Dispatches from the State Ministry of Truth

[Jacob]

Ignoring it also works

Very true, and usually my default approach.

[Lettow77]

I don't typically tire myself espousing pro-Southern rhetoric on languish, being rather more content to enjoy my idyllic lifestyle and limit any political activity to informing my wife what her political opinions are. I merely saw parallels in Mono's reactionary provincialism.

[derspiess]

informing my wife what her political opinions are.

 

[Jacob]

Short video segment (on FB, so you may need to be signed in): https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=896656430359490&fref=nf

Edit: here's a non FB (and stabilized) version: http://imgur.com/wBTmWii

[Jacob]

Interesting article on the dynamics in HK: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/30/china-hong-kong-future-protesters-cry-democracy - it's fairly Mono aligned, without the spite.

[Eddie Teach]

Edit: here's a non FB (and stabilized) version: http://imgur.com/wBTmWii

The commentors can't agree on whether this is HK or Venezuela.

[Jacob]

Edit: here's a non FB (and stabilized) version: http://imgur.com/wBTmWii

The commentors can't agree on whether this is HK or Venezuela.

Hahaha!

[Jacob]

Meanwhile, news are filtering into China: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/02/world/asia/hong-kong-protest.html?_r=1

I think what's going on in HK is a pretty significant indicator - and test - for China's leadership.

We have it from Mono - and others - that the economic prospects for many if not most Hong Kong residents are less bright than they were in the past. This is being channelled into political protests, and while not universally supported, there's enough support that it's a big deal.

China itself, on the mainland, may well face similar forces if its economy slows down. If large parts of the Chinese population feels it doesn't have a future to work towards, how will they react? Calling for political reforms is not unlikely, and it will likely be less orderly than what's going on in HK right now.

[MadImmortalMan]

EWH is an ETF that tracks the Hang Seng in the US market. In case anyone cares. 

[The Brain]

EWH is an ETF that tracks the Hang Seng in the US market.

Bmo!

[Tonitrus]

I, for one, support welcoming into the U.S. any HK residents who are dissatisfied with their future prospects.

Especially if they are female and cute. 

[derspiess]

A Japanese friend of mine has posted a photo of a demonstration in Tokyo in support of the Honk Kong protesters.

I get the feeling that's not gonna help...

They do sympathy demonstrations in New York like every day.  I guess it makes people feel like they're doing something.

[celedhring]

A Japanese friend of mine has posted a photo of a demonstration in Tokyo in support of the Honk Kong protesters.

I get the feeling that's not gonna help...

They do sympathy demonstrations in New York like every day.  I guess it makes people feel like they're doing something.

It was more in the sense of enabling the HK protesters to be painted as Japanese/US puppets.

[derspiess]

Ah.

[Ed Anger]

I am afraid that you'll have to stop reading them instead

Ugh.  Can't one of the mods give this guy a "break" until the protesters break up or are broken up?

Mono, you do realize you've successfully pissed off a significant portion of the forum, right?  We joke a lot, but at some level, we at least respect that people can have problems with the government and have the right to "shake things up" to get those problems redressed.  Your inability to think past your own wallet is pretty disgusting.  Hell, you even talk about the protests ending in terms of wage shortfalls.

I know this is going to shock you, but there are people to whom having a working government means more than having a steady paycheck.  Crowing that eventually the army's going to crack down on these people for (mostly) peacefully insisting that their problems are addressed?  Stay classy, Mono.

Lighten up Francis.