You haven't aged a bit
Japan's moral problems in facing up to its actions during the 20th century get a lot of play--and for good reason--but it's always important to bear in mind that every society in this part of the world is proficient at whitewashing. Quoth Simon:

[A] very happy 56th birthday to the New China. Follow the link to read the pain of a 7 year old girl's history lessons, numerous counts of foreign aggression and surprisingly little mention of the Great Leap Forward, the Cultural Revolution and other weird political movements.


The article from the People's Daily starts this way:

On October 1, 2005, the People's Republic of China, or "New China" as it is fondly referred to by the entire Chinese people, turns 56 years old.


It gets better from there.
Posted by Sean on 2005-09-30 22:29:32
Joel (mail) (www):
As I once or twice pointed out while teaching in China, I'm actually a few months older than New China. And I'm sure everything bad that's happened in my life is due to developments before I was born. I'm not responsible for any of my own sins of omission or commission. If they were to exist, they would all be due to the residual karma of the wombat that I used to be before my latest rebirth. At least, I think I was a wombat. Might have been a Japanese macaque. Hard to tell any more. I suppose I'll be back to kabutomushi next time around.
10.1.2005 2:53am
Sean Kinsell (mail) (www):
I agree. What's a famine here and there? It doesn't detract from a live well-lived overall, huh?
10.1.2005 10:46pm
Joel (mail) (www):
You agree I'll be a kabutomushi next time round? Cheeky macaque!
10.2.2005 4:42am
Sean Kinsell (mail) (www):
;)
10.3.2005 10:28pm