IMAGINATION AND FICTION TODAY 1834 1895 1958 QUOTE MAKE UP MORE THAN THREE IN 1960 OF THE Lord Napier of England arrives Ex-prime minister of Bulgaria, President Dwight John F. Kennedy accepts the DAY QUARTERS OF OUR REAL LIFE. HISTORY at Macao, China, as the first Stepfan Stambolov, is murdered Eisenhower sends 5,000 Marines Democratic nomination for SIMONE WEIL chief superintendent of trade. by Macedonian rebels. to Lebanon to keep the peace. president. SUNDAY, JULY 15, 2018

Prayuth visited the cave, by the border with Myanmar, Using wasta to offering encouragement to Boys the rescuers and comfort to TOP cut waste the boys’ relatives. ‘Until they PAVIN CHACHAVALPONGPUN come out,’ he said of the team and its coach, ‘the officers will TWEETS4 hen the last members never abandon them.’ of a youth soccer team rescued, Wtrapped in the Tham Luang Cave in northern Thailand were freed on July 10, it wasn’t just 01 they who were rescued. For a mo- ment at least, the ruling junta also CAPT. MAHMOOD AL MAHMOOD Thai people seemed to escape from criticism of its authoritarian ways. here are two people out there who are re- The successful operation was a sponsible for every problem in the Kingdom rare chance for Thailand’s military ment deftly tapped that sentiment Tand who also hold the key to every solution. rulers — who have been in power by granting access to the cave to CEgov gets gangs Their names are YOU and I. since ousting an elected govern - Phra Khuva Boonchum, a revered @Iout of our com- Oh, they also go by other names like we and us still trapped ment in 2014 — to present a softer forest-meditation monk, so that he munities, helps prevent but the buck really stops with these two. Take for face, compassionate and efficient. could perform religious rites for drugs from flowing into example a recent report in this very newspaper The extraordinary rescue was an the boys’ well-being. our schools, and rescues that Bahrain is fast heading to the top of the charts antidote to the usual accusations The monk predicted their re - people from human traf- – for what? For generating the most waste! That The public relations that the junta keeps changing its turn to safety even before they ficking. Some Democrats is nothing to be proud of. Askar, Bahrain’s only so-called road map to democracy were located, and so when they want to get rid of it? It’s municipal solid waste landfill, reached its end potential of the to delay the next election and dis- were finally freed, the government the craziest position. use capacity by 2016; however it’s still operating plays little consideration for basic seemed blessed. King Maha Vaji- They are tripping over and receiving municipal wastes due to a lack of freedoms or human rights. ralongkorn played a part as well, themselves to move fur- alternative. boys’ plight wasn’t A visit by Prime Minister offering the monk a set of robes ther to the left. Bahrain’s population of around 1.2 million (YOU Prayuth Chan-ocha to Europe — in effect anointing him with @SpeakerRyan and I) has the distinction of being one of the high- lost on the junta last month played out badly for the imprimatur of the monarchy, est per capita waste generators worldwide which his government. Even as it was which is revered in Thailand. is estimated at 1.67 – 1.80 kg per person per day. celebrating its invitations to Brit- On July 11, answering journal- 02 Daily garbage production across the Kingdom ain and France, the British prime reply, accusing Time of “twisting even asking local farmers to allow some that have imposed sanctions The death of Saman Kunan, a for- ists’ questions about a possible exceeds 4,500 tonnes. Organic material – mainly minister, Theresa May, called for facts” and “misleading readers.” their fields to be flooded by water against the Prayuth administra- mer Thai navy SEAL, during the Hollywood adaptation of the food waste – makes up the biggest portion of Bah- “free and open elections” in Thai- The case of the trapped boys pumped out of tion, sent divers and medical per- rescue operation even added an rescue, Prayuth said permission rain’s garbage at around 60 per cent. Next comes land, adding pressure to mounting and their coach was a welcome Tham Luang Cave. It assigned sonnel to assist. The Facebook aura of sacrifice. would first have to be obtained paper (13pc), plastic (7pc) and glass (4pc). dissatisfaction among Thais. diversion to all this: a hair-raising key officials to follow the situation founder Mark Zuckerberg ex - There was a spiritual dimen - from his government. And what about that elephant in While Prayuth, a former gen - human drama with no government closely. pressed sympathy. The tech bil - sion as well. Tham Luang Cave The boys and their coach may the room? That ticking time bomb in eral, was away, Time magazine culprit that could unite the coun- Prayuth visited the cave, by the lionaire Elon Musk offered to chip is a shrine to Jao Mae Nang Non, have been freed, but the rest of the form of e-waste? To start with, published an article calling him try and distract it from politics. border with Myanmar, offering in: He visited the cave, bringing a a mythical princess whose spirit country remains trapped by a jun- e know it can be Why, simple there is zero awareness about the “Little Sarit,” a reference to Gen. The public relations opportuni- encouragement to the rescuers and minisubmarine. (It wasn’t used.) is said to live there. Most Thais ta that won’t release its grip on Wtough, but when actions such problem of Sarit Thanarat, who ruled Thai - ty presented by the crisis wasn’t comfort to the boys’ relatives. “Un- The rescue mission transcended are devout Buddhists and believe power. we don’t compare our- as turning off e-waste and even what it is! land with an iron fist from 1957 to lost on the generals. The govern- til they come out,” he said of the political divisions, and for a mo - in supernatural powers, and the selves to other wom - the tap as you Whenever you chuck a battery into 1963. That issue of the magazine ment began to rally public support team and its coach, “the officers ment at least, the junta seemed to people who gathered at the site (Pavin Chachavalpongpun is an associate en—and instead focus the bin, when you discard your ink professor at Kyoto University’s Center for did not go on sale in Thailand. The for the rescue operation, calling will never abandon them.” be above politics as well. For once, begged the spirit to release the on building all of us up— lather your face toner, your old printer, laptop or mo- Southeast Asian Studies.) foreign ministry wrote a damning for volunteers and donations — Western governments, including it looked like a savior of its people. boys and their coach. The govern- beautiful movements or keeping the bile phone, you have no idea where happen. air-conditioner it will end up. @RebeccaMinkoff at a steady 24 The hazardous components of electronic trash include barium, degrees will go a which can cause brain tumors and 03 long way towards have a negative impact on the mus- contributing to cles, heart, liver and spleen; chro- slowing the ticking mium, which is one of the most environmental threatening toxic wastes as it can Holding a mirror to changing beauty concepts in China penetrate cells and damage the DNA; clock that is phosphorus, which is used in phos- dragging us to phor panels, is also toxic and so is doomsday. lead, which is used in keyboards and An unlikely reality-show hero has forced the country to confront its rigid ideas of Chinese womanhood have arrived in Scot- display screens. With no clear blue- I land and will be at print on managing e-waste, all these Trump Turnberry for dangerous elements are leaching beautiful” — the gold standard of at least — has shifted in the other Wang had long been seen as other contestants, who had formal two days of meetings, into our water table even now and entering our beauty pursued by young women direction. different from the rest of the training and were backed by tal - calls and hopefully, food chain. across China today. In the 1980s and 1990s, healthier ent management companies, Wang some golf - my prima - The amount of electronic waste that is being pro- Anyone outside China might be body images prevailed, exemplified women on “,” was an independent contestant who ry form of exercise! The duced today is phenomenal, not only because there surprised to learn that Wang has by women like the actress Gong Li who, with their fair skin, slen- had given up her dream of being a weather is beautiful, are so many electronic devices out there but also been viewed as a mold breaker: She and the singer Deng Lijun. These der bodies and sweet smiles, performer at 17, in accordance with and this place is incred- because they have built-in redundancy, i.e. they YUAN REN is, in fact, rather pretty, and her body reflected ideas left over from the embodied an aesthetic known her family’s wishes for her to train ible! Tomorrow I go to are designed to last for only a short time so that hardly seems outside the range of Cultural Revolution, when the ideal as ‘bai shou mei’. as a teacher, only to return to it at Helsinki for a Monday you are obliged to buy a new one every few years. or a moment, it looked as if Chi- average. But in a sea of bai shou meis, woman was portrayed as ruddy and 25, making her one of the oldest meeting with Vladimir In a country where land is scarce and a precious na’s rigid beauty standards were Wang’s differences — her slightly strong, said Tan Jia, a professor at contestants on the show. Putin. resource, YOU and I (those people again!) have to Fon the brink of being upended darker skin, her slightly larger body the Chinese University of Hong Kong For now, however, it seems that @realDonaldTrump urgently step up to the plate and pull our personal — or at least expanded slightly. and her unwillingness to apologize who specializes in gender and media mainstream Chinese beauty has won wasta! And what is this personal wasta? It is the “Produce 101,” a popular online for them — made her stand out. Wang studies. out. , a doe-eyed con- circle of influence that YOU and I have in our lives, talent show, puts women through embraced her so-called flaws: In one In recent decades, however, no - testant who gained the third-highest 04 however ordinary they may be. It begins with our their paces for one of 11 spots in video, she was shown jokingly grab- tions of beauty in Asia have con - number of votes in the finale, was own selves of course, and widens outwards to a female pop band; at first, Wang bing her stomach in front of a more verged around the tall, thin and also viewed as an underdog, in part family, friends, your street, the neighbourhood. Ju, a 25-year-old model manager slender friend, who later offered her fair image exported by Korean and because of her rural background. We have to determinedly stop waste of food, water, who’d almost lost her place on the a slice of pizza. And she displayed a Japanese pop culture. Whitening But many commentators claimed electricity, make it a habit to carry cloth bags in show earlier in the season, seemed self-confidence that drew compari- products, popular across East Asia, she won votes in part because she our cars so that we avoid plastics in shopping, use an unlikely candidate for success. sons to American pop stars like Be- and the widespread use of “beau - en can be hired as much for their was often seen crying on the show lightweight, reusable melamine crockery for pic- But over the course of a few weeks yoncé: A rap she performed included tification” apps like Meitu, where youth and beauty as their skills. Job and portrayed herself as sensitive reat to see pharma- nics instead of plastic, take the trouble to separate in June, Wang rode a mounting wave the English lyrics “You don’t have to you can enlarge eyes, slenderize advertisements often state a pref - and self-doubting — a foil to the con- Gceutical companies our trash into food waste, paper, plastic and glass. of public affection to find herself, as put a ring on me, I can buy my own legs and sharpen chins with a few erence for men over women, and fident, assertive Wang, but one in stand up to states to pre- Why, simple actions such as turning off the tap as of midmonth, ranked second among (bling bling).” taps, have contributed to narrowing employers seeking female workers keeping with traditional ideas about vent the irresponsible you lather your face or keeping the air-conditioner the show’s 22 finalists. Suddenly, When Wang was unexpectedly cat- representations of beauty on social sometimes include height and age Chinese femininity. and reckless misuse of at a steady 24 degrees will go a long way towards Chinese commentators were at pains apulted into second place, many in media. requirements. Still, there are already rumors that life-saving drugs in ex- contributing to slowing the ticking environmental to explain just how Wang — a woman China hailed her overnight popular- The increasingly slender, so to It’s not surprising, therefore, that Wang has signed a solo recording ecutions. Business must clock that is dragging us to doomsday. Chinese media variously referred ity as a chance to rethink ideas about speak, range of acceptable bodies many found something to celebrate contract and that cosmetics compa- stand up. Often, it’s the small acts that help to save the world. to as “stout,” “dark” and “not pretty Chinese womanhood and femininity. comes at a time when Chinese soci- in Wang’s unlikely rise to fame. nies are interested in signing her as @richardbranson They are accessible, can be repeated every day and enough” — got there. A victory was not to be: Wang fell ety is putting an increasing premium Wang was especially popular among a spokeswoman. For many of Wang’s have a multiplier effect while the large acts need more Wang had long been seen as dif - to 15th in the June 23 finale, falling on women’s looks. The country’s those who viewed themselves as fans, the performer is exactly where resolve and energy that we can ordinarily summon. ferent from the rest of the women short of the final 11, who will go on transition to capitalism has been outsiders. She found a particular she belongs: on an independent path Disclaimer: (Views expressed Now let’s sort our trash before we take it out, on “Produce 101,” who, with their to become a new band called Rocket image, social mobility and female been well documented. The coun- than they used to and that obesity is accompanied by setbacks in the area base of support, for instance, in Chi- that was never “Produce 101.” by columnists are personal and shall we? fair skin, slender bodies and sweet Girls. Still, her dramatic rise and fall empowerment. try’s sweeping urbanization and the a growing problem. But while real of gender equality. Discrimination na’s LGBT community. Her person- need not necessarily reflect our smiles, embodied an aesthetic known have unleashed fervent discussions The fact that bodies are changing adoption of richer diets mean that Chinese bodies have gotten heavier, against women is rife and often al story, too, resonated with many (Yuan Ren is a writer and producer from editorial stances) (Captain Mahmood Al Mahmood is the Beijing.) Editor-in-Chief of The Daily Tribune) as “bai shou mei,” or “white, thin, on a range of topics including body in a rapidly developing China has Chinese adults, overall, weigh more the ideal body type — for women overt in the workplace, and wom - young people: Unlike most of the

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