Dive into the archives.
- The So-Called Rule of Law in Russia
Some truly flawless logic is coming out of the Russian judiciary with regards to the appropriateness of sexual harrassment in the 21st century:
A Russian advertising executive who sued her boss for sexual harassment lost her case after a judge ruled that employers were obliged to make passes at female staff to ensure the survival of [...]
- Seeing some hope in all the anarchy
Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.
- Uigher Terrorism’s Rapid Rise
In late July, bombs exploded on buses in Kunming and Shanghai, killing two and injuring a dozen people. Chinese authorities initially denied the claims of Commander Seyfullah of the Turkestan Islamic Party, which claimed responsibility for the bus bombings. In one respect it does seem far-fetched—while there is a noticeable Uigher presence in [...]
- “Uni Muki” — How to prepare a sea urchin
In previous posts I’ve covered how a squid is prepared for consumption in Japan (unfortunately now eaten in one of our site updates), and showed the consumption of a fish’s heart still beating. During a recent trip to Rebun Island, the northernmost island in Japan after Hokkaido, I had a chance to break open [...]
- The Economist Still Opposes the Beijing Olympics
From John Micklethwait, Editor in Chief of The Economist:
In 2001 The Economist argued against the Olympic games being given to China, making unkind comparisons to the event in Berlin in 1936. Now that the games are about to begin, many people, not least in China, say we were wrong: the Olympics have helped the world’s [...]
- China as an Island
From strange maps comes this, well, strange map:
China has land borders with 14 other countries, but its best to think of “China Proper” as an island. Over a billion people live in the agriculture heartland shown in the map above. The Han people who life in this are speak Mandarin and are the [...]
- No Terrorism in Dubai? Just you wait.
Dubai has emerged as a global finance powerhouse, also serving as a tourist center and travel hub between Europe and Asia. The growth is real—presently, 25% of the world’s construction cranes (30,000) are operating in Dubai. Dubai is multicultural, with 85% of its population of 2 million being foreign, and regularly hosting international [...]
- Westward to Cipangu
From strange maps comes this map of the Atlantic Ocean and its surroundings, authored by Florentine mathematician and astronomer Paolo dal Pozzo Toscanelli in the 15th century.
Toscanelli was no explorer, but he proposed to the Portuguese king that he send an expedition to sail west as a shortcut to reach the fabled Spice Islands. [...]
- Food Crisis Global Review, Part 2: Export Controls
Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture has come out with a map, published recently in the Nikkei Shinbun, on the growing numbers of countries implementing food export prohibitions and tarrifs on exports.
- Sacrilege against Bacon
In January 1832, British diplomat Alexander Burnes set out from India for Afghanistan to make diplomatic overtures towards the Amir of Kabul.
Going native was the watchword for Burnes, who also had skills as a keen Central Asian linguist. He shaved his head and dyed his blonde beard black, wore native dress, and did not [...]
