Korea Growing Corn in Madagascar (BBC)
Corn kernels. Ya gotta know where to grow em. If you're Korea, in (far) east Asia, how about growing your corn in a place that many Americans probably have only heard of because of the animated movie? Can you point to Madagascar on a map? Pop quiz: in what continent is Madagascar located? Did you know corn (a Native American food) can grow there? Times are strange.

Missionary Ashes in China (NYT)
Finally laid to rest at home.

Will Machines Ever Have Souls? (Ray Kurzweil)
This guy is brilliant and has a track record, so do not too quickly write off the things he says or the questions he asks.

The Dead Tell Tales in China (NYT)
The Tarim mummies have become protagonists in a political dispute over who should control the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region.

Snubbed Are the Peacemakers (BBC)
Jimmy Carter is by any definition a peacemaker. Along with Peacemakers Kofi Annan and Graca Machel Mandela from South Africa, the trio of "Elders" were informed before they left South Africa for Zimbabwe that they would not be granted visas. The Z govt. denies barring their entry, while acknowledging they may not (yet) enter) to assess the humanitarian situation and need for food aid by about half the population within 1-2 months. Mugabe... is there a single good thing he contributes to the people he supposedly leads? If according to Jesus peacemakers are blessed, what is the status of their opposite?