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POPSDemocracy Saves America's Reputation The great thing about America is not that we are a perfect country, but that we are always a redeemable one. We have a certain mercurial charm (not to mention idiosyncratic way of doing things) that somehow manages to bring us back from the brink. The world will never truly hate us, because we can and do change. And somehow, America has a knack for putting its best foot forward at just the right crucial moment. Roger Cohen, also, is a shining example of editorial journalism in an age of glib semi-literate rants. He takes in the whole world, and manages to make sense of it, noticing all the right details.
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POPS840 CE: Trade between Viking Scandinavia and the Arab World We take for granted that our world is more international today than it ever was before in history. Though our speed of trans-national communications, commerce and travel is truly staggering, ancient civilizations were not necessarily isolated islands. Understanding that the Arabs and Vikings, Romans and Chinese were all part of a single international system, not monolithic bastions of "clashing" civilizations is the first step towards understanding how we can live peacefully with each other today.
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POPSApocalypse Iraq (Now, and probably for another 20 to 30 years.) Here are some quotes from the congressional hearings, by Senators Clinton, Obama, McCain and Willard to Generals Petraeus and Kurtz. ;) Obama, in my opinion, made the most salient point: we will not be able to get everything we want from Iraq. We need to be honest about that. For the past three years, Bush has shown no strategy aside from throwing more American blood and treasure into the vacum of chaos he created. He is biding his time, simply prolonging the disaster so he won't have to suffer the indignity of retreat. He's saving that for his hapless successor. The disgusting truth is that, while we can't get everything we want from Iraq, it don't have to lose so much. Allow me to outline the compromises I think we need to make:
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POPSPolice-State Style Olympics You know, it's a surreal sign of our times that the procession of the Olympic torch becomes a quasi-military exercise, where the flame passes through hordes of protesters only by police force of arms, with tear gas and hand-to-hand combat.
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POPSOuyangwulong's Travel Plans Okay, so on my next bit of vacation, Marszal and I are going from Hotan, in Xinjiang, accross the Taklamakan Desert to Kashgar on the Pakistani border. We'll cross the Karakorum Pass, over the Pamir and Karakorum mountain ranges north of Nanga Parabat and K2, then chill out along the North West frontier by Afghanistan. That at least, was the plan, untill I checked the local news, and HOLY COW! I mean, I can deal with terrorism and anti-government riots, but dude, wolves eating children? That's just messed up! By the way, does anyone have any good restaurant recommendations in Northern Pakistan?
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POPSLame Duck, or Just Lame? Okay, so there have been people like me on the left, saying that Bush is ruining the economy, and there have been people on the right saying the economy is great for the last 7 years. Very rarely has history been so swift to vindicate a particular side. What amazes me is that there are still people out there who are using the same rose-tinted glasses, taking the rose colored pills, and then drinking the rose-flavored kool-aide as the economy goes down in flames. And you know what bugs me? Even after all of this, unmitigated disaster, there are still going to be people who argue with me that Bush's economic policies have helped the country. If anyone checked, his vaunted "business experience" consisted mostly of driving profitable companies into Chapter 7. Guess what? He did the exact same thing with our country! Maybe next time we can pick a SUCCESSFUL businessman for president!
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POPSTaiwan's Interesting Democracy A democracy, you say? One where the people are concerned about the appearance of impropriety, you say? Impossible, I say, impossible! But it's true! And it's in Taiwan. They actually raise valid concerns about conflicts of interest in high government officials - before the corruption scandal, not after! How come we never thought of that? This blows a giant hole in the "Asian Values" argument, that dictatorship and corruption are inherent elements of "The Asian Mind" that cannot be changed. (Go suck on that one, Lee Kuan Yew!) But seriously, given the track record of the current Taiwanese first-lady, I would say it's better that Chow keeps her job, because this way she won't have to embezzle from the government when she wants to buy new earrings!
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POPSSteamy Scandal in Finland In the torrid sauna of filth and depredation that is the Finish Parliment, Prime Minister Ilkka "Lady Killa" Kanerva has finally crossed the line and Finance Minister Jyrki "the Beef" Katainen isn't going to take it anymore! What I love, other than names with funny consonants, is that Kanerva tried to claim that the text messages were "work related." Now working for the Finish National Coalition Party as Prime Minister has become my life's ambition. Also, apparently, this is a common occurrence for Kanerva.
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POPSStop Cat Poaching Now! A Cause We Can All Support! Okay, so I think this will be my least controversial clip ever. I believe that the time has come to stop shooting other people's pet cats. You may call me closed minded. You may call me a radical. But is say there is right and wrong, and if you shoot other people's cats and then make clothes out of them, then you are wrong. Further more, from now on, I promise to boycott all Swiss garments made from cat fur, and I hope you all do the same! By the way, I'm dying to know the link between this and traditional Chinese medicine! Are they sure they didn't mean Cantonese cooking?
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POPSThe Rise of Fascism in the 21st Century Jim Yardley is a very astute China observer, and this article hits the nail on the head. Surging Chinese nationalism is reaching frightening proportions. We seem to have forgotten that communism hardened by nationalism turns into fascism. I believe the current political climate in China of frustration, insecurity and aggressive racial pride is very very similar to the agitation for Fascism that took place in Europe and Asia in the 1930s.
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POPSPolitical Junkies: Why it Feels Good to Be an Extremist In The Political Brain , psychologist Drew Western summarizes fMRI experiments exploring the neuro-psychology of systematic bias and rationalization in the brains of political extremists. Finding ways to dismiss contradictory evidence triggers pleasant emotional releases in partisans' brains, eventually becoming a pleasurable, learned behavior. Once partisans had found a way to reason to false conclusions, not only did neural circuits involved in negative emotions turn off, but circuits involved in positive emotions turned on. The partisan brain didn't seem satisfied in just feeling better. It worked overtime to feel good, activating reward circuits that give partisans a jolt of positive reinforcement for their biased "reasoning." These reward circuits overlap substantially with those activated when drug addicts get their "fix," giving new meaning to the term political junkie.
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POPSLosing Hearts and Minds; Empowering Extremism Before anyone asks why we aren't winning the War on Terror yet, consider these sad headlines. All around the world, reasonable people are being dragged into the slipstream of extremism. The cause is blatant moral bankruptcy. Greed, corruption and exploitation, fortified behind the twin bastions of ignorance and righteousness, are discrediting the institutions that are instrumental in overcoming extremism, intolerance, and global violence. Particularly America remains the store house of the world's hopes and dreams. We are not merely a nation but an ideal, and we must live up to our promise. Obama and McCain are both men of admirable morals and transparent character. Meanwhile, as Hillary obfuscates over her finances, we must realize she lacks the moral authority needed to restore America's international credibility. Being Righteous is not nearly as important as being Right.
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POPSSalvador Allende's Sinister Sibilant Cyber-Socialist Experiment The interesting question this begs is: A computer with vast communications network, bringing up-to-the-minute information on the economy to facilitate centralized control was the goal of Allende's project. However, is our current economy, highly sensitive to trends or fears, expedited and exagerated by the speed of cyber communications, any different? With the centralization of information, won't this also inevitably result in the centralization of control? The internet has long been seen as democratizing, but isn't it really a far more ideal tool for breaking down regionalism in favor of centralized global control? (The Chinese Government certainly sees it that way... which is why I haven't been clipping for a little bit.)
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POPSHow To Think With the internet saturating ever deeper into our busy lives, humans are navigating uncharted informational and attentional waters these days. MIT neuroengineer, Ed Boyden, put together these rules of thumb to managing brain resources in an age of complexity. 7. Make your mistakes quickly. You may mess things up on the first try, but do it fast, and then move on. Document what led to the error so that you learn what to recognize, and then move on. Get the mistakes out of the way. As Shakespeare put it, "Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt." (Via Kottke.)
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POPSThe Problem With Communism: From Monty Python to Nepal
In my opinion, the global failure of Communism can be attributed more or less directly to the fact that Communists have a unique propensity for murdering each other. Almost all communist thinkers of any note were inevitably murdered, executed, or exiled to some frozen hinterland by their fellow communists. I am hard pressed to think of any other ideological movement that so consistently kills all it's most talented proponents. It is striking, the extent to which these dogmatic idealists are themselves fatally venal, intolerant, capricious, and transparently greedy. It is too bad to see this sort of thing still going on, and threatening the fragile new Nepali government. What is more, it is shocking that in the 21st Century there are still those who are naive enough to subscribe to such an ideology. I have to admit, while I think I can understand terrorists, I don't know if I'll ever figure out Communists. Therefore, I resort to the Life of Brian for further analysis.
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POPSHow To Tell If You're Being Followed Are you being tailed? How do you know what to look out for? Use this handy guide to see if they're really watching you or if it's all in your head. If you want to identify a tail, look at their shoes: they are hard to change. Move frequently between crowded and empty places: this forces them to keep closing for fear of losing you, drawing back, then closing again. This makes them conspicuous. But don't jump on or off trains just before the doors close--that's for the movies; and anyway, a good surveillance team will already have someone on the train, as well as on the platform. (Via Jason Kottke.)
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POPSThe Threat of Evil Robots from Space I'm glad that when the Canadians put a giant robot on the international space station that they are able to assure us that it won't "turn evil." They know this, apparently, because they have read the instructions manual which assures us he is to simple to "run amok and take over." That's a relief!
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POPSSubjective Reality and Autobiographical Fiction People are still getting worked up over this? Dare I call them gullible? I mean, normally when I read an autobiography where the author claims to have been raised by a pack of wolves I chuckle to myslef and presume that some obscure sense of humor is at work. I mean, seriously, how was ANYONE fooled into thinking this story was real? Apparently it's gonna be an awkward Rosh Ha-Shanah at the Defonseca household, that is, of course, if they don't just skip it. ;) Still, back in the 60s and 70s the work of Hunter Thompson was considered JOURNALISM. Is it safe to say that the public has moved towards a naive objectivism, presuming that all that is printed as fact must be true, and that we have lost touch with the subjective nature of human experience? I hope we get this spasm under control in time to save the beautiful subjective art of Literature!
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POPSIn Defense of Caucusing I am disappointed that nobody is making the obvious counterpoint to all of Hillary's sour grapes over the caucuses. As I see it, caucuses represent one of the best functions of democracy. Why? Because it entails community dialog. I think more voting should be done like this. If I vote privately, I don't have to think about what I'm doing, or its repercussions on the community, and I don't need to justify my decision. As a result, voting by ballot often becomes a selfish, isolated and disconnected experience. In a caucus you discuss your position with your friends and neighbors and, drawing on that communal wisdom, reach a consensus. Imagine if all voting were conducted this way? We would be a much more conscientious nation as a whole. However, this is specifically ill-suited to Hillary's "I'm right, to hell with you" vision of leadership. Perhaps she is losing caucuses because it is hard to justify voting for her. Anyway, Democracy always works better with free pizza!
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POPSShamefull Religious Intollerance That people would be so transparently discriminatory is honestly surprising to me, although it shouldn't be. There is no right to force non-Christians to recite Christian prayers in American public schools. There is no right to put God in the plege. Just like I have no right to force Christians to leave offerings before the statues of the Buddha. But don't get me wrong. This isn't about Christianity. Christianity no where condones this abhorrent and intolerant behavior. This is about the power of discrimination, and it is an addictive social phenomenon. These people would do the exact same thing with another religion. Christianity was just the most convenient vehicle for their hatred at the time. Apparently we still need to change a lot about our society before we can live with our neighbors in peace.
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POPSCoffee Corrupts America's Youth We can all laugh at Starbucks' typically popmpus token gesture of contrition. (Yeah, blame the barristas! Not whatever idiot designed all those weird factory-made collage panels on the walls of every Starbucks from Timbuktu to Taipei!) But what really frightens me is that American 16 year olds are using words like "stigma" while lamenting the metaphysical condition of the chain-cafe that provides the fix to keep their caffeine addiction at bay. Shouldn't they be busy drag racing hot rods around Dead-Man's-Curve? Or Rebelling without a Cause? Is the "stigma of commercialism" now one of the many bewildering social concerns brought on by puberty?
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POPSRalph Nader: Clueless Egomanica Ralph Nader represents everything that is indulgent, self-congratulatory, and ultimately ineffective about our nation's activist community. He is busy implicitly comparing himself to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. while he is woefully short on valuable political analysis. Obama hits the nail on the head here: Nader doesn't actually understand politics. Anyone who thought Gore and Bush were the same ought to be feeling pretty sheepish after over 6 years of uninterrupted warfare on multiple fronts, economic crisis, financial collapse, and rapacious Nero-esque indulgence from the Bush administration. Nader couldn't have been more wrong. There is nobody quite like George W. Bush! (Thank goodness!)
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POPSA Misunderstanding of Democracy Mr. Dobson clearly misunderstands democracy, typical of many of his clique of evangelical conservatives. Our country is governed by the consent of the people, which also means by the consensus of those representing the people. It is not mere mob rule, and slim majorities cannot and should not be allowed to determine important policies. Just as the peculiar religious convictions of a vocal few should not over-ride the will of the majority of Americans, no matter how sanctimonious their proponents. Our system of checks and balances, though complicated and at times frustrating, is what keeps our nation from descending into a dictatorship of the proletariat. It is sad that his nuanced and praiseworthy understanding of this principle may cost John McCain votes, but on the other hand, who wants votes from the likes of Dobson to begin with? A Message for Dobson: If you don't like democracy, then leave America! (You aren't helping anyway!)
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POPSGood News! You've Got Oil! Isn't that just the best new anyone ever heard? What could go wrong? And I bet this cute cooperation between India and Pakistan will be even stronger if they find oil. I mean what could go wrong? After all, it is the Kashmir, and that place isn't at all contentious, right? I personally am really skeptical that oil could accumulate in Jammu and Kashmir because of constant seismic activity. (something like 30 earthquakes per day.) If I'm right, then that makes this a pretty asinine political maneuver. There is also the possibility that this is a guerrilla marketing campaign for "There Will Be Blood" at the Oscars.
0
POPSSeattle's Byzantine Primary System There are good reasons why our primary is seldom, and probably shouldn't be relevant. First, is because Washington State is largely full of people who are willfully out of touch with national trends. We're independent, and most often not interested in following the rest of the nation. Something that is taken for granted as conventional wisdom in Seattle's overwhelmingly liberal voting public would be highly controversial elsewhere. That's why we elect the nation's most radical congressman by margins of up to 80%. In Republican areas Washingtonians are no different - we all love crazy people who make no attempt to moderate their ideals. (Me included, I must confess.) The second reason we shouldn't matter is that our primary system is so complex, redundant and useless it could only have been developed by Microsoft's web developers. (More on this in comments...)
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POPSThe Miracle of Jihad This is the opposite perspective that any American should consider very carefully, especially if they espouse military strategy. Although we see them as "Evil" and "Terrorists" of course, they don't see themselves that way. Since the Napoleon's expedition in Egypt, the Islamic world has found itself besieged by overwhelming European Empires. Although once the dominant force that defeated Europe, with the decline of the Ottoman and Persian Empires, they found themselves weak and helpless against the Europeans. During the 20th century, when much of the Islamic world was colonized, this anxiety became acute. Now, against an overwhelming enemy of superior strength, they are winning back ground. To us it is a disaster, but to them it is a miracle. It is to some in the Islamic world what the American Revolution was for us - a victory of the people. Ask yourself: If I were not blinded by my social context, would I still believe as I do?
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POPSHumanity, Divinity, and Beauty I wonder if this striking interpretation of aesthetics (one which I find quite appealing) still holds true in the cynicism of post modernism? Although it certainly can be found to echo in Kandinsky's "Concerning the Spiritual in Art" what of the later Deconstructivists, Marxists, and other self-styled "realists" who attacked the very idea of beauty? On the other hand, it may be that in these dark times our cynicism is spent and an idealistic revival of Romanticism might rise in response to the desperation and alienation that has become almost universally felt through the deep ideological conflicts marking the beginning of the 21st Century. Another thought: does not this empowered sense of self-determination ring true with the most admirable aspects of Existentialism? ...oh, and sorry for all the alliteration. Don't know how it snuck in there! :P
1
POPSThe Tethlon Idiot of Economics It's amazing how nothing sticks for this guy. Let's try to synchronize all his statements... 1.) Tax Cuts made our economy grow... 2.) We are now on the brink of a recession... 3.) Our economy is strong... 4.) We urgently need to save our economy... 5.) The government needs to spend more money 6.) The government needs to collect less taxes 7.) Tax cuts will help our economy now, just like they helped it over the last 6 years. IS HE TOTALLY INSANE? Please, tell me, someone, try to explain at what point we admit that EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE shows that Bush's tax plans have destroyed the US economy, and we are now being dragged deeper into the abyss with Bush blithely turning his sails into the storm.
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POPSThe Truth Behind Bush's Tax Cut Plan: Korsakoff's Syndrome Bush proposes tax cuts to save us from a recession. Apparently he doesn't remember that he's been cutting taxes for the last 6 years, and that's what brought us to the brink of recession in the first place. If six years of consecutive aggressive tax cuts won't save our economy, then wouldn't it seem obvious that one more year of aggressive tax cuts isn't going to either? In fact, I can make the argument that the tax cuts are actually causing the recession, due to our staggering deficit. Doesn't he have any other ideas? Doesn't he remember saying the same things over and over again as things get worse and worse? Korsakoff's Syndrome is what the guy in Memento had, where he couldn't remember what happened 5 minutes ago. One of the causes of Korsakoff's Syndrome is a depletion of Thiamine (Vitamin B1) caused by substance abuse and alcoholism. Given Bush's history, this clip is only half joking.
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POPSREALITY CHECK! There is a frightening new global trend of denial... Europeans think that they don't need to limit fishing... Car companies don't think they need to improve fuel economy standards... Bush thinks he can increase spending and cut taxes at the same time... Jingoists think we are winning the war in Iraq... Democrats think Hillary Clinton has enough experience to win an election... Polluters think that Global Warming won't really happen... Evangelicals think Jesus is coming back soon... Fundamentalists think they can win the war against modernity... The truth is: we're stuck with this world. The rules DO apply. No free passes. You have to face the music sometime. We must choose realism over comfortable delusion. Unfortunately, for now, wistful thinking will rule the day until we let it all collapse around us. Then we'll stand there scratching our heads saying: How could this happen?
1
POPSThe Question of the South Now, I would like to disagree with the author (Matt Bai) on two points... First: He argues that the loss of the South for the Democrats was due to desegregation, which is no doubt party true. But if that's the case, what does he mean when he says Democrats have to run a candidate who "resonates in the south..." As I see it, the Democrats are already suffering from a retreat in their values. Pandering to isolationist extremists still absorbed in racism and a antebellum culture of violence is not the way to win the country, its a way to lose your credibility. On the other hand, I think Mr. Bai stereotypes the South as most Northerners have, by presuming that it is and always has been a land of Bible-belt anti-government racists and redneck gun nuts. The truth is the South is not nearly so monolithic as pundits portray it. Southerners are not as backwards, not as ignorant, and not as conservative as most political analysts think. The Democrats need to Awaken the Radical So
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POPSOn The Difference Between Belief and Politics If someone holds conservative, right wing beliefs, I've got not problem with them. I might even find myself agreeing with them sometimes. On the other hand, right wing politics are what really get under my skin. And when it comes to Bush, it's pretty much 100% pure politics. So what's the difference? Well beliefs are ideas - principles you think are right, and that you are willing to stand up for. Politics is using other people's beliefs to get what you want. Bush doesn't believe in being a "fiscal conservative!" He just talks about that so that right wing voters will support him. He wants to be fiscally conservative on public schools and health care and other areas that don't directly benefit him or his friends, but when it comes to something he wants, belief takes a back seat to unadulterated greed. Why do conservatives feel they have to defend him? Why deny reality to defend something that is against your values? Bush has dragged the entire GOP into deluded solipsism
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POPSCome See The REAL New China! Jia Zhangke looks at what's really there, rather than what he wants to see. That's something more people should do. On the one hand, he doesn't flatter global capitalism, but he's not blind to the essential progress that China has made either. China's underground auteur may well be a better anthropologist than entertainer. Although his movies sometimes dwell on the mundane to the point of being unwatchable, they are invaluable documents on the true nature of China's modernization. So few people understand what the "New China" is, but it's all here for anyone who bothers to look. He is the definitive realist of his generation, and a strikingly insightful observer of the human condition. His quotes throughout the article are all gems, but too numerous to clip.
2
POPSInside the Actor's Studio: Chuck Norris Chuck Norris gives his fine opinion on the craft of acting, in the form of his Huckabee endorsement. Apparently he acknowledges that his acting skills are on par with the likes of Mit Romney. Actually I have to say, I agree: Romney and Hillary (the depressingly presumptive nominees) deliver their platforms from B-rated scripts from hackneyed writers with roughly the same native talent for acting as Mr. Norris. To make up for their lack of appeal, they kick around whoever is within easy reach. If the shoe fits!
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POPSTruly Understanding Martin Luther King Jr. I love Sarah Vowell. Not because I'm an NPR nerd. Not because I'm a history nerd. Not even because I'm an assasination nerd. I have been accused of such vile things! But I protest! I love her because I'm an Emma Goldman nerd, in all her obscure anarchistic and humanistic glory. Emma Goldman perfectly balanced being a political figure with still being a living-and-breathing, loving-and-losing human being. Something that many professional activists (as well as historians) lose track of. I think Sarah Vowell introduces just enough levity to bring the force of irrefutable humanity (and its resultant moderation) to a field badly needing in perspective. Although she could take glib pot shots at the Christian right like Marueen Dowd, she has enough class instead to put it all in perspective and remind us that people who are different aren't necessarily deviant. She actually appears to have listened to what Dr. King says.
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POPSCanada Apologizes for Saying America Tortures Prisoners Somebody sounds like they are afraid of getting water-boarded! Seriously, does this sound like a valid way of conducting foreign policy? America is doomed by our intolerance of criticism. No matter how many pictures are published of Americans torturing prisoners, America still expects everyone to look the other way. Kinda weird. Hopefully our next president won't be so bizarre when it comes to flaunting our morals while at the same time proclaiming them.
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POPSIf You Are Afraid, The Terrorist Win Politicians secretly have a romance with terrorism. They feed off the fear to justify (or overshadow) their excesses. Terrorists secretly have a romance with politicians, because they provide the easy targets and fodder for their extremist agitprop. Politics and my love of desert adventure have occasionally collided, like in dealing with Islamic Terrorist in the Gobi Desert. But never before like this! They canceled the Dakar Rally! And NOW I'M ANGRY!
1
POPSA Positive Political Process Frank Rich, in an op-ed I don't feel like clipping (too glib), declared the GOP Platform to be Dead on Arrival. I beg to differ. Although McCain had a dark period of pandering, he seems to be back to saying what he thinks, and playing clean. He's the Boy Scout of Electoral Politics, and he's got my respect. (Not something I give out often to candidates.) But the really interesting thing is that Huckabee, who was always a nice guy, seems to have become more insightful and philosophical as the campaign goes on. His observations on political process I thought were exactly what America should be. We'll put him on my "provisional respect" list. Although his last bizarre bit about the Confederate flag will probably cost him the Hootie and the Blowfish vote, I'd bet they were already going to vote for Hillary anyway. Now if only the losers like Thompson and Giuliani will take a hint: sharpen up, start thinking, or drop out.
3
POPSDinosaur Skin Mag: Hot chicks, skin totally preserved! Fortunately, Paleontologist Theagarten Lingham-Soliar of the University of KwaZulu-Natal announced that the Psittacosaurus unearthed in Liaoning Province had intact, fossilized epidermis proving once and for all that the integumentary structure of Mesozoic Reptiles was in fact one of scales of hardened epithelial tissue, probably constructed from keratin (a) protiens, rather than feather like appendages constructed from keratin (b). 'Nuf said! (Spell check that you bastards!)
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