In light of President Xi's latest visit to Russia, it would be appropriate to provide a nuanced perspective to the current state of Sino-Russian relations. It is understandably difficult for the western media to deliver this kind of nuance; this difficulty stems not only from western biases against both Russia and China that obstructs objective analysis, but also the … [Read more...] about A proper perspective on Sino-Russian relations
Archives for March 2013
Sports Illustrated in China
Yes, the image below is of Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, Anne V, on a bamboo raft on the Li River in Guilin with a cormorant fisherman. You wouldn't be alone if you thought the image was photo-shopped. Well, it is not. Sports Illustrated has actually gone to all seven continents and found local cultures as backdrops for their swimsuit photo-shoots. Their China landing … [Read more...] about Sports Illustrated in China
The Wolf and The “Ginger Wave”, FBI, Source Codes, and the Ballad
Once upon a time, there was a Chinese Ph.D. student named "Ginger Wave", (Bo Jiang) 姜波, who upon graduation got a nice job working for a NASA contractor. How did he get a job with a NASA contractor, even when he was a Chinese citizen? Who knows, but Ginger Wave didn't lie, Ginger Wave didn't care. The US government knew about him, there was no lie to tell, Ginger Wave did … [Read more...] about The Wolf and The “Ginger Wave”, FBI, Source Codes, and the Ballad
Losing The Last Accountability in the “Do-Over” Democracies, The Buck Doesn’t Stop.
By now, the Cyprus government is still haggling with EU (and its banks) over how to save Cyprus economy, without anyone paying for it. But just a few days ago, they almost managed to get away with a "deal" to pay for it by "taxing" 10% of all bank accounts in Cyprus. This didn't have much of a shock value in the West, except for perhaps in Cyprus, where the populous … [Read more...] about Losing The Last Accountability in the “Do-Over” Democracies, The Buck Doesn’t Stop.
Kissinger’s “On China” – not quite a book review
Instead of a proper review, this is more like a sketch of the thoughts which struck me while reading Henry Kissinger’s On China. In the past, writers were often individuals who saw things differently. Being different helped them to highlight alternative perspectives and popular social ills. Once in a while, they turned out to be right, and even listened to; and their visions … [Read more...] about Kissinger’s “On China” – not quite a book review