Awesome! You can any color of car you want, as long as its black!”

Are they allowed to self-determine the right to their own militias as long as they don’t break away too? Or to restrict Han influx settlement? Not that they would necessarily want to….but….?

“Now, there is a wedge placed between the Tibetan and Han Chinese people since the March riot and Olympic protest. The meeting like Sarkozy/Dalai Lama will only make it worse and there is little to gain for both sides. Only those who have ill feeling towards China have anything to gain and it is very obvious to me from some of FM posts.”

The problem is, you may be missing the fact that some (or more) of the Tibetan people side already felt that there was a problem. The fact that now the Han do as well is perhaps what they wanted? It is astounding that your final sentence goes right back to the same reason for this post! The idea that anyone who criticizes has ill feelings (ie – they wish to cause hurt and harm) is obviously hard to dislodge…

Thanks for your understanding. To answer your question is not easy and main issue is the limitation of post. The problem is that if too short, it’s not sufficient to present the argument but if too long, no one have enough attention to read it through. I am trying my best here:

Self-interest does not have to be limited to economical or financial interest. It can also be ideological, racial, cultural and religious. This is true to both individual and nation. The national sentiment is nothing more than the aggregation of individual sentiment concerning various conflicts and issues. At individual level, the difference in behavior and value can be night and day. At one extreme, someone can risk one’s own life to save the others, while at another extreme; one can kill a fellow human being for no apparent reason at all. Nation is no exception. All you need is the right combination for it to happen and it can go its ugly side. Just look at Holocaust. What Nazi German government has anything to gain in self-interest to terminate million of Jews?

Even for the pure economic activities where people believe themselves acting at their own best interest, it does not mean their decision is always rational let alone the best one. For example, for many individual investors, often times the action they take is actually harmful to themselves. In international conflict, although not always but often enough, it is a zero-sum game. In order for some nation to gain, some other nations have to lose. Only in a utopia world, everyone can pursue self-interest without any conflict with others. Unfortunately, we are living in a real world with real people.

Globalization and democratic system will not guarantee anything. It’s all about what’s in people’s head. Globalization existed before WWI until nationalism prevailed. Look what happened to Europe in two World Wars. It can not be explained by rational behaviors.

What benefit did the US receive from the Iraq War? Majority of people in the world cannot think of any. If this indeed the case, then why US government wanted to do it in first place? Even today, the objective for the Iraq war was never clear. It started out from WMD/Al Qaeda connection, then spreading democracy and now it’s about victory over terrorist. In Bush’s recent interview, after complaining about the bad intelligence on the WMD and asked if the intelligence was reliable to prove no WMD, would he start the war, he is answer is: he doesn’t know.

We are not here to debate the merit of Iraq War but my point here is that if US government could do something in such important matter with such a large scale without a clear objective and benefit and have taken for so long, why should France to be an exception?

France has its own national sentiment. French are great and proud people. They deserve their place in the history and world stage. However, they felt humiliated in WWII and resented US’ leadership in Western world. France has been at odds with US for long time. With recent diminish US leadership in the world, French government is actively engaging in bring France into more prominent position in world affair. Sarkozy is inspired to bring France back to its glory days. He has taken radical steps to revitalize France domestically and internationally. Among them, he installed tax incentive to encourage French to work 5 day instead of 4 days to remain economically competitive. He was able to play a key role in cease fire for Russia-Georgia conflict. Naturally, he would like to have something to engage in every corner of the world.

There is no shortage of French politicians in offending other countries. China is not first one nor will be the last one. In 1991, French Prime Minister Cresson offended US, Britain and German by saying that male homosexuality is largely an Anglo-Saxon problem. British parliament passed a resolution demanded apology. What’s the benefit for France when their political leader was saying such thing? If we stipluatlate that every government says and does things for a reason and only to serve their self-interest, then why should British government be so sensitive about? For a man of being Anglo-Saxon heritage, how should he take it?

By the end of day, all these discussions have little to do with China. The question is whether China’s response is reasonable or not. If everything is only about Dalai Lama, the man himself but no one else, everything is much simpler. As a matter of fact, Chinese government offered him a symbolical position in Beijing during the May 2008 negotiation but Dalai Lama refused. As Dalai Lama himself stated, it’s all about Tibetan people not himself. I can respect that. The problem is; if this is the case, why should China consider Sarkozy/Dalai Lama’s meeting is about anything but Tibetan people? If Dalai Lama and TGIE is the legitimate representative of Tibetan people, then who is the legitimate government in Tibet?

Ideology and religious extremists are the primary cause of world instability today. It is not just limited to terrorist. It can happen in democratic country too. Just look at neoconservatives’ influence in the whole Iraq affair. Don’t forget that Hitler was democratically elected to power by a nation rich in culture and intellectual tradition and with highly educated people.

I don’t know the Tibetan population in France and I doubt if anything significant to have influence on French politics. I actually do believe that Tibetan people have the right for self determination provided that they don’t break away from China. All the Han-Chinese whom I know of have nothing against Tibetan people and there is no legalized discriminations by Chinese government against Tibetan. Now, there is a wedge placed between the Tibetan and Han Chinese people since the March riot and Olympic protest. The meeting like Sarkozy/Dalai Lama will only make it worse and there is little to gain for both sides. Only those who have ill feeling towards China have anything to gain and it is very obvious to me from some of FM posts.

I’d have to say that Woody Allen has come up with more good quotations than any other modern figure. Thanks for those; they brought back memories since I had seen all of his older movies, Annie Hall and before. Remember the “Orgasmatron” from Sleeper?

HongKonger, one thing I discovered, at least in Taiwan, was that Friedrich Nietzsche’s aphorisms were very popular. In fact, I didn’t realize until years after I married her that my wife could quote them from memory. Was he also popular in Hong Kong? Nietzsche has a few good ones but nowhere near as many as Franklin, Clemens, Rogers or Allen, at least in my book.

A friend of mine was traveling on the cheap a few months ago and stayed in Chungking Mansion. His comments were similar to yours; the rooms were very low end but the food and atmosphere around there were really fun.

Your comment about having a Guinness reminded me of a place in Shanghai we used to go called O’Malley’s. It was the original Irish Bar there and knew how to serve Guinness almost the right way. (they didn’t have a shamrock on the foam like in Ireland) One Sunday afternoon I had stopped in for one beer, met an American guy at the bar whose wife was from Taipei and was a landscape architect, and we proceeded to drink all night long, met a bunch of people, danced with some Canadian girls, talked with a German couple and ended up at a table with a bunch of Shanghainese. I was fine but he was absolutely plastered. I had my camera so I took many incriminating pix, ha ha. We had to virtually pour him into the taxi and I gave the driver a few extra bucks to make sure he got into his place safely.

I sent him the pix since I had his business card. Months later I saw him quoted in the NY Times. Ends up he was THE landscape architect in China! We got along great that night but he never replied to my emails. I think he was pretty embarrassed.

I hadn’t heard anything before about Franklin making up stories for the French, so I looked it up and the only thing I could find was that when times were bleak for Washington’s army, he sold himself to the French to maintain relations and continue to get money and supplies for the army. After Saratoga, he was able to really get things going. In today’s dollars, the French gave us about 13 billion for the war effort, which we never repaid and forced the government of Louis XVI to go bankrupt, leading to the French revolution. But the French always loved Franklin, even the revolutionaries.

He played the game; acted more French than the French and cultivated many friends there. The English had many spies in Paris and he had to be careful not to be assassinated. They also tried to turn the French against the Americans but Franklin was too clever for them. He understood human nature and could smell out those kind of subterfuges. What the French didn’t realize was that after his humiliation before Parliament before the revolution (which turned him against the crown and caused him to hate the English), everything he did in France, all the flirting and socializing, was done with the intention of freeing the States from the Brits. He was goal driven and formidable, but seemed like a gentle, brilliant old man.

The other American diplomats in France were all disasters, none more so than John Adams. When Jefferson came to Paris to replace Franklin, he uttered the quotation you used. By this one line, he immediately ingratiated himself with the French and was a very effective ambassador, though not on the level of Franklin. He was really the best diplomat in the world, which was amazing since the English and French have always been excellent diplomats throughout the years, especially the English.

Yes, try the vegetable curry dishes, vegetarian Samosas, etc…And Yes, Chungking Mansion is a building located at 36-44 Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. You will see a lot of Africans, Indians, etc hanging out at the open entrance and on the sidewalk. The first thing you see at the entrance are money changers on both sides ( I swear this is not the Temple of Jerusalem).

Like I said, this place is a dive…It is ‘the’ place for backpackers on shoestring budgets, traders and asylum-seekers (my American buddy has an office and apartment in the building for them).

Chungking Mansions features a labyrinth of guesthouses, curry restaurants, African bistros, clothing shops, sari stores, and foreign exchange offices. It often acts as a large gathering place for some of the ethnic minorities in Hong Kong, particularly Indians, Middle Eastern people, Nepalese, Sri Lankans, Bangladeshis, Nigerians, Europeans, Americans, Pakistanis, and many other peoples of the world. The building was completed in 1961, at which time Chinese residents predominated. Now, after more than four decades of use, there are nearly 4,000 people living in the Mansions.

http://www.chinatourdesign.com/Hong_Kong_Attractions/Chungking_Mansions.htm

There are several authentic Indian restaurants in the upper floors, but there are also a few on the mezzanine. Going into the building is like being instantly teleported into some indoor flea market in Bombay or Calcatta, except you are in fact in the heart of ultra modern Kowloon, just a few minute walk from the Space Museum, The Peninsular hotal, the Sheraton etc…

Oh, speaking of the Sheraton hotel – I highly recommend the basement “SOMEPLACE ELSE Bar & Grills restaurant.” It is the first American style restaurant like 5 years before Dan Ryan’s Chicago grills, and all the other now very popular high end American restaurants arrived. Go there during Happy Hour – 4:30 – 8 PM, very smooth Guiness and Kilkenny Ale on tab at two for the price of one, with complimentary baskets of Popcorn. SKC will love this place.

Well, I’ll be hanged. I have heard that statement several times and never knew it belonged to Woody. Oh well, so he got off a really funny line. You got me, HKer! Touché, monsieur!

HKer, I am going to be in your neck of the woods starting next Tuesday. I will have my daughter in tow. Or should I say, she will have me in tow. We are staying on Nathan Avenue in Kowloon.

I know that you have mentioned:

Jerry, have you been to HK with your daughter to check out the authentic indian restaurents inside Chungking Mansion? Don’t let the name ‘mansion,’ mislead you – the whole place is a dive – but it is one of the most interesting tiny, tiny real estate in HK – I had some of the best Indian rice & mutton Kabab I’d tasted there at the busy mezzanine two months ago.

So where is that place? Wikipedia says, “Chungking Mansions is a building located at 36-44 Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong.” That is pretty close to our hotel. Is this the place in question? Do they have vegetarian fare?

Thanks Steve, I enjoyed reading that.

And Jerry, # 112, Haha, Woody Allen’s famous line: “Sex without love is an empty experience, but as empty experiences go, it’s one of the best.”

I thought Woody Allen wasn’t your cup of tea, Jerry. But on the other hand, sex is, of course

Don’t knock masturbation, it’s sex with someone I love.
(Annie Hall)

I’m such a good lover because I practise a lot on my own.

Is sex dirty? Only if it’s done right.
(Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex)

That [sex] was the most fun I ever had without laughing.
(Annie Hall)

Sex between a man and a woman can be absolutely wonderful – provided you get between the right man and the right woman.

My love life is terrible. The last time I was inside a woman was when I visited the Statue of Liberty.

Love is the answer – but while you’re waiting for the answer, sex raises some pretty interesting questions.

My brain – it’s my second favorite organ.
(Sleeper)

Q. Have you ever taken a serious political stand on anything?
A. Yeah. Sure. For twenty-four hours once I refused to eat grapes.
(Sleeper)

I was thrown out of college for cheating on the metaphysics exam: I looked into the soul of another boy.
(Woody Allen: Clown Prince of American Humor)

I have never been an intellectual but I have this look.

A fast word about oral contraception. I asked a girl to sleep with me and she said ‘no’.
(Woody Allen Volume Two)

SKC, I guess you are not a fan of David McCullough’s usual 600+ pages on historical figures’ biographies. Me neither, but I do like to watch historical mini series. HBO has a new 7-part series out on John Adams. Frankling, Jefferson, Washington, Hamilton etc are all in it. It all started with the Boston tea party….

God bless those Frenchmen, Rochambeau, de Grasse and Lafayette, for their indispensable aid during the Revolutionary War.

To those Chinese who criticize the US and West for their support of Chinese activists, Burmese heroine Aung San Suu Kyi and the DL & his followers, all I can say is god bless the French for their support of the US during the Revolutionary War. Without the French, we would have had a hell of a time beating the Brits, if at all. And god bless Ben Franklin for securing that support.

As to Franklin and why he was not President. When Washington started his first term as Prez in 1789, Franklin was 83 years old. Washington was 57. Franklin died the next year.

Steve, I agree with your comments on Washington and Franklin; we owe them a great debt of gratitude. Franklin was a Renaissance man of the first accord. I would also like to note his invention of the Franklin stove and the glass armonica. Washington’s decision to voluntarily step down after 8 years as president is a remarkable decision. Rudy G wanted a 3rd term; he did not get the opportunity. Bloomberg will probably go for a third term. Too bad Mao did not step down after 8 years. None of these three possessed/possess the humility, selflessness and, I would add, the greatness of Washington. What a remarkable man.

Regarding Franklin, Thomas Jefferson replaced Ben in 1785 as ambassador to France (the term then was American Minister). Vergennes, the French Foreign Minister, asked Jefferson, “It is you who replace Dr. Franklin?” Jefferson replied, “No one can replace him, Sir; I am only his successor.” Well said.

Steve, a question about Franklin in France? I have heard that he published a rag in France to publicize the American Revolutionary War. Allegedly, he would “manufacture tales out of whole cloth” in order to inspire and encourage the French to support America? Is this legend or truth?

No Franklin, no USA. As our best diplomat, he got the French to come in on our side, their fleet beat off the British fleet outside Chesapeake Bay, Cornwallis had to surrender at Yorktown because the fleet couldn’t rescue him, and we became a country. Back then, he was considered by many to be the most famous man in the world. He created the first volunteer fire department, the first city hospital, spectacles, and knew more about electricity than anyone else. Plus, he invented the lightning rod, of which there are ugly green ones above temples all over Asia.

True story: When he first invented the lightning rod, many churches refused to use them, saying God would make the decision whether to have lightning strike a church or not. However, after quite a few churches were struck by lightning (since church steeples were the tallest objects in town), these preachers suddenly “saw the light” and put up lightning rods.