He woke up from a deep-freeze slumber.
Then took a long bathroom break.
30 years have passed. And our Bond-like figure found himself at Shanghai World Expo.
Dr Evil (Austin’s villain) himself couldn’t have asked for more: let’s hold the Expo hostage, for a ransom of ….let’s say 7 million.
That’s the FDI amount for China in 1970, said Number 2.
Fast forward to today, with the Expo and all, FDI for China is about 300 Billion.
Meanwhile, a Chinese pole dancer uploads her YouTube footage of a daring stunt inside a moving subway train (her 10 minutes of fame, 5 minutes to go).
BTW, China is topping the FDI chart, with India on US tail vying for number 2.
Like Austin Powers, we woke up to a different world (Nelson Mandela could have related to this had he shown at the World Cup Opening).
Let’s say the Shanghai Expo falls short of expectations. But the fact that there was an Expo in China at all was unthinkable at the time Austin Powers was put to sleep.
Now comes the learning part. How is a great power supposed to behave on world stage? Ambivalence, aggression, or avoidance?
It’s lonely at the top.
Deng once said, “it doesn’t matter if the cat is black or white” (pragmatism). This can only carry his nation so far until its own expectations are pitted against the world’s.
(why don’t you loosen up your purse etc… well, when they tried, like touring France, French waiters shunned them, and sent them to Chinatown. At least the Japanese fared better with Vegas in the 80’s). No wonder Wynn is expanding his Empire to Macau. Bring the game to the players. It’s a good offshoring practice.
Meanwhile, the US team will be facing off Beckham’s former team. And its problem has been well-aware: no one expects the US to win the World Cup.
And everyone expects the dollar to do well.
At least, we have one thing that doesn’t surprise Austin Powers.
Just make sure those retro styles from Eddie Bauer and L.L. Beans are in vogue to help ease our anti-hero’s culture shock. He would probably prefer the pole dancing show. Our naughty spy got weaknesses of his own. But he catches the mouse . Happy ending. Let the credits roll. Especially the out-takes, since this has been a divine comedy: last becomes first.
Thang Nguyen 555 