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
Shanghai’s Pudong in 1990 vs 2010
I first came across the following image at weninchina.com. The difference in 20 years is indeed amazing. Pudong in 1990 vs 2010. As a point of reference, the two large arrows point to the same building. China now needs to work hard to make those white clouds come back more frequently. … [Read more...] about Shanghai’s Pudong in 1990 vs 2010
Truck unloads bamboo pile, Taiwan style
Following video is a truck driver in Taiwan unloading a big pile of bamboo. I guess modern day truck manufacturers and designers should keep this use case in mind. … [Read more...] about Truck unloads bamboo pile, Taiwan style
A Superficial Death of Soft Power: It’s another Made-Up Term.
One might as well call it "the Pink Powdery Pixie Dust of Hippie Magic," because it is really quite a made-up concept that doesn't make sense relative to its own applications. Joseph Nye first defined and popularized the notion of "soft power" as the ability to attract and influence others. But somewhere down the path of popularity, such a general idea became shrouded in … [Read more...] about A Superficial Death of Soft Power: It’s another Made-Up Term.