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Tuesday, July 31, 2012

China's Gift to U.S. Homeowners

Good article, two things that was missing is the houses are usually located where the school district is excellent. In the LA area those houses with good school districts have done much better keeping their value, than others. The other is how much of the money is for what is seen as a safe investment.

China's Gift to U.S. Homeowners - Business Week

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"State property": Memoirs of a top Chinese gymnast

Good article talking about the State Run sports system in China, which is getting results as can be seen in the Olympics

"State property": Memoirs of a top Chinese gymnast - Reuters

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Is Algebra Necessary?



Is Algebra Necessary? - NY Times Editorial

And another view:
Hackery about education - Strategy Profs

Mine is Math is usually poorly taught in the US, the Math textbooks from Singapore do an excellent job. Instead of covering a lot of areas with little depth, they cover fewer areas in more depth.

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An Email from a Customer

I had an email from one of my customers. It's feels great providing quality learning materials at a great price. Here is the email.

Chinese Made Easy For Kids
Chinese Made Easy for Kids, Simplified Characters Level 1 Textbook with CD, by Yamin Ma & Xinying Li
Our Price: $19.95  
(18 reviews)

Make learning Chinese Fun for the Kids
  • Focuses on teaching Listening and Speaking
  • Four levels available!  Each level includes a CD and Textbook
  • Used by many schools, tutors, and home-schoolers!  Best-Seller

Hi there.

I was looking online for a book covering the topic of Chinese made easy for kids. My search brought me to your site and this textbook entitled "Chinese Made Easy for Kids". Not only was there a book but it also came with a CD and a set of flash cards. My 4-year old is an auditory learner and the CD really reinforced the lessons in the text book. It also helped that the book was filled with rhymes that I could read in a story-telling manner. So it fit right into her comfort zone, and lessons were absorbed easily.

I recommend this book to parents ready to accept the challenge of tutoring their child at home. You don’t have to be the best teacher, you just need to have the right teaching tools, and a whole lot of love for your child.

Thanks so much!

Judy

Chinese Made Easy For Kids 2
Chinese Made Easy for Kids, Simplified Characters Level 2 Textbook with CD, by Yamin Ma & Xinying Li
Our Price: $19.95  
(2 reviews)

Learn Chinese the Fun Way!
  • Forget those boring workbooks...this book uses rhymes, pictures, and storytelling for kids to easily remember Chinese
  • Focuses on teaching Listening and Speaking
  • Four levels available!  Each level includes a CD and Textbook
  • Used by many schools, tutors, and home-schoolers!  Best-Seller!
The pacing is excellent, the pictures are fun, and the CD is very helpful. - Alice From Texas

What a wonderful email. Makes me tingly inside to hear from you. Please send me more of your wonderful reviews!

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Tips for Teaching a Child at Home


Teaching a child a new skill or a new language is very rewarding yet very scary task. IF you would want to teach your child a new skill or language, here are a few tips:



Bundle: Chinese Made Easy, Traditional, Level 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Bundle: Chinese Made Easy, Traditional, Level 1, 2, 3, 4, 5: Text: Text & Workbooks, Teacher's Guide Level 1, 2, 3
Our Price: $300.35 
Sale Price: $270.00 
You save $30.35!  

  • Children remember Chinese easier with these task-based lessons.
  • Uses rhymes, pictures, stories.
  • Covers content for different Chinese exams.
Complete set, all books Levels 1-5 plus Teachers' Guide 1-3. 


  1. Attend seminars or join forums as much as you can – seminars and forums are a treasure chest of information. You can get advice, techniques and personal experiences from other parents who are teaching their child at home.
  2. Stock up on teaching materials – you can purchase on line or borrow from your local library many resources to help with teaching you child. Take the Chinese language for example, because now of the many books in Chinese made easy to read, you can buy them on line or borrow them from your local library. These will definitely help with teaching your child the Chinese language.
  3. Power of the Computer – there are many websites that can help you with teaching. Just do an on line search of the topic you want to teach your child. You will find hundreds if no thousands of resources to help you out.
  4. Another thing that is important, I think the most important, is your level of patience. When homeschooling and child, in my case a toddler, you can't have enough of patience. You need gallons, if not, hundred or thousands of gallons of patience. There are going to be good days and bad days, many, many bad days... but, if you work on being more patient, you will be a sure success in homeschooling your child. Why not try to do a search on "work on being more patient" or "how to become more patient"? I am sure you will be able to finds tips and techniques on how to achieve this.

When teaching kids, it is said you don't have to be a great teacher, you just have to love your child a lot. So don't be too hard on yourself and on your child. Just cherish and enjoy the special time of learning you are sharing together and everything will follow.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Chinese Lining Up in Record Numbers to Visit the U.S.

The good news is the amount of tourists going to the US has increased. The bad news as a percentage of world tourism, the US has shrunk from 17.3% in 2000, to 11.2 today. The reason was the increase in security after 9-11.

The amount of tourists from China who visited the US last year was 1.2 Million, and it's expected to be 2 Million by 2015.

Chinese Lining Up in Record Numbers to Visit the U.S.- NY Times

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Middle-Aged Drowning in Student Debt


11.9% of people in their 40's with studnet loans are behing on payments. And since it's almost impossible currently to get out of paying student loans, it's only going to get worse. Especially with parents signing student loans for their kids, and college costs keep on going up and up.

Middle-Aged Drowning in Student Debt - Via Meadia

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Is the Great Wall of China Longer Than Previously Thought?

I am surprised that what the Great Wall consists of has not been defined. This makes it open for politicizing on where it ends and such. The North Korean border is one such area. There was an ancient Korean Kingdom in the area, which is why you have ethnic Koreans who live in Northern China, that's boundaries are a political issue.

Is the Great Wall of China Longer Than Previously Thought? - Time Magazine
A new report doubles the estimated length of the Great Wall, but this claim is under dispute
 
A cute coloring picture:
 
 
http://www.childbook.com/Chinese-New-Year-Coloring-Pages-Pictures-and-Graphics-s/70.htm

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Monday, July 23, 2012

The Classroom Feel


In this day and age, it is so hard for a child to be able to concentrate on their studies at home. With TV, personal music players, videos games and computers, many of our children get easily distracted from their studies. Creating a “classroom” feel at home is one way we as parents can help our children focus on their school work.
It's very inexpensive to create your very own home “classroom”. Just a little creativity and imagination can go a long way. Here's what I did for my child.
  • First, I asked my daughter to put her school stuff in the area I have designated as her "classroom" area. This is to ensure that your child knows that that area is only for school work. As your child grows up, he or she will always designate an area for themselves where they will only use for studying.
  • Next, place a desk or table (I found those foldable tables you buy on TV very useful), a chair or stool and a reading lamp so your child will be able to study and do his or her school work.
  • Lastly, depending on the age of your child, fill up the area with books, pens, pencils, crayons, pads of paper, basically school materials he or she made need or already uses at school.
Creating your own classroom at home will help your child pick up good study habits when he oe she grows up. Your child will find ways to create their own learning space, just as you have done for them.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Student Loan Debt Sours Public Opinion On College Degrees' Worth

Students loans are scary, especially when a lot of promises that colleges make before graduation, are not true. With some private colleges charging over $50,000 a year, it's hard to justify a $200,000 degree. My advice is pick the major, and then the college.

I did not realize this:

One implication of the rising elasticity of demand is that tuition price hikes at non-selective schools at some point produce less revenue, not more. Colleges have tried to avoid this by ever greater use of differential pricing, charging the "rich" (whose demand is less sensitive to price) more than the poor. The federal government facilitates that by its nefarious FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form, which gives colleges lots of private financial information about their customers. But they have now largely maximized their ability to squeeze dollars from this practice.
References:

Student Loan Debt Sours Public Opinion On College Degrees' Worth - Huffington Post

Elite College ($50,000 a Year) or Good State School ($20,000)? - Minding the Campus

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Thursday, July 19, 2012

Your Child's Second Classroom at Home


For parents, we want our children to do well in school. That is why it is very important that we make sure that when our children come home, they finish their homework or study. But with many distractions around the house, like tv, computers, video games, etc., what do we do to help our children? Why not create a classroom environment at home? This could be your child's second classroom.






A classroom environment at home will help children focus on what they need to do, be it their home work or studying for a test. If you want to teach your child a new language like Chinese, a second classroom at home will help you and your child. This can even help if you want your child to learn a new skill. This "second classroom" together with study time will help the child in their learning process.






When choosing an area in your home for a "second classroom", there are a few things to consider:

  • the area should have no distractions like TV, computer, radio, toys, etc.
  • the area should be cool and clean
  • the area should be well ventilated



It is hard for a child to concentrate in their own room, they have many things that will take their focus away. That's why creating a classroom at home will help. You really don't need a spare room to create a classroom at home, even the dining room or kitchen will do. Just be sure to take out things that may distract your child.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Chinese Water Army?


Another new term for me - Chinese Water Army, the name coming from their ability to sweep away other opinions with a flood of comments by an army of paid commentors. In the US this is called astroturfing and sometimes reputation management.

Undercover Researchers Expose Chinese Internet Water Army - MIT Research

An undercover team of computer scientists reveals the practices of people who are paid to post on websites.

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Amazing! One of my wife's friends got a divorce due to a Chinese mistress. There are so many stories of married Taiwanese men  going to work in China, and getting a mistress and some actually starting a 2nd family - while having a US family.

A big reason for this is when your running a business, you need to be willling to take risk and have great self esteem. The danger is you start believing in yourself too much. I refer to it as the flying to close to the sun (Icarus) syndrome. I have seen many families badly damaged when mistressses break up a family.

'Mistress killer: the Chinese private eyes fighting the 'moral bottom line' - The Telegraph
  The Shanghai 'Mistress Killer' speaks to Tom Phillips about the murky underworld of China.

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Social Media Impact in China - Adoption

The story went viral due to Social Media in China.

Orphans pictured chained up in China - The Telegraph
Authorities have suspended the director of an orphanage in eastern China after photographs showing two mentally disabled children shackled to furniture with metal chains were posted online.

A lot of my customers for Learning Chinese Material have adopted children from China.,

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Marrying Down - Issue for Chinese Women?

The US has the same issue, were many Women have issues with marrying down. I never thought about it in China.

Men wanted for 36 Chinese millionaire single ladies - The Telegraph
A Chinese cupid has launched a nationwide manhunt on behalf of 36 female millionaires who have made fortunes from their country’s breathtaking economic boom but have failed to find love.

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Friday, July 13, 2012

Outrage over U.S. Olympic uniforms that were MADE IN CHINA

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Summer Nights event aims to revitalize LA Chinatown nightlife

I am glad they are trying.

Summer Nights event aims to revitalize Chinatown nightlife  - SG Tribune

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Learning to live without shark fin soup

Interesting, the Chinese government is going to ban shark fin soup from official dinners.
 Good PR move.

Comments are a good time waster :-)

Learning to live without shark fin soup - The Globe and Mail

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Monday, July 9, 2012

For China, It’s All About America

A good read with a great headline to get readers.

For China, It’s All About America - The Diplomat

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China's Monroe Doctrine

China's Monroe Doctrine - The Diplomat
Despite claims to the contrary, China’s policy in the near seas today bears scant resemblance to the Monroe Doctrine. But its application still holds lessons for China.

A good read, I found out more about the history of the US with Central and South America. An area that was not given much focus in the history classes I took.

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Hong Kongers resist pressure to identify with ‘motherland’

Child diabetes levels higher in China than in US, study finds

My guess is this is another legacy of the one child policy, with a lot of spoiled little princes and princesses. Big kids are often seen as a sign of wealth.

Child diabetes levels higher in China than in US, study finds - LA Times

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Chinatown Gambling Raid May Reveal Cultural Divide

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Walmart protest draws thousands to Chinatown

The comments are a great read. We have a WalMart in City of Industry, which is right next to the city I live in, Rowland Heights.The WalMart has had little to no impact I have seen on Chinese businesses in the area. We also have a Cosco, Target, tons of Chinese supermarkets and bakeries in our area.

The comment that why would anyone go to a Chinese bakery for a cake, vs. WalMart I disagree with.

"What would happen to landmark businesses just down the street here like Phoenix Bakery and Wonder Bakery if you could just go down to Walmart and get a cake for $1.99?

Judith Chu

My 2 Cents:

If you want a cheap American style cake with butter cream frosting (basically powered sugar and crisco) you can choose WalMart, and I doubt it's $1.99 For a slice, yes.. You want one with whip cream frosting with almonds on the sides, fruit filling such as Peach, Strawberry, Taro, and fruit on top you should go to a Chinese bakery such as Phoenix bakery. The price for a slice of cake at a Chinese bakery is around the same price. A whole cake is around $25 (depends on the bakery).

WalMart's bakery and the local Chinese bakeries are completely different on what they offer.

Walmart protest draws thousands to Chinatown - blowdowntown

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US defense biz fined for busting China arms embargo


Please note the reason the company did what they did, was they believed it would help them get a $2 Billion dollar civilian contract in China for helicopters. This issue only came up after an investor questioned the legality of the deal.

The fine amount is $75 Million, but of that $20 Million will be suspended. There were no prosecutions of company officials.I am sure there was a lot of negotiation and plea bargaining. It seems every possible issue was included as part of the settlement.

US defense biz fined for busting China arms embargo - The Register

United Technologies sold China software for attack copter - USA Today

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Gambling in the US

Around Rowland Heights, there are a couple of billboards for Casino's. There is also a free bus that go to the Morongo Casino as a day trip. And low cost buses to Las Vegas. At a previous company, lots of my co-workers and the owner loved to gamble.

This story from NY reminded me of the interest in Casino's in Chinese areas in the US.

Gamblers heading to Queens from Foxwoods Casino hit highway to hell when driver loses control on I-95 - NY Daily News

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Apple and China's iPad Naming Rights

I a surprised that Apple finally got the amount down to only $60M for the naming rights in China.

The company that was pursuing this is in bankruptcy, and has per rumors, $350 Million in debt.

Apple Apple settles China iPad trademark dispute with Proview for $60 million - AppleInsider

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Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Lucky Numbers & Real Estate

What was not mentioned was the people who bought the houses with those numberrs, also bought them at a lower price...

Arcadia to reconsider address change requests again in light of superstition - SG Tribune

4's in Mandarin Chinese and Japanese sound like the word death in each language. 8's are lucky, since they have the sound of wealth.

If you noticed, the phone number for childbook has a few 8's in it. 2's and 6's are also considered good.

And yes, I was a bit picky on the Telephone Numbers for my business:

626-810-2088
800-689-1218

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Monday, July 2, 2012

ChildBook Monthly Photo and Review Contest

Have you bought a book or DVD from us recently? Or have you bought one from us before?

Old and new customers are encouraged to join our monthly ChildBook Photo and Review Contest. You may never know, you could take home the $100 prize. Contest is open to all current and previous customers of ChildBook.com
You can join two ways:

1. Go to the product page of the product you bought and write a review 
·      If you bought more than one product, you can submit multiple entries, one review for each product you bought. All reviews submitted will be moderated.  Positive and negative reviews will be judged equally.

2.    Submit a photo of yourself or of your child while using a Child Book
product. (Please be sure the product is clearly shown in the photo)

·      Send the photos to sales@childbook.com. Each photo submitted (as long as it has a different product on it) is 1 entry. You may also submit many photos featuring the same product, but this will only be counted as 1 entry.
·      A winner will be picked through a true random number service and awarded $100. We need at least 10 entries before we can draw a winner. If in case the reviews were less than 10 for a certain month, no winner will be drawn instead the entries will be carried over to the next month. Deadline for submission of entries is on the last day of the month at 12:00 AM PST. 
We will announce the winners every first Wednesday of the month and will be posted in the ChildBook newsletter, blog, Twitter and Facebook Page. For more information, please head over to our Contest Site.
So why not write a review or submit a photo to us. You might be our next $100 winner!
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