Mandy @ POLI 333D

“South Korean conservative activists chant slogans in Seoul on Saturday denouncing North Korea’s announcement of a planned satellite launch.” from CNN. Last week, North Korea announced its plan to launch a rocket-powered satellite (similar to that used in its ballistic missile program) in April. This announcement has undoubtedly destroyed the hope arose from the bilateral agreement between North Korea […]

So we just talked about different kinds of repression in class today. In the context of China, one of the most prevalent kinds is of course the political repression of freedom of expression… This Wall Street Journal’s article talks about how China’s social-media services have started cracking down on searches for anything in regard to Bo Xilai (who was […]

As I was eating my breakfast, I was really worried that this video is about using panda POO to make tea (given the video’s name is “Panda poo tea goes for big bucks”)…..but thanks God…this is about using panda POO as fertilizer to plant tea leaves….. So what is the selling-point of panda poo tea? Scientifically, […]

Definition of digital democracy: a “bottom-up” approach which concerns with the creation of new citizens’ discussion and deliberation, and sites for mobilization and action. Question: Can new technologies help or hurt democracy around the world? Answer: In my opinion, they would help democracy. *****************************This is because************************ On the citizens’ side, digital democracy promotes 1)      Lower cost […]

In his last National People’s Congress, Mr Wen mentioned “the need for political reform in one-party, authoritarian China.” Once again, I wonder if these speeches, that China also aspires to be a democracy but it takes time, are just for reinforcing diplomatic ties with the Western powers (i.e. lip-service), especially when the authoritarian rule in […]

Photo from CNN Since the famine in the mid-1990s, North Koreans have been compelled to grow and sometimes illegally sell their own food. Accommodated by the lenient attitude of the government to restrict private enterprise’s activities, a free market has been made possible. As a result, a “new, relatively wealthy middle class” has been created. […]

Initial Version – I wrote this post in the week when I had four papers due. I planned to rework it but my energy level just didn’t allow me to do so (believe me it is true!) Taliban revealed that they had talked with the U.S. but refused to negotiate with the Afghan government. It is apparent that […]

photo from the CNN Just as the Republicans are busily attacking each other, Obama is busily building his campaign apparatus “behind the scenes”. As this CNN article suggests, “As the GOP primary race goes into its third official month, the biggest winner appears to be the president.” This sentiment is further bolstered by the recent […]

Because of my fascination with the International Criminal Court (ICC), I have long heard the name of Joseph Kony, who was prosecuted by the ICC in 2005 (and if I recall correctly, this is the ICC’s first prosecution). However, I didn’t know there is a Kony 2012 movement until yesterday, when my friend posts it […]

Blog (and therefore its posts) that I like: No hesitation in answering – Justice in Conflict (JiC)! JiC talks about international criminal justice through reporting and analyzing the work of international human rights organizations (mostly in Africa). My favorite blogs are those on the International Criminal Court (ICC) – an international organization which intrigues me the most. […]