[clay dube]

Hi Folks,
The $200 mentioned in our advertising for the seminar refers to the stuff we've already given you (books, a subscription to Education About Asia, the reader). The $300 grant that Miranda's provided a handout for refers to materials that you earn for your school by completing all seminar requirements. Again, I highly encourage you to go with one of the preselected packets.

[clay dube]

The protection of intellectual property is a big issue in the US-China relationship and in China's dealings with other countries. Here is a comical look at some interesting marketing tricks:

Mirror article from Jan. , 2009

This isn't new. I've got a SANY cassette tape from about 1984.

This was discussed in our documentary on US-China relations. Here's a link to that segment and to a page with speeches, reports, and more:

Tensions over Trade (part 2 of "Election '08 and the Challenge of China")

And here is an article from the current issue of US-China Today which examines the problem.

No Brand Names?

What do your students think about piracy? Did the movie producers efforts to stem illegal downloads affect their perception of this (you've seen the trailers -- "illegal downloading is stealing")? Is defending intellectual property important?

[clay dube]

Hi Manuel and Chuck,
Thanks for these great websites. In most cases, however, it's best to post your website reviews/comments in the Web Resources thread of the Asia in My Classroom forum. There are exceptions (the references made to the Black Ships and Samurai site introduced by Morgan Pitelka and Miranda, for example), but for the most part let's talk about films and websites in the larger forum. Here's a link to the web resources thread. (Thanks, by the way, for putting the name of the site or its topic in the subject line!)

http://uschinaforum.usc.edu/showpost.aspx?PostID=390&PageIndex=42

Thank you![Edit by="Clay Dube on Jan 5, 10:34:35 AM"][/Edit]

[clay dube]

The Economist newsmagazine marked the 1,000th anniversary of The Tale of Genji, arguing it's the equivalent of the Iliad in scope and influence. You can see the review and discussion of the work at:
http://www.economist.com/books/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12811335

Genji-mania is going strong. The book is popular in reading groups and there a wealth of programs about the book. Tea and sweets inspired by the book are sold and a Genji symphony is newly available. The book is also endlessly updated through new versions, at least 7 in the last century.

Perhaps the most fascinating story in the article is how Arthur Waley's English translation of the book which has been retranslated into Japanese. One editor says, "Waley's is the most accessible version for us too."

[clay dube]

Hi Walt (if I may, please call me Clay),

Thanks for the reviews you've posted to the Web Resources thread in the forum. Others can read them by clicking: http://uschinaforum.usc.edu/showpost.aspx?PostID=390&PageIndex=42

[clay dube]

Dear Walt Banta,

Thanks for these great reviews - please add the links to make it a bit more convenient for others to visit the sites you've discussed (use the link button in the editor to insert these, first use control + C to copy them and then control + V to paste them in). Most teachers in the Asia in My Classroom forum don't have access to those posts in the seminar forum.

Thank you!

[clay dube]

To respond to Walter Banta's query, there are many volumes of woodblock prints available, some quite inexpensive (try Edward R. Hamilton, Bookseller, I've not ordered from them recently, but used to quite a lot -- shipping was $3 regardless of the size of the order). These prints have long fascinated Westerners. As Prof. Pitelka likely told you, the architect Frank Lloyd Wright was an avid collector. The LA County Museum of Art featured his prints in an exhibition a few years ago. James Michener, the popular writer, produced one book about them.

On the web, ukiyo-e collections are plentiful. One especially rich site is Ukiyo-e Gallery: Fine Japanese Prints: http://www.ukiyoe-gallery.com/. It's a commercial site, but offers a lot of info on prints and would be a good source for those building presentations for class.

A great site for teachers and students is the Library of Congress's The Floating World of Ukiyo-e: Shadows, Dreams, and Substance: http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/ukiyo-e/.

Perhaps someone would like to write reviews of these sites for the "web resources" thread of the Asia in My Classroom forum?

http://uschinaforum.usc.edu/showpost.aspx?PostID=390&PageIndex=42

[clay dube]

Dear Shauna (and others),

Thank you for your comments, here and about the afternoon session as well. We are grateful for feedback.

We are sorry that your feelings were hurt on Saturday. Please understand that both Miranda and I said what we did when we did not because we don't respect you as a fellow educator, but simply in an effort to reduce distractions and permit the group to advance. As you know from your many years in the classroom, time is precious and we're eager to cover a lot of ground.

Best wishes,
clay

[Edit by="Clay Dube on Dec 18, 5:29:52 AM"][/Edit]

[clay dube]

Dear Participants:

We welcome your assessment of our efforts these past months. Hopefully you've found the seminar useful. We welcome your comments, either here or anonymously via ordinary mail:

Miranda Ko/Clayton Dube
USC U.S.-China Institute
3535 S. Figueroa Street FIG 202
Los Angeles, CA 90089-1262

Below are some questions we'd like you to consider. Please be specific whenever possible.

1. What were your expectations for the seminar?

To what extent were they met?

2. In what ways (if any) has the seminar affected what you can (and will?) do with students?

3. What about the seminar was particularly effective?

What should be improved?

[clay dube]

I've noted the GlobalPulse web resource from Link TV in the web resources section. Here's a sample from GlobalPulse. They put together a five minute segment that starts with the Stephen Colbert question. Is China our friend or our enemy? Here's the video:

http://www.linktv.org/video/1363

It focuses on how China shot down, unannounced, one of its own satellites.

Here's a segment from our recent documentary which focuses on China's military buildup:
http://china.usc.edu/ShowArticle.aspx?articleID=1194[Edit by="Clay Dube on Dec 9, 5:08:02 PM"][/Edit]

[clay dube]

Some of you may have access to Link TV from Direct TV, Dish Network, or your cable provider. They offer an interesting array of documentaries. One that I recorded was "Mardi Gras: Made in China." It traces where the beads that are so central to Mardi Gras parades are produced. Link TV's website offers a growing variety of educator-friendly resources. One of these is GlobalPulse, which consists of 5 minute segments of international broadcasts on particular topics. One that is currently featured focuses on the tainted milk scandal in China. Stories from the BBC, Al Jazeera, ABC, CCTV, South African TV and other sources are included.

Take a look: http://www.linktv.org/video/3050

[clay dube]

Chuck,

This is an interesting development. Chinese officials argued that a) the protests and subsequent riots in Tibet were the work of violent separatist groups, and b) just before and during the Olympics, officials said there were attacks in northwest China. These views have all been greeted with some skepticism in the West. China does have many disgruntled members of society and domestic terrorism has been a problem. Most recently, however, the Chinese have protested the decision first by US administration officials to send 5 Uyghur separatists who were held at Guantanamo Bay to Albania. US investigators determined they represented no threat to the US. And in recent weeks, a federal judge has ordered that the remaining Uyghurs be released as the government can not demonstrate it has reasonable fear they will act against the US. They cannot be sent back to China because it is assumed the Chinese authorities will torture and perhaps execute these individuals.

The daily updates section of the US-China Today website has articles about these issues. See it at:
http://www.uschina.usc.edu/dailyupdateS.aspx

[clay dube]

This is a fascinating passage. Could you photocopy the title page and the relevant other pages?
Thanks.

[clay dube]

Hi Mimy,
This is a great addition, please also add it to the workshop/tours section of the Asia in My Classroom forum: http://uschinaforum.usc.edu/showpost.aspx?PostID=12668. I think others will be interested in it as well. Which of the opportunities struck you as particularly compelling?

[clay dube]

Dennis,

Thanks for sharing your ideas on the utility of various destinations for various purposes. We might have pushed more folks to visit the Muslim Quarter and the Mosque in Xi'an, for example, to hammer home ideas about exchanges. If we went to the South, perhaps we could have seen cell phone manufacturing, a Nike plant, or something like that.

On the subject of exchanges, I think many will find an article in today's (12/7) LA Times interesting. It notes that some companies are now organizing tours for Chinese to check out the US housing market. It's at: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-fi-chinahomes7-2008dec07,0,4690052,full.story

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