Hukou — A Beijinger living in Provincetown

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beijing, China, Family

My friend Yi who now lives in the USA has started a very interesting blog on his life in China. If you wish to learn more about how that country functions and what are the issues as seen my a citizen, have a read. I have known Yi since 2005 and he is a very nice and smart fellow.

 

In a previous post, I mentioned Hukou (Wikipedia). In China, they say it is to maintain “social order”, but it is mainly a way to control the populations in big cities. Each family has a “Household Register”. There’s one page for each individuals of the household. The information includes name, birth date, gender, ethnic group, […]

via Hukou — A Beijinger living in Provincetown

Nick and Nora – The Early Years – II

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dachshunds

Our two little Dachshunds Nicholas (Nicky) and Eleonora (Nora) now some 11 years old have brought us much joy. Here are films of their early lives in our apartment in Rome. Please enjoy!

 

via Nick and Nora – The Early Years – II

James Duncan – Charlottetown’s Biggest Bankrupt — Sailstrait

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bankruptcy, Harry Holman, history, James Duncan, PEI, Sailstrait, Water Street

I read the new entry in the blog Sailstrait of Harry Holman, who for years was the PEI Chief Archivist. Harry knows his stuff and he knows it in detail, he wrote the history of the house were we live currently. I knew that it was the Duncan family home and the Hon. James Duncan was a shipbuilder in PEI. However there was lots of details I did not know and was very surprised to read it all in Harry’s entry. Suddenly I do not look at the building in the same way now nor the land surrounding the house and the incredible physical changes that have occurred in the last 200 years.

Here is the story of our house on Water Street.

Between the Steam Navigation Wharf (which had carried the names of Reddin’s Wharf and Pope’s Wharf) and the Ferry Wharf at the end of Prince Street lies a property of some significance to the history of Prince Edward Island. Here the foreshore stood at the foot of a high embankment and the waters were relatively […]

via James Duncan – Charlottetown’s Biggest Bankrupt — Sailstrait

Politics, the pandemic, and the professional class — Philippe Lagassé

Here’s a piece I wrote as part of Policy for Pandemics series: COVID-19 is highlighting the importance of evidence and expertise in policymaking and democratic government. The pandemic has brought experts to the centre of decision-making and government communications in Canada. Public trust in these experts is high and has helped flatten the curve. […]

via Politics, the pandemic, and the professional class — Philippe Lagassé

LIGHTS OUT AT ERICHS LAMPENLADEN: The story of East Berlin’s Palast der Republik — KREUZBERGED: BERLIN COMPANION

On November 2, 1973 Berlin witnessed the foundation-stone laying ceremony for what was to become one of the city’s most famous and, eventually, most disputable buildings. Three years later, on April 23, 1976 (and 44 years ago today), Palast der Republik, or the Palace of The Republic, was officially opened. Mind you, the public or […]

via LIGHTS OUT AT ERICHS LAMPENLADEN: The story of East Berlin’s Palast der Republik — KREUZBERGED: BERLIN COMPANION

Lunedi Lunacy

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Cossaque, Holiday, London, tradition, Xmas Crackers

From Will’s Blog on our tradition of Xmas Crackers at the table.

via Lunedi Lunacy

Who Gets to be Prime Minister and Why — Philippe Lagassé

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21 October, elections, Parliament, Prime Minister

Philippe Lagassé is an academic and an associate professor and William and Jeanie Barton Chair at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University. His current research focuses on the Crown, the royal prerogative, and legislative-executive relations in Westminster states like Canada.

Currently completing a project on legislative oversight of military affairs and beginning a project prerogative power reform in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Both projects are funded by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

In addition to his academic work, he is a part-time public office holder with the Government of Canada as a member of the Independent Review Panel for Defence Acquisition.

Professor Lagassé is truly a National treasure in Canada, a very learned fellow for whom I have a great deal of respect. Monday is Election Day in Canada, this is helpful to understand where we are going as Canadians.

 

I recently published an article in Constitutional Forum that analyses the rules of government formation in Canada. You can find the article here (click where it says pdf): https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/constitutional_forum/index.php/constitutional_forum/article/view/29384 To address the current debate about who governs after the 21 October election, I’ve updated my tables:

via Who Gets to be Prime Minister and Why — Philippe Lagassé

Gratuitous Puppy Celebrations

The story of Our Nicky and Nora on their Birthdays.

Click below

via Gratuitous Puppy Celebrations

Not Moussaka It’s MOOssaKKa! — Willy Or Won’t He

We were fortunate that Laurent’s posting to Italy also meant that he was accredited to Greece which meant regular trips to Athens during our time there. We had made our first visit in 1997 to catch a cruise of Anatolia and several of the Greek Islands on a four-masted schooner. It was the first time […]

via Not Moussaka It’s MOOssaKKa! — Willy Or Won’t He