Chinese superstar hurdler Liu Xiang could go to the United States for treatment, but there is a major hurdle if he goes: it would be a vote of no confidence to Chinese herbal medicine.

According to the head of Shanghai's provincial athletics team, Yang Peigang, "Everything is up in the air at the moment, but we are open to all options". When asked when Liu might resume training, Yang replied that "It might take another month" without giving specifics.

However, Yang's claim is disputed by Feng Shuyong, a top Chinese Track & Field Federation official who said that Liu won't be back on the track until the middle of 2009

According to Chen Shiyi, an orthopaedic expert at Shanghai's Huashan Hospital, "Surgery should be the last item on the agenda because of the risk involved. As for a trip to the United States, personally, I think (that) it's unnecessary because we have the infrastructure and medical talent here in China". Liu has reportedly been looked after by a team of 10 doctors and therapists, many of whom are Chinese herbal medicine experts.

Implications/Analysis/Comments/Remarks: Liu needs to got to the USA to get a second opinion on his injured Achilles tendon/hamstrring. If there's structural damage, surgery needs to be done to fix it. Otherwise, there will be long term health consequences for a guy who pushes his body to the limit every day. China is quickly catching up to the west in terms of infrastructure, but their thinking remains backward. Where are all the top medical schools? Peking University? Tsinghua? Or Duke, Oxford, Cambridge, etc.? China must open its doors more to foreign if it's truly to become an international power.

The Thai Prime Minister's fate rests on referendum. In an effort to break a political stalemate/deadlock, Sama Sundarevej offered to call emergency (i.e. "snap") elections, but this offer was rejected by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), the groupp largely responsible for the 3-month standoff against Samak.

In a radio statement, Samak announced that "The campaign will last for a month and during which both sides can do whatever electioneering they want".

However, this seemed to be unsatisfactory to many Thais. According to Thai Senate President Prasobsuk Bondej, "The current situation needs an immediate solution to diffuse it. We can't afford to wait for the referendum law to pass".

Meanwhile, Samak refused to resign despite wild unpopularity: "I will not jump ship. I will be in control".

In response, PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkui vowed to keep up the pressure: "As long as he (i.e. Samak) insists on staying on, we will not go anywhere".

Implications/Analysis/Comments/Remarks: There's a strong relationship between political stability and economic growth/prosperity and right now, Thailand's government is unstable at best and hence, it's economy is in shambles.

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Turnout for the 2008 Legislative Council election is expected to be lower than the 2004 Legislative Council election when a record 55.64% of voters exercised a citizen's most basic right because of discontent with former chief executive Tung Chee-Hwa. This year, people are more concerned about livelihood issues (e.g. inflation & unemployment).

According to a CUHK poll, out of a random sample of 7643 people, 65.3% (of respondents)said that they would "definitely vote (presumably for particular candidates) while another 22.7% "might" vote".

According to a Lingnan University poll, out of a random sample of 1584 people, 52.3% would "definitely" vote while 28.7% declared that they "would".

According to a University of Hong Kong poll, 60.6% of respondents said that they would "definitely" vote while another 24.7% said that they would "cast ballots" (perhaps they haven't made up their minds yet).

Implications/Analysis/Comments/Remarks: This is the strangest explanation yet. Livelihood issues are supposed to galvanize people to vote in most parts of the world, but in HOng Kong, this isn't the case. Could this be because of China's heavy-handed approach in dealing with Hong Kong?