China launches Web site to teach Chinese

[deadparrot]

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China launched a Web site, www.linese.com, on Saturday offering free Chinese lessons and materials to promote the study and use of the language abroad.

The site includes audio-visual presentations, interactive exercises and advice for teachers of Mandarin Chinese, with photographs and descriptions of cultural icons such as the Great Wall, kung fu actor Jackie Chan and basketball star Yao Ming.

Many of the exercises touch on China's mythical and imperial past, including practice sentences such as "how can you be a hero if you are unarmed" and "I find that Tibetans like worshipping heroes."

China is keen to expand its cultural influence along with its growing economic power, and is also setting up a network of "Confucius Institutes" around the world to promote its culture.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060708/wr_nm/china_language_website_dc

[onehandle]

1. And the takeover begins!

Mark my words. Start learning Chinese now.

They are the economic future of the world.

Bow to our future masters!

[Turbineguy]

2. All your base are belong to us...

Let's see... "I'll trade you Yellowstone National Park for some boxed BBQ Toolsets."

[acmejack]

3. Actuallly looks kind of interesting.

[Book Lover]

4. I'l take another website, no problem

I have been studying Mandarin on and off for years now. I'm happy to add yet another bookmark in my Languages folder.

[theoldman]

5. People in China do not speak Chinese just like in America we

do not speak American. Our most common language is English. The most common language in China is Mandarin. The Chinese people speak approximately 200 different languages just like we do in the US.

[Tellurian]

6. The Pale Horse Cometh! n/t

[Richard Steele]

7. Personally, I would say it was the BLACK horse...

...given the obvious references to COMMERCE in
his grand entrance.

[Tellurian]

9. The BLACK & (3rd) horse has been thru..

He stood for JUSTICE-

[Richard Steele]

10. Well, that's not how I interpret that passage.

Of course, that's the BEAUTY of the Book of Revelations:
EVERYTHING is a symbol or a metaphor, so no two people
will ever see the same thing.

As a Surrealist, it's far and away my favorite Book of the Bible.
Give me any 4 verses, and I can find a painting in them.
Sometimes it's even a GOOD painting, lol!

[Tellurian]

12. Black horse (3rd.) Seal... Scales of Justice

I do agree with you there. We all see something different in the way of interpreting the 4 Horseman of the Apocalypse.
I suppose that is the way it should be. Seeing the Bible is not pristine and has been edited and revised numerous times.

Constantine, Nicea-


Third seal is opened: a black horse appears, its rider holds a pair of scales:

"{5} When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. {6} Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!"

[Richard Steele]

13. But scales also symbolize trade and commerce...

...which the description of the rider seems to be more concerned with.

So it's all just a :shrug: situation...

Makes a nice painting, though (IMHO).

[Tellurian]

14. yes, yes, agreed-

wonderful painting. Do you know the name of the artist?

Scales of Justice but almost always described carrying a sword in one hand.

Posted a site where throughout the US (courthouses, state & federal buildings,museums etc)

All different interpretations of Scales of Justice.

http://members.tripod.com/mdean/justice.html

Do you remember the AG Ashcroft, wanting to clothe the Lady statue of Justice in DC?

[Richard Steele]

15. Yeah, didn't they actually hide that statue for a few years?

I wonder if it was really because of the bare breasts,
like Ashcroft claimed...
or if any symbol of JUSTICE affects them like crosses
affect vampires, and he was just afraid he'd burst
into flame standing next to it, lol.

And thanks for the compliment, BTW.
The artist who painted that
is named 'Richard Steele', double-LOL!

[Tellurian]

16. Wanted to post a pic of Lady Justice Statue

frightening Ashcroft.

Couldn't find it on the link in #14



But then a Calico Cat frightens him just as much.

Perhaps because all Calico's are female?

[Tellurian]

17. Question..

"And thanks for the compliment, BTW.
The artist who painted that
is named 'Richard Steele', double-LOL!"

In the upper rt hand corner of your paintg,
theres is an almost square object there.

Is that a motor of sorts or some representation
thereof.. what were you thinking when you pntd it?

No cop-outs allowed...as in: "It's whatever you want it to be!"

[Richard Steele]

19. Almost square, upper right...Are you referring to this bit?

I'm GUESSING this is what you mean, since you asked if it's a motor:


If so:
it's a round vessel, seen in silhouette,
with a wide lid and a hole in its side;
the shape of the hole is meant to
suggest that the vessel is earthenware.

It represents "see though hurt not the oil and the wine".

[Tellurian]

21. ahhhh.... your interpretations are very interesting..

and very beautifully done.

Thank you for sharing with us.

would it be possible to see any other Apocalyptic
renderings you have done?

The Four Horseman and the Seven Seals are imho
the most telling of the prophecies. Even if their
accuracy isn't guaranteed 100%.

If you're interested in picture provoking reading, if
you haven't discovered them as of yet, the riddles
contained in the Secret Teachings of Jesus:
Four Gnostic Gospels] are intriguing as many of
them have come to pass.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0394744330/sr=8-1/qid=1152532341/ref=sr_1_1/102-2918733-7653741?ie=UTF8

[Richard Steele]

23. Sure! Always happy to show off my work.

Rather than continue this unintentional ThreadJacking,
I thought I should start a new thread over in the Artists forum:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=282x1326

That has 3 more; not necessarily my BEST work, just what I already
had in my PhotoBucket account.
I'll have to upload some more recent stuff.

[Imajika]

8. This looks pretty cool...

Will have to check it out.

[NYC]

11. I studied Chinese at Columbia University,

but that was 4 million years ago. I couldn't get the page to load, but I'll try again later.

I learned Mandarin (part of it), and at that time most of the people in New York spoke Cantonese. We could write notes back and forth, but not speak.

[Neshanic]

18. "The Manchurian Kid's Wear Collection" at Walmart. Just plain smart.

You expect them to label things in English forever?

The Walmart Communist "Cutural Revolution Collection patio furniture" line to be follwed by "Cult of Personality Cups" featuring heroes of the takeover...collect them all!

[Selatius]

20. Mandarin Chinese could become a MAJOR business language

China is due for re-emergence onto the world stage. They could be huge.

[jahyarain]

22. cool

this will make it much easier. forget teaching English in American schools. we need to be teaching Spanish so we can communicate with our coworkers and Chinese so that we may answer our bosses. THANKS DUBYA!