10
POPSInternal Perceptions / External Perceptions Within a particular cultural system, you always have to entertain second opinions from interested parties. It is not a contraversial statement that Stalin was evil, internationally. However! In Russia there are still many invested in Stalin and Nationalism who will try to rationalize it. Similarly, internationally, it is not a controversial statement that Bush was a monstrous, hostile, and unjust President. But in America there will people that will argue and try to justify torture and persecution that Bush perpetrated. An apologist is an apologist. If we cannot take responsibility for our own moral lapses, how can we possibly find our moral compass? People who refuse to look beyond their narrow world view discredit themselves.
7
POPSSome REAL Changes
Although people are saying that Obama is emphasizing experience over change, they overlook the fact that it in and of itself is a change. Here are the changes I'm excited about: 1. Expertise Over Loyalty Most recent presidents have surrounded themselves with yes-men and toadies. Obama is forsaking the insular model of the Bush Administration in favor of one that will certainly promote debate. This is VERY good for making realistic policy decisions. 2. Expertise over Ideology Thompson says this "doesn't make political sense." However, did it occur to him that the Defense Department is not an appropriate place to play politics? A military that is motivated by ideological concerns rather than strategic ones is exactly how we have gotten ourselves into destructive, counter-productive, and losing wars in the past. 3. Experience at all The Bush Administration went out of its way to disregard experts of all stripes. Finally, a President who values people who are good at what th
7
POPSCorruption and Conscious in China Although it at first seems appealing to have public officials take responsibility for the disasters that slip by one their watch, it may not be the best course of action. For instance, there was a baby food scandal in 2004, and the government reacted by holding people responsible - heads of companies and several public officials were executed. But now a similar problem is happening again. Why? Because by holding an individual responsible for what is a societal lapse, it allows everyone else to keep on doing business as usual without addressing the fundamental underlying problems. In the case of corruption or dereliction of duty, the communist party's punitive actions have not served as a deterrent, quite the opposite. Perhaps we should also consider this in our own context, for we all own a small part in the disasters we blame on our politicians.
5
POPSWalking Across Asia This is the blog of a guy walking from Beijing to Germany. He started out about a year ago, and so far he's walked most of the way across China. He is a trained Cinematographer and is intimately familiar with China. As such his daily blogs thus far have been a fascinating way to truly get to know the REAL China, as well as seeing some beautiful pictures. If you want to know China, read this blog. It's an amazing guy, on an amazing adventure, and moving slowly, by walking, he is able to see really deep into the local culture.
8
POPSBeijing's breath-taking new library (Pictures by yours truly) So "Phase II" of the National Library of China just opened down the block from my apartment, and it is absolutely amazing. Filled with open space and natural light, it is gigantic yet personal, with the feeling of a pavilion. Long lines of sight that stretch uninterrupted out into the city blur the division between indoor and outdoor. Their website is also pretty cool - in English, and with lots of digitized collections, making it worthwhile for anyone wanting to learn more about China.
9
POPSThe Gray Scale between East and West Understanding that there is no clear distinction between east and west is one of the most important changes we need to make in 21st century diplomacy. Failing to see east and west as a cultural continuum with significant commonalities across the board is one of the main reasons for the rise of terrorism and our failed Russia policy. Clinging to old nationalist divisions blinds us to what the world has become and what the world has always been: cultures in flux across borders and mutating as different people interact.
0
POPSHow & Why Chrome will Conquer the World So this is a hilarious little comic book Google put together to explain Chrome, which I think represents a very important leap towards cloud computing, which I think is the future of both comunications and computing. We can see this leap in my three favorite features unique to Chrome...
7
POPSBLOW YOUR MIND: They are just now checking Sarah Palin's background Now, the Republicans will jump to the defense of Sarah Palin and her family, because she is one of their own. However, if they were liberals, these kind of disclosures would be used to crucify them. That sad reality is more than a little depressing. For instance, Obama is repeatedly accused of "not loving America," but unlike Sarah Palin, he never joined a party who's goal was succession. But the thing that really shocked me is that McCain seems to not be taking this seriously at all. Apparently, according to this article, they are just checking into her background NOW, after they put her on the ticket. Is this the kind of judgment we want in a President? Honestly, although I am still a McCain fan, this shocked and disappointed me that he didn't have enough wherewithal to have all his ducks in a row. It seems like he doesn't take running for President that seriously at all, which is too bad for America.
11
POPSI support Obama on Issues, not because of the Cult of Personality I don't worship Barak Obama. I don't think he's a savior, or even an angel. Although the novelty of him being a "black" president is entertaining, I don't really care about that either. (Honestly, it seems a little strange that we are so self-congratulatory over 'voting for a black man,' as if that should be really impressive somehow.) Why do I support Barak Obama? Because of all the people running for President, I believe he has the best ideas on what direction our country needs to take. I would like to see much of his platform made into reality, and because of that, I will vote for him. I don't want to waste all our time arguing of personal slights and vauge rumors. Let's get to the issues. Here is why I support Barak Obama:
10
POPSInexperienced Republican vs. Inexperienced Democrat So I've been having a lot of heated discussions on exactly how important it is for a candidate to be experienced. My view is: not at all. Knowledge matters. Belief matters. Judgment matters. But experience in Washington is a minus for me. Hopefully, now, this will put the experience debate to bed. Shame on Barbra Boxer for making the same argument against Palin that she dismisses against Obama! Both tickets are a good mix of experience and freshness. If Democrats want to take on Palin, they should have enough wherewithal to criticize her political positions, just like Republicans should stop whining about manufactured personal issues with Obama and get to the meat of why they don't like him: the issues.
6
POPSCase in point: Messed Up British People So, this guy is addicted to sex and drugs and doesn't know when to draw the line? And he's British? Hey, I bet he would love a nice vacation in Greece! But seriously, his perspective at the end, about comics helping the audience to empathize with something strange, is really insightful and good advice to all artists and writers.
12
POPSThree White People Who Won't Be Voting For Barak Obama People still keep talking about how racism among "working class whites" (that's media code for "po' white trash") will not vote for Obama because he is black. I'm getting seriously tired of this. Working class people in America aren't any more racist than the class of Americans who are too wealthy to work. Sure, there are some people who are racist and won't vote for him, and that shocks people so it gets a lot of attention. But seriously, look at these three guys: do you think they vote AT ALL? (remember, something like 60% of America doesn't!) Nobody is talking about all the working class whites who had trouble voting for John Kerry or Al Gore. If Obama loses, it will be because of the pathetic Democratic Party itself, not because he is black.
11
POPSThe Daily Show vs. Blovation Fest 2008! I've been watching the Daily Show since its first episode, and I started taking it serriously when Jon upped the IQ quotient by replacing Craig Killborne. Now the show pretty much only does indie film makers, political wonks, and third world presidents. How cool is that? The only people who do more serious interviews are Charlie Rose and Bill Moyers, and actually, Bill Moyers described Jon as "The Mark Twain of our time." But why did I clip? for the "Blovation Fest" Quote, which by the way, will be the festival of avant garde noise-punk music I attempt to put on this fall. ;)
8
POPSSo whatever happened to Austin? I've been absent from Clipmarks for a while, while I traveled in India and then had to make up for vacation by working overtime back in Beijing. I'm back now, and settled in, and putting pictures of my adventures up on facebook.
9
POPSATTENTION ALL CLIPPERS IN BEIJING! As you many of you may know, and as the rest of you can now see, I live here in Beijing. I know the city like the back of my hand. (which is to say, better than I know my feet, but not quite as well as I know my chin.) So if any of you are in town for the Olympics, drop me a line at austininchina@hotmail.com and I can give you advice on anything from where to find the oldest temple or $1 Jager Shots, or the best Cassoulet in town. I can also help you get past those pesky Chinese internet censors. Also, although I'm being worked like a slave, if our schedules match up, I'm always up for a BEER.
6
POPSJudicial Barbarism Although I am an opponent of the death penalty, I think this was the wrong decision. Why? Because it enshrines barbarism in our legal system. By saying that the death penalty is not warranted unless the victim of the crime was also killed, the justices have defined our legal system as an instrument not of justice but of vengeance. Justice is the protection of the weak, and the assurance that wrongs, once committed, will not be repeated. Justice should not spring from vindictive passion, but instead from a love for all those in society. Our legals system is there to protect us from henious individuals who menace society, not to torture them for our own sadistic satisfaction. If we merely revisit their own crimes back on them, we are not just, but savage, not civilized but barbaric.
6
POPSHillary's Own Sexism Although there is a lot of talk about sexism, and how it is to blame for Hillary's defeat, I think people are barking up the wrong tree. Obama never campaigned against Hillary on the basis that as a woman she would be "unelectable" because conservative "swing voters" would never elect a woman. On the other hand, she did make that case against Obama on account of his race. In fact, nobody ever questioned Hillary's ability to lead the country, as a woman or otherwise. The should have: her foreign policy is scary and ignorant. But the most sexist person in the race was Hillary herself. Her campaign, with the pant-suits and tough guy attitude (especially on Iran) seemed to reflect her own belief that if a woman was going to win, she had to convince people that she was "one of the guys." I think almost anyone who would vote for Obama would also vote for a woman - if it was the right woman. What I'm not willing to do is vote for any woman simply for the sake of making history.
4
POPSSmall Claims Court for Countries It's interesting how well the international system works when people aren't busy sabotaging it. Malaysia and Singapore just settled this international dispute in court, and everyone seems happy. I think the main reason that countries such as the US or China don't support international courts and authorities is because they don't want to be held responsible for the transgressions they know they've committed. You have to admit, America has come to demand a certain kind of exceptionalism, placing ourselves above the law by virtue of our own self-aggrandizement. Restoring America's international reputation will begin with ending this repugnant double standard that we hold for ourselves and the rest of the world.
5
POPSThe Jew Problem Let's see how many people click on that title! I hope I have your attention now, because this is important! Some politically active Jews, although certainly passionate, often have trouble telling friend from foe. The belief among Jews that the Christian Fundamentalist Evangelical community is a friend is a big mistake. Some worry that Obama is part of the nation of Islam, or Palestinian, or that he won't help Israel. But they think the GOP will. But what is the Christian Right's agenda in helping Israel? Clearly, right-wing evangelical fundamentalists like Hagee have no tenderness or fondness for Jews. They believe Israel is simply a part of God's ultimate plan leading to the apocalypse. Although they support the Jews returning to Israel, they also believe it is Biblical prophecy that there will be continuous warfare, so they don't support peace, but an Israel besieged. Many believe this is the prelude to the final destruction of the Jews by a wrathful God.
10
POPSMcCain: A Critical Weakness on Foreign Policy McCain's critical weakness on foreign policy is that he knows next to nothing about it. Although I have a lot of respect of McCain, I think he falls into the typical trap of myopic patriotism. Many people love their own country so much that they are blind to the reality of the world outside their borders. The outside world is a place where America is a pretty good nation, but has certainly seen better days. The outside world is a place where our enemies occasionally have legitimate points, and certainly have lives and families much like our own. In the reality beyond our borders, the US isn't guaranteed to win every fight, especially when we go in on shaky ground. In the reality beyond our borders everyone has to talk, whether they like it or not, because in the end, nations, like people, are created equal. McCain knows everything about the US Military, but knows nothing about our enemies. With a perspective like that, how can we expect to win?
8
POPSWas WWII Necessary? Yes. Even though I'm a Buddhist. As a pacifist, of course, I believe that killing can never be morally justified, and even while it can be necessitated, we still will suffer the moral consequences of life-taking. However, I would be willing to accept those serious moral consequences for myself in the scenario of stopping the Holocaust. What disturbs me about WWII is that it never would have happened simply to end the Holocaust. In fact, I suspect many allied politicians were sympathetic to Hitler in general, and specifically anti-semetic. Think Lucky Lindy. Could it have been averted? Yes, by not creating a belt of failed states. It wasn't the harshness so much as the indifference, as Germany and Eastern Europe spiraled out of control, despotism was bound to take hold. Irresponsibility made the crimes of the Nazis possible, and now those like Buchanan advocate to even greater global irresponsibility.
5
POPSThe Way the Race Card Plays... For all the (disturbing) talk about how being black is bad for the Democratic party, nobody seems to be noticing that it also has its good sides. I mean, people worry about Obama's abilty to capture the working class white vote, but why doesn't anyone worry about Hillary's (rapidly diminishing) ability to capture the black vote? After all, by campaigning on the idea that a black man can't represent America, isn't she destroying her ability to get the black vote? (Not to mention white votes, like mine, that are really frightened by that kind of rhetoric?) What I love about an Obama McCain election is that it scrambles the map. Some blue states would definitely prefer McCain, while some red states are certainly leaning towards Obama. At last, we have a chance to break down America's polarization.
11
POPSThe New Face of Racism: Hilary Clinton Hillary Clinton may well be the youngest living Dixiecrat. Basically, her campaign strategy has come down to this: 1. There are lots of Americans who would vote against a person based on the color of his skin. (I bet you can't guess which color they "aren't quite ready for"!) 2. These people are so important to the Democratic Party that we should on no account offend their delicate sensibilities by fielding an, ehm, colored candidate. 3. By virtue of her being white, she has the key character trait that appeals to the DNC base, which is the ability to pander to the much vaunted "Racist Redneck" demographic. Are her values in line with the Democratic Party? They certainly don't represent me! In fact, I would prefer it if racists didn't vote for the candidate I support. After all, nobody is looking for the David Duke endorsement!
2
POPSTony Blair: Nutjob Some people, when they retire, stop wearing a tie, stop putting on a suit - unless it is of the jogging variety, stop waking up before dawn, stop worrying about deadlines, and just put their feet up. Other people go abso-freaking-lutely nuts when they retire. Guess which one Tony Blair is? Tony apparently is nostalgic for the time of the Crusades. He might have converted to Catholicism, but his rhetoric is straight up "White Man's Burden" from Victorian "Muscular Christianity." I mean, he begins with the implicit supposition that the west has always dominated the world and that the East is just recently rising above the level of savage barbarism to "challenge" the Christian West. Then it goes down hill from there! He actually sounds nostalgic for brutal imperialism. He also sounds frighteningly ignorant. I certainly hope this kind of madness doesn't prefigure Bush's up-coming retirement.
8
POPSThe Verdict on Bush's Reganomics: Guilty as Charged There were those who were critical of Bush's economic policies, who said it would lead to disaster. We were dismissed as not understanding economics. We were accused of being anti-business. Well, a few years later, whaddya know... One of the central tenants of the resurgent Republican Revolution, among the GOP leadership ascendant in the mid-to-late nineties, was the idea that Regan's "trickle-down" economics worked, and that lowering taxes on the rich and encouraging rapacious spending would somehow develop an economy despite nagging social problems in the lower strata. This "well, I guess I feel rich..." approach was a lie everyone wanted to believe, because they didn't want the party to end. Now, though, even before Bush's term is over, we see a stunning economic crisis, for which he has no one to blame but himself, and which was clearly created, gift-wrapped, and delivered with flowers by the GOP's bizarre and destructively delusional view on economics.
6
POPSOuyangwulong's New Travel Plans Hi y'all! I still love you guys, even if I haven't been clipping as much as I'd like to of late. While the Commies may be keeping me away from the Pakistani border, as originally planned, I've just come upon the lovely opportunity to travel to Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. That means I'll be putting my feet up in a houseboat on Lake Dal, fishing in high mountain valleys, and all this without having to give up my hobby of hanging out with Islamic terrorists. I guess sometimes you can have your cake and eat it too! If anyone here is in Srinigar next month, let me know and I'll buy you a cup of tea!
4
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.
4
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.
4
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:
5
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.
9
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?
9
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!
7
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!
2
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.
6
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?
9
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.
9
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.
0
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.)
5
Clips
Latest Pops
Latest Comments
Most Pops
Tags
Print
Save
Turn on live update