Why copyright is a crime
I’m reading about Aaron Swartz and how he was hounded to death for advocating that information be free. Aaron’s fortune/misfortune was to live in two separate worlds — the world of copyright and the world freedom from copyright. One day when information truly is free, no one will remember why Aaron’s actions were considered as […]
Stopped again, and back up again
The stupid Chinese censors closed us down again. No international internet access as of late yesterday afternoon, and no access to my own web site. And this time it wasn’t enough to simply change the ssh port. After help from my server provider in the US, I changed IP address and that did it. I’m […]
Chinese edition?
I submitted Surviving Capitalism to the university press at Fudan University with the idea that the should bring out a Chinese translation. That is now 6 months ago and I haven’t heard a word back. I don’t think it’s going to happen. China is not surviving capitalism very well and the book explains why. Of […]
Freedom of information 1 – Chinese authorities 0
I got the bastards in the end! Yes indeed, my international internet is up and running again. Long live freedom of information on the internet! Down with dictatorship and oppression! This was the problem: I use a so called ssh tunnel to dig through the Great FIrewall to get to my server in the US. […]
Foreign professors: “smile for the camera!”
The semester started yesterday, and Diane came back with a story about the new cameras that have been installed in her classroom. There is a little monitor by the teacher’s desk where she can see herself as she lectures. Why is this done and who is watching? Is this some way to help students revise […]
Blue suede shoes
The stupid Chinese censors have limited my access to the internet. Much of it I can’t access at all, including many Chinese websites, and email is very erratic. I can’t read articles and books online, no Wikipedia, and I can’t do my research. For some reason I can occasionally get access to this web site […]
Bloody nose
When I picked up Rima, my youngest, after school today she asked me why my nose was all bloody. I felt with my hand and there was indeed blood dripping from my nose. Blowing my nose made the napkin all red. This is what air pollution in Shanghai is doing do me. This is why […]
Getting thrown out of China
Surely I cannot just leave China. Surely I have to get myself thrown out. It’s a matter of self-respect really. After all, if I could get into trouble at the London School of Economics for advocating freedom of speech, how difficult could it be to get into trouble for the same thing here in […]
Small step forward for human rights in China!
That’s right! The right not to be poised by horrible air has made a gain in the last week. The Chinese authorities have started publishing detailed information regarding the air pollution in Shanghai. The Americans have done this for a long time already, […]
Chinese universities and the invisible republic
Universities all ultimately rely on the activities taking place among the invisible republic of scholars. The people who do the actual intellectual work — the hard-working researchers, the mad-cap thinkers, the people who approach all problems from a different angle. The actual institutional structure of the university is often in acute tension with the invisible […]