TOWSON, Maryland, Friday, August 11, 2017 - Greatly troubled by a vexing and ongoing border dispute with India, and trying to resolve an ongoing dispute revolving around its building of artificial islands in the South China Sea, China finds itself nearly out of the loop in the high stakes stand-off between the United States and North Korea. Few in the West have paid attention to the China-India dispute, which revolves around China being discovered trying to extend a road within an area that is claimed both by China and Bhutan, a small nation that is closely allied with India.
When Chinese workers were discovered working on the road, India immediately sent troops to the scene to enforce its demand that the work be stopped. Now, troops from both China and India are literally deployed just a few hundred yards from each other on this remote dirt road that snakes between towering peaks of the Himalayan Mountains.
The dispute arises out of a treaty signed in 1890 between two governments - British India and China’s Qing dynasty - that no longer exist. The treaty, signed at Calcutta, India, in 1890, says on its English cover page that it concerns the areas of Sikkim and Tibet. Unfortunately, two versions of the treaty put the subject border area at two completely different places.
On one map, the border is here. On another map, the border is there.
Diplomats familiar with the dispute say it is a good faith disagreement that should, eventually, be resolved. But tensions are so high right now that some experts say it could result in war. There is a very good description of the dispute in the New York Times (July 28) at https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/26/world/asia/dolam-plateau-china-india-bhutan.html
India and China are nuclear powers.
In the South China Sea, China has constructed artificial islands which Western observers say are clearly intended for military purposes. China claims that the waters surrounding these islands are Chinese Territorial Waters.
The United States says that China had absolutely no right to build the islands, and that the waters in question are International Waters open to any nation. To prove its point, the United States has had battleships cruise across the waters. The most recent of these "cruises" took place this week and drew quick response from China. The USA has rebuffed the Chinese claim. And the USA has asked that other Western Nations join it in making the cruises.
The important and influential blog called "Powerline" has any number of essential articles for those of us with a craving for what is going on in our world. One of the most essential is a piece by John Hinderaker entitled "The Democrats' Plan to Destroy Trump". This is the web page it can be found on: http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2017/08/the-democrats-plan-to-destroy-trump.php
Warning: it will make you sick, even if you are a Democrat like me. It begins with the statement that "we," meaning ultra leftists, "have a mandate." Remember, these are the people who thought it prudent and authorized to send thugs to Trump's campaign rallies to pick fights and pummel Trump supporters with fists and sticks and whatnot. I still cannot believe that no one has been called on to account for that stuff. The piece I am referring to says that Hillary Clinton is the "most admired...woman in the nation."
Hillary is the most admired woman in the nation? I have this bridge up in Brooklyn that I am putting on the market...
I should add, however, that Powerline's John Mirengoff - an accomplished attorney and wonderful writer - has a sobering article on Ryan Mallet, the Raven's supposed back-up for Joe Flacco. The article is as much an endorsement Colin Kaepernick as it is a well-thought out - and damning - criticism of Mallet. Mirengoff is a Redskins fan and his mood wasn't helped by the 'Skins really awful performance last night. The Ravens routed the Skins, 23-3.
I also have to admit that I am beginning to waver in my opposition to signing Kaepernik. I don't believe that opposing his signing indicates any softness in your support of the right of free speech. This precious right is under assault by the ultra left, and anything we can do to oppose that assault is a wonderful idea. With Kaepernik, I worry that his signing will cause untold disruption for the Ravens in a pivotal year. Kaepernik, I believe, is clearly and completely beholden to his very very ultra left girlfriend, Nessa Diab, who goes by the name of "Nessa." As the Ravens were openly considering signing Kaepernik, Nessa took to Twitter and posted a photographic comparison of Steve Bisciotti - owner of the Ravens - and the character portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio in the movie "Django Unchained." In case you don't know, DiCaprio's character is a slave owner in the movie. Bisciotti is the only one of the Ravens' governing trio (Bisciotti, Coach John Harbaugh and General Manager Ozzie Newsome) who is at all skeptical of signing Kaepernik. Publicly attacking him is not a good idea when he is the one said to be holding up the signing (the Ravens released a statement saying that Bisciotti is not the one holding up the signing). And by no stretch of even the ultra leftist's imagination is Bisciotti a racist. Everything he does says otherwise.
Mallet's performance last night - which was defended by Harbaugh - might cause the Ravens to change their mind about Kaepernik, if, indeed, it needed to be changed. I believe there is an issue with Kaepernik himself. Does he really want to play football at all, and would he be amenable to playing all the way across the country in Baltimore?
There are rumors that Kaepernik spurned one NFL team's offer of a contract at the League Minimum of $990,000.00. There is also a report that he opted out of his 49'ers Contract for a whole lot more.
Read the Mirengoff piece.
Orioles Rout Athletics, 7-2, Behind Miley and 4 Home Runs (2 by Mancini); Win Shaves Wild Card Deficit to 1.5 Games
The Baltimore Orioles broke a brief two-game slide by smashing four home runs and getting seven solid innings from Wade Miley in a 7-2 pasting of the Oakland Athletics. Trey Mancini hit two of the homers, both of which were one part of back-to-back blasts by the Orioles.
Mark Trumbo - who was taken off of the disabled list on Wednesday - and Adam Jones also homered for the Birds. Wade Miley scattered a mere three hits while allowing just one unearned run to raise his record to 6-9.
The very crowded American League Wild Card Race looks like this:
1. New York Yankees: 60 wins, 53 losses; +2.5 games
2. Seattle Mariners: 59 wins, 57 losses; even
2. Tampa Rays: 59 wins, 57 losses; even
4. Minnesota Twins: 57 wins, 56 losses; .5 games back
5. Los Angeles Angels: 58 wins, 58 losses; 1 game back
6. Kansas City Royals: 57 wins, 57 losses; 1 game back
7. Baltimore Orioles: 57 wins, 58 losses; 1.5 games back
8. Texas Rangers: 54 wins, 59 losses; 3.5 games back
9. Toronto Blue Jays: 54 wins, 60 losses; 4 games back
If you're interested, the Athletics are 8.5 games back in the Wild Card Chase, and the White Sox are 13 games back. The Red Sox are pulling away in the American League East race. They now lead the Yankees by 4.5 games, Tampa by 7 games and the Orioles by 8.5. It is getting to the point that all of the teams behind the Sox are realistically setting their sights on the wild card.
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