Chinese to Launch Manned Spaceflight Next Week

[Drake Tungsten]

Bush will land in Japan on the 17th. He's staying two days.

If he's only here for two days, I doubt he'll leave Tokyo. Damn Kanto bias...

[Tingkai]

Americans are always good for a laugh. They constantly feel threatened by everyone.

The funniest bit are the Americans criticising the Chinese for lacking originality and innovation, while at the same time arguing the Chinese shouldn't do anything new for China because it has been done before.

Next they'll be saying the Chinese shouldn't train pilots because its been done before.

[Drake Tungsten]

Next they'll be saying the Chinese shouldn't train pilots because its been done before.

I ,for one, hope they start training their pilots. I don't want anymore American planes getting knocked out of the sky by idiot Chinese hot-shots.

[DanS]

The funniest bit are the Americans criticising the Chinese for lacking originality and innovation, while at the same time arguing the Chinese shouldn't do anything new for China because it has been done before.

I think you're referring to me. I didn't say that China lacked originality and innovation. Indeed, I said the opposite. There are areas in science where China is strong, so why not do something to highlight those areas and do a "first"?

[johncmcleod]

Oh you teach in English in Japan?

[DaShi]

Originally posted by DanS


I think you're referring to me. I didn't say that China lacked originality and innovation. Indeed, I said the opposite. There are areas in science where China is strong, so why not do something to highlight those areas and do a "first"?

There's very little innovation or originality in China. All there modern things are designed by other countries. The only things that can be claimed to be Chinese are over a thousand years old. There doesn't seem to be much change here in that regard. Slowly the country is looking more and more like a mix of Europe, Japan, and America. I try to encourage more creative thinking in my classes. My students are bright, but they're simply not used to it.

As for the space program, I'm certain that will be a success. The Chinese know when not to mess around. Especially with so much riding on it. True the price of failure is far greater than the rewards of success, but they've committed themselves to it.

[Alinestra Covelia]

As I've said before, China will never be taken seriously by other nations until it develops two mainstays:

1. A World Cup champion team.

And

2. A world renowned porn star.

For your information, people like Asia Carrera, Jade Hsu, Tera Patrick, and Leanna Lei do not count as Chinese talent. Even those who may be ethnically Chinese still made it big through the machinations of the American Pornographic Exploration Program by hitching a ride on American made rockets.

[DaShi]

I saw a girl in my school who looked exactly like your picture a few days ago. Have you been to Hangzhou recently, or am I just spending too much time on s'poly?

[Drake Tungsten]

Even those who may be ethnically Chinese still made it big through the machinations of the American Pornographic Exploration Program by hitching a ride on American made rockets.

I think I found the "American-made rockets" line to be funnier than it actually was, but what the hell?

[Q Classic]

ali's funny.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Alinestra Covelia
As I've said before, China will never be taken seriously by other nations until it develops two mainstays:

1. A World Cup champion team.

And

2. A world renowned porn star.

For your information, people like Asia Carrera, Jade Hsu, Tera Patrick, and Leanna Lei do not count as Chinese talent. Even those who may be ethnically Chinese still made it big through the machinations of the American Pornographic Exploration Program by hitching a ride on American made rockets.

this is the sort of attitude that will give us world peace

[mindseye]

Originally posted by DanS
The Chinese government should find a way to bring them home and do something insanely great with them.

More professionals and students are returning these days. The brain drain is still significant, but the tide is turning.

Originally posted by Skywalker
Do you really think that this spaceflight is going to do anything helpful towards democracy (or really, anything helpful for the Chinese people at all?)

I cannot imagine why so many are so unclear on this. As we've discussed around here before, it's quite clearly a Chinese pride thing. Even the Chinese government is packaging it that way. There is no question from anyone that the space program is intended Number One as a jewel in China's development crown. You should not underestimate the importance of "face" in Chinese culture.

Think about it - in a single ten year span, you have:
* China hosting APEC
* China joining WTO
* Beijing hosting the Olympics (2008)
* Shanghai hosting the World Expo (2010)
* Construction of the largest dam and hydroelectric project in human history
* World's first maglev passenger train
* World's 3rd tallest building (2002) and soon, THE tallest (2005).
... and, assuming all goes well,
* Manned space flight

Taking together it's pretty impressive. Historians will look back on this time, not to laud any science gained, but as one a great symbolic turning point in Chinese (and world) history. I think any potential value from space exploration beyond the symbolic is seen as a bonus.

]Originally posted by Drake Tungsten
Holding a press conference to "welcome China to 1958" would be great fun

Hmm, if you compare the maglev railway where I live with Amtrak anywhere in the US, I'm not so sure who would be welcoming who to 1958.

[Drake Tungsten]

Hmm, if you compare the maglev railway where I live with Amtrak anywhere in the US, I'm not so sure who would be welcoming who to 1958.

What kind of fool looks to the U.S. to find the bleeding edge in train technology?

[mindseye]

Originally posted by Tingkai (my emphasis added)


Americans are always good for a laugh. They constantly feel threatened by everyone.

The funniest bit are the Americans criticising the Chinese for lacking originality and innovation, while at the same time arguing the Chinese shouldn't do anything new for China because it has been done before.

Please stop fondling that straw man. "While at the same time"? Can you quote anyone in this thread who has held those two positions? I didn't think so.

As for lacking originality, imagination, or innovation, I stand by my comments. I have closely studied this for more than a couple of years now, and talked about it a great deal with others living here. If you look across a broad scope of Chinese life, including, literature, film, television, fine arts, technology, marketing and advertising, business, architecture, fashion, music, and social behavior from national down to individual scale, there is a consistant and striking lack of imagination and originality in comparison to westerners. I don't intend this as criticism, but as simple observation.

Originally posted by DaShi
I try to encourage more creative thinking in my classes. My students are bright, but they're simply not used to it.

Hey DaShi! I do the same. However, it is striking when confronted by those students who appear genuinely unable to imagine an answer slightly out of the expected. This really startled me when I first encountered it.

[mindseye]

Originally posted by DanS
There are areas in science where China is strong, so why not do something to highlight those areas and do a "first"?

Would be a great idea. I think Chinese are most innovative in practical and technical things. It appears that China is becoming a world leader in agricultural biotech. This would be a good area in which to build their own, new Wonder.