Posted On: Tuesday - May 19th 2026 6:00PM MST
In Topics: Music Treehuggers Trump China Bible/Religion
I am not reading or even linking to the New York Times, but I did copy this blurb from a search on the wording of today's post's title:
For Example, Putin;: How Xi Used a Private Garden Walk to Charm TrumpThe New York Times ... Chinatown edition, perhaps? The three New York based (but not so much) Times writers here wee trying to get all poetic and shit... Yes, Pooh Bear Xi might have been making a poetic allusion or he was just talking about these trees there, trying to impress Trump and in some way I sure cannot fathom, embarrass Americans? That's what the reports were a few days ago - it was supposedly some kind of fow paw, a Puke on the Prime Minster moment, if I may, as with Richard Nixon's visit two decades prior - "Only George Bush could go to Japan... and puke on Kiichi Miyazawa".
4 days ago
The Chinese leader points out a tree that is more than 100 years old, noting that it is actually two trees that have merged together, a possible allusion to Mr. Xi's calls for the two countries ...\
Author: Lily Kuo, Jiawei Wang,Pei-Lin Wu
There inside the secret garden of the Zhongnanhai in the land between the "Southern and Central" lakes. Just as with the hype about that big old tree, those are just a couple of ponds in Peking. I remember seeing that area in '23, but we weren't gonna pay no 50 RMB for a ticket to the compound, even if Xi would have let us follow the cute lady with the big floppy hat and the pennant in there.
Trump, to his credit, said things like "Nice place.", "I could get used to this.", and "They live that long?" about the old trees, seen above. That's just small talk, and it's a nice change, IMHO, from his coming up with something like, "Yeah, well, we're gonna make Zhejiang the 57th State." This is under the assumption Donald Trump could pronounce Dzeh' dzaaa... ahhh, forget it, even I can't!
However, Trump is usually pretty quick on his feet, as in with his mouth, actually, so it seems he didn't really want to cause trouble by saying what I might have said:
That’s pretty, Mr. Chairman. Your civilization is amazing – 3,500 years old, and ours is only about a tenth of that in our current land! Thing is, see, we saved millions of big ole Redwoods and Sequoias in beautiful California that are WAY older than these shrubs here, while you all ravaged your forests for firewood while people starved under Communism. Hell, do you still have to pay extra at the restaurant for extra paper napkins? I did a couple of years ago.That's my problem - it'd have been too long for a good soundbite. Would the New York Times Chinese writers have been impressed though? If Donald Trump knew a modicum about China and America (he's about the farthest from a country boy I can imagine), he might have had a good retort about the trees of America.
I think, Mr. Chairman, you should learn from America how to take care of your environment for the Chinamen of the future… just sayin’, but hey, nice sticker bushes. I could get used to this.
I've been everywhere in this here land, and that includes these magnificent forests. It doesn't have to be California either - I'm partial to the Olympic Mountains in Washington State.
Peak Stupidity, in the 5th part of our 6-part series entitled Will America be Looted by China has some pictures of this beautiful wilderness in western Washington. That is one of the three.
Compared to this, China has almost nothing pristine and not anything quite so impressive.* So what, a few old trees. I cut down a tree that I planted years ago and now have some hardwood 2" (ACTUAL, not nominal) x 20s some 10 footers, and some about 14'. stacked up. We had pecan trees cut down that had 74 rings. America knows trees, Mr. Xi, so you can go take that old secret garden crap back out to the commune!
Moving on backwards in time, I did get to see what was claimed to be an 800 y/o, maybe 1,000 y/o tree in a different part of China. It is in a different province, nowhere near these Big Wigs and their compound. You could touch it, and they made a big park out of the thing, with tricycles for rent and all manner of knickknacks for sale.
Back forwards to a few months back we got to see and touch this olive tree, there among a few dozen of them, said to have been around in that same Garden of Gethsemane (not to be confused with Yosemite) when and where Jesus was arrested and detained. That's right at two Millennia** ago, so it's one old tree too.
Some damn Chairman of the CCP is the last guy that ought to be lecturing or putting on the spot an American about trees. I bet nobody in the CCP has ever heard of Enya either! They'd probably crush New Agers as they do the Falun Gong and the Christians.
This is the instrumental title song of The Memory of Trees, Enya's 4th album of New Age music, released 6 months shy of 30 years ago. Two other really good songs on that album are China Roses and On My Way Home.
* The mountains in Guizhou province are impressive. Also, the people of China are starting to protect, or at least change, their environment in some big ways.
** I'm gonna get to this in another post.
Comments:
Moderator
Wednesday - May 20th 2026 7:06PM MST
PS: I don't think we need mass numbers of either within the country, Alarmist. However, as foreign affairs go, I don't see India as any economic competitor or threat, except from their sending people here and the annoyance of the scammers.
China alone could take care of the country of India if need be. Yes, congrats to the widow Adelson.
China alone could take care of the country of India if need be. Yes, congrats to the widow Adelson.
M
Wednesday - May 20th 2026 2:08PM MST
PS
This tree is older than the US?
So what?
Trump is older than the current incarnation of China.
This tree is older than the US?
So what?
Trump is older than the current incarnation of China.
The Alarmist
Wednesday - May 20th 2026 11:05AM MST
PS
While everyone is looking for evidence of the Chinese bogeyman threat, Dot-Indians are colonising and plundering our country.
I say we team up with China and cap the pajeets.
Oh, and congrats to Miriam Adelson for Israel’s win in KY-4.
🕉
While everyone is looking for evidence of the Chinese bogeyman threat, Dot-Indians are colonising and plundering our country.
I say we team up with China and cap the pajeets.
Oh, and congrats to Miriam Adelson for Israel’s win in KY-4.
🕉
Adam Smith
Wednesday - May 20th 2026 8:32AM MST
PS: Good morning, everyone...
Trump: I'm right now at 99% in Israel. I could run for prime minister, so maybe after I do this, I'll go to Israel and run for prime minister. I had a poll this morning, I'm 99%
https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/2057099795064389632/pu/vid/avc1/1280x720/iO_2qI9pOj-Zn93a.mp4
I have some things to say about the parable of the lianli bai tree, but I am of limited time this morning. (So...)
Happy Wednesday! ☮️
Trump: I'm right now at 99% in Israel. I could run for prime minister, so maybe after I do this, I'll go to Israel and run for prime minister. I had a poll this morning, I'm 99%
https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/2057099795064389632/pu/vid/avc1/1280x720/iO_2qI9pOj-Zn93a.mp4
I have some things to say about the parable of the lianli bai tree, but I am of limited time this morning. (So...)
Happy Wednesday! ☮️
Moderator
Tuesday - May 19th 2026 8:03PM MST
PS: That "older than the United States" bit is the one I'd have ridiculed, Mr. Hail. Is that supposed to be impressive? In this case, Trump made small talk, as I suppose he was told or he decided to be diplomatic for a change.
Hail
Tuesday - May 19th 2026 6:36PM MST
PS
The "two trees merging together" is not the headline I saw being run with in East Asia. It was the idea of Xi showing a dumbfounded Trump a tree that is "older than the United States," at 280 years old and doing his wise-man explanation to a supplicant Trump.
The "two trees merging together" is not the headline I saw being run with in East Asia. It was the idea of Xi showing a dumbfounded Trump a tree that is "older than the United States," at 280 years old and doing his wise-man explanation to a supplicant Trump.
There was a pine tree cut down a few hundred yards away from me that was from the Warring States Period, well, really I don't know when that was, so let's say it was planted or its seed sprouted during the late Qing dynasty - 140 rings I think. Would Xi be impressed?