News Stories

[LeoXiao]

In response to China’s criticism, Bergé retorted, “I’m absolutely ready to give the two heads to China. The only thing I ask is for China to give human rights, liberty to Tibet and to welcome the Dalai Lama.”

What the hell does art have to do with human rights? And why does everyone focus on Tibet? that is only the tip of the iceberg, there are many more Han Chinese have been/are being killed/arrested by the government.

[Shadow Kira01]

Originally Posted by LeoXiao

What the hell does art have to do with human rights? And why does everyone focus on Tibet? that is only the tip of the iceberg, there are many more Han Chinese have been/are being killed/arrested by the government.

That's because Tibet was never part of China to begin with. Tibet only became Chinese sovereign a few decades ago when the Chinese launched a massacre in Tibet, slaughtering many Tibetans and forcing the remaining survivors along with the Dalai Lama into exile, moving into India.

The ownership of the pieces of art belong solely to the auctioner and thus, he has the every right to state any conditions. More over, it is not like he is unwilling to sell the relics to China but the government of China must comply with the one and easy condition which is to not kill Tibetans. How is that a difficult task?

[yezhanquan]

Actually, the best way to settle the issue is to bid for the items, and pay for them, with little to no fanfare. Exchanging them for "rights" is quite frankly out of the question, since "face" is something very important to the PRC government. Besides, it's for charity, or at least the original YSL auction was.

All this hooha is distracting. Besides, the real issue is that demographic changes on the ground in Tibet are not good for Tibetans.

[LeoXiao]

That's because Tibet was never part of China to begin with. Tibet only became Chinese sovereign a few decades ago when the Chinese launched a massacre in Tibet, slaughtering many Tibetans and forcing the remaining survivors along with the Dalai Lama into exile, moving into India.

That's still a stupid reason to ignore the abuses that happen within China "proper." All that behavior does is make it look like China is only picking on Tibet, and that everything else is fine.

I understand the feelings of the auctioner, but I don't think that he should give the sculptures to anyone except for the Chinese government. If he won't do it for political reasons that's fine, but IMO he should keep the arts for now.

h and the Chinese guy is stupid. Chinese people tend to do a lot of stupid, sheeplike things out of the phony nationalism taught to them.

[Urzu 7]

Originally Posted by LeoXiao

That's still a stupid reason to ignore the abuses that happen within China "proper." All that behavior does is make it look like China is only picking on Tibet, and that everything else is fine.

I understand the feelings of the auctioner, but I don't think that he should give the sculptures to anyone except for the Chinese government. If he won't do it for political reasons that's fine, but IMO he should keep the arts for now.

h and the Chinese guy is stupid. Chinese people tend to do a lot of stupid, sheeplike things out of the phony nationalism taught to them.

Yeah, unfortunately, a lot of good Chinese people are becoming sheep with the brain wash power of their gov'ts form of nationalism.

[TinyRedLeaf]

India steps in to prevent Gandhi auction

New Delhi (Mar 1): India has stepped in to prevent several of freedom leader Mahatma Gandhi's possessions, including his iconic round glasses, from being auctioned off next month in New York, a report said last Friday (Feb 27).

"Whatever can be done is being done to ensure that articles are not auctioned by involving all concerned stakeholders," Culture Minister Ambika Soni told the Press Trust of India news agency.

A culture ministry official said the government had approached the various owners of Gandhi's belongings to ask them to "offer the items to the government on the basis of honour and due acknowledgement", according to the news agency.

The owners include the daughter of one of Gandhi's nieces, who authorised a German collector to give them to the auction house Antiquorum Auctioneers.

The March 4-5 auction has triggered a grassroots campaign for the return of the belongings, along with Gandhi's trademark glasses, sandals, a pocket watch and some dishes.

Gandhi's great-grandson, Mr Tushar Gandhi, who had launched a public appeal for funds to buy the items, told Agence France-Presse he was cheered to hear about the government's action.

"I'm overjoyed the government has finally woken up to its responsibility," he said. "My objective was that these things which rightfully belong to India come back to India."

- AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

I suppose the Indians are also stupid sheep who have been brainwashed by their government to behave with nationalistic fervour, eh?

[ZephyrLeanne]

Originally Posted by yezhanquan

Actually, the best way to settle the issue is to bid for the items, and pay for them, with little to no fanfare. Exchanging them for "rights" is quite frankly out of the question, since "face" is something very important to the PRC government. Besides, it's for charity, or at least the original YSL auction was.

That was the old method, then they realised that they were "frittering away mone for no reason", as one official put it.

[yezhanquan]

As a Singaporean Chinese, I feel that such loss of "national treasures" is a lesson for China. Why did such treasures fall into the hands of others? Because China chose to be arrogant and thought that they were still the best in the world, and that they had nothing to learn from others. Guess what? That proved to be the downfall. If such lessons are always remembered, that one can always learn from others, then I would rather that such "treasures" continue to remain outside.

[ZephyrLeanne]

Originally Posted by yezhanquan

As a Singaporean Chinese, I feel that such loss of "national treasures" is a lesson for China. Why did such treasures fall into the hands of others? Because China chose to be arrogant and thought that they were still the best in the world, and that they had nothing to learn from others. Guess what? That proved to be the downfall. If such lessons are always remembered, that one can always learn from others, then I would rather that such "treasures" continue to remain outside.

My point was this: they had a great method previously, but they're doing something else now. Why?

[yezhanquan]

Originally Posted by ShimatheKat

My point was this: they had a great method previously, but they're doing something else now. Why?

I don't know. Perhaps, China wishes to push the envelope. Regardless, this little game has backfired rather spectacularly.

[Sinestra]

I found this article a bit odd honestly the numbers seem very high and for a culture such as Japan i cant see waste being this high.

23 million tons of food was discarded in 2007, about ¥11 trillion worth, which is the monetary equivalent of Japan's annual agricultural output. Moreover, it cost ¥2 trillion to process that waste.

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-b...0090301pb.html

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by Sinestra

I found this article a bit odd honestly the numbers seem very high and for a culture such as Japan i cant see waste being this high.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-b...0090301pb.html

I know there's a real social unacceptability to "doggie bags" (taking home leftovers) as somehow insulting to the cook. They're also quite insane about following the "use by" date on food (which is funny for people who eat natto o.O).
The number does seem high though...

[sa547]

Originally Posted by Sinestra

I found this article a bit odd honestly the numbers seem very high and for a culture such as Japan i cant see waste being this high.




http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-b...0090301pb.html

Considering that tonnage and this in an age where rice shortage and starvation is becoming commonplace, I'd say it's appalling unless someone higher up looks into it and create legislation against food wastage and force people to think about how much they actually consume in one sitting.

[ganbaru]

Originally Posted by Vexx

I know there's a real social unacceptability to "doggie bags" (taking home leftovers) as somehow insulting to the cook.

'' Insulting to the cook'' ?
Not really, I dislike much more seeing meals only half eated, we are not doing it for trowing it in the garbage right after.
Those numbers are really enormous, its might even be said ''alarming''.

[Vexx]

Well I've really never gotten a satisfactory explanation for why Japanese don't take leftovers. Rather than speculate further, perhaps a Japanese in Japan might have an idea?

[LeoXiao]

Originally Posted by Sinestra

I found this article a bit odd honestly the numbers seem very high and for a culture such as Japan i cant see waste being this high.




http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-b...0090301pb.html

And I thought Americans waste a lot of food...

[ganbaru]

Originally Posted by LeoXiao

And I thought Americans waste a lot of food...

I am curious about it, probably than America's performance would be worse, the larger population would not be helping of course...

[0utf0xZer0]

Originally Posted by LeoXiao

And I thought Americans waste a lot of food...

Probably depends on whether you consider it more wasteful to throw the food out or pack it around the waist.

A fair bit of US food waste comes at the farm stage. I remember covering US milk price subsidies in economics class and how they created a massive surplus of milk. The solution to this? Make it into cheese and store it in abandoned mines (salt mines, I think).

[FateAnomaly]

What does putting cheese in mines do?

[ganbaru]

Originally Posted by FateAnomaly

What does putting cheese in mines do?

You use the ''massive surplus of milk''.
The result ( the cheese) could be interesting