Things We Are Writing and Editing

For about several weeks, I haven't gone out to eat with colleagues as often as I did before. Half the time I brought something from home for lunch and the other time I would be busy with something during lunch. Sometimes I just don't have much personal time and lunch time became my errand time.

But I ate with my fellow history/liberal studies section colleagues and we started talking about what we are doing at our job. We started talking about what "liberal studies" is and discussed about our world history book that we are editing. I personally find "liberal studies" to be very vague and broad to the point that it somewhat dictates how students should approach a range of topics from citizenship, globalization to moral values. 

We agree that it's weird how we are writing our world history textbook. I said that government and political development of PRC and Hong Kong should be another class, in another textbook. Another editor said that she found find it strange how we are told by the Education Department that to have history under the concept of modernization and etc. And it caught me by surprise and reminded me how I found it so ridiculous on how "modernization" became the answer for everything in our textbook. We agreed that these "concepts" distort readers' perspective on history. Even our reviewer told us that it's problematic. 

Well, then I asked who actually wrote the curriculum which we (teachers, schools, textbook publishers) have to follow. I really want to know the  background of those people who planned this curriculum. It isn't the right way for kids to read history. Compare to the liberal studies curriculum, which is very relaxed with a lot of freedom for educators and textbook publishers, the world history curriculum actually dictates how students should look at history, especially contemporary Chinese history and Asian history (including Hong Kong) to a certain extent. 

I don't know but I think the teacher union should protest about this. And if there is a textbook editor union that want to protest about this, I would totally join. The world history textbook is bias and blind. It will channel's students perspective of history. The teachers will have to be the gatekeeper to pass the right and correct history to students. I am not sure if they can do that. 

Furthermore, the Education Department (EDB) set the curriculum and probably going to set the exam questions too so, students are going to be forced to study it and teachers forced to teach it. 

Beijing is certainly tightening the grip over Hong Kong and the younger generation's world view and perspective will be compromised and limited. 

Hong Kong students will lose that advantage of being more "internationalized" from their mainland counterparts. 

Things are not looking well for Hong Kong. 

 

fulfil and fulfill

English Spelling	American Spelling
recognise	recognize (sometimes Eng. too)
behaviour	behavior
recognising	recognizing (sometimes Eng. too)
paralyse	paralyze
generalisations	generalizations (sometimes Eng. too)
labelling	labeling
analyse	analyze
programme	program
hypoglycaemia	hypoglycemia
travelling	traveling
revitalise	revitalize (sometimes Eng. too)
practise (the verb)	practice (Am. both verb and noun!)
apologising	apologizing (sometimes Eng. too)
defence	defense
channelled	chanelled
finalised	finalized (sometimes Eng. too)

                      

Now for a lovely one…

English	American
fulfil	fulfill
fulfilling	fulfiling
fulfilment	fulfillment
fulfiller	fulfiler

sometimes, especially during long hours of OT, i wonder why the heck i am here at this spot. what am i fighting hard for? sometimes, it just seems like i m giving so much for so little, getting so little back. of course, everything is actually for granted.

someone once told me that it is just the way it is, the ones can give will have to give themselves out to others. it's almost like a duty.

i think working ot really mess up my sleeping pattern. i get really tire at work and also on the way back from work but after coming home, i just have trouble sleeping. my head seems to be on overdrive with a million things on my mind. i guess part of me unconsciously wants to make up for those free personal time by...trying to do many things at once yet at the same time i would accomplish none.

i wish things can be different yet i think i learn how precious time is and the situation makes me think about..."what the heck am i doing here?"

Temporary Dictators of Roman Republic and Empire

Before there was the Roman Empire, there was the Roman Republic and they had temporary dictators at time of crisis. When there was a crisis like an invasion, civil war, economic turmoil, the 2 consuls (elected by citizens) would appoint very capable person, as the "supreme commander-in-chiefs", temporary "dictator" for a period of time (maxium 6 months but it could be extended)granted with almost unlimited power. And then after the crisis was solved or over (or if he failed), the "dictator" would return to his normal life farming the in the countryside (most early Romans were farmers).

That's kind of unbelievable for me. For someone not to be corrupted by power with such loyalty to the state.

I was shopping around the area around my work for something healthy to eat and I realized that I don't have much choices. Can't eat food made with eggs because cheap eggs from Dailin which a lot of Chachantengs use have melamine in them, I can't get any drink with milk powder, creamer, milk also because of contaminated melamine milk products from China. I was thinking about getting a piece of bread but bread is make from some eggs and milk products. Eggs actually take away a lot of the food off the list, steam egg, fried rice, egg salad and etc. And meat isn't such a great idea either after being warned about chicken, pigs and cows eating messive amount of genetically altered corn based food which is rich in omega 6 which increases risk of cancer. Oh crap, my family has a history of cancer. Can i get a goat or lamp chop? Salad? The only place that serves salad around here in McDonald's. I really miss American fastfood with their extensive menu from chili, potato, side salad, taco salad, burritoes and giant burger and thick shake with real strawberries.

Pass It On

A lot of sick news today. Just crooked. Couple of suicides and suicide attempts in Hong Kong involving head nurse who was overstressed at work, middle-age woman who gone crazy (emotionally unstable) probably over relationship problem, high ranking police officer who shot himself in the chest because of pressure. And also this crazy guy who punched and stuffed banana into a local democratic legco councilor. the worst one is from Australia, where a man broke into an apartment with 3 students. Forced 2 of the victims to strip and they fall off from the 3rd floor probably in an attempt to escape. The girl fell to her death from the 3rd floor while the guy is in severe condition after breaking several bones. The other 2 girls in the apartment are in very emotional state. it was just...so perverted. like something from a sick holloween movie, perverted movie that is. there are some out there. of course there are a whole lot of good things people are doing out there, but still, so many people out there are in such a sick state that it's depressing. Jesus.

All these things remind me that there is a need for God out there in the world. The human race needs a cure. We sang this song, "Pass it on" at church on Sunday and I didn't think much of it as I was singing it except on how much better it is in English despite of the nice translation by Yip Sir. I also thought about how I don't really have that fire in me to share the good news to people around me.




PASS IT ON

It only takes a spark to get a fire going,
And soon all those around can warm up in its glowing;
That's how it is with God's Love,
Once you've experienced it,
Your spread the love to everyone
You want to pass it on.

What a wonderous time is spring,
When all the tress are budding
The birds begin to sing, the flowers start their blooming;
That's how it is with God's love,
Once you've experienced it.
You want to sing, it's fresh like spring,
You want to pass it on.

I wish for you my friend
This happiness that I've found;
You can depend on God
It matters not where you're bound,
I'll shout it from the mountain top (PRAISE GOD!)
I want the world to know
The Lord of love has come to me
I want to pass it on.

I'll shout it from the mountain top (PRAISE GOD!)
I want the world to know
The Lord of love has come to me
I want to pass it on.





John 3:16
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life."

We do take it for granted. And for God's love to spread, we need to love others. That's how we show God's love to others, we act as the moon, reflecting the sunlight.




At work we used to get "free tea" every once in a while when coworkers passed their probation period or got promotions, but now...thanks to the lack of team spirit from the Chinese department, the great trend has faded.

work is weird. i expected to be really busy last week but instead i actually ended up being able to leave work on time pretty much most of the days. it's just not predictable and this week, i have something due wednesday and i just received the assignment this afternoon. i expecting myself to OT several hours this week to finish everything up.