Welcome to Saturday's Potluck

Republic of China is in the headlines again this week. Jeff Bezo's publication The Washington Post How did Taiwan become embroiled in Haiti’s political crisis?

A group of people in full military gear broke into Taiwan’s embassy in Haiti on Thursday morning, following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, Taiwanese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou said Friday. Haitian police arrested 11 armed suspects, described as “mercenaries” by Taipei.

The United States has been providing support to the Republic of China since the Franklin Delano Roosevelt administration. We have provided money, mercenaries, military and intelligent services to support the Republic of China and its leaders for nearly 90 years. Interwoven in the US relationship with China is the fortunes made in the trade of opium.

From this promotional piece at Zerohedge Taiwan Is A Great Country they would like more support.

In 1895, China ceded Taiwan to Japan after the Treaty of Shimonoseki, to which Taiwan would become a Japanese colony until 1945. After Japan lost World War II the United States gave Taiwan to the Kuomintang, which was the nationalist faction in the still ongoing Chinese Civil War. After being defeated by the Communist faction that went on to control China, the Kuomintang set up a military dictatorship in Taiwan in 1949 where it would use the name Republic of China as its official name but also be referred to as Taiwan. At the time, its leaders had ambitions of retaking the mainland. After this dream faded from reality, and after decades of activism, Taiwan eventually held its first elections and liberalized into the free country it is today. While all this was happening the people of Taiwan began to form their own national identity, to the point that the overwhelming majority of its residents, as well as members of its diaspora, identify themselves as Taiwanese.

In short, Taiwan can certainly be considered part of the Chinese civilization, much like Canada and the United States are part of the Anglosphere, if not less connected than that, but such affiliations warrant no political obligations. It has also never been controlled by the current Chinese regime: the People’s Republic of China. Taiwan is a beautiful island country with an interesting history, it’s really not that complicated.
What Can The US Do to Help Taiwan?

The incident with John Cena was the most recent of a long campaign that involves pressuring Western companies and individuals to erase Taiwan’s identity. Organizations like the World Health Organization and the International Monetary Fund do not keep information on Taiwan at all. In particular, the WHO has consistently rejected requests for Taiwan even though it had an excellent performance with containing the virus. On top of that, the WHO Facebook Messenger app that gives updates on a country’s Covid statistics when asked displays an error message when Taiwan is inputted. American companies have also been pressured to stop calling Taiwan a country for years.

What the United States can do is first continue normalizing relations with Taiwan diplomatically and continue bringing up Taiwan in international conversations. Furthermore, trade relations should be expanded with a free trade agreement, which will not only allow Taiwan to reduce its dependence on Chinese trade but is also mutually beneficial. Finally, the United States should continue to maintain, if not expand, its military support of Taiwan. This includes approving bigger and more comprehensive arms deals as well as strengthening strategic ties with other key players in the Asia Pacific to ensure the Chinese military can be contained.

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2015 Meet the Author - James Bradley - “The China Mirage” - Full Version (65 min)
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgRJm-tF6Qo]

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Secret Meeting of Media Kingpins Is Happening This Week (8 min)
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ1kbam7vlk]

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What is on your mind today?

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enhydra lutris's picture

After Japan lost World War II the United States gave Taiwan to the Kuomintang,

Vastly exceeding the authorities given to an occupying power, ergo illegitimate, FWIW. We however, constantly do that kind of shit, so it must be an exceptional authority for exceptional countries.

displays an error message when Taiwan is inputted

Ouch, "proper" conjugation of input, like "put" itself from whence it is derived, takes 2 forms, input and inputting, and possibly inputs might slip in there, though I'm not sure how. I input, you input, we input, they input, I will input, I have input, he she it has input, Bruce had input, ad infinitum. Golfers, using their least club may be said to have putted, but nobody ever putted a plate on a table, they put it there, and nobody properly inputted a column of data either. /rant

Where was I? Intermittent internet yesterday evening, all last night and this morning. That's what happens when your ISP is a cable company, internet delivery is their lowest priority (flogging pay per view special events is first, pay per view movies second, and then premium channels and all like that). Alas, but ah well. Probably didn't need it but I did miss Janis' photo column which I had actually made a note to myself to be sure to check out.

Cooking and eating outside now. It's amazing what you can do with a grill and an Instant Pot. Also have a one-burner propane from camping days that I can drag out. Wink

be well and have a good one.

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6 users have voted.

That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

mimi's picture

@enhydra lutris
and last but not least you put me on. The heat puts any brain to melt.

Sigh. Sorry. It's too hot here too. I am so done with hot and cool stuff. Be well. Can you go underground? It's supposedly cool there. Wink

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enhydra lutris's picture

@mimi

but I'm getting by ok.

be well and have a good one.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

studentofearth's picture

@enhydra lutris to keeping the house cool in the summer and a little warmer in the winter. The heat wave has moved south (your direction), so fortunately the cool nights can be utilized to cool the buildings interiors down.

Hopefully you have had a chance to view Janis' photo column there were some great photos.
Well internet connection probs just delayed this an hour. Mine is from provided by the telephone company. Wonder what is going on today?

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

enhydra lutris's picture

@studentofearth @studentofearth @studentofearth

comments, but didn't contribute except to congratulate Janis on that opening beauty she put up there.

edited to put an 'o' in 'mornng'

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Lookout's picture

My sister is currently teaching in Taiwan. They go to school a lot more than in the US. Might be why they are a leading chip manufacturer and we are not. I know Japan trains 6 engineers for every lawyer while we train something like 10 lawyers for every engineer. I bet the same is true in Taiwan. There's many reasons we don't manufacture anything in the US.

Hope y'all have cooled down a bit. Be well!

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

studentofearth's picture

@Lookout based on the amount of government subsidy to start a plant and when subsidies end many close.

Strategically is was a smart move for Taiwan government to develop its chip fabrication as United States reduced manufacturing. They became essential to the continuing success of segments of our country. This article was published about a year ago. US tech giants exposed if China takes Taiwan

Much has been written about a possible Chinese takeover of Taiwan, the threat such an invasion would pose to other regional countries and what the United States might or might not do in response.

Books and articles have expounded on the political, military and geostrategic aspects of the problem, with intriguing maps of the first and second island chains blocking China’s access to the Pacific Ocean.

But these analyses about Taiwan’s fate often ignore one of the most worrying aspects of the problem: American reliance on Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturing.
...
“Even an unsuccessful invasion of Taiwan would cause a supply chain disruption.”

Phoenix is getting a new fabrication plant for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Founder Morris Chang has been expressing concern about competence of American manufacturing.

At a forum hosted by Taiwanese media outlets, Chang hailed the workhorse mentality of the Taiwanese working class, as well as the island’s deep pool of high-caliber, industrious talent devoted to the chip sector.
...
At the same time, Chang pointed to an apparent comparative lack of talent in America’s mostly moribund manufacturing sector.

“The United States stood out for cheap land and electricity when TSMC looked for an overseas site but we had to try hard to scout out competent technicians and workers in Arizona because manufacturing jobs have not been popular among American people for decades,” Chang said, according to a transcript of his speech viewed by Asia Times.
...
He said products made in the US would still be saddled with higher costs, even after federal and state governments had each chipped in with hefty investments and subsidies to make the Phoenix project possible.

The lives of those living on Taiwan and the surrounding area do not seem as important as inflicting harm onto mainland China.

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

Azazello's picture

@studentofearth @studentofearth
Intel lost its lead when they put finance people in charge instead of engineers, like Boeing. They stopped investing in new fabs and used their money for stock buybacks instead.
How Intel Financialized and Lost Leadership in Semiconductor Fabrication

Why has Intel fallen behind TSMC and SEC in semiconductor fabrication, and why is it unlikely to catch up? The problem is that Intel is engaged in two types of competition, one with companies like TSMC and SEC in cutting-edge fabrication technology and the other within Intel itself between innovation and financialization. The Asian companies have governance structures that vaccinate them from an economic virus known as “maximizing shareholder value” (MSV).[16] Intel caught the virus over two decades ago. As we shall see, with the sudden appointment of Gelsinger as CEO this past winter, Intel sent out a weak signal that it recognizes that it has the disease.

Like TSMC, Intel is also building new plant in the Phoenix area. They're investing $20B to expand their existing facility in Chandler.

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We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.

studentofearth's picture

@Azazello use of stock buyback were fundamentally different and created opportunities for better control of their future.

The purpose of SEC’s stock buybacks in 2002-2007 and 2014-2018 was to increase the voting power of the founding Lee family, thereby consolidating its strategic control over resource allocation against the threat of corporate raiders.[17] It is clear from SEC’s remarkable history that the Lee family has used its strategic control to allocate profits to investments in world-class productive capabilities. So too at TSMC under the leadership of Morris Chang. At 50% of net income over the past decade, TSMC’s dividend payout ratio was 2.8 times that of SEC and 1.4 times that of Intel. The sole purpose of TSMC’s stock repurchases between 2003 and 2008 was to buy out the ownership stake of Philips.[18]

Innovation requires a social condition we call financial commitment to sustain technological transformation and market access until the generation of a higher-quality, lower-cost product can result in financial returns.

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

@Azazello
For more buybacks I suppose. AMD started as a chip manufacturer in Idaho. Seem to have gone downhill (not financially( after moving to California.
San Diego? Whell, who wouldn't rather live in San Diego than a suburb of Boise? (Nampa IIRC).

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I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.

Sima's picture

@The Voice In the Wilderness Hmm, naw. I was there in a way, a kid with family involved in the foundation of AMD. The company started in Santa Clara, CA and then moved to Sunnyvale, CA. All in Silicon Valley. Haven't been involved in the company, or Silicon Valley, since the late 1980's/early 1990's, so, I have no idea what it's doing now, really. Just that I often use their chips in my computers out of some, admittedly weird, loyalty.

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If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

Raggedy Ann's picture

I was troubled by the term "anglosphere." Never heard it before. Don't like it.

Enjoy your day! Pleasantry

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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

studentofearth's picture

@Raggedy Ann concept has moved from strategic thinkers (oxymoron?) discussing points of view regarding potential organizational structures of world powers to being presented to the general public as the right choice. Britain is now free from its European Union restrictions, post Brexit. The Anglosphere alliances being discussed include most of the British Empire old colonial territory (minus Hong Kong).

In obsessing about the unicorn of a united, pro-American, anti-Chinese European Union - a creature that simply does not exist - a majority of foreign policy thinkers are at risk of wholly neglecting an actually functioning anti-Chinese alliance that exists right under their noses.

The United Kingdom and the major English-speaking dominions of the former British Empire - united by a shared tradition of English common law and the individual political and economic freedoms that flow from it - are easy to overlook. However, allied with the United States, the Anglosphere's institutional and geographical heterogeneity belies a practical geostrategic closeness that Brussels cannot begin to match. The Anglosphere alliance is simply the most important foreign policy reality that no one is talking about.
...
Beyond geostrategy, in terms of intelligence matters, the Anglosphere is already the superpower. The "Five Eyes" amounts to by far the most important intelligence-sharing consortium in the world. The U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand have openly and automatically shared signals intelligence since 1956, in turn targeting the Soviet Union and then global terrorism. Now, with the rise of China, the non-U.S. elements of the Anglosphere once again have found a strategic rationale to tighten their already formidable bonds to the U.S.
...
The Anglosphere's fortunes soon may become even brighter, because of typical Chinese strategic overreach. Already, the Quad in Asia has emerged as the nascent strategic grouping standing up to Chinese adventurism. It is composed of core Anglosphere members - the U.S. and Australia - with honorary Anglosphere member Japan also involved. Vital India, undoubtedly part of the Anglosphere but with a different and more conflictual colonial history and tradition of non-alignment, is the last of the Quad's members.

I agree with you

Don't like it.
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7 users have voted.

Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

enhydra lutris's picture

@Raggedy Ann

white, no habla español, doesn't like spicy food, ... Wink

be well and have a good one

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4 users have voted.

That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Raggedy Ann's picture

@enhydra lutris , which is exactly why I dislike it.

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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

studentofearth's picture

@Raggedy Ann for having German, French, Norwegian and English ethnic background compared to their German and Mexican background. Family potlucks generally included enchiladas, a hot or cold kraut dish, salmon, homemade wine and a Jello molded salad. As time passed the younger generation simply brought deli chicken and salad, plus a few bags of chips, both potato and tortilla.

We all agreed the world is still suffering from colonial alliances and continuing invasions.

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6 users have voted.

Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

Raggedy Ann's picture

@studentofearth
That anglosphere crap continues to divide us - promotes and perpetuates racism. I'm sick of it. I am now refusing to identify my race - I'm American - that's my race but it's not asked. I remember writing in American on my achievement tests in grade school, so I've been on this bandwagon the majority of my life. Race identification perpetuates racism. Period.

I am a human being - that's it. Nothing else should matter. Pleasantry

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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

Pluto's Republic's picture

@Raggedy Ann

...unenlightened humans fight out of greed — and continue to fight to this day. He advised:

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

This is why geopolitics is essential for everyone — to repel the Anglo-inspired, imperialistic menace that has plagued humanity for the past 500 years.

Anglo-Americans can go anywhere in the world and declare, "This country and it's resources are rightfully mine."

And they do.

And it works.

I live in America, but I am indigenous to Europe. That's where my ancestors evolved, physically, into modern humans. Anglos only appeared as a pestilence on the planet after guns were invented. IMO, it's important to study them carefully.

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____________________

The political system is what it is because the People are who they are. — Plato
enhydra lutris's picture

@Raggedy Ann

besides applying the word to a fraction af the land mass it properly describes, truly applies to beings like hummingbirds, the Virginia Opossum, pronghorn, new world vultures, etc.

be well and have a good one

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3 users have voted.

That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Pluto's Republic's picture

They have repeated this endlessly.

This idea is a fever dream of the Neoconservative war mongers in DC, who wish to provoke a war with China and place nuclear weapons inside Taiwan.

Rule: A small independent island that lies adjacent to a superpower nation would need the protection of a rival superpower if they want to work against the interests of their local superpower.

Cuba was such a place when the Soviets came to give them protection against the US.

We saw what happened there.

Cuba and Taiwan can have their independence in a Petri dish — but they cannot involve an enemy/rival superpower as their Protector.

That's a profoundly dumb thought and the naive should stop being tools of the Orcs by thinking it over and over again.

Pattern Recognition should be part of the K-12 mandatory curriculum in public education.

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____________________

The political system is what it is because the People are who they are. — Plato