Field of Reeds

I was just talking with my firends in Internet about the political situation in China, because I heard that recently there was a boycott of French supermarket in China, which was invoked by recent international political topics, like Tibet, Olympic games and so on.
2008 is and will be a tough year for China, and the wishes beared by Chinese authority and people would lost.
And I found myself becoming very political too. Usually I will not consider myself as a political animal, but this time simply because of being a Chinese I have to discuss with my friends, classmates and teachers over very political problems, and so far I have several ideas towards recent events.
1, Some European countries have already declared that they are not going to Olympic games in Beijing, and I think their actions are unacceptable! Olympic games as a world heritage should not be used as political tools, in my idea, Olympic games should be a festival for all races, all people in the world, and it should not be connected to any political concerns! But,no.....very dissapointing! In oder to so called "freeing Tibet" some European leaders have rejected this games, some European people even attack the Torch!
2, For those European people, do you even know the history of Tibet?! If don't, please read some books, then express your idea, then you will be welcomed! I donot know what report will be procasted in Europe in everyday life, but I somehow get some feelings that the ideas about China in Euroepan people's minds need to be updated!
3, For my people, it makes total sense that we should love our country, and we should protect our country, but those events going on in China seems to me that they will be very dangerous! It goes on the way of nationalism, and it will be very dangerous that those feeling develop into extreme nationalism, authority should pay attention to those situation, donot forget the lesson of Germany.
4, For those Tibetan extrmelists and Dalai Lama, WHY???!!!

人道還沒有在歐洲卻已經被那裏四通八達的交通弄得焦頭爛額，說有多麻煩就有多麻煩。
昨天我去旅行社訂我8月份在維也納暑假課程的機票，本相8月3號到達的，但是早已經沒有位子留給我了，所以我只好訂早了一天，現在是8月2日到達維也納，乘坐卡塔爾航空公司，全是因爲價格便宜，代價卻是中間專機我要在多哈做上8，9個小時，Amun-Re阿！
本想在維也納暑假課程之後直接去捷克的布拉格待上一個星期再回去德國上學，預想中的交通流程是這樣的，從維也納坐飛機到布拉格，在從布拉格坐飛機到hannover，因爲聼室友說歐洲的飛機要比火車來的便宜，但是我到網上艘了很久也沒有平價機票，看到正規的航空公司的機票都要上百歐，吃消不起啊。所以我就改想乘坐歐洲一流的eurail pass系列，系列很多，選擇也很多，價格也可以接受，而且是超級四通八達！但是我今天才聽説我作爲一個學生好像買不到票的。。。夢想又破滅了。我想盡辦法也找不到合適的方案，所以只好把布拉格改成匈牙利的布達佩斯，我剛才找了一下平價機票還真被我找到一張，而且價格低到讓我難以置信的程度，從匈牙利的布達佩斯到德國的不來梅只要10歐元！！umglaublig!!所以我就在網上定到了這張機票，起先真的不敢相信，問過室友之後才感確信這不是欺騙。。。好了現在一半的行程已經確定，遲些時候再到奧地利航空公司上面去訂一張機票，現在稍微定貴一點也沒有關係了，哈哈！還有布達佩斯的酒店業一定要便宜！

初步計劃：（not fixed)
8月1日啓程去往奧地利維也納暑假課程
8月30日啓程去匈牙利的布達佩斯待上4天
9月4日啓程去德國的不來梅，在那裏住上1天半什麽的，
再坐的國内路火車到大學上課

the new photoes of my new camera, I took them with my old camera,haha~~~

I have no class today, a exception. So I went to the bank for my scholarship, and now I finally got those money into my account, totally 12000HKD, Great!
I have to admire the skills of those workers in bank, because of their beautiful words, I was convinced to apply a student Visa, luckly I do not have to pay money if I donot use it. It will not be hurt to have a Visa, I know I will never use it.
And during the processing time of my scholarship, I asked for some info about insurance, because I have to present a insurance while applying Visa to europe, God, the worker spent 1 hour talking with me about different insurances, I was so regret!! I used many excuses, trying to get myself out of bank, oh my God!
After the terrible bank experience, I was trying to let myself be happy, so I went to Monk Kok, I wanna see my selected camera, and I asked 3 shops they answered that the camera has been sold out, shit!!Amun-Re blesses me, I finally found it in a photography shop! here is my New Baby!!

• 18x optical zoom (28-504mm equiv.) - FZ8 has 12x (36-432mm) zoom
• Smaller maximum aperture at long end of zoom (F4.2 vs F3.1)
• 8.3 megapixel sensor (vs 7.2 megapixel)
  
• Face Detection
• Intelligent Auto mode
• Manually selectable ISO 1600
• ISO 6400 High Sensitivity mode
• AF/AE lock button and dedicated AF/MF button
• 1cm macro (was 5cm)
• Custom mode and extra scene modes (plus 'advanced scene modes')
• Five level Noise reduction (was three level)
• Slower continuous shooting (burst)
• Heavier and slightly larger

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 specifications

Street Price	• US: $360 • UK: £270
Body Material	Metal and plastic
Sensor	1/2.5" Type CCD • 8.3 million pixels total • 8.1 million effective pixels
Image sizes	• 3264 x 2448 • 2560 x 1920 • 2048 x 1536 • 1600 x 1200 • 1280 x 960 • 640 x 480 • 3264 x 2176 (3:2) • 2560 x 1712 (3:2) • 2048 x 1360 (3:2) • 3264 x 1840 (16:9) • 2560 x 1440 (16:9) • 1920 x 1080 (16:9)
Movie clips	• 640 x 480 @ 30 / 10fps • 320 x 240 @ 30 / 10fps • 848 x 480 @ 30 / 10fps (16:9)
File formats	• JPEG Exif v2.2 • DPOF • QuickTime Motion JPEG
Lens	• 18x optical zoom • 28 - 504 mm (35 mm equiv) • LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT • F2.8 - F4.2
Image stabilization	MEGA O.I.S. (Mode1 / Mode2)
Conversion lenses	Yes
Digital zoom	up to 4x
Focus	AF-Macro On/Off, AF/MF Switchable, Manual Focus(Joystick), One Shot AF, Continuous AF On/Off
AF area modes	Face / 1-point / 1-point high speed / 3-point high speed / Multi-point / Spot
AF assist lamp	Yes
Focus distance	• Normal: 30 cm-infinity (wide) 200 cm - infinity (tele) • Macro: 1 cm-infinity (wide) 200 cm - infinity (tele 6-11x) • Tele Macro (at 12-18x) : 100cm - infinity
Metering	• Intelligent Multiple • Center-weighted • Spot
ISO sensitivity	• Auto • ISO 100 • ISO 200 • ISO 400 • ISO 800 • ISO 1250 • ISO 1600 • High Sensitivity mode Auto (ISO 1600 - 6400)
Exposure compensation	+/- 2EV in 1/3EV steps
Exposure bracketing	+/- 1/3 EV -1EV step, 3 frames
Shutter speed	• Program AE: 1-1/2000 sec • Aperture Priority AE / Shutter Priority AE: 8-1/2000 sec • Manual: 60-1/2000sec. • Starry Sky Mode: 15, 30, 60sec
Aperture	F2.8 - 8 (wide) F4.8 - 8 (tele)
Modes	• Intelligent AUTO • Program AE • Aperture Priority AE • Shutter Priority AE • Manual • Custom • Portrait mode • Scenery mode • Sports mode • Night portrait mode • Scene • Motion picture • Print • Playback
Scene modes	• Food • Party • Candle Light • Sunset • High Sensitivity • Baby1 • Baby2 • Pet • Panning • Starry Sky • Fireworks • Beach • Snow • Aerial photo
Advanced scene mode	• Portrait mode : Normal, Soft Skin, Outdoor, Indoor, Creative • Scenery mode : Normal, Nature, Architecture, Creative • Sports mode : Normal, Outdoor, Indoor, Creative • Night Portrait : Night Portrait, Night Scenery, Illuminations, Creative
White balance	• Auto • Daylight • Cloudy • Shade • Halogen • Flash • White Set 1/2
White balance fine tune	2-axis adjustable, ±9steps each, Blue/Amber and Magenta/Green bias
Self timer	2 or 10sec, 10sec / 3 images
Continuous shooting	Full-Resolution: 3 frames/sec or 2 frames/sec max. 7 images (Standard mode), Max. 5 images (Fine Mode)
Image parameters	• Contrast • Sharpness • Saturation • Noise Reduction • 5 levels (-2 to +2)
Flash	• Auto • Auto / Red-eye reduction • Forced On • Forced On / Red-eye Reduction • Slow Sync / Red-eye reduction • Forced Off • Flash output adjustment 1/3EV step, +/-2 EV • Range: 0.3 - 6.0 m (wide) 1.0 - 4.0 m (tele)
Viewfinder	0.44" Color EVF (188K Pixels), Field of View : approx. 100%
LCD monitor	• 2.5-inch Polycrystalline TFT • 207,000 pixels • Auto Power LCD mode, Power LCD mode, High angle mode
Connectivity	• DC in • AV out • USB
Print compliance	PictBridge
Storage	• SD / SDHC / MMC • 27 MB built-in memory
Power	• Li-ion battery pack • Optional AC adapter
Weight (no batt)	360 g (12.7 oz)
Dimensions	117.6 x 75.3 x 88.2 mm (4.6 x 3.0 x 3.5 in)

現在腦子裏面全是去歐洲的事情，簽證需要的文件，有的要重新準備，有的要修改，有的要等待，有的要花錢。大學的通知書到現在還沒有個着落，等啊等，等啊等...漫長的等待，看來又要重復去年暑假的一幕了，淚阿...
太多的未知，太多的不確定，這個星期我發現已經有一部分人買了機票，我也開始想了，找同學的親戚問了一下，嘿，這個麻煩阿，歐洲的交通方便的沒話説，但是選擇太多，讓我不知所措阿。初步計劃：
1，等待大學通知書
2，慢慢開始準備簽證的文件（其中有一個文件看看能不能改，不能的話下次去領事館簽證的時候說清楚）
3，訂機票：盡可能便宜的機票到維也納，然後可能也是做内陸飛機到布拉格，在從布拉格内陸飛機到德國的hannover，暫定是這樣。
4，預定在布拉格的旅店，再去弄點佈朗
事情要一步一步做，飯要一口一口吃...
無奈阿...

By the end of World War Two, Germany has already become a ruin, not only those physical cities, but also in the mental world of German people. They faced a total destruction: broken cities, shortage of food and labor, homeless people, disarmed industry facilities and especially the haunted past. Confronted with those hard situations, 1945 marked as a new beginning for the Germans-Stunde Null. Everything in the past has been destroyed, then a new one can be built. The old Germany has gone and a new one was about to rise. City after city, people slowly and painstakingly rebuilt their homes. In order to control the inflation, government introduced the currency reform which can be seen as the turning point of German economy. And politically under the strong leadership of Adenaur, Germany re-established democracy, and went out the shadow of political crisis after 1945. Even though, the way Adenaur achieved the goal was somewhat authoritarian, but it was greatly because of Adenaur, Germany could stand equally with her western European countries. Although the Stunde Null labeled as a new beginning, but the past did not disappear, instead it kept haunting the Generation45. Faced the feeling of guilty it would not be easy to just say: ich bin nicht Schuld. The guilt past continually emerged before the Generation that they were unable to confront with it. And the Nurnberg Trail seemingly gave Germans a chance to say: it was them not me that committed those crimes. And the ordinary Germans chose to focus one more practical problem rather to confront with the unbearable past.

1950s Germany experienced the economic miracle. The fast growth of economic power and material goods, allowed Germans to improve their living standards. And the secret behind this miracle was the invention of the Social Market Economy which took the middle road of socialism and capitalism and was aimed to balance the distribution of wealth, increase social welfares and control inflations. The system of collective bargaining and codetermination allowed sides, company and workers, to gain their profits. With the economic miracle taking place, a cultural change also followed. Everyday life and living pattern were greatly influenced by the miracle. A new consume culture was developed. Household was equipped with new electronic devices, wagen become the newly favorite item of people, and fashion motto was: shop until you drop and eat until you drop. For the problem of past, people enjoyed Heimat Film, which created an ideal past, more than confronting with the true past. Also people were keen of making vacations, going out to enjoy different views. At the same time, with the Marshal Plan which was more mentally influential than economical influential, the American cultures poured into Germany. Coco-cola, Micky Mouse, Rock n’Roll, Hollywood…A period of Americanization began which filled in the German cultural blank and also marked a total contrast with the old generation. Young people quickly absorbed those elements and developed their own behavior and worldviews. They tended to be more rebellious and more critical about the old generation. So far, West Germany had changed a lot, they have already get rid of the economic crisis and started a new economic bloom. But beneath the martial world, this generation still could not get rid of the past, they kept silence, but the past was always there. So as the new Generation was in formation, they disagreed with their parental Generation45.

On the other side of wall was East Germany. She was under the total control of communism, and differed very much from West Germany with many aspects, from political, economic to everyday life and culture. Contrasted with its appealing political goals, the reality was totally different with SED’s political claims. The entire society was control by a single political party SED, from economy to single person’s daily life. The Eastern government abolished the free market economy and put the entire economy under the name of nation. There was no private ownership and the goods needed to be distributed. As to people’s life, they always face with food shortage and their private lives were controlled by state and its policeman. People were taught by the party that they have to follow whatever the party said and the party was always right. Life in East Germany was repressive and hard, eventually people rebelled and the society became very unstable.

The Generation45 was formed after the World War Two and faced with a broken past and the urgent desire of a new beginning. And with the division of Germany, East and West went on two different ways, and their people too. Western people with democracy and social market economy experienced great cultural change and gained more material life, but the past kept haunting Western people. In East Germany, with the claim of total break with the past, people were under communism control, and lived a repressive life.

我從來不認自己是一個愛國主義者，中國的各種問題我也是看在眼裏，無奈在心裏。但是不管我怎樣的鄙視中國，我個人作爲一個中國人的這個標簽是一輩子也揭不去了，不管我會多少外語，學了了多少外國風俗，這個事實是改變不了的。
我很少關心國家大事，但是我卻很關心西藏問題。我很喜愛西藏文化，它的獨特，純潔，神秘，虔誠，讓我傾心不已。但是就是這麽一個與世無爭的文化，卻在這個時候上演了這麽一出鬧劇，令人難以置信。“西藏要獨立！”很好！為使麽呢？有人說歷史上西藏就不屬於我們，誰說的？ 歷史書說的！但是歷史書是誰寫的呢？歷史書的編撰向來有失公正，就算我再怎麽避免，也是無法做到的。中國人邊的歷史書一定在一定程度上偏向中國人，西方人編撰的一定會以西方的價值觀角度來看待問題。所以說，歷史上西藏就屬於中國這個説法是在很難讓人信服的。在我所讀的歷史書上，西藏與中央的關係一向都是若即若離的，所以不管你政治上怎樣去interpret都是說得通的。我先不管西藏是不是我們的，讓我管道氣憤的是西方的媒體。
西方一直標榜自己是自由，民主的正宗接班人，他們看待中國常常是以有色眼鏡來看的，不要不承認！而且西方人特別敏感，只要已有事情關係到所謂的自由和民主，他們就特別emotional，不分青紅皂白的責備人，對事情的真實經過不管不問，就拿西藏問題來説，我敢打賭沒有多少人是真正了解西藏的，但是他們卻一口咬定中央政府血腥鎮壓，拜托阿~~~
我也寫不下去了，反正我想說的是：Tibet, you are part of China!

This is a busy week, but up to this point, I have finished all classes in this week. So, I have 4 days off.
This is a meaningful week.
Yesterday, I joint the Hall celebration for a poem reading. It was great. And I have finished all my presentations with my Professor.
Today I finally received my scholarship before many Professors and my classmates. The founders of this scholarship personally gave me the money. Amun-Re helped me again, I donot know how to give it back. Thank you Amun-Re!! And I had launch with some important professors. I had fears, but I managed them well. Just now I ended a small mandarin lesson with my German friend. She wants to go to Taiwan, so I am responsible for the task of teaching her some mandarin.
Things to come: termpapers, presentations, visa problems, finals, many,many to come!!!