Latest Posts
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North Korea Nuke Deal
Perhaps some good news on the diplomatic front with today’s announcement of an agreement on North Korea’s nuclear program. I have argued in the past that something like this – essentially buying off NK’s threat – was the… Continue reading
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Broadway Tao
Last week was my daughter’s thirteenth birthday – the first teenage year. I took her into Manhattan, as I have done each of the prior three years, to see a Broadway show. In fact, we saw two, a… Continue reading
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Religious Taoism
I was away in New York City Yesterday, going to see Broadway shows there with my daughter (more on that later); so, I am a bit behind in the news. Imagine my delight when I discovered this article… Continue reading
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Idaho Taoists
Yes, we’re on a Taoist roll here at The Useless Tree this week – and maybe next week as well. That’s what a tutorial will do to you: close reading of the text brings out lots of possibilities… Continue reading
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Thinking of War, Again
Just as a report comes out reminding us of the "inappropriate" uses of intelligence in the run up to the Iraq war, we hear that the same people, using the same methods, are thinking about war against Iran. … Continue reading
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Mr. Libby Lied
Reading accounts of the trial of I. Lewis Libby, the former right hand man of Vice President Cheney, I am coming to the conclusion that he will be found guilty of perjury. The prosecutor has done a masterful… Continue reading
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Foreign Confucians
This just in: foreign descendants of Confucius (Kong Zi) will now be counted in the official Kong family tree. Here’s how Xinhua tells it: This is also the first time that overseas citizens and those who converted to… Continue reading
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The Zhou and Us
I am teaching a tutorial this year, the first time I have taken up this kind of class. A small group of students and I will read and discuss – and they will write about – ancient Chinese… Continue reading
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Finding the Chinese “Ti” in the Internet “Yong”
The NYT today has a piece reporting on the big Chinese internet company Tencent, and one of its founders, "Pony" Ma, the power behind the giant mobile instant-messaging service, QQ. The line that caught my attention was this:… Continue reading
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Why The Bears Lost
OK, so my prediction, based on a Sun Tzu-inspired analysis, of a Bears victory in the Super Bowl failed. Does this mean Sun Tzu is somehow flawed in his strategic outlook? I think the answer is clear: No. … Continue reading
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