Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, December 27, 2021

Japan is on the scene in the Pacific. While Japanese athletes will attend the Olympics, Japanese officials will not. China doesn’t want Japan to “politicize” the games. But, consider 2008, the one-hour opening ceremony about nothing but China’s history, with President Xi marching in to a one-world dream at the end. For Beijing, hosting the Olympics is nothing but an opportunity to exhibit a grandiosity complex on a global scale.

By choosing China again, the Olympic committee handed the microphone to the fool. Japanese will go to the Olympics, except that they won’t; that’s the perfect East Asian insult. Japan is being an excellent member of the crowd, cheering on the fool.

But, the Olympics aren’t Japan’s only action. Manufacturing very-much-needed chips with Taiwan, as well as US battle plans for a Taiwan incident are right at the top. Make no mistake: this week, Japan sounded the alarm on China and the Chinese are terrified.

Encore of Revival: America, December 27, 2021

The press is attacking Biden over COVID more than they did Trump. It’s so funny, how much they lauded the savior who honored mask and social distancing rules, but now they toss him under the bus. Even funnier is how CDC big wigs survived two attacked presidencies while they were the supposed professionals actually making the decisions.

Trump supporters will easily blame Fauci since he was the man in charge all this time. Trump fans do that, especially since The Apprentice and Trump’s famous line, “You’re fired.” Trump supporters know who and how to fire. At least, they think they do.

Anti-Trumpists, however, now have an inescapable contradiction to face. Biden was the savior because he followed the mask rules, and the media heads even said so—until he wasn’t and they didn’t. Anti-Trump sentiment was based largely on the notion that COVID proved who was right and wrong as a president. That idea can’t hold water anymore, for either purpose or any other purpose.

Whether right or wrong, Trumpists can maintain their story; Anti-Trumpists can’t because to oppose Biden is to support Trump. Trumpists who prophesied Trump’s continued presidency in the name of God already faced that contradiction. Now it’s time for Anti-Trumpists. Sometimes we need our own contradictions to get bad enough before we see the light. But, that’s going for all, regardless of which political candidate they support.

Trump

Donald Trump could face charges for trying to obstruct certification of election, legal experts say // Guardian

Michael Flynn sues Capitol attack committee in bid to block subpoena // Guardian

Pandemic

Inside the administration’s failure to avert a covid testing shortfall // MSN News

Opinion: President Biden is failing on covid-19 // WA Post

Flight cancellations drag on as airlines short-staffed // AP

Pope Francis, in Christmas Message, Laments Pandemic of Loneliness // WSJ

Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, December 20, 2021

The US is hitting China hard over treatment of Uyghurs. Nearly all imports from Xinjiang will be banned. At the same time, the US bolsters the call to bolster Taiwan’s military defense. However, Taiwan has the seeds of the same tyranny; it just doesn’t materialize into anything alarming because Taiwan remains small. The most obvious problem is that Taiwan refuses to allow Taiwan citizens to renounce citizenship, but demands Americans renounce their citizenship to become Taiwanese. Taiwanese can become dual-citizen Americans, but Americans can never become dual-citizen Taiwanese. That’s what some people call a “clue”.

Any double standard, no matter how small, will grow exponentially as a nation or organization grows. Taiwan’s double standard must be stopped before bolstering Taiwan’s military. Expunging double standards to escape fake democracy is the most effective way to help Taiwan right now.

China has been lecturing Taiwan about democracy. And, Taiwan has rightly and appropriately responded with harsh words. “It is ridiculous that China, which is not democratic at all, dares to tell Taiwan what democracy means,” said Spokesman Lo, from the Executive branch. That’s true. But, in terms of equal treatment to all people, Taiwan has its own deficiencies—which is fine because we all have deficiencies; but Taiwan’s deficiencies are being utterly ignored. We must ask why.

Is Washington so focused on China’s threat that leaders can’t foresee the next problem they will fear? Are lobbyists blind to the next problem, just as they were blind to the problem of making China so wealthy with exported American jobs over the last three decades? Is it greed? Is it a carefully crafted “next crisis”? Or, is it pure unawareness or apathy? We don’t know, but we need to be asking why America is running to help a country that treats Americans as “lessers”. Failure to do so actually makes China’s nonsense look less legitimate.

Don’t rush to automatically take sides in conflicts that have lasted centuries. The scariest part is that China’s government ignores the problem as much as the Taiwanese and American governments. That is what some call a “larger clue”.

Trade & Tech

U.S. undecided on further restricting China’s SMIC: Reuters, citing sources // CNBC

“Taiwan… and China”
EXPLAINED: Wafers, Chips And How India Is Eyeing A Slice Of The Semiconductor Pie // News 18 (India)

Chinese Chip Industry Has a Plan B, and Now US Sanctions Are Catching Up // Tech Taiwan

China

US hits China with sanctions and trade curbs over Uighurs // Taipei Times

Taiwan

“It is ridiculous that China, which is not democratic at all, dares to tell Taiwan what democracy means”
Taiwan warns China on intervening in its affairs // Taipei Times

Massive defeat for KMT-Nationalist party
Voters say ‘no’ to all four referendum questions // Taipei Times

Military Faceoff

New Chinese J-15 fighter jet looks ready for faster take-off // SCMP

Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, December 20, 2021

America is clearly divided. Democrats get vaccinated, Republicans don’t want to. Now, vaccine demands are rising for a virus clinically proven to cause no harm 40% of the time. Two in five people with the Omicron variant of COVID won’t have symptoms. When Democrats hear that, they fear the virus more because lack of symptoms makes it more sneaky. When Republicans hear that, they fear the virus less because lack of symptoms is lack of real threat. The same virus invokes opposite reactions.

Republican states argue to block vaccine mandates over technicalities. Democratic-controlled governments argue “science”—when “40% asymptomatic” means 40% zero risk of harm. Neither side presents the strongest case in their own favor. Republican states should argue lack of symptoms and Democrats should argue that workforce hubs do matter.

Our response to the virus is not the problem; our polarity over any response is devastating. The virus hasn’t torn the country apart; our division has. As the saying goes, it’s all in the mind. The strange part is that a billionaire’s daily 40 minutes of meditation is making headlines in a nation that mostly doesn’t see the contradiction of its own thought life. But, some do, enough to make headlines about mind time worthwhile to the ever changing news industry.

Trump

House oversight committee releases report detailing efforts of Trump administration officials to ‘undermine’ Covid-19 efforts in US // CNN

Think & Grow

Billionaire Ray Dalio credits his success to 40 minutes of meditation per day — here’s how he does it // CNBC

News Media, Journalism & Free speech

Why Are So Many Prominent Journalists Abandoning Journalism? // Reason

Soc Media, Cybersecurity & Tech

Jack Dorsey Got Bored of Twitter Too // The Atlantic

Pandemic

Retiring NIH director Francis Collins warns of enormous omicron wave // NPR

Omicron cases double overnight: Variant is now confirmed in 44 states // Daily Mail

NY governor plans to add booster shot to definition of ‘fully vaccinated’ // The Hill

Court rules Biden’s vaccine mandate for large employers can take effect // Guardian

Over 91% Democrats vaccinated, while only 60% Republicans have taken one shot, data reveals // Guardian

Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, December 13, 2021

China responds with propaganda. A lot more keeps happening more. It’s too much for China to track. But, when the US pontificates about democracy, China leaps to opine first. The problem is the vibe. It’s not about what we say, but about the vibes created by our actions.

Perhaps both the US and China labeled it wrong. It’s not democracy that won; it’s freedom. Freedom in the market, freedom in speech, freedom in religion, freedom in family—all these are valued by one country and despised by another country. So, the free country gets hate from the opinionated country.

As for other zingers China can’t track, Guatemala, Honduras, and now Germany plan only stronger ties with Taiwan. Nicaragua switched for China this week, making it a three for one to the Confucian Communist team.

You see, that’s the sneaky thing about China’s own problems. Russia is simply Marxist to the core. China always has and always will ever love Confucius more than Marx. Confucius was the greater hater of freedom. That’s why Russia poses a real threat while China just threatens and poses.

Indo-Pacific

Nicaragua embracing China to shield against sanctions, US official says // Taipei Times

Trade & Tech

Taiwan and US unveil new tech trade framework // Taipei Times

China

Four disrupt AIT official’s speech at Uighur forum // Taipei Times

China’s Overwrought Response to Biden’s Democracy Summit Is Telling // Foreign Policy

Taiwan

Bundestag votes to expand Taiwan ties // Taipei Times

Honduras ‘to keep Taiwan relations’ // Taipei Times

Guatemala backs Taipei: president // Taipei Times

Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, December 13, 2021

Six states were hit by tornadoes: Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee. While the nation grapples with disaster, and families look for refuge and loved ones—many lost—Jeff Bezos posts about his latest space flight.

Greed is growing, but not just within American borders. Tensions with China rise, with the now-known Taiwan as the main poster boy. But, Russia looms in the background exploiting China’s self absorption as a distraction to take Ukraine. If Russia hit Ukraine, the US promises to respond. But, that would happen alongside a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. The US would have its hands full and the Communists of the East know it—Russia and China.

China wouldn’t be so provocative without backing. Russia is the real threat. Or, is the threat that America’s financial leaders are aloof? Or, is the threat that we got ourselves here?

News Media, Journalism & Free speech

Chris Wallace to Leave Fox News // Mediaite

Monopoly, Corptocracy & Big Greed

Tornado update – Jeff Bezos slammed for celebrating Blue Origin space trip after Amazon warehouse collapse that killed 6 // The Sun

Natural Disaster

Mayfield, Bowling Green, candle factory: tornado mass casualties // WHAS 11 ABC Louisville, KY

Six States Grapple With ‘Largest Tornado Outbreak in Our History’ // MSN News

At least 70 DEAD in Kentucky tornado: Fears up to 100 people could have been killed // Daily Mail

NATO Focus

Russia edges closer to war as new arms arrive on Ukraine’s border // Guardian

Biden warns Putin of ‘strong measures’ amid Ukraine invasion fears // BBC News

Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, December 6, 2021

This week, Slovokia cozies up to Taiwan. This is dangerously close to the Czech Republic. Formerly, the two were “Czechoslovakia” until 1993. Pacific Daily Times has some dark information about Taiwan’s poor treatment of a Czech citizen. As calls to different levels of Taiwan’s government have gone unanswered or refused, Taiwan could face major challenges while cozying up to Eastern Europe, but refusing to redress a laundry list of egregious mistreatment of foreign visitors. An exclusive PDT interview is in the works.

Ironically, Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe said this week, “A stronger Taiwan, a thriving Taiwan, and a Taiwan that guarantees freedom and human rights are also in Japan’s interests. Of course, this is also in the interest of the whole world.” Abe doesn’t know that his statement is an indictment against Taiwan with Czech as witness.

For too long, the Times has sat on the darker side of Taiwan. The world doesn’t know what it is getting into as the West paints Taiwan as the adorable poster boy. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen’s words were correct in 2020, that Taiwan is a vibrant democracy worth saving. But, it is up to the government of Taiwan to make the necessary amends to repair decades of unreported hatred fostered among foreigners who visit Taiwan. And, it is up to the Taiwanese people to become both aware and concerned enough to compel their own democratic government to make such amends.

Meanwhile, Bret Baier asked Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin for his thoughts on China’s incursion of Taiwan’s airspace. Austin publicly said that they look like “rehearsals” for war. Baier asked directly what the US would do if “China invades Taiwan”.

Chinese invasion of Taiwan is being asked openly and simply. This is a major turn of events, that the Western press believes questions about Taiwan can be asked without needing to re-educate the public about Taiwan’s history with China. Taiwan is on the map, namely as China’s first invasion target. All eyes of the world may soon turn toward Taiwan, like eyes of the universe turned toward Arrakis in the fictional story Dune. But, the bigger news will be how Taiwan decides to change its treatment toward visitors from the world when that happens.

Indo-Pacific

Indonesia’s Mount Semeru: At least 14 dead after volcano erupts // CNN

Japan, US ‘could not stand by’: Abe // Taipei Times

Trade & Tech

Elon Musk Needs China. China Needs Him. The Relationship Is Complicated. // WSJ

Trade between Taiwan and Singapore surges 36% // Taiwan News

Taiwan

Video interview:
Lloyd Austin says increased China activity near Taiwan ‘looks like rehearsal’ // Fox News

Chinese military flights near Taiwan look like ‘rehearsals’- Pentagon chief // Yahoo News

Pentagon chief says China ops near Taiwan resemble ‘rehearsals’ // France 24

Delegation from Slovakia arrives to bolster ties // Taipei Times

Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, December 6, 2021

Indo-Pacific

Indonesia’s Mount Semeru: At least 14 dead after volcano erupts // CNN

Japan, US ‘could not stand by’: Abe // Taipei Times

Trade & Tech

Elon Musk Needs China. China Needs Him. The Relationship Is Complicated. // WSJ

Trade between Taiwan and Singapore surges 36% // Taiwan News

Taiwan

Video interview:
Lloyd Austin says increased China activity near Taiwan ‘looks like rehearsal’ // Fox News

Chinese military flights near Taiwan look like ‘rehearsals’- Pentagon chief // Yahoo News

Pentagon chief says China ops near Taiwan resemble ‘rehearsals’ // France 24

Delegation from Slovakia arrives to bolster ties // Taipei Times

Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, December 6, 2021

At 98 years old, Bob Dole is dead. He ran for president against Clinton in 1996. After losing, Clinton awarded him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Chris Cuomo, also known in some food establishments and to the late Rush Limbaugh as “Fredo”, has been fired from CNN.

Tomorrow marks the 80th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack from Japan. Today, things are very different as Japan looks together with the US toward defending against China. Seeing China as Japan’s adversary, however, has not changed. Bitter roots remain between the two, and those roots will sprout if China tips the apple cart by invading Taiwan.

Big in the West is that naming “Taiwan” fits more in Western news than it did even a month ago. And, Japan is also involved, as it was 80 years ago, when Bob Dole was 18. He went off to war, as many young Americans may do soon.

Russia is amassing troops near the Ukraine. In the context of China’s aggression toward Taiwan, we can expect Russia not to come to China’s defense, but to bust a move while the world is distracted with poster boy “Taiwan” more than with forgotten poster boy “Ukraine”.

This global mayhem is easier to sustain with two variants of COVID, with lockdown, quarantine, and vaccine requirements increasing. It is in this worldwide situation of sustained chaos and control that China and Russia are ready to bust a move. That will awaken the West.

Republicans

Bob Dole, giant of the Senate and 1996 Republican presidential nominee, dies // CNN

News Media, Journalism & Free speech

Lawyer: Chris Cuomo accuser was disgusted by ‘hypocrisy’ // AP

CNN fires Chris Cuomo // CNN

Pandemic

More omicron detected as hospitals strain under delta surge // AP

America and Europe choose divergent pandemic paths as Omicron spreads // Axios

COVID-19: Vaccines mandatory in some sectors // Taipei Times

Australia Confirms Community Transmission of Omicron Variant // Bloomberg

COVID live updates: Queensland to drop quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated interstate travellers from December 13 // ABC News Australia

Australia news LIVE: NSW COVID cases grow, Victoria COVID cases grow, Omicron variant cases grow, TGA approves Pfizer vaccine for children, Gladys Berejiklian considers Warringah seat run at 2022 federal election // Sydney Morning Herald

NATO Focus

Russia planning massive military offensive against Ukraine involving 175,000 troops, U.S. intelligence warns // MSN News

Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, December 6, 2021

At 98 years old, Bob Dole is dead. He ran for president against Clinton in 1996. After losing, Clinton awarded him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Chris Cuomo, also known in some food establishments and to the late Rush Limbaugh as “Fredo”, has been fired from CNN.

Republicans

Bob Dole, giant of the Senate and 1996 Republican presidential nominee, dies // CNN

News Media, Journalism & Free speech

Lawyer: Chris Cuomo accuser was disgusted by ‘hypocrisy’ // AP

CNN fires Chris Cuomo // CNN

Pandemic

More omicron detected as hospitals strain under delta surge // AP

America and Europe choose divergent pandemic paths as Omicron spreads // Axios

COVID-19: Vaccines mandatory in some sectors // Taipei Times

Australia Confirms Community Transmission of Omicron Variant // Bloomberg

COVID live updates: Queensland to drop quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated interstate travellers from December 13 // ABC News Australia

NATO Focus

Russia planning massive military offensive against Ukraine involving 175,000 troops, U.S. intelligence warns // MSN News

Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, November 29, 2021

China faces a very serious and very real boycott at the Olympic Games. The Olympic Committee awarded China as the host country and claims that politics isn’t its business; other governments need to handle that. Boycotts are under serious consideration in the United States, Canada, Australia, Great Britain, and the European Union via Lithuania. If athletes can’t compete against the countries that snatch up many of the gold medals, that pretty much reduces any remaining medalists to winning a “Nerf war”.

While the West rallies hatred against China for the political issues leading up to boycotts, few look at indications of deeper machinations. Try this on for size: the Olympic Committee didn’t ignore China’s human rights issues; China was set up for embarrassment. But because of China’s addiction to flattery, the Chinese Communist Party would never suspect for one instant that anyone who bows to their Confucian demands would do so to indict.

The swelling conflict with China was well-planned.

And, the rest of the world can’t stop lauding Taiwan more each day. This isn’t just a global trend of justice against China’s disparities. This isn’t just a human trend from Heaven’s choice to put Taiwan on the map. Trends are true, but they never tell the whole story. Powers in the West are up to something. There’s always more going on.

China

Here’s The Growing List Of Countries Weighing A Diplomatic Boycott Of The Beijing Olympics // Forbes

Peng Shuai: IOC defends handling of rights concerns before Beijing Games // SCMP

Taiwan

Taiwan ‘force for good’: US delegate // Taipei Times

US draft bill seeks to boost Taiwan’s global standing // Taipei Times

German mention of ‘Taiwan’ lauded // Taipei Times

US urges Honduran candidates over Taiwan // Taipei Times

Taiwan confirms US summit attendees // Taipei Times

Arms procurement budget bill passes // Taipei Times

China warns firms on backing Taiwan independence // Taipei Times

China accuses US of ‘mistake’ after Biden invites Taiwan to democracy summit // Guardian

Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, November 29, 2021

This Thanksgiving, Jesus series, The Chosen, is taking off. A box office movie is on the way. Dallas Jenkins, the director, is making headlines. TMZ and the Wall Street Journal ran stories on it. Season 3 is in progress.

This is a big deal because films about Jesus are rarely done with a quality that can compete with film standards we have all come to expect. But, this is well done. Camera work, writing, acting, and character development make the story feel alive. The audience can relate to the characters. Dallas’s whole concept was that we can understand Jesus by understanding the people who knew him.

Meanwhile, economy doomsayers sound the horn and the global COVID pandemic continues. Israel just added travel restrictions over the new Omicron variant. Dallas Jenkins thinks that binging on Jesus is the best way to pass time when holed up at home. May financial supporters and fans from around the world seem to agree.

Election

Marjorie Taylor Greene lays out demands for GOP House speaker vote if Republicans retake majority in 2022 // CNN

Monopoly, Corptocracy & Big Greed

Famed investor Jeremy Grantham says the next decline will be ‘bigger and better’ than anything in US history — here are 3 of his safe haven stock picks // Yahoo Finance

A Chipotle general manager and 4 of his employees quit after a surge of to-go orders drove them to their breaking points // Yahoo News

Pandemic

Israel bans foreigners from entering country to stop Omicron variant // Jerusalem Post

Fresh doubts over China’s ice hockey team for Beijing 2022 // SCMP

Biden restricts travel from South Africa and seven other countries starting Monday // CNN

Music & Entertainment

Dallas Jenkins Says Jesus Show is Just the Ticket During Pandemic // TMZ

Fans Pour Funding—and Faith—Into a Hit Drama About Jesus // WSJ

Symphony

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, November 22, 2021

Now, China is being demanded answers about an athlete who went missing after accusing a Communist Party big wig of sexual harassment. The UN wants to know her whereabouts.

It won’t matter how China responds. If the Confucian Communists running China give the UN a satisfactory answer, then CCP would have just given in to international demands. That’s not something that the Chinese’s cocktail of crazy would do under normal circumstances. If China does actually give a satisfactory answer, it will build a mentally-destabilizing resentment deep within China’s leadership.

Either way, China feels backed into a corner.

Then, Taiwan flaunts ever-growing stronger ties with the States. Newly upgraded F-16s were commissioned this week, and both governments keep calling for more relations. That’s not out of the question because Taiwan just opened its office in Lithuania, an office named for “Taiwan” instead of the usual “Taipei”.

So, during all the great friendship happening between Taiwan and the rest of the world, not only is China uninvited; China is given a summons by the UN begging questions of sexual harassment and possibly murder.

Trade & Tech

TSMC Gets Billions in Pre-Payments for Fab Capacity // Tom’s Hardware

The White House has rejected Intel’s plans to increase chip production // TechRadar

China

UN asks China to prove missing tennis star safe // Taipei Times

Work on ‘Chinese military base’ in UAE abandoned after US intervenes – report // Guardian

Biden, Xi try to tamp down tension in long virtual meeting // Yahoo News

Taiwan

Taiwan, US to hold second economic partnership talk // Taipei Times

US lawmakers urge support of Taiwan’s Interpol bid // Taipei Times

Taiwan opens ‘de facto’ embassy in Lithuania // Taipei Times

Upgraded F-16s tell of US bond: Tsai // Taipei Times

US advisory body calls for Congress to ensure its defense of Taiwan is credible // Taipei Times

Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, November 22, 2021

The world is not responding well to the so-called “plandemic”. The important thing is not whether the global disease, as said by Judy Mikovits to have been developed under the supervision of Fauci, was actually intended to do all this. The public thinks it was because governments haven’t work carefully to earn public trust. Even without public trust, if chaos was the goal, opposing the so-called “plandemic” also achieves the same goal. So, the result is the same—almost everywhere except in peaceful Taiwan.

It’s not just the virus that was the problem, but our reaction to it. It’s amazing what a little peace and calm could do.

But, virus violence isn’t the only over-reaction where America is concerned. We have the ancient issue of guns—the one reason Russia and China have not already invaded. The best-kept secret from gun-owners is the threat of invasion that guns hold at bay. The Right makes the issue about gun owner rights. The rest of the world looks in and mocks America for having guns, but no one answers with a real reason why.

All we need is for things to get a little worse, like a broken nose, for people to see the wisdom that waited for us all along.