Operation AXIOM
Twenty years ago to the day, 4 June 1989, months of peaceful demonstrations calling for economic and political reform within the People's Republic of China culminated in the Tiananmen Square massacre. The protests had been sparked by the death of the deposed reformer Hu Yaobang, and resulted in the deposition of his successor and ally Zhao Ziyang and a new ascendancy for Chairman Mao's maxim, "Political power flows from the barrel of a gun." I turned ten the summer of Tiananmen Square, and that horrifying bloodbath continues to be a central pillar of my thinking regarding the P.R.C. and the future of the Chinese.

Remember the Tank Man, a hero for all Mankind.

The Rebel Black Dot Songs of the Day
Potshot, "Freedom" from Rock 'n' Roll (T.L.A.M.)

Mittwoch, 3 Juni
The Ramones, "Chinese Rock" from Mania (T.L.A.M.)

Commentary: Pay attention, kids, "Chinese Rock" is a song about heroin, not Chinese mineralogy.