With each passing day, I am reminded that we are witnessing a great presidency of historic significance. Only in hindsight will we survey and appreciate the details, but I know this because we have a good man in the Office and he is acting from the higher energy - "the better angels" - as Lincoln calls it. I came across this carried in a newspaper in Kenya. It first appeared in the "Parade" magazine 18 January 2009. Appreciate the words he chose and the motivations he shared.
--------------------------
""Dear Malia and Sasha,
I know that you've both had a lot of fun these last two years on the campaign trail, going to picnics and parades and state fairs, eating all sorts of junk food your mother and I probably shouldn't have let you have.
But I also know that it hasn't always been easy for you and Mom, and that as excited as you both are about that new puppy, it doesn't make up for all the time we've been apart. I know how much I've missed these past two years, and today I want to tell you a little more about why I decided to take our family on this journey.
When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me—about how I'd make my way in the world, become successful, and get the things I want.
But then the two of you came into my world with all your curiosity and mischief and those smiles that never fail to fill my heart and light up my day. And suddenly, all my big plans for myself didn't seem so important anymore. I soon found that the greatest joy in my life was the joy I saw in yours. And I realized that my own life wouldn't count for much unless I was able to ensure that you had every opportunity for happiness and fulfillment in yours.
In the end, girls, that's why I ran for President: because of what I want for you and for every child in this nation. I want all our children to go to schools worthy of their potential—schools that challenge them, inspire them, and instill in them a sense of wonder about the world around them. I want them to have the chance to go to college—even if their parents aren't rich.
And I want them to get good jobs: jobs that pay well and give them benefits like health care, jobs that let them spend time with their own kids and retire with dignity.
I want us to push the boundaries of discovery so that you'll live to see new technologies and inventions that improve our lives and make our planet cleaner and safer.
And I want us to push our own human boundaries to reach beyond the divides of race and region, gender and religion that keep us from seeing the best in each other.
Sometimes we have to send our young men and women into war and other dangerous situations to protect our country—but when we do, I want to make sure that it is only for a very good reason, that we try our best to settle our differences with others peacefully, and that we do everything possible to keep our servicemen and women safe.
And I want every child to understand that the blessings these brave Americans fight for are not free—that with the great privilege of being a citizen of this nation comes great responsibility.
That was the lesson your grandmother tried to teach me when I was your age, reading me the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence and telling me about the men and women who marched for equality because they believed those words put to paper two centuries ago should mean something. She helped me understand that America is great not because it is perfect but because it can always be made better—and that the unfinished work of perfecting our union falls to each of us. It's a charge we pass on to our children, coming closer with each new generation to what we know America should be.
I hope both of you will take up that work, righting the wrongs that you see and working to give others the chances you've had. Not just because you have an obligation to give something back to this country that has given our family so much—although you do have that obligation. But because you have an obligation to yourself. Because it is only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you will realize your true potential.
These are the things I want for you—to grow up in a world with no limits on your dreams and no achievements beyond your reach, and to grow into compassionate, committed women who will help build that world. And I want every child to have the same chances to learn and dream and grow and thrive that you girls have. That's why I've taken our family on this great adventure.
I am so proud of both of you. I love you more than you can ever know. And I am grateful every day for your patience, poise, grace, and humor as we prepare to start our new life together in the White House.
Love, Dad ""
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Africa - Ethiopia and Kenya
Now I can understand why the British loved Kenya so much. I am sitting here on a terrace at the hotel, overlooking lush green forested hills that surround Nairobi amidst the fertile red volcanic soils. The weather is 25 C +/- 3C almost all year round - heavenly in otherwords. The Kenyan hotel staff are impeccably trained, gentle and move about with a noble grace. The standard of living and modern conveniences ranges from comfortable (Kenny Hills comes to mind) to mostly relatively good ("Cheras level") down to "Jakarta level" in some of the slummier areas. The English language is spoken here with a certain accent-free polish. There is a large and well-organized Indian population as evident from the profusion of Indian temples. From the design and diversity of the Hindu, Sikh and Jain temples seen from the road, there seem to be more from Western and Northern India here than from the Tamil south. Like in Malaysia many of them seemed to have been drawn here by the twin drivers of the British Empire - the railway and the military. The Indians here seem to be more organized and belong to different social and educational class compared to Malaysia. For example, there are many Indian-linked colleges, academies and even a hospital run by Sikh-charities.
Kenya suffers from the usual flaws of developing countries in terms of society and government. It is shocking to think that a year ago racial conflict killed hundreds and forced the uprooting of hundreds of thousands. My colleague (a military doctor) told me that racial discrimination by the Kikuyus against the Luos are longstanding and wide-spread, forcing many Luos when they obtain their ICs to add a 'K' in front of their names which always begins with 'O' (like in Obama) otherwise they would never get into college. But from the sound of it, the coalition government that under a peace deal brought the opposition party (who apparently won last year's elections) into the Kikuyu dominated government pending an election, has been working hard to improve the infrastructure and responding to the people's needs, in part hoping to win votes in the next election. There seems to be a free press where expose of corruption scandals and criticism of the President were unapologetic in the mainstream papers. A special independent parliamentary tribunal is about to begin to investigate and press charges against perpetrators of last year's racial clash. So overall, I notice a bedrock of sensibility, professionalism, old British rule of law that is bolstered by the determination of a sizable educated middle-class to stay on the path of progress because they know they deserve better.
Outside the city, as I discovered yesterday, lie the some of the grandest and most majestic display of nature in the world. There the fields of golden shrubs and grassland stretch out for as far as the eyes could see, dotted only with scattered trees . From the vistas, one could see rocky hills in the distance, slopes of extinct volcanoes and riven by valleys that look like creases in the land. On those fabled savanna, thousands upon thousands of beasts roam in a display of life as old as life itself. Yes, I was reminded that we humans are only a detail and a recent on at that in the marvellous canvas of nature. Even at the Nairobi National Park which is literally a turn off the airport road on the city's southern fringe, I was amazed to see hundreds of wild zebras, hundreds of impalas and gazelles, tens of ostriches, dozens of giraffes, flamingos and - to my good fortune - a pride of lions 5 female and one male staking out a herd of wild buffalos.
Further out, the central highlands around Mt Kenya produces world reknown tea and coffee. Further on, the fabled Masai Mara National Park and its sister parks are world famous - and judging from the tour brochures, the last word in refined world class tourism. Each year in August, tens-of-millions of animals passes through the Masai Mara from the Serengeti on their annual migration; you can watched over from the lawns of century old British colonial estates, or a modern tented camps on top of a nearby rock, or from elaborate tree houses, or buzz over from a small plane, or glide silently in a hotair balloon. The logistics and training for Kenyan hospitality is so organized by the British Raj that even in the wild, five-star comfort and service follows you. West of Nairobi, the land falls away over a sharp cliff into the 50km wide Rift Valley before rising up again on the other side. In between are more glorious savannas interlaced by a string of lakes where the flamingos congregate in their millions. In the Eastern coast, there are lush jungles, beaches and coral reefs surrounding old fortified towns belonging to Omani merchant settlements. In the west and in the north, the 'real' Africa rose around Lake Victoria and where the Sahel semi-desert begins.
The north is where I began this trip in Ethiopia. Ethiopia is truly fascinating, an ancient kingdom with an uninterrupted history going back more than 3000 years. They have been many empires and many centres of power, but one at Axum is well-known as a rival first to Ramses pharoah of Egypt and later to Rome. This is also where a number of 2500 years old obelisks were looted by Mussolini in the 1930s, placed in Rome but which Italy has agreed to return them to Ethiopia. Rare for African nations, the Ethiopians have their own writing, Amharic which is of ancient origin; the alphabet looks like a cross between Greek and heiroglyphic symbols. They have their own calendar which is 8 years and 8 days different from the Gregorian version (they had their millenium year 2000 on January 8, 2008). That's not unusual because we know of Buddist or Muslim calendars, but what is more interesting is that they have their own time, which starts and ends at 6am on the 'normal' time rather than at midnight, probably to coincide with sunrise. All very exotic and impressive.
In a place in the north called Lalibela is world famous for stone churches the shape of a cross that are carved vertically into the rock, and become underground churches. Somewhere there is also an enclosure where the Ethiopians believe holds the Holy Grail; every so often one monk would be appointed to be entrusted with the secret of the grail and there he will live and guard the grail for the rest of his life. Ethiopia also lay claim to some majestic scenery being the lower extension of Wadi Rum in the Jordan Valley and the northern extension of the Rift Valley.
Unfortunately, I did not get the time to truly explore Addis Ababa or anywhere in Ethiopia for that matter. Work and meetings had taken up all my time. However, one aspect I could observe was the people. I was truly impressed by the dignity and confidence by which Ethiopian people carries themselves. By this I am refering to a sense of dignity that is internal rather than an externally directed arrogance or superiority complex. I believe this came from their pride in their culture. They are certainly economically weaker than even Kenya. Its level of development is akin to that of a county level city in China. Even though many of them live in poverty, the streets are clean and tidy. Even in poverty and material disadvantage the people tend to be courteous and honest in dealing with foreigners. They are some of the warmest, gentlest, curious and helpful people I have ever met. They glow with happiness and pride whenever anyone point to their unique culture - which is deeply rooted in their blend of ancient Christianity.
Ethnically, they are striking in their good looks. The Ethiopians are a Semetic people not negroid like most oif Africa although given the proximity there must be a great deal of mixed ethnicity. The skin tone tend to be brown the colour of coffee or mahogany not purely dark. The hair are wiry and fizzy but not in deep curls. The facial features are sharp and fine boned with large dark eyes beneath full eyelids, on top of high - but not sharp - nose bridges. Both men and women tend to be lithe and thin, but (unlike the Masai we encounter in Kenya who are 6 foot + giants) not too tall. Some women especially look like giraffes with their absurdly long limbs and small thin faces. Sometimes I wonder if they are a mix of Indian, European and African genes; because they seem to have the fine bones and slim bodies of Asians, the sharper facial features of Europeans, some elements of the dark(er) skin and hair of Africans. May be its true after all that this is the origin of mankind. Ethiopia lay claim to being the origin of humans from the archeological finding of "Lucy" the oldest homo sepien bone in the world, currently in the Addis Ababa museum.
Everywhere you go in Addis, you see multi-domed Eastern churches looking much like the St Mark's cathedral in Venice. People wears or carries with them elaborate crucifixes and icons, often made from wood or metal with the most intricate designs of weaving knots that reminded me of Celtic designs in Ireland.
Nonetheless, one source of pride in Ethiopia is religious harmony. Although it is one of the oldest Christian nation in the world it also boast one of the oldest Muslim community in the world. And the two has lived side-by-side largely in peace for longer than anywhere in the world. I suspect that has a lot to do with the powerful effect of the Ethiopian nation and culture which has been around far longer than either Chirstianity or Islam. When those religions arrived, it got absorbed into an established kingdom and culture. Hence, for the Ethiopians they were already had an identity before religion had the opportunity to create new group identities and divide the people.
Kenya suffers from the usual flaws of developing countries in terms of society and government. It is shocking to think that a year ago racial conflict killed hundreds and forced the uprooting of hundreds of thousands. My colleague (a military doctor) told me that racial discrimination by the Kikuyus against the Luos are longstanding and wide-spread, forcing many Luos when they obtain their ICs to add a 'K' in front of their names which always begins with 'O' (like in Obama) otherwise they would never get into college. But from the sound of it, the coalition government that under a peace deal brought the opposition party (who apparently won last year's elections) into the Kikuyu dominated government pending an election, has been working hard to improve the infrastructure and responding to the people's needs, in part hoping to win votes in the next election. There seems to be a free press where expose of corruption scandals and criticism of the President were unapologetic in the mainstream papers. A special independent parliamentary tribunal is about to begin to investigate and press charges against perpetrators of last year's racial clash. So overall, I notice a bedrock of sensibility, professionalism, old British rule of law that is bolstered by the determination of a sizable educated middle-class to stay on the path of progress because they know they deserve better.
Outside the city, as I discovered yesterday, lie the some of the grandest and most majestic display of nature in the world. There the fields of golden shrubs and grassland stretch out for as far as the eyes could see, dotted only with scattered trees . From the vistas, one could see rocky hills in the distance, slopes of extinct volcanoes and riven by valleys that look like creases in the land. On those fabled savanna, thousands upon thousands of beasts roam in a display of life as old as life itself. Yes, I was reminded that we humans are only a detail and a recent on at that in the marvellous canvas of nature. Even at the Nairobi National Park which is literally a turn off the airport road on the city's southern fringe, I was amazed to see hundreds of wild zebras, hundreds of impalas and gazelles, tens of ostriches, dozens of giraffes, flamingos and - to my good fortune - a pride of lions 5 female and one male staking out a herd of wild buffalos.
Further out, the central highlands around Mt Kenya produces world reknown tea and coffee. Further on, the fabled Masai Mara National Park and its sister parks are world famous - and judging from the tour brochures, the last word in refined world class tourism. Each year in August, tens-of-millions of animals passes through the Masai Mara from the Serengeti on their annual migration; you can watched over from the lawns of century old British colonial estates, or a modern tented camps on top of a nearby rock, or from elaborate tree houses, or buzz over from a small plane, or glide silently in a hotair balloon. The logistics and training for Kenyan hospitality is so organized by the British Raj that even in the wild, five-star comfort and service follows you. West of Nairobi, the land falls away over a sharp cliff into the 50km wide Rift Valley before rising up again on the other side. In between are more glorious savannas interlaced by a string of lakes where the flamingos congregate in their millions. In the Eastern coast, there are lush jungles, beaches and coral reefs surrounding old fortified towns belonging to Omani merchant settlements. In the west and in the north, the 'real' Africa rose around Lake Victoria and where the Sahel semi-desert begins.
The north is where I began this trip in Ethiopia. Ethiopia is truly fascinating, an ancient kingdom with an uninterrupted history going back more than 3000 years. They have been many empires and many centres of power, but one at Axum is well-known as a rival first to Ramses pharoah of Egypt and later to Rome. This is also where a number of 2500 years old obelisks were looted by Mussolini in the 1930s, placed in Rome but which Italy has agreed to return them to Ethiopia. Rare for African nations, the Ethiopians have their own writing, Amharic which is of ancient origin; the alphabet looks like a cross between Greek and heiroglyphic symbols. They have their own calendar which is 8 years and 8 days different from the Gregorian version (they had their millenium year 2000 on January 8, 2008). That's not unusual because we know of Buddist or Muslim calendars, but what is more interesting is that they have their own time, which starts and ends at 6am on the 'normal' time rather than at midnight, probably to coincide with sunrise. All very exotic and impressive.
In a place in the north called Lalibela is world famous for stone churches the shape of a cross that are carved vertically into the rock, and become underground churches. Somewhere there is also an enclosure where the Ethiopians believe holds the Holy Grail; every so often one monk would be appointed to be entrusted with the secret of the grail and there he will live and guard the grail for the rest of his life. Ethiopia also lay claim to some majestic scenery being the lower extension of Wadi Rum in the Jordan Valley and the northern extension of the Rift Valley.
Unfortunately, I did not get the time to truly explore Addis Ababa or anywhere in Ethiopia for that matter. Work and meetings had taken up all my time. However, one aspect I could observe was the people. I was truly impressed by the dignity and confidence by which Ethiopian people carries themselves. By this I am refering to a sense of dignity that is internal rather than an externally directed arrogance or superiority complex. I believe this came from their pride in their culture. They are certainly economically weaker than even Kenya. Its level of development is akin to that of a county level city in China. Even though many of them live in poverty, the streets are clean and tidy. Even in poverty and material disadvantage the people tend to be courteous and honest in dealing with foreigners. They are some of the warmest, gentlest, curious and helpful people I have ever met. They glow with happiness and pride whenever anyone point to their unique culture - which is deeply rooted in their blend of ancient Christianity.
Ethnically, they are striking in their good looks. The Ethiopians are a Semetic people not negroid like most oif Africa although given the proximity there must be a great deal of mixed ethnicity. The skin tone tend to be brown the colour of coffee or mahogany not purely dark. The hair are wiry and fizzy but not in deep curls. The facial features are sharp and fine boned with large dark eyes beneath full eyelids, on top of high - but not sharp - nose bridges. Both men and women tend to be lithe and thin, but (unlike the Masai we encounter in Kenya who are 6 foot + giants) not too tall. Some women especially look like giraffes with their absurdly long limbs and small thin faces. Sometimes I wonder if they are a mix of Indian, European and African genes; because they seem to have the fine bones and slim bodies of Asians, the sharper facial features of Europeans, some elements of the dark(er) skin and hair of Africans. May be its true after all that this is the origin of mankind. Ethiopia lay claim to being the origin of humans from the archeological finding of "Lucy" the oldest homo sepien bone in the world, currently in the Addis Ababa museum.
Everywhere you go in Addis, you see multi-domed Eastern churches looking much like the St Mark's cathedral in Venice. People wears or carries with them elaborate crucifixes and icons, often made from wood or metal with the most intricate designs of weaving knots that reminded me of Celtic designs in Ireland.
Nonetheless, one source of pride in Ethiopia is religious harmony. Although it is one of the oldest Christian nation in the world it also boast one of the oldest Muslim community in the world. And the two has lived side-by-side largely in peace for longer than anywhere in the world. I suspect that has a lot to do with the powerful effect of the Ethiopian nation and culture which has been around far longer than either Chirstianity or Islam. When those religions arrived, it got absorbed into an established kingdom and culture. Hence, for the Ethiopians they were already had an identity before religion had the opportunity to create new group identities and divide the people.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
The Obama Effect
It was probably meant to be for me to watch the inauguration of President Obama from Africa the land of his forefathers. What more the day after his inauguration I found myself in Kenya in Nairobi. What I saw in the last few days gave credence to a believe that I hold dearly - the powers of inspiration and positive example.
The newspapers in Kenya went wild with Obama. After all, this is a country where a public holiday was declared on November 5, 2008 the day after Obama was elected. Every newspaper on 21 January 2009 had a picture of Obama taking his oath of office across the entire front page. 'The Standard' had it with the caption "Mr President". Its rival 'The Nation' had a similar picture with the caption "...so help me God". By the way, the two Kenyan newspapers in writing and design looked like an exact copies of The Star and the NST in Malaysia, right down to a logo for Kenya's "Vision 2030" on the side. But I digress. Inside, the coverage spanned 8-10 pages. The next day on 22 January 2009, it was the same - the whole front page was a picture from the balls and inside stories about Obama getting down to work although this time with only 6-7 pages of coverage!
Look closely though, Obama's impact on the African society is profound. Columnist and local intellectuals wrote self-questioning articles how Obama has shown Africans that, "yes we can (too)". They were inspired by how Obama could make it in the US and how it was a wake up call for their own country to change. They talked about Obama even as they discussed opportunity and corruption, race and poverty, education and national unity. One big headline declared, "Kenyans, don't just praise Obama, emulate him!"
I can only imagine what this day has done for millions of children all over Africa. What would they be thinking? What new possibilities has this planted in their young minds? What will this inspire them to do? And this is a continent of 1bn people; what would the impact on the world be if this lifted 10% or 20% or 50% of them to go beyon what has been stopping them to realise their potential?
Some of the commentators were clearly moved by his call to move beyond tribe and race. In Ethiopia, which takes pride in both its spirituality as well as its religious harmony, the headline from the inauguration (also above single picture front page spread) was "We are a nation of Jews and Christians, Moslems and Hindus...and non-believers" For some reason that must have struck a chord in their national discourse. There is a lot of self-reflection going on about race, tribe and religion. What astounded me the most was an article I read about nearby Burundi, where perhaps purely coincidental to Obama, the main opposition political party decided to drop the racial reference ("pelipehutu") from the name of the party. It's as if UMNO dropping the "M", MCA dropping the "C" and MIC dropping the "I". This is in a country where 130,000 perished in racial conflict less than 10 years ago.
I believe the impact is equally if not more powerful for the African-American community in the US and in Europe. Already there are reports of falling delinquency among boys in inner-city schools in LA last year after Obama started winning the primaries and the principle decided to talk to the kids using Obama was an example. In New York, there was a bump in test scores for black students in the previous year. It really helps that both Obamas made good despite coming from humble backgrounds. Growing up with grandparents in a broken home, or being raised by a single mother, or living in a small apartment in the inner city the daughter of a pump operator these are no longer excuses. Barack and his sister accumulated between then Columbia, Harvard and a Ph.D; that Michelle and her brother both went to Princeton and for post-graduate in Harvard and Yale. They are setting precious examples of progress and opportunity through education, hardwork and personal discipline. And this continues with the Obamas showing themselves to be a stable traditional family of good values and conscientious parenting styles. In a profound way, regardless of the fate of the presidency, they are showing and giving faith to millions that, "Yes we did and yes you can."
The newspapers in Kenya went wild with Obama. After all, this is a country where a public holiday was declared on November 5, 2008 the day after Obama was elected. Every newspaper on 21 January 2009 had a picture of Obama taking his oath of office across the entire front page. 'The Standard' had it with the caption "Mr President". Its rival 'The Nation' had a similar picture with the caption "...so help me God". By the way, the two Kenyan newspapers in writing and design looked like an exact copies of The Star and the NST in Malaysia, right down to a logo for Kenya's "Vision 2030" on the side. But I digress. Inside, the coverage spanned 8-10 pages. The next day on 22 January 2009, it was the same - the whole front page was a picture from the balls and inside stories about Obama getting down to work although this time with only 6-7 pages of coverage!
Look closely though, Obama's impact on the African society is profound. Columnist and local intellectuals wrote self-questioning articles how Obama has shown Africans that, "yes we can (too)". They were inspired by how Obama could make it in the US and how it was a wake up call for their own country to change. They talked about Obama even as they discussed opportunity and corruption, race and poverty, education and national unity. One big headline declared, "Kenyans, don't just praise Obama, emulate him!"
I can only imagine what this day has done for millions of children all over Africa. What would they be thinking? What new possibilities has this planted in their young minds? What will this inspire them to do? And this is a continent of 1bn people; what would the impact on the world be if this lifted 10% or 20% or 50% of them to go beyon what has been stopping them to realise their potential?
Some of the commentators were clearly moved by his call to move beyond tribe and race. In Ethiopia, which takes pride in both its spirituality as well as its religious harmony, the headline from the inauguration (also above single picture front page spread) was "We are a nation of Jews and Christians, Moslems and Hindus...and non-believers" For some reason that must have struck a chord in their national discourse. There is a lot of self-reflection going on about race, tribe and religion. What astounded me the most was an article I read about nearby Burundi, where perhaps purely coincidental to Obama, the main opposition political party decided to drop the racial reference ("pelipehutu") from the name of the party. It's as if UMNO dropping the "M", MCA dropping the "C" and MIC dropping the "I". This is in a country where 130,000 perished in racial conflict less than 10 years ago.
I believe the impact is equally if not more powerful for the African-American community in the US and in Europe. Already there are reports of falling delinquency among boys in inner-city schools in LA last year after Obama started winning the primaries and the principle decided to talk to the kids using Obama was an example. In New York, there was a bump in test scores for black students in the previous year. It really helps that both Obamas made good despite coming from humble backgrounds. Growing up with grandparents in a broken home, or being raised by a single mother, or living in a small apartment in the inner city the daughter of a pump operator these are no longer excuses. Barack and his sister accumulated between then Columbia, Harvard and a Ph.D; that Michelle and her brother both went to Princeton and for post-graduate in Harvard and Yale. They are setting precious examples of progress and opportunity through education, hardwork and personal discipline. And this continues with the Obamas showing themselves to be a stable traditional family of good values and conscientious parenting styles. In a profound way, regardless of the fate of the presidency, they are showing and giving faith to millions that, "Yes we did and yes you can."
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Ethiopia - Teaser for Future Posting
Finals of Miss Ethiopia 2009, and other reports from the Amharic nation.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
A New Era of Responsibility - BHO
My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified.
Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave
Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages.
We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
Thank you.
God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.
Youtube link http://hk.youtube.com/watch?v=VjnygQ02aW4
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified.
Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave
Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages.
We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
Thank you.
God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.
Youtube link http://hk.youtube.com/watch?v=VjnygQ02aW4
Monday, January 19, 2009
The Ma's Taiwan is Still Green
The Ma's Taiwan I saw last week is still rather Green.
All the peoples whom I spoke to last week in Taiwan were lamenting about the economic rues and against the Ma's administration.
One was telling me that the flour price has gone up so much and it led to the closure of more than thousand of bakeries. The mother of this evil is none other than the gasoline price. Ma was singled out for not stemming the price hike on gasoline that led to the price hike on every sundry items.
The lamenting continued that following the drop of gasoline price, there ought to be a corresponding fall of food prices. Yet, the prices were quick to rise but slow to fall. Apparently, the accusation is that many of the food commodity companies are related to KMT.
I have no time to do investigation if this is true. What I can tell is that there are many peoples on the ground who are yet to be won over by Ma and many more remain sympathethic of Chen Sui-bian.
One taxi driver who fethed me to the airport believed that the Chen's prosecution is politically motivated. His logic was simple - why Ah-Bian when the KMT peoples accused of "black gold" are not prosecuted.
There is a perceived unfairness by the pan green even though they are not convinced of Ah-bian's innoncence.
Further, there were concerns that Ma's pro-mainland policy is leading to the erosion of a separate Taiwanese identify forged over the years under the Lee and Chen's administrations. It is a proud identity they are not willing to let go.
I have always believed that with China becoming democratic and liberal one day, the case for reunification would be irresistable. The truth is more likely to be otherwise.
At this juncture, I would like to borrow some examples from the American's context to explain the cross strait relationship.
The cross-strait relationship since 1949 is a little similar to that of Cuban-American relationship, hostile and confrontational.
What the mainland hope for is more of American-Hawaii, all united in one country.
What the pan-green can accept is an independent country with perhaps a special relationship with her former master sharing a common heritage like the US and UK.
What the Ma's administration is working for, I speculate, is perhaps that of Puerto Rico vis-a-vis the USA, with the option for Taiwan to be reunited with China. We all know how the Puerto Rican voted for its separate identity in spite of USA's strength, power and democracy.
It therefore follows that the democratization of mainland China is just a pre-condition of but not the condition for, the peaceful reunification. There are the wishes of the peoples in Taiwan that cannot be ignored.
The task for reunification is thus enormous as it is not about China becoming democratic but also that Taiwan accepting being part of China. No doubt the onus is on the mainland to take the lead. However the Ma's adminstration has a challenging task to undo all the damage done by the Lee and Chen's administations in de-sinifying the Taiwanese in the last 20 years.
What's more, a democratic China, like the democratic America with Puerto Rico, will most likely no longer compell but rather leave it to Taiwan to choose whether to be part of her. In which case, the reunification will cease to be a key issue of the cross strait relationship.
All the peoples whom I spoke to last week in Taiwan were lamenting about the economic rues and against the Ma's administration.
One was telling me that the flour price has gone up so much and it led to the closure of more than thousand of bakeries. The mother of this evil is none other than the gasoline price. Ma was singled out for not stemming the price hike on gasoline that led to the price hike on every sundry items.
The lamenting continued that following the drop of gasoline price, there ought to be a corresponding fall of food prices. Yet, the prices were quick to rise but slow to fall. Apparently, the accusation is that many of the food commodity companies are related to KMT.
I have no time to do investigation if this is true. What I can tell is that there are many peoples on the ground who are yet to be won over by Ma and many more remain sympathethic of Chen Sui-bian.
One taxi driver who fethed me to the airport believed that the Chen's prosecution is politically motivated. His logic was simple - why Ah-Bian when the KMT peoples accused of "black gold" are not prosecuted.
There is a perceived unfairness by the pan green even though they are not convinced of Ah-bian's innoncence.
Further, there were concerns that Ma's pro-mainland policy is leading to the erosion of a separate Taiwanese identify forged over the years under the Lee and Chen's administrations. It is a proud identity they are not willing to let go.
I have always believed that with China becoming democratic and liberal one day, the case for reunification would be irresistable. The truth is more likely to be otherwise.
At this juncture, I would like to borrow some examples from the American's context to explain the cross strait relationship.
The cross-strait relationship since 1949 is a little similar to that of Cuban-American relationship, hostile and confrontational.
What the mainland hope for is more of American-Hawaii, all united in one country.
What the pan-green can accept is an independent country with perhaps a special relationship with her former master sharing a common heritage like the US and UK.
What the Ma's administration is working for, I speculate, is perhaps that of Puerto Rico vis-a-vis the USA, with the option for Taiwan to be reunited with China. We all know how the Puerto Rican voted for its separate identity in spite of USA's strength, power and democracy.
It therefore follows that the democratization of mainland China is just a pre-condition of but not the condition for, the peaceful reunification. There are the wishes of the peoples in Taiwan that cannot be ignored.
The task for reunification is thus enormous as it is not about China becoming democratic but also that Taiwan accepting being part of China. No doubt the onus is on the mainland to take the lead. However the Ma's adminstration has a challenging task to undo all the damage done by the Lee and Chen's administations in de-sinifying the Taiwanese in the last 20 years.
What's more, a democratic China, like the democratic America with Puerto Rico, will most likely no longer compell but rather leave it to Taiwan to choose whether to be part of her. In which case, the reunification will cease to be a key issue of the cross strait relationship.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
High Speed Rail
It has been more than two years since my last visit to Taiwan.
After checking through the immigration, I found the Koahsiung airport deserted and emptied of peoples. The airport that I know was bustling with peoples.
I have missed something. Yes. I wasn't here to witness the death of the domestic aviation industry.
The following day, I boarded the High Speed Rail from Zuoying (Kaohsiung) to Taipei. The ticketing counter was efficient and helpful. The boarding was fast without any security check required elsewhere including that of the mainland.
The train is new and the service is, in my view, more user friendly than the KCR (Kowloon-Canton Railway plying between Guangzhou and Hong Kong). There were useful leaflet in the seat pocket giving traveller information. The food on offer appears to be more palatable (I didn't sample). The washroom is cleaner and there is also several installation of vending machines for snack and drinks.
The speed was fast and took me just 43 minutes reaching Taichung. Travelling all the way to Taipei takes under 2 hours. In the past, it took more than 2 hours by road from Kaohsiung to Taichung and a total of between 5 to 6 hour to reach Taipei. What a speedy progress!
The only complaint is that the seat is a little too narrow but it is entirely my fault. My waist line has expanded.
The overall experience with the High Speed Rail is very comfortable and convenient. This is one single most impressive transformation I see in Taiwan since my very first visit in 2000.
On the aviation industry, it is truly an account of the rise and fall of an industry. The death of domestic aviation sees the birth of a high speed rail. Rather, it should be said the other way around, the birth of high speed rail kills the aviation.
It is also noticed that there is also corresponding decline of road transports using the highway easing the burden of the highway that was frequently congested in the past.
The question of whether or not the airport and aviation industry in Taiwan could revive, it will now all depend on the successful implementation of the big three links that becomes official just weeks ago. At the moment, there are still not too many visitors from the mainland.
As for me, it's good to be back to Taiwan to feel her pulse and seeing her in a faster and greener mode.
The next post will give an account of political sentiment on the Ma's Administration.
After checking through the immigration, I found the Koahsiung airport deserted and emptied of peoples. The airport that I know was bustling with peoples.
I have missed something. Yes. I wasn't here to witness the death of the domestic aviation industry.
The following day, I boarded the High Speed Rail from Zuoying (Kaohsiung) to Taipei. The ticketing counter was efficient and helpful. The boarding was fast without any security check required elsewhere including that of the mainland.
The train is new and the service is, in my view, more user friendly than the KCR (Kowloon-Canton Railway plying between Guangzhou and Hong Kong). There were useful leaflet in the seat pocket giving traveller information. The food on offer appears to be more palatable (I didn't sample). The washroom is cleaner and there is also several installation of vending machines for snack and drinks.
The speed was fast and took me just 43 minutes reaching Taichung. Travelling all the way to Taipei takes under 2 hours. In the past, it took more than 2 hours by road from Kaohsiung to Taichung and a total of between 5 to 6 hour to reach Taipei. What a speedy progress!
The only complaint is that the seat is a little too narrow but it is entirely my fault. My waist line has expanded.
The overall experience with the High Speed Rail is very comfortable and convenient. This is one single most impressive transformation I see in Taiwan since my very first visit in 2000.
On the aviation industry, it is truly an account of the rise and fall of an industry. The death of domestic aviation sees the birth of a high speed rail. Rather, it should be said the other way around, the birth of high speed rail kills the aviation.
It is also noticed that there is also corresponding decline of road transports using the highway easing the burden of the highway that was frequently congested in the past.
The question of whether or not the airport and aviation industry in Taiwan could revive, it will now all depend on the successful implementation of the big three links that becomes official just weeks ago. At the moment, there are still not too many visitors from the mainland.
As for me, it's good to be back to Taiwan to feel her pulse and seeing her in a faster and greener mode.
The next post will give an account of political sentiment on the Ma's Administration.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Ethiopia
A short post to say that I am on my way to Addis Ababa on official business between 14th January and 25th January 2009. Ethiopia is one of the great living civilizations extending - unbroken - more than 3000 years. For centuries it was the major rival to the Egyptians even before the Greeks and Romans appeared. It was major power in Biblical times and was heavily referenced by the Judeo-Christian traditions, particularly in reference to the story of King Solomon and Queen Sheba from Ethiopia. Ethiopia was also the one of the earliest Christian nations and still has its own branch of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Ethiopia has its own spoken and written language Amharic. So I am curious and looking forward to learning more of this place. Watch out for my postings from Addis Ababa.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Moments from My Metropolis - Ashura on Park Avenue
For those who are interested in inter-cultural understanding and tolerance, I had an interesting experience to share from last Sunday 4 January 2009.
As I was driving crosstown, I came across a large crowd of turbaned men and ladies in hijab with banners, etc. Mindful of the ongoing news coverage of the attacks on the Hamas in Gaza, the natural reaction from my passengers was that was probably a protest march. A few things caught my eyes though: the mood was certainly more festive than expected, the banners - all in the Arabic script - seemed calm and I caught sight of turbaned men in richly coloured robes around what looked like a folded tent. For some reason, I felt there was more to the gathering than initially thought. But I also quickly forgot about it.
An hour later, just out of curiousity I decided to visit a famous wine shop on 59th Street at Park Avenue which I passed by a few days earlier.
As I came closer though, I saw the same gathering stretching for 3 blocks just a little beyond the wine shop (which was incidentally closed on Sunday). As I walked towards it, there were many Middle Eastern people - whole families including ladies in dark robes - headed the same way.
By now I had a reasonable suspicion that they were Persian and whatever that was happenning was Shi'ite in origin; which turned out to be true. Closer to the gathering I was impressed to find many youthful girls and boys wearing large signs with, "ASK ME" written in English handing out information leaflets in English. A young lady told me its, the festival of "Karbalah" also known as "Ashura" commemorating the matyrdom of Imam Hussein (grandson of Prophet Mohamad) at the massacre of Karbala in 680 AD.
Around me almost the entire crowd which numbered around 3000, was dressed in black - men in Western clothing and the most women loosely veiled - but here and there there were a few bearded men in turbans in brown or orangey robes. Could they be Imams or Ayatollahs, I wonder? There were a few sound-trucks which belted out a mournful and poetic laments in Persian which were remarkably soothing and spiritual to the ears; and around them hundreds of young men chanted along beating their chests with their hands in rhythm. Far ahead what I thought to be tents were actually tall flags. The women and children mostly just watched. And so did the number of police around who blocked off the road and managed the traffic around it. It was a truly surreal sight to see this ancient Shi'ite gathering across from a church, clogging up the most prestigeous avenues of New York City (which by the way has one of the largest Jewish population anywhere).
What also impressed me was the handout from the Shi'ite community organizations, which explained the history and the different symbolisms of the commemoration. Clearly working to engage a modern Western audience, the document linked the values of that commemoration to what it called the universal values of justice, social progress, tolerance and human rights (!); and carefully side-stepping the religious and political nature of the event as the beginning of the Shi'ite vs Sunni schism. The leaflet even described the role of Zainab (one of the Prophet's grand-daughters) as an early example of women leaders in Shi'ite Islam, when after the massacre she protected the Prophet's family, ralied their supporters with stirring speeches and bravely spoke out against the injustice at the court of her brother's killer, Caliph Yazid. It was a laudable attempt trying its best to convert an image of fear (veiled women and turbaned men) into one that stresses shared values and greater cultural understanding.
I was full of hope seeing the spirit of outreach and dialogue undertaken by the Shi'ite community which was mirrored by the spirit of cultural diversity and tolerence by the City of New York (underpinned by the liberal democratic Western traditions). Coming from a Sunni Islamic state, this was my first experience of the Shi'ite version - and sadly, one that is probably less tolerated by many Islamic governments.
As I was driving crosstown, I came across a large crowd of turbaned men and ladies in hijab with banners, etc. Mindful of the ongoing news coverage of the attacks on the Hamas in Gaza, the natural reaction from my passengers was that was probably a protest march. A few things caught my eyes though: the mood was certainly more festive than expected, the banners - all in the Arabic script - seemed calm and I caught sight of turbaned men in richly coloured robes around what looked like a folded tent. For some reason, I felt there was more to the gathering than initially thought. But I also quickly forgot about it.
An hour later, just out of curiousity I decided to visit a famous wine shop on 59th Street at Park Avenue which I passed by a few days earlier.
As I came closer though, I saw the same gathering stretching for 3 blocks just a little beyond the wine shop (which was incidentally closed on Sunday). As I walked towards it, there were many Middle Eastern people - whole families including ladies in dark robes - headed the same way.
By now I had a reasonable suspicion that they were Persian and whatever that was happenning was Shi'ite in origin; which turned out to be true. Closer to the gathering I was impressed to find many youthful girls and boys wearing large signs with, "ASK ME" written in English handing out information leaflets in English. A young lady told me its, the festival of "Karbalah" also known as "Ashura" commemorating the matyrdom of Imam Hussein (grandson of Prophet Mohamad) at the massacre of Karbala in 680 AD.
Around me almost the entire crowd which numbered around 3000, was dressed in black - men in Western clothing and the most women loosely veiled - but here and there there were a few bearded men in turbans in brown or orangey robes. Could they be Imams or Ayatollahs, I wonder? There were a few sound-trucks which belted out a mournful and poetic laments in Persian which were remarkably soothing and spiritual to the ears; and around them hundreds of young men chanted along beating their chests with their hands in rhythm. Far ahead what I thought to be tents were actually tall flags. The women and children mostly just watched. And so did the number of police around who blocked off the road and managed the traffic around it. It was a truly surreal sight to see this ancient Shi'ite gathering across from a church, clogging up the most prestigeous avenues of New York City (which by the way has one of the largest Jewish population anywhere).
What also impressed me was the handout from the Shi'ite community organizations, which explained the history and the different symbolisms of the commemoration. Clearly working to engage a modern Western audience, the document linked the values of that commemoration to what it called the universal values of justice, social progress, tolerance and human rights (!); and carefully side-stepping the religious and political nature of the event as the beginning of the Shi'ite vs Sunni schism. The leaflet even described the role of Zainab (one of the Prophet's grand-daughters) as an early example of women leaders in Shi'ite Islam, when after the massacre she protected the Prophet's family, ralied their supporters with stirring speeches and bravely spoke out against the injustice at the court of her brother's killer, Caliph Yazid. It was a laudable attempt trying its best to convert an image of fear (veiled women and turbaned men) into one that stresses shared values and greater cultural understanding.
I was full of hope seeing the spirit of outreach and dialogue undertaken by the Shi'ite community which was mirrored by the spirit of cultural diversity and tolerence by the City of New York (underpinned by the liberal democratic Western traditions). Coming from a Sunni Islamic state, this was my first experience of the Shi'ite version - and sadly, one that is probably less tolerated by many Islamic governments.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)