From beautiful downtown Bishkek.   It's all right to admit it: you don't know where Bishkek is. Neither did I. Most eighth-graders do, or they're supposed to. We didn't have to know that, of course; eighth-grade is getting tough in this new world. To end the suspense, Bishkek is the capital of Kyrgyzstan. (That's the smallish one nearest to China.) I think it may have the distinction of being the greatest distance from, and requiring the crossing of the most countries to reach, any coast. But, it's next to China, and that is the real reason we're building an Air Base there, not too far from the Hyatt Regency. There's a Hyatt Regency Bishkek? Indeed. I've got to get more in touch.

It just dawned on me suddenly this morning. We're encircling China, same way we did the Soviet Union. Oh, it's a good idea all right in the sense of our devotion always to fight the last war effectively, but it's pretty silly when you take the long view. China will rule, and people who plan to live for quite some time should probably learn to speak Chinese. China already has a GDP in the six-trillion dollar range, but no one really knows since their currency is artifically pegged to the dollar. They passed Britain, Germany, France and Japan like a speeding locomotive.

Should we worry about all of this? Naw. They're bellicose, but sensible. So long as we send money, we're okay. So keep shopping WalMart.


posted by Rick at 10:18 AM