BALANCE of CULTURE

Sunset Over Mumbai

A "typical" sunset looking over Haji Ali Bay in Mumbai--notice how clear the outline of the sun is, even on my camera phone (it looked even more dramatic in person!). 

Skateboarding Through India

This awesome video of Kilian Martin skateboarding through India just might be what "Incredible India" tourism could use right now:

Surfing DPRK

North Korea is now more mainstreamed than ever, thanks to its new leader Kim Jong-un as well as a steady trickle of high-profile Western visits the past few months. Not everybody interested in the mysterious country has development or policy in mind, however…so of course it's inevitable that North Korea's coastlines would eventually command attention from surfers. 

Certain locations in Asia have long been coveted surf spots--the Mentawais, Cloud 9 and Pasta Point, to name a few--but many of these spots are now known for their crowds as much as they're known for their waves. Perhaps one day the DPRK will function as an open member of society, but until then surfers will just have to gaze at these pristine, empty waters from afar.  

Rising Issues of Our Pivot to Asia

China's latest national defense paper, published today, has some fascinating notes on "some country" that has "strengthened its Asia-Pacific military alliances, expanded its military presence in the region, and frequently makes the situation more tense." 

While the paper's significance is mostly symbolic (such publishings are rarely read by the country's military higher-ups), most strategists would probably agree that the overall message dances around the United States and the Obama administration's "pivot to Asia." This Asia pivot, or "rebalancing of Asia," was actually established by the Obama administration a couple of years ago but for some reason seems to be all over the media lately--even more than when it was introduced. 

Despite the specific label, the pivot does not mean that the administration is turning away from our nation's other pressing engagements in the Middle East. However, the one thing it does indicate is our government's prioritization for future growth and sustainability. As we clean up and extricate ourselves from our volatile ME commitments, the Asia Pacific region's concerns and opportunities are becoming harder to dismiss or contain. While the Asia pivot isn't an exact synonym for the popular "Asian century = 21st century" concept, it is most definitely related.

I recently attended a meeting on Asian security where a US government official stated, "The most pressing issues of our time, such as climate change, will be won or lost in Asia." China is ready to assert more influence in the region--which is understandable because the region is literally its own backyard--while the US aims to at least maintain its historical regional interests while carefully balancing out China's ambitions. It is clear that both the US and China are ready to actively engage in these global concerns--let's hope that both countries' future policies are based on mutual gain and diplomacy instead of hegemonic, zero-sum approaches in the Asia Pacific. 

To Protect and Surf in Shenzhen

Water issues, both resource-based and purely territorial, garner plenty of attention in China (and Asia overall) right now. This recruiting advertisement for the Shenzhen police seems to reflect local maritime tensions, such as spats with Vietnam's fishing industry as well as the ongoing conflict in the East China Sea.

DMZ - Game Theory

Not too many people know that in 2000, as part of the 50th anniversary of the Korean War, portions of the DMZ wire fence were removed and distributed as a call for peaceful relations on the peninsula. Seems like an appropriate time to revisit that gesture. 

Parisian Time Machine

Walking around many parts of Paris is indeed like entering a time machine, as they say--see this striking photo collection that compares Parisian moments from 1914 and 2013. Not too many differences from the WWI days besides the technology (lights, transportation, etc.).

We all know the world loves French culture, and the relative preservation of historic urban Paris surely helps France maintain the status of being the most visited country in the world by tourists (the United States comes in a close second). I would love to see similar comparisons with more French cities as well as other cities around the globe. 

Our Media's Corporate Ideology

With all of the "journalistic" noise that corrals our political discourse into a hysteric corporate-centric yelling contest, it has become increasingly difficult to "get the news" from major outlets. A great piece on the media's role in corporate ideology by Chris Hedges:

The cable shows, whose hyperbolic hosts work to make us afraid of self-identified liberals or self-identified conservatives, are part of a rigged political system, one in which it is impossible to vote against the interests of Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, General Electric or ExxonMobil. These corporations, in return for the fear-based propaganda, pay the lavish salaries of celebrity news people, usually in the millions of dollars. They make their shows profitable. And when there is war these news personalities assume their “patriotic” roles as cheerleaders, as Chris Matthews — who makes an estimated $5 million a year — did, along with the other MSNBC and Fox hosts.

Is this the state of our media and news today? While this rehearsed "patriotism" may aid the short term success of certain parties in our corporate culture, the emotional divisiveness it cultivates in our society ultimately weakens the nation state as a whole. 

The RAND Tablet from 1964

RAND may not have created the very first home computer (a widely popular online hoax), but they did show the world's first tablet back in 1964. Very old school sci-fi:

B-52s Over Korean Peninsula

From the US Embassy in Seoul: "B-52 bombers fly over South Korea, once again demonstrating the depth of the alliance."

The US military held training flights over the Korean peninsula after South Korean banks and broadcasters were hit with a possible cyberattack from Pyongyang today. 

Is anybody truly surprised about Pyongyang's latest provocations coming just after the Schmidt/Richardson and Vice/Rodman visits to the DPRK this year? Of course the threats from the North aren't wholly because of these meetings, but high profile visits from Westerners ultimately empower the dictator and regime.

BoC Dérive: 15 March 2013

One of the most well-kept murals in Echo Park.

*I have recently started a new project which has altered my blogging schedule, as some readers have emailed about the past couple of weeks. More details to come soon here, but I just wanted to acknowledge this and let everyone know! Thank you :-)

Online Dérive:

A very smart look at California and Texas by USC's Sherry Bebitch Jeffe (and Douglas Jeffe).  

Intimate photos of pastoral North Korean life. 

Repo(we)r Greece's findings from their academic US tour.

This sums up why Mexico's tourism industry is going to shambles.

Wan Joon Kim was truly ahead of his time. 

India is preventing Italian ambassador Daniele Mancini from leaving the country. 

Oahu's public Easter activities honor those who died in WWII and welcome both religious and secular visitors. 

Cory Booker hopes to raise big Hollywood funding next month for his Senate bid.

Pope Francis' Infallibility

Papal infallibility is such an entertaining concept, especially when it's enjoyed by a quiet "intellectual." PR at its most ironic.