Thursday Open Thread 6-14-2018
Morning - I will not be checking in until late evening. Aspects of modern China will be today's subject.
Pepe Esobar article from last November Xi’s road map to the Chinese Dream lays out the near future.
All the milestones for China in the immediate future have been set.“Moderately prosperous society” by 2020.
Basically modernized nation by 2035.
Rich and powerful socialist nation by 2050.
...
Xi emphasized, “the dreams of the Chinese people and those of other peoples around the world are closely linked. The realization of the Chinese dream will not be possible without a peaceful international environment and a stable international order.”
...
It’s easy to forget that BRI, an unparalleled multinational connectivity drive set to economically link all points Asia to Europe and Africa, was announced only three years ago, in Astana (Central Asia) and Jakarta (Southeast Asia).
One of the perspectives I keep in mind is Europe's goal for efficient trade with China resulted in the discovery of the Americas. Much of the plundered wealth of the Americas was used to purchase goods from China and shipped to Europe. United States is not essential for
trade.
Ma Yansong, one of China's innovative architects, thoughts on buildings and communities.
I think modern architecture and industrial civilization treat buildings as if they’re products, as if buildings and nature are two separate entities. But when you look at traditional Eastern cultures, they talk about nature in very different ways. In a traditional Japanese or Chinese garden, it’s not only about the building or temple but about the whole setup — the structure, the landscape, the light, the plants, the water. The whole experience that makes your life there so beautiful. That’s what we need now. We talk about function and economics too much. The building becomes too limited.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEm1Ia4j_6E]
Other buildings and designs by MAD architects
Farm Report
Tis the season for watering. Water irises growing in the runover at the headgate.
Camera batteries are low but had to capture a picture of the water skippers.
Comments
good morning
Hope you have a good day soe. Thanks for the OT.
We had a nice half inch rain yesterday. It helped to restore the cisterns with which we irrigate the garden.
As China prospers they are building their own consumer base and no longer will need our market. At that point they can use all their US assets to crush our economy. The question in this change of empires is can it be done economically rather than militarily. I hope so.
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/the-end-of-empire/
All the best to all of you...
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
@Lookout That's assuming we still
That's assuming we still have an economy worth crushing by the time all that develops. American-born oligarchs are doing a fine job of crushing our economy all by themselves--well, I guess they do get some help from Britain, Israel, and Saudi Arabia.
One night only! It's Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States, performing from their hit album Wag the Dog and their international hit single "Who Needs Water?"
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
Good mornng, SOE, or good evening as it will be later. Watering
season it is and our recycled water is pretty much exhausted, but our automated system is at least all squared away for when we take trips. Doing some serous pruning of come of the "ornamental" or purely for habitat plants now on the theory that it will reduce transpiration and hence reduce water needs. Also, to keep them under control. Also trying to battle bugs to keep the edibles happy.
China has a great vision for the near future and some fellow travelers. Not sure how much all of Eurasia is ready to buy in, because western Europe is still intellectually and culturally crippled by its tribal and colonial past, and its close association for the last century or so with the US. The US, of course, is not living in the real world and never has. We have a completely myth based culture, society and economic system, and for most, no real knowledge of history, neither the broad sweeps and ebb and flow, nor the reality of any of the details.
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 --
Morning SOE
Thanks for the open thread and here's to another great day.
Taking my first day off from Judo today in over a month. Unfortunately I had plans tonight to go see a film, and honestly I feel guilty. I know of course, that's just my mind not accepting that I can stop something for a period of time (Even for ONE goddamn night) and then continue.
That seems to be a constant push in American society. The idea of specializing in a task and being able to "Support" oneself in that task. You don't learn an instrument to enjoy it, you learn it to make money and be loved. You don't just do Judo because you love it and it's fun, you do it because you HAVE to lose weight and protect your family. You don't just buy a gun to go hunting and store away when not in use, the gun becomes your entire life, and if anyone speaks ill of the gun they are to be punished...
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbGVIdA3dx0]
I do not pretend I know what I do not know.
Heya, detroit, just remember, life first, guilt later. Enjoy
the film, and enjoy enjoying the film, and maybe even enjoy the judo free day. Everybody's body needs a rest day now and then, as do our minds and psyches.
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 --
Hey, SoE
If China were going full-bore past petroleum and coal, rather than partially tarrying there in an all-of-the-above energy strategy kind of way, I'd actually have some hope that they might save human civilization.
A case could be made that they invented it, so it would be sensible for them to save it.
Of course, that case depends on things like writing, literacy, and cities, but you get my drift.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
we're beyond saving I'm afraid
...but China is leading the way in renewable energy
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/06/china-green-energy-superpower-cha...
and also in desert reclamation
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jan/04/china-desertification
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Official recognition for new turtle species in Puerto Vallarta
so happy
Vallarta mud turtle was first discovered 20 years ago
Kinosternon vogti
that was fast
I thought it was good news before it was bad news, shit I can't even keep up with the speed of evolution nowadays. shakes fist at sky
PEACE
It seems like China is on a positive path
The rail connecting China to Europe especially. I wonder how much of it is already completed?
My farm report. Done pulling onions. They have been laid out curing, and now it is time to tie them up. Brought in 6 butternut squash today. One Cherokee Purple tomato = one of only two big tomatoes in the entire garden. I planted about 150 tomato plants! Went from too cool to really hot in a couple of weeks here. Trying to keep some tomato plants alive for fall. Just have to keep killing those squash bugs and watering a bit. Have some cucuzza squash plants started from seeds I saved. No squashes. Odd, but I only see male flowers and no female flowers. Maybe my plants from last year were hybrids?
Have a great day everyone!
Marilyn
"Make dirt, not war." eyo
Post a Peace Chant and wait for some good news to pop up
Here we go: Japanese PM plans to hold summit with North Korean leader
I personally think that's a BFD, a b-bigly one, but let's not call Trump a diplomat. June 10th was my dad's bday, and he committed war crimes for the US Navy in the Sea of Japan off the Korean peninsula in the 1940s. He wants peace and I want peace, and now they want peace. wtf everyone wants a peace
omg popcorn
more peace
good news
And thanks for the Jimmy/Kellie transcription too.
Marilyn
"Make dirt, not war." eyo
Your kind offering helped me so much
thanks, I downloaded the files and looped the mp3 when you posted 'cause I need a lot of peace right now, the c99 kind. Need peace in my heart.
That day was hard, my bike got a flat I can't afford to fix, and then I saw Magenta being loaded in to an ambulance as I was walking back from the cash machine at the other end of town. She can't breath, she can't eat, she is suicidal. They will turn her out as soon as possible because "That's the system". It is violent on the poor and disabled, the seniors, especially granny in the ditch. Present day future dystopia.
Cheers Marilyn, glad you liked the Nellie McKay transcript. Goes around comes around. heh
Peace & Love