Durian Nation: Glocally Speaking

Mongolia and democracy

Over the years I’ve had a passive interest in Mongolia such that I’ve threatened to take a vacation there only to realize that I’m old and do not like the idea of spending even one night out on an excursion with the missus in a yurt. I don’t care how much mutton they feed me and I like lamb but not goat (also mutton).

Still, you gotta hand it to those democracy leaning folks. They’re putting together a real political party.

Extremely welcome news

The Iraqis have a country!

U.S. hands sovereignty to Iraq

Unless I have forgotten, this is a first and not even the British Mandate of the 1920s approaches what the Iraqis have now.

Of course, this is all part of America’s imperial designs to bring freedom and democracy to cruel satraps.

The five principles of peaceful coexistence

From Xinhua:

The five principles are: mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence.

I wonder if that has any relation to Taiwan.

Still, it does make me feel ‘good’ that someone is listening to Lee.

Lee on China

The old bull really knows how to throw a punch. China = Nazi.

On this one, I think the emotion of the moment got the better of him.

Nevertheless, the problems are real and will not go away anytime soon.

Update.

When I finished this post, I trotted over to the Gweilo and found this: the same Nazi theme.

If I get this straight, the dems dissed the repubs and the repubs repaid in kind.

Oh. I got it. A circle jerk.

Tots playing in the sand box.

And, to think. They're the leaders.

... I have an idea.

No audio/visual campaigns in the future.

Just the print media.

I'm sure the papers would love that. ... And, I would as well.

Box office receipts

USA Today has a note about the “big” numbers, meaning money when it comes to Fahrenheit 9/11.

'Fahrenheit' torches records at box office

OK. If you say so, … .

I say numbers are numbers and all that.

Here are some other numbers.

Do notice.

Those particular numbers count to something like nine zeros to the left of the decimal place.

Hectic

The past couple of weeks have been hectic not only for me but elsewhere.

On the personal front, I’ve almost made it to the ‘big time’ as I am now editing a 330 page tome with a deadline of mid July. Stanford U. Press folks are strict, I’m here to tell ya.

Elsewhere, S. Korea of course is in the throes of mourning and is emoting on a scale that is difficult for me to imagine. Certainly, I can understand the family’s grief but the protests are really beyond me.

Much more close to home is this: the later day answer to the “squeeze.”

Historically, the “Squeeze” was an institutionalized kickback scheme scholar officials used to pay off the bribes they gave in order to get their position.

Today, I suppose anyone who has been in E. Asia for any length of time has had the not so novel experience of dealing with shakedown artists. When I was in China, it was always a case of petty expenses like ordering toast and coffee only to find out that the single butter pat was extra.

You can imagine my chagrin when I learned that the nominal proceeds from that single butter pat was already earmarked for going to pay for the next month’s electric bill. Talk about frugal. Silly me.

But this with the Taiwanese business community is getting out of hand again. Previously, Taiwanese business types wrote off such shakedowns as a cost of doing business as they were not trying to rock the boat by complaining over much. Besides, it wasn’t polite to carp about getting ripped off.

I guess it has gotten worse again. Fortunately, I haven’t heard of any kidnappings but then who knows as that sort of thing is not likely to be common knowledge unless a reporter happens to bump into it accidentally.

In closing, I must say, the pay amounts to peanuts but the opportunity to work with world class historians is beyond the berries. Heck I’d do this kind of work for peanuts any day.

The Gweilo

Apparently, the Gweilo is in some deep doo.

His blog is a complete white-out.

I guess he said something "wrong."

Patiently waiting ...

A commercial space flight first

Bert and the folks have just written a new chapter in the commercial move to space flight.

The gang is chasing a dream, the Ansari X Project: put a manned craft into subspace for just seconds or minutes, twice in fourteen days to qualify.

Dream catchers with a plan …

Here’s how one of the competitors summed up the plan.

The [British] project leader, Steve Bennett, with his handlebar moustache and tattooed forearms, boasts: "Ours is a better design. But it boils down to the old thing: no bucks, no Buck Rogers. Rutan was given $20 million to win a $10 million prize: that's the way the Americans do things. I haven't got any sour grapes about it. Good luck to the fella - he's worked bloody hard."

That’s the spirit!

So, just who “wasted” that money on such a scheme? Paul Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft and fifth richest person in the world with a $20 billion fortune.

Don’t get me wrong I often curse the hated Bill for various computer problems, but I’ll tip my hat, they’ve got their sights aimed squarely at the future.

What do you bet the Mohave County commissioners come up with a “SPACE LOTTO.”

I’m in.

We’re having fun now!

Sorry for not posting yesterday. I was visiting the Duck . Scroll to the original post about Gephard as Kerry’s VP.

I got into something of a ‘debate’ about the horse race in November. I lost. See the comments section. I was a “tad snarky.”

I took minor issue with commenter and his outlook on the ‘whacky’ South.

The real issue was the election and the use of “hate” as a foundation for ousting 43.

Not in no way, no how is this good.

The way I see it, hate is terrible way to vote. It’s all emotion and no thought.

Still, the Duck doesn’t see it that way.

Michael, Edwards may not win the South for Kerry (he won't), but he'd certainly be a plus. Here in Arizona, people love Edwards, and he certainly brings some diversity to the ticket. With Gephard and Kerry, there is zero diversity, zero personality. In heavily divided states like Florida, this personality (and yes, the fact that he's a Southerner) just might help tip the scales.

Kerry does have ideals and ideas. He just hasn't had a platform to give them to us yet. They aren't dazzling or "sexy" but they're practical. His strategy is to tour and meet with the voters in key states, and wait for the convention and the debates, when he can finally have the camera. We're at war and the spotlight isn't on Kerry now. It will be in a few weeks.

Contrary to what you say, hating Bush is a powerful reason why many voters are planning to vote for Kerry. It shouldn't be the only reason, but it cannot be discounted as an enormous factor working against Bush, and it could well decide the election. Look at California, where hatred of Davis drove voters to decide he simply had to be replaced, never mind by whom. They signed the referendum petition not in favor of anyone's message, but in favor of getting Davis out of office at all costs.

“Hating Bush is a powerful reason why many voters are planning to vote for Kerry.”

The Duck is sweating bullets and with good reason.

Check out a later post.

Kerry and Gephard

Oh shit.

If it happens, I'll still campaign for him. But I will be extremely, painfully disappointed. Not fatally. But almost.

My position is straightforward. I don’t hate either of the two, but a Kerry/Gephard ticket is not a winner.

The Duck has figured that out and is coming to grips with the fact that neither Kerry nor the DNC has put a real campaign together sufficient to best a fellow Ivy Leaguer.

But what do I know. I’m always wrong.

News

There’s really quite a lot to be had.

At home, the Taiwanese government has signed a deal with the Swiss to try to get to the bottom of the French frigate scandal that has lingered for years. Do note: the probable murder of the Navy Captain Yin Ching-feng (尹清楓) in 1993 is connected, somehow, to an Andrew Wang (王明隆). Wang has been granted a ‘stay’ against being subjected to the death penalty for his apparent participation in the purchase of French warships.

Read that for what you will. Also,

The cops down south outside of Kaohsiung have demolished a ‘Hoovervile’ of sorts. The residents were not happy. I guess, the government was not happy with the ‘squatter’s rights’ angle and their declaration of independence.

Also, Beijing has apparently hacked the DDP in a cyber war that started last year.

Abroad, the folks in Beijing are not going to be happy with this:

Bush signs act on Taiwan WTO bid

United States President George W. Bush on Monday signed into law an act supporting Taiwan's participation in the World Health Organization (WHO).

If you think that got Beijing hot, try these leads:

<u>US group suggests ‘One China’ rethink

The US-China Economic and Security Commission says Beijing's military buildup means the longstanding policy needs to be reconsidered.

US allies arming China's unification push: report

The US would face an increasingly lethal Chinese army modernized by Washington's friends and allies if it had to defend Taiwan in a war with Beijing, a US study released yesterday said.

The title is somewhat counter-intuitive but the thrust is clear, China is gearing up for a move against Taiwan.

Guys. Thanks a lot.

Maybe we should move to Iceland.