China Daily discourses on the relationship of wealth and happiness: Most, if not all, Chinese are financially better off thanks to 28 years of reform and opening up. But are we any happier? Various surveys and rankings attempt… Continue reading

      We all know China is an incredibly competitive society, with millions of people struggling for a good job, a good education, a good life.   Young people are under incredible pressure to get into college and, once in college,… Continue reading

    Some fuzzy social science grabs the attention of China Daily: No poverty and child labor; a life expectancy of above 80; everyone entitled to medical insurance and unemployment benefits; and the lowest monthly salary surpassing US$1300… A dream… Continue reading

      Muslims all over the world are angered by the cartoons that insulted their prophet and religion.  The drawings are condemned as blasphemous.  I do not doubt the genuine feelings of rage behind the protests.  From a Confucian or… Continue reading

    This from today’s China Daily: While Spring Festival firecrackers have been popping and the Lantern Festival is coming up, traditionalists lament what they call the lack of spiritual content and the rising superficial observation of foreign holidays. "Globalization,… Continue reading

    Today’s NYT magazine has an article by Robin Marantz Henig on lying.  It gets caught up in the current technology for detecting lies, but comes around to some of the interesting ethical issues about lying.  In referring to… Continue reading

    An interesting piece in China Daily on migrant labor, education and crime: Criminal activities by migrant teenagers have been increasing in South China’s Guangdong Province due to a lack of proper education within families and schools, according to… Continue reading

    I just can’t bring myself to watch the State of the Union speech tonight.  I’m supposed to, I guess: I study politics and, if it is about anything, the speech is about politics.  But I really can’t stand… Continue reading

   A beautiful and touching piece by Jerry Fensterman in today’s Boston Globe (you may need a free registration to read the whole thing), exudes a Taoist sensibility toward life and death.  Here is his story: I am approaching 50,… Continue reading

    It’s the Year of the Dog.  I’ve heard that it is a lucky year for marriages.  So, I have high hopes for the new marriage of the New York Yankees and outfielder Johnny Damon!  It is time to… Continue reading