"YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS ARE AS DAZZLING AS YOUR SUBJECTS"

Monday, February 28, 2011

WEN JIABAO, WEBCASTS, WHISTLES, & WASHOUTS: JASMINE SUNDAY #2


JASMINE 
SUNDAY 
#2 


CHINESE PREMIER  
WEN JIABAO 

(Photographed at Harvard) 
(A Beijing photograph is here

On Sunday, February 27, 2011, Wen Jiabao, "Grandpa Wen," the smiling face of the leadership of the People's Republic of China, went on line in a big way. On the eve of the annual meeting of the National People's Congress, Premier Wen took questions in a special webcast, and made news: Beijing would not push the economy quite so hard; he was mindful that rapid price rises hurt the people

Out on the street, the story was different. For the second Sunday in a row any whiff of jasmine was smothered; any possible protest was washed out -- literally, this time, by street cleaning machines and a water truck -- and whistled away -- by incessant police whistles. 

And journalists -- apparently especially photojournalists and videojournalists -- were harassed and detained and even physically assaulted. 

So there was no protest to speak of or to see -- China was not Tunisia or Egypt -- and the regime seems either prudent or paranoid -- someone in authority still thinking A Single Spark Can Start a Prairie Fire? 

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Saturday, February 26, 2011

WANG DAN TURNS FORTY-TWO

WANG DAN
b. February 26, 1969


ONE OF THE STUDENT LEADERS OF
"TIANANMEN"
SPEAKING AT HARVARD
FIFTEEN YEARS LATER
May 18, 2004

Imprisoned for several years by the authorities in Beijing for his role in the demonstrations in Tiananmen Square. Once had the ambition of being president not of China but of Peking University. Did complete a Harvard Ph.D. in 2008. Now, even though 'the nail that sticks up gets hammered down,' willing to speak out publicly in favor of the Jasmine demonstrations.

Friday, February 25, 2011

WEST LAKE INTERLUDE (HANGZHOU, CHINA)

INTERLUDE
HANGZHOU, CHINA


WEST LAKE, 1981

RESPITE FROM
THE "GARISH DAY"

For a misty early morning photograph of West Lake, 1981, and a note on a brief but interesting encounter, see the posting here.

CHINA THEN & NOW

One of a series

Thursday, February 24, 2011

"AFTER MIDEAST, SHOULD RUSSIA AND CHINA WORRY?": THE QUESTION HAS BEEN RAISED. Part II

A LOOK BACK
AT THE PROTESTS
THAT HELPED BRING DOWN
THE OLD REGIME
IN MOSCOW
II


DEMONSTRATING AGAINST
PRIVILEGES FOR THE SOVIET
NOMENKLATURA
IN MANEZH SQUARE
IN FRONT OF THE KREMLIN
MOSCOW, SUMMER 1990


Wednesday, February 23, 2011

ALEXY II, PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW & ALL RUSSIA, b. February 23, 1929

PATRIARCH
ALEXY II
February 23, 1929-December 5, 2008


ALEXY (ALEXEI) II
THE PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW &
ALL RUSSIA

Patriarch Alexy II, born Alexey Mikhailovich Ridiger in Tallinn, Estonia, became the head of the Russian Orthodox Church on June 10, 1990. He was a prominent public figure in Russia, as seen in this photograph with President Boris Yeltsin, Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov, and other dignitaries at the celebration of Moscow's 850th anniversary in 1997.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

BACK TO THE GREAT HALL AGAIN: THE GREAT HALL OF THE PEOPLE, BEIJING

BACK TO
THE GREAT HALL
OF THE PEOPLE
AGAIN



DELEGATES TO THE
16TH CONGRESS OF THE
CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY
FORM UP TO HAVE THEIR
PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN
IN FRONT OF THE GREAT HALL
OF THE PEOPLE, BEIJING, NOVEMBER 2002

Monday, February 21, 2011

POLICING THE JASMINE: ZHOU YONGKANG WEIGHS IN

POLICING THE 
JASMINE 


ZHOU YONGKANG WEIGHS IN 

Over this past weekend, the ministers and provincial leaders of China were summoned to Beijing for a special "study session"; all nine top leaders (who make up the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party) were in attendance. On Saturday, Hu Jintao, who is General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party as well as president of the People's Republic of China, called for "raising our level of control over virtual society, and perfecting our mechanisms for the channeling of public opinion online.” 

Hu is Number One in the Chinese hierarchy. Sunday, Number Nine made his speech and won his turn in the spotlight. Zhou Yongkang (pictured above) is that Number Nine. Zhou's importance lies in his portfolio: domestic security. He basically called for nipping any potential social unrest problems in the bud. 

As they were preaching, the authorities were already moving to nip in the bud any possible "Jasmine Revolution" inspired by what was going on in the Arab world -- by preventive detentions and preemptive police presence Sunday in the locales specified in Chinese-language tweets. 

Bud nipped: so it would seem. 

Leaving behind an interesting quote or two: This "event," said one (participant observer?), "didn't have much organization, but it's a chance to meet each other. It's like preparing for the future." 
 

Sunday, February 20, 2011

MOURNING BECOMES ... SIX YEARS

MOURNING BECOMES


SIX YEARS

February 20, 2005-February 20, 2011

R.I.P.


Saturday, February 19, 2011

DENG XIAOPING DIES, February 19, 1997

DENG XIAOPING 
August 22, 1904-February 19, 1997 


PAINTING OF THE LEADERSHIP OF 
THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA 
BEING ACCLAIMED BY THE MASSES 
AS THE LEADERS ASCEND THE STEPS 
OF THE GREAT HALL OF THE PEOPLE 
IN BEIJING 

Mao Zedong is on the left
in a long tunic
Deng Xiaoping is on the right
the short figure in a short tunic

DENG WAS PARAMOUNT LEADER OF CHINA 
LATE 1978 UNTIL HIS DEATH 

Ultimately responsible for both 
Reforms and Opening Up 
and for "Tiananmen" (June 3-4, 1989) 

BBC material on Deng's death can be found here
the lengthy New York Times obituary, here 


Friday, February 18, 2011

Thursday, February 17, 2011

ALOHA! THE TOURISTS RETURN TO HAWAII


THE TOURISTS 
RETURN TO 
HAWAII 


ALOHA! 

(BEYOND THE WEATHER) 

A "FILE PHOTO" OF THE 
HAWAIIAN SCENE 

It is official! The New York Times says so: "rotten weather in the rest of the country" is "good news" for Hawaii, and besides, people are tired of feeling guilty (Hawaii as a guilty pleasure?), and besides, and besides, and besides (the yen is up; Obama comes: you can read the rest of it yourself). 

But there is also something in the air, and something of the spirit of: Aloha! 

For some other scenes from the fiftieth state, see here and here and here

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

"NEWT INC.": NEWT GINGRICH IN THE MONEY. IN THE RACE?





IN THE MONEY?
Check.
IN THE RACE?
Says he will announce a decision on
a Republican presidential run
this month.

WHY DOES ANYBODY CARE?
Because he is winning the money primary.
So far.

According to the Washington Post, Gingrich "has outraised Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin and every other potential GOP candidate with a political committee...." (More Newt)

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

PROMISES, PROMISES: OBAMA & THE WOUNDED WARRIORS' CAREGIVERS


PROMISES & 
PRETTY SPEECHES. 
OH, YES. 
RESULTS? 
OH, NO.  
OBAMA & THE 
WOUNDED WARRIORS' 
CAREGIVERS 


ROWS OF GRAVESITES 
IN 
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY 
WITH THE PENTAGON 
IN THE BACKGROUND 

Read more about it -- here -- and here -- 

Speaking as an Army brat, and a caregiver (not of one of the current Wounded Warriors; no direct personal "special interest"), I find this most unfortunate, even reprehensible, but as one who has seen Pentagon promises (and presidential promises) broken before, unfortunately not surprising. 

Speaking as a political scientist and student of leadership in organizations, I can even "understand" it. There will always be another war, hot or cold, and its needs will be -- or seem -- more pressing than combat/missions five or ten or twenty or thirty or more years in the past. And then there is always the need for more military hardware just to keep up with (and surpass! even more) the Joneses or the Wangs.... 

But shame! 

Monday, February 14, 2011

CHINA OVERTAKES JAPAN AS THE NUMBER TWO ECONOMY. OFFICIALLY.


CHINA 
OVERTAKES JAPAN 
AS 
NUMBER TWO 
ECONOMY. 

OFFICIALLY. 


THE FRONT GATE 
("NEW CHINA GATE") 
TO ZHONGNANHAI 
SEAT OF THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES 
BEIJING, CHINA 

Behind these traditional trappings, in what is essentially a continuation of the "Forbidden City," lies the command center for the thirty-plus years of "reform" and "opening up" which have led to the People's Republic of China overtaking its World War II enemy (which started in China as the Sino-Japanese War). The photograph was taken about halfway through this period; a view close up and head-on of the Zhongnanhai "New China Gate" can be seen here

Sunday, February 13, 2011

"AFTER MIDEAST, SHOULD RUSSIA AND CHINA WORRY?": THE QUESTION HAS BEEN RAISED. Part I

A LOOK BACK
AT THE PROTESTS
THAT HELPED BRING DOWN
THE OLD REGIME
IN MOSCOW
I


PROTESTERS DEMONSTRATING AGAINST
THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF
THE SOVIET UNION (CPSU)
IN MANEZH SQUARE
IN FRONT OF THE KREMLIN
MOSCOW, SUMMER 1990


Saturday, February 12, 2011

EGYPT, OBAMA, & THE TEAM OF RIVALS REVISITED

OBAMA
&
THE TEAM OF RIVALS
REVISITED


TRY TO CHART A COURSE TOGETHER
(TOGETHER, EXCEPT THAT
HE IS NOW THE BOSS, OF COURSE)

What do you get when you (Barack Obama) put on your team both the adviser (Samantha Power) who called your presidential rival (Hillary Clinton) a "monster," and the "monster"? You get a juicy article in the New York Times detailing the divisions in the foreign policy/national security team that has to help you come up with a policy for dealing with greased lightning: the revolution in Egypt.

And what does that say about you?

Friday, February 11, 2011

JULIA CHILD'S "THE FRENCH CHEF" IS LAUNCHED ON TV, February 11, 1963; A STAR IS BORN

"THE FRENCH CHEF"
PREMIERES
ON WGBH-TV
February 11, 1963


JULIA CHILD
SAMPLES HER COOKING
-- SEEMS TO APPROVE --
ON THE SET OF
"THE FRENCH CHEF"
WGBH-TV, BOSTON, 197x

Much more on Julia Child, here

Thursday, February 10, 2011

WORLD WAR II HEATS UP AGAIN (YES, TWO): RUSSIA & JAPAN AT ODDS OVER THE KURILS/NORTHERN TERRITORIES

RUSSIA & JAPAN
QUARREL OVER
THE KURIL ISLANDS/
NORTHERN TERRITORIES


SAKHALIN MUSEUM
YUZHNOSAKHALINSK, RUSSIA
(FORMER GOVERNOR'S MANSION
UNDER THE JAPANESE)

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has ordered a stepped-up military presence on the Kuril Islands, once ruled by the Japanese and claimed by Tokyo as the "Northern Territories." These islands and islets north of Japan's Hokkaido island and east of Russia's Sakhalin island have kept Russia and Tokyo from ever signing a treaty ending World War II between them. [to be continued]

For more on the history and the politics, see Chapter II of "RUSSIA REDUX."