As Andrew said, those blogosphere "netizens" who jumped to the overused concept of "Mandate of Heaven" conclusion need to really learn the wisdom of the old proverb of "still water runs deep". These are the same overweight guys in their mid 30's who have no other social activities other than their technical work during the day, writing about world politics from whatever they know from their college classes and term papers they had to write, all the while gluing their overweight backsides to their parent's couch, smearing nachos all over the place, propagating exaggerations about "underground churches" --- what was the latest figure, like half a billion people are in underground churches there? This is why the same idiotic leaders get elected here. As someone pointed out earlier in this thread, if even the CIAs have no clues about great political shifts, what makes these out-of-touch bloggers (or ESL teachers) think they know what's going on?

Look at the death rates for 7.0 - 8.0 earthquakes around the world. California - 49 people killed. Mexico 3,700. China 12,000. Iran 50,000.

So what's the varying factor here? It's this: the strength of the regulatory environment. Or, how much government "interferes" in the operations of certain private businesses. In a science-based way, of course.

So yes, Electro Robot, this could be considered a test for a civilization' s advancement. Might be something the conservatives/libertarians should take into account someday.

One thing about interpretation: It's always after the fact.

By the way, there is a total solar eclipse due to track across Sichuan Province in July, 2009. Coincidence?

Look at the death rates for 7.0 - 8.0 earthquakes around the world. California - 49 people killed. Mexico 3,700. China 12,000. Iran 50,000. I blame America! ! ! Boo Hiss !!! Up the Revolution.

We are not that different in the West. If the economy is bad, people will generally vote against whoever is in power, regardless of whether or not they have had anything to do with the problems in the economy.

The economy is, however imperfectly, a consequence of human actions. I doubt the same can be said of plate tectonics.

...if the current regime there handles it as badly as Bush did Katrina, I could see a regime change happening. However, that also requires people being able to find out how badly things are going.

We are not that different in the West. If the economy is bad, people will generally vote against whoever is in power, regardless of whether or not they have had anything to do with the problems in the economy.

If global climate change is going to increase the variability and extremity of the weather, they are going to be running through quite a lot of rulers all over the world!

Apparently the CIA had not one single clue that Gorbachev was on his way to power. He was Dubcek's roommate in law school. You know, the same Dubcek who was hauled back to Moscow in chains after his liberal reforms in Prague were crushed by tanks in 1968.

Gorbachev's own reformist attitude was kept a big secret for a long time, until he was finally anointed by Andropov as the future General Secretary.

Was there a natural disaster involved in the establishment of the legitimacy of his new reform government?

There was Chernobyl. Central Committee documents have revealed that Gorbachev persuaded the KGB to let Sakharov out of Gorky so his skills could be useful to the Party in the response to the horrific disaster in Chernobyl.

Once Sakharov was back in Moscow, Gorbachev was a legitimate reformer and glasnost turned into a runaway train.

Who knows what's going on behind the scenes in China.

There's no doubt a liberal wing in the CCP, as there was in the CPSU, but outsiders might not ever know it until something big happens to shift the balance of power inside the Party.

About 8 years ago I had to go to India on business. While I was changing planes in Sinapore there was a big subduction quake up near the Himalayas that killed 10s or thousands of people. The next day, I picked up a newspaper in Chenai and read that the head of the Anglican Church had called the quake, I am not making this up, "Gods judgement on Hindus and Moslems for not accepting Christ".

Every time there's a natural or manmade disaster, anywhere, some charlatan is going to take credit for it in the name of his god. Heavan doesn't give mandates. Just the occasional light show.