Asian illustrations of European fairy tales

Beauty and the Beast

When you think of classic Western fairy tales, such as Alice in Wonderland or Snow White, Disney’s depiction of the princesses are probably the ones to come into your head first. Korean illustrator Na Young Wu, however, decided to bring a fresh and new perspective into our visualization of the fairy tales by re-drawing them in a traditional Korean style called manhwa.

The artist, who also goes by the name of Obsidian on Twitter, left the iconic features of the princesses and other fairy tale characters, such as the dominating colors and the surroundings, but changed their appearances and clothes so that they reflect the traditional Korean costumes, hairstyles, and nature.

The American failure at nation-building.

If you attempt the impossible, you will fail.
        ==One of the Ten Truths of Management

If a problem cannot be solved, it may not be a problem, but a fact.
        ==One of Rumsfeld’s Rules

Why was the United States so successful in building up Germany, Japan and South Korea as independent nations after World War Two, and such a failure in building up South Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan?

Chris Mason, in his book Strategic Lessons, wrote that the reason is that while it is possible to help an existing nation build up a stable government, it is not possible for outsiders to create a national consciousness among a people who lack it.

That is the reason for the failures in South Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan—not any lack of valor or professionalism among American troops, but the fact that they were given a mission equivalent to trying to make water flow uphill.

He said the U.S. military is well-suited for carrying out two kinds of missions:

1. Defending allies from invasion by use of “intense lethality” against the aggressor.
2. Intervening in a foreign country to protect American lives or interests by striking hard at a military target, and then leaving—preferably within 90 days.

If the American government is considering intervening in a country for an extended length of time, it should summon the best academic experts to assess whether the people of that country have a sense of nationhood.  If not, the only unity those people will have is in resisting the invader.

Actually there were people inside the government who understood what would happen in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan, and said so, but they were ignored, Mason said.   Instead decisions were made by people who knew nothing about those countries, but knew what to do and say in order to advance their careers.

Those are harsh words.  The fact that the Army War College has published his book shows that there are some people in the military who value intelligent dissent.

∞∞∞

Click on The Strategic Lessons Unlearned from Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan: Why the Afghan National Security Forces Will Not Hold and the Implications for the U.S. Army in Afghanistan for the text of Chris Mason’s book in PDF form.  I thank Craig Hanyan for suggesting it.

Click on America’s Future in Afghanistan for interviews by ARRA News Service giving the opposing viewpoints of Chris Mason and General John R. Allen, USMC-Ret.  [added 11/20/2015]

Glimpses of Asia – October 15, 2015

Hat tip for these links to my expatriate e-mail pen pal Jack.

25 images of Thailand’s most beautiful temples by Daniel Nahabedian for the Matador network.

How Japan Has Perfected Hospitality Culture by Oliver Strand for the Wall Street Journal.   The Japanese are known for extreme hospitality.

‘Omotenashi’ comes up short on humility by Philip Brasor for Japan Times.   But is the hospitality’s purpose to make guests feel welcome or to manifest Japanese superiority?

Movie ‘Abat’ banned by Thai Culture Ministry by Terry Frederickson for the Bangkok Post.

Producer, monk question ban on Arbat by the Bangkok Post.  A controversial Thai movie, whose title is spelled two different ways in English, depicts a Buddhist monk who betrays his vows.

Shunga exhibition defies ‘pornography’ taboos to expose Japan to its erotic past by David Mcneil for The Independent.

Sisters separated 40 years ago in Korea reunited working in same US hospital from The Guardian.

Outrage in Vietnam over curtailing abortions by DPA for the Bangkok Post.

Thai bird singing contest draws thousands by World Bulletin News Desk.

Thailand voices disappointment over EU’s human rights criticism by AsiaOne in Singapore.

How Apple undermined the US economy

I’ve always bought Ford and General Motors cars, partly because I wanted to support jobs for my fellow Americans.

As Abraham Lincoln reportedly put it, “When I buy a shirt from England, I get a shirt and England gets a dollar.  But when I buy a shirt from America, I get a shirt and America gets a dollar.”

At the same time, I’ve always bought Apple computer products, and, in so doing, I may have done more to undermine the U.S. economy than I did when I bought a Ford Escort or a GM Saturn.

I read an article yesterday on a blog called Moneyball Economics about how Apple offshored the American smartphone industry to South Korea, Taiwan and mainland China.

This is a big thing.  The writer, Andrew Zatlin, pointed out that the United States imported nearly $100 billion worth of smartphones each year, half of them Apple iPphones.  Smartphones are the third largest U.S. import, behind oil and automobiles.

He said it is like a Marshall Plan for these three countries.  The iPhone industry creates a million jobs in eastern Asia and provides valuable technological knowledge that makes those countries more competitive in the world.   They aren’t all Apple smartphones, but Apple has half the market and sets the pace.