<p>its not so useless, china will be the strongest economic power in 20-30 years</p>
<p>If China ever lets their currency float they're going to have some huge problems with inflation. There's no way they will be able to keep up with their current rate of expansion without the artificial depreciation of the Yuan. If they keep doing this, they will have some seriously ****ed business partners.</p>
<p>Slightly off topic...
UCLAri, have you ever been kancho'd? I hear it's quite the craze up in Kansai, heh. Jokes aside, how have your experiences been with the JET program (and being an ALT in a general sense)? I'm quite aware of many of the ups and downs about teaching English in Japan, though its always interesting to hear another persons opinion.</p>
<p>Haha, I just read your Xanga. I guess you've had enough then? You must be teaching ichinensei.</p>
<p>
[quote]
If China ever lets their currency float they're going to have some huge problems with inflation.
[/quote]
Are you sure the increase in the currency value would cause inflation? Last time I checked, it was deflation.</p>
<p>oh give me a break everyone's bound to be the next economic powerhouse</p>
<p>starts with China, goes to India, then South America, swings back to the rest of Asia (i.e. Indonesia) and ends in Africa. Wow! (next thing you know people are going to be talking about Swahili) Just learn English, because unless I'm mistaken we're in the computer age, and computers are pretty much centered around English, the Chinese are going to have to learn English (some need to learn how to speak it to .. damn TAs).</p>
<p>I think China's main advantage over would-be powerhouses like Japan or Germany is that unlike those two nations, China has all of the big three: population, land mass, and resources. </p>
<p>English is my language of choice as well, but the complacency and arrogance of some Anglophones here are repulsive. You people keep saying how English should be the main language because adopting a foreign language as a standard would be too difficult for you and others like you. Yet knowing the difficulty in trying to master a foreign language, you probably make fun of or look down upon foreigners who can't speak English as well as you do.</p>
<p>Being too lazy to learn another language, thinking it's very or too difficult, or preferring not to does not necessarily translate into making fun of or look down those who don't speak it as well. In fact, I would think some would respect those that can more becaues of it. That's a very pessimistic attitude you present, with flawed logic, I think.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Haha, I just read your Xanga. I guess you've had enough then? You must be teaching ichinensei.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Actually, I teach from 1st year elem. to 3rd year middle school. It's a real riot, I tell you. But don't take my Xanga too seriously. I like to exaggerate a bit for dramatic effect. But I'll be honest and say that teaching English in rural Japan isn't exactly the most exciting employment one can have.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Are you sure the increase in the currency value would cause inflation? Last time I checked, it was deflation.
[/quote]
Heh, stupid mistake, of course I meant deflation. With increased production and less demand you get depreciation.</p>
<p>Interesting thread!</p>
<p>UCLAri, why did you choose to learn Japanese? Did you study it in high school? It's just a really interesting choice--and I'm just wondering if you entered UCLA with an intention to study Japanese, if their program was one of the reasons you chose it. I can't even begin to imagine studying such a difficult language.</p>
<p>Did anyone see "China Rising" on the Discovery Channel? I was pretty amazed. I've been following the progress of China in magazines like The Economist, but I hadn't really gotten a feel for the teamwork culture that prevails over China (and I guess most of Asia?). I was really intrigued by Zuo Zongshen's motorcycle company and the (appearance of) enthusiasm of his workers. It's a completely different culture (duh) in comparsion to the individualism of the Western countries.</p>
<p>
[quote]
UCLAri, why did you choose to learn Japanese?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Because I hate Asians (or so chlor suggests.) It's a fairly long and drawn out story, but here it is as contracted as possible:</p>
<p>So, I was bored with high school. It was too easy. And dumb. 3 APs in a year couldn't keep me occupied, so I decided to take a class at my community college. I got some flyer in the mail showing that they offered a conversational Mandarin class. Well, my girlfriend's (same one) parents are Chinese, both speak Mandarin, and I thought, "Gee, I can impress them this way!" </p>
<p>I get there, and it turns out it's an extension class and I wouldn't get credit for it anyway. Well, I was bored and I thought, "I need a class anyway." So I saw Japanese 1. I figured, "Why the hell not?" and signed up for it.</p>
<p>That's really it.</p>