http://www.fiba-filmbank.org/dev/fiba_2003/opium_wr/fiba_04_opium_war.html


...Could anyone appraise it?

No, seriously. This looks bigger than the bigger hauls I've seen on the news. How does it compare to today's drug loads and their impact? Any idea where one goes to find out?

The thing that I most respect, and warily eye, about China is that their propaganda is so yummy. Witness HERO, the bottom-line message of which is that in order to prevent belligerent strong-men from having their way with you, you must bow down to hegemonic foreign powers and let them have their way with you.

And people (including me) ate the movie up. Such yummy propaganda.

90% of any good lie is truth. That's what makes good liars so invincible among the masses and so transparent and predictable among trained liars.

90% (okay, maybe 99%) of that writeup on THE OPIUM WAR was entirely accurate, but then look what it is used to subtly support. Re-unification of Hong Kong with the PRC and the rule of the "2000 year old civilization."

A political/land empire is maintained through violence and the suppression of self-determination. An economic/commercial empire is maintained through extinguishing indigenous development and dashing hopes and dreams. Whether the given empire is good or bad, these facts are inescapeable. The 2000-year-old Chinese empire is no different. China's empire took longer to build than the Brits' because it was a land empire and they were stuck with the technology of 2000 years ago, not because they were less guilty of "ruthlessness, exploitation and conquest." The writer implies that the Chinese empire just slowly grew of its own accord, like it was just a really groovy idea that folks glommed onto over time.

Riiiiiiiight.

That said, I wish the PRC the best of luck in reminding the world of its nasty history. I just hope we're smart enough to see why they're doing it as we drop our $9 for tickets.

< /ovaltine commercial voice >
more opium please
< ovaltine commercial voice>

"We did not invade Tibet, we were invited! Punch was served!"

The PRC does a pretty good job of ignoring the facts. One of my favorite games got banned in China cause it showed Manchuria as occupied by the Japanese and Tibet as a differrent country.

Oh yeah, and it's common knowledge that that Dalai Lama guy was just asking for it. Those llamas are so obnoxious... with their slobbering and their soft soft coats...

[Homer]
Mmmmmm, llamaaaaaaas (drool)
[/Homer]

I saw the film in 1999. I do not remember much, except for being careful to show that only white males were evil and oppressive, while the Chinese people and the boxers were heroic and the Empire terribly corrupt. And very bad filming. Action was badly-filmed and choreographed, and the same scenes were recycled several times.

Of course, the fact is that the East India company was as evil as portrayed. An easy target.

José

quote:

---

Originally posted by Splitcoil:
Oh yeah, and it's common knowledge that that Dalai Lama guy was just _asking for it._ Those llamas are so obnoxious... with their slobbering and their soft soft coats...

[Homer]
Mmmmmm, llamaaaaaaas (drool)
[/Homer]

---

Shouldn't this be in the Sarcastic thread?

Apparently the only good thing the Taliwackers did in Afghanistan was suppress the opium trade. but really isn't opium really the only resource (other than cheap labor) that much of this area has? Can they really be blamed for exploiting it to the fullest?

Splitcoil-"A political/land empire is maintained through violence and the suppression of self-determination. An economic/commercial empire is maintained through extinguishing indigenous development and dashing hopes and dreams"
That sounds just like American history 101!

.

It sounds just like World History 101-440 to me.

And regarding the gentleman above, never were arrows put to a finer use.

Old joke: Who was the first man to wear an Arrow shirt? General Custer.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Splitcoil:
Oh yeah, and it's common knowledge that that Dalai Lama guy was just _asking for it._ Those llamas are so obnoxious... with their slobbering and their soft soft coats...

[Homer]
Mmmmmm, llamaaaaaaas (drool)
[/Homer]

---

Careful dude, Buddhists on the board.

Forgive my lack of understanding, but isn't it safer to poke fun at a religion that belives that violence is wrong, than to mock a religion that believes in bloody sacrifice of non-belivers?

I'd rather not have MY head rolling down the pyramid steps while some guy in a feather headdress eats my heart, thank you very much.

I havn't seen the movie that is being discussed, so I guess any readers can just decide that I'm off topic, and need to go get myself some coffee or something.

Not all Buddhists are peaceful. Indeed, the situation is quite similar to Christians and violence. The founder said one thing, the sects do another, and the maximum violence setting is reserved to sects that disagree with us in minor points.

José

quote:

---

Originally posted by doublechocolate:
Careful dude, Buddhists on the board.

---

That is a cross post from the sarcastic thread I believe.

I dont think any buddhist would mind it, (I didn't)

quote:

---

Originally posted by Splitcoil:
It sounds just like World History 101-440 to me.

And regarding the gentleman above, never were arrows put to a finer use.

Old joke: Who was the first man to wear an Arrow shirt? General Custer.

---

Other old joke,

Question- What were general Custer's last words?


Answer- "We've got'em men!"

quote:

---

Originally posted by dotherobot:

quote:

---

Originally posted by doublechocolate:
Careful dude, Buddhists on the board.

---

That is a cross post from the sarcastic thread I believe.

I dont think any buddhist would mind it, (I didn't)

---

It's not like I totally mind it. The Dalai Lama is reminiscent of a care bear having gained insight. But I did find the slobbering bit a bit offensive. And yes I'm Buddhist, but we kind of went way into that on the Buddhism thread a few weeks back.

Oh and violent Buddhists? Most Kamikaze pilots practiced a form of Zen.