Jottings from the Granite Studio

Over at Danwei, there’s a round-up of opinion on the recent Xinhua ruckus, one quote in particular caught my eye:
“From time immemorial Chinese newspapers … have been little more than mere official publications over which the Government has always exercised a rigid censorship. It is gratifying to notice, however, that the power of the Press [...]

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It’s official. Yesterday Shinzo Abe beat Taro Aso by a landslide to become the next leader of Japan’s ruling Liberal-Democratic Party, all but assuring Abe of the PM post when elections are held next week.
A conservative by blood, as prime minister Shinzo Abe will likely look to strengthen ties with the US, take a [...]

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As of last night, the military had seized control of the Thai government in the name of the King, urging farmers and laborers to “stay out of politics.” Nobody thought Thaksin was a saint, but there are ways of dealing with allegations of corruption that don’t involve sending tanks through the streets of your capital [...]

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