Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
Bummer for Kwanhyun Park. He’s a straight A student who didn’t get into the UC school of his choice although he was plenty qualified. Maybe it wasn’t enough extra curricular activities?Overachieving Asian Americans are getting bumped by the international students. Why? Because schools can charge more to have a spoiled child of wealthy and perhaps corrupt official or landlord in a country filled with savages. (We’re kidding). However, the enrolling rate of Chinese students are increasing and taking spots away from qualified students of all ethnicities. “In 2009, University of California administrators told the San Diego campus to reduce its number of in-state freshmen by 500 to about 3,400 and fill the spots with out-of-state and international stu dents, said Mae Brown, the school’s admissions director. California residents pay $13,234 inannual tuition while nonresidents pay $22,878.” (Bloomberg – China Students)
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Trains are an amazing technology. China just tested a train that broke the 300mph barrier. Pictured below is the new train that is said to go up to 310 mph. Earlier this year, a bullet train accident occurred killing 40 and injuring 200. It’s definitely no surprise that big train crash in China earlier this year gets blamed on mostly a jailed guy and a dead guy. There was a lightning strike supposedly that caused problems, but why the quick cover up? The clean up happened near instantly and it has taken nearly a year to get word out as to who to blame. Truly, it’s of no consequence as who get the blame, but in the end, an accident like this happens as it does everywhere else. It’s just minimizing them. (Atlantic – China Train)
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We just wrote about the Wukan protest and how they’re making a difference. Days later, the Wukan protest ended and the government offered concessions. From Reuters: “Senior officials negotiating with villagers agreed to release three men held over land protests in September, when a government office was trashed, and to re-examine the cause of Xue’s death, a village organizer said earlier.” Will the government really hold up their end? The protestors say they’ll get back to protesting if the government doesn’t hold up their end. Did the government do this just to quell an incident they may call minor? There’s been a death involved and perhaps they don’t want other villages doing the same thing. Either way, Wukan stood up. (Reuters – Wukan)
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The once gold medal winning gymnast from China is the namesake of his own brand which is making some inroads in it’s efforts to be a global sportswear brand. Heard of them? Perhaps not. This brand is a household name in China, yet in it’s efforts to grow into the US market, they’re having difficulties. Figure out why? Is the name Li Ning something that you’d rock on a daily basis? Can a design transcend a name that’s… well, a name? Imagine if a shoe was called Shaquille O’Neal, who ironically is sponsored by Li Ning 5 years too late? Would you wear that? No. That said, the company has had massive drops in sales. The stocks have dropped massive and the gross sales aren’t looking good. The offices of designers in Portland has had an exodus. So what does a brand do when it’s called Li Ning? The name has to remain. Maybe a sub brand for the US Market so the brand goes through the backdoor. Maybe they take ideas laid down by the kids and go that route. But badminton sponsorships? Wrong move dudes.
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Wukan Protests. It’s about land. A company comes in and takes over disputed land. The locals say it’s for agriculture. A protest begins and the villagers negotiator, Xue Jinbo “dies in custody.” The protests have been going on for months and it’s sheer sign of a changing environment. How will it end? “Protests against official misconduct are increasingly common in fast-developing China, but Wukan residents have taken things a step further, erecting barricades over the weekend to keep police out and posing a challenge to the authoritarian government.” (huffingtonpost – Wukan Protest)
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