Gillian looking like the horse-faced women in my family, although as my wife is quick to add, "better looking."
Veep S03 E01 to E10
Enjoy it but it probably doesn't fly in flyover country ... too snide, too cynical, too smart.
Click on image to view all screenshots from the season.
Veep S02 E01 to E10
Started slowly but then got up to speed ... loved the Zuckerberg parody ... oops, Zuckerberg was season three, that's what I get for binge-watching both season two and three in a row.
Click on the image to scroll through all the screenshots.
Dragonvale -- Lodestone Dragon
Ash + Magnetic
ETF Trading Portfolio Update -- December 1, 2014
Brutal one-week whipsaws in DUG and ERY ... interestingly, SCO has never even come close to reversing.
Links for 2014 11 28
HONG KONG BANKS CUT YUAN DEPOSIT RATES AS STOCK CONNECT DISAPPOINTS
China's Industrial and Commercial Bank (ICBC) signed a pact with the Los Angeles city government to promote
cross-border yuan trade and set up an offshore renminbi centre in California, the bank said on Saturday.
China Merchants Bank Hong Kong branch completed its sale of a 2 billion yuan dim sum bond, which was priced at
3.95 percent for the 3-year tranche and 4.05 percent for the 5-year tranche.
The Hong Kong Futures Exchange, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, will launch
three metal mini-futures denominated in the yuan on Dec 1. The contract size for aluminium, zinc and copper futures
will be 5 tonnes.
BNP Paribas (China) announced on Wednesday that it had further expanded its presence in the Shanghai Free Trade
Zone with the opening of a new branch.
✭
CHOPPY VIDEO? "pretty confrontng moment" ... IS THAT AN AUSTRALIANISM?
✭
Beijing Restos To Visit (Again) -- not reviewed
brick & wood
okra
jing ya tang
yotsuba
mercante
huang ting (peninsula set lunch)
starfish
the rug
vin vi
mare
chef too
cru steakhouse (marriott)
the pho laboratory
phonominal
man fu lou
...
✭
The Olympic Impact: The Reform Fantasy
By James Mann
979 words
5 August 2008
The Wall Street Journal Asia
For decades, as the Chinese economy has advanced, Western presidents and prime ministers have been putting forward one ve...
✭
The rich scent of freedom | The Economist
"An unsettling possibility for America is that China could grow richer and yet remain authoritarian. In his book, “The China Fantasy: Why Capitalism Will Not Bring Democracy to China”, James Mann, an American journalist, argues that his countrymen like to believe they are changing China and that the Chinese are becoming Americanised. “These assumptions have never been borne out in the past,” he writes. American political debate tends to concentrate on two scenarios: the gradual liberalisation of China and, occasionally, the possibility of political upheaval there. A third, highly plausible scenario—that there will be no real political change—is also worth considering, says Mr Mann. American officials have often said that their country’s trade and engagement with China would help to change it politically, but they may have been mistaken.
Unchanged, and yet changing
Mr Mann may have understated the extent of recent changes in China. Its political institutions and its treatment of organised opposition to the party remain unaltered. But property rights, which hardly existed in China until the 1990s, have widely taken hold. Citizens protest against forced evictions from their homes to make way for development. A new army of private lawyers take on the state in court (and usually lose, but at least they try). The middle class, armed with the internet (users of which remain a step ahead of censors), demands, and sometimes gets, redress for abuses of power by local governments."
✭
"Yet one needs to be cautious not to overestimate China's ability to fulfill its potential. Anyone who believes otherwise would benefit from reading James Mann's "The China Fantasy" and Minxin Pei's "China's Trapped Transition." They might be wrong in their predictions, but I find them convincing."
✭
"The sceptics, anchored by polemics such as James Mann's The China Fantasy, look at Singapore and Russia. They see cosy ties between business and government and a bought-off bourgeoisie whose memories of hunger and fear of both chaos and the government keep them in line. No liberalisation is on the horizon. Life is better than ever, so why rock the boat?"
✭
China won't bow down - Los Angeles Times
In "The China Fantasy: How Our Leaders Explain Away Chinese Repression," James Mann also scorns the Washington think tanks (one of which he works for).
But he hints that free trade advocates who pushed for China's admission to the World Trade Organization in 2000 misled the public.
"Across the United States, factories have closed and millions of Americans have been put out of work as the result of our decision to keep our markets open to Chinese goods. Meanwhile, the American people have been informed repeatedly that the reasons for our policy were not merely economic -- helping American companies that do business with or in China -- but political. Free trade was going to lead to political liberalization," he writes.
A former columnist and Beijing correspondent for The Times, Mann says it's too late to undo what was done.
"We need to stop assuming that we are going to integrate China into an American-led community," says Mann. But that doesn't mean that the United States has to quietly accept China's system of government.
"The United States ought to take a strong and forthright stand on human rights," says Mann.
✭
The Media Kowtow | The Weekly Standard
"James Mann, the Los Angeles Times’s former Beijing bureau chief, was so bothered by this state of affairs that a few years ago he wrote The China Fantasy: How Our Leaders Explain Away Chinese Repression. The book is a taxonomy of all the transparently misleading buzz words, tropes, and justifications that brought us to the point where we “assume repression as a baseline,” says Mann. The argument is skillfully presented and damning, which perhaps explains its lack of impact. The book has, however, made navigating the sidewalks of Washington, D.C., a little easier for Mann. “There are now people that cross the street when they see me,” he says."
✭
Search Engine ART PINE Art Pine 833 words 8 February 2010
For years, U.S. policymakers have generally left human rights issues on the back burner in dealing with China. The rationale has been that Beijing's autocrats eventually would become more democratic o...
✭
A special report on China: Rising power, anxious state | The Economist
China is likely to disappoint those who believed that the country’s embrace of globalisation would usher in greater political freedoms over the next few years. James Mann, an American journalist, gave warning of this in a 2007 book, "The China Fantasy: Why Capitalism Will Not Bring Democracy to China", suggesting that a quarter of a century from now China’s "current system of modernised, business-supported repression could well be vastly more established and entrenched". A lot can happen in 25 years, but the line-up for next year’s change of leadership does not give cause for optimism.
✭
U.S.-CHINA ECONOMIC AND SECURITY REVIEW COMMISSION FORMUM ENTITLED "CHINA'S INTERNAL DILEMMAS," ROUNDTABLE
FEBRUARY 25, 2011
SPEAKERS: ELIZABETH ECONOMY, C.V. STARR SENIOR FELLOW AND DIRECTOR FO...
✭
The day's keynote speaker is Ambassador Richard Solomon, president of the United States Institute of Peace and former assistant secretary of state for East Asia. He will be interviewed by James Mann, author of "Rise of the Vulcans" and "The China Fantasy."
✭
Candidates Debate Rise of China; China Debates Reform
Bill Bishop
By BILL BISHOP
863 words
22 October 2012
NYT Blogs
"In his 2007 book"The China Fantasy" (Viking), James Mann criticized the argument that trade and engagement would bring l...
✭
In China, Weighing Economic and Political Freedoms
"In 2007, James Mann wrote “The China Fantasy,” a short book arguing that Western elites had misrepresented the benefits of engagement with China, and that prosperity and capitalism would not necessarily bring democracy to the country. Mr. Mann asked:
“What if China manages to continue on its current economic path, yet its political system does not change in any fundamental way? What if, twenty-five or thirty years from now, a wealthier, more powerful China continues to be run by a one-party regime that still represses organized political dissent much as it does today, while at the same time China is also open to the outside world and, indeed, is deeply intertwined with the rest of the world through trade, investment and other economic ties? Everyone assumes that the Chinese political system is going to open up — but what if it doesn’t? What if, in other words, China becomes fully integrated into the world’s economy, yet it remains also entirely undemocratic?”
That is the question many may now be focused on. As much as we in the West would like to assume that more prosperity will make China “more like us,” is there actually solid evidence to support that belief?
"
✭
China's 'political status quo' to continue despite economic rise: U.S. expert - Yahoo News India
"Over the last six years, I have been impressed by Chinese middle class concerns in three areas. The first is pollution and air quality, which is really bad. The second is food quality, or product quality. Even basic milk is tainted in China, and people are importing milk from Hong Kong and overseas because they cannot trust anything they buy. The third is internet censorship, which is viewed as a daily annoyance and insult for middle class people," Prof. Mann opined.
✭
“The main, single, ferocious idea of the party is that there is not going to be a Chinese Gorbachev,” said James Mann, author of “The China Fantasy,” a book that aims to explode the assumption that economic progress inexorably leads to democracy.
“They are committed to a collective leadership, where nobody can get too far out in front of the others,” he said. “They are not open to restraints on the power of the party.” There was no reason to think Xi wanted to relax the party’s hold on power, Mann added. “And if he did, he wouldn’t be allowed to.”
✭
China’s road to democracy blocked by rulers | Boston Herald
LOCKED UP ... QUOTES MANN
✭
Communist China: Facing up to modern Mao - The Globe and Mail
“Countries generally seem to feel that they can't just say this is a big, tough, nasty government, but we have to deal with it," said James Mann, the author of The China Fantasy, which respected China watcher Bill Bishop has called “the most important and prescient American book on China of the 21st century."
RESPECTED CHINA WATCHER, EH?
✭
Capitalism Is Making China Richer, But Not Democratic : Parallels : NPR
TRANSCRIPT
✭
Capitalism Is Making China Richer, But Not Democratic : Parallels : NPR
MANN GETTING SOME LOVE
✭
Amazon.com: MindWare KEVA Contraptions: Toys & Games
"And an 18 page idea book with project photos and quick start instructions"
ALREADY HAVE LOTS OF KEVA PLANKS ... JUST NEED THE IDEA BOOK ;-)
✭
Amazon.com: Tenzi Game dice color may vary .: Toys & Games
"I saw these hanging around a toy store full of overpriced "education" and "creative" toys."
WHY HAVEN'T I HEARD OF THIS BEFORE?
✭
ARDBEG FOR BLOG POST
✭
Ernie Button » Vanishing Spirits – The Dried Remains of Single Malt Scotch
BUT IS IT CAPITAL A.R.T. ART?
✭
Mother Of 4 Wakes Up Early To Make Creative Breakfasts For Her Kids | Bored Panda
JAPANESE MOM OF COURSE ... BORED AND FRUSTRATED AT HOME BUT NOT WATCHING THE SOAPS
✭
Can you steal the best pricing techniques from restaurants?
"Take Off That Dollar Sign from Your Prices"
"Add An Expensive Steak To Your Proposal"
"Do Not Underestimate Your Customers" i.e., NEVER ROUND YOUR PRICES
✭
HOW MANY HAS HE DONE?
✭
✭
✭
Animalium (Welcome to the Museum): Jenny Broom, Katie Scott: 9780763675080: Amazon.com: Books
✭
NICE IDEAS
✭
Forgotify | Discover a previously unheard Spotify track
"4 million songs on Spotify have never been played.
Not even once. Let’s change that."
SURPRISED IT'S NOT 40 MILLION
✭
New Works by Brock Davis | iGNANT.de
LOVE IT BUT IS IT CAPITAL A.R.T. ART?
Links for 2014 11 27
The Gender Pay Gap Revealed in Tech; Glassdoor Report | Glassdoor Blog
NOT AS BIG AS YOU'D THINK
✭
THX TOM
✭
Officer Darren Wilson's story is unbelievable. Literally. - Vox
WE KNOW KID WAS UNARMED, THAT'S ALL
✭
PUBLIC FORUM
✭
The Astonishing Rise of Angela Merkel
FRAU NEIN
✭
UNTIL MB AND HIS FAMILY HAS JUSTICE OR HAVE JUSTICE?
✭
HOW MANY SHOTS IN THE BACK? THIS IS A KEY QUESTION ... DID THE FEDS CONDUCT A SEPARATE AUTOPSY?
✭
HELPFULLY COMPETENT
✭
STATS NERDS
✭
A Rape on Campus: A Brutal Assault and Struggle for Justice at UVA | Rolling Stone
"Jackie was just starting her freshman year at the University of Virginia when she was brutally assaulted by seven men at a frat party."
INCREDIBLY COMMON, I'M SURE, NUMBER OF DATE RAPES I KNEW ABOUT WAS STAGGERING
✭
✭
Berkshire Hathaway
Wells Fargo & Company
Visa Inc
Walt Disney Company
Pepsico Inc
Abbvie Inc. Common Stock
Mastercard Inc
Unitedhealth Group Inc
Celgene Corp
Honeywell International Inc
Medtronic Inc
Actavis Inc
Costco Wholesale Corp
Express Scripts
Covidien Plc.
American Tower Corp
Ace Limited
Liberty Global
Liberty Global
Stryker Corp
Kinder Morgan Energy Partners L.P.
Cardinal Health
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.
Equity Residential
Becton Dickinson and Company
The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc
Avago Technologies
Mylan Inc
Avalonbay Communities
Amerisourcebergen Corp
Reed Elsevier Plc
Nxp Semiconductors N.V.
Fidelity National Information Services
Reed Elsevier Nv
SBA Communications Corp
Kinder Morgan Management Llc
Edwards Lifesciences Corp
Credicorp Ltd
Lam Research Corp
Carefusion Corp
Henry Schein
Hanesbrands Inc
Tim Hortons Inc
Hospira Inc
Pall Corp
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd
Equifax Inc
Varian Medical Systems
Palo Alto Networks Inc
Medivation Inc
Sensata Technologies Holding N.V.
Coty Inc
Extra Space Storage Inc
Sei Investments Company
Ingredion Inc
Leggett & Platt Inc
Partnerre Ltd
Keysight Technologies Inc. Comm
Hain Celestial Group
Teleflex Inc
Michaels Companies Inc.
Graco Inc
SS&C Technologies Holdings
Erie Indemnity Company
Swift Transportation Company
Teledyne Technologies Inc
Verint Systems Inc
Validus Holdings
Paramount Group Inc.
Brinker International
First American Corp
Agios Pharmaceuticals Inc
Catalent Inc.
Post Properties
Euronet Worldwide
Cavium Inc
Liberty Broadband Corporation
Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc
Bank of The Ozarks
La Quinta Holdings Inc.
J2 Global Communications Inc
Knight Transportation
Endurance Specialty Holdings Ltd
Epam Systems Inc
Impax Laboratories
Dupont Fabros Technology
Caci International
J & J Snack Foods
Platinum Underwriters Holdings Ltd
Monolithic Power Systems
Cantel Medical
Examworks Group
Ambarella Inc
Fidelity & Guaranty
Hollysys Automation Technologies
Paycom Software Inc.
Dplo
Anacor Pharmaceuticals
Liberty Broadband Corporation
Abaxis Inc
Inc Research Holdings Inc.
Sunoco L.P.
Rentrak Corp
Cato Corp
Hawaiian Holdings
Sage Therapeutics Inc.
Fcb Financial Holdings Inc.
Avalanche Biotechnologies Inc.
Omeros Corp
Performance Sports Group Ltd.
Civitas Solutions Inc.
Ovascience Inc
Boot Barn Holdings Inc.
Jth Holding Inc
IGI Laboratories
Zafgen Inc.
Ardelyx Inc.
Global Telcom & Technology Inc
US Concrete
Re/Max Holdings Inc
Covenant Transportation Group
Vitae Pharmaceuticals Inc
Vectrus Inc. Common Stock
Triumph Bancorp Inc.
Allied Motion Technologies
Affimed Therapeutics B.V.
Flanigan's Enterprises
✭
Twitter Starting to Track List of Users’ Apps on Mobile Devices bloom.bg/15Akhn1
✭
Churning and Burning: The Day I Lost a Sh*t-ton of Money, Part I
✭
The Few, the Rich: Chinese Who Like Uncle Sam atfp.co/1229FL7
✭
the United States is the go-to immigration destination for Chinese millionaires, who cite children's education, fear of environmental pollution, and food safety issues as the primary motivations for leaving China.
The Magnetic Fields' Channel
First 50+ tracks generated by the Pandora algo. Now you can easily make a playlist on Spotify.
- The Magnetic Fields -- Strange Powers
- The Cure -- Just Like Heaven
- The 6ths -- Aging Spinsters
- The Velvet Underground -- Pale Blue Eyes
- The Magnetic Fields -- Josephine
- The Knifes -- Heartbeats (Live)
- She & Him -- Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?
- Pixies -- Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf)
- The Magnetic Fields -- When You're Old And Lonely
- The Blow -- True Affection
- Belle & Sebastian -- The State I Am In
- The Cure -- In Between Days
- The Magentic Fields -- Lovers From The Moon
- Camera Obscura -- Keep It Clean
- Fugazi -- I'm So Tired
- The Cure -- Boys Don't Cry
- Peter Bjorn and John -- Young Folks
- Elliott Smith -- Say Yes
- The Postal Service -- Nothing Better
- Echo & The Bunnymen -- The Killing Moon
- David Bowie -- Starman (BBC Radio Version)
- Elliott Smith -- Ballad Of Big Nothing
- The Blow -- Parentheses
- Belle & Sebastian -- The Boy With An Arab Strap
- Pavement -- Here
- The xx -- Intro
- Yo La Tengo -- Stockholm Syndrome
- Wilco -- Heavy Metal Drummer
- Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros -- Home
- Camera Obscura -- Roman Holiday
- When In Rome -- The Promise
- Belle & Sebastian -- Stay Loose
- The Dodos -- Winter
- Beirut -- Rhineland (Heartland)
- The Freelies -- Let's Go
- New Order -- Love Vigilantes
- The Magnetic Fields -- I Don't Want To Get Over You
- Modern English -- I Melt With You
- Belle & Sebastian -- Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying
- The Smiths -- Panic
- The Magnetic Fields -- My Only Friend
- Belle & Sebastian -- Winter Wookskie
- The Knife -- Heartbeats
- STRFKR -- Rawnald Gregory Erickson The Second
- The Magnetic Fields -- The Flowers She Sent & The Flowers She Said She Sent
- The Smiths -- The Headmaster Ritual
- Beirut -- Elephant Gun
- Belle & Sebastian -- Judy And The Dream Of Horses
- Mirah -- Sweepstakes Prize
- Neutral Milk Hotel -- Communist Daughter
- ....
- Lou Reed & The Velvet Underground -- Sunday Morning
- Stars -- Sleep Tonight (Junior Boys Remix)
- The Shins -- Gone For Good (Alternate Version)
- Beirut -- My Night With The Prostitute From Marseille
- Johnyoko & Lali Puna -- Papa Was A Rodeo
SquareSpace Doesn't Play Well With Old Browsers
@maoxian We optimise our platform for the latest releases of each browser so using an older version can cause errors.
This means I can't update the blog from the office computer since I can't update Chrome on the office computer (a miracle I got it installed in the first place without admin rights).
ETF Trading Portfolio Update -- November 24, 2014
More reversals, more money lost. That October plunge and massive rebound really messed with Fuzzy's head.