The very weak and dissapointing results shown at Copenhagen call for a change of the UN negotiating process...More links on the Copenhagen talks, from UK's "The Guardian"...
Copenhagen treaty was 'held to ransom', says Gordon Brown
UK's PM Gordon Brown calls for reform of UN climate talks after Copenhagen talks end in weak agreement(the Guardian)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/21/copenhagen-treaty-gordon-brown
The road from Copenhagen
UK Climate secretary Ed Miliband accuses China, Sudan, Bolivia and other leftwing Latin American countries of trying to hijack Copenhagen
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/dec/20/copenhagen-climate-change-accord
How do I know China wrecked the Copenhagen deal? I was in the room
As recriminations fly post-Copenhagen, one writer offers a fly-on-the-wall account of how talks failed
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/22/copenhagen-climate-change-mark-lynas
Copenhagen: The key players and how they rated
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/20/copenhagen-obama-brown-climate
Danwei interviews Jonathan Watts: "Copenhagen will shape our lives for years to come"
http://www.danwei.org/foreign_media_on_china/danwei_interviews_jonathan_wat.php
and other points of view about why the talks in Copenhagen failed:
If you want to know who's to blame for Copenhagen, look to the US Senate
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/dec/21/copenhagen-failure-us-senate-vested-interests
Blame Denmark, not China, for Copenhagen failure
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cif-green/2009/dec/28/copenhagen-denmark-china
INTERVIEW - Copenhagen blame game not helpful - U.N. climate chief
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091224/india_nm/india449579
Disappointment at Copenhagen deal 'justified': Obama
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091224/sc_afp/unclimatewarminguspolitics
Tuesday 29 December 2009
news feeds: China VS the World
These few days there have been a few (at least 3) very interesting and thought provoking duel-like "spats" that seem to be putting China VS (at least some) Western democracies.
One is the deportation of the 20 Uighurs from Cambodia. (In apparent snub to international law and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of which China by the way is a signatory, but definitely doesn't act like one). The UN, the USA and EU have all expressed concern about this. Here are 2 links on the topic.
Deported Uighurs told UN of fears of China return
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091222/ap_on_re_as/as_china_uighurs_4#
Editorial (New York Times)
China, Cambodia and the Uighurs
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/22/opinion/22tue2.html
The second issue is the political trial of Liu Xiaobo.
Liu trial a travesty: Human Rights Watch (AFP)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091222/wl_asia_afp/chinarightsdissidentjusticeushrw_20091222072820
Chinese activists warned over dissident trial
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091222/wl_asia_afp/chinarightsdissidenttrialeuus_20091222072820
The Trial of Liu Xiaobo: A Citizens' Manifesto and a Chinese Crackdown
Perry Link
http://blogs.nybooks.com/post/293446113/the-trial-of-liu-xiaobo
Chinese Dissident Gets 11-Year Prison Term
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/25/world/asia/25china.html
Trial in China Signals New Limits on Dissent http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/24/world/asia/24china.html?em
video about Liu Xiaobo
http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/17275236;_ylt=Ar2u60H__VW8FKSDXUjLhxIBS5Z4
The third one is the failed talks at Copenhagen.
China blasts claim it 'hijacked' climate talks
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091222/ap_on_re_as/as_china_britain_climate_2
Ed Miliband: China tried to hijack Copenhagen climate deal
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/20/ed-miliband-china-copenhagen-summit
How China Stiffed the World in Copenhagen
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2009/12/21/how_china_stiffed_the_world_in_copenhagen
-----
A China related article in the New York Times I came across recently.
Uneasy Engagement: China’s Export of Labor Faces Scorn
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/21/world/asia/21china.html?bl
One is the deportation of the 20 Uighurs from Cambodia. (In apparent snub to international law and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of which China by the way is a signatory, but definitely doesn't act like one). The UN, the USA and EU have all expressed concern about this. Here are 2 links on the topic.
Deported Uighurs told UN of fears of China return
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091222/ap_on_re_as/as_china_uighurs_4#
Editorial (New York Times)
China, Cambodia and the Uighurs
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/22/opinion/22tue2.html
The second issue is the political trial of Liu Xiaobo.
Liu trial a travesty: Human Rights Watch (AFP)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091222/wl_asia_afp/chinarightsdissidentjusticeushrw_20091222072820
Chinese activists warned over dissident trial
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091222/wl_asia_afp/chinarightsdissidenttrialeuus_20091222072820
The Trial of Liu Xiaobo: A Citizens' Manifesto and a Chinese Crackdown
Perry Link
http://blogs.nybooks.com/post/293446113/the-trial-of-liu-xiaobo
Chinese Dissident Gets 11-Year Prison Term
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/25/world/asia/25china.html
Trial in China Signals New Limits on Dissent http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/24/world/asia/24china.html?em
video about Liu Xiaobo
http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/17275236;_ylt=Ar2u60H__VW8FKSDXUjLhxIBS5Z4
The third one is the failed talks at Copenhagen.
China blasts claim it 'hijacked' climate talks
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091222/ap_on_re_as/as_china_britain_climate_2
Ed Miliband: China tried to hijack Copenhagen climate deal
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/20/ed-miliband-china-copenhagen-summit
How China Stiffed the World in Copenhagen
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2009/12/21/how_china_stiffed_the_world_in_copenhagen
-----
A China related article in the New York Times I came across recently.
Uneasy Engagement: China’s Export of Labor Faces Scorn
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/21/world/asia/21china.html?bl
A day Before the Copenhagen Talks :pessimism and concern
The unprecedented gathering of politicians in Copenhagen shows the urgency of the question, but frankly things seem far from optimistic about the global climate change summit dubbed "Hopenhagen", as a play of words between the name of the city the meeting takes place and the hope this meeting will actually have a meaningful outcome...A hope for a Fair, Ambitious and legally binding deal to protect our climate, but, unfortunately, there is enough reason to be pessimistic about the possibility for such an outcome. The two major emitters of CO2 gases which are one of the main reasons to blame for the raising global temperatures caused by man's negative interference with the Planet are USA and China. The current "superpower" and the emerging one. One of the countries with "historical" burden of blame for the build up CO2 in the atmosphere and the current (and by all predictions to be the major future) one Number One polluter in the World, China. The problem is, the consequences of the rising carbon emissions are not a question of "per capita", or "state of economical development", the burden of pollution that is emitted is huge and it will have huge impact on the whole Planet, in fact because of the rising ocean level some small (and politically "insignificant") island countries are faced with not so far in the future fate of being completely submerged... It is really hard not to get angry at the arrogant, short-sighted and stubborn position of the Chinese government on the "issue" of responsibility. They talk loudly about historical responsibility, but the irony is that at this very moment China single handedly is building new historical responsibility, and is de facto the biggest polluter of this planet, with predictions that its polluting role will rise more, even double. And while we can say that indeed the western developed economies have contributed much to the accumulation of CO2 and there is a clear negative impact of their economic development,it was largely done out of ignorance for the consequences.The present situation of China, however is different, China is fully aware that this is bad, but refuses to act responsibly...and instead of thinking and acting responsibly and wisely, is pointing at others. An immature and insane behaviour only guided by self -interest that unfortunately influences the whole world. It is high time other countries realise that China is NOT a developing country in the same sense as they are. And they will only lose if they continue to be sided in the same category with it. Because China while indeed in a stage of development is in a far different league with any other so-called "developing country". It is arrogant, greedy and improper for China to ask for money from developed countries and at the same time be the current Number One polluter of the world who has no intention to cut it's emissions. It is immoral and irresponsible.And in this case China has no right to finger point at others, since it itself finds it impossible to face up to hard truths.The truth is that the Chinese government doesn't care at all about if Tuvalo islands or other such ("insignificant" in their view) island countries completely disappear from the face of the Earth. They say that the "interests" of the "Chinese people" are paramount and "come first". Actually the truth is that those politicians have little right to even talk about the so-called interests of the Chinese people, for the simple fact that the insanity of the way that China is "developing" is not only poisoning the rest of the world, it is poisoning its own people. And while the Chinese representatives in Copenhagen arrogantly ask for accountability for past historical responsibility they should be ashamed, and face the reality of the present and future historical responsibility of China, and while they ask the west to do some soul searching it is also they too who should actually think more deeply about the price of the Rise of China...the price that ordinary Chinese people pay, and the price everybody else will pay, because political borders are no much more than a temporary illusion, the Earth is a interconnected organism, that we don't even come close to actually understand. Just on the eve of the start of the Copenhagen summit China announced a pledge to slow down it's emissions intensity (not cut down or reduce), it is better than nothing, but a very legitimate worry (and my worry too) is how will the Chinese hold on to this pledge in reality. The reason why there exists doubt and controversy is that this pledge is not legally binding, and with a very poor history in rigged reports and tempered statistics I seriously doubt that the Chinese will be able to pull even this through...
Monday 7 December 2009
Autumn in Kyoto - photos
I selected some photos which I took for the past month (i.e. November) in Kyoto, and also in the nearby Ohara and Nara during a few one day excursions. They are mostly of Buddhist temples and temple gardens, but there are also some of Shinto shrines, or of some places or images in Kyoto that impressed me.Here is the link to the web album with the photos I selected.
Even though the quality of those photos is really not good (they were taken with my mobile phone), it is the only way I can share with you digital images of what I'm seeing...Meanwhile I'm of course also taking photos with my camera, but since I use film, it will take a while before I develop the films and make prints and can be able to show you some "real" pictures...Meanwhile this is, in the present circumstances, what I can show you...although with no great image quality (in fact it is really not good), I hope some of the feeling and some of my way of seeing things can be felt even through these images...
the album link again, just in case...
http://picasaweb.google.com/d.karmapolice/KyotoInAutumn?authkey=Gv1sRgCP6hhu7S1eOdZA#
P.S. I'm getting really very discouraged by the lack of feedback...it is pointless to share without any reaction...
Friday 27 November 2009
Something beautiful...
These two photos are of (very cute moss covered) stone images of "Jizo", a child image of the Bodhisatva Jizo 地藏菩萨 who out of compassion willingly entered Hell in order to save all sentient beings there...In Japan he is especially associated with saving children, and people often make little Jizo statues such as those as a remembrance for a lost child... (One of the photos of my blog's sidebar is a photo of 4 Jizo stone images...A picture I took more than 2 years ago when I visited Kyoto for a week...)
This is another photo taken on Wednesday at Sanzen In (in Ohara) and at the stone statue at the back is actually a statue of the "grown-up" version of Jizo Bodhisatva... After going to Ohara first on Monday, but not being able to take as many pictures as I wanted, in fact these stone child Jizo statues were the main reason I went back again on Wednesday morning ...On Wednesday although it was again overcrowded with Japanese tourists (mainly elderly ones) I had a very relaxing feeling looking at those very cute child Jizo moss covered stones, the light was very beautiful, it was a warm and pleasant Autumn day (it deffinetely warmed me up after the very cold temple visits in Nara on the previous day, which I suspect is the reason for me catching this very bad cold)...At the time I was leaving the temple garden I was actually feeling almost happy, as if viewing the very cute stone statues had a healing effect...Perhaps they actually do have...
(The quality of these images is bad, since they are taken with my mobile phone...but since I don't have a digital camera, these are the only ones I can show you for now...)
Staying home with a bad cold
After 3 consecutive days of temple visiting (in order to visit most Japanese temples you have to take off your shoes), on Monday to a nearby to Kyoto town called Ohara, on Tuesday to the ancient capital Nara (it was just incredibly cold and I think that's the chief reason for my bad cold now), and on Wednesday morning again back to Ohara (because it was so beautiful and on Monday I ran out of film and the light was not good enough to take decent photos), I fell ill yesterday evening and today I'm down with a very nasty cold which renders me completely helpless.
I decided I'll just not go to classes today and instead try to rest at home...
In the early afternoon I hardly found any strength to go down hill (as I mentioned before the dorm is on the top of a rather steep climb from the railway station) and go and store up with some groceries from the local supermarket...I'm drinking hot herbal tea all day long and taking medicine which obviously isn't working...
When you are terribly depressed and feel desperately lonely and sad, the LAST thing you need it to be ill...
I've been feeling terribly exhausted the past month, at the beginning of the month my emotional condition was at its worst, now I'm just terribly exhausted...
Yesterday at Sanzen In temple in Ohara there was a less frequented path on which I found a very crudely cut stone sitting Buddha figure. It is really very exceptional for me to pray (I'm not sure if I ever did really), but I suddenly and very naturally put my hands and pressed the palms in front of my face, fingers touching the place between the eyebrows, I closed my eyes and silently prayed for two seconds :
"Please, please help me make this unhappiness go away!"
I decided I'll just not go to classes today and instead try to rest at home...
In the early afternoon I hardly found any strength to go down hill (as I mentioned before the dorm is on the top of a rather steep climb from the railway station) and go and store up with some groceries from the local supermarket...I'm drinking hot herbal tea all day long and taking medicine which obviously isn't working...
When you are terribly depressed and feel desperately lonely and sad, the LAST thing you need it to be ill...
I've been feeling terribly exhausted the past month, at the beginning of the month my emotional condition was at its worst, now I'm just terribly exhausted...
Yesterday at Sanzen In temple in Ohara there was a less frequented path on which I found a very crudely cut stone sitting Buddha figure. It is really very exceptional for me to pray (I'm not sure if I ever did really), but I suddenly and very naturally put my hands and pressed the palms in front of my face, fingers touching the place between the eyebrows, I closed my eyes and silently prayed for two seconds :
"Please, please help me make this unhappiness go away!"
About Obama's soft approach on human rights in China
Last week I came across this very interesting analysis evaluating Obama's visit to China and Obama's approach to human rights issues. There are some very insightful points with which I agree...It is yet to be seen how Obama's administration changed approach to China will influence things, but I really worry that because of the financial crisis and the US huge debt to China the world is somewhat held "hostage". I feel very pessimistic about how China's growing political and economical clout shifts the importance of universal values and ideas...Anyway, these are just my thoughts...
Obama's Soft Approach on Human Rights
(New York Times - Room for Debate Blog)
As for the overall impression of Obama's trip to China, many observed that instead of making any obvious and meaningful progress on any of the issues on his agenda, "he seemed to drift genially from one staged event to the next, politely toured a few famous national landmarks, and met with his half-brother for five minutes."
Obama went to China and all he got were some photos at the Great Wall http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2009/mz0905_11_13.asp
But of course diplomacy sometimes is not a matter of seeing results right away, so just let's wait and see...
Maybe Obama's strategy of "reassurance" works...
------
About Obama's visit also see China Media Project's
Obama in China: an information war behind the scenes
Obama's Soft Approach on Human Rights
(New York Times - Room for Debate Blog)
As for the overall impression of Obama's trip to China, many observed that instead of making any obvious and meaningful progress on any of the issues on his agenda, "he seemed to drift genially from one staged event to the next, politely toured a few famous national landmarks, and met with his half-brother for five minutes."
Obama went to China and all he got were some photos at the Great Wall http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2009/mz0905_11_13.asp
But of course diplomacy sometimes is not a matter of seeing results right away, so just let's wait and see...
Maybe Obama's strategy of "reassurance" works...
------
About Obama's visit also see China Media Project's
Obama in China: an information war behind the scenes
China annonces slowing emissions growth
Yesterday the Chinese government announced a pledge to use 40- to 45-percent less carbon per unit of GDP by 2020 compared with 2005 levels. This in essence means to try to be more energy efficient, but in fact it doesn't mean reducing or cutting its existing carbon input which ranks first in the world currently and in fact China's output will actually be growing as its economy continues to grow...
I remain very sceptical about the Chinese actually being able to become energy efficient and actually being able to make factories, etc being less poluting...Report and data forging is just too commonplace practice in China. Actually I'm really doubtful if the world really knows the actual figures about China's huge carbon print on the world...
Also policy is one thing, making local authorities to actually impliment them quite another issue...
-----
"
"There's no question their carbon emissions would continue to grow under this scenario," said Charlie McElwee, an international environmental and energy lawyer based in Shanghai. "This isn't by any means an agreement by China to either cap, much less reduce, the amount of its carbon emissions. It's only slowing down the rate at which emissions are growing."If China did nothing and its economy doubles in size as expected in coming years, its emissions would likely double as well. Thursday's pledge means emissions would only increase by 50 percent in such a scenario. "
---
But anyway, making the pledge is better than nothing...
China announces planned emissions cuts
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/26/AR2009112600519.html?wprss=rss_world
China vows to dramatically slow emissions growth (AP)
China's climate pledge to meet a quarter of global needs: IEA
I remain very sceptical about the Chinese actually being able to become energy efficient and actually being able to make factories, etc being less poluting...Report and data forging is just too commonplace practice in China. Actually I'm really doubtful if the world really knows the actual figures about China's huge carbon print on the world...
Also policy is one thing, making local authorities to actually impliment them quite another issue...
-----
"
"There's no question their carbon emissions would continue to grow under this scenario," said Charlie McElwee, an international environmental and energy lawyer based in Shanghai. "This isn't by any means an agreement by China to either cap, much less reduce, the amount of its carbon emissions. It's only slowing down the rate at which emissions are growing."If China did nothing and its economy doubles in size as expected in coming years, its emissions would likely double as well. Thursday's pledge means emissions would only increase by 50 percent in such a scenario. "
---
But anyway, making the pledge is better than nothing...
China announces planned emissions cuts
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/26/AR2009112600519.html?wprss=rss_world
China vows to dramatically slow emissions growth (AP)
China's climate pledge to meet a quarter of global needs: IEA
About AIDS in China
Two days ago news reports showed statistics about the spread of HIV AIDS in China. I find that the most important part of this data was the fact of the big rise of hetorosexualy spread AIDS and its connection to the very decadent growing trend in modern China of prostitution and debauchery. The lack of ethical and moral values is causing a social decadence that has huge impact on Chinese society. The figures of this AIDS report are just a data prove of this trend...
While by law outlawed prostitution is widespread and commonplace all over China. In addition a wrongly understood sexual emancipation makes young people irresponsible, morally corrupt and dissipated.
This were one of the most ugly things I saw and observed in China and one of the reasons I feel very reluctant to feel optimistic about China's Rise.
UNAIDS: Sex main cause for HIV spreading in China
Also read:
UN AIDS chief in China to push for stronger civil society
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091125/hl_afp/healthchinaunaids_20091125171646
Hetero Sex Leading Cause of HIV in China
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/25/world/main5775643.shtml
----
A somewhat related article:
No bars, no mistresses, Chinese officials warned
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091114/ap_on_re_as/as_china_morality_politics
While by law outlawed prostitution is widespread and commonplace all over China. In addition a wrongly understood sexual emancipation makes young people irresponsible, morally corrupt and dissipated.
This were one of the most ugly things I saw and observed in China and one of the reasons I feel very reluctant to feel optimistic about China's Rise.
UNAIDS: Sex main cause for HIV spreading in China
Also read:
UN AIDS chief in China to push for stronger civil society
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091125/hl_afp/healthchinaunaids_20091125171646
Hetero Sex Leading Cause of HIV in China
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/25/world/main5775643.shtml
----
A somewhat related article:
No bars, no mistresses, Chinese officials warned
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091114/ap_on_re_as/as_china_morality_politics
rare articles questioning the petition system in Beijing or part of Control 2.0 ?
Two weeks ago I came across a very rare article published by Chinese official media outlet Global Times. The article was published in its English edition, which usually is completely different from its Chinese (pro-nationalist) edition.
I thought it was a significant thing, since the policy of the government until now was to vehemently deny the existence of the so-called black jails.
(I tried to post a comment on the site, but of course it was immediately deleted.)
Petitioners in tents, thugs in cop cars
http://www.globaltimes.cn/www/english/metro-beijing/highlights/photo/2009-11/484849.html
Two days ago international media outlets reported on another article in a state-run magazine discussing openly the existence of the black jails. (Funnily that article came out just days after the Foreign Ministry spokesman again denied their existence...)
State-run magazine reports on black jails in China
Media being tightly controlled by the state, one only can imagine that the appearance of these articles is not just a coincidence and it is in fact part of a strategy...It is hard to tell what the real goal of this strategy is. I remain sceptical, and in my view it is a reaction to the growing voice of Chinese 'netizens' and grassroots activists who often discuss issues which simply do not exist in state governed news lets... Since recently the government has realised that the way to control information is by being the first to report it. In this way they can actually channel the meaning of the news and have control over it.
This new strategy has already been called Control 2.0.
I thought it was a significant thing, since the policy of the government until now was to vehemently deny the existence of the so-called black jails.
(I tried to post a comment on the site, but of course it was immediately deleted.)
Petitioners in tents, thugs in cop cars
http://www.globaltimes.cn/www/english/metro-beijing/highlights/photo/2009-11/484849.html
Two days ago international media outlets reported on another article in a state-run magazine discussing openly the existence of the black jails. (Funnily that article came out just days after the Foreign Ministry spokesman again denied their existence...)
State-run magazine reports on black jails in China
Media being tightly controlled by the state, one only can imagine that the appearance of these articles is not just a coincidence and it is in fact part of a strategy...It is hard to tell what the real goal of this strategy is. I remain sceptical, and in my view it is a reaction to the growing voice of Chinese 'netizens' and grassroots activists who often discuss issues which simply do not exist in state governed news lets... Since recently the government has realised that the way to control information is by being the first to report it. In this way they can actually channel the meaning of the news and have control over it.
This new strategy has already been called Control 2.0.
Thursday 26 November 2009
China scholars' self-censorship
Last week a US report on China grabbed media headlines.
China ramps up espionage against US: study
What I find very important and worth paying more attention is the following paragraph about western China scholars self-censorship:
China ramps up espionage against US: study
What I find very important and worth paying more attention is the following paragraph about western China scholars self-censorship:
The commission also found that China has launched an effort to influence US think-tanks and academia by rewarding scholars with access and depriving visas to more critical voices.
"It becomes self-censorship. If you're in graduate school and want to become a China scholar, you need to go to China. And if you criticize the Chinese government on certain things, you won't get in," said Bartholomew, a former top aide to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
"What it means is that we have a generation of China analysts who are being created who don't necessarily have the freedom or the ability to think through a broader range of questions," she said.
Sunday 22 November 2009
Itadakimasu - "I humbly receive the gift of this food"
The Japanese pause before a meal begins to show respect and thankfulness for the food they are about to eat and say itadakimasu 頂きます [いただきます] - "I humbly receive the gift of this food" .
It is expressing gratitude to the person who has made the food for you, but also for the life of the plants or animals which consist of this food. Itadakimasu, in its original meaning means "to receive and consume life." The word infers gratitude for having received the meal while acknowledging the life that was taken and displaying remorse.
In reality this show of respect has lost its meaning for the Japanese and they keep on saying these words each time out of habit and as a type of ceremonial form. The deep meaning has been completely lost.As many things in Japan today it is style and form over substance.
As a matter of fact only relatively recently have Japanese started raising animals such as cows, pigs and chicken and consuming their meat. Until about century ago (I'm not completely sure about the exact timeline) they only consumed fish, but out of Buddhist compassion they did not consume other animals. But now meat is quite commonplace for the Japanese and many "traditional" dishes are made with pork, veal or chicken. In fact it is almost impossible to find any food or even a snack that doesn't have any meat or fish in it. As I have mentioned already, it is very hard to be a vegetarian in Japan.
When I learned about the meaning of "itadakimasu" it really got me to thinking deeply about how little we humans are responsible for things we do daily. How little acknowledgement and gratitude we have that what we have is taken or given by other species. The clothes we wear, the houses we built, the food we eat. The indifference and ignorance we spend our lives in.
I don't want to sound like an activist,I just feel that we spend our lives in complete ignorance and fail to acknowledge even basic things that comprise our lives.
Are we only destroyers who arrogantly and greedily take?
Actually the key is to be more aware, less ignorant, more responsible and much more humble...
Just now I read another article that comments on the issue of Japanese whaling, opposed by many wildlife protectors and an issue that often makes the headlines including today.
Australia 'disappointed' at Japan whaling mission
There has been a lot of talk about how Japanese hunt and kill whales and dolphins. I have been following this issue for a few years and it always stirs a lot of thoughts in me. Actually many though not necessarily connected with Japanese whaling per se, but with the bigger issue of humans cruelty towards sentient beings.
As to the Japanese whaling. It is a very controversial issue that raises a lot of questions.
Whales and dolphins are not fish, they are mammals, actually quite intelligent mammals...That is the reason for the international uproar each time there is a report of Japanese hunting and killing them. That and the cruelty.
But to me, it is a bit hypocritical to feel compassionate and fight for the life of one or two species, but overlook the hundreds of tones of other ocean and sea animals killed each day.
Many activists (sometimes quite militant) try to disrupt Japanese from whaling, which by the way is internationally outlawed, but some Scandinavian countries have not signed to it, or as in the case of Japan are using a loophole and under the pretext of "scientific research" keep on killing whales on an annual quota.
It has been going on for years.
So it is not actually news.
But today again I came upon a headline raising the question and couldn't help but remark...
One of the arguments the Japanese use is that whale (and dolphin) meat eating is a cultural thing for the Japanese. An argument that looked from the point of view of "cultural differences" sounds fair to raise, since indeed people differ in their cultural understanding about which meat to eat. It is a "cultural thing" for some Asians to eat dogs and cats (Vietnamese, Korean, Chinese), as it is a "cultural thing" for the French to eat horse meat, snails and frogs for instance. In a way those eating habits will be considered barbaric by some, but in the mentioned countries they are a "cultural thing"...So, having established in all fairness that indeed while for some eating dogs is quite routine, for others is absolutely unimaginable, is it fair to accept this as a "cultural difference"? I would say no. Not because I think there is a cultural standard by which cultural habits should be measured, but because cruelty to any animal is wrong. Not differentiating whether it is whales or dolphins, or dogs, or horses...What about the millions of pigs, cows and chickens that die each day?!!
I usually avoid directly confronting people about eating meat.
But when I do, the question I always ask is if they feel OK fully knowing and understanding that the meat they eat comes from an animal that was killed usually suffering great pain. Many people just don't even make the connection that “chicken is chicken,” and also that beef is cows and pork is pigs.
If someone who knows that clearly and says he/she accepts this fact and takes full responsibility, then I have nothing else to say. It is indeed their choice. I don't and can't respect that choice, but there is nothing you can do when someone says he is indifferent to cruelty, pain and feels no compassion.
But I get much more angry at people who are completely ignorant (usually choose to be intentionally so) that each day through their act of consuming meat they cause the suffering and pain of sentient beings. Those people often actually "like" some species of animals, even keep animals as pets. And by a very twisted logic and ignorance they fail to see that there is absolutely no difference between a cute little cat or puppy and a calf or a piglet.
There are people who justify eating meat because they think meat tastes so good, an argument that I find outright insane because it completely ignores and directly justifies the fact that a life has been taken just for taste.
Outright speciests (the most arrogant and ignorant defenders of meat eating) say that humans are on the top of the food chain and this justifies humans in eating and exploiting the rest of the species.
And I get even more angry at people who simply shrug their shoulders telling me that eating meat has been in humans culture for thousands of years which is a proof for it being "natural"...
This argument is of course ridiculous for the same reason why slavery or cannibalism for instance are considered unthinkable now.
Humans can and should evolve!
Within our own species, only 100 years ago women had no rights and were considered inferior to men. (In some countries this has not changed yet). Does it mean that given the history of the fact that women were considered second rate human beings for centuries it is a valid argument for it staying like this forever?!
I believe that the same goes for consuming meat.
Humans have evolved very much since the times that they had to depend on hunting for animals to sustain their lives. It was done out of not having much other choice.
But in 21st century, we have much more choices.
And if not for ethical reasons humans should and need to reconsider their meat consummation in the near future, since data shows that raising animals for their meat is unsustainable and ruining for our Planet. So if not out of compassion we should evolve in consideration of the fact that there is no way current consummation of meat and fish can be sustained.
Going back to Japan and itadakimasu.
Eating fish is really big in Japan. If you enter any Japanese supermarket the thing that immediately "impresses" is the huge quantity and diversity of fish and fresh or prosessed sea food...I'm really wondering : how much of this fish meat is left unsold and is wasted?
How humble and grateful are we for the gifts that we receive?
It is expressing gratitude to the person who has made the food for you, but also for the life of the plants or animals which consist of this food. Itadakimasu, in its original meaning means "to receive and consume life." The word infers gratitude for having received the meal while acknowledging the life that was taken and displaying remorse.
In reality this show of respect has lost its meaning for the Japanese and they keep on saying these words each time out of habit and as a type of ceremonial form. The deep meaning has been completely lost.As many things in Japan today it is style and form over substance.
As a matter of fact only relatively recently have Japanese started raising animals such as cows, pigs and chicken and consuming their meat. Until about century ago (I'm not completely sure about the exact timeline) they only consumed fish, but out of Buddhist compassion they did not consume other animals. But now meat is quite commonplace for the Japanese and many "traditional" dishes are made with pork, veal or chicken. In fact it is almost impossible to find any food or even a snack that doesn't have any meat or fish in it. As I have mentioned already, it is very hard to be a vegetarian in Japan.
When I learned about the meaning of "itadakimasu" it really got me to thinking deeply about how little we humans are responsible for things we do daily. How little acknowledgement and gratitude we have that what we have is taken or given by other species. The clothes we wear, the houses we built, the food we eat. The indifference and ignorance we spend our lives in.
I don't want to sound like an activist,I just feel that we spend our lives in complete ignorance and fail to acknowledge even basic things that comprise our lives.
Are we only destroyers who arrogantly and greedily take?
Actually the key is to be more aware, less ignorant, more responsible and much more humble...
Just now I read another article that comments on the issue of Japanese whaling, opposed by many wildlife protectors and an issue that often makes the headlines including today.
Australia 'disappointed' at Japan whaling mission
There has been a lot of talk about how Japanese hunt and kill whales and dolphins. I have been following this issue for a few years and it always stirs a lot of thoughts in me. Actually many though not necessarily connected with Japanese whaling per se, but with the bigger issue of humans cruelty towards sentient beings.
As to the Japanese whaling. It is a very controversial issue that raises a lot of questions.
Whales and dolphins are not fish, they are mammals, actually quite intelligent mammals...That is the reason for the international uproar each time there is a report of Japanese hunting and killing them. That and the cruelty.
But to me, it is a bit hypocritical to feel compassionate and fight for the life of one or two species, but overlook the hundreds of tones of other ocean and sea animals killed each day.
Many activists (sometimes quite militant) try to disrupt Japanese from whaling, which by the way is internationally outlawed, but some Scandinavian countries have not signed to it, or as in the case of Japan are using a loophole and under the pretext of "scientific research" keep on killing whales on an annual quota.
It has been going on for years.
So it is not actually news.
But today again I came upon a headline raising the question and couldn't help but remark...
One of the arguments the Japanese use is that whale (and dolphin) meat eating is a cultural thing for the Japanese. An argument that looked from the point of view of "cultural differences" sounds fair to raise, since indeed people differ in their cultural understanding about which meat to eat. It is a "cultural thing" for some Asians to eat dogs and cats (Vietnamese, Korean, Chinese), as it is a "cultural thing" for the French to eat horse meat, snails and frogs for instance. In a way those eating habits will be considered barbaric by some, but in the mentioned countries they are a "cultural thing"...So, having established in all fairness that indeed while for some eating dogs is quite routine, for others is absolutely unimaginable, is it fair to accept this as a "cultural difference"? I would say no. Not because I think there is a cultural standard by which cultural habits should be measured, but because cruelty to any animal is wrong. Not differentiating whether it is whales or dolphins, or dogs, or horses...What about the millions of pigs, cows and chickens that die each day?!!
I usually avoid directly confronting people about eating meat.
But when I do, the question I always ask is if they feel OK fully knowing and understanding that the meat they eat comes from an animal that was killed usually suffering great pain. Many people just don't even make the connection that “chicken is chicken,” and also that beef is cows and pork is pigs.
If someone who knows that clearly and says he/she accepts this fact and takes full responsibility, then I have nothing else to say. It is indeed their choice. I don't and can't respect that choice, but there is nothing you can do when someone says he is indifferent to cruelty, pain and feels no compassion.
But I get much more angry at people who are completely ignorant (usually choose to be intentionally so) that each day through their act of consuming meat they cause the suffering and pain of sentient beings. Those people often actually "like" some species of animals, even keep animals as pets. And by a very twisted logic and ignorance they fail to see that there is absolutely no difference between a cute little cat or puppy and a calf or a piglet.
There are people who justify eating meat because they think meat tastes so good, an argument that I find outright insane because it completely ignores and directly justifies the fact that a life has been taken just for taste.
Outright speciests (the most arrogant and ignorant defenders of meat eating) say that humans are on the top of the food chain and this justifies humans in eating and exploiting the rest of the species.
And I get even more angry at people who simply shrug their shoulders telling me that eating meat has been in humans culture for thousands of years which is a proof for it being "natural"...
This argument is of course ridiculous for the same reason why slavery or cannibalism for instance are considered unthinkable now.
Humans can and should evolve!
Within our own species, only 100 years ago women had no rights and were considered inferior to men. (In some countries this has not changed yet). Does it mean that given the history of the fact that women were considered second rate human beings for centuries it is a valid argument for it staying like this forever?!
I believe that the same goes for consuming meat.
Humans have evolved very much since the times that they had to depend on hunting for animals to sustain their lives. It was done out of not having much other choice.
But in 21st century, we have much more choices.
And if not for ethical reasons humans should and need to reconsider their meat consummation in the near future, since data shows that raising animals for their meat is unsustainable and ruining for our Planet. So if not out of compassion we should evolve in consideration of the fact that there is no way current consummation of meat and fish can be sustained.
Going back to Japan and itadakimasu.
Eating fish is really big in Japan. If you enter any Japanese supermarket the thing that immediately "impresses" is the huge quantity and diversity of fish and fresh or prosessed sea food...I'm really wondering : how much of this fish meat is left unsold and is wasted?
How humble and grateful are we for the gifts that we receive?
Saturday 21 November 2009
Kyoto in Autumn
The past two weeks I felt very depressed and emotionally very sad and because of my depression felt too weak to do anything...Apart from the Ikebana exhibition in downtown Kyoto and late afternoon walk in Uji last week I didn't do anything meaningful or good to improve my bad emotional state...
Meanwhile Kyoto has become really very beautiful.
I will try to organise myself and use the few free days (because of Kyoto University's annual festival) and visit a few places and try to be out a couple of times, instead of just sitting in my room and feeling dejected and sad...
Yesterday afternoon I went to the North West part of Kyoto for some temple and red leaves viewing. I chose it because I was hoping there will be less tourists compared with the famous temples in downtown Kyoto...
It was rather chilly and the temples I went to were a bit crowded, but not completely annoyingly so. It is high tourist season now in Kyoto, and thousands of tourists come to the city, so I deliberately chose a couple of places which are not so crowded.
Unfortunately the sky was cloudy and I didn't manage to make great photos since the light was not good.
Nevertheless I also took some photos with my mobile phone in order to be able to show you some digital images here....The quality is of course quite bad, but still something is better than nothing...I will try to make a web album and upload some more of the digital photos there...
On Monday I plan to go to Ohara and visit the temples there. (Ohara is on the North of Kyoto)...
I'm rather looking forward to it...
I need to start doing meaningful things here, things that can give me energy and positive feeling, instead of feeling miserable, unhappy and sad the whole time...
On Tuesday (which is also free day because of the university's festival) I will go on a group outing organised by the foreign students department at Kyodai (short for 'Kyoto University') to Nara. I don't expect much from the Tuesday Nara trip, since I don't like group activities, but since I was invited by one of the professors who is taking the students and also he said we will have a rare opportunity to touch the Great Buddha statue in Todai Ji 東大寺(perhaps the most famous Buddha statue in Japan, dating as early as the 8th century) I thought that can add some meaning for me...
Sunday 15 November 2009
Melancholy and sadness
This picture by A. Durer depicting a melancholy emersed angel is one of my favourite works of Art. It was on my wall in my Beijing dorm for some time (after I bought a small poster at a British Museum exibition in Beijing)...It is a very beautiful image.
My current emotional condition is actually really not good. I feel very depressed, disheartened, sad. I lack any motivation to do anything.
After a very improved emotional condition in August, during which I felt full of motivation and ability to be organised and constructively being able to do many things, now I feel completely exhausted even since waking up in the morning and feel completely disheartened...
It is really not good, but I see no way to cope with it, currently that's how it is..
Yesterday afternoon I went to see an exhibition about Ikebana (the Japanese art of flower arrangement) at the Museum of Kyoto in an attempt to go out of my room and do something meaningful. (The exhibition was actually somewhat disappointing.)However, at one point I remembered my first encounter with ikebana which was long time ago. I think I was 10 or 11 then. Our school (as any school in the country at that time) each year had something like a knowledge competition day in which students would prepare for and be a day of competition on very broad fields of knowledge, from science, history to art and culture. Students from various grades and classes will compete in different fields of knowledge participating in various types of competitions in which they would demonstrate their knowledge or skill in the filed of knowledge. It is actually a very interesting paradox about the then education. Although we were heavily politically brainwashed, the education was actually very comprehensive and definitely good, and did not made us culturally ignorant. I remember that among other things I participated in an ikebana competition (I really don't know how ikebana was even a part of the Soviet-style competition), but I remember I won it. Of course I didn't receive any training or instruction on flower arranging, I just used my intuition.
Yesterday, while walking through the museum exhibition I remembered this childhood memory and it really deeply struck me again how deep and long-standing is my connection to Japan and East Asia. And here I am now, having realised my childhood and adolescent dream, due to my melancholy and very low spirits I fail to actually enjoy it and use this great chance creatively and constructively...
Just as the depressed angel in Durer's picture, sitting dejected and melancholy...
world new geo-political realignment?
This Monday was the 20th Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, undoubtedly a most significant watershed in the modern Europe and World history, an event that had great impact and started a process of great change and a big shift in the world political alignment with huge consequences for many nations, including my home country.
Currently with the economic rise of China, and with the help of its favourable position as a UN Security Council, China's political influence grows each day and we are actually currently witnessing a new looming realignment of power, a shift that for now remains quite unpredictable, but which will no doubt have big consequences for the world.. I've been following this process as closely as I can, trying to understand and see beyond headlines. Especially as regards human rights, cultural issues and other human values I am actually very concerned and sceptical about China's growing clout and influence.
A possible new power shift of influence will have great impact.
The US President, Mr. Obama is going to make his first presidential visit in China next Monday as part of his Asia presidential trip which started on Friday. This visit is actually at a very significant moment, and can prove determining as to how the future geo-political alignment is. It remains to be seen how he handles it. I am mostly very interested how he will (and if he will) handle the political, ethnic and human rights issues.
Late on Friday, Mr. Obama landed in Tokyo, Japan for a very brief visit as the first stop of his Asia tour.
Obama Lands in Japan Seeking to Reassert Role in Asia http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20091113/pl_bloomberg/aidgvlwdg0zq_1
Notable from the first hours of his Asian trip was his speech in Tokyo yesterday, in which much attention was given to the rise of China, and to the assertion that the USA intends to actively participate in the region as a full member Pacific nation. In his speech he did mention human rights, but it was either vague and unspecific, or when it was more specific it was aimed at the military totalitarian regime of Myanmar (Burma), which by the way authoritarian China supports. In short, if I can judge from his speech, when he actually lands in China, human rights issues will be just mentioned on the go and briefly. The reasons for that are complex, major one is that China is de facto the US creditor, and as such has huge leverage.
And this is very very significant and at least at the moment plays a significant role in shaping the relationship. In a way, it hard not to say that US world leader status is in decline...
Empty talk about "American values" do not impress the Chinese...
I understand the need for pragmatism and for seeking Chinese cooperation on important issues (such as the economic crises, climate change and nuclear proliferation) and being very careful to avoid confrontation so as not to alienate the Chinese, BUT this will give the Chinese authoritarian government exactly what it wants - freedom to gain more world influence not based on values, but solely on money and pragmatic interest.
Maybe we are witnessing the emergence of the first Empire that has no value system or beliefs which it wants to spread, a spiritually empty Empire based on materialism and profit only.
I don't mind if somebody challenges the US world leader position, but I strongly mind and feel concerned that the country whose influence grows only based on economical and military reasons and has no deeper value system than materialism to offer to humankind which China is now, is emerging as a "world leader", because at least to me China definitely does NOT qualify to be a world leader at all.
So that's why human rights and other universal values are so important...
It is crucial how the US handles the relationship with China, so let's see...I'm kind of sceptical about President Obama and his new administration's ability to address this huge (and definitely very difficult) challenge...
Full text: Barack Obama’s Asian policy speech in Tokyo 14 Nov. 2009 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9e985a46-d0c2-11de-af9c-00144feabdc0.html
articles on Obama's China visit:
When Obama Goes to Beijing
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2009/11/09/when_obama_goes_to_beijing
Obama to raise human rights with China's Hu: official (AFP)http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091109/pl_afp/uschinarightsobama_20091109232126
Obama confronts an Asia reshaped by China's rise (AP)http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091109/ap_on_re_as/as_obama_asia_3
Obama Walks a Delicate Tightrope on His 1st Trip as President to China (New York Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/business/global/14yuan.html
China’s Role as U.S. Lender Alters Dynamics for Obama (NYTimes)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/15/world/asia/15china.html
Rights groups urge Obama to press China
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/294178,rights-groups-urge-obama-to-press-china.html
China Focuses on Territorial Issues as It Equates Tibet to U.S. Civil War South (New York Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/world/asia/14beijing.html
-----------------------------
Also somehow related and connected is the effort and attention China (CCP) is obviously paying recently of expanding its "soft power", or in other words the strategy of internationalising its propaganda and brainwashing trough "public opinion channelling".
Very insightful are China Media Project articles and analysis on the subject, the most recent is:
Is China’s new communications worldview coming of age?http://cmp.hku.hk/2009/11/12/2926/
Currently with the economic rise of China, and with the help of its favourable position as a UN Security Council, China's political influence grows each day and we are actually currently witnessing a new looming realignment of power, a shift that for now remains quite unpredictable, but which will no doubt have big consequences for the world.. I've been following this process as closely as I can, trying to understand and see beyond headlines. Especially as regards human rights, cultural issues and other human values I am actually very concerned and sceptical about China's growing clout and influence.
A possible new power shift of influence will have great impact.
The US President, Mr. Obama is going to make his first presidential visit in China next Monday as part of his Asia presidential trip which started on Friday. This visit is actually at a very significant moment, and can prove determining as to how the future geo-political alignment is. It remains to be seen how he handles it. I am mostly very interested how he will (and if he will) handle the political, ethnic and human rights issues.
Late on Friday, Mr. Obama landed in Tokyo, Japan for a very brief visit as the first stop of his Asia tour.
Obama Lands in Japan Seeking to Reassert Role in Asia http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20091113/pl_bloomberg/aidgvlwdg0zq_1
Notable from the first hours of his Asian trip was his speech in Tokyo yesterday, in which much attention was given to the rise of China, and to the assertion that the USA intends to actively participate in the region as a full member Pacific nation. In his speech he did mention human rights, but it was either vague and unspecific, or when it was more specific it was aimed at the military totalitarian regime of Myanmar (Burma), which by the way authoritarian China supports. In short, if I can judge from his speech, when he actually lands in China, human rights issues will be just mentioned on the go and briefly. The reasons for that are complex, major one is that China is de facto the US creditor, and as such has huge leverage.
And this is very very significant and at least at the moment plays a significant role in shaping the relationship. In a way, it hard not to say that US world leader status is in decline...
Empty talk about "American values" do not impress the Chinese...
I understand the need for pragmatism and for seeking Chinese cooperation on important issues (such as the economic crises, climate change and nuclear proliferation) and being very careful to avoid confrontation so as not to alienate the Chinese, BUT this will give the Chinese authoritarian government exactly what it wants - freedom to gain more world influence not based on values, but solely on money and pragmatic interest.
Maybe we are witnessing the emergence of the first Empire that has no value system or beliefs which it wants to spread, a spiritually empty Empire based on materialism and profit only.
I don't mind if somebody challenges the US world leader position, but I strongly mind and feel concerned that the country whose influence grows only based on economical and military reasons and has no deeper value system than materialism to offer to humankind which China is now, is emerging as a "world leader", because at least to me China definitely does NOT qualify to be a world leader at all.
So that's why human rights and other universal values are so important...
It is crucial how the US handles the relationship with China, so let's see...I'm kind of sceptical about President Obama and his new administration's ability to address this huge (and definitely very difficult) challenge...
Full text: Barack Obama’s Asian policy speech in Tokyo 14 Nov. 2009 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9e985a46-d0c2-11de-af9c-00144feabdc0.html
articles on Obama's China visit:
When Obama Goes to Beijing
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2009/11/09/when_obama_goes_to_beijing
Obama to raise human rights with China's Hu: official (AFP)http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091109/pl_afp/uschinarightsobama_20091109232126
Obama confronts an Asia reshaped by China's rise (AP)http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091109/ap_on_re_as/as_obama_asia_3
Obama Walks a Delicate Tightrope on His 1st Trip as President to China (New York Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/business/global/14yuan.html
China’s Role as U.S. Lender Alters Dynamics for Obama (NYTimes)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/15/world/asia/15china.html
Rights groups urge Obama to press China
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/294178,rights-groups-urge-obama-to-press-china.html
China Focuses on Territorial Issues as It Equates Tibet to U.S. Civil War South (New York Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/world/asia/14beijing.html
-----------------------------
Also somehow related and connected is the effort and attention China (CCP) is obviously paying recently of expanding its "soft power", or in other words the strategy of internationalising its propaganda and brainwashing trough "public opinion channelling".
Very insightful are China Media Project articles and analysis on the subject, the most recent is:
Is China’s new communications worldview coming of age?http://cmp.hku.hk/2009/11/12/2926/
Monday 9 November 2009
20th Anniversary of the Berlin Wall falling : a watershed in modern history
Twenty years ago the lives of millions of European citizens changed dramatically and irreversibly. The fall of the Berlin Wall is without doubt one of the most iconic historical events of our modern history. The barriers between the East and West crushed and fell down, not only those for the East and West Germans but also for the rest of the divided Europe. 20 years later Europe is open to an extend unimaginable then.
I remember very vividly and clearly, then only a teenager, who has just started to form my political views, and just starting to doubt the System on my own, seeing the footage from Germany on TV, feeling the change of history, being part of it...Europe has changed, the World has changed. It was hard to believe, but it was true.
The Wall fell.
Germany celebrates memory of Berlin Wall falling (AP)
Twenty years ago today, the great dividing line between the Iron Curtain and the West came down, felled by the tides of history and the irrepressible will of millions of people.AFP video
news updates:
World leaders line up to mark fall of Berlin Wall(Reuters)
I remember very vividly and clearly, then only a teenager, who has just started to form my political views, and just starting to doubt the System on my own, seeing the footage from Germany on TV, feeling the change of history, being part of it...Europe has changed, the World has changed. It was hard to believe, but it was true.
The Wall fell.
Germany celebrates memory of Berlin Wall falling (AP)
Twenty years ago today, the great dividing line between the Iron Curtain and the West came down, felled by the tides of history and the irrepressible will of millions of people.AFP video
news updates:
World leaders line up to mark fall of Berlin Wall(Reuters)
China rising? : Star Wars Made in China?
No, I don't mean the cult sci-fi film. I mean China's growing military ambitions...
A very amusing news blip happened these few days. First a top China air force commander has called the militarisation of space an "historical inevitability".
Last Monday agencies reported that in a wide-ranging interview in the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Daily, marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese PLA air force, air force commander Xu Qiliang said it was imperative for the PLA air force to develop offensive and defensive operations in outer space.
Read the AFP report China chief says space arms inevitable: state media (AFP)
And then a day or two later the Chinese Foreign ministry was quick to deny this saying China plans are "peaceful"- China says space plans peaceful.
Even Hu Jintao hurried to also make a point by hurrying to make statement to try to mask over the air force commander's slip of the tongue.
I would say, that is quite amusing.
A very amusing news blip happened these few days. First a top China air force commander has called the militarisation of space an "historical inevitability".
Last Monday agencies reported that in a wide-ranging interview in the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Daily, marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese PLA air force, air force commander Xu Qiliang said it was imperative for the PLA air force to develop offensive and defensive operations in outer space.
Read the AFP report China chief says space arms inevitable: state media (AFP)
And then a day or two later the Chinese Foreign ministry was quick to deny this saying China plans are "peaceful"- China says space plans peaceful.
Even Hu Jintao hurried to also make a point by hurrying to make statement to try to mask over the air force commander's slip of the tongue.
I would say, that is quite amusing.
After watching the absurdly kitsch gargantuan military parade on October 1st (by the way, there is an interesting analysis by China Media Project of the symbolism behind the used portraits, slogans and songs during the military parade, read "In modern China, no place for totalitarian anthems" here) and after taking into consideration the growing territorial claims tensions with its neighbours (India, Japan, Philippines, etc.) over disputed borders and islands, and some emboldened moves and demonstrations of the growing Chinese military might, and after taking into account the de facto military situation last year in Tibet (a forcefully militarily annexed territory) and this year's heavy military presence in both Tibet and restive Xinjiang, I am very very far from convinced that China's rise is peaceful. If peaceful means under the threat of a gun, then yes, it is "peaceful".
It's like saying that "War is Peace".
Monday 2 November 2009
A Song: The Dull Flame of Desire
DULL FLAME OF DESIRE
I love your eyes, my dear
their splendid, sparkling fire
when suddenly you raise them so to cast a swift embracing glance
like lightning flashing in the sky
but there's a charm that is greater still : when my love's eyes are lowered
when all is fired by passion's kiss
and through the downcast lashes I see the dull flame of desire
This is an English translation of a poem by the Russian poet Fyodor Tyutchev (1803-1873). This poem also appears at the end of one of the movies that impressed me very much more than 10 years ago - "Stalker" by director Andrei Tarkovsky , 1979 mosfilm studios. This is the text of the song by Bjork. (The video for the song is kind of strange, I suggest you just listen to the song...)
It is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever listened to. It is passionate, beautiful, fragile, tender...just as the feeling it describes.
It is amazing how much this song speaks to me...
These few days I'm listening over and over to it and to the other amazingly good songs from "Volta" - 'Wanderlust', 'Pneumonia', 'I See Who You Are'.
I feel very very sad.
-----
Here are two more absolutely beautiful poems (in English translation) of Tyutchev.
Silentium!
Speak not, lie hidden, and conceal the way you dream, the things you feel.
Deep in your spirit let them rise
akin to stars in crystal skies
that set before the night is blurred:
delight in them and speak no word.
How can a heart expression find?
How should another know your mind?
Will he discern what quickens you?
A thought, once uttered, is untrue.
Dimmed is the fountainhead when stirred:
drink at the source and speak no word.
Live in your inner self alone within your soul a world has grown,
the magic of veiled thoughts that might be blinded by the outer light,
drowned in the noise of day, unheard... take in their song and speak no word.
/trans. by Vladimir Nabokov/
------
Longing, desires still ravage my soul which strives to reach you.
In recollection's twilight I try to catch your image. I can't forget your face.
It is a lovely constellation, timeless, in every place, unreachable, not knowing fluctuation.
I love your eyes, my dear
their splendid, sparkling fire
when suddenly you raise them so to cast a swift embracing glance
like lightning flashing in the sky
but there's a charm that is greater still : when my love's eyes are lowered
when all is fired by passion's kiss
and through the downcast lashes I see the dull flame of desire
This is an English translation of a poem by the Russian poet Fyodor Tyutchev (1803-1873). This poem also appears at the end of one of the movies that impressed me very much more than 10 years ago - "Stalker" by director Andrei Tarkovsky , 1979 mosfilm studios. This is the text of the song by Bjork. (The video for the song is kind of strange, I suggest you just listen to the song...)
It is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever listened to. It is passionate, beautiful, fragile, tender...just as the feeling it describes.
It is amazing how much this song speaks to me...
These few days I'm listening over and over to it and to the other amazingly good songs from "Volta" - 'Wanderlust', 'Pneumonia', 'I See Who You Are'.
I feel very very sad.
-----
Here are two more absolutely beautiful poems (in English translation) of Tyutchev.
Silentium!
Speak not, lie hidden, and conceal the way you dream, the things you feel.
Deep in your spirit let them rise
akin to stars in crystal skies
that set before the night is blurred:
delight in them and speak no word.
How can a heart expression find?
How should another know your mind?
Will he discern what quickens you?
A thought, once uttered, is untrue.
Dimmed is the fountainhead when stirred:
drink at the source and speak no word.
Live in your inner self alone within your soul a world has grown,
the magic of veiled thoughts that might be blinded by the outer light,
drowned in the noise of day, unheard... take in their song and speak no word.
/trans. by Vladimir Nabokov/
------
Longing, desires still ravage my soul which strives to reach you.
In recollection's twilight I try to catch your image. I can't forget your face.
It is a lovely constellation, timeless, in every place, unreachable, not knowing fluctuation.
China exports its censorship
China protest halts Bangladesh Tibet exhibition (AFP)
Bangladesh: Chinese Pressure Censors Tibet Exhibition In Dhaka
China censors beyond its borders – Drik exhibition on Tibet banned
China's censorship gets transnational more and more frequently.It is a worrying trend that I have been observing very closely and thinking much about. By applying diplomatic pressure in the past months China managed to make the French president Sarkozy to apologize for meeting the Dalai Lama, forced the South African government to deny visa to the Tibetan spiritual leader, to make US President Obama not meet the Tibetan monk (i.e. in other words forcing him into self-censorship) , to ask Nepal government to arrest Tibetan activists, to try to apply pressure on the Melbourne film festival organisers to cancel the screening of Uighur exile activist documentary to which they didn't cave in, to apply pressure on Frankfurt Book Fair organizers to not allow dissidents to participate, and yesterday to shut down a Pro-Tibetan exhibition in Bangladesh.
These are just a few of the occasions that in recent months made it to the news headlines.
The alarming trend of this censorship export is indeed very very worrying.
It is not just the Tibetan issue.The Chinese government obviously thinks that it has jurisdiction over any content that relates to China no matter where in the world it is. An absurd notion that carries serious imperial complex undertones and most of all shows the complete lack of understanding that while China is an authoritarian dictatorship, other
countries do try to have democracy and rights, and have freedom of conscience and freedom of expression. China's pressure seems to be changing this.
And while before they would just issue a verbal protest (about the so-called hurt feelings of the Chinese people), now they are directly interfering into other countries...(Ironically, China often complains about criticism on its very poor rights record calling it meddling in its "internal affairs"...)
In my view, most alarming is not the direct pressure (which per times is really very clumsy), but more worrying is making people trample over their principles and exercise self-censorship.
That is even much more dangerous and worrying.
---
Meanwhile on October 26, 2009, the US Government issued it's International Religious Freedom Report for 2009.
See the report on:
china http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127268.htm
tibet http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127268.htm#tibet
index by regions and countries: http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/index.htm
As it has been the custom we should expect any day now China to issue it's own human rights report on the US. It's a very hilarious immature behaviour, which is quite ridiculous actually, but it actually is meant for the nationalistic Chinese to read...
When Chinese are criticised for something they always get defencive, but almost NEVER confront the issue they are criticised for. Instead they use as contra-argument criticism (usually unrelated). Thus of course, nothing gets resolved, the so-called "feelings of the Chinese are hurt once more", and the gap of misunderstanding grows even bigger. Instead of actually addressing the concrete accusation and deal with it objectively, they get self-righteous and defensive...Example, someone criticises Chinese government for the forceful suppression of protest and dissent in Tibet, instead of studying and asking the question why are the Tibetans protesting, the Chinese netizens (for instance) would give the completely unrelated contra-"argument" about how the Americans killed off the Indians two centuries ago and hense say that they suspect Western critisism (another idiotic and paranoid assumption that there is a united western front against China) has "ulterior motives". Amazing logic isn't it?! Actually I'm quoting from real life.
But amazing actually how unanimous and common the mechanism of this illogical reaction is.
---
Also related to the topic of China's poor rights record and its allarming growing influence:
RIGHTS: Rising China Poses Danger to Peace, Say Nobel Laureates http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=49087
Bangladesh: Chinese Pressure Censors Tibet Exhibition In Dhaka
China censors beyond its borders – Drik exhibition on Tibet banned
China's censorship gets transnational more and more frequently.It is a worrying trend that I have been observing very closely and thinking much about. By applying diplomatic pressure in the past months China managed to make the French president Sarkozy to apologize for meeting the Dalai Lama, forced the South African government to deny visa to the Tibetan spiritual leader, to make US President Obama not meet the Tibetan monk (i.e. in other words forcing him into self-censorship) , to ask Nepal government to arrest Tibetan activists, to try to apply pressure on the Melbourne film festival organisers to cancel the screening of Uighur exile activist documentary to which they didn't cave in, to apply pressure on Frankfurt Book Fair organizers to not allow dissidents to participate, and yesterday to shut down a Pro-Tibetan exhibition in Bangladesh.
These are just a few of the occasions that in recent months made it to the news headlines.
The alarming trend of this censorship export is indeed very very worrying.
It is not just the Tibetan issue.The Chinese government obviously thinks that it has jurisdiction over any content that relates to China no matter where in the world it is. An absurd notion that carries serious imperial complex undertones and most of all shows the complete lack of understanding that while China is an authoritarian dictatorship, other
countries do try to have democracy and rights, and have freedom of conscience and freedom of expression. China's pressure seems to be changing this.
And while before they would just issue a verbal protest (about the so-called hurt feelings of the Chinese people), now they are directly interfering into other countries...(Ironically, China often complains about criticism on its very poor rights record calling it meddling in its "internal affairs"...)
In my view, most alarming is not the direct pressure (which per times is really very clumsy), but more worrying is making people trample over their principles and exercise self-censorship.
That is even much more dangerous and worrying.
---
Meanwhile on October 26, 2009, the US Government issued it's International Religious Freedom Report for 2009.
See the report on:
china http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127268.htm
tibet http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127268.htm#tibet
index by regions and countries: http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/index.htm
As it has been the custom we should expect any day now China to issue it's own human rights report on the US. It's a very hilarious immature behaviour, which is quite ridiculous actually, but it actually is meant for the nationalistic Chinese to read...
When Chinese are criticised for something they always get defencive, but almost NEVER confront the issue they are criticised for. Instead they use as contra-argument criticism (usually unrelated). Thus of course, nothing gets resolved, the so-called "feelings of the Chinese are hurt once more", and the gap of misunderstanding grows even bigger. Instead of actually addressing the concrete accusation and deal with it objectively, they get self-righteous and defensive...Example, someone criticises Chinese government for the forceful suppression of protest and dissent in Tibet, instead of studying and asking the question why are the Tibetans protesting, the Chinese netizens (for instance) would give the completely unrelated contra-"argument" about how the Americans killed off the Indians two centuries ago and hense say that they suspect Western critisism (another idiotic and paranoid assumption that there is a united western front against China) has "ulterior motives". Amazing logic isn't it?! Actually I'm quoting from real life.
But amazing actually how unanimous and common the mechanism of this illogical reaction is.
---
Also related to the topic of China's poor rights record and its allarming growing influence:
RIGHTS: Rising China Poses Danger to Peace, Say Nobel Laureates http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=49087
Saturday 31 October 2009
Big in Japan : Cheburashka (updated)
Here are two of the posters displayed on two different JR railway stations that actually drew my attention to the new popularity of the Russian cartoon character Cheburashka from my previous post.
Friday 23 October 2009
Big in Kyoto : Jidai Matsuri Festival - Festival of the Historical Ages
Yesterday, in between classes I went to see a yearly event in Kyoto, each October 22nd, on the streets of Kyoto there is a costume procession, a parade which main topic are the different historical ages concerning Kyoto.
The festival is called Jidai Matsuri 時代祭り,Festival of the Historical Ages.
The arrangement of historical periods was from a nearest to the farthest - i.e. from Meiji Period to Heian period.
Actually it was quite fun. The costumes were quite nice. There was a sort of easy-going-ness in the performers (selected among Kyoto citizens, not professional performers)...It was kind of nice bar two things that made me think about other not immediately connected things : Japan's military past and almost absolutely 'trash' present. First one (militarism) was rather strongly felt, especially when a group of very young boys marched with rifles), and with the fact that except few occasions the marchers were predominately men, 60% some kind of warrior type. The second aspect that gave me a not so pleasant feeling was how the young people of the procession (actually come to think about it, the representatives of the modern age) had these blank stares and lack of personality about them, not mentioning the coloured haircuts and strange shoes...
But overall I'm quite impressed by this seemingly grassroots citizen activity that has a very traditional and 'rustic' (in the best way possible) feeling about it.
I did not mistake when I chose to come to Kyoto. It is a marvelous city.
I just wish people had more character...and communicated more.
The festival is called Jidai Matsuri 時代祭り,Festival of the Historical Ages.
The arrangement of historical periods was from a nearest to the farthest - i.e. from Meiji Period to Heian period.
Actually it was quite fun. The costumes were quite nice. There was a sort of easy-going-ness in the performers (selected among Kyoto citizens, not professional performers)...It was kind of nice bar two things that made me think about other not immediately connected things : Japan's military past and almost absolutely 'trash' present. First one (militarism) was rather strongly felt, especially when a group of very young boys marched with rifles), and with the fact that except few occasions the marchers were predominately men, 60% some kind of warrior type. The second aspect that gave me a not so pleasant feeling was how the young people of the procession (actually come to think about it, the representatives of the modern age) had these blank stares and lack of personality about them, not mentioning the coloured haircuts and strange shoes...
But overall I'm quite impressed by this seemingly grassroots citizen activity that has a very traditional and 'rustic' (in the best way possible) feeling about it.
I did not mistake when I chose to come to Kyoto. It is a marvelous city.
I just wish people had more character...and communicated more.
Otherwise, did I mention, unlike any other important and famous Japanese city, in Kyoto there are no high rise buildings,no neon signs and lights, no airport...
It's like an island within the island.
I like it.
I just wish I was not that lonely and had someone to share it with...
P.S. The pictures used here were not taken by me. I still don't own a digital camera... I borrowed some not so bad photos from a classmate of mine in order to tell you about the event with some images from that same day...He went to a different portion of the parade, but I asked him to borrow me these images...
By the way, I had to leave the procession as I was very late for class, so I missed out the Heian period. Hopefully next year October I will be here and see it again?! Who knows, my plans are really very vague now...
NOT so Big in Japan - being a vegetarian
Biggest problem I'm facing. Being a vegetarian it is really hard to get a cooked meal that is suitable.
The past weeks I'm very much going on sandwiches (bread and cheese ones predominately) and it kind of feels not so well. I already had some mishaps with food...It is very frustrating actually. For a country that came to eat meat only some 80 years ago it is sort of amazing how much less vegetarian Japanese cuisine is...Of course there is a lot of fish, but fish is also life, so I don't know (yet) how Japanese being Buddhists managed to circumvent the killing of fish 'sin' which is major in their diet...
Half of my master thesis talks about how killing and eating fish has bad karmic influences, it is kind of ironic I am now in this country that kills and eats a lot of fish.
I am not judging. With the situation of Japan, it being an island, topography, geography, etc. it is perhaps natural that they have not become complete vegetarians.
What I wanted to say (share)is that being a vegetarian in Japan is really not easy.
I don't have time and energy to cook and I'm still to find alternatives to eating predominately sandwiches...
Hm, let's see how it evolves...
There must be a solution...
The past weeks I'm very much going on sandwiches (bread and cheese ones predominately) and it kind of feels not so well. I already had some mishaps with food...It is very frustrating actually. For a country that came to eat meat only some 80 years ago it is sort of amazing how much less vegetarian Japanese cuisine is...Of course there is a lot of fish, but fish is also life, so I don't know (yet) how Japanese being Buddhists managed to circumvent the killing of fish 'sin' which is major in their diet...
Half of my master thesis talks about how killing and eating fish has bad karmic influences, it is kind of ironic I am now in this country that kills and eats a lot of fish.
I am not judging. With the situation of Japan, it being an island, topography, geography, etc. it is perhaps natural that they have not become complete vegetarians.
What I wanted to say (share)is that being a vegetarian in Japan is really not easy.
I don't have time and energy to cook and I'm still to find alternatives to eating predominately sandwiches...
Hm, let's see how it evolves...
There must be a solution...
Tuesday 20 October 2009
Big in Japan - Cheburashka
Chiburashka and Crocodile Gena are Big in Japan!
No. I'm not kidding!
See this Japanese poster :
http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/images/B001FWIT6O/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=561958&s=dvd
Read this : Cheburashka arrives in the land of the rising sun
http://russiatoday.com/Art_and_Fun/2009-10-18/cheburashka-japan.html
Five years ago at the Tokyo International Anime fair, Russia’s SoyuzMultFilm signed a contract with Japan’s SP International for the rights to distribute Russian cartoons abroad. They bought the rights for Cheburashka until 2023. The Japanese company plans to make from 46 to 52 episodes starring the Soviet cartoon character
With the permission of Eduard Uspensky, the creator of Cheburashka and his best friend Crocodile Gena, Japanese director Kudo Susumu has stretched four Soviet puppet cartoons to 26 episodes, each three minutes long.
On October 7, TV channel Tokyo aired the pilot version of the first episode titled “The First Friend”. The episode is about how Cheburashka and Gena meet. The show was an immediate hit among Russian web surfers.
The plot of the new series will be based on numerous books by Eduard Uspensky, including those released in the past few years. Among them are: “Crocodile Gena’s Business”; “Cheburashka Abducted”; “Crocodile Gena’s Holiday”; “Crocodile Gena – The Police Lieutenant”; and even “Crocodile Gena Joins The Army”.
-----
For those of you who are very familiar with the Soviet Union cartoon characters Crocodile Gena and Chiburashka since childhood is unnecessary to explain who they are, we have actually grown up with the songs, cartoons and books about them. To this day I fondly remember and still like them. I even reread the book recently and it is one of the very few songs I remember the words to and occasionally feel like singing.
---The origins
According to the story by Uspensky (the book author), Cheburashka is a funny little creature unknown to science, and lived in a tropical forest. One day, however, he accidentally ends up in a crate of oranges, falls asleep, and wakes up in front of a puzzled shop owner. The salesman calls him Cheburashka as, after his long sleep, the animal was tumbling down all the time (in the book the salesman’s word for tumbling is “cheburakhnutsa”).
Cheburashka also became known in some countries outside the former Soviet Union (and of the Soviet Bloc). He became very popular in Japan after an animated film series about him was shown in 15 cinemas all over Japan and was watched by approx. 700,000 Japanese between summer 2001 and spring 2002. In 2008, the Cheburashka films were inducted into the Ghibli Museum Library with Japanese theatrical release on the same date as Hayao Miyazaki's Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea.
The amazing thing is, it would appear that Cheburashka and Crocodile Gena are very Big in Japan. On the subway station of JR line which I almost daily use I noticed sign boards with the very familiar to me imaginary Russian characters.
I don't know what exactly the posters say, but from the look of it it looks like a message urging people not to talk loudly, not to use cell phones etc while commuting...It impressed me very much, as you can imagine. I didn't expect a Soviet children book character to appear and be famous in Japan!
But so it seems.
Haven't seen the Japanese cartoon, just noticed the boards at the railway stations...
I dug a bit in Google to find out what that might be about so I found out a bit of the above background that would explain the existence of those posters...
I love being reminded of their existance even in Japan :)
Here and here are links to the Japanese version of the song of Crocodile Gena. Enjoy!
No. I'm not kidding!
See this Japanese poster :
http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/images/B001FWIT6O/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=561958&s=dvd
Read this : Cheburashka arrives in the land of the rising sun
http://russiatoday.com/Art_and_Fun/2009-10-18/cheburashka-japan.html
Five years ago at the Tokyo International Anime fair, Russia’s SoyuzMultFilm signed a contract with Japan’s SP International for the rights to distribute Russian cartoons abroad. They bought the rights for Cheburashka until 2023. The Japanese company plans to make from 46 to 52 episodes starring the Soviet cartoon character
With the permission of Eduard Uspensky, the creator of Cheburashka and his best friend Crocodile Gena, Japanese director Kudo Susumu has stretched four Soviet puppet cartoons to 26 episodes, each three minutes long.
On October 7, TV channel Tokyo aired the pilot version of the first episode titled “The First Friend”. The episode is about how Cheburashka and Gena meet. The show was an immediate hit among Russian web surfers.
The plot of the new series will be based on numerous books by Eduard Uspensky, including those released in the past few years. Among them are: “Crocodile Gena’s Business”; “Cheburashka Abducted”; “Crocodile Gena’s Holiday”; “Crocodile Gena – The Police Lieutenant”; and even “Crocodile Gena Joins The Army”.
-----
For those of you who are very familiar with the Soviet Union cartoon characters Crocodile Gena and Chiburashka since childhood is unnecessary to explain who they are, we have actually grown up with the songs, cartoons and books about them. To this day I fondly remember and still like them. I even reread the book recently and it is one of the very few songs I remember the words to and occasionally feel like singing.
---The origins
According to the story by Uspensky (the book author), Cheburashka is a funny little creature unknown to science, and lived in a tropical forest. One day, however, he accidentally ends up in a crate of oranges, falls asleep, and wakes up in front of a puzzled shop owner. The salesman calls him Cheburashka as, after his long sleep, the animal was tumbling down all the time (in the book the salesman’s word for tumbling is “cheburakhnutsa”).
Cheburashka also became known in some countries outside the former Soviet Union (and of the Soviet Bloc). He became very popular in Japan after an animated film series about him was shown in 15 cinemas all over Japan and was watched by approx. 700,000 Japanese between summer 2001 and spring 2002. In 2008, the Cheburashka films were inducted into the Ghibli Museum Library with Japanese theatrical release on the same date as Hayao Miyazaki's Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea.
The amazing thing is, it would appear that Cheburashka and Crocodile Gena are very Big in Japan. On the subway station of JR line which I almost daily use I noticed sign boards with the very familiar to me imaginary Russian characters.
I don't know what exactly the posters say, but from the look of it it looks like a message urging people not to talk loudly, not to use cell phones etc while commuting...It impressed me very much, as you can imagine. I didn't expect a Soviet children book character to appear and be famous in Japan!
But so it seems.
Haven't seen the Japanese cartoon, just noticed the boards at the railway stations...
I dug a bit in Google to find out what that might be about so I found out a bit of the above background that would explain the existence of those posters...
I love being reminded of their existance even in Japan :)
Here and here are links to the Japanese version of the song of Crocodile Gena. Enjoy!
---------
Monday 19 October 2009
News Feed : about a dwarf theme park in Kunming, China
Actually, although I left China, most probably and I would like to think 'for good' (meaning both for the better and forever that is)it doesn't mean I have seized my China watching, in fact I read the news every day and although now it is not first hand observation I still try to keep one eye on it.
Two days back I came across an article about a dwarf amusement park near Kunming (Yunnan province, South China) and it doesn't surprise me at all. Chinese are kings of kitsch, ugliness, cheap fun and shallow entertainment. In this particular case it is abuse of a bodily deformity from which someone figured out they can get some cash from. The rest of the world has long passed through the 'freak show' faze, in China it is now...and noone seems to exactly mind very much...
link : In China, it's a small world after all
I heard a few years ago about dwarf tossing in Northern China, but this news about the dwarf theme park is even more creepy...
Two days back I came across an article about a dwarf amusement park near Kunming (Yunnan province, South China) and it doesn't surprise me at all. Chinese are kings of kitsch, ugliness, cheap fun and shallow entertainment. In this particular case it is abuse of a bodily deformity from which someone figured out they can get some cash from. The rest of the world has long passed through the 'freak show' faze, in China it is now...and noone seems to exactly mind very much...
link : In China, it's a small world after all
I heard a few years ago about dwarf tossing in Northern China, but this news about the dwarf theme park is even more creepy...
Words of wisdom and other words of idiocy
A lot can be said of all the misunderstanding that appears to exist between the West and China. But there is something that is actually NOT a misunderstanding and it is not just a question of cultural (or whatever) differences of opinion, and that is having your own vison, searching for dignity and the right of freedom and choice. There are no such things in China and most people (the people who should be questioning, i.e. 'intelectuals') don't even question it. Does it mean that they don't need those or does it mean that have been so successfully brainwashed?!
Yesterday I came across a quote that impressed me.
"Human groupings have one main purpose: to assert everyone's right to be different, to be special, to think, feel, and live in his or her own way. People join together in order to win or defend this right. But this is where a terrible, fateful error is born: the belief that these groupings in the name of a race, a God, a party or a State are the very purpose of life and not simply a means to an end. No! The only true and lasting meaning of the struggle for life lies in the individual, in his modest peculiarities and in his right to those peculiarities."
- Vasily Grossman
At the same time, same day, I came (again) an old quote that is probably the most idiotic of all the stupid things China Foreign Ministry this (and other) spokespeople have uttered:
"Many people have a false impression that the Chinese government fears the Internet. In fact it is just the opposite."
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang
It is a different point of view all right!
They CANNOT convince me, ever!, that this is a matter of having a different opinion. Human society has been evolving and it is NOT a question of East or West, Chinese need to catch up and learn. It is not a question of government or Party, it is a question of the people themselves. If they can figure out and offer another way to humanity that promotes dignity, happiness, values, moral principles and freedom, then great, we'll gladly learn and welcome it,but if they keep on doing what they are doing, and keepon going the way they are, then, no thank you, we don't want you to be a superpower!
And yes, for this exact reason, people are not letting you alone, and scrutinise and watch you and criticize you. And that's how it should be.
Yesterday I came across a quote that impressed me.
"Human groupings have one main purpose: to assert everyone's right to be different, to be special, to think, feel, and live in his or her own way. People join together in order to win or defend this right. But this is where a terrible, fateful error is born: the belief that these groupings in the name of a race, a God, a party or a State are the very purpose of life and not simply a means to an end. No! The only true and lasting meaning of the struggle for life lies in the individual, in his modest peculiarities and in his right to those peculiarities."
- Vasily Grossman
At the same time, same day, I came (again) an old quote that is probably the most idiotic of all the stupid things China Foreign Ministry this (and other) spokespeople have uttered:
"Many people have a false impression that the Chinese government fears the Internet. In fact it is just the opposite."
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang
It is a different point of view all right!
They CANNOT convince me, ever!, that this is a matter of having a different opinion. Human society has been evolving and it is NOT a question of East or West, Chinese need to catch up and learn. It is not a question of government or Party, it is a question of the people themselves. If they can figure out and offer another way to humanity that promotes dignity, happiness, values, moral principles and freedom, then great, we'll gladly learn and welcome it,but if they keep on doing what they are doing, and keepon going the way they are, then, no thank you, we don't want you to be a superpower!
And yes, for this exact reason, people are not letting you alone, and scrutinise and watch you and criticize you. And that's how it should be.
Sunday 18 October 2009
Big in Japan - Hand Washing Day
Hand washing is big in Japan, in fact, really big.
Recently due to worries connected with the threat of H1N1 (the so-called, wrongly, 'swine flu') nowadays everywhere (for instance at the entrance of the university canteens of Kyoto Univ., at the entrances of Department stores, etc.,in the offices and public places, there are bottles filled with alcohol for sterilization of the hands, so last Thursday's International Hand Washing day is sort of an anti-climax here.
In Japan everyday is hand washing, mask wearing day :)
See related article: Japan takes hand washing to new level
Hm, let's hope H1N1 doesn't get out of hand and my classes get cancelled...
........ ....... ....... ...... ......
Additionally, since it concerns hygiene, in this post I SHOULD mention Japanese public toilets.
After living in China for 8 years, in the most squalid of all the foreign students dorms possible, and sharing a torn-down, often dirty and very disgusting toilet, and unavoidably daily using university buildings toilets (which where appalling also) and seeing (and per times using) Chinese public toilets that border on the horrific, now using a Japanese public toilet is the opposite experience. Only rarely the toilet looks like a public one (train station toilets are in fact not very clean, but not unbearably so, so they are exception to this description) and unbelievable though it may seem to someone used to the awful university toilets in my university in Beijing, here Kyoto university public toilets are impeccable. A stark and very meaningful difference between the 'first rate' university I studied in Beijing and here.
On some level I will never recover from the scenes of filth and horrible smell of China.
The contrast is very stark.
I'm sure you have all heard of toilet seats that warm, and toilets that have all kinds of functions. Automatic flushing,automatic function with a sound that imitates flowing water, etc. There is toilet paper and soap available. All this is true. And mind you, true for public toilets at that.
Recently due to worries connected with the threat of H1N1 (the so-called, wrongly, 'swine flu') nowadays everywhere (for instance at the entrance of the university canteens of Kyoto Univ., at the entrances of Department stores, etc.,in the offices and public places, there are bottles filled with alcohol for sterilization of the hands, so last Thursday's International Hand Washing day is sort of an anti-climax here.
In Japan everyday is hand washing, mask wearing day :)
See related article: Japan takes hand washing to new level
Hm, let's hope H1N1 doesn't get out of hand and my classes get cancelled...
........ ....... ....... ...... ......
Additionally, since it concerns hygiene, in this post I SHOULD mention Japanese public toilets.
After living in China for 8 years, in the most squalid of all the foreign students dorms possible, and sharing a torn-down, often dirty and very disgusting toilet, and unavoidably daily using university buildings toilets (which where appalling also) and seeing (and per times using) Chinese public toilets that border on the horrific, now using a Japanese public toilet is the opposite experience. Only rarely the toilet looks like a public one (train station toilets are in fact not very clean, but not unbearably so, so they are exception to this description) and unbelievable though it may seem to someone used to the awful university toilets in my university in Beijing, here Kyoto university public toilets are impeccable. A stark and very meaningful difference between the 'first rate' university I studied in Beijing and here.
On some level I will never recover from the scenes of filth and horrible smell of China.
The contrast is very stark.
I'm sure you have all heard of toilet seats that warm, and toilets that have all kinds of functions. Automatic flushing,automatic function with a sound that imitates flowing water, etc. There is toilet paper and soap available. All this is true. And mind you, true for public toilets at that.
Thursday 15 October 2009
Infernal Landscapes
I just came across a blog post at a New York Times photography dedicated blog that reports that Lu Guang, a Chinese freelance photographer, has won the W. Eugene Smith Grant in Humanistic Photography for his project, “Pollution in China.”
Here is a link to the New York Times LENS blog that features some of his pictures and another link to some other of his pictures for which he was awarded in 2006 a World Press Photo Award in the Contemporary Issues category...
Photographically speaking his pictures are very strong, and some of the images are very powerful, but somehow there is a little bit of staging in some of them and too much prying into personal tragedy which I don't like. Nevertheless it is not bad that a Chinese photographer is photographic also the other dark side of the Chinese Rise. There should be a balance in the picture of Modern China. Apart from the expensive gargantuan parades and opening ceremonies, not all is well. This week there is another case that came to light (I lost count but lately it must be the fifth one at least)of lead poisoning found in children.
Yes yes, China has achieved really a lot, but at what and whose cost exactly?!
Here is a link to the New York Times LENS blog that features some of his pictures and another link to some other of his pictures for which he was awarded in 2006 a World Press Photo Award in the Contemporary Issues category...
Photographically speaking his pictures are very strong, and some of the images are very powerful, but somehow there is a little bit of staging in some of them and too much prying into personal tragedy which I don't like. Nevertheless it is not bad that a Chinese photographer is photographic also the other dark side of the Chinese Rise. There should be a balance in the picture of Modern China. Apart from the expensive gargantuan parades and opening ceremonies, not all is well. This week there is another case that came to light (I lost count but lately it must be the fifth one at least)of lead poisoning found in children.
Yes yes, China has achieved really a lot, but at what and whose cost exactly?!
Big in Japan - Katakana
Well, after learning Hiragana, it is time for the Katakana, the other basic Japanese language syllabary. It has the same sounds as the Hiragana,but in modern Japanese it is used for foreign words, foreign names, etc. In Japanese there are many foreign words (which sound like a very bad English ) for instance 'uniform', 'tennis', 'hotel, 'taxi', 'omelet','toilet', hm practically every modern thing...The Japanese have actually stopped using some Japanese words that have originally existed and have replaced them with foreign words...For instance today in our textbook such borrowed word for 'lion' caught my attention...While there has been perfectly established word for lion with kanji too in use for many centuries, why would Japanese want to use such a weird sounding new borrowed word?
All those borrowed words sound extremely weird and it will be a challenge to memorize since they are in fact a very bad misrepresentation (in their greater part if not all) of English words.
So actually this trade in the modern development of the Japanese language shows some very interesting sides of the wish to copy, imitate or in the best case and intention study the West.
Tuesday 13 October 2009
Big in Japan - Hiragana
Although I attempted learning Japanese some 3 years ago(during which time I learned only a bit) it is now that I am trying for the first time earnestly, very systematically and with motivation to learn this language.
For fact, my first Japanese textbook and grammar I bought in 1992, which was more than 15 years ago. It shows that my intentions go way back...
Although,frankly speaking I'm feeling very low in spirit and feel rather depressed (for very personal reasons I feel very sad and lost), starting having a schedule in which learning Japanese is the main objective is sort of a positive thing. It will give me some focus and will engage my time and thoughts, and since it's an intensive course it will be a challenge...
Today, was my second time in this intensive course (last Friday was the first and yesterday, Monday was a national holiday,so we didn't have classes) and apart from learning Japanese I had two hours in a course dedicated to Japanese society and culture. This class is taught in English, and I'm very hopeful not so much as to what I'll learn as information but the way this course is presented is good. Today in the recess I had a chat with the teacher, Ms. K (she speaks just excellent English, the best I've heard a Japanese speak, very impressive) and just from a few minutes of talking with her I understood that it is COMPLETELY different how she views my wish and obvious motivation. It is very different from the lack of enthusiasm, with the complete lack of curiosity and appreciation I have met with in China throughout the whole 8 years...But I will talk about Prof. K. and her classes in other posts I'm sure.
By the way Intend to audit another class of hers which is on Classical Japanese Literature. Well, what can I say, it's a dream come true for me. After 15 years!
So back to my Japanese language classes. We have classes each day from Monday through Friday, and each day we will have a different instructor. This obviously has it's great advantage since the style of each tutor is quite different. The big thing we are currently learning is the first of the two Japanese phonetic systems/'alphabets' (linguistically more correct to say syllabary'), the Hiragana. (The other is the Katakana and we are yet to learn that.) Hm those two are of course in addition to the Kanji, i.e. the Chinese characters. My advantage in that will be that I already know the meanings of the kanji. It remains for me to learn how to read them in Japanese. It will be very confusing, not only because I will mix them with the Chinese reading, but also because the Japanese have two readings!!! Crazy people!
So, back to Hiragana, the 'big thing' from my days now. The above pic. is actually not the complete list of all Hiragana, but what remains are variations to those. As it is,the Hiragana origin is calligraphy of kanji (Chinese characters) see Where do the kana come from.
A very funny (and very weird thing indeed) was told to us by our Friday tutor Ms.H.
She said that as a little girl she used to write Hiragana mirror-wise, and actually that this is a very common occurrence among young Japanese children when they start studying how to write...Its a very strange phenomenon that is associated with dyslexia.The interesting bit is that our Friday tutor claims that mirror-writing is a very common thing among Japanese children.Very very strange and interesting...
OK, I have to go back to learning the rest of the Hiragana. I'm somewhere in the middle yet...Have to know all 50 by tomorrow.
Sunday 11 October 2009
China (Tibet) and India Border Issue : a potentially explosive crisis point
A month and so ago I came across a couple or so articles discussing the border dispute between China and India.
For instance Unmasking China By Bharat Verma in Indian Defence Review in July and Why India is Clueless about China by Brahma Chellaney (publ. September 07, 2009).
The China (Tibet)-India border issue is very complicated and indeed worrying, and in July for instance I eye witnessed a freight train loaded with tanks passing through Tibet (my first thought was, well that's going to the border). China's military presence in Tibet is not only aimed at "harmonizing" the Tibetans after last years anti-Han rule riots, but also is a potentially very explosive sovereignty issue with many complex implications.
The tensions in Tibet are escalating and the Tibet issue might prove to be one of the most important ones on the world diplomatic stage. An issue in which not only China-India and Tibet are sides to.
Just now I came across an article in Newsweek which discusses the border issue and some of it's implications.
Why India Fears China (Newsweek)
There simply isn't such thing as a military "peaceful rise"...
UPDATE:
OK, just two days after the above post...
China angry over India PM visit to disputed region (AFP)
Hm, as my friend M. who jokingly commented on my too many political postings lately quoted:
"Long live the international situation"!*
...for those of you who understand Chinese, a news video clip with China TV channel report on the matter in true "1984" style...I'm a "big fan" of the spokesmen (and woman!) of the Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry...It would have been very amusing to watch the bile, aggressiveness and inferiority/superiority complex that they emanate, if it wasn't giving me the chills...
*This was one of the ridiculous slogans during the communist era in the Eastern Block...
We often joke using it when we talk about politics and international affairs...
For instance Unmasking China By Bharat Verma in Indian Defence Review in July and Why India is Clueless about China by Brahma Chellaney (publ. September 07, 2009).
The China (Tibet)-India border issue is very complicated and indeed worrying, and in July for instance I eye witnessed a freight train loaded with tanks passing through Tibet (my first thought was, well that's going to the border). China's military presence in Tibet is not only aimed at "harmonizing" the Tibetans after last years anti-Han rule riots, but also is a potentially very explosive sovereignty issue with many complex implications.
The tensions in Tibet are escalating and the Tibet issue might prove to be one of the most important ones on the world diplomatic stage. An issue in which not only China-India and Tibet are sides to.
Just now I came across an article in Newsweek which discusses the border issue and some of it's implications.
Why India Fears China (Newsweek)
There simply isn't such thing as a military "peaceful rise"...
UPDATE:
OK, just two days after the above post...
China angry over India PM visit to disputed region (AFP)
Hm, as my friend M. who jokingly commented on my too many political postings lately quoted:
"Long live the international situation"!*
...for those of you who understand Chinese, a news video clip with China TV channel report on the matter in true "1984" style...I'm a "big fan" of the spokesmen (and woman!) of the Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry...It would have been very amusing to watch the bile, aggressiveness and inferiority/superiority complex that they emanate, if it wasn't giving me the chills...
*This was one of the ridiculous slogans during the communist era in the Eastern Block...
We often joke using it when we talk about politics and international affairs...
Big in Japan - the Railways
Apart from being very punctual a very good thing about trains here is how quiet people are inside (compared to Chinese which are always noisy). In China commuting is always noisy. Chinese always speak loudly, there is always some talking (usually very loud)on the PA system, there are TV screens installed in all the public transport. It's unimaginable to try to read for instance.
In contrast, Japanese try to keep quiet their conversation, the talking on cell phones is prohibited (you have to turn off the sound and if you are close to priority seats you have to switch your cell altogether). It was a nightmare to have to listen to some one's endless and usually loud talk on their mobile phone.
I used to (before going to live in China) enjoy reading while commuting. In this way I have read quite a few books. After going to China I had to give up this, since for many reasons it became impossible. Mainly because of the noise. In China I took up the habit of always listen to music while walking or travelling. Partly to block off the annoying noise.
Now I am looking forward to my everyday commuting for classes, as it will give me a good chance to retake my old custom of reading.
Another good thing is that don't get people staring at me. Or pointing. That is a relief after being singled out immediately. I prefer this lack of attention which gives me privacy to the completely annoying rude staring.
At train and subway stations there are stacks with leaflets with various sort of information. I kind of like that.While they in fact are a sort of an advertisement for the corresponding railways company, some of those are a great way to get informed about upcoming cultural events, exhibitions and tourist attraction (main goal of the leaflets seems to be to tell you how to get to the places taking the corresponding rail company)...I already have a stack of those from Kyoto station with routes how to go to monasteries and temples. Autumn is a very tourist time for going to those...Or so I've heard. I still haven't been to any yet sine I arrived a week ago.
Another good thing here is how distances are often given by walking minutes. Since I'm very much into mountain hiking and usually enjoy very much walking, I really appreciate that in Japan giving directions often is calculating time in walking distances. I like that too.
In Beijing I merely forgot what it is to enjoy a stroll in the city. Just walking from A to B.
How did I survive in this horrible city for 8 years really beats me.
A thing that will get time getting used to is the fact that in Japan (similar to Britain) traffic is on the left side. It feels very unnatural tome still and I often get confused about directions because of this...
Another good thing that commuting will give me a chance to do is an opportunity to observe people. A few days ago late afternoon I was taking the local JR (Japan Railways)line for a couple of stops. It seemed that students have just ended classes and were commuting back home from school as there were many students waiting at the station and getting on the train. Two (I presume middle school or high school) girls sat on the seats opposite mine (some boy students sat next to my seat). The two girls were heavily made up (I presume just after class they have done so in the toilet) with fake eyelashes, eyeliner, etc. Still wearing their school uniforms. As they sat down in the train they started taking off some of their school uniform (jackets and ties)and change into cardigans or readjust it. It looked like thisis sort of a ritual, i.e. something they doeach time after school. In a silly way they also wanted the boys to watch them. One of the girls folded her skirt in the waist several times as to make it several time shorter. It looked ridiculous to me, but obviously that's what schoolgirls do.
-------
The draft for this post was written while commuting in the morning on Friday 9th of October, taking the Keihan railway from Ohbaku station (which is near to where I live now in Uji)and Demachiyanagi(which is the station nearest to Kyoto University's main campus where my classes are).Commuting today took me around 45 minutes,at one point I had to change trains at the transfer Chushojima station in between...
In contrast, Japanese try to keep quiet their conversation, the talking on cell phones is prohibited (you have to turn off the sound and if you are close to priority seats you have to switch your cell altogether). It was a nightmare to have to listen to some one's endless and usually loud talk on their mobile phone.
I used to (before going to live in China) enjoy reading while commuting. In this way I have read quite a few books. After going to China I had to give up this, since for many reasons it became impossible. Mainly because of the noise. In China I took up the habit of always listen to music while walking or travelling. Partly to block off the annoying noise.
Now I am looking forward to my everyday commuting for classes, as it will give me a good chance to retake my old custom of reading.
Another good thing is that don't get people staring at me. Or pointing. That is a relief after being singled out immediately. I prefer this lack of attention which gives me privacy to the completely annoying rude staring.
At train and subway stations there are stacks with leaflets with various sort of information. I kind of like that.While they in fact are a sort of an advertisement for the corresponding railways company, some of those are a great way to get informed about upcoming cultural events, exhibitions and tourist attraction (main goal of the leaflets seems to be to tell you how to get to the places taking the corresponding rail company)...I already have a stack of those from Kyoto station with routes how to go to monasteries and temples. Autumn is a very tourist time for going to those...Or so I've heard. I still haven't been to any yet sine I arrived a week ago.
Another good thing here is how distances are often given by walking minutes. Since I'm very much into mountain hiking and usually enjoy very much walking, I really appreciate that in Japan giving directions often is calculating time in walking distances. I like that too.
In Beijing I merely forgot what it is to enjoy a stroll in the city. Just walking from A to B.
How did I survive in this horrible city for 8 years really beats me.
A thing that will get time getting used to is the fact that in Japan (similar to Britain) traffic is on the left side. It feels very unnatural tome still and I often get confused about directions because of this...
Another good thing that commuting will give me a chance to do is an opportunity to observe people. A few days ago late afternoon I was taking the local JR (Japan Railways)line for a couple of stops. It seemed that students have just ended classes and were commuting back home from school as there were many students waiting at the station and getting on the train. Two (I presume middle school or high school) girls sat on the seats opposite mine (some boy students sat next to my seat). The two girls were heavily made up (I presume just after class they have done so in the toilet) with fake eyelashes, eyeliner, etc. Still wearing their school uniforms. As they sat down in the train they started taking off some of their school uniform (jackets and ties)and change into cardigans or readjust it. It looked like thisis sort of a ritual, i.e. something they doeach time after school. In a silly way they also wanted the boys to watch them. One of the girls folded her skirt in the waist several times as to make it several time shorter. It looked ridiculous to me, but obviously that's what schoolgirls do.
-------
The draft for this post was written while commuting in the morning on Friday 9th of October, taking the Keihan railway from Ohbaku station (which is near to where I live now in Uji)and Demachiyanagi(which is the station nearest to Kyoto University's main campus where my classes are).Commuting today took me around 45 minutes,at one point I had to change trains at the transfer Chushojima station in between...
Saturday 10 October 2009
Beijing’s World Media Summit - what exactly is it?
Yesterday after I saw few world news agencies news reports (for instance) about a currently held in Beijing so-called 'World Media Summit' I felt amused...
If that's not part of China's grand strategy using 'soft power' to enhance its aspirations for influencing“global public opinion” then what is it?!
(And the timing of this summit, just days after the gargantuan military parade. What a joke! )
Today I saw David Bandurski's article at China Media Project and he seems to be also thinking pretty much the same as me...
He rightly points out: "This “summit” may be dressed up as a platform for professional, “non-government” exchange — but it is really a naked ploy by the CCP to enhance China’s global influence over media agendas. "
And that's that. Hm shouldn't other people start getting the message already?!
Shouldn't all this be worrying them?!
Global media groups knuckle under to curry Beijing’s favor (China Media Project)
UPDATE from 13th:
How Much Will Global News Outlets Bet on China?(TIME)
Key paragraph is the last one :"At a time when media are still reeling from the economic downturn and the Internet-led destruction of traditional advertising and subscription models, China has money to spend and offers new markets for foreign media. The risks are high. Not only could Western media players miss out on a big deal in China, they could sell their soul to win one. "
If that's not part of China's grand strategy using 'soft power' to enhance its aspirations for influencing“global public opinion” then what is it?!
(And the timing of this summit, just days after the gargantuan military parade. What a joke! )
Today I saw David Bandurski's article at China Media Project and he seems to be also thinking pretty much the same as me...
He rightly points out: "This “summit” may be dressed up as a platform for professional, “non-government” exchange — but it is really a naked ploy by the CCP to enhance China’s global influence over media agendas. "
And that's that. Hm shouldn't other people start getting the message already?!
Shouldn't all this be worrying them?!
Global media groups knuckle under to curry Beijing’s favor (China Media Project)
UPDATE from 13th:
How Much Will Global News Outlets Bet on China?(TIME)
Key paragraph is the last one :"At a time when media are still reeling from the economic downturn and the Internet-led destruction of traditional advertising and subscription models, China has money to spend and offers new markets for foreign media. The risks are high. Not only could Western media players miss out on a big deal in China, they could sell their soul to win one. "
Internet Human Rights Declaration
On October 8th 15 Chinese intellectuals/netizens published an 'Internet Human Rights Declaration'.
While the text itself may not be saying 'anything new' it's an act of courage that is to be commended. Especially notable for me is the declarators proffessed believe in citizen responsibility -indeed it is of upmost importance.
Here are links to the declaration's original text in Chinese and its English translation.
While the text itself may not be saying 'anything new' it's an act of courage that is to be commended. Especially notable for me is the declarators proffessed believe in citizen responsibility -indeed it is of upmost importance.
Here are links to the declaration's original text in Chinese and its English translation.
US President Obama wins the Nobel Peace Prize : too much too soon?
Good morning. Well, this is not how I expected to wake up this morning. President Barack Obama has just been surprisingly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009.
These by the way are also the first public words of US President Barack Obama on his winning the Nobel Peace Prize. It is yet to be seen does the president truly deserves the honour.
It can be said that this award is a sort of an encouragement/early vote of confidence (i.e. he was awarded it before actually proving he deserves it...), not particularly towards Obama himself, but towards the "going back to the basic principles" of the USA. Judging from President Obama's speech and his final ending words "That's why the world has always looked to America. And that's why I believe America will continue to lead.", he seems to realise this very clearly.
Well. An interesting turn of events. Well now, we can say that when Obama meets the Dalai Lama say after two months...why not for instance while accepting the award in Oslo on Dec.10?. In this way he can easily say he is meeting him in the capacity of fellow Nobel Peace Prize winner, not as head of state...In this way he will be meeting the Dalai Lama ,but while smartly avoiding to meet him in the White House...
The complete text of the citation awarding the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize to President Barack Obama as delivered by the Norwegian Nobel Committee (via AP)
relevant news feeds:
Obama wins shock Nobel Peace Prize (AFP)
Gasps as Obama awarded Nobel Peace Prize (AP)
Obama's Nobel win should spur climate commitment: UN climate chief Yvo de Boer said(AFP)
These by the way are also the first public words of US President Barack Obama on his winning the Nobel Peace Prize. It is yet to be seen does the president truly deserves the honour.
It can be said that this award is a sort of an encouragement/early vote of confidence (i.e. he was awarded it before actually proving he deserves it...), not particularly towards Obama himself, but towards the "going back to the basic principles" of the USA. Judging from President Obama's speech and his final ending words "That's why the world has always looked to America. And that's why I believe America will continue to lead.", he seems to realise this very clearly.
Well. An interesting turn of events. Well now, we can say that when Obama meets the Dalai Lama say after two months...why not for instance while accepting the award in Oslo on Dec.10?. In this way he can easily say he is meeting him in the capacity of fellow Nobel Peace Prize winner, not as head of state...In this way he will be meeting the Dalai Lama ,but while smartly avoiding to meet him in the White House...
The complete text of the citation awarding the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize to President Barack Obama as delivered by the Norwegian Nobel Committee (via AP)
relevant news feeds:
Obama wins shock Nobel Peace Prize (AFP)
Gasps as Obama awarded Nobel Peace Prize (AP)
Obama's Nobel win should spur climate commitment: UN climate chief Yvo de Boer said(AFP)
Friday 9 October 2009
Typhoon Melor passes by
My latest post about 'me in Japan' ended with my observation about the different climate and weather here...And mentioned raining...
Hm, little did I know that just a day later a typhoon is going to 'land' in Japan...Luckily it turned out that the impact on Kyoto and Kansai area (where Kyoto belongs to) and the power of the typhoon were not as bad as feared. It turned out that actually there was a typhoon warning (of which I didn't have the slightest idea) and my yesterday opening ceremony and placement test were hence rescheduled for today...However I didn't know that, and actually went to the campus surprised to find it out. Indeed in the evening (Wednesday to Thursday) the weather seemed quite bad with heavy rain and strong wind,but not as bad as to get me thinking of typhoons (not that I know what a typhoon looks like), and in the morning although it was still heavily raining the weather didn't look extraordinary bad to me so I went to campus...
Well, luckily the typhoon by-passed here and was weaker than expected...
Good thing that.
It got me thinking though, hm what does this island with its freakish earthquakes, tsunamis, typhoons, etc. has in store for me?! And how should I know what to do?
Hm, little did I know that just a day later a typhoon is going to 'land' in Japan...Luckily it turned out that the impact on Kyoto and Kansai area (where Kyoto belongs to) and the power of the typhoon were not as bad as feared. It turned out that actually there was a typhoon warning (of which I didn't have the slightest idea) and my yesterday opening ceremony and placement test were hence rescheduled for today...However I didn't know that, and actually went to the campus surprised to find it out. Indeed in the evening (Wednesday to Thursday) the weather seemed quite bad with heavy rain and strong wind,but not as bad as to get me thinking of typhoons (not that I know what a typhoon looks like), and in the morning although it was still heavily raining the weather didn't look extraordinary bad to me so I went to campus...
Well, luckily the typhoon by-passed here and was weaker than expected...
Good thing that.
It got me thinking though, hm what does this island with its freakish earthquakes, tsunamis, typhoons, etc. has in store for me?! And how should I know what to do?
Is Tony Blair lobbying for China now?
Just finished reading a co-opted article in the Wall Street Journal titled China's New Cultural Revolution by non other but the former British PM Tony Blair. I couldn't just not comment on this!
In it (among other things) is the following incredibly stupid paragraph:
...
Confucius, the marvels of the Tang dynasty, calligraphy, the beauty of traditional Chinese painting and literature—all of this infuses the speeches, commentary and discourse of contemporary Chinese life. Chinese films, art, fashion and pop music are thriving. There is a new Cultural Revolution taking place in 21st century China, and it is a lot healthier than the old.
...
This particular paragraph (especially in the context of the rest of the misinforming article) shows such utter 'well-informed ignorance' and lack of knowledge and understanding of China that makes one gasp with wonder. Who the hell made Tony Blair an expert on Chinese society and culture?!
Recently on CNN I watched an interview with this British buffoon taken while he was wrapping up his recent China visit...Is this guy now on Chinese payroll or is he simply an ignorant imbecile?!
Oh, now I see. It turns out the Wall Street Journal since August 2007 is owned by dubious global media mogul Rupert Murdoch...who at this moment happens to be in Beijing for a 'World Media Summit' organized by CCP mouthpiece Xinhua...
In it (among other things) is the following incredibly stupid paragraph:
...
Confucius, the marvels of the Tang dynasty, calligraphy, the beauty of traditional Chinese painting and literature—all of this infuses the speeches, commentary and discourse of contemporary Chinese life. Chinese films, art, fashion and pop music are thriving. There is a new Cultural Revolution taking place in 21st century China, and it is a lot healthier than the old.
...
This particular paragraph (especially in the context of the rest of the misinforming article) shows such utter 'well-informed ignorance' and lack of knowledge and understanding of China that makes one gasp with wonder. Who the hell made Tony Blair an expert on Chinese society and culture?!
Recently on CNN I watched an interview with this British buffoon taken while he was wrapping up his recent China visit...Is this guy now on Chinese payroll or is he simply an ignorant imbecile?!
Oh, now I see. It turns out the Wall Street Journal since August 2007 is owned by dubious global media mogul Rupert Murdoch...who at this moment happens to be in Beijing for a 'World Media Summit' organized by CCP mouthpiece Xinhua...
What Lies between Chinese Writers and the Nobel Prize
As someone whose specialty is Chinese Literature, I have actually stopped even wondering, why Modern and Contemporary Chinese literature is so incredibly mediocre and bad in quality...My major is Classical Chinese Literature and I still believe that it indeed is one of the greatest world literatures. But that is in an obvious stark and shocking contrast to the Contemporary and Modern Chinese one. I have often tried to come up with an explanation for this phenomenon (i.e. why contemporary and modern Chinese literature is so mediocre and talentless) and this pondering actually gave me a broader perspective to come up with a bigger and more broadly encompassing theory about the "fall of the great Han culture" (I am deliberately not using the term 'Chinese' )...Actually exactly the realisation of the above has made me start to deeply rethink many of the cliches about China. Made me think deeply about the phenomenons, about the development (or rather more correctly said in the case of Han Chinese culture in view of it's state now, the entropy) of the so-called Chinese civilisation...I believe that literature is a great way to observe and explain the development Han Chinese culture. Literature contains a huge amount of social, political, historical, cultural information. It is a great source and gate for understanding China.
I remember few years ago a conversation with a teacher giving us a two semester lecture about modern Chinese literature. In a class break I approached him and directly asked him :"How is it possible that Chinese writers didn't write anything worthwhile during the Mao era? I understand that they were not able to publish anything and had to do so secretly, but I'm wondering how is it possible for someone to don't try to write despite that in secret...?I mean, the situation in the Soviet Union was very similar towards writers and intellectuals,but after the Perestroika there are many manuscripts which were kept hidden by writer's relatives and families and finally saw publication. Some very good works, even masterpieces. " He looked at me (with the kind of look that says " You don't understand Chinese culture") and gave me an explanation that chilled me to the bone: " They didn't write because their families would give them up." But I don't think that Mao is the reason for this complete collapse of the Chinese literary tradition. Th reasons date much further back and (in my view) stem from Chinese culture itself (hence my use of the word 'entropy). Good literary writing is a very creative process, it's a process of sharp observation and understanding, most of all it is an expression of the human condition that can touch and reach the reader in a very special way. A good writer is not someone who sees things so differently, and tels you something you don't 'know' at all, but someone who sees and sees them more sharply, more deeply and most importantly who can point directly to things that you otherwise instinctively always felt, but somehow failed to fully mentally grasp or articulate, a good writer is someone who can put his 'observations' in a language that can 'speak' to you.
Maybe one of the reasons and an explanation why Chinese writers' writing is so mediocre is their their readers' mediocrity?
A blog post by Chinese blog Fool's Mountain What Lies between Chinese Writers and the Nobel Prize got me to go back to this years-old subject of reflection of mine...
I remember few years ago a conversation with a teacher giving us a two semester lecture about modern Chinese literature. In a class break I approached him and directly asked him :"How is it possible that Chinese writers didn't write anything worthwhile during the Mao era? I understand that they were not able to publish anything and had to do so secretly, but I'm wondering how is it possible for someone to don't try to write despite that in secret...?I mean, the situation in the Soviet Union was very similar towards writers and intellectuals,but after the Perestroika there are many manuscripts which were kept hidden by writer's relatives and families and finally saw publication. Some very good works, even masterpieces. " He looked at me (with the kind of look that says " You don't understand Chinese culture") and gave me an explanation that chilled me to the bone: " They didn't write because their families would give them up." But I don't think that Mao is the reason for this complete collapse of the Chinese literary tradition. Th reasons date much further back and (in my view) stem from Chinese culture itself (hence my use of the word 'entropy). Good literary writing is a very creative process, it's a process of sharp observation and understanding, most of all it is an expression of the human condition that can touch and reach the reader in a very special way. A good writer is not someone who sees things so differently, and tels you something you don't 'know' at all, but someone who sees and sees them more sharply, more deeply and most importantly who can point directly to things that you otherwise instinctively always felt, but somehow failed to fully mentally grasp or articulate, a good writer is someone who can put his 'observations' in a language that can 'speak' to you.
Maybe one of the reasons and an explanation why Chinese writers' writing is so mediocre is their their readers' mediocrity?
A blog post by Chinese blog Fool's Mountain What Lies between Chinese Writers and the Nobel Prize got me to go back to this years-old subject of reflection of mine...
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