Tomorrow’s cover today: we advise readers in Asia and America that despite a recent slowdown, the world’s second-biggest economy is more resilient than its critics think.
The dilemma is that although the party (The Chinese Communist Party) needs the law to govern, it cannot submit to the law without losing power and giving up privileges. At the moment the party still wants to have it both ways.
—Chen, China and America, The Economist, issue May 5th - 11th, 2012.
Diablo III: Wrath
This is so awesome! Archangels in action, mighty and elegant.
May the Force be with you! Happy Star Wars Day!
(The pictures were taken with the 501st Legion Canadian Garrison during the May 1st Si-Fi Spectacular concert with TSO at Roy Thomson Hall)
KAL’s cartoon: this week, queuing up.
Live Long and Prosper!
Today, May 1st, is my 23rd birthday. I have to say, since I became a hardcore Si-Fi fan, today is the best birthday ever! Because, I met the legendary Captain Sulu from Star Trek, Mr. George Takei himself!
It was the Si-Fi Spectacular concert at Roy Thomson Hall, Mr. Takei was the host. After the concert, we lined up for his autograph and took pictures with him. He really is an amazing guy. I talked with him about the video he made calling all Si-Fi fans, Star Wars and Star Trek, to unite and fight against Twilight. What a good sport! Live long and prosper, Mr. Takei, live long and prosper!
By the way, did I mention that I teared up several times when the themes of Star Wars, X-Files, and Star Trek were played? I am not ashamed, au contraire, I am very much proud of myself.
I went to have the famous Heidleberg pork hock with my cousin and her husband today. We dropped by the Village of St. Jacobs and walked around a little bit at the park in Waterloo. If you like pork, I highly recommend the hock. Worth the trip!
May the odds be ever in your favour
It’s only a few days away from my 23rd birthday, and less than a month from my 4th year anniversary of arriving in Toronto, Canada. I don’t want to use the cliché saying that “time flew by so fast”. However one spends it, time will go by. Only to those who spent it wisely, looking back will offer satisfactions rather than regrets.
I, however, have far leapt over the stage of looking back. Most of my friends, wherever they are around the world, are graduating from universities and moving on to either graduate schools or the labour market. If I were to constantly look back, all I can see would be the question what on earth have I done with the past four years of my life while others have succeeded.
Things had not been going well at all during my time at University of Toronto. At the beginning of the fourth year, I decided to leave UofT for the moment and go to George Brown College to pursue a diploma in Financial Services. It was unconventional and unfortunate, I am fully aware, but it had to be done. On one hand, I could finish my undergraduate degree which would take two more years at least. But once graduated, it would be very unlikely for me to get a full-time job with the transcript I would have. Hence as an alternative, I started at George Brown this January.
Now that the first semester has come to an end, I feel a little bit more liberating than I usually did when semesters ended at UofT. The marks I got this semester was satisfactory. There are, however, more spaces for advancement. Nonetheless, I am now eligible to apply for the co-op program that would offer me the opportunities to work professionally. It is something I need to hold on to dearly.
Although I had to admit that when the decision to go to another college was made, I wasn’t presented with many options. I was lucky enough that of the three choices I made, George Brown accepted me. I am an optimistic person. But sole optimism without considering consequences is idiocy. I want to remain an optimist but not to become an idiot. I have been given many opportunities, and I am grateful for them. Like the quote from The Hunger Games, “May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favour”. But once released into the jungle, one must fight on to keep one’s odds high.
(Waterfront Trail, Toronto)
Tomorrow’s cover today: there are ways to reduce the threat to stability that an emerging superpower poses.
If one takes last issue’s map on US troop deployment in South Korea and Japan (http://www.economist.com/node/21551511) into consideration, China’s military rise is only logical for reasonable self-defence. Unlike the Americans, the Chinese are not sending offensive troops everywhere across the globe. Like the analogy I used before, if one sets his bulldog wondering free outside my yard, why would it be threatening to others if I raise the fences to protect my family?
“It is from their foes, not their friends, that cities learn the lesson of building high walls.” - Aristophanes
Yesterday, I met George R.R. Martin, the mastermind behind the fascinating world of Westeros, and got his autograph at the signing event hosted by Indigo in Toronto.
