Events | Dominik Mayer – Products, Asia, Productivity

Wikipedia knows:

The Ba rong ba chi (Eight Honors and Eight Shames) (Simplified Chinese: 八荣八耻 Traditional Chinese: 八榮八恥 Pinyin: bā róng bā chĭ), officially the Core Value System or the Eight Honors and Disgraces, is a set of moral concepts developed by current President Hu Jintao for the citizens in modern-day China.

Namely (emphasis added):

• Love the country; do it no harm.

• Serve the people; never betray them.
• Follow science; discard superstition.
• Be diligent; not indolent.
• Be united, help each other; make no gains at other’s expense.
• Be honest and trustworthy; do not sacrifice ethics for profit.
• Be disciplined and law-abiding; not chaotic and lawless.
• Live plainly, work hard; do not wallow in luxuries and pleasures.

So what does that mean? Obviously not that you should tell the truth. Faked fireworks, a faked singing girl and now 55 faked children. They were said to represent the different ethnic groups inside the country but in fact were all Han.

A Chinese friend suggests that the organizers might not have found beautiful children in the ethnic groups. Let’s check Wikipedia again (emphasis added):

Besides the majority Han Chinese, China recognizes 55 other “nationalities” or ethnic groups, numbering approximately 105 million persons, mostly concentrated in the northwest, north, northeast, south, and southwest but with some in central interior areas.

So no beautiful children in 105 million persons? I admit that it might not be the easiest task to find the 3000 Lhoba, the “smallest officially recognized ethnic group in China”. But then be honest and don’t call it:

Fifty-six children from 56 Chinese ethnic groups cluster around the Chinese national flag, representing the 56 ethnic groups.

One exam next Thursday, two more the Friday after next, then two days to clear out the apartment and I’ll be gone. Is there any time for a farewell party?

Because of the dies academicus tomorrow there are many student parties today, but no useful nightlines…

I was about to leave university when I heard some some noise and noticed a crowd busy with bottles and glasses. It turned out to be the cocktail course for the upcoming freshmen party. I was offered two free drinks and, as a driver, finally ended up with a tasty nonalcoholic one.

Sylvester in Stockholm. We three had agreed on the flight and were about to book it when one decided she’d rather stay at home… and then there were two.

First snowflakes were spotted in Cham. It’s high time to install my winter tires before I won’t be able to drive home anymore. So I’ll most likely miss the Lange Nacht der Museen (Long Night of Museums) tomorrow. :-(

It’s a great idea of the Munich city council to organize cultural and ecological events like the Streetlife-Festival while the closure of a main road in combination with unadjusted traffic lights might dampen the fun for those who can’t participate.

Today the MusikSommer 2007 ended with a great concert of the Sinfonietta, the symphony orchestra of TU München. The Russian evening (“Bajuschki baju”), featuring vocalists as well as a dance group, took place at the Theatron in the great ambience of the Olympiapark.

I regret I didn’t know about the MusikSommer before, there would have been more interesting events. I have to mark it on my calendar for 2009…. Done.