Notorious university rankings make a comeback

University rankings were never trust worthy or credible, but families with children about to enter college cannot ignore them.

Feng shui defeated by Western culture?

By Zhao Hongyi
 
Wuhan University of Science and Technology is only 10 years old, but has already built a reputation nationwide because of a “feng shui course” it introduced then scpped.
The university first offered the elective course last spring, but had to give it up this week. The reason, according to a university statement, is that [...]

Liu Xiang at forefront of debates on political reps’ qualification

 

By Zhao Hongyi
Liu Xiang, the athlete who has rewritten the world record for the men’s 110-meter hurdle, cannot seem to shake off controversy and criticism. First i was for dropping out of the hurdle finals at the Beijing Games due to an injury. Now it’s about politics.
After clocking 12”88 at a race in Laussane, Switzerland [...]

Proposal suggests returning to traditional characters

By Huang Daohen
The nation should abandon the use of simplified Chinese characters and return to the traditional writing system, representative Pan Qinglin said in a proposal submitted at the ongoing NPC (National People’s Congress) and CPPCC (Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference) sessions.
Pan, 53, a CPPCC representative from Tianjin, suggested the government take a decade to  [...]

Luxury hotel glut too much of good thing

(Chicago Tribune) – Financial crisis? What financial crisis?
The owners of a new, ultraluxury hotel in Beijing maintain an air of confidence in the face of adversity. The 234-room Pangu Plaza, which opened in December, charges as much as US $17,750 (121,500 yuan) a night for a suite. The sushi bar, where the cheapest lunch special [...]

Patriotic ruse may cast shadow over art auction

By Huang Daohen
Some call him a hero and a patriot, but others say his actions were pointless and only sullied the nation’s reputation.Cai Mingchao, a 44-year-old art dealer made the front page of Chinese newspapers this week after he revealed Monday that he was the undisclosed winning bidder of two Chinese relics auctioned off by [...]