Some people claim that public museums and art galleries will not be needed because people can see historical objects and works by using computer.do you agree or disagree?

In contemporary society, the proliferation of computer usage is changing our society and our lives markedly, and as a result, more and more people have the opinion that public museums and art galleries should be replaced by computers. Personally, I do not agree with that and I think the public museums and art galleries are still a crucial part in life.

We should not deny that the computer is a convenience. We can use it to see historical objects and works at home, any time we like. Furthermore, not considering the cost of electricity, it is free for us, consequently, we will save a lot of money.

Despite the large number of advantages in using a computer to see historical objects and works, the benefits of public museums and art galleries can not be ignored. We can go to public museums and art galleries to see the historical objects and works with our own eyes, due to this, we will feel the historical objects and works in depth, it can especially create a sense of the art.

Public museums and art galleries also play a key role in a city’s culture. A city which is rich in culture will be attractive for tourists who will also promote the city’s economy. Take London for example, the vast number of public museums and art galleries is a major reason why there are so many tourists every year.

It is clear that the influence of computer in historical objects and works has been increasing, but public museums and art galleries still have their own place. Both have their benefits in showing the historical objects and works.

As part of my time in China, I’ve been asked to help correct people’s written work. Usually this comes from my students or people that I come into contact with in everyday life here. However, occasionally requests come in for help from Miao’s friends, and of course I am all too happy to help.

As you may notice, I’ve been publishing a series of speeches that were made or written by my students. I think it’s a useful way to allow my students to be proud of their work and encourage them to work harder, as well as giving some insight into how Chinese people think and common mistakes that they make. However, over the next 3 Days I will publish 3 “Compositions” that were written (and suggestions given by me) by Miao’s good friend and photographer Benny Chen. Whose blog can be founbd here: http://summerbenny.blogspot.com/. I hope they will, as before, illustrate some Chinese thoughts.

Alastair

When considering what my carrer aims were, I decided that as part of any plan  I wanted my website to be a test bed for my “Web Skills”. But what skills do I currently have that I can show?

1. Setup and maintain a secure, reliable and useful (linux) webserver.
   1. Apache (with support for PHP, perl and other common requirements).
   2. MySQL
   3. (S)FTP
   4. SSH
   5. VPN (either Ipsec or PPTP) to ease the internet issues of living in China.
   6. Proxy server to reduce my own bandwidth usage.
2. Run more than one website off the server.
   1. Running Email on Google Apps for Business.
   2. Showing knowledge of current CMS platforms.
   3. Comprehensively backed up.
3. Run a backup SVN server for projects that I’m currently working on.
4. Get the project (Catan) that I’m developing with a Chinese friend finished.
5. Publish a polished online CV.
6. Continue blogging in a meaningful way including teaching materials as well as day to day stuff.

What things do I want to learn and develop in?

1. Really understand a couple CMS
   1. Drupal and WordPress being the main ones I’m considering.
2. Write Plugins
   1. Better Flickr interface for Facebook
3. API Programming
   1. Offload some functionalities within the Catan onto Api’s -> blog, image hosting, stats tracking.
4. Get involved in an opensource project and make some contributions.

Dreams of achieving:

1. A better Flickr uploader that works well for me!
2. Interface stuff I produce with social media websites with my blog in a more meaningful way than the “lifestream”
3. A “complete Flickr interface” for Drupal.
4. Larger readership for my blog.

To be continued….

Was it worth the money, worry (visas and China health things) and effort? It did cost a lot, even with the kind and generous support from my family.The worry about Miao's visa, getting rejected the first time, and then waiting for the result of the second application, was not pleasant. Worrying about getting quarantined coming through the temperature checks at Beijing Airport, then the potential of having to do it again going into the train station to get home to Dalian wasn't nice. Weighing that against not having seen my family for 18 months, and with the deteriorating health of my aging grand parents, of which I still have all four, it needed to be done. It also gave me a welcome break from China. A nice reminder of what it's like being back home, and some perspective about how expensive things are in the UK compared with China. So definitely yes, worth the money, time and effort.

1. Saturday 1st August: Miao returns home on the bus from the project she was working on in Shenyang. Sleeper train tickets sold out, bought 2 seats on the slowest of the slow. Opened package from embassy that had her passport with successfully applied for visa in it.
2. Sunday 2nd August: Green Tea, Chopsticks and other small
   presents bought for family. Packed our bags. Caught train at 10PM
3. Monday 3rd August: Arrive in afternoon at Beijing Train station, bus to airport, bus from airport to hotel, sleep, eat, recharge batteries, sleep
4. Tuesday 4th August: Extremely early alarm, bus to airport, check-in, security, nothing open as too early, boarding, flight, arrive dubai 7.5hrs later. Get off plane, another security check, take photos in airport, 2hrs pass, boarding, flight, 6.5hrs later arrive London Heathrow. Dad takes us home in car. Greeting family. Sleep.
5. Wednesday 5th August: Deposit money in Bank, pay credit card off (flights = 970 pounds), see Liverpool waterfront, train to Liverpool, Burger King for Lunch, Walker Art Gallery, home for tea, walk to New Brighton sea front and back home for sleep.
6. Thursday 6th August: Lady Leaver Art Gallery for Lunch, wandered around, then wandered around Port Sunlight. Pint Guiness in local. Miao Sketching. Walk back to war memorial, call mum to pick us up in car. Home for tea.
7. Friday 7th August: To Liverpool Albert Dock, around Beatles museum, then on Beatles Tour Bus, take photos in front of McCartney’s house. Dropped off in Liverpool, look at shops. Train Home. Eat. Sleep.
8. Saturday 8th August: Car to ManU Stadium, booked tickets for open training session en route, watched famous footballers have a kick around, enjoyed food in the Stadium restaurant, onto a Manchester Art Gallery and disappointed. Car Home, Eat, Sleep.
9. Sunday 9th August: Walk to Church, christening service, went over time, home late for lunch with brother and his family. Miao took photos, presents given, Afternoon trip to petting zoo and Bidston hill. I fall out of brother’s car boot. Car Home, Brother + co leave, eat then sleep.
10. Monday 10th August: Took train to Tate in Albert Dock. Lunch first in “La Creperie” was Full English Breakfast, Miao ate pizza from children’s menu. Tate felt small compared with last time went (was little child). Bought fudge from famous shop on Albert Dock, and postcards from another. Visited Maritime, Customs, and Slavery Museums (all in same building). Train Home, Eat, Sleep.
11. Tuesday 11th August: Train to Chester, had pasties for lunch, first visit of charity shop, bought book, walked along walls, felt tired, visited Grosvenor museum, purchased little presents in museum shop, walked around shops and came home.
12. Wednesday 12th August: Weather reports bad, trip to Snowdon cancelled, Chester Zoo instead. Met brother + family there. Miao disappointed by lack of petting availability. Lunch (sandwiches, and beer) spoiled a little by wasps, sister hardly ate a thing.
13. Thursday 13th August: Car to Cupar, Fife, Scotland. Lunch – sandwiches en route. Afternoon with Paternal Grandparents, presents given, walked to local park, played on swings. Ate together, parents and sis went off and slept in maternal grandparents house.
14. Friday 14th August: Parents and sis arrived back before 10AM. Did very little as it was drizzling all day. Had a look at grandparent’s “malfunctioning” seemeframe. Connected eeepc with wireless lan.
15. Saturday 15th August: Parents and sis arrived back before 10AM. Made a car tour around St Andrews. Got out at a local beach and peered at the sea for a bit. Went back and cut back
    some plants/weeds from the paths around the garden to aid ease of travel. Had delicious Chicken for lunch. Car to maternal grandparents house. Bucks fizz drunk, presents given, car to uncle’s house nearby. Fish&Chip supper. Haggis, black pudding, white pudding, and chicken wings all available. Miao and I sleep at uncles. Parents and Sis
    return to maternal grandparents house.
16. Sunday 16th August: Ate at same place maternal grandparent’s celebrated Diamond Wedding Anniversary. Very nice meal. Walked around Glamis castle gounds, and had guided tour of inside. Had dinner at maternal grandparents house, slept at uncles.
17. Monday 17th August: Showered, packed up, uncle dropped us off at grand parents house. Ate lunch and 5.5hr journey home. Break on the way at Anondale Water. Arrived home late, ate and slept.
18. Tuesday 18th August: Up early, car (dad on way to work) to Liverpool Lime Street, train to London, London to Huntingdon, picked up by father’s brother and taken to his house.
    Presents given. Chat, beer, and snacks. 10 Pin bowling. Large Dinner eaten outside. Sleep.
19. Wednesday 19th August: Car to station, train to London, London to Liverpool. Walk around shops, purchased donuts and small gift items. Train home. Dinner with family friend and walk along seafront.
20. Thursday 20th August: Sister’s results day. Car to sis’s school. 5 ‘A’s at A.S. level. Down to Williamson Art Gallery, quick look around. Sister looks at painting she’s been commissioned to write a poem about, and considered her first attempt. 10p spent on an old huge music box. Off to Waterstones to celebrate results with panini’s and coffee. Presents purchased calendars), walk around other shops. More things bought. Sainsbury’s next, cigar and cigarettes bought for Miao’s relatives, special hard to find seeds bought for a recipe sister’s making. Tesco to buy milk powder for Miao’s relatives baby in China and our dinner tonght. Off home. Checked travel insurance with various brokers and decided Tesco was best. Purchased online. Had dinner, packed up. Slept.
21. Friday 21st August: 8:48 Virgin Train from Liverpool to London. First Class. YES. Fed breakfast on train. Free wireless internet. Euston to South Ken. Looked in the V&A, bags too big for cloakroom and refused entry cause didn’t want security check. Looked round Imperial Campus. Bought Scientific American and The Economist in student shop 1 pound off each. Ice creams on Queen’s Lawn. Plan to see Albert hall but rains. Back via the tunnel to the underground and to Heathrow. Arrive very early. Online Check-in last night = no problems now. Looked round duty free shops. Got on plane to Dubai at left an hour late at 6PM. Charge laptop on plane with economy class plugs. Watch in flight entertainment system, choose own films pause, stop etc.
22. Saturday 22nd August: Arrive Dubai 3AM local time. Sleep, shops, toilets, free wireless internet and electricity in airport. Next flight 11AM local Dubai time (GMT+4). Arrive Beijing 10:30PM local time. Bus to hotel. Recharge laptop & ipod batteries. Sleep.
23. Sunday 23rd August: 10:30AM Wake up. Pack. Lunch in Hotel – Fried Rice. Midday hotel bus to airport. Airport bus to railway station. Deposit Luggage in station luggage storage (40 kuai). Met Miao’s friend and paid him for train tickets. Underground to Lama Temple and a look around. Back on the underground closer to the station and ate at a Sichuan Restaurant. Back to station, reclaimed luggage. Through the station, wait for entry to train. Pushed past crowd onto the right carriage. Leaves on time at 20:20. Watch stuff on Laptop & Ipod. Sleep.
24. Monday 24th August: Arrive Dalian 8AM. Thoroughly exhausted. Taxi home. Secretary from my work texts Miao to say have meeting on Friday. Miao asks for morning off from work. Miao slept in the morning. I slept most of the day. Both couldn’t sleep well that night.

And now we’ve recoverd from the jet lag. Thats all folks.

Today was our day for travelling home from Scotland. We had been sleeping at Steve’s the same as last night and I got up at around 8.30AM, to then go up and disturb Miao in her room so that I could get a change of clothes from my suit case. I plugged in the laptop into the TV again to start watching Warehouse 17 but was interrupted by Jacquie going out to work, so decided to stop. Uncle steve put on the remaining Croissant and Pain-au-chocolat for Miao and I, and I made coffee in the Cafetierre which turned out to be rubbish. Miao and I had a chat with uncle Steve featuring such things as why Peking is now called Beijing and Shipbuilding in various guises. Having packed up things into my suitcase I had a shower while Miao was watching Bewitched on TV with uncle Steve. After getting changed again I took all the stuff downstairs from Miao’s room and Steve took it out to the car and took us round to Nannies after a quick good bye to the cousins. To be continued….

Glamis Castle
Originally uploaded by clarkalastair

Went here with my dad, sister, Miao and uncle’s family. According to the tour guide around the castle it’s still a private residence for some of the British Royal Family. A search on wikipedia reveals that it is the home of Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne. Also apparently famously the childhood home of the Queen Mom, and Princess Margaret was born there.

We drove through the gate and down the long drive way, to be presented with a checkpoint where we paid and then parked up. Visited the castle tour guide starting point to see when the guides start, and decided to have a walk around first. The grounds were large and pretty, and there were a nominal amount of tourists going around taking photos. We also saw a couple who were taking wedding photos, the man in full kilty outfit and their bridesmaids and entourage following.

Of particular interest was the family pet cemetery, with proper grave stones, and a pair of decorative defensive towers. Which reminds me, Glamis wasn’t built as a functional castle but as a residence.

Having walked around we returned to the castle and had a look around some of the non-tour exhibits. Much was said about the Queen mum, whiskey, cheese and a castle redevelopment project. Curiosity satisfied, we moved into the tour waiting area, and were the first in line. We enquired about a Chinese language version of the blurb, the man on the service desk didn’t know whether they had one or not and had to look hard to find one, finally we were given one sheet of paper, where the German, Spanish and French versions were big booklets of information.

The first room where the tour started was a large dining area with wooden panelled walls, a big fireplace, and a large beautifully polished wooden table. Over the entirety of the tour we saw Royal bedrooms, living rooms, dressing rooms, fireplaces, paintings, pianos, libraries, and from my memory what looked like a dungeon and seemed to act as an armoury of sorts for people to leave their weapons while they were visiting the castle. There were rooms (note the plural) devoted to displaying the Royal plate collection, with a significant proportion being from China. We saw paintings of some significance being the oldest recorded image of somebody famous, I think it was the Queen mom at a very young age. The tour guide, as they usually do, told us lots of interesting information about the architecture, the history, the people associated, and the items in the rooms.

When we were finished, we walked over to the shop, bought some overpriced little gifty things for taking back to China and giving to people and then drove back home to Forfar.

To find out more read the wiki entry here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glamis_Castle

Old Cuparian Architecture
Originally uploaded by clarkalastair

Cupar War Memorial
Originally uploaded by clarkalastair

Cupar Railway
Originally uploaded by clarkalastair

We had a fairly easy morning, I made some coffee with the espresso machine I’d left with my parents when I left for China 18 months ago and enjoying the full-fat-real-non-UHT milk that my parents get delivered by a real to life British milkman. Today was the day for the Lady Lever Art Gallery and a bit of a wander around the very pretty Port Sunlight. For those not in the know, the area and the gallery were both built by Lord William Hesketh Lever who was an Industrialist and Philanthropist famous for making Sunlight Soap. His company later went onto become Lever Brothers and current day Unilever.

Mother drove us in the car with my sister coming along too. They had other things to do, so would only popping in and then out again. When we arrived we went straight to the cafe. My mother and sister would eat at home, but Miao and I were both hungry and we ate lunch there.

Had a quick look through my post this morning and found a check from the tax man, because my previous employer in England had paid too much tax for me. I also enjoyed recieving a “Please use adwords” letter from google which gave me 50 pounds worth of credit. I did however have to use some of my own money to start the account which probably makes it worthwhile for them.

Mum took Miao and I to the local RBS to change the money we’d brought home. Got a really bad exchange rate of 12.9 kuai to 1, but did it anyway. Regretting not changing it at the airport in Beijing which was giving us 11.8 to 1 with a 50 kuai commission, but not sure if they’d have had enough GPB to give us. Having paid that in, I paid in a cheque from the tax man. This made me feel a little better about the crappy exchange rate. I then paid off my credit card that had been used to buy the flights from China and back.

After we came out the bank and my mum had taken some money out, we had a visit down to the wirral sea front, in order to use up the time on our parking ticket at Hamilton Square. Miao had her first view of the Liverpool waterfront. The Liver Building, new developments from the Capital of Culture 08, wind turbines and all.

After we got home in the car, we left again almost immediately to buy 16-25 Years Old Railcard, formally know as the Young Persons Railcard, and then onto the Walker Art Gallery, know to our family, colloqually as the WAG.

The man at the station was particularly slow and docile, so even though we were particularly early for a train, we still managed to miss it and have to wait 15 minutes for another Liverpool train. We got off at Liverpool Lime Street, had a walk out and identified where the WAG was. At this point we were quite hungry, and had a look at the food in their cafe /kaf/. Miao didn’t take a fancy at any of it, so we walked the short distance back to Lime Street and Miao had her first Burger King meal for the excessive price together of £11.50 or there abouts.

Miao was doing her usual bit of eating really slowly, and I went off and used one of my fully stamped Cafe Nero Cards to get a free coffee from the little stall in the station, and a very nice large latte it was too.

We trapsed over to the gallery again with our drinks (I having sneakily deposited the Burger King remains on our seats in a naughty fashion). Miao was still drinking her Coke (No Ice) from BK, and the attendents asked us kindly to sit down and finish our drinks.

The Walker Art Gallery – The “WAG”

We had a good walk around and saw all the free exhibitits. We particularly enjoyed the special Cecil Beaton room with photos (mostly black and white) of famous people. We felt his work was very good and liked the poses that people were putting on. We enjoyed The Queen looking young at the age of 16, and another one of her with child (Charles) running around. There was one of Winston Churchill and another of his children.