, the other was once a drug dealer who had a taste of his own poison. Unfortunately, both figures have now passed away.

A central theme  for the book, and one that I am interested in, would be our repeated attempts to run away; whether it'd be from God, or from that truth of which we must face. Mitch Albom became a renowned journalist and author, and is probably regarded as a successful person by many. But he has been running away from his roots ever since college, until when Rabbi Albert Lewis asked him to write his eulogy. Pastor Henry Covington was raised in a good family, but he chose to be a gang member and a drug dealer. In times of distress, he would call for the help of God. For many times God answered his prayers, but he kept his old life as God redeemed him again and again until one Easter, when he is fed up of the miserable life he has and was called to minister the poor.

Running away from God is like running away from our parents, whether we literally do so when we grow up, or when we run away subtly when we were only children. We run because our parents limit us in doing anything. We can't have fun, and it's not cool to hang around with our parents in front of our friends. They are always so strict with us, and quite frankly our parents can be annoying.But like your parents, or even more so, his faithfulness will rescue us every time, even if we don't notice it.

It seems so true, whether you believe in God or not. Sometimes reality is too big for us to bear, to face. Or simply, we are too ugly to be shone brightly by the light. Deep down we know what is good for us, but we are too proud to listen, and the temptations in front of us are too big to ignore.

Mitch Albom touched on this as well as many problems in the world today that I identified with. The only difference between him and I is that he brings them up so tactfully and with just the right description. If you can finally put down your textbook or mouse, do pick this book up and start reading.






 And here's a video of Mitch Albom and Pastor Henry Covington. It basically contains a summary of the book, and for Pastor Henry's powerful message, start from 33:00.

Dirty Politics: Suck it up?

I can't believe this blog has been dormant for 4 years already. And it's time to start my blog again, because writing about something is better than, say, doing nothing at all.

Dirty Politics: Suck it Up?

The BC Provincial Election is coming up. Of course, only federal elections make the headlines, but then again, the more "local" elections are the ones that in fact makes real difference in our lives. So if you don't think it's worth the time to go to the polls, think again.

But all in all, it is hard to trust politicians. They say a lot of things to make you feel good about them, make some promises, then forget them altogether after they are elected. And a few years later they make some more promises and forget them altogether again after they got your vote. Deals are being cut, friends are being favoured, and none of the programs they promote can help you. History repeats itself, because no matter who we vote for, they seem to be all the same. So our expectations of people who run the governments are reduced; we weigh them by judging who cuts less deals, favour less friends, with platforms that can help you a teeny bit while on their way of garnering more power, influence, and wealth. Slowly we give less and less expectations about politics, ie. we suck it up. Politics are dirty, and self serving. It becomes some sort of prerequisite in our conversation on politics, and we accept it as it is.

Is it stupid to expect more? Traveling 2400 years back in time, in ancient Greece, people already have a similar notion, that justice is the interest of the stronger, and rulers make laws that are favourable to themselves. But Socrates begs to differ, and says that just as a good physician is someone who can heal the patient, and a good ship captain takes care of the ship and the crew, a good "ruler" is someone who can take care of his "subjects." Fast forward to the present, the idea is just the same.

We are not talking about the ideal world of course, but from time to time we have to remind ourselves of what is "supposed to be." Because in some parts of the world, people have already forgotten about "the ideals," and injustice is as natural as the wind blowing against you where you know there is no way for you to stop or avoid it. Imagine when a doctor takes for granted that he is only there to make money off of his patients. With the same token, should we really accept that politics contains only self serving motives, and laws are made for the strong lobbyists?

Love at first sight, loving the first sight.

Ironic as it is, I often laugh at people's sentiments.

Sometimes my friends, or their friends write on their blog or facebook note saying how terrible they are feeling. How they broke up with a boyfriend, their hopelessness, complaining about their exams, you name it. And I think... get a grip! What you feel doesn't change anything, and you have food to eat, you've got a job, you've got an education, so stop whining. It's not the end of the world.

But I also wrote, and am still writing the similar things, like the following...

Have you ever considered that you are attracted to your crush because of the fact that she/he is your crush?

You like him because of what the distance you now have with him entails, and this distance does not allow you to know her much more. Thus is the chance for some fantasy to creep in. There is something about her that you really like, her looks perhaps. She isn't the most beautiful girl you've ever seen in your life, but she is realistically pretty. And wouldn't it just be great that she likes Jazz as well?

So your wishful thinking becomes more real, at least in your own mind. Perhaps it isn't something as specific as jazz, but something more blurry. Maybe it would be perfect if he can enjoy that long walk with you at twilight on the park, and embarking with your solitary and timeless trip is a soft summer wind.

However, the attraction for her is endless nights of dances, the drinks, and the fun. He likes tennis, rather than Pride and Prejudice. She loves the shopping and taking pictures on her trip in Tokyo, while you like to look at lake Louise in Banff, lying on a chair for hours, so you never have to take a picture with your camera. She loves the indie French band from Montreal, but rap is your thang.

Yes, perhaps he would really love the walk, the talk, and the occasional caffe latte with Andrea Bocelli singing Il Calmo Mare della Sera or one of your 80's favourite. She would love to do that because she is by then immensely in love with you, and this can happen only when you can understand her world. Sadly, you simply cannot take the deafening noise at the club playing what they call music. While at the same way, she can only enjoy the first 30 seconds of the 3rd movement of Sonata no. 8 Pathetique. That is, after you tell her what the piece is, and she can only remember "Pathetique," the same way she feels if she listens to it for more than two minutes without falling asleep.

You believe in love at first sight, and it's true, it exists. The love can only linger on that first sight.

And I hope this may be some consolation to you.

Why D-Day?

Saturday was June 6th, 2009, the 65th anniversary of the commencement of the Operation Overlord, otherwise known as the D-day landings during WWII. On the first day, at the Normandy Landings, 156,000 allied forces landed in France on a single day. The invasion continued with the eventual liberation of Paris, then advancing eastward into German soil. On May 8th, 1945, Nazi Germany surrendered, marking the Victory in Europe Day in WWII. Our press often dubbed it as the "turning point of the war."

Every year, there is extensive celebration of the day and there has been much press coverage. However a friend asked, why D-day? Why not V-E day? The answer is not about its significance in history, but its significance in politics and id
eology.

The real turning point to WWII in Europe is not June 6th, 1944, but February 2nd, 1943. The day marks the German surrender to the siege of Stalingrad, setting free a million troops and more. Stalin has always wanted his allies to open up a second front, by they delayed for a year. By then, the Soviet army already pushed the Nazi armies away from Russian soil. Eventually, Soviet troops captured Berlin and the European theatre of WWII was brought to an end. One may argue that the glory is more to the soviets than to the "western world."

The glory to the liberation of France however, is to "us." We, the fighters of democracy, liberating people from fascism and tyranny. The notion of those who defeated tyranny being communists is out of place, and it doesn't fit the west's persecution of communism at the time. Although we are through Cold War, and though the democratic capitalists prevail, we still like to view ourselves the good important guys.

Bookstore and Buffet

I like going to bookstores, bookstores like Chapters, or Page One in the context of my occasional readers from Hong Kong. The UBC bookstore obviously doesn't count, do you like somebody who is constantly trying to squeeze the last shoe out of you?

Bookstores are amusing (contrary to popular belief), I love the smell of (new) books. The pages carry a faint smell of wood that is somewhat hypnotizing, but not enough to make you sleep at the first tincture of the smell that enters your nose. I like that they are usually quiet and has just an enough number of people that does not make the room stuffy and makes me feel safe. I love all the different covers on the books, most of them colourful and catchy. It is sort of like going to a buffet, but only slightly like it.

Like a buffet, there are a lot of things to pick.
However, I don't want to try everything in a bookstore, but I pretty much like to try everything in a buffet. Most books are actually quite dull on the inside. For most books, I'd only want what I can acquire through the book. It is best I can have knowledge without reading the book. But as for the food, I would love to eat them but don't like the calories that I'll eventually get.

So books and food are somewhat opposites, and bookstores and buffets are like the two sides of the same coin.

Today is the 65th(?) anniversary of D-Day.

random no. 2

This is again a very random note.

The Question of the day is: How do we know if something is true?

random no. 1

My English essay is due 18 hours from now, it's on Paradise Lost, and I didn't finish it yet...
If this poem is written two or three hundred years later, it'll go on bookstore shelves under "Apologetics" in the "Religious" section rather than a fictional epic poem.

So I decided to write a completely random blog. It's May 28, six days from June 4th. It's been twenty years since what happened shook the world, the world except the place it happened on.

Anyways, the song of the day is Allegro, Opus 3.3 a.m. by Eason Chan. I think it's the first studio recorded Jazz song by him. Ciao!

Masks

"Science is the new religion."

I don't know where I saw that, but if here religion means superstition, then I can totally see it on TV.

When watching the news reporting near hospitals, the reporter always wear a mask. But while he is in Mongkok, he doesn't.


Why does he wear a mask outside a hospital? Are there dark clouds roaming above it, creeping death and disease over everyone who stands near this place? And why doesn't he wear a mask in Mongkok? Does he have assurance that the million people (quite literal) beside him are not sick? Not even having the common cold?

Besides, contrary to popular belief, masks don't prevent you from getting cold, influenza, etc...
It only reduces the chance of the mask wearer transmitting his/her sickness to other people. A mask only protects our mouths and noses, it doesn't protect anywhere else, especially the eyes, which is vulnerable to bacteria too. If a mask can protect you, it can protect you only if you dress like this...

So why wear a mask? It is simply because of fear, fear that if I don't do what is "scientific," death and sickness will befall me. People understand things superficially and half-heartedly, just like catholics in the medieval times. If I wear a mask, I'll be safe. If I wear a rosary, God will protect me.

Or maybe... the company that produces the masks paid the news reporters to help impose the fear to watchers.

So... is science the new religion?

Arsenal...Arsenal?

I didn't follow much football (soccer) these days, but I still have a liking for some clubs, particularly Arsenal FC. Like many other people, I come to like the gunners because of Thierry Henry, who was a vital part of the team. It was of utter disappointment to the fans that he left for Barca in 2007, and I thought Arsenal would be in a mess. But the truly indispensible part of the team is its manager Arsene Wenger.

He definitely has an eye for young potential players, and these people brought much life to the games they played and created much magic together. The club turned out fine after two years. Among many are Van Persie, Flamini, Walcott, Hleb, Cesc Fabregas, who became captain of Arsenal at only 22.

His team is always... cost effective, if you will. The gunners doesn't have that solid star filled line like Man utd or Chelsea (other than its defence). I think Wenger is somewhat like a Warren Buffet of the football market. He has a good eye for potential stocks, buy them, then sell them at a good rate. For example, Flamini and Hleb. Whenever we've found a good line, he always has something to sell. The average age of our line is amazingly young, and while seemingly without many stars thus much guarantee, we've stroll through pretty well. However, there is always that fear as a fan that the young players can't create the magic...

Go goooooooooooooooooonersss!!!

Top: Hleb Bottom: Flamini

Afterthoughts on debate

I study philosophy, and people always thought it goes well with debating (in Chinese, for your information).

Well, it doesn't, as the audience, ie. judges, are not all receptive to what that violates common sense.

To most people, what that appeals to common sense is what they call "logical." However, philsophers always call into question our common sense believes. Commen sense morals are the most easily spotted believes. For example, one would say it is "logical," or it is common sense that "killing is wrong." Why is it wrong to kill? Most judges would say it's immoral, but of course, it is just an example of common sense morality and does not answer any questions.

To convey to the judges things that violate common sense most likely guarantees your losing the debate. Thus the contents we wish to be included to our debate is determined by the judges as well.

We can't, for example, put in an argument for idealism, ie. only ideas exist and material objects don't. Or make a stand on ethical egoism, that is moral standards are really solely dependent on our liking. Judges are most likely to say that it doesn't make sense.

Then what follows is the most difficult to answer in philosophy: Is it that the proposition is so weird that it can't be true, or is it a surprising fact?

Sondry Serendipity

Welcome to my new blog.

I used to have a xanga blog, but since its complication, facebook, and my laziness in updating it, I stopped using it for a long time. If you like to visit, it's www.xanga.com/archyami

Note that you need a xanga account to read it. Time and again I found my old blog posts quite interesting, not to mention some... rather embarassing ones.

"Sondry Serendipity"

"Sondry" marks when I set this up, and what this blog has. I'm studying the General Prologue to the Canterbury Tales, "sondry" is a middle English word in it meaning "various." And well... it sounds cool.

I thought it would be nice to have an alliteration as my title, so I asked a friend who I thought would give me an idea. She gave me the word "serendipity," which means finding something fortunate when I wanted to find something entirely different. Since many of my previous blog posts or notes are quite random and they were never planned to be so, "Sondry Serendipity" would be quite fitting as the name for the blog.

I picked the colour because it feels like the name.

And so start my real hobby!

trivia: Italian for "serendipity" is, you guessed it, "serendipita'"