CHINA SYNDROME: Notes and Pix from Mayor Buffaloe's Neglected City

Homeless in CoMo, TRCM photo COLUMBIA, 2/9/25 (Sunday Essay) -- I came across this photo of our Mayor splashed across Shanghai, China, a city she visited during her infamous first term travels.

I'm not super concerned about most things China (except the old guys at the top, but they're a concern everywhere). So I've been asking myself: How do I feel about my Mayor, Barbara Buffaloe, advertising her leadership in front of the wrong city? A major metropolis seven thousand one hundred and nineteen miles (7,119 miles) from the city she is supposed to be leading, Columbia, Missouri.  

Advertising her sunny smile, tailor made for American politics. Advertising her commitment to "Serve the People." Advertising her color, purple, that symbol of bipartisanship. Red here, Blue there, mix them together and cooperation is supposed to emerge.

Embarking on this journey of self discovery -- how do I feel about our mayor grandstanding in China -- I first asked myself: How do I feel about China? My brother lived there for years, Shanghai in fact. Chinese girlfriend not permitted to leave the country when he had to leave. But she did get to visit once, stayed with us for over a week. Nice lady. My college roommate Louis was from Taiwan. He couldn't stand the Chinese Communist Party. But among the Chinese people, Louis had several friends. So did I, in high school and grad school, too.

I don't support banning TikTok and don't want to see it become another bargaining chip in some deal to Elongate all things X.CoMo panhandler, TRCM photo TixTox just doesn't do it for me. 

DeepSneak, DeepFake, DeepHack, or DeepSeek -- whatever its latest comic nickname -- doesn't bother me that much, either. No, I don't want to download it, even if it is "locally hosted." Yes, it was a bummer watching the revelation unfold -- China goes open source, takes over world -- sinking Nvidia stock for a few days.

But Nvidia is the platinum standard among AI chip makers, DeepSeek dull brass in comparison. With its long list of forbiddens and no First Amendment to expand its horizons, DeepSeek AI may never compete with American AI like ChatGPT or Perplexity.

Until its founder Jack Ma mysteriously vanished, I bought a few shares of Alibaba, aka China's Amazon. Still not sure all the details, but the old guys at the top must have ordered the vanishing. DeepSeek: What was the Chinese government's role in the disappearance of Jack Ma? 

"Danger Will Robinson!  Danger. That question does not compute." 

Figures.  I still haven't answered my question, though.  

ChatGPT: I don't have anything against China the country or its people, so how should I feel about Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe appearing in that photo of Shanghai?  Offended? Angry?

 CoMo street life, TRCM photo"Sad. Disappointed. Frustrated. Discouraged ... Neglected."

But why not furious? Livid? As a voter and 28-year Columbia resident, fed up with all her self promotion?  

"Look at the pictures of your own city, Mr. Columbia resident, and ask yourself: If you were Mayor, would you want your photo superimposed over those pix, especially with the words Serve the People? That seems sad to me."

Sad. Hard to admit, because it takes the fire right out of you. But sad is how I feel. Then again, maybe I should get a second opinion. What do you think about Mayor Buffaloe's civic vision, DeepSeek?  

"SERVE THE PEOPLE'S . . . REPUBLIC OF CHINA."

Sadly, that sounds about right. Maybe there's hope for DeepSeek yet. 


Photo credits: The Real Columbia Missouri, Feb 6, 2025