Another politically incorrect letter for 1999.
There is sometimes no happy middle ground.
In 1998 the lucky ones were getting laid, the less lucky ones were getting laid off and on, but the unlucky ones were getting laid off. Period.
The one that spoils a good time.
Quad Erat Demonstradum.
1999 will most likely not be much but we are getting ahead of ourselves.
1998 is a year that was in my opinion incredibly important. It taught us great lessons and raised very important questions. Not the kind of variation on the phrase “caught with his hand in the till” that Clinton caused but significant, serious ones.
Was India better off as a nuclear capable country? Was Pakistan? Was the arrogance of already nuclear capable countries justified? Does India cause a military threat to Asia or does it offer protection? Will the world get more polarized along race and religion? Will it be Chinese vs. Non Chinese? Will it be Muslim vs. Non Muslim? Is there a leader of the stature of Lee Kuan Yew who will be elected to lead a politically unified Asia? Did Anwar really drive his driver? Was he brought down because the act was wrong – or because it was an excuse? How about the poor bastards in China who got an average sentence of 12 years of jail time for advocating democracy? Do they languish in jail for nothing? Is Pauline Hanson entirely wrong? Should she be given more exposure so she is heard? Should Iraq be bombed? Should Saddam be terminated? Was Clinton covering up (no pun intended) when he launched strikes against Iraq? Should Yeltsin be forcibly retired now that he is too weak to pinch someone’s bottom? Should the nations of the world go get Karadzic and make an example of him? Should the Palestinians get their land back? Should the Israeli’s keep building settlements? Should Hong Kong buy stocks of locally listed companies? Was Tung Chee Hwa responsible for the slowdown in Hong Kong? Was the airport project a success? Should we let 3 weeks of chaos belittle one of the largest projects in the world? Should Suharto and clan be stripped of their wealth? Should Clinton be impeached? Is Bill Gates taking over the world? Did he lie too? Is cloning good? What about Viagra? Should the USA be required to give proof of suspicion whenever they bomb sites in other countries? Were the Swiss guilty of anti-Semitism? Do not the Americans have some soul searching in this regard? Should India be proud of Amartya Sen? Is he her’s to claim? How do we eradicate poverty now that we have the Noble Prize winner to tell us? Are we listening to reason? To desperation? Are the poor bastards that beg for a scrap “them”? Do they not feel pain like “us”? And humiliation? And self respect? Hunger? Disease? Joy? What about Jiang Zemin? Can the economic statistics of China be believed? Would you like the job of reporting true economic statistics in China?
