Tag Archive
The Debacle In The East China Sea
We’ve all been hearing a lot about the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands lately, what with all the demonstrations in China after the Japanese government purchased the islands from the Japanese owner. Meanwhile, Taiwan is adding their opinion into the mix since three governments claim this territory. So, what’s really going on? What laws govern island ownership? Who [...]
China’s Dynastic Territories
Our intrepid Beijing photographer Jesse found this map on the net a few months ago and I thought it might be helpful to give everyone a visual aid of China’s geographic boundaries over the millennia. It’s fascinating to see how the borders waxed and waned over the centuries. Enjoy!
They’re Taking Our Jobs! No, We’re Not!
There is something I find very puzzling that has been making the rounds for quite a few years that I’d like to address in this post, and that is the issue of jobs lost and gained in various economies and the reasons why. I’ll lay out the two sides and then explain what I found [...]
National Anthems Across the Pacific Rim
I’ve always been curious to hear national anthems. I can’t say I’m crazy about my own (the Star Spangled Banner) but I’ve heard or sung it all my life so it might just be a case of overplay. If anyone else is curious, here are the national anthems of the Pacific Rim countries and at [...]
The Power of an Aphorism
When discussing philosophy over in East Asia, regardless of where I was at the time, I seemed to consistently encounter aphorisms. It was always the same procedure. I would be told that there was an old Chinese/Japanese/Korean saying and they would first speak it in their language, then translate it into English for me. Then [...]
Absolute vs. Relative Philosophy
Long ago the worldview, regardless of where you lived, was one of connection with nature. As Joseph Campbell wrote in his book Oriental Mythology, “The myth of eternal return, which is still basic to Oriental life, displays an order of fixed forms that appear and reappear through all time. The daily round of the sun, [...]
Music Makes the World Go Round
When I lived in Asia, I quickly noticed that when I attended karaoke with my local colleagues or friends, certain western songs always seemed to be picked, and some of them were songs I would have never expected to hear. I’d like to give you some of the songs I personally heard and then hear [...]
Levels of Understanding
You decide to take a trip to France. You choose a package tour, spend time with your fellow countrymen, see all the sites, come home. Your fondest memories were of your fellow travelers and the Eiffel Tower. The food isn’t too good and you get up at 6 AM most days to spend hours per [...]
