FAKE NEWS | Trans People Vanishing After Too Many Question Their Identity
“In refusing to affirm my gender identity, you deny my very existence,” she said, as her body dissolved into thin air. “And so, I cannot exist.”
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July 2022
Can a City “Lack Character”?
Certain cities, like Canberra, Singapore, and Shenzhen are said to “lack character.” But what does that really mean?
George Clare Showed How We Waltz Into Genocide
In his memoirs, George Clare, one of the most underrated writers of his generation, paints a haunting portrait of how naivety and complacency – even amongst Jews – allowed the Holocaust to happen.
Let Students Fail
I’m a former teacher at an American public school. This might be the only way to fix the broken system.
In Defense of Julian Assange
Assange has been persecuted and slandered by governments and the media just for doing what any true journalist should do.
The Belt & Road Isn’t Worth Competing With
China’s Belt & Road Initiative is an expensive mistake. The last thing the free world should do is try to compete with it.
Boris Johnson’s Ouster Is Democracy in Action
Boris Johnson’s ouster isn’t embarrassing for the UK; it’s a testament to the power of our free press and the robustness of our parliamentary democracy. It’s something that could never happen in the dictatorships gleefully citing it as evidence of dysfunction.
June 2022
FAKE NEWS | Local Teen Traumatized After Receiving Phone Call
“Who still calls people? Who still calls people in 2022??”
FICTION | From the Tree
A porn search history and the secret lives of a suburban family.
The Looming Afghan Famine
Mismanagement by the Taliban and the halt in foreign aid has plunged Afghanistan’s economy into freefall – and no one knows what to do about it.
Unholy Communion: The Vatican’s Deal with the CCP
While the Vatican may have had good intentions in compromising with the Chinese Communist Party, it has betrayed Catholics in China and the very tenets of its faith.
The Aussie Way of Democracy
In an era when many established democracies are backsliding, Australian democracy remains resilient. What can other countries learn from it?
Sergiy Nikolaychuk on the Economics of War
Sergiy Nikolaychuk, a Deputy Governor at the National Bank of Ukraine, talks about running an economy during a war for his country’s existence.
Why Doesn’t Britain Innovate Anymore?
In the 19th century, Britain was “the workshop of the world.” Now, it hardly seems to invent anything. What happened?
May 2022
The Banality of Hitler
If we view Hitler as uniquely evil, we blind ourselves to the fact that there really are people as bad, or near as bad, as him today.
The Black Lives Matter Black Hole
Black Lives Matter is just the latest movement to be swallowed by a non-profit sector that is corrupt to its core.
The Problem with Self-Care
Self-care stitched my life back together, but I’m here to pull its threads apart — it’s not always as healthy as we think.
The Religious Dimensions of the Ukraine War
The schism between the Ukrainian and Russian Orthodox Churches, and the religious tensions it raises, threatens to exacerbate an already horrific war.
The Solomon Islands Is Making Its China Problem Worse
The new security deal between China and the Solomon Islands has shaken Australia and its allies. What’s the significance of this deal, and how should they respond?
The Problem With “Fresh Start” Cities
Indonesia is planning to move its capital from Jakarta to Nusantara – a new city it’s building – by 2024. Indonesia is not the only country to be enticed by the idea of a “fresh start” city, but these cities are rarely the panaceas or utopias their creators envisioned.
Phil Robertson on Defending Human Rights in East Asia
Phil Robertson of Human Rights Watch discusses defending human rights in East Asia, how he works with authoritarian governments, and why ASEAN doesn’t care about human rights.
What the Cards Say
Where do tarot cards come from and why do some people think they have occult powers? A skeptic delves into the colorful world of tarot.
April 2022
FICTION | A Bed to Rule Them All
As my mind hazes, my last thought is of the Deep Sleep I will get with this bed and the new heights of success it will bring. Yes, I think, with this bed I will straddle the world.
FAKE NEWS | Chinese Malaysians and Singaporeans Urge Mainlanders to Stop Complaining
“Why must you degrade the motherland in public? Just shut up and remember that you already live in paradise.”
FAKE NEWS | Asian Smashes Stereotypes by Being Bad at Everything
For decades, Asian Americans have been stereotyped as overachievers. But one extraordinary young woman is fearlessly shattering this stereotype, by being awful at everything.
FAKE NEWS | Hong Kong Gears Up for Most Thrilling Election Ever
“Who will be the next chief executive? Will it be John Lee, the only person running for the office? The suspense is killing us.”
Melenchon Is Playing a Dangerous Game
Far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon is trying to upend French politics to become prime minister. But his gambit may just hand the presidency to the far-right.
How Durable is the Great Green Wall of China?
China is undertaking the largest afforestation project the world has ever seen. But building an enormous wall of trees is harder than it sounds.
Inside Japan’s Hostess Clubs
Hostess clubs, establishments where men pay to talk and drink with beautiful and charming women, can be found in nightlife districts all over Japan.
What Can We Expect From the Next Season of “The Macron Show”?
Trying to predict the course of French politics is a fool’s errand. Let’s do it anyway.
March 2022
FAKE NEWS | Xi Vows to “Make an Example” Out of Omicron Variant
“We will eliminate all traces of Omicron. Then we will arrest its relatives and charge them with collusion. Let this be an example to all the other variants out there.”
The Realist Case for NATO Intervention in Ukraine
NATO is already effectively at war with Putin’s Russia. It falls to it to make sure it wins that war.
Pride, Prejudice, and Population
Japan is in a population crisis. But its pride and prejudice are preventing it from embracing the obvious solution.
The Fragility of Freight
The global shipping industry is constantly balancing on the edge of a ravine. It’s time we paid attention.
South Korea Has Finally Picked a Side
After so many years of trying to please everyone, South Korea is throwing its lot in with the free world.
Great Power Competition Heats up in Latin America
China seems set to expand into Latin America. Can the US do anything about it?
An Insider’s Guide to Guam
What is Guam like beyond the beach resorts and military bases? What is it like to actually live there?
Prisoners of Vaccine Nationalism
China’s vaccines suck, but its government is too proud to admit it. Instead, it’s trapping its entire population in zero-COVID purgatory indefinitely.
February 2022
FAKE NEWS | To Combat Narcissism, Universities Introduce Ego-Destroying Cats
“We already have a therapy dog to help students cope with stress, anxiety, and depression. But it’s become clear that many students here suffer from the opposite problem.”
Frozen Ambitions
Antarctica has been kept peaceful for 60 years by international treaties, but Chinese ambitions on the frozen continent threaten to shatter this fragile peace.
Australia’s Love-Hate Relationship with Sharks
I both love and hate sharks. Love them because they are a symbol of the ocean, the power and ferocity that lurks beneath the surface; and hate them because they remind me that the ocean, this thing that I love, will never be truly safe for me.
Ukraine’s Finest Hour
The courage of the Ukrainian people in the face of overwhelming odds, in the face of likely death or imprisonment, puts us all to shame.
The Certain Uncertainty of the French Presidential Race
Emmanuel Macron looks set to win a second term, but if there’s one thing about French presidential elections, it’s that they’re always surprising.
Is China’s Economy Going the Way of Japan’s?
If China really does continue down Xi’s autarkic path, then its slump could be even more pronounced than anything Japan experienced.
As South Korean Political Parties Get More Similar, the Campaigning Gets More Personal
With similar policy platforms, the presidential candidates of the two major parties focus on the thing that differentiates them the most – their personal lives and their families.
Where Do France’s Presidential Candidates Stand on China?
Discerning the various candidates’ attitudes towards China is tricky, but they range from apologists for and opponents of the Chinese Communist Party.
January 2022
FAKE NEWS | Useless Robot Bartender Replaces No Human Bartenders
“For every one of those robot bartenders they need to hire, like, three people to supervise it.”
This Is What the REAL China Is Like
“Western commentators are forever harping on about Tiananmen Square. Well, I actually WENT to that square last month. How many protestors did I see being killed there? Zero.”
FICTION | The Body Does Not Lie
A struggling writer gets more than he bargained for when he writes a beautiful girl into existence.
How South Korea’s Human Rights Lawyer President Sold Out Human Rights
In his desire for good relations with Kim Jong-un, South Korean President Moon Jae-in has repeatedly sacrificed human rights – and gotten nothing tangible in return.
Idlers of the World, Unite!
The Antiwork online forum is exploding in popularity in the US, encouraging workers to reject tyrannical bosses, low wages, and even modern capitalism itself. Should employers be worried?
The X-Men as LGBT Champions: From Outcasts to Elites
For decades, X-Men comics have been read and written as coded queer narratives. Since the franchise’s soft reboot in 2019, this narrative has taken a fascinating and disturbing turn.
Will New Zealand Follow in Australia’s Footsteps on China?
Despite their many similarities, Australia and New Zealand differ wildly in their approaches towards China. But that will change as Wellington finds it increasingly hard to reconcile its differences with Beijing.
Azar Gat on War
Military expert Azar Gat discusses the nature of war, its relationship to economics, and the risks of war in Europe and the Asia-Pacific.