An update on The CoDominion planning for sustainability

In part one of the Sustainability news update, I speculated about what I'd do.

I may or may not have a post about The CoDominion--what I call the U.S.-China relationship--spun off

Right now, that post looks both more fun and easier to do that the planned part three, so here goes.

A couple of months ago, I posted U.S.-China EcoPartnerships: The CoDominion plans for sustainability, which had a disappointing initial reception, as I described in Crazy Eddie's Motie News Weekly Roundup for June 14th through 24th, 2011. Since then, its readership has continued to rise, with 126 page views, which is still good for eighth place overall, but only eight views behind Rapture! in seventh place.

As for why I call the U.S.-China relationship "The CoDominion," it all relates back to the name and theme of this blog.

If you want to see one vision of the future, that's it right there; the U.S. and China running the world together. That would be eerily appropriate, as the inspiration for this blog, "The Mote in God's Eye," takes place in the far future of Jerry Pournelle's CoDominion timeline. During the early part of that timeline, the Earth of the 21st Century is being ruled by the two major powers. Of course, in those stories, the powers are the US and USSR, but substituting China for the now-defunct USSR works just as well, if not better.

This future is not set in stone, however.

Notice that it was the third annual U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue. That means that these conferences began in 2009, when the current administration took over. That may not continue in an adminstration run by a different party. One headed by what Kunstler calls "corn-pone fascists" might be less inclined to cooperate with China and more likely to fight with them.

Yes, folks, there are worse possible futures than one with The CoDominion.

In any event, The CoDominion's preparations for sustainability march on, so it's time for an update. From now on, whenever I get enough stories to fill out all sections, I'll post a compilation. That just happened last week, so here goes. The first two stories are from previous editions, while the next two are brand new.



General Sustainability

The following videos are updates to University of Michigan: U-M hosts U.S.-China conference on sustainable energy, water and transportation, which I included in U.S.-China EcoPartnerships: The CoDominion plans for sustainability.

Conference details: http://research.umich.edu/2011conference/program.html
Top researchers from University of Michigan and Tshinghua University talk about the upcoming conference.

University of Michigan is hosting a two day conference "Developing Global Sustainability: US/China Partnerships". It addresses water, transportation and energy sustainability issues for the two countries.

The above story is old, as it was first posted in Sustainability News Linkspam for the week ending May 21, 2011, but it serves as a good introduction for the theme.

Environment, including science and technology

Michigan State University: Grad student receives NASA fellowship for Panda research
June 20, 2011

EAST LANSING, Mich. — A graduate student recently was awarded the NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship.

Vanessa Hull, a doctoral candidate in the Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability, will receive $30,000 per year for up to three years to pursue her research on how animals choose a home that can best meet their needs to survive – and how those needs intersect with its human neighbors.
...
Hull will be using detailed information on how the endangered giant pandas move through their territories in southwestern China, combined with information gleaned from remotely sensed imagery, habitat characteristics and interviews with people who share pandas’ neighborhoods.

NASA reviewers noted that her work has "broad application to the field of animal behavior, remote sensing and landscape ecology and biodiversity conservation."

I first posted this story in Sustainability news from Michigan's research universities for the week ending June 25, 2011 with the following note "This story didn't make the cut for Overnight News Digest (not enough money), but it is cool and deserves its spotlight here." It also was the entry that started filling out the sections. The other two I found on Saturday. Neither of them ended up in this week's part two, as one was a little too old and missed the cut-off and the other was just too fun not to give its own post.

Society, including culture and politics

University of Wisconsin: Brewers welcome Chinese Champions
June 29, 2011

A group of elite Chinese athletes studying at the University of Wisconsin–Madison got an inside look at America’s national pastime last week – while serving a few surprises for their hosts.

Fifteen members of the Chinese Champions Program, visiting UW-Madison for nine months of language and culture studies, attended the sold-out Milwaukee Brewers game against the Minnesota Twins on Saturday, June 25 as special guests of the club.

In a surprise clubhouse competition, table tennis player Zhang Yining took on three Brewers. The ten-time world champion traded volleys with All-Star Corey Hart, Cy Young winner Zack Greinke and John Axford.
...
Perhaps the biggest surprise came from the broadcast booth. A chance encounter in the hallway led to a live radio interview between synchronized swimmer Shi Xin and famed announcer Bob Uecker during the game’s second inning.

As you can guess, this is the fun post. It makes for a good example of what people think of when they hear "cultural exchange" as well as a reason why diversity is important in education. Remember, I think diversity is a sustainability issue.

Economy

Purdue University: Purdue partners with 2 Indiana communities to support economic development with China
June 23, 2011

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Greater Lafayette Commerce and Logansport-Cass County Economic Development Foundation are partnering with Purdue University to develop individual strategic plans to expand trade and investment with China as a way to stimulate local economic development.

"These are the first partnerships with Purdue's new Global Business Engagement Initiative," said Mark Van Fleet, director of the initiative, which is part of the university's International Programs office. "We will create strategic plans that can help both communities better attract foreign investment and grow exports, with an initial focus on China. Through research and analysis, we will identify what makes these areas attractive and competitive to possible Chinese investors and which local firms have high-trade potential."

Purdue's plans will be based on research and analyses of business and economic assets in Tippecanoe and Cass counties, including those of possible interest to Chinese companies. The plans will identify which local companies are engaged in international markets and suggest possible strategies to help them expand into new markets, especially China. Purdue also will recommend specific marketing strategies to generate interest among potential Chinese investors and trade partners. A Krannert MBA graduate student who has a background in Chinese culture also will collaborate on the projects.

When one thinks about U.S.-China joint efforts, it's stories like this that usually come to people's minds--economic development. That it's about Purdue University makes it even more appropriate for this post, as it was a press release about the U.S. State Department selecting Purdue University to lead a China EcoPartnership that prompted me to post U.S.-China EcoPartnerships: The CoDominion plans for sustainability in the first place. Even in this post, I do my best to complete circles!

Next up will be more post about Kunstler swimming against the tide in addition to the ones I posted earlier about his views on marriage equality and his version of the Tea Party, this time on gender roles in his fiction. I have this all written and I'll post it when I get up in the morning. After that, I should finally get around to posting part three. Then I have a post half written about Elaine Meinel Supkis of Culture of Life News. And there's always Julie Bass and her vegetable garden. You should know the drill by now.

I don't have to worry about finding something to write about the rest of the month. Blogging about sustainability in metro Detroit means never running out of material.

On that note, it's time to play Rift with my wife. See you all tomorrow!