China-watching

[poliphilo]

Joe has been showing me the Kung fu comedies of Stephen Chow. They're a bit Buster Keaton, a bit Police Academy, a bit Popeye the Sailorman (with chi in place of spinach.)

I reckon we need to be educating ourselves about the Chinese- seeing as how they'll be taking over the role of top nation sometime in the course of the next century.

Learning about China is a project I've been proposing to myself ever since I fell in love with Michelle Yeoh in 1999. Thus far I haven't made a whole lot of progress.

Comments

[jackiejj.livejournal.com]

Another Extreme Engineering program worth watching is the Chinese dream project, Sky City, which will cost plenty but will be a solution to their population woes. The apartment complex that will be self-contained, even to parks on every few floors. I wish I could remember the statistics, but the complex dwarfs every skyscraper on earth.

Every detail is addressed, such as fire control by air rather than by ground; opening in the massive structure to accommodate some natural weather in the parks; and a design that is planned with high winds in mind. It's fascinating to imagine living in such a place. I am cynical enough, however, to think that probably only the wealthy will be able to afford it.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

That sounds really extraordinary- the kind of "city of the future" vision that used to feature in the old comics. The fact that the Chinese are thinking in these terms (and we aren't) strengthens me in my belief that they're heading for #1 superpower status.