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For the past five years I have posted these thoughts at this time of year, and so… Happy Thanksgiving: It is a perfect Thanksgiving morning here [2005] in Northwestern Massachusetts: a light snow, about 2 inches on the ground; a… Continue reading

A demonstration of benevolence and good will in Shanghai yesterday: the tens, perhaps hundreds, of thousands of people who came out to mourn those killed in a horrific building fire last week.  Adam Minter, of Shanghai Scrap, captures the spontaneous… Continue reading

In the November 8th issue of The New Yorker, Zha Jinying has a great piece on the Chinese writer/governmental official Wang Meng (link might require subscription).  Wang is a complex character, author of a famous story criticial of the bureaucratic… Continue reading

Earlier this summer (it’s still summer, you know…) I had lamented the Beijing urban redevelopment plan that threatened to destroy the old Gulou (Drum Tower) neighborhood of the capital city.  But now comes what appears to be good news:  … Continue reading

My annual reflection on the day: It may seem improbable but I think we can find a Taoist angle on the US Independence Day, July 4th, holiday.    Patriotism and nationalism, which are basically what July 4th is all about,… Continue reading

Sorry for the lack of posing.  As academics know, it's "that" time of year: one pile of papers has been graded just in time for an influx of forty more; meetings with students about theses and independent studies crowd the… Continue reading

The venerable American law scholar, Jerome Cohen, offers "Sage Advice:" The application for early release on medical grounds of the imprisoned activist-critic Hu Jia offers China’s leaders a golden opportunity to begin repairing their criminal justice system — the weakest… Continue reading

Just want to give a shout out to a group of students here, several of whom I have had in class, who are doing a great series of cooking shows on Youtube.  Now into its second season, Cooking with Steven… Continue reading

Try to avoid the Jianguomen subway station during a weekday evening rush hour: That is all. Continue reading