On January 19, 2009, Tibetan legislators endorsed unanimously a bill designating March 28 as Serfs Emancipation Day, a day designated officially to mark the freeing of 1 million serfs from serfdom 50 years ago. For many ethnic Tibetans, this day represents a celebration of freedom (from cast and class based oppression), economic empowerment, and social and political … [Read more...] about Opinion: Dear Mr. Dalai Lama … please tear down this wall!
politics
(Letter) Members of Chen’s Immediate Family Plead Guilty To Money Laundering Charges
The money laundering saga of self-proclaimed son-of-Taiwan Chen Shuibian continues. On Wednesday, Chen Shuibian's son Chen Chih-chung and daughter-in-law Huang Jui-ching both pleaded guilty to money laundering charges in exchange for leniency. According to China Times, the main terms of the plead bargain includes: … [Read more...] about (Letter) Members of Chen’s Immediate Family Plead Guilty To Money Laundering Charges
Serfs' Emancipation Day for Tibet
The following article appeared in the BBC News Online today: Serfs' Emancipation Day for Tibet By James Reynolds Beijing China has declared a new annual holiday in Tibet called Serfs' Emancipation Day, to mark the end of what it says was a system of feudal oppression. The local parliament in Tibet has passed a bill which declares 28 March as the new holiday. The … [Read more...] about Serfs' Emancipation Day for Tibet
Taiwan's Alternative Music Scene
We covered China’s underground music scene in a previous thread and with the new year approaching, I wanted to introduce some alternative artists from Taiwan. I’m sure everyone already knows the most popular Mando-pop stars, so here are a few that are a little less known. Most of these musicians either made their debuts or saw an upsurge in their popularity over the course of … [Read more...] about Taiwan's Alternative Music Scene
On the Mind-Numbing, Sensationalistic Use of Emotionally Charged Words in International Politics
The recent tragedies in Gaza have reminded me again the mind-numbing role the sensationalistic use of emotionally charged words can play in international politics. Recently, Israel railed against the Vatican when Cardinal Renato Martino, the president of the Council for Justice and Peace of the Vatican, characterized Gaza as a "concentration camp." According to the NY Times: … [Read more...] about On the Mind-Numbing, Sensationalistic Use of Emotionally Charged Words in International Politics