Experts warn minister not to abuse her power over broadcasting

Shuichi Yutska, The Asahi Shimbun, March 3, 2016

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/social_affairs/AJ201603030050

  accessed March 3, 2016

l  日本，亞洲民主的資優生面臨民主的考驗。民選的領袖覺得言論自由礙手礙腳。這是台灣追求民主的遠景嗎？

Experts warn minister not to abuse her power over broadcasting

Law, politics and other experts blasted communications minister Sanae Takaichi over her threat to shut down broadcasters if the government judges them as biased.

Five leaders in their respective fields, including Yoichi Higuchi, professor emeritus of the Constitution at the University of Tokyo, said at a news conference in Tokyo on March 2 that it is unconstitutional to take such a move based on the Broadcast Law’s Article 4 that stipulates political neutrality.

A run a day keeps the tumour at bay

The Economist, February 27, 2016

http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21693419-active-life-protects-against-cancer-researchers-now-understand-why-run-day

  accessed February 27, 2016

l  運動可壓制癌細胞生長

Trump’s Il Duce routine

Roger Cohen , International New York Times, February 29, 2016

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/01/opinion/donald-trumps-il-duce-routine.html?_r=0 

accessed February 29, 2016

l  歐洲各國領袖及媒體對美共和黨總統候選人川普極端排斥。為什麼?因為歐洲經歷多次〝民主自我毀滅〞的慘劇:墨索里尼(別號公爵 Il Duce)、德國希特勒、義大利和南斯拉夫解體後的米洛舍維奇。都是合法民選的領袖後轉為獨裁者，還不提古希臘和羅馬的經驗。

臺灣一心追求民主的未來會是如此嗎?

林中斌 2016.03.06

l  Europe knows that democracies can collapse.

l  after lost wars, in times of fear and anger and economic hardship, when the pouting demagogue appears with his pageantry and promises.

l  Trump has emerged from a political system corrupted by money, locked in an echo chamber of insults

Trump has shown contempt for the press, a taste for violence, a consistent inhumanity, a devouring ego and an above-the-law swagger. As Europe knows, democracies do die. Often, they are the midwives of their own demise. Once lost, the cost of recovery is high.

《王毅提憲法》林中斌：未來四年 習近平不希望兩岸白紙一張

2016/02/27 自由時報 蘇永耀  

http://m.ltn.com.tw/news/focus/paper/962368

   accessed February 27, 2016

l   自由時報只提我說習近平對2020的企圖心。中評社只提我說蔡英文對2020的企圖心。各取一半。2016.1.22我在澳門大學的英文演講"Overlapped Ambitions"講的就是蔡習對2020的企圖心，都不公開承認，但有重合之處。這才是目前蔡習漸近的幕後動力。
林中斌 2016.2.27

中客自由行 年輕女性最多

2016/02/14 自由時報

http://m.ltn.com.tw/news/focus/paper/957857

l   這不是聯合或中時或旺報，而是自由時報的報導！“中國自由行旅客...禮貌與文明程度甚至還優於臺灣人..."

馬政府開放中國旅客自由行，根據調查，來台灣自由行的中客以女性居多，偏愛軟性景點，不少人事先還做足功課，深入了解台灣的程度，接觸過的人都印象深刻。

中國從二○一一年六月開放第一批自由行中國旅客來台，根據陸委會統計，目前已達三二六．五萬人次，以廿歲到四十歲的比例最多，呈現逐年增加趨勢。

其中，女性的比例又高於男性，她們對於台灣的軟性景點，包括美食、民宿、具人文特色的景點特別偏好。

一般來說，自由行的中國旅客，喜歡規劃深度旅遊與精緻路線。調查顯示，最愛的地點包括誠品書店、九份山城、平溪天燈、北投溫泉等地；最愛的台灣伴手禮是鳳梨酥、牛軋糖及面膜。

有民宿業者指出，曾接待過來自中國的自由行旅客，幾個女生結伴遊台，令人印象深刻的是，她們對於台灣有相當深入的了解，顯然事先做足功課，例如當地老街的歷史淵源，竟然比當地人還要如數家珍。

業者坦言，中國自由行旅客素質普遍比團客高出許多，禮貌與文明程度甚至還優於台灣人，他們旅遊過程中細細品味台灣的各地點滴，不時仔細詢問當地風土民情，這也讓他們印象深刻。

陸委會方面指出，隨著中國自由行旅客人數逐年增加，安全維護與旅遊品質成為重要課題，已建立緊急事件的政府相關單位橫向聯繫機制；至於少數中客所伴隨而來的治安問題，相關機關已進一步強化安全管理配套機制與措施，並將依實際實施情形，隨時進行檢討。

“Anchors away”

Economist Feb 20th 2016

http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21693269-criticism-government-being-airbrushed-out-news-shows-anchors-away

“As China’s Economic Picture Turns Uglier, Beijing Applies Airbrush”

EDWARD WONG and NEIL GOUGH FEB. 25, 2016

    http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/26/business/international/china-data-slowing-economy.html?_r=0

accessed FEB 25, 2016

l  人類進入21世紀壹拾年代。民主的日本和非民主的中國都在縮緊對媒體的管制。怎麼啦?是人類整體退步了嗎?還是媒體在國家人民整體利益下應該管訓?

l  Mankind has entered the second decade of the 21th century. Yet, both the democratic Japan and the undemocratic China are tightening control of the media. What has happened? Is it that mankind has retrogressed? Or, under the total interest of a country and its people, media ought to be controlled?

"蔡英文：最紮實的花瓶"

2016/1/28 多維 p.88-90

   accessed Feb 19, 2016

• 這料敵尚且須從實，何況料非敵?
• 偏藍、偏綠、偏紅皆非大錯。
• 誤判才是大錯。
• 讓情慾、偏好、仇恨、厭惡影響判斷，不讓新的事實修正之前的判斷，小則誤己，大則誤國。

林中斌 2016.2.19

Exploring running injuries

Gretchen Reynolds, International New York Times

accessed Feb 17, 2016

• 科學加選了249有經驗的女性長跑者，她們跑時都以後跟先著地。觀察她們兩年。很多人認為後跟先著地會引起運動傷害。但是發現兩年下來，100為有需就醫之傷害，40為有輕微傷害，而其它109位沒有傷害。
• A Study has found that runners who strike the ground with their heel, first get less injuries, contrary to what is commonly believed.

Welcome to the Age of the Commando

MATT GALLAGHER, International New York Times, JAN 30, 2016

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/31/opinion/sunday/welcome-to-the-age-of-the-commando.html?_r=0

accessed Feb 1, 2016

l  作者是美國退伍的特戰上尉。他說:「使用特種部隊會保證無止境的衝突和暴力，因為不受人民監督。長遠目標？無。」

l  White House officials have taken to what a report in this newspaper recently called “linguistic contortions” to obscure the forces’ combat roles. As the military as a whole downsizes, Special Ops recruitment continues to rise. There are approximately 70,000 Special Ops personnel today, a number that includes soldiers, civilians, National Guard and Reservists, as well. This number is up from 45,600 in 2001 and 61,400 in 2011.

Social Media: Destroyer or Creator?

Thomas L. Friedman, International New York Times, FEB 3, 2016

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/03/opinion/social-media-destroyer-or-creator.html

accessed Feb 3, 2016

l  臉書革命從阿拉伯之春，到佔領華爾街到香港佔中的運動並未建立持久的政治秩序。因為新媒體常於解構而拙於建構，可以廣播聲音而無法凝聚共識。

l  發動2011年埃及革命的年輕人Ghonim最近說:「我以前相信網路可以解放社會，但我錯了。」

After The Spring

Jared Malsin/Cairo, Time, FEB 8, 2016 p.32

http://time.com/4198092/after-the-spring/

accessed Feb 8, 2016

Abe’s “stain”

Economist, SEP 26, 2015 p.28

http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21667981-chinas-angry-reaction-japans-new-security-laws-echoed-home-abes-stain

accessed Sep 26, 2015

l  中國國防經費自2005至2015年直線上升，由美金300億至1,400億元。日本同期國防經費變化不大，由450億至420億美元。

The South China Sea: Making a splash

Economist, JAN 30, 2016

http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21689633-taiwans-outgoing-president-further-roils-troubled-waters-making-splash

accessed Jan 30, 2016

l  美國智庫CSIS說:「2030年時，南海將成中國湖，有如加勒比海是美國湖一般。」

l  美國派軍艦穿越南海之訊息不明確。到底是「自由航行」(freedom of navigation)以挑戰中國對島礁的主權呢？還是「無害通過」(innocent passage)間接承認了中國對島礁的主權？

呂秀蓮談蔡英文兩岸路線

2016/02/14 亞洲週刊

http://www.yzzk.com/cfm/content_archive.cfm?id=1454491247348&docissue=2016-07

  accessed Feb 14, 2016

l   呂秀蓮過去經常批評蔡英文，被黨內形容有「呂蔡心結」。

l   呂說蔡：「她絕對不是一個簡單的人物，她可以把民進黨所有的派系制服，現在叫英派，其實派系沒有消除，因為她跳出來，派系通通靠攏。」

l   呂：「我剛好上了一個電視節目，我忽然想到世界名畫『蒙娜麗莎的微笑』，我覺得蔡總統很有政治的蒙娜麗莎的味道。」

統戰，蔡英文借用的毛式武器

2016/01/28 多維 牛淚

  accessed Jan 28, 2016

l   在本次選舉中，蔡英文更是把「統戰」策略用到極致。她有效團結首都台北的白色力量，使柯文哲從側翼對國民黨發起進攻，鞍前馬後地為民進黨在台北和新北等選區的立法委員站台效力；她團結並爭取「時代力量」等年輕世代和政治素人，支持他們在各自的選區和國民黨角力；她用「客家妹挺客家人」的口號爭取客家人支持，使客家人集中的苗栗縣，這個國民黨的傳統票倉，變成自己的勢力範圍以壯大聲勢。

U.S. urged Japan to consult with China before 2012 Senkakus purchase

KYODO, The Japan Times, Jan 31, 2016

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/01/31/national/u-s-urged-japan-consult-china-2012-senkakus-purchase/#.VrnrHoyNGZi.facebook

accessed Feb 8, 2016

l  Interesting revelation! My theory is that after Xi reappeared on September 14 from his "mysterious" disappearance , Beijing's management of the Diaoyutai or Senkakus issue was taken up by him from Hu Jingtao who probably had given the Japanese a more lenient response. Chong-Pin Lin Feb. 8, 2016

解放軍少將登美濟礁 第一大島規模驚人

2016/02/08 多維 桑梓地

http://china.dwnews.com/big5/news/2016-02-08/59716676.html

  accessed Feb 9, 2016

l   Either propaganda or fact, it is worthy of notice. 無論是宣傳亦或事實，都值得參考。 林中斌 2016.2.9 Chong-Pin Lin Feb 9, 2016

Taiwan Elects Its First Female President

Charlie Campbell, Time, Jan 16, 2016

http://time.com/4183442/china-taiwan-tsai-ing-wen-first-female-president/?xid=fbshare

l  The following is a quote -- accurate all right -- from the current issue of Time magazine which regrettably misidentified me as professor at Tamkng University from which I have retired since August 2012. Chong-Pin Lin Jan. 17, 2016

l  以下為此期時代雜誌所引述中斌的話。引述文字沒錯。可惜記者未查證：個人已於2012年8月自淡江大學退休。林中斌 2016年1月17日

l  According to Professor Lin Chong-Pin, of Taiwan’s Tamkang University’s Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies, there are “overlapping ambitions between Tsai and Xi Jinping” that make a calamitous deterioration of relations unlikely.

l  “Tsai will already be looking forward to re-election in 2020, and for that she has to deliver economic stability,” he says. “The next four years would also constitute two-thirds of the remaining term of Xi Jinping, and he would hate to see his record for Taiwan and cross-strait relations remaining blank at the end.”

America’s Empty Embassies

Walter F. Mondale, International New York Times, Dec 29, 2015

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/12/29/opinion/americas-empty-embassies.html?_r=1&referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com.tw%2F

 accessed Jan 18, 2015

l  2014年全世界1/4美國大使館沒有大使!

l  美國前副總統呼籲國會共和黨參議員請勿再阻撓民主黨總統任命的大使通過國會同意的關卡。

China plays its Malaysia card

Tash Aw, The New York Times, Jan 8, 2016

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/13/arts/william-zinsser-author-of-on-writing-well-dies-at-92.html?_r=0 

accessed Jan 18, 2016

l  北京不只用經濟和軍事擴張他的影響力，他也用文化—通俗音樂和語言溝通。中國對馬來西亞的手法就是個好例子。