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Morning Brew: Credit Where Credit's Due

no_email@example.com (Sean) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:39:30 -0800

2010 bid book an Etch-A-Sketch. Turns out there was supposed to be an air-conditioned, 8 lane tunnel all the way to Whistler; a kevlar security dome encasing all of the Lower Mainland; social housing in the sky made out of rainbows; and a giant innukshuk carved out of Burnaby Mountain. Oh and it was supposed to be environmentally friendly.

Now, it's almost like we don't even want people to come. Especially Americans, which I'm all for, its just, you know, we should probably have this thing paid off before the next recession hits.

Is budget deficit much greater than predicted? "Hansen told a Kamloops radio station yesterday that he 'wouldn't bet the mortgage' on hitting his pre-election targets". Yeah don't bet the mortgage, because that's what got us into this whole mess in the first place. Great choice of words there bud.

Heroic man gives life to save his car. A truly remarkable story of courage and sacrifice.

Council considering a bike bridge over False Creek. Probably a good idea (see above).

Meanwhile the Vancouver Sun is doing its part to encourage people to stay in their cars: The cheapest places to park your car

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Morning Brew: Post Canada

no_email@example.com (Sean) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:20:52 -0800

Was it just me or was that the most patriotic Canada Day ever? Is it the recession or something?The war? Tone it down a little guys.

Shelter fuss exposes amateurs. Would that be the people living next to those shelters? Those people suck at living in a city.

Hunt is on for heiress who's gone missing from Vancouver's streets. But whom we only realised was missing when there was a large sum of money involved.

Go east young man: Assaults skyrocket in frustrated neighbourhood. Hmmm, weird, assaults have actually decreased downtown. Why would that be?

Will security cameras become an Olympic legacy? Are you asking me? Oh, um, yes. Yes they will. Did I get the answer right?

Mounties appealing decision on Taser inquiry. Why don't you try appealing to the public whose trust you've destroyed instead? Just an idea.

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Morning Brew: We Stand On Guard

no_email@example.com (Sean) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:09:07 -0800

Who'll trust mayor after shelter freak show? "I'm sure there are some Vision Vancouver types who thought it was deliciously subversive to stick a bunch of junkies and crackheads into a smug cocoon of latte-sipping condo-dwellers and watch the ensuing mayhem". So you admit there is a "smug cocoon of latte-sipping condo-dwellers" yet fail to see how the two are inseparable? That they share a place on the same socio-economic axis? Maybe the fact that there exists such a sharp divide in this city, this once proud working class logging camp, is the real freak show. "I spoke to a guy on CKNW radio last week who said he doesn't let his wife walk in the neighbourhood any more unless he accompanies her -- carrying a baseball bat". Talk about sheltered. You people disgust me. Now let's all go and celebrate Canada's 'diversity'. Fucking Hypocrites.

These are the same people that think Insite encourages drug use, despite yet another report to the contrary.

Are you middle class? Are you serious?

Province doesn't have promised cash for leaky condos. Something poetic about taking money from new construction projects to pay for old ones done wrong.

Heil Harper

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Morning Brew: We Stand On Guard

no_email@example.com (Sean) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:09:07 -0800

These are the same people that think Insite encourages drug use, despite yet another report to the contrary.

Are you middle class? Are you serious?

Province doesn't have promised cash for leaky condos. Something poetic about taking money from new construction projects to pay for old ones done wrong.

Heil Harper

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Sled Island 2009 | Days 1 and 2 Review

no_email@example.com (Steve) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:10:11 -0800

Sled Island 2009. Come hell or high water I was planning to go to this year's festival in Calgary right after last year's successful event that featured the likes of Yo La Tengo, Wire, Of Montreal, Broken Social Scene, Mogwai, The Dodos, Deerhunter and No Age to name a few. The festival which is in it's third year didn't get booked with big names this time around but there was still a good sampling of acts both from abroad and locally that would keep the most discerning festival goer their festival pass money's worth.

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Morning Brew: Stupor Tuesday

no_email@example.com (Sean) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:43:49 -0800

It just gets better, and better, and better.

B.C. housing minister apologizes to Vancouver mayor for calling city's tactics on homeless 'amateurish'. What you're supposed to do apparently is buy a bunch of hotels, say that you've solved the housing crisis, win an election, then cite the economic woes as the reason they're not getting built. Duh.

I just don't get it. These two articles in the Courier illustrate such a bizarre contrast in my mind: Police rate high in public opinion poll + Temporary shelters' future in doubt. Shelter attracts crime> citizens complain> shelter shut-down. Gangs run wild> citizens complain> more cops needed. Drugs everywhere> blame drug addicts> praise cops.

Whistler Olympic party zone producer wanted. "A river of 20,000 people will flow through Whistler village as part of a $17.8-million party of Olympic proportions, which will run 16 hours a day for 17 days during the 2010 Winter Games". Doesn't that just sound enticing? A river of fanny-packs and matching North Face jackets streaming past vinyl pavilions with credit card companies trying to win you a new car filling up on Monster Energy drink, looking for authentic native art and smoked salmon. Fucking kill me. PS you people need to stop using Olympic as an adjective to describe the size of things during the Olympics.

2010 Olympic posters revealed. "And in a smart marketing move the Paralympic poster, featuring the other half of the maple leaf, can be put beside it to make a complete image". Fitting since we'll probably end up paying double for the Olympics.

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Reaching VeloCity in Critical Mass

no_email@example.com (Jake) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:55:04 -0800

On June 25th, I went to the Museum of Vancouver to see the Velo-City bike exhibit, but also to attend one of their free lectures (first one of the summer, I hear, so stay tuned for more free stuff) called Park This. The lecture brought three different speakers together from different backgrounds to discuss bicycle parking (or lack there of) in Vancouver.

There were some crazy slideshows of fancy bicycle 'vending machines' called Bicebergs, but also simpler solutions like bike cages, and your good old fashioned bike tethering posts, which always remind me of a place to hitch your horse. Or, there's Japan's crazy underground bike storage if you want to trust your bike to a robotic machine.

One of the things that surprised me about Vancouver is that, though the city is pretty bike friendly, there is a lack of vision surrounding the parking option. Where there is bicycle parking there is often not enough of it, or it's in disrepair. Even areas like Commercial Drive and Main Street, where I imagine a lot of bikers reside, don't seem to have enough spots to lock up bikes, leaving people crossing the street, going around corners, or locking up to, ironically, no parking signs.

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Morning Brew: OMJ!

no_email@example.com (Sean) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:15:08 -0800

Supporters of Iranian protestors gather in downtown Vancouver. "They came together on a night when Michael Jackson rules headlines". Supporters of Iranian protestors vie for the attention of the media who only months ago were calling for Iran to be bombed, away from the death of a man whom only years ago they were calling a pedophile.

Meanwhile, local media turn to Twitter, further cementing the death of Pop Media (says he with a straight face while linking to a Tumblr page).

Ministry removes controversial Middle East question from B.C. history exam. "They have been fighting to regain a homeland since they were driven out in 1948. Some have lived their entire lives in refugee camps. Forty years later, Israel still refuses to recognize their right to exist as a nation." The question should have read: which group of rock-throwing terrorists hate Jews the most? Duh.

RCMP using intimidation to silence Olympic protest, group says. I do not think that this is true. That being said, I'd like to, um, voluntarily list a few items of public record:
I am a big, big, fan of the RCMP.
I hereby do not condone violence of any sort except for in hockey.
I never once said that I was going to throw human feces at the Olympic torch parade.

Don't

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Bad Credit? Get Car Loans With Bad Credit & Student Car Loan Approval

no_email@example.com (Lasika) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:20:25 -0800

Resource: [news.google.com]

Get Car Loans With Bad Credit & Student Car Loan Approval

Consumers will always need to be aware. Some lenders who promise easy car loans for bad credit can get borrowers into even more hot water. Some automotive dealers abuse the system. They artificially inflate vehicle prices and interest rates of their loans. Others try to convince consumers that extra amenities such as extended warranties and added insurance are non-negotiable. Make sure to read all documents thoroughly. A few lenders have used a bait and switch tactic, claiming that the initial loan "fell through" and must be replaced with a higher-interest loan on used car loans.

Always enter the process armed with knowledge. If possible, negotiate a loan before deciding to purchase a vehicle. Not going through a dealer may eliminate a first choice of an automobile, but may secure a more affordable used car finance or new car loans. Also, consumers must know their credit score.

Some lenders may fabricate, even lower, a customer's rating in order to negotiate a more costly loan. Reports are available for free on many online websites, but to obtain a more accurate rating, consumers must contact each of the three credit agencies: Equifax, Experian and Trans Union. Experts advise to check these reports annually and correct any errors immediately. Misinformation can lower ratings and jeopardize future loan applications. Which also lower ratings? Finally, shop around. Compare car loan rates and deals offered through banks, dealerships and online lenders. Many online companies have a network of lenders who specifically focus on auto loans for bad credit and can often get consumers better deals. But even websites vary in their scope. Some deal with hundreds of lenders nationwide while others focus on a local region.

When applying for car loans online, most web companies focusing on bad credit car loans will need basic personal information such as full name and social security number as well as specific information about rent or mortgage, length of time at current address, and addresses from the past seven years. They will also question borrowers about recent bankruptcy, report numbers, and even alimony support. Before applying, review financial history, prepare all documentation and decide how much to borrow. This will make the application process easier and quicker to complete.

Car Loans For Colleage Student

Get industry best low rate car loans for collage student with same day finance scheme.Fill out our FREE car loan application and get free quote in just 60 seconds. If you are a student and looking for a car loan then this is the best place to get it.We have launched a guaranteed approval car loans programs for all students. You need a car to get to and from your brand new job that you started.

In this day and age you will find that there are many people that are located within the United states that are having to deal with the issue of having to try and go about getting themselves in any expenses doing car financing . When you are going to try and figure out a solution to deal with these types of issues it is going to be to the best of your advantage to go about not feeling as burden or stressed about the situation and not feel as if there is no hope for your particular situation.

As long as you go about taking all of the required time and energy you will be able to go about finding yourself a good seeding car loan whether you have good credit or bad credit simply because on the Internet there are thousands of different student car loans companies out there that are capable of dealing with people that have all types of different credit issues. Access these companies is simply only a couple of mouse clicks from being able to give you what you desire as soon as you can possibly ever want it.

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Any student car apply from anywhere

Vancouver Real Estate: MLS Home Search

no_email@example.com (jameswong) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 05:38:50 -0800

Vancouver MLS Home Search

The internet has greatly expanded the search for homes by home buyers and sellers. You can find a list of available homes for sale on the MLS system from the comfort of your home. RealtyLinkOnline, mls.ca and many other Realtors's websites are easily accessible to the public.

MLS Search criteria

You first determine the city you are interested in, your budget and the type of home you are looking for. You then select the number of bedrooms and bathrooms to search. Once you enter your criteria and press the search button, you will get a list of homes currently listed for sales on the market.

For neighborhood information, and recent activities in a neighborhood your are interested, you will need to contact a local Realtor for guidance. Not all realtors are buyer specialists. Some top producers are concentrating on listing homes for sale only, and they may not be the ones to help you looking for a home to buy.

Working with a Buyer Agent

When you are looking for a home to buy, you are better of working with a buyer specialist who is your Buying Agent. A Buyer Agent is committed and dedicated to work with their home buyers. As a serious home buyer, you get the personalized service from your Buyer Agent. You'll get daily listing up-dates and prompt advice on any new listings meeting your requirements.

You should always talk to 2 or 3 local Realtors who are buyer specialists, and choose one you feel comfortable working with. Using a Buyer Agent will likely result in you finding the home you like.

'Empty Condo' Phenomenon a Myth

no_email@example.com (jz) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:57:30 -0800

If you've seen the film Everything's Gone Green you know what the 'empty condo' phenomenon is. Wealthy, overseas buyers snap up Vancouver condos, only to let them sit vacant for years. An entire city of tall buildings sitting virtually empty.

Well, a new study from BTAworks, a research and development division of Bing Thom Architects, suggests that it's just a big urban myth.

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Google Labs City Tours

no_email@example.com (Tim) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:00:54 -0800

Google Labs has just recently launched city tours and it’s pretty interesting to see what it suggests when you punch in Vancouver.

The system generates a schedule complete with maps and walking times as well as time spent at the various attractions. Whether you’re a visitor or a local it provides some pretty solid suggestions for everybody.

Depending on the date you select there may or may not be a “tour” set up but it also allows you to play tourguide and input your own.

http://citytours.googlelabs.com/

Morning Brew: An Axe

no_email@example.com (Jon) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:30:00 -0800

Scared residents still want temporary homeless shelters shut down. Aw, come on, watching the drug dealers and toy-dog walkers vie for bench space at Emery Barnes has made year two of life in Yaletown existentially bearable.

Meanwhile, Pivot has a petition going to save the shelters, which run out of funding at the end of this month.

B.C. issues first smoking-in-the-car-with-your-kid ticket. $109?? Come on, the guy was clearly under the influence of alcohol and far from framing any rational decisions. And any parent-smoker knows that a passenger side 13-year-old (not to mention drunkenness) causes cigarettes to light themselves. Have the police no mercy??

Plans for six new waste-to-energy plants around the Lower Mainland. "Instead of seeing garbage as garbage, we're seeing garbage as a resource that we can actually use." We of the Morning Brew firmly support said perspective. Only meta-Canwest-phorically, of course... burning our garbage is probably not the best idea.

Marijuana activist Tim Felger shunned by Abbotsford. I'm convinced this guy was hired to make Marc Emery seem intelligent. I mean seriously man. I still call dibs on that bike when it turns up at a police auction though.

ALERT: Two local reporters and three UBC studies confirm that Immigrants who speak English find better jobs. Meanwhile, cabbies and convenience store clerks continue to enjoy higher job security than Sun staffers, provide more for community than UBC Geographers. Literacy is so overrated...

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Debt Elimination, Management or Solutions and how to deal with it.

no_email@example.com (debtsolutions) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 06:31:22 -0800

Debts and settlements

Debt roughly means money, goods or services owed by one person to another. Settlement indicates the termination of a business operation by using its assets to discharge its liabilities. In short Debt elimination in layman’s term is understood as paying off your outstanding dues in accordance to your commitments and becoming debt free after the final transaction. The whole process can get complicated if you don’t earn enough or your debts are mounting while your financial situation is getting definitely “out of hand”. Debt settlement services offered by debt settlement companies provide unique solutions which might just pull you out of the financial mess.

How debt elimination and solution companies work?

Debt elimination and solution companies together known as Debt settlement program have a specific way of dealing with your debt issues. A team of experienced “debts” experts plan out a strategy and negotiate with your creditors. They represent you and explain about “what things are feasible” and “what things are not possible” to your creditors. They convince the creditors to find a “middle ground” and proceed from then onwards. The experts make efforts to reduce your totally payable interest amount and even negotiate to put into place a new repayment schedule which suits you. Since the team members are experienced and used to doing these types of negotiations, and federal debt consolidation, they stand a good chance of fetching you a better deal than the one you already have.

The specific advantages

Loansstore.com works specially for the majority of Americans, who are in debts and want a way out. The company specializes into several debt elimination products services, and one particular program might just suit you and your needs. The benefits and advantages range from :

A substantial part of your debts is wiped out by your creditor depending upon the negotiations carried out. Also it helps you revive Debt Solutions and your monthly budget and manage your monthly debt payments in a more comfortable way.
While signing up a modified program, your creditors re-age your account specifics and make it more “practical” so you benefit by avoiding bankruptcy.
Some of the associated debt management plans help to reduce your interest amount and your monthly debt payments.
Avoid paying late fees and “over the limit” penalties.
Prevent creditor from calling you and stop their harassment.
Avail a healthy and conductive environment so you can focus more upon “generating” new cash, rather than dealing with existing financial issues and credit debt relief.

To Conceal Your Debt

The unique feature of loansstore.com as a debt settlement and debt consolidation loans company is its ability to cater to a large number of individuals and yet provide effective debt settlement results, without compromising upon individuals associated with “lesser” or “negligible” debt problems. Same services are provided to all – free services since the company does not levy any kind of charge for the consultations or advice.

How Punctuation Marks Were Introduced into China

no_email@example.com (James Xi) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:46:25 -0800

In February 1868, a visiting delegation was sent to Europe and America by the Chinese government, in which there was a student by the name of De-yi Zhang

De-yi had a habit of noting down whatever he saw as local features in the countries he visited and publishing them in a small brochure named “Locality”. By 1869, he published another “Locality” which is now known as “Travels to Europe and America”. In this book he talked about the punctuation marks he observed abroad. He said, “Their books carried so many bothering marks. When a sentence is complete, they end it with a ‘.’; if not complete, they end it with a ‘,’; if not complete yet connected with the previous sentence, they end it with a ‘;’ if not complete but another sentence is added, the added sentence is ended with a ‘:’; if a sentence is an exclamation, it is ended with a ‘!’, if a question, ‘?’, if a quotation, ‘ “”’ or ‘ ‘’ ’; if a note is given, the note is written between a pair of ‘()’; they also use a ‘— ’ to connect two paragraphs.

Thought De-yi, in this book, is not actively introducing punctuation marks into China, his book did in effect contribute to the development of the punctuation marks in the Chinese written language.
In April 1919, six renowned professors proposed to the Chinese Language Unification Committee that the government adopt the punctuation marks such as ，。；：？！—()《》.

On February 2, 1920, the Chinese government issued the ordinance No. 53, “New Punctuation Marks be Adopted”, which signified the official commencement of usage of punctuation marks in China.

On the name of "中国(Zhōnɡ Guó)"

no_email@example.com (James Xi) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:45:05 -0800

"中国(Zhōnɡ Guó)" is the short form of the full term "中华民国(Zhōnɡ Huá Mín Guó)" which was established under the leadership of Dr. Sun Yat-sen in 1911 who initiated and led the 辛亥革命(Xīn Hài Gé Mìnɡ) which ended up overthrowing the 清(Qīnɡ) dynasty, the last dynasty in China, establishing the Republic.

In 1949, when 共产党(Gònɡ Chǎn Dǎnɡ) defeated 国民党(Guó Mín Dǎnɡ), the former established 中华人民共和国(Zhōnɡ Huá Rén Mín Gònɡ Hé Guó). The short form of 中华人民共和国(ZhōnɡHuá Rén Mín Gònɡ Hé Guó) is also "中国(Zhōnɡ Guó)".

民国(Mín Guó) is public and 共和国(Gònɡ Hé Guó) is also public or "republic". 人民共和国(Rén Mín Gònɡ Hé Guó) is "the people's republic". Therefore, "中华民国(Zhōnɡ Huá Mín Guó) and 中华人民共和国(Zhōnɡ Huá Rén Mín Gònɡ Hé Guó)are two names that are essentially the same in meaning.

Then, how about 中华(Zhōnɡ Huá) that appears in both of the names?

Firstly, let's look at 华(Huá). According to legend, a race of people was living on the land of what is China today. Those people are known as the华夏(Huá Xià) people, that is, 华夏(Huá Xià), or 华(Huá), is the name of this race of people. As the place there were living in was at the Yellow River and its vicinity which is at about the center of what is China today, that place and its people are referred to today as 中华(Zhōnɡ Huá), in which 中(Zhōnɡ) means the middle or center.

Now, it is thousands of years ago that those 华(Huá) people were living there. At that time, primitively civilized as they were, they probably had no way to realize how big the land was on which they live and, even if they did, they probably had no reason to decide on the boundary of this vast piece of land as is decided today to refer to what the territory of China is. So it is highly doubtful that they could decide that they were at the "center" of this vast land. Therefore, it could be reasonably concluded that the name 华(Huá) or 华夏(Huá Xià)is what people of today give to those people.

Historic information tells us that "dynasties" were the political orders that were ruling this vast land since as early as history records. Those dynasties did not call themselves "中华(Zhōnɡ Huá)" but the names of the dynasties, for example, the Qin Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty, the Han Dynasty, etc. Domestically, to their subordinates, the emperors, or the governments, referred to their "kingdoms" by using many names, none of which, as historic records suggest, is "中华(Zhōnɡ Huá) " or 中国(Zhōnɡ Guó). The last dynasty is the 清朝(Qīnɡ Cháo) (the Qing Dynasty). This dynasty referred to itself, domestically and internationally, 大清帝国(Dà Qīnɡ Dì Guó), literally "the Great Kingdom of the Qing".

It is only after the "the Great Kingdom of the Qing" was overthrown in 1911 by Dr. Sun Yat-sen and his party that the term, or the name, of 中国(Zhōnɡ Guó) started to be used as the name of this country. After the defeat of "中华民国(Zhōnɡ Huá Mín Guó), and together with it, the establishment of 中华人民共和国(Zhōnɡ Huá Rén Mín Gònɡ Hé Guó)，中国(Zhōnɡ Guó) went on to be used as the name of this country,. So, 中国(Zhōnɡ Guó)is a pretty young name.

How about, next, the English version of this country's name China? It is widely observed that people's names, place names, country names, etc, when introduced into another language, go phonetically translated, for example, Mao Ze-dong, London, Italy, etc. Based on the analysis of how 中国(Zhōnɡ Guó) came into use, we can see that the ancestors of the Chinese people did not use 中国(Zhōnɡ Guó)as the name for their country, or countries, or kingdoms, or whatever "national" institutions they established and maintained. They used the names of their kingdoms or dynasties instead. Also, the name the term 中国(Zhōnɡ Guó) did not come into being until as late as 1911. If we take a look at what the name of this country is in all the major languages in the world, we can see that they all share about one similarity, that is, they almost all pronounce something like china, or cina, or chinne, or kina, or chini, or cini, etc. --They are all phonetic translations of about one single original name.

What is this original name then? Historic information suggests that this original name is "cina", a name the ancient people of Indo used in their language to refer to what is now China. When the early Chinese scholars, or Buddhists, introduced the Indian culture into China, they translated cina into 支那(Zhī Nà), or 至那 (Zhì Nà), or 脂那(Zhī Nà), etc. Those Indian people could have used this name in their communication with other countries world-wide, as a result of which, in almost all major languages world-wide, the name of this country is phonetically similar to "cina". When this name was introduced into Japan, together with Buddhism, in their translation of this name into Japanese, the Japanese adopted the character version of 支那(Zhī Nà), because in Japan, there was already a place whose name in Japanese was 中国; they adopted 支那(Zhī Nà) to differentiate their 中国 from the other 中国 (Zhōnɡ Guó). On the part of China, when the Chinese saw the Japanese using 支那(Zhī Nà) to refer to China, they were indignant and have refused this name ever since.

The Names of This Language

no_email@example.com (James Xi) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:43:00 -0800

The Names of This Language

You could have often heard people say “I speak Mandarin” or “I speak Chinese” or “Wo hui shuo Zhongguo hua” or “Wo hui shuo Zhongwen”, etc. By saying so, they all seem to mean the same thing.

What, at all, are Mandarin, Chinese, Zhongguo hua (中国话), Zhongwen (中文), Guoyu (国语), etc? Do these different terms refer to the same thing at all?

Very broadly speaking, they do refer to the same thing, which is what most Chinese people speak. But slight differences do exist among them.

Generally speaking, “hua (话) refers to the oral speech. Therefore, “Zhongguo hua （中国话）refers to what people speak as opposed to what they write. So, we can say “He speaks Zhongguo hua (中国话); we cannot say “This letter is written in Zhongguo hua.”

“Yu (语) refers to “language”. Language exists in two forms: the spoken form and the written form. Therefore, “language” can mean speech and written words. In the light of this, we can say, “This Italian girl can speak and write Hanyu.”

“Wen (文)” can refer to both “wenzi文字” and “yuwen (语文)”. When it is used to mean “wenzi”, it refers to the written words and when it is used to mean language, it refers to language, which, again, exists in spoken form and written form. Therefore, we can say “This Korean guy can speak as well write Zhongwen (中文).”

Hanyu (汉语) refers to the language used by the Han nationality. But, in China, besides the Han people, Hui people and Man people also speak Hanyu as their own language. According to the 2005 statistics, the Han people takes up about 90.56% of the Chinese population. Therefore, there are about 1200 million people speaking Hanyu in China, including Hui people and Man people, which means that 86% of the Chinese population speak Hanyu. That should explain why many people use the term “Hanyu” to refer to “Chinese language”.

Guoyu (Mandarin) is a term mostly used by Hong Kong people and oversea Chinese to mean Hanyu.

Those, briefly, are the differences among the four terms.

When learning Mandarin: What do you do when you have no one to speak to?

no_email@example.com (James Xi) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:37:23 -0800

I got an email from a former student of mine, who wrote:

Hi James

I took a few of your classes. Ni hao.

I really need to improve my Mandarin especially in business situations. As you may recall I took the advanced level last fall and I liked it but did not feel super stretched. Since then I have been reading a lot but I realized never speak out loud. You once told me that language lives in the air. So I need to speak more but also would like to really be challenged.

Any suggestions??

Kind regards
Bregg

The following is what I wrote to him:

Hi Bregg,

Glad to receive your mail.

I have thought about it for a couple of days. Well, you know what, yours is really a tough question. :-)

It goes without saying you MUST speak it when you learn a language. But on the other hand, it is a universal problem for most foreign language learners that they don't have people to speak to; they don't have chances to speak.

What can I suggest then? Let's consider the following:

1) Pick at one (or several, but at least one) of your friends who does speak Mandarin and talk to him. Always try to find chances to speak to him. Tell yourself that you will never speak English with him but Mandarin; pretend that he does not know English and when you are speaking with him pretend that you do not know English.

2) Find one or more talk-mates. Some of my students do this. They found talk-mates on www.craigslist.com. One of them has three talk-mates and meet them three times per week. The talk-mates are Mandarin native speakers living in Vancouver. Though those talkmates are not teachers and therefore do not talk in a way that a teacher does, it is a help to talk to them. I highly suggest this.

3) Speak to yourself. :-) This sounds like a crazy suggestion. Yes, when you do speak to yourself, you do look crazy. But you speak to yourself alone in an empty room where no one will find you crazy. Relax and close your eyes if you wish. Imagine you have a guest in front of you and begin telling him about what you saw on your way home, about what you did last weekend, why you did not buy the printer you saw last week in Future Shop, etc. When you are not sure how to express yourself at some point, stop and look up a dictionary. This should make you realize it is after all an excellent way to practice speaking where you can keep your own pace and you have the time completely to yourself.

4) Read out loud. Take up something that is about the right level for you and read it out loud. Reading is different from speaking in that the latter is a process of active message production while the former is not essentially a message production. But it is still very helpful in training the speaker in articulation of messages. Try it and you will see how it can work for you. 5) Scribble. By this I mean writing "journals". Just write anything that comes to your mind. Never mind whether what you write makes sense. You are happy so long as what you write is Mandarin. You may ask what has writing to do with speaking. Well,both writing and speaking are a matter of message production, one using a pen and the other using your mouth. The psychological processes are the same. When you cannot even write coherently it is not likely you can speak coherently. If you cannot write characters, just write pinyin.

Well, those are what I have at the moment. What do you think?

James

COMING SOON: Executive Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu For Over 40

no_email@example.com (RCFAdmin) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:27:58 -0800

Executive Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu For Over 40
Presented by Raz Chan Ftiness & Mobile Personal Training

Raz Chan Fitness is pleased to announce their new program, Executive Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) For Over 40. Many people consider BJJ to be a rough sport, catering primarily to young males. However, in the right environment, people 40 years and older can practice this cerebral martial art in their later years as a great form of exercise. Participants can expect a good cardio/conditioning workout, while also learning some of the technical aspects of BJJ. Class time is split between instructional guidance, with plenty of time left for rolling/sparring to apply what you’ve learned. Open to women and men.

CLASS LOCATION
All classes are held at 4588 Clancy Loranger Way, Vancouver (next to Nat Bailey Stadium).

CLASS TIMES
Wednesdays, 8 pm – 9:30 pm
Fridays, 7pm – 8:30 pm

COST
$126/month, taxes included

REGISTRATION
We will be opening registration for our July 15 session soon.
To pre-register for the July session, please email raz@razchanfitness.com and request a registration form.
For more information about the program, visit http://www.razchanfitness.com/services/bjj or call 604-839-2838.

20 Notes on 365 Days on 2 Wheels

no_email@example.com (Jake) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:28:46 -0800

One year ago I graduated UBC and lost the privilege of the UPass. Faced with (shudder) paying for transit, I decided to buy a bike and use that as my means of primary transportation. So, I bought a road bike off Craigslist, made a promise to myself never to be caught in anything made from Lycra, picked up a free bike map, and off I went.

Here are some things I have learned in the past 365 days:

More...

Steps to Avail Car Refinancing Loan

no_email@example.com (refinancecar) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:00:40 -0800

If you’re not happy with your existing auto loan, maybe you need to consider a car refinance loan. It can provide you with an improved rate and lower monthly payments.

Refinance car loan

Refinancing a current car loan is a simple process. A new dealer will pay off your old car loan, and then the title will be transferred to that new dealer. Then you need to make your monthly payment to that new dealer.

Steps to refinance your car loan

Starting researching where it’s possible to get the best refinance car loan. You need to search for a decent place to start with.

Online website can give you the chance to get a car refinance loan, the details can be compared with four different dealers so that you’re able to compare the rates easily.

Once you decide upon the dealer with the best rate, find out if they can provide you low rates car loan refinancing programs, and it may affect your financial status to be eligible for the loan.

The dealer will ask about your earnings, assets, debt as well as credit score.

If you pay any fees, it can include:

lien holder charges ($5 to $10),

state re-registration cost ($5 to $75) and

feasible pre-payment charges (that depends up on the dealer).

Regarding your approval, your new dealer for the auto refinance loan will pay off your existing auto loan. Once your car’s title has been transferred to the new dealer, your lender will make monthly payments for your car refinance loan.

Why you need to refinance your car loan?

There are many reasons to refinancing car loan:

You might be able to avail a lower interest rate by car refinancing

You could avail lower monthly payments.

You can get an upside-down loan. That means your existing loan is more than the car’s actually cost. A car refinance loan might help you in these circumstances.

Availing a car-refinancing loan has its advantages along with disadvantages. You need to take your time searching for a consistent refinancing lender with reasonable interest rates. You may search through online lenders for auto refinancing companies so that you get a chance to compare with different rates available. You should not hurry to get into car refinancing deal if you’re not certain about any transacting with the decent company.

Debt Settlement – Painless Debt Settlement

no_email@example.com (Latika) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:51:40 -0800

[news.google.com]

Debt Settlement – Painless Debt Settlement

Debt has become a reality of life. Throughout the years, the cost of having a truly comfortable life has risen, but the income that can be gained through employment has not really kept up. Moreover, with the advent of credit cards, the ubiquitous piece of plastic that has given many a cardholder the illusion of added spending power, it has become so easy to live beyond one’s means.

And so debt is created. If the amount of debt is still at a level that can be considered negligible, then all is still well and good. All that the debtor has to do is to set aside a portion of his income to pay it off. A prudent debtor would make sure that he has enough money for the proper settlement of everything he owes every month to avoid penalty feels and rollover interest charges.

Unfortunately, not all debtors are prudent, and not all prudent debtors are lucky. If every debtor out there is both prudent and lucky, then we would not have a so-called debt problem. But even with wishful thinking, such is not to be and debt is a fact of life that we all have to face.

Exactly how do you face debt? If you liabilities have become unbearable, you have tell yourself to stop spending wantonly. And then you should start working on the settlement of your debt or debt solution.

There are two ways you can approach the effective debt negotiation . The first approach is to contact all your creditors on your own negotiate with them directly the settlement of your debt. In this way, you will find that most creditors are willing to at least sit down and listen to what you have to say. They know that if they do not work out the settlement of your payables with you, they will not get a cent out of you. At least in this way they do not have to hound you. With a little bit of effort in your do-it-yourself debt settlement scheme, you may be able to shave some 30% to 40% off your actual debt.

But if you do not have a clue as to how to go about the debt settlement program or if you do not feel confident enough that you will get out of the negotiation of the debt settlement a winner, then the best approach you could take is to go to an expert and ask him to handle it. Go to an agency that specializes in debt settlement and ask them for help. If you take on an agent from a debt settlement company to represent you, what the agent will do is to create a plan of action on how you could pay your debt with your current assets and earning capabilities. The agent will also be the one to sit down with your creditors and work out the most optimum scheme possible to handle the payment of what you owe them. With the help of a debt settlement agency, you could probably end up with 60% to 70% taken out of your total debt.

Being in debt is not as painful as you might think it is. Just do the right moves and you will find yourself debt-free sooner than you think

Resource:buzzle.com

Cheap Laminate Flooring | Discount Laminate Floors

no_email@example.com (Marco.V) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:02:48 -0800

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Morning Brew: The Vanishing

no_email@example.com (Sean) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 07:35:12 -0800

Four years of B.C. cabinet e-mails erased. Looks like someone is getting a raise. No but srsly I can't believe this trial is still going on.

The following logic went through someone's head: Hmmm, what would we rather have: a First Nations population ravaged by the swine flu because they have no running water or give them hand sanitizer containing alcohol that a few of them might attempt to drink? Tough one.

Downtown brothels difficult to detect, according to expert. Really? Did you guys check the back of the Georgia Straight?

Meanwhile First of 69 missing women portraits unveiled by Vancouver artist.

Survey: Most Canadians link B.C. with Olympics. "But the same poll showed most Americans don't even know the Olympics are coming here". Going a little deeper, we also discover that most Americans didn't know what a Canada is.

More...

Learning a Language: Learning Biology vs Learning to Play the Piano

no_email@example.com (James Xi) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 03:18:12 -0800

Would you compare learning a language to learning biology or would you compare it to learning to play the piano?

When I put this question to my class the other day, one of them answered: “Certainly to playing the piano.” When asked why, she said, “In both of them there’s a lot of tune.”

I said, “Yes, there is a lot of tune in both of them but how about if I compare it to swimming?”

She right away took the hint and concluded that learning a language is better compared to learning to play the piano (or swimming J) than learning the biology.

What do I mean?

Let’s look at what we do when learning biology. When learning biology, we work on the anatomy of creatures learning to know what it is like and how it works.

Then what do you do when learning to play the piano? You are trained (or you train yourself) to maneuver your limbs so that you can play a tune on the piano.

What do you do then when learning a language? The teacher may show you the anatomy of the target language by explaining to you the vocabulary and grammar. Do you think that on your side your job is to understand the teacher and memorize all you learn? You are right. But an even more important phase is ignored—When learning a language you are learning to maneuver your mouth and mind so that you can produce an utterance in that target language. (Learning to write down the utterance is a minor thing.)

So, learning biology is about “knowing” and learning to play the piano (or swimming) is about “doing”.

That having been said, here is the difference between learning biology and learning to play the piano: when learning the former, you learn to know how what you learn works while when learning to play the piano you learn to work yourself so that you can play a tune.

Have you realized what I am trying to say about learning a language? When learning a language what you are supposed to do is to practically use your mind and mouth and speak. You must not stop when, say, taking Mandarin for example, you have learned that

“wo” is “I”
“hui” is “can”
“kaiche” is “to drive”

You must testify by interacting with people, or with your partner in class, to see that you can make people know you can drive by uttering a statement of:

“Wo hui kaiche.”