hmmm. . .

Apparently I spent a good portion of Friday night pelting the teacher's dorms at Petroleum Univeristy with dirt clods.

thinkin about things, lookin at Taiwan

I have often heard globalizers say that increased integration between economies will lead to less war.

I think the argument goes something like, if two economies are integrated then they will lose more by aggressive political relations and their respective leaders will will be less likely to choose that course.

I have on occaion, believed that myself, but now I wonder. Hasn't war, other than the dramatically exceptional exception that is World War II's effect on the U.S., always had a dubious effect on economies?

Aren't leaders, even in democracies quite insulated from the ill effects of such decisions?

So awhile back I found out that the more globalization = less war thesis has been around for a while, and it has taken some licks. Below is an article from John Quiggin. I've included links to intelligent commentary from Matthew Iglesias and Brad Delong.

Matthew Yglesias weighs in.

Brad Delong comments on Matt Yglesias's comments.

John Quiggin » Merom review

The classic refutation of international realism was put forward in Norman Angell's The Great Illusion. Angell argued that in a modern economy no economic benefit could be generated even by successful wars of conquest. Writing for a British audience, Angell's basic point was that, even if Germany succeeded in establishing political mastery in Europe, workers in the newly subjected countries would still have to be paid, goods would have to be purchased at market prices and so on. Hence, individual Germans would gain nothing from being part of a larger country.

Angell's argument works even better for social democracies, where territorial expansion or even extension of hegemony produces an unpalatable choice. If the benefits and obligations that go with citizenship welfare state are extended to those under the control of the expanded state, existing citizens will almost certainly be worse off. On the other hand, any attempt to maintain a distinction between citizens and noncitizens is bound to be highly problematic.

Angell's argument showed, beyond reasonable doubt, that war and territorial expansion are not, in general sensible policies. His views have often been derided on the basis that they were falsified by the outbreak of the Great War in 1914, which was pursued to the bitter end even though it destroyed the global market economy that had formed the backdrop to his analysis. But in reality the outcome proved him right. Of course, Germany, the power most influenced by the arguments of Clausewitz and his successors, reaped nothing but grief from the war. But the attempts of the victorious allies to exact reparations, extend their colonial influence and so on were also entirely futile, exactly as Angell had predicted.

wo shi maotou

in Dongying 2 kuai can buy

two bowls of rice
one bowl of fried noodles
an hour of internet access
1/5 of your average pork and vegetable dish
2/5 of real taxi ride
2 days rent in a three bedroom apartment
a VCD
1/2500 of a computer

Imagine that with, say, three to five mouths in the family.

for driving on the wrong street

Nothng breaks my heart more than seeing a cop hassle a motorcycle taxi driver.

It's like watching a someone snatch bread from a beggar's hands and then perhaps give him a solid bash to the head.

I saw this happen yesterday, in front of KFC. The cop had the driver by the collar, and was giving him the stern, CCP educator lecture. The driver had tears streaming down his face.

Now, as I understand it, Chinese culture works like this. You are supposed to endure hardships and persecution. You gain face from not complaining and not crying. I've never seen a Chinese man cry.

Most of these guys, like most of China, operate without licenses. They make a pitiful 2 kuai per ride. That is, unless they can find a passenger that can endure a long bumpy ride or a gullible foreigner.

Now the biggest expense that most Chinese guys of working age have is the kid's education. I'm not talking about college either. Elementary school can be quite the financial burden.

So you can expect that this guy was thinking, how the cao is my kid going to go to school if this bastard fines me, demands a bribe or (the worst) confiscates my cycle.

Economists are frequently berated for focusing on market distortions and flawed policies in the third world when there are plenty floating around the first world. But a quick look at the cyclists face will tell you why these things are worse in the third world than the first. That guy has absolutely nowhere to go. There are no easy to get supplementary jobs, even with the currently overheated Chinese economy. A man making two kuai per ride minus cost does not have an attractive plan B.

international movie exchange

Using Johnny Logic's not very innovative yet functional star system.

The Dust Factory * Painfully whimsical, poorly acted, totally insane and boring to boot. Contains never before seen Life as Hockey with the Devil Tending Goal metaphor.

Crimson Rivers ** Embarassing French action movie. Contains French gong fu.

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou ***** "This is probably my son, Ned."

The Graduate *** Decent enough movie. Invokes fond memories of Berkeley. I felt like I'd already seen it because every scene has been parodied. I'm not fucking going to Scarborough fair, though.

Hitch *** Fairly charming and funny. Final act gets dull and silly.

shenme yisa

The Girl has been put in Charge of some Chinese teenagers. What these kids say speaks volumes about Chinese propaganda, education and youth culture. It's also pretty funny.

Myspace.com

T:What food do you like?
S: KfC
T:Why?
S:Because it is good for you.
T: What?
S: It makes you fat. And fat people are healthy.
T: Really?
S: Yes, American people are fat
T: American people are fat? Am I fat?
S: A little

T: What do you hate?
S: I hate Japanese.
TA gets upset. Not because he hates Japanese but because he pernounced hate wrong. HMMMm

T: Whats your name?
S: Jack
T: Jack, Do you have a girlfriend named Rose.
S: No!
Class erupts with laughter. The first time I have told a joke and the kids actually got it and laughed.

T: Do you like Fast food?
S: USA!
T: What???
S: USA!
T: United states of America
S: Yes!
T: What?? Sit down.

T: What is your favorite sport?
S: Basketball
T: Who is better at basketball? Michael Jordan or you?
S: Me
T: Really? WHy?
S: Because I am Chinese.
T: You are better at basketball because you are Chinese.
S: Yes.

T:What is your favorite food?
S: KFC
T: Why?
S: Because it is popular
T: If it was popular to get hit by a car would you like it?
S: Yes
T: What does popular mean?
S: It means that I like it very much.

T: What do you hate?
S: I hate noise.
T: But China is very loud.
S: Yes
Poor, poor child.

T:What is your favorite food?
S: Pizza
T: Why?
S: Because it is tasty
T: Are American people tasty?
S: Yes
T: Do Chinese people eat American people?
S: no
T: But you said American people are tasty. Have you ever eaten one.
S: Yes
T: You have eaten an American person?
S: yes
Class erupts with laughter
S: Shamaeetza! Scratches head.

T: Whats your favorite food?
S: American fast food
T: Is American Fast food different from french, German, Australian, English fast food?
S: Yes
T: How?
S: It is the best.
T: Why
S: My friend told me.

I am downright amazed at what can be destroyed with just a hammer

"Where are you going?" Mark, our school's marketing guy, is really nice, inquisitive and overly helpful.

"I'm going to the bathroom," I tell him.

"Be careful," he says. I scowl.

Henry Blodget wrote in Slate last week that one of the Chinese words for foriegner, lao wei, has a very definite connotation of buffoon. Of course, foriegners in China are forever doing silly things, putting themselves in dangerous situations and railing against the commonest features of life. In other words, we look like grown-ups but must be treated like children.

"Thanks Mark." I can't keep the sarcasm out of my voice. And thank god he can't detect it because he does not deserve it.

I continue on my way to the bathroom thinking myself lucky that Mark didn't offer to help. Then I get to the third floor.

Our school has been preparing to move for some time, but without the preparing part. A nearby construction site has gotten out of hand and our building is consequently marked for destruction. When I get to the third floor I see that perhaps our moving date is closer than I had previously thought.

There is broken glass and rubble everywhere. The doors have been ripped off and the interiors of the rooms shredded, the glass broken. So I realize Mark wasn't just being a foriegner nanny.

The bathroom is still intact though. I have to climb a small pile of broken glass to reach it's uriney confines.

I don't know how it goes for the rest of China, but in the case of our building, when it is time for it to be destroyed this is not done with dynamite or a wrecking ball. It is done by a legion of guys with hammers. Gettin in there an breakin shit.

They also don't necessarily tell you when they will start. Yesterday there was a third floor. Today there is not. It has been replaced by a bunch of guys breaking stuff with hammers.

Now that's culture shock.

answers to an email, but instructive for all

>>Do you guys know enough Chinese to order food in >>china-town?

yes and no. If the chef is a mandarin (or putonghua) speaker than we are an asset. However, I believe much of Chinatown is Cantonese. Ask around and if there's a good putonghua speaking restaurant and we'll make a date of it and introduce you to the wonders of yu xiang rou si and jia chang doufu.

>>Could you read me a fortune cookie or Confucian
>>Odes in Chinese?
probably not. I only know about a hundred characters and only about fifty of those do I know how to say and what they mean.

>>How does all the Chinese swill taste?
Chinese booze is terrible. They make a passable brandy and some of the worst red wine in the world. It tastes like cysco. The best red wine is usually described as inoffensive.

The Chinese favoritist booze is called baijiu,which literally means white wine. Really it's made from sorgum and it tastes like vodka that hates you. It smells like compost and makes you feel hungover before you feel drunk. You can pick some up at Ranch 99 if you want to cause people to hate and fear you.

>>Can you guys cook me Chinese food when you get back?
probably. I'm gonna buy a rice cooker and start practicing more.

>>Can you sent me Chinese girls to hang around my
>>apartment and take care of things?-of things!!!
Scarily, I believe the answer to this is yes.

>>Tell me something useful; it doesn't even have to >>have anything to do with china or Chinese anything? >>Is tricky music a band?
There is Chinese band called I Like Tricky Music. It isn't bad.

>>Do you guys feel like giants now that you live in >>china?
yes
>> Freaks?
sometimes.

>>Do they have any pizza in China?
yes. It is not very good. Frequently ketchup is used as tomato sauce and as a dipping sauce for pizza.

>>How is the teaching going?
Not bad. My children are bratty but cute.

>>Do either of you think that you'll do it again or not a chance?
Yes. I would love to teach an older crowd.

>>How long do you think it will be until you eat Chinese
>>food again once you get home?
I believe I will miss Chinese food immediately when I get home. American Chinese food is plenty awesome but it has only a slight resemblence to Chinese Chinese food. There is no Chinses barbeque back in the states, and Chinese (I suppose it's technically Xinjiang) barbeque is good enough to hurt.

>>How is your living quarters?
livable. dirty.

>>Does China sparkle at night?
Yes. Every building gets flashy lights. Frequently what we would assume is a bar or a disco turns out to be a bank.

>>Do you guys know what they do with those dried fish?
They just eat them, I think.

>>What are your plans when you come back?
School, for both of us.

gratitude

One thing that is likeable about Chinese people is that a lot of them really really love foreigners. By that, I mean, they are fascinated by foriegners, they wish to give themselves and China face by impressing foriegners.

Americans really care less about how foreigners see their country. We do not treat foreigners as guests. I have a fondness for the Chinese way. It's sweet and endearing.

Sometimes it's a bit strange.

Last night Dongsheng Da Sha was putting on it's P-day foreigner fest. The entertainment started off with some karoake. That's about normal. Almost everything involves karoake.

Then a chick in military fatigues with a red beret switched on a fog machine and started doing some sort of musical martial arts routine. It was supposed to be entertainment, but it just looked like the military police had come to tear gas us.

Now that's culture shock.

The only weirder stage act I've ever seen was Ke You kindergarten's Christmas recital. That involved a few 4-6 year olds in animal suits and broadway stage make up, shouting semi English and bouncing around to Chinese trance music. I have never desired to be hallucinating so much in my life.

The floor show wound up with more karaoke, though this time there was a girl with a saxophone. She did nothing to shake my conviction that no one Chinese should ever be let near a saxophone.

Guitars: sure. Saxophones: no.

But the fact is they really tried, evn though they have no idea what foriegners like (Guiness) and don't like (Michael Flatley). I'm grateful for all the effort that is made on behalf of clumsy, goofy weiguoren.