More wacky definitions...

These magnificent sea animals were the hapless victims as China and the Philippines faced off in the South China Sea during their current spat. Some 550 of the sea turtles -- an endangered species -- were caught by Chinese poachers. More than 300 had died by the time this picture was taken:

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When I was teaching at NUS, one Honours module I ran included an examination of flashpoints in the East Asian region, that is, Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia. The South China Sea disputes was only one potential flashpoint and was not deemed the most volatile. Fast forward to today, and one well-regarded commentator worries that the various maritime disputes in East Asia -- all involving China -- might just be the collective spark that would unravel China's peaceful rise:

TODAY, May 13

http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/nouriel-roubini-says-that-if-the-the-global-order-blows-up--the-detonation-will-occur-in-asia

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I'll wrap up with another batch of wacky definitions:

CIGARETTE: 
A pinch of tobacco
Rolled in paper
With fire at one end
And a fool at the other!

MARRIAGE: 
It's an agreement
Wherein
A man loses his bachelors degree
And a woman gains her masters

LECTURE: 
An art of transmitting Information
From the notes of the lecturer
To the notes of students
Without passing through the minds
Of either


TEARS: 
The hydraulic force by which
Masculine will power is
Defeated by feminine water-power!

CONFERENCE ROOM: 
A place where everybody talks,
Nobody listens
And everybody disagrees later on

ECSTASY: 
A feeling when you feel
You are going to feel
A feeling
You have never felt before

CLASSIC: 
A book
Which people praise,
But never read


SMILE: 
A curve
That can set
A lot of things straight!


OFFICE: 
A place
Where you can relax
After your strenuous
Home life

EXPERIENCE: 
The name
People give
To their
Mistakes


OPTIMIST: 
A person
Who while falling
From EIFFEL TOWER
Says in midway
"SEE I AM NOT INJURED YET!"

MISER: 
A person
Who lives poor
So that
He can die RICH!

BOSS: 
Someone
Who is early
When you are late
And late
When you are early

POLITICIAN: 
One who
Shakes your hand
Before elections
And your Confidence
Later