serialdeviant.org(y)

Flickr set of Halloween festivities at The House.

My family was here from 25 October to 29 October. We saw lots, ate even more (my uncle can eat every half-hour, what a man), and had some great laughs. My mum is a star and brought what we asked for (contact lens solution, Kettle Chips, and Branston Pickle). As I mentioned earlier, I had not seen my sister in almost two years, and isn’t it fantastic, we didn’t argue once (we used to fight all the time as kids). We got along famously and it was really fun, despite feeling the obligation to wake up early so many days in a row (nether Neil nor I realised 8am exists on a Saturday morning).

I also found out that there is no such thing in Singapore that is comparable to the duck porridge we ate here. We introduced them to Xinjiang food, which they had never tried before (no lamb or mutton for my mum and aunt, but plenty for my uncle). They are such a hoot, my uncle especially, and we found out some exciting family history — my grandfather (on my mother’s side, my only living grandparent) was almost kidnapped in the early 70s and then successfully applied for police permission to install an emergency car phone. Neil even joined in the family tradition of tussling for the bill, a very Singaporean (and Chinese) thing to do, but my uncle adds spice by trying to embarrass the other party into running away far and fast so he can pay, a very special skill picked up goodness knows where.

(He is known for breaking loudly into song at birthday meals at restaurants and I remember staying in the toilet for ten minutes at one of my birthdays because I was scared I’d be so mortified at the attention I would implode so hiding like a little wuss was preferable.)

I do miss seeing my family since I’ve been in Xiamen, I realise it more when I manage to catch up with them (I tend to be rather anti-social at the best of times, plus I remain a little punk). I’ve got a Flickr set of the four days my uncle, aunt, mum, and sister spent in Xiamen.

Scott Adams has a weblog.

… he spends all afternoon scanning Google Earth and giggles, “Oooh hoo hoo… brilliant!”, every five minutes.

My family is due here this evening for a four-day trip.

The last time I saw my sister was early 2004.

None have been to Xiamen, ever.

I’m not sure how much Chinese any of them can speak or read.

This is a bit of a big event for me.

Yay!

Angela sent on a mailing list posting from Geoff Wade, who claims that Gavin Menzies, author of 1421: the year China discovered the world, is complete and utter bunkum. This is very disappointing. However, when there is no evidence backing up a claim of ‘no evidence’, I tend to get curious.

In his first statement of ‘fact’, Wade makes the accusation:

In short, there is no archaeological, textual or archival material to support the Menzies thesis as set down in *1421*. In this book Menzies intentionally distorts known materials and deliberately alters known facts in order to support his thesis.

I’d like to see that backed up. Wade claims Menzies is making shite up and has no evidence, but doesn’t show us his evidence refuting Menzies. Perhaps he is assuming a certain deep level of background knowledge into the history of the world, or he’s hoping we believe him unquestioningly, too.

Wade also says that

The genetic evidence on which Menzies relies is provided by a company whose genetic tests have been labelled a “scam” by Stephen O’Brien, the US National Cancer Institute’s laboratory chief.

His dismissal can be found at the St Petersburg Times: Race gleaned from DNA causes debate. However, the 1421 website cites the DNA evidence they used, and I doubt all those scientists relied on the Ancestry by DNA test.

A reasonable argument against believing Menzies wholesale is Timothy Furnish’s essay, Is Gavin Menzies Right or Wrong?

There is a good forum thread discussing Menzies’ book, and another on Geoff Wade (who claimed that Admiral Cheng Ho’s voyages to Southeast Asia were not peaceful).

In addition, not only are the Bimini stones posited as proof of Chinese travels around the world, others believe they prove the existence of Atlantis (scholars argue that they are actually natural formations).

I think Menzies has put forward a very interesting theory. I think it is plausible that a fleet of Chinese ships explored the world. It is also plausible that they did not. At the moment, the 1421 book and website offer extensive appendices and notes supporting his claim (which is not to say they are proven facts), and Wade has written articles (with no appendices or footnotes) that claim to prove fabrication.

(I gain nothing from arguing in favour of Menzies — other than I love a good yarn.)