Some China pontificating. Wang Tao, an economist at UBS discounts the possibility of growing unemployment in China leading to large scale unrest: Between 1997 and 2002, about 35 million urban workers were laid off (Xiagang), of which about 28 million...

As President Hu Jintao visits USA this week, I have seen a wave of articles about China vs US. They often try to explore the following the following subjects: 1) Has China surpassed USA? 2) China's unfair trade policies and currency manipulation. 3) China may seem impressive on the outside, but the communist system is hiding a lot of brewing problems. 4) What should US do about the growing PL...

David Davis Traffic chaos in town, espec round the Royal Birkdale, where the Open is going on now. Even so, parts of it looked very exciting on the Wireless Tele Vision. (The Golf, that is: not the traffic…) Golf, although I can't begin even to know how to play it, seems to me a more libertarian game than “Foot

Bored with golf? Can't hit that little ball with that stick? Fed up of being the last one to get to the green because, well, you're shit? Want to go hunting but enjoy the golfing atmosphere? Well now there is *drum roll*... The Golf Ball Launcher!! Yay!! The Golf Ball Launcher is an all-new concept, making golf accessible to everyone! Some of you have stopped playing golf because of mobi...

Being a sad sort of person, I thought I'd have a root around in the left over packaging from xmas presents me, Mrs Tom and our future bundle of joy received this year to see where it was made. Here's the stuff I could find - Wallamoppi game - China Portable IQ test - China Mariokart game and wheel - Germany Jellycat bear - China Dental set - Taiwan Beard trimmer - China Babyliss hairstyl...

This*... "Local government officials in China have been ordered to smoke nearly a quarter of a million packs of cigarettes in a move to boost the local economy during the global financial crisis.... ...China has 350 million smokers, about a million of whom die each year from smoking-related illnesses. Despite anti-smoking campaigns, cigarette taxes form a major component of China's annual tax...

From Gitmo to golf. Four Chinese Muslims once confined to small prison cells as suspected terrorists at Guantanamo are now helping prepare the wide-open spaces of an oceanside golf course for the PGA Grand Slam of Golf. The Uighurs who...

Former Chancellor Alistair Darling has reportedly said former RBS boss Sir Fred Goodwin's attitude towards the banking crisis was more like someone "off to play a game

Spring is in the air, and with it, the hope that my golf clubs remain dusty, full of cobwebs, and unused.  Like President U.S. Grant I see golf as a perfect way to spoil a good walk. I bought my first set of golf clubs at a second hand furniture store run by a chatty old black man with more fingers than teeth.  He was always outside his store, rain or shine, singing to passersby to come ...

As of about three fifteen this afternoon a headline on the Guardian website ran: Downturn in China leaves 20 million out of work It now reads Downturn in China leaves 26 million out of work Jesus. Six million in two...