Comments on China-I: Inspired by Mr. Huchton's Lectures

I've recently enrolled in Mr. Huchton's class "China: Past and Current" at OLLI-UTEP.  In addition to having been in China some 20 years ago, I've had Chinese friends over the years and feel I know the national government well.  I was hoping that Mr. Huchton's class would help to keep me abreast of developments in China and though there's been only one class session I've attended, I think he's doing just that!
 
I'll try to keep the topics numbered in each blog item on China the same; but there'll be several comment items as the semester proceeds. So, on to my comments on China inspired by Mr. Huchton's lecture this past week.

1.  Orientation to Modern China
There is some preliminary understanding about the direction that its government and people is headed.  The Chinese are jingoistic:  they believe their way has always been the best way.  And China has lasted for countless centuries.  Their way is highlighted in its art and literature and religion.  Confucianism is built right into the Chinese way of modern life.

I like to posit their philosophy as a way of thinking:  what I call the Asian Mind.  I believe their aim is to unite Asia through the philosophy of the Asian Mind, which they contend is very different from the Western logical pattern dating back to Aristotle.

But as a major power of tomorrow, if not today, it realizes it must also take on the form of a major power.  This means that just as Germany, France and England colonized in the previous centuries, so too must China. Moreover, it viewed how Russia attempted colonization in Africa, specifically, Ghana; and it has been spurred on to accomplish what Russia failed to achieve on that Continent. Its trading partners circle the globe--Australia especially benefiting.

It is impelled by a vision to unify Asia, I am convinced of it.  Its current attempt is to claim the waters of the south seas as its rightful sphere of influence.  It is protectionist of Asia as a mother protects her offspring to inculcate its vision of the Asian mind and to create its own cultural meccas among the other Asian countries.

It pirates the copyrights and patents from Western nations, just as the US in its early days copied from England how to manufacture and do commerce in international trade.

It is resource hungry.  I believe the US has cooperated with China by opening up western Afghanistan for mineral exploration and development.  The US certainly cannot develop the rich Afghanistan land, lest it (i.e., the US) be accused of going to war in Afghanistan to exploit that land for its own purpose, after Russia had pulled out. Certainly, China is developing the infrastructures in African countries for both depopulating its own native land by enabling emigration of its people to these countries and providing a steady flow of natural resources China so disparately needs at home.

Since it seems clear that China is embarked on a program of uniting Asia under its umbrella, the US has not invited China to join the TPP, I understand.

2.  The African Colonization
It's my understanding that China is not colonizing Kenya, a pet country of the US State Department; nor of course, it isn't in South Africa, I don't think.  It goes into countries whether or not they are democracies and it sets up its own communities, which do a lot of good in building up the local infrastructures, including hospitals, roads, bridges and buildings--apartment complexes, corporate edifices, and so forth.  Huchton emphasized that not all these enterprises are appreciated by the native inhabitants, since by and large, the Chinese treat the locals as second-class citizens in the effort to modernize their lands!

Of course, China mines the riches of the lands on which their colonizes exist.  Interestingly, natives in many countries must learn Mandarin in their schooling.

Do I think that China is endeavoring to take over Africa?  I doubt it.  For one thing, China is far away from what's happening day-to-day in the African countries.  For another, Africa at this time knows nothing of the Asian Mind cause.  Nor is its military sufficiently capable of extending Chinese control to African shores.

In my opinion, China is doing yeoman service to the world in its African projects.  And, note that China is extending credit or other benefits to the countries who participate as joint partners in its endeavors in the several African countries.
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Overall comment:  China is experiencing growing pains!

                                 
                    

There's Gold in Asteroid X123--Yes Sir!

In my Class on Controversies in Science at OLLI-UTEP the other day, Mr. Kappus, Instructor, mentioned that on one asteroid water--the  H2O variety--has already been posited as present.

That got me and the Instructor to enter into a fantasy discussion that may very well turn out to be true:  There might be some asteroids, meteors, or just rocks flung out into space floating around the sun that contain all manner of minerals.

He voiced the opinion that there would have to be two spacecrafts--one positioned near a space object and the other at some distance above it, both working in consort to locate potential mineral finds and dig or blast them out from their rock beds.

If  its natural to assume that the earth isn't the only planetary object containing minerals such as gold, it seems sensible to populate the entire solar system with mineral probing spacecrafts (unmanned) to explore for them.

Indeed, I think Mr. Kappus with his space-probing vision has chosen wisely the field of geology for a career, since it is that scientific field which is devoted to ascertaining mineral presence in any rock formation on whatever space object!     

OL: Preponderance of evidence--Manmade Climate Change since 1850

Listening to Mr. Kappus' lecture on Climate Change in the Scientific Controversies class of OLLI this past week, I culled out 3 important reasons for thinking humans have greatly affected the earth's climate change cycle:
1.  There's been a noticeable rise during an earth's temperature cooling phase since the coming of the Industrial Revolution that brought about industry's usage of fossil fuels for energy--CO2 and CO4.
2.  We're now experiencing an even sharper rise in temperature for which there's no other explanation as obvious as we earthlings are relying on fossil fuels at an ever increasing rate.
3.   Scientists have been able to reproduce this phenomenon in its "greenhouse experiments."

OL: Controversies Re: Science--Topics' Additions

I'm taking a course through OLLI-UTEP (see Progress Tracking, John, What's Up) on "Controversies in Science" and I'm offering at the next session 3 more topics for the class to discuss:
1.  The Unconscious.  Have psychologists given their acknowledgement to the existence of the unconscious, as proposed by Sigmund Freud?  That's the area where repressed thoughts and experiences are theorized to be kept along with the many forgotten memories.  The area is supposed to be accessed through conscious remembering hypnosis and dreaming.  And what is this area's value to a functioning mind?
2.   Is fear a motivating emotion?  Are the Syrians on the move because they're so motivated?  If so, how does that square with the New Testament's exhortation that the believer be not troubled--God is in charge!  "Casting all your care on Him..."etc.
3.   The radio program Coast to Coast, aired each nighttime across the country, has for years promulgated the view that aliens periodically land on earth, especially in Zone 51 in Arizona. Supposed specialists on the topic have even theorized that at the end of the Ice Age, aliens came with an advanced technology that has enabled civilization as we know it today to develop on the planet. Could science come up with a probability estimate as to the likelihood of such claims to be factually accurate?  

Extraneous-2: Comment on US Military Budget, etc.

US Military Budget
Defense Secretary Carter is appearing before Congress this week to present the Administration's military budget.  I think he's covering the list of priorities pretty well, as I understand this list.

But one thing that needs emphasizing.  With the increased use of drones and the further implementation of automation in the military-regardless of branch--there's simply not the need for the level of troops reached in past years.  I would hope that Congress will not be swayed by the hawks in their midst who go so far as to urge increased troop strength.  Their arguments in industry would amount to dismantling automated data processing and bringing back Nineteenth Century business methods.  Today, I believe, we've gone way beyond other militaries, including China and Russia, etc. in the use of technological warfare and  the reliance upon automated cybernetics  Please no return to the Stone Age for the sake of those Congressional members who long for the past!

Specifically, the day of battlefield (or area) engagements is drawing to a close.  The great battles among  navy fleets are simply in the history books, no longer on oceanic waters.  The era's end even more rapid on land.

The Nostalgic Election, 2016
With the candidacy of Hilary Clinton, the Democrats display a longing for the prosperity of the 1990s under the Presidency of Bill Clinton.

But it is clear that the Republicans have never forgotten Ronald Reagan!  They've turned to another entertainer of glamorous notoriety for Presidential candidacy, though not of Hollywood origin, in Donald Trump.  In my hearing his speeches, I cannot but return to yesteryear when the simple folksy message of Reagan reverberated to the heartbeats of his many hearers, including me.  Yes, and even as President Ronald reduced the tax rates for wealthy citizens and sounded the drumbeats of war with Russia and Grenada that no doubt pleased a non-distinguished following of soldier Oliver North, so we should expect greater leniencies in the financial tax burdens among the wealthy if Donald T. becomes President and just as similar, international faux pas.

Nevertheless, Bill had his intent to take on welfare mothers so as to get them working, thus exhibiting a desire to better the lot of the taxpayers, while Ronald made a deal with Iran to release American soldiers to show a direction he was going to promote American interests.  That earnest desire to improve American democracy is missing from the dialogues of the current crop of Presidential candidates; and certainly is not evident in the declared plans of candidates Hilary and Donald, should either be elected as the New President.