Saturday Morning.

• Renovation must be taking place in two or three apartments around us.  That and Tony (he was crying at 4 AM) make it hard to sleep.
• More on The Canadian Thought Police.
• I got angry yesterday.  Our school attracts loafers: the people have nothing better than to loiter at the school.  There was a particularly egregious example over the summer of a student who came to our school, didn't study and hung out all day at our reception.  I chewed out him at the end of the Summer.  This student, a son of rich person (anyone rich in China has to be suspect - many are Chicoms), goes to America for school.  He is back in Wuxi for Christmas.  He was up to his old tricks.  I could have shot him.  My outburst had me shaking for ten minutes and it was on my mind all the day.  I then went on the Internet in the evening and found this on Eternity Road.  Was my outburst warranted?  I had my reasons for being angry which I think are valid.  But I probably overdid it. 
• Speaking of outbursts, I am going to do a class at a company called Walter.  A few months ago, I had an angry outburst at a class of some students from that company once and then never saw them come to any of the remaining classes in the course I was teaching.  I was angry at them because they were continually talking in Chinese after I had warned them over and over again to not do so.  It was just as well that the students didn't come any more.  It was becoming a waste of time for all of us. 
• Also from Eternity Road, the posting: Take Stands, Not Sides.  I know a few people in Wuxi who hate and loathe America.  They say:  Everything the Americans do is wrong because they are American.  Americans have strong opinions but they don't know why they believe what they do.  It is hard to have discussions with people who believe this.  And because America is not perfect (I do think it is better than the rest), it proves their point.  I remember once I made a posting about how America has done more good with its power than any other power in history.  My point was ignored as a responder talked about the United Fruit Company and America not having given up slavery till 1865.  Clearly, they had taken sides, not stands.  You can't say anything good about America around these people.
• My wife is taking Tony to the children's hospital.  Tony's red and dry skin on his face and cheeks had her crying.