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  1. Off to Taipei

    Taiwan Chiang Kai-Shek Ching-Kuo figures
    (Taipei 101 store) Don’t touch the general!

    Regular posting will be delayed yet again as I will be in Taipei for the Global Initiatives Symposium at National Taiwan University. GIS is an Asian business student conference, modeled on the St. Gallen Symposium – I met one of the organizers when I went to SGS – except that its Asia focused and not Eurocentric like SGS is. It’s the first time Taida is putting this together, and I’m optimistic that it will be just as professionally organized. This will be my first visit to Taiwan, and a welcome break from my summer of Stata.

    Posted in Business, Other Asia.

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    By qui tacet – June 24, 2009

  2. Pyongyang Diaries: Escape from Yanggakdo

    Pyongyang train station
    (Pyongyang station) The train station has a curious architectural style… ionic columns and an eight-sided pagoda-like tower.

    As the train rolled into the station, I looked out the window and saw the sign above the entrance: 평양 (Pyongyang). Finally – the capital of the hermit kingdom. KPA soldiers herded us out of the train onto the platform, and down through a dark tunnel underneath the tracks. There were no lights, and it was too dark to make out the red script on the walls, but I had some idea of what revolutionary things they said. Only a few hours earlier that day, I had been in a similar tunnel at Dandong station, except on the walls there were advertisements. I was disappointed, because I really wanted to see what advertising was like in the DPRK.

    Continued…

    Posted in Business, Korea - Pyongyang Diaries, TV Dramas.

    3 comments

    By qui tacet – June 20, 2009

  3. In the company of women

    Beijing Wudaokou Do you mind if I like you
    (Wudaokou K-town, Beijing) The wrong question?

    She’s very pretty, big sister said. She was, and had an unconventional charm, with the features of those pigtailed red-scarved proletarian heroines rallied from rural mountain villages in the middle provinces to hold up half the sky for the great helmsman. She was strong, productive, innocent – As if she stepped straight out of the kitschy Socialist Realism propaganda posters that adorn his dormitory room.

    Continued…

    Posted in Bildungsroman.

    6 comments

    By qui tacet – June 8, 2009

  4. Wokai microfinancing China’s development

    Chifeng Balinyouqi microfinance client seamstress
    (Balinyouqi town, Chifeng prefecture, Inner Mongolia) The seamstress I interviewed had used her loan to purchase an electric sewing machine, boosting her productivity. I’ll post the interview transcript soon…

    Dear readers, you’re probably aware I’m involved with a China microfinance nonprofit, but just in case you aren’t:

    What is Wokai?

    Wokai delivers an internet microfinance platform that allows individuals to provide Chinese microentrepreneurs with loan capital. Our organization acts as an intermediary in this process, transferring funds from contributors abroad to microentrepreneurs in China through our field partners. Watch our video presentation!

    Continued…

    Posted in China Trip, Development.

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    By qui tacet – June 6, 2009