The global village neighbourhood echo chamber has been overflowing with hyper-chatter about whether it is acceptable and/or constructive to approach members of the Trump administration in restaurants and be nasty to them. The ethical debate now moves on. Is it OK for a former kibbutz volunteer to take advantage of Trumpists’ ‘affection and respect for Israel to deceive and humiliate’ them? (Answer, judging from this video clip on arming kindergarten kids: looks like it.)
My powers of premonition proved: just weeks after I expressed bewilderment as to why the entire planet seems obsessed with taking Elon Musk seriously, the legendary inventor/whatever calls one of the Thai cave rescue divers a ‘pedo’ for not seeing the wondrousness of his school-science-project submarine.
To start the week, some links – notably to serious investigative journalism. The Financial Times marks the Trump-Putin summit-about-nothing in Helsinki by digging into the Russian-mafia and other murk behind the US President’s old Toronto project, which amply hints at what most assume about the great deal-maker’s property business. And, following the release of (largely forgotten) Stern Hu, Bloomberg looks into how Beijing used all its charm and influence to persuade Rio Tinto to behave as a good cooperative friend and partner of China should. Guest appearance by Henry Kissinger. This took place back in Hu Jintao’s time, when the Communist Party was soft and laid-back. Under Xi today, China would play hardball.
Musk has reinforced his utter douchiness for sure. Wadda Wanker.