Jottings from the Granite Studio

Today we celebrate Martin Luther King Day in the United States. During his life, Dr. King spoke not just of oppression at home, but also railed against what he saw as American injustices abroad, most notably in Vietnam.
In a speech delivered in New York City on March 4, 1967, entitled “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to [...]

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This date in 1877, Guo Songtao (郭嵩焘 1818-1891), China’s first permanent overseas ambassador, arrived at his new posting in London. Guo was somewhat an odd fit for this role. He was a classically-trained scholar who reacted to his new appointment by remarking, “How can I, who know no foreign language and am ignorant of world [...]

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