DRAWING on OBSERVATIONS

Ball point pen on today’s newsprint

Labor unions plan to protest President Obama hosting the future president of China, Xi Jinping at the White House on Valentines Day. Unfair trade practices have crippled auto parts manufacturers here in the US.

Ball point pen on today’s newsprint

Update on detained Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.

Not easy to get to the truth when the government runs the media and silence is a condition of release for the accused.

related post

in today’s times

Ball point pen on today’s newsprint

Here’s a followup to a doodle I did back in 2008 of the brave writer and critic of the Chinese government, Liao Yiwu. In the latest crackdown, Yiwu is barred from traveling to a literary convention in Australia.

From today’s NYT
Previous post from 2008
Related Post
and another

Ball point pen on today’s newsprint

Chinese artist and government critic Ai Weiwei was boarding a plane to Hong Kong to meet about an exhibit when he was detained by Chinese authorities. Police later raided his studio. The detention is the latest in a larger crackdown on writers, artists, bloggers and rights activists that have seen 11 others gone missing.

Today’s NYT story

related post
and another

Ball point pen on todays newsprint

Likely successor to China’s President Ho Jintao, Jinping is known to have deft political skill and broad support within the party.

Ball point pen on todays newsprint

China Prime Minister Wen Jiabao demands Japan release a fishing trawler captain caught fishing in Japanese waters. China has blocked the export of rare earth minerals used by Japan to produce hybrid cars, wind turbines and guided missiles.  Wen threatened further actions if Japan does not comply.

Stay tuned

Ball point pen on todays newsprint

Yesterday Chinese Americans rallied in Washington to show support for the meeting between President Obama and the Dalai Lama.

Ball point pen on the morning newsprint

President Obama plans to ignore China’s warning and meet with the Dalai Lama. Officials did not say what actions China would take if Obama did so. Sure, it’s the right thing to do, but it might be prudent to get our financial house in order before we bite the hand that feeds US.

Ball point pen on the morningnewsprint

Future wars are more likely to be fought over information than land or oil. Last week Secretary of State Clinton used her strongest language to date warning potential adversaries that cyber-attacks will not be ignored.

Ball point pen on the morning newsprint

The Obama administration has created a new cyber-military force for the Department of Defense. Melissa Hathaway began work on cyber-security under President George W. Bush and was asked to lead a study to develop a US cyber-deterence strategy for the Obama administration.

From todays NYT

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Ball point pen on the morning newsprint

I’ll drink if I wanna,
And play a little poker too
Don’t you say nothing to me,
As long as I’m taking care of you
As long as I’m working baby,
And payin’ all the bills
I don’t want no mouth from you,
About the way I’m supposed to live
You must be crazy, woman,
You just gotta be out of your mind
As long as I’m footin’ the bills,
I’m paying the cost to be the boss

B.B. King

Human rights, Iran, China’s Currency,… Mums the word until we get our financial house in order.

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Ball point pen on the morning newsprint

If you plan on traveling to China to watch an olympic event, be prepared to have your access to information censored. The Chinese government has the largest surveillance and censorship operation in the world, and have even been known to imprison bloggers.

They are placing internet filters in hotels that might even restrict this humble little blog for harmless content like this and this.

Ball point on morning newsprint

While the front pages of this mornings paper are filled with politics and race relations. Buried on page 14, Chinese troops are marching on Tibet.