Comments on: Great New Year http://www.humphreyhawksley.com/blog/index.php/2008/12/22/great-new-year/ Humphrey Hawksley Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:34:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Humphrey http://www.humphreyhawksley.com/blog/index.php/2008/12/22/great-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-5949 Humphrey Fri, 26 Dec 2008 08:38:25 +0000 http://www.humphreyhawksley.com/blog/index.php/2008/12/22/great-new-year/#comment-5949 Best wishes, John, for the Season. On the balance of optimism against reality, if you estimate that the crisis-driven 24-hours-news agenda makes up for a substantive perecentage of our psychological awareness of potential catastrophe, I think we can say the world is in better shape now than we have ever known it before. Some thirty million died in Mao's Great Leap Forward, and very few knew about it until it was over. Cholera in the low hundreds in Zimbabwe is now making headlines. Best wishes, John, for the Season. On the balance of optimism against reality, if you estimate that the crisis-driven 24-hours-news agenda makes up for a substantive perecentage of our psychological awareness of potential catastrophe, I think we can say the world is in better shape now than we have ever known it before. Some thirty million died in Mao’s Great Leap Forward, and very few knew about it until it was over. Cholera in the low hundreds in Zimbabwe is now making headlines.

]]> By: John J. Xenakis http://www.humphreyhawksley.com/blog/index.php/2008/12/22/great-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-5945 John J. Xenakis Fri, 26 Dec 2008 02:16:47 +0000 http://www.humphreyhawksley.com/blog/index.php/2008/12/22/great-new-year/#comment-5945 Dear Humphrey, Whenever someone writes something so bubbly and optimistic, I always answer the same way: I hope you're right. Happy new year. Sincerely, John Dear Humphrey,

Whenever someone writes something so bubbly and optimistic, I always answer the same way:

I hope you’re right.

Happy new year.

Sincerely,

John

]]> By: Humphrey http://www.humphreyhawksley.com/blog/index.php/2008/12/22/great-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-5886 Humphrey Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:29:10 +0000 http://www.humphreyhawksley.com/blog/index.php/2008/12/22/great-new-year/#comment-5886 More real politik than altruism. As part of a longt-ago defence deal, Pakistan promised to keep Xingiang clear of terror, while fuelling the insurgency in Kashmir. Now, if a reforming Pakistan cannot control the export of terror, Xinjiang is at risk. It is in China's interests to apply the pressure hard. More real politik than altruism. As part of a longt-ago defence deal, Pakistan promised to keep Xingiang clear of terror, while fuelling the insurgency in Kashmir. Now, if a reforming Pakistan cannot control the export of terror, Xinjiang is at risk. It is in China’s interests to apply the pressure hard.

]]> By: John Elliott http://www.humphreyhawksley.com/blog/index.php/2008/12/22/great-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-5885 John Elliott Tue, 23 Dec 2008 13:33:17 +0000 http://www.humphreyhawksley.com/blog/index.php/2008/12/22/great-new-year/#comment-5885 You make it sound as if China's suddenly become altruistic - and it's certainly noty being that in relation to Pakistan and India or it would be weighing in with other countruies to force Pakistan to deal with terrorist groups. Possibly more lightheartedly, haven't you heard the rumour it has increased production of shoes in Shenzhen for exporting free to dissidents in the west? merry christmas john You make it sound as if China’s suddenly become altruistic – and it’s certainly noty being that in relation to Pakistan and India or it would be weighing in with other countruies to force Pakistan to deal with terrorist groups.

Possibly more lightheartedly, haven’t you heard the rumour it has increased production of shoes in Shenzhen for exporting free to dissidents in the west?

merry christmas
john

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