The Linkage for June 5th
Here’s a quick look at what I was reading online from May 29th to June 5th. (There wasn’t any concerted effort on my part to include a bunch of stuff on China; it just kind of worked out that way.)
Big Brother to proctor Chinese college entry exams
Video cameras and metal detectors are being installed in almost 60,000 examination halls across China to prevent cheating on next week's national college entrance exams. Recently, there's been a growing trend of students using hi-tech methods – including tiny radio receivers – to cheat on the important tests.
Tags: china education technology
‘Tis better to give an evil eye than receive
Years of horrible movies telling us that evil can spread through organ transplants have finally had their intended effect – a British study found that some people "believe they have taken on a psychic connection with their organ donors, and even their memories and experiences."
Tags: uk health society
Denver finds dorkier way to check parking meters
For the past year, the city of Denver has been using three-wheeled electric "chariots" to help officers enforce parking-meter rules and parking restrictions. It's like the old-person version of a Segway. And it effectively strips away any last vestige of self-respect they may have had.
Tags: technology colorado denver funny
Historic battlefield being restored after two hurricanes
The Sabine Pass Battleground State Historic Site is one of the few Civil War battlefields in Texas and it's been closed since 2005 due to damage from Hurricane Rita and a follow-up punch from Ike. Now, thanks to the Texas Historical Commission and its very dedicated maintenance manager, the park is set to reopen in September.
Tags: texas history civil_war hurricane_ike hurricane_rita weather
Blind pianist wows crowd at Cliburn competition
Nobuyuki Tsujii, 20, who has been blind since birth, brought down the house in the semifinal round of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
Tags: texas music japan
I’m not the only one who hates our new license plates
Seriously, these things look like they were designed by a high school art class. I dearly miss my old Colorado plates.
Tags: texas stupid
China’s Tiananmen generation speaks
A sampling of comments from Chinese citizens too young to have actual memories of the Tiananmen Square incident 20 years ago and only know what they've been able to piece together for themselves.
Tags: china history censorship
Even the Chinese are surprised that company is buying Hummer
A little-known player in China's heavy machinery industry emerged from nowhere to agree to buy General Motor's Hummer brand, raising eyebrows among Chinese industry executives and analysts who question whether the company can turn around the struggling line of vehicles.
Tags: business automobile china
China blocks e-mail, networking sites for anniversary
China has blocked prominent network and communications websites (including Twitter, Hotmail, Flickr, WordPress.com, YouTube and others) ahead of the 20th anniversary of the suppression of the Tiananmen protests. The Chinese government officially bans discussion of the events in and around Tiananmen Square in 1989.
Tags: china censorship history net_issues
NASA still fighting the metric system
After the loss of the MCO and the proliferation of international partnerships, you'd think NASA would use the same system of measurement that the rest of world's scientists and engineers (as well as many Americans) are using. You'd be wrong. Old habits die hard, I suppose.
Tags: nasa science
Astros remember beloved ‘Peanut Dude’
Proof that no matter how you earn a paycheck, you can always make a difference in other people's lives.
Tags: deaths baseball astros houston texas
Haven’t read enough? Click here to check out all of my del.icio.us bookmarks.