Maryland Pok Guy

Like a phoenix, rising over Arizona...

2006-07-08T16:51:00.000-04:00

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

文月

2006-07-05T21:40:00.000-04:00

Pretty soon I shall be moving to a different site (along with different blogging software). Blogger just ain't cuttin' it and I think I might fancy having my own webspace. You have been forewarned...

Rain, rain, go to Spain...

2006-06-26T21:03:00.000-04:00

If it doesn't stop raining soon, I'm going to have to build a large, commodious boat. You know. An ark?

A yen for yen

2006-06-22T17:17:00.000-04:00

The Japan Times recently ran an interesting article about why the ¥5 and ¥50 coins have holes in them. I have always had a bit of a fascination with foreign currency. When I visit a country, I like to bring a sample of its coinage back with me. And having lived in Japan for five years, the yen holds a special place (although, ironically, I have hardly any Japanese coins). The ¥1 coin, being worthless, also feels worthless, being made of aluminum. I've heard it actually costs more to make the coin than it is actually worth. The ¥5 and ¥50 coins are both really neat, since currency with holes in it isn't that common (coming from the US, at least). So an interesting article. And I learned a new Japanese word! ibari, the stub left after breaking the coin from the casting mold. This word, being completely useless in everyday situtations, will of course have pushed out a more useful word, like rikujouboueitai...

Listening to Shiki no Uta, from Samurai Champloo

Русский способ

2006-06-19T20:28:00.000-04:00

Now that's what I call style. Granted, I've never read any of his stuff or really knew who he was before today, but just look at that hair! And the glasses are rather boss too. Reminds me of Trotsky...

The New New Orleans?

2006-06-19T20:12:00.000-04:00

Am I the only one who sees anything wrong with this? I mean, after all hell broke loose after Katrina, yes. But almost a year later? Is New Orleans going to be relegated to the status of a ruin, visited by tourists but uninhabitable? Besides, I have little faith in the military's capabilities as a police force...

Stately, plump Buck Mulligan came from the stairhead....

2006-06-16T18:31:00.000-04:00

Happy Bloomsday, everyone! The day where you snuggle up with your dog eared copy of Ulysses and try to read it all in one go. This, being rather difficult to accomplish, can be substituted for reading the first few chapters or just perusing any other tome of Joyce. Of course, if I were to do this day right, I would have ditched work, had an Irish breakfast, then read all about Leopold Bloom in the shade of a tree down on the banks of the Potomac. Maybe next year, when I buy myself a bowler...

In truth, if I really wanted to do it right, I would fly to Dublin and join the merriment. Perhaps a certain 蝠 would be interested in a sojourn in his ancestral homeland?

North Korean comedy?

2006-06-11T13:42:00.000-04:00

If it weren't for their ability to level Seoul, this might be funny:

In a statement it [KPA] said the US flights were "openly crying out for a pre-emptive attack" on the country.

When the US has half a million troops lined up along the DMZ, then you can start worrying about an attack. And would a US attack on North Korea even count as "pre-emptive?" Both sides didn't sign a peace treaty after the Korean War. More of the same from Koryo, I suppose...

391 years later, where is Toyotomi Hideyori?

2006-06-05T20:29:00.000-04:00

To commemorate the 391st anniversary of the Seige of Osaka yesterday (when Tokugawa Ieyasu spanked the Toyotomi clan), I give you all things Osaka! まいど!

大阪城
Go to Osaka, damn your eyes!
Kansai-ben, the greatest Japanese dialect
White Egrets made structural (not in Osaka, but whatever)
Okonomiyaki
Osaka-san

Routine undone

2006-06-04T14:51:00.000-04:00

Just now I looked at my electric toothbrush, not with the knowing gaze of one familiar with their banal bathroom, but with an expression of pleasant surprise, as if my toothbrush had gained its position around my sink with subterfuge, awaiting to be discovered so that we, old friends, could become reacquainted.

Rule, Roma! Roma rules the waves!

2006-06-03T23:29:00.000-04:00

I was watching Inu Yasha tonight and they used the word "volition!" Yay for Latin derived words! Yass, so I like it when people make use of English's Latin roots. It seems people are prone to speak in as guttural a manner as possible, so it is nice to hear something a little more refined...

Speaking of Latin, here is a random Gaius Julius Caesar quote:

Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt

Think of the children!

2006-06-03T19:42:00.000-04:00

Looks like Pikachu and the gang have been hanging out in Compton recently...

A previous incarnation...

2006-06-03T19:10:00.000-04:00

Recently, elms-蝠 seems to have been doing some spelunking in the back waters of his hard drive, because he is now hosting my old webpage. Those were innocent and, dare I say it, indolent times back then. When OS 10.3 was all the rage and the Intel Mac was still blasphemy. Reading those postings on my own crude version of a blog, it seems I was rather genki back then, more so than now for sure. And now I have this germ in my mind that wants to resurrect the ghost of ringo, because everyone benefits from red deliciousness that is so reminiscent of communism (pure, theoretical, not in the tradition of Lenin)... And, hell, a random page with random pictures (literal manga) is just so boss...

Arjung
In case of an earthquake, hide in the nearest microwave.

Convention season...

2006-05-17T19:00:00.000-04:00

So they do have a convention!

Welcome to the Machine...

2006-05-16T21:17:00.000-04:00

I should have seen this coming. And yet, I was so myopic that I was blindsided by it. I go ahead and proclaim a political affiliation on my voter registration and now I am being solicited by them (the party) like some fool desperate for cheap Vioxx. But I shant give in. If I am going to start doing hand-outs I want to make sure I get a return on my money. And that means changing one's tune on the Hill, forming a coherent platform from the meaningless chaos of the party supporters (good luck). It means giving me a tweed coat, because if I am sinking money into Tammany Hall, I want to keep warm come this November. The fine art of politicking... If only they cared what I really thought...

Shock and awe...

2006-05-15T20:27:00.000-04:00

Tonight, starting at 2000 (-4 GMT), a rather astonishing thing happened. I was able to listen to George W. Bush for 18 minutes straight. Not only was I able to listen to him, I actually agreed with him. His ideas of creating a guest worker program whilst refusing amnesty I think struck the right balance on the immigration issue. Sure, there was a good deal of politicking. But he had a message and he delivered it with a clarity I have never seen from him. Really, it is too bad he has exhausted all his political capital over the Iraq and Katrina debacles. Perhaps he should have stuck closer to home. I mean, when was the last time we had a president that was focused on domestic issues? Of course, we will have to wait until November to see if this was all too little too late...

Perhaps in the future I will actually write my take on the whole immigration issue. I want to do it right, so it will take some prep time... So, I suppose it will never get done... :D

Dokdo dawn...

2006-05-03T21:29:00.000-04:00

Here is a live look at the disputed Dokdo/Takeshima Islands. Worth dying for, eh?

Found the link at the Marmot's Hole. Check it out for yourself...

The price of staying in touch...

2006-04-30T20:48:00.000-04:00

The price of staying in touch with friends is indeed steep. The sacrifices I make can be rather trying. For example, my latest desktop wallpaper, the central figures of which are Cagalli Yula Athha (left) and Lacus (Lux) Clyne (right) from Gundam SEED. As is apparent from the picture, every time I chat with someone I am deprived of gazing upon Lux's face. Not having her grace my computer screen causes such side effects as mental strain and a sense of emotional unbalance. Now, I know you might say, "Well, alls ya gots ta do is done moved it off 'er face." But there is such a thing as principle. Chat boxes must be contiguous with their parent GUI. If they are not, they are set adrift on the treacherous sea that is my desktop, like a suckling piglet in a vat of BBQ sauce. Perhaps it isn't such a big deal. But what happens when the situation becomes untenable? Do I cut off all ties with my collegiate comrades? Or do I wander the earth without the sunshine that is Lux? My apologies, my former friends...

Time zone logic

2006-04-22T23:44:00.000-04:00

I know there are some wacky time zones, off by a half hour or even three quarters of an hour. But why is it that China only has one time zone? In a continent size nation where, by my reckoning, the sun must rise two to three hours later in Ürümqi than it does in Harbin, why have only one time zone? This is mostly a rhetorical question. It just seems strange, coming from a nation with six time zones, to see one similar in magnitude with only one. I suppose the Middle Kingdom need not kowtow to my barbarian line of thinking...

Feeling small...

2006-04-21T19:30:00.000-04:00

I wonder why it is that I feel consistently cowed in the face of genius? I would think there would then be a corresponding feeling of superiority when I notice people's stupidity. But there isn't. I know I ain't no genius. This blog is rife with instances of my own failings in understanding. And so when I visit other blogs where it seems that things just click for the author(s), as if by some sixth sense, I feel small. As if there really isn't anything I could possibly contribute to the collective knowledge of everything. Even with subjects like life in Japan there always seems to be someone more expert. And I lived there for five years. But they have fresher memories, or were older, more observant. But it isn't like I'm an idiot either. I know a good deal, and am interested in esoteric matters. But sometimes I can't help but feel dumb as bricks.

I guess my brother summed it up best. He said we're smart enough to recognize genius, but we aren't on that plane. And really, it's only my own fault for letting it bother me. As Belle and Sebastian said:

We're four boys in corduroys,
We're not terrific but we're competent.

And Mark Twain gave some good advice on the matter:

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great ones make you feel that you, too, can become great.

Perhaps I just need to find that great person?

Catching up on the news...

2006-04-20T21:25:00.000-04:00

A lot has been going on recently, and I don't really have time to write about it tonight. But I'll post some links and *hopefully* get back to them later (a procrastinator's last words).

First off, a country dear to me ever since I visited it about a decade ago. Riots are ongoing in Kathmandu. The protesters are denouncing the king, who seized absolute power last year under the pretense of fighting the Maoist rebels. The news seems to be that a number of protesters have been shot. It is truly such a pity in a beautiful nation like Nepal. And the king's actions are at best driving people to join the pro-democracy movement, at worst to the Maoists. In either case, he loses.

Second, Waziristan in Pakistan, where two local men thought to be spying for the US were found dead. Spying in this case means, I'm assuming, passing information about either the Taliban or al-Qaida to the US. And five Pakistani soldiers were abducted as well. Just in case anyone had any delusions that Waziristan was under firm government control.

Third, rioting in the Solomon Islands in response to the election of the Prime Minister, Snyder Rini. It seems the ethnic majority is upset about his ties to the Chinese minority, which happens to control a disproportionate amount of the wealth. Rini is also suspected of having ties to Taiwan, which adds fuel to the fire.

And now Congress has renewed the USA PATRIOT act, and Bush seems ever more likely to do things he shouldn't be allowed to with it. Seems the whole world is ablaze except sleepy Maryland...

The subtle game of international diplomacy...

2006-04-18T21:50:00.000-04:00

Even with extensive fishing rights on the line, the Korean government still has managed to forego the fiery rhetoric and discuss the Dokdo/Takeshima issue in a dignified manner:

The government has always put higher importance on the Dokdo issue than on the Korea-Japan relations. We plan to take various measures to fortify our effective control over Dokdo.

This coming from ROK Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon. Now, I know that Dokdo is a tricky issue. There are the obvious economic gains. But more importantly, the winner gets to act the big dog in the Sea of Japan/East Sea. The Koreans see Japanese claims on the islands as aggression, and a resurgence of the WWII era military government. The Japanese see it as Korea claiming islands that were never theirs. I can see both sides (and at the same time, can't, because I see Dokdo as a bunch of God forsaken rocks). But to say you'd wreck relations with your neighbor over some damnable rocks seems extreme. Thus is life in North-east Asia, I suppose...

I got this quote from the Marmot's Hole. He's done a bunch of other postings about the whole Dokdo issue, including some I find rather amusing, such as some in the ROK saying the US endorses the Japanese claim to the islands because the CIA plotted them as Japanese on a map. Of course, a Japanophile such as myself would find that humorous, wouldn't I?

Won't you be my neighbor?

2006-04-17T22:15:00.000-04:00

I walked to the grocery store today because the weather was absolutely gorgeous. I originally was planning on driving, but when it came time to turn toward my car, I just headed for the sidewalk. It's actually a really short walk, so I had no excuse. And, hell, I felt like walking. And, no, I didn't get shot. The D.C. metro area isn't as dangerous as certain Tamils may believe...

On a completely unrelated note, the Chinese have decided to erect a giant statue of Mao in Tibet. Because, Mao was such a great guy, who always had the Tibetans' interests at heart. Apparently, their interests were to be conquered by Beijing and subsequently marginalized in the face of a massive influx of Han Chinese. Yep. Good ol' Mao. Man of the people...

Wiktionary!

2006-04-15T19:14:00.000-04:00

If you have a free-content, collaborative encyclopedia, why not do the same for the dictionary? Which, of course, is the wiktionary. Not quite as nice as answers.com, but I'm sure it will improve with time. What really caught my eye was this feature to search for words in other scripts which includes Chinese characters! I was geekin' out about that. Now that section in particular still needs a good deal of even basic content, let alone improvement. But I think it's an awesome idea. Still not good enough to replace my beloved kanji dictionary, but in time it could be a very nice on-line resource. And anything that helps global understanding by cutting across language differences is a good thing.

Perambulations

2006-04-15T18:36:00.000-04:00

The weather here in central Maryland was quite splendid on this Holy Saturday. For this reason I decided to check out a local park, the Savage Mill Trail. It reminded me a lot of this park in Roswell, GA which is also centered around an old mill. The trail was a nice little walk, a little shorter than I would have liked, but I still was able to enjoy the scenery around the Patuxent River. The recently sprouted leaves were this beautiful light green color, which meshed well with the azure of the sky. I saw a number of cardinals and other birds I did not recognize. Definitely, signs of life abounded. And I am glad that I have found a place to go for walks in the woods. Feels better than sitting in the apartment all day...

Aquatic Abomination!

2006-04-08T15:08:00.000-04:00

There is definitely a laundry list of actions and things that outrage the Lord. Despite having deliberately created all of existence, somethings just irk Him to no end. I suppose it is like that one batch of brownies I made last year. I created them, yes. But they were just awful, and I refused to eat them. The same thing, apparently, can be said of shrimp. YHWH, after creating the oceans on one of the six days (listen, do I look like I would know which one?) filled it with a vast bounty of succulent beasts, ready for commercial exploitation. One of these little critters is the shrimp, which, I found out, in Chinese is a little prawn (小蝦). The shrimp eating heathens of the Orient aside, the Bible, which, as you should know, is infallible, does not actually say that shrimp should not be eaten. Instead, in His omniscient wisdom, God decreed in utmost vagueness:

And whatsoever hath not fins and scales ye may not eat; it is unclean unto you

But, I believe that any reasonable person would see that this line from Deuteronomy 14:10 specifically prohibits the consumption of shrimp, as it makes one "unclean." Leviticus is a bit more forthcoming, saying it is an "abomination unto you." So, all ye who make a point to order the shrimp cocktail, I hope you are ready for a warm stay in HELL! Of course, while we're at it, why not slip an extra shrimp on the barbie?

Lesson for the vanquished...

2006-04-06T20:04:00.000-04:00

I think Alberto Fujimori is starting to regret returning to Peru. I actually did not know that he had. Last I knew, he was living it up in Japan, planning to return. Now, I am sure that the inviting, bright lights of Tokyo are looking far away from his prison cell. But, the fallen rarely learn. You can't go back. Charles Taylor, Saddam Hussein, and now Alberto Fujimori. You step on enough toes and get ousted, not many are going to welcome your return. Sic semper tyrannis...

Banned in Boston...

2006-03-31T18:59:00.000-05:00

Today I was perusing wikipedia's list of banned books when I happened upon the entry for Ulysses. The explanation is priceless:

Banned in the United States until 1933 because it was considered impossible to read and obscene.

I wonder what they thought of Finnegans Wake?

riverrun, past Eve and Adam's, from swerve of shore to bend
of bay, brings us by a commodius vicus of recirculation back to
Howth Castle and Environs.

As for the practice of banning books, I find it rather telling that a number of books that were banned were later acknowledge as some of the greatest works of literature. But when have people ever learned from the past?

Back from the brink...

2006-03-29T21:16:00.000-05:00

I'm still horribly depressed, but this video has cheered me up some...

How I waste time at work...

2006-03-21T21:39:00.000-05:00

So, today at work I was making a little checklist for future product releases. I was fooling around in Word, trying to see if they had a little check box character I could use when checking off items. That's when I discovered the pmingliu font. It has all the Japanese kana and a hell of a lot of Chinese hanzi. In fact, maybe all of them. So I essentially amused myself for a while, finding the characters for ping pong (bing bam, 乒乓) and char siu bao (叉燒包). Of course, this involved not doing the work I was getting paid to do... :) And the cool thing was the characters were actually organized by radical, rather than some horrific mess.

I truly am entralled by Chinese characters. The hanzi (or kanji, for you Japanese speakers) are such a beautiful means of expressing words. When I was taking Japanese in college, a number of people I knew were turned off by kanji, thinking them difficult. And, well, they are. But I always thought of it more as a fun challenge than anything. Anyway, I know what I'll be playing around with at work when I get bored...

Yamapikanyaa~!

2006-03-20T21:50:00.000-05:00

There is an actual wikitravel article for Iriomote! How boss is that? The person who wrote it definitely likes to use the word "critter." Nothing wrong with that. Kinda cute. But I'm not sure I'd call a coconut crab a critter. More like, an abomination against coconuts. Still, Iriomote looks like it'd be a beautiful place to go. I'd really have to brush up on my Japanese. I'm sure it's worth it. How many crazy gaijin end up there anyway? Of course, some people might say I should stop getting my travel ideas from cartoons. But those people can go take a long walk on a short pier...

Also, I'm not sure how 西表 becomes Iriomote. Maybe that's how the Ryukyuans wrote it?

"How dare you make us work!"

2006-03-18T12:58:00.000-05:00

At least, that's what I gather from these student protests in France. As one student said:

Aren't we the future of France?

Yeah, if France's future is one of people not being held accountable for their work. As a recent college graduate in America, I have no sympathy for these people. I mean, I work for the government and even they have a caveat that states they can easily fire you in the first two years of service if you don't meet expectations. Funny how something so normal on this side of the pond is such a big deal on the other end.

Rath Dé ort!

2006-03-17T20:48:00.000-05:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone! I wonder if they dyed the Potomac today? Of course, I wouldn't know, since a certain "friend" of mine wouldn't answer his phone! Just joshin'. Still, I do consider this unjust. I should be kickin' back, sippin' down a pint of Guinness (pointa Guinness). And all those that think otherwise can póg mo thóin... I also have a hankering for an Irish breakfast. That sounds nice. A Guinness along with an Irish breakfast and a tome of Joyce? Does it get any better?

As an aside, last summer when I was in Amsterdam I was eating lunch at an Irish pub when I witnessed some of the most bizarre aerial ballet (I guess). There my brother and I were, eating lunch outside, enjoying the fine weather and a few beers (did I really drink anything else in Europe?) when this very unassuming, middle-aged guy walks into the square and sets up this tripod apparatus with a rope hanging down the middle. He then proceeds to strip down to his speedo, climbs the rope, and starts doing some rather interesting routines, all to classical music blaring on his portable radio. It was funny, since everyone else in the square was awkstruck, all eyes glued to this creature. After his show, he gets down, takes donations (I gave him 2€ for that), dresses, and disassembles his stand. No wonder we Americans think Europeans are so weird... :)

Thinking of Joyce...

2006-03-16T17:55:00.000-05:00

When is the next Bloomsday? I need to read Ulysses...

Mad props to the person who knows where that image is from. I gave you a massive hint. But it isn't the cover of Ulysses...

Hokusai!

2006-03-11T23:16:00.000-05:00

On a day like today, with the temperature just right and the sky clear as it can get in a major metropolitan area, the conditions were ripe for a visit to the capital city of this great land. And so, my Tamil friend and I embarked on just this venture. We were fortunate, since as I was disembarking from the Orange line Metro, I noticed a sign advertising a Hokusai exhibit at the Sackler Gallery, which I had never heard of until this morning. I really enjoy Hokusai's work. And after seeing the extensive collection on display, I'd say he is quite the genius of the wood block print. I love ukiyo-e; it can be so detailed using such simple techniques. I also got to see the famous "The Great Wave off Kanagawa," one of the thirty-six views of Fuji-san. In person, the piece is a lot more vibrant in color. The funny thing is, Hokusai is most famous for his landscapes, but I actually enjoyed some of his works of people more. I am very glad I got to see this exhibit, and definitely wouldn't mind seeing it again if any friends or family come to visit (hint, hint).

After working up an appetite admiring all those works of art, it was time for the long quest for food. One would think that an area of a city attracting millions of tourist every year would be jam packed with good restaurants, but for some reason, the Mall seems utterly devoid of them. So, to China Town it was! We ended up at a very nice place that served tapas, small Spanish dishes meant for sharing (and ordering lots of). Satiated, we wandered some more until our feet were tired, and then parted to our separate abodes.

Definitely an enjoyable way to spend a Saturday. Plus, it seems I'm starting to know my way around D.C. a bit better, which is good. Although at one point we were walking east of China Town and there were some hints that this may not be such a great idea. We even passed a guy who was wondering what the hell we were doing there. *sigh* Oh well. Still plenty to do in the District. Now that the weather is improving, I think I'll be spending more time there...

Finally, an island to talk about...

2006-03-09T20:43:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I discovered an island with perhaps the coolest name in the world, for an island at least. Cooler even than... uh... that other island... Anyhoo, the island is Ap Lei Chau (鴨脷洲), off of another, slightly better known island, Hong Kong. The name is Cantonese for "Duck Tongue Island." Supposedly, it looks like a duck's tongue. Not having seen a duck's tongue myself, I can't really say one way or another. But, I think that next time I go to Hong Kong (and I swear I will someday), I'm going to this island. Even if there isn't anything to do there except look crazy because here is this obvious tourist getting all giddy because he's visiting a place called Duck Tongue Island. And now, I know two more words in Cantonese! Which I will pronounce "ahp lay," I'm assuming erroneously. :)

Getting flummoxed about some stupid ports...

2006-03-04T12:35:00.000-05:00

In the mornings on my drive to work I've taken to the habit of listening to C-SPAN radio. They have a radio show where they interview guests and typically have people call in. I also watch the local Baltimore news whilst I'm eating breakfast. This week I've been hearing a lot about the whole ports fiasco. Three issues seem to come up a lot, be it from congressional opposition or people calling in: that the UAE cannot be trusted with security; that the UAE should not be trusted since two of the 9/11 hijackers came from that country; and that the US government is not doing enough to secure the ports.

First, that the UAE cannot be trusted with security. Many supporters of the sale keep bringing up the fact that the UAE company will not be in charge of the port security, just various port related activities such as unloading cargo. The US government is responsible for security, always has, always will. Many people don't seem to realize this.

Second, that the UAE cannot be trusted because two 9/11 hijackers came from there. I will admit, there is something un-nerving about this. But two individuals are never indicative of the society at large. Especially if the UAE government keeps engaging with the West, trading and keeping itself open, I doubt it will become some haven for terrorists like Afghanistan in the 1990s. Ever since 9/11, people seem to forget that America had it's own terrorists, such as Timothy McVeigh or Eric Rudolph. Plus, fifteen 9/11 hijackers were Saudi Arabians, but we still seem more than willing to buy their oil.

Third, that the US government is not doing enough to secure our ports. This is usually said in conjunction with the fact that something like 5% of all cargo is inspected. Sure, the government could spend more on security. But you can't inspect 100% of the cargo. Even if, as I have heard a congressman say, it only takes one. True, but that's a risk we will have to live with. There are plenty of other ways to smuggle weapons into the US. Inspecting 100% of cargo entering the country would be a monumental task, choking ports stacked high with containers waiting for inspection. All those cheap goods made in Asia and food from South America would shoot up in price because so little would be trickling in. To remain a global partner, we have to keep our ports open.

In a lot of ways, I see the port backlash as a globalization backlash. I think Americans were generally shocked that port operations were run by non-American companies. I even heard calls to make it so that only American companies could run port operations. But why do we believe an American company would be any more secure than one from the UAE? In fact, I would think the UAE company would do a better job just to prove that it can be trusted. I am truly saddened by this, because globalization is a force that we ignore at our peril. If we want to maintain our standard of living, we have to remain open. And, I believe, if we want to be truly safe, we have to engage in the world. Use the American economic engine to help lift nations from poverty. By allowing this UAE company to run port operations, we are saying that we welcome them. Shunning them we risk resentment on their part. We also look rather racist, saying it's OK for a British company to do the these things, but not one from the Middle East.

In the hands of a more capable president, this whole affair would be a non-issue. But Bush has wasted so much of his political capital on Iraq and Katrina that no one even trusts him on things he is right about. Truly, a wasted presidency...

Jun-kun!

2006-03-01T20:38:00.000-05:00

An awesome picture of my favorite PM here.

It is difficult to explain my infatuation with Junichiro Koizumi (or Koizumi Junichiroh, if you care to be more traditional). I think I like him because he is very much an atypical Japanese politician (or really, any politician). He speaks his mind, rather than hiding in that miasma of unoffensive language that is so characteristic of the Japanese. I can really only think of one other Japanese PM like that, Tanaka Kakuei, and he was corrupt as hell. On top of that, he is also more assertive, both in the domestic realm and the foreign stage. Of course, this pisses off China and Korea, because they'd rather Japan be submissive. And I get the feeling they may still fear Japan. Not that I entirely blame them. But it's time to get over that. Now, I'm not a fan of Jun-kun visiting the Yasukuni Shrine. But then again, most politicians do at least one thing that irritates me.

I think Jun-kun is also interesting because of the personality cult built around him. Most people wouldn't call it that since it is no where near the scale of someone like Mao or Kim Il-sung. But when you have a pet name like "Jun-kun" and they splash your picture on T-shirts, what else can it be? It is definitely rather intriguing. Supposedly he's really popular with the housewives. It must be his wavy locks of gray hair...

Honestly, Koizumi seems too strange a character for real life. I think he'd make a better cartoon...

Hugo Chavez shoots for the moon...

2006-03-01T20:25:00.000-05:00

Well, not quite. But apparently he wants to start up a Venezuelan space program. Now, I know that delivering satellites into orbit is probably a lucrative business. But it seems to me if Hugo Chavez really wants to grow the Venezuelan economy, he could do something like liberalize the economy (ha ha). I suppose when you're constantly looking toward heaven you never see the filth you're standing in...

Getting on in the years...

2006-02-16T21:16:00.000-05:00

It wasn't too terribly long ago that I would see a cute high school girl and think, "Yowza." Nowadays I'm prone to think, "I'd like to have a daughter like her." As T.S. Eliot would say, "I grow old, I grow old, I shall wear my trousers rolled."

And then all this week I've been sitting next to the black, idealized version of myself in this Software Engineering class I'm taking. The guy wears stylish glasses, Brooks Brothers clothing, and ecco shoes, and is quite articulate. That last point being why he is the idealized version of myself, since I don't think I'm rather articulate. But at least we have a collective fashion sense...

These days...

2006-02-14T20:05:00.000-05:00

Beh tah han. These past days in politics have been bloody cham. First this Scooter goy needs some penmanship lessons, lor. I hate to kibitz, but if he wants to be a mensch he'll have to lao kwee. Then Cheney has been a pai kia, shooting this ah kong, and it's all gevalt. Talk about chutzpah. I also heard some things on the radio about Al Gore being cho boh lan. He said somethings, I guess they were liah boh kiew. Definitely, people seemed to be saying, "what for tu donno?" Powderful mess this is...

More on the cartoon riots in Syria

2006-02-07T21:03:00.000-05:00

Read this very good post over at Coming Anarchy. Just goes to show the rioters may have had a little outside help in getting access to the Danish and Norwegian embassies. Ah, the age old political tradition of misdirection...

Doth mine ears deceive me?

2006-02-06T19:15:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, on cable television, I do believe I heard a smattering of Cantonese. Granted, I can't verify this claim. I don't happen to speak Cantonese. The only person I know who does speak Cantonese doesn't have a television. Perhaps the almighty wikipedia could back up my hypothesis? I mean, if you just caught sight of the long lost city of Atlanta, three miles below the Atlantic ocean, you'd blurt out some Cantonese too, right?

Oh! Atlanta! I hear you callin'! I'm comin' back to you, one fine day...

Damning doodles...

2006-02-04T21:59:00.000-05:00

Apparently, some Muslims are having a little trouble with the whole "free speech" thing. Coming Anarchy has some really good postings on the controversy. Putting any institution, religious or otherwise, outside the purview of satire or criticism means that said institution will be even more susceptible to a monopoly on thought. As John Stuart Mill would say, we must be exposed to both wrong and right ideas. Our exposure to wrong ideas is critical, because we must be able to dissect these ideas, discover why they are wrong and why our ideas are correct. Because, truly, an idea may go against accepted wisdom, but it may just be right. Look at Europe. Before the Reformation, the western portions of the continent were under the strangle hold of the Catholic church. Without a critique of the church, I doubt the European nations would be the major world powers they are today. Another example is China in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Once the Oriental hegemon, it's resistance to change made it weak in the face of the Europeans. Change is such an important concept to embrace, because without it one is destined for ruin. Change comes with the exposure to new ideas, and some of these ideas may just be contained in an offensive cartoon...

More on East-West connections...

2006-02-04T21:34:00.000-05:00

Wikipedia had another interesting featured article the other day. This one is about the Radhanites, a group of medieval Jewish merchants. They primarily traded between the Christian and Muslim worlds after the fall of the Roman Empire, but they also made it as far as India and China. The Radhanites played an important role, since the Christians forbade Muslim merchants in their ports, and likewise the Muslims forbade the entering of Christian merchants. So, who could move goods between East and West except Jewish merchants? Definitely very interesting. Another example of the interconnectedness of the world in pre-modern times. There is also an article about the history of the Jews in China; according to the article, Jews have been living in Kaifeng since about the times of the Radhanites. I think I like stories such as this because I like the idea of being able to travel and live wherever you wish. Even today there are many restrictions on where you can live and go. Obviously, there will always be the task of overcoming distances between places. But, it would be nice if, say, I could go live in Beijing as easily as I could in San Francisco. How I'd love to wander...

Not living up to promises made...

2006-02-02T21:39:00.000-05:00

I thought he said he was going to jail American spies? I'll be honest. I'm no fan of Hugo Chavez. Frankly, his anti-American posturing seems to just be a way to distract the folks at home. And if we're just a bunch of imperialists out to colonize South America, why is he still selling oil to us? Shouldn't he know we're dependent on oil, and a drying up of a major source like Venezuela is going to cause quite a bit of economic damage? Is he afraid of invasion a la Iraq? Or, God forbid, is he actually profiting off the relation, and afraid of how events will unfold in Caracas when there isn't any money? When I first saw pictures of Chavez, I thought he looked like he was made out of clay. And I still contend this. Worse yet, he seems to be the new messiah for the left in South America. What a headache...

The culmination of evolution...

2006-02-01T21:45:00.000-05:00

So, I was looking at this picture, trying to think about the emotion it was expressing. Was he tired? No. Being snooty? Perhaps. Then it hit me. Pshaw. That was it. Pshaw. At the genius of this I was instantly reminded of a quote from the most erudite show on TV (well, not really):

You see how my mind works? It is like a laser!

All this whilst rockin' out to the Kare Kano soundtrack. Good times...

The State of the Union is...

2006-01-31T22:09:00.000-05:00

-Partisan
-Lacking in cellphone etiquette
-Reading Thomas Friedman's "The World is Flat"

I witnessed all of these while watching the address on CSPAN. A number of the President's initiatives raised applause from the Republican side only. I heard two cellphones go off. And some guy was holding a copy of "The World is Flat." I guess he wanted to do some reading? Or maybe he thought it fit well with Bush's urgings to keep America open to trade.

By the by, elms-kun, thanks for the heads up. I was wondering why the hell my phone was making weird noises...

恭喜發財!

2006-01-29T12:38:00.000-05:00

Happy Lunar New Year! I hope that this turns out to be a good year for everyone, especially all those born in the year of the dog. Alas, even though I was born in 1982, I was born before the Lunar New Year, so technically I'm a rooster. But, hey, whatever. I just wish I knew some good Chinese recipes so that I could celebrate (or just cook good food). :-) Mmm... 叉燒包...

Hamas goes political

2006-01-28T21:40:00.000-05:00

So, what happens when a terrorist organization wins in an election? How is the world suppose to react to that? Granted, Hamas is condemned, rightly so, for the violence they have wrought upon Israel. But what now that they have had political power bestowed upon them by the Palestinian people? This isn't some military coup that ousted the old regime by force, and with which you could easily cut ties while on the moral high ground. It seems like everyone else is just as confused as I am.

Obviously, relations between Israel and Palestine are going to be further strained. Hamas' "drive the Israelis into the sea" policy won't sit well with the other side. The optimistic side of me would like to see things play out this way. Hamas will soon learn that running a government is really not that much like running a terrorist organization. The independent nature of Hamas will not be as applicable in a parliamentary setting. Hamas will have to learn compromise, especially if Fatah and the other parties can become a viable opposition. Also, assuming that the democratic process is not dismantled (i.e., regular elections), Hamas will have to answer to their supporters if the economy is further ruined by cuts in foreign aid due to the aforementioned destroy Israel policy.

If these things happen Hamas will be faced with two choices: either give up being a political organization and revert to the old ways, or institutionalize. Democratic politics tends to be a moderating force, so it will be interesting to see what happens. Hopefully something good, because the Palestinians really need a break. But, this election does show that democracy can be a tricky thing. I'm sure most Europeans were mighty perplexed when Bush was re-elected. Now it truly is Hamas' move. Will they try to work with everyone? Or will they remain in their previous mind set, forever fighting what they see as an occupying force? All these questions show how woefully unprepared the world is for this. I'm sure right now someone is writing an essay about all this. I hope it's in Foreign Affairs, because I want to read what a knowledgeable person has to say about all this...

After further contemplation, I thought I should add that, just because Hamas gained political legitimacy from the Palestinian people doesn't mean Hamas has legitimacy in the world's eyes. They still have killed innocent civilians. So, what do we do? So many damned questions. And all I can do is vomit my thoughts on to this blog...

The Geography of Heaven

2006-01-23T21:16:00.000-05:00

NPR does a series called "Radio Expeditions" about various places on earth of natural and cultural beauty. At the moment, they are doing a piece on Tibet, a place that I would very much like to visit at sometime in my life. Tibetan Buddhism is a colorful culture that seems to juxtapose so well with the harsh environment of the Himalayas.

Tibet, I think, would make a nice start or end point to a trek across Central Asia, another feat I would like to accomplish. The BBC recently had a photo series on the city of Khiva, in Uzbekistan. The old city has some fantastic looking Islamic architecture. Plus, this is the land of the Fergana Valley, the old stomping grounds of Alexander and the Ta-Yuan. I would very much like to explore the culture of this neck of the world, so strategically placed between East and West. It would also be interesting to see the brand of Islam present here, given that the religions early patrons in the region were descendents of Genghis Khan.

*sigh* It would be nice to just travel around the whole region, going where ever my fancy took me. Now, I'm not the backpacking kind. But an extended stay through a Fulbright scholarship would be nice...

License plate epiphany...

2006-01-13T20:20:00.000-05:00

It is strange that when I see the letters "KYR" I first think of Kyrgyzstan?

Question of the age...

2006-01-12T22:17:00.000-05:00

Recently, UPS had started an ad campaign which extolled their virtues and asked a simple question: what can brown do for you? Well, I found out tonight. They can attempt to deliver your package 15 minutes before you get back from work. And you were getting back early today since you went in at 745. And then they can tell you that you can't pick up your package for another three and a half hours, between 2000 and 2100. Then, when you go to pick up said package, they can make you stand in line for an hour. You had to stand in line for an hour because, it seems, UPS can also deliver at inconvenient times for lots of other people in the area. On top of that, UPS also seems capable of having their storage room completely disorganized. So, in all, the answer to the question seems to be that UPS can really irritate you. To be fair, it seems that service is not equal between the various customer centers across the country. The one's in Atlanta seemed very orderly and service was quick. On top of that, you didn't have to wait until 2130 before you finally got your package. Oh well. At least there is only one more day before my three day weekend! Yahoola!

Simple pleasures

2006-01-09T21:29:00.000-05:00

I bought something the other day that I've been wanting for a while. Now, I'm sure most of my friends will tilt their heads and say something like, "ara, ara?" But it really is something from which I derive a small bit of joy. These somethings are a shoe polish applicator and brush that I bought in the local Weis for about $6. For most people, polishing your shoes is a chore (or something you just don't do). But, I'll sheepishly admit, I kinda like it. I like looking nice. Making sure my shoes are polished, my shirt ironed, belt matching my socks. I somewhat bemoan the fact that corporate America has dressed down to the point where most people in my branch don't dress up worth a damn. In fact, I'm usually one of the best dressed. And I'm the new hire, fresh college graduate. Of course, I shot myself in the foot by being a computer scientist. But, c'est la vie. They say dress for the job you want. So, I guess I want something other than this? :)

正月

2006-01-05T21:35:00.000-05:00

We trod across the grass, a brilliant straw gold.
Like tigers playing before a torrent.
Looking back with lugubrious eyes, we saw it, old,
And weary from another adolescent
Lying dilapidated on the sandy earth.
The fury waned as we relented,
Looking errantly to Spring's birth.
Another decision, oh, so lamented.
The red tinge that made that grass leap
Was gone, ephemeral, reaped.
But this golden vision we do keep:
History is so unbecoming.

Until that next chance for optimism.

Reminds me of a song about a Czech king...

2005-12-26T01:35:00.000-05:00

Happy Boxing Day! All you Brits can now unwrap your presents. As for me, I'll keep singing about Good King Wenceslas... Christmas in Georgia was gray and chilly (but no snow). Good thing I had great company and food to warm the day. Mmmm... Yorkshire pudding...

I would have voted for this guy...

2005-12-21T22:40:00.000-05:00

A quote from the late Eugene McCarthy on politics

You have to be smart enough to know the game and dumb enough to think it's important.

Courtesy of the Economist. They wrote an obituary of Eugene in the latest issue. He definitely sounds like an interesting man. And more my kind of politician. Very different from the standard fare. I think I know what I'm looking up on wikipedia tomorrow after work...

Diet, delicious?

2005-12-20T21:20:00.000-05:00

I think I may have finally found a diet soda that I actually like. I admit this much to my own chagrin, since I keep telling my Tamil 虎 friend how much I despise diet drinks. I still do, for the most part. But I have found Diet Vanilla Coke appealing to my palette. The only reason I actually tried it is because they were free at work. Free not so much because it was a promotion, but because they wanted to get rid of them. Enter me. I like Vanilla Coke (but, alas, I can't buy the volumes necessary for Coke to make a profit off of it), so I figured, why not try the diet incarnation? And, well, it's good. Thus, I may have found a viable alternative to regular soft drinks. If I could actually find C2 in this accursed state, I would buy that. But, again, apparently I couldn't buy it in large enough quantities for supermarkets to keep it on their shelves. And, I suppose I could stand to lose a little weight. Of course, it would help if I got off my duff. But that's another story altogether.

I found it interesting that, after mentioning my Tamil friend, I see that wikipedia's article of the day happens to be about his hometown, Chennai (or Madras, in the tongue of the Imperial swine). I see that the mayor is known as "Karate." Um... OK... :)

Insight on wikipedia...

2005-12-16T18:47:00.000-05:00

Tycho over at Penny Arcade wrote a rather amusing post about wikipedia. The full article is here, but I'd like to draw attention to one paragraph in particular:

the collaborative nature of the apparatus means that the right data tends to emerge, ultimately, even if there is turmoil temporarily as dichotomous viewpoints violently intersect. To which I reply: that does not inspire confidence. In fact, it makes the whole effort even more ridiculous. What you've proposed is a kind of quantum encyclopedia, where genuine data both exists and doesn't exist depending on the precise moment I rely upon your discordant mob for my information.

I found this to be hilarious. It is true that the point of time at which you visit some wikipedia articles yields different results. And I'm not just talking about changes in knowledge over time. During the last presidential election, the articles about the two candidates were routinely defaced.

Now, I do like to think that greater exposure to knowledge leads ever faster to the truth. I have read John Stuart Mill and found his ideas appealing. But really, the implementation is rarely as rosy as the theory. Despite the muck, I still love wikipedia. Generally, the more esoteric articles tend to be written by knowledgeable people, and the quantity of articles is a plus. Add to that the links between articles, the ease of searching for them, and the inclusion of different character sets (such as Japanese and Chinese), and I know why wikipedia is my first stop. Of course, it is not the end-all-be-all. And it never should be.

The democratic nature of the Internet is, like all democracies, a double-edged sword. It allows genuinely good ideas to flow and flourish with a speed and low cost never seen before. But it also is in danger of being covered in crap. Which reminds me of a quote from Black Adder:

Because virtually no one has the vote, and a damn good thing too. Give the like of Baldrick the vote, and we'll be back to cavorting Druids, death by stoning, and dung for dinner.

Never forget what the Internet truly is: a library where 90% of the books are pornographic, 9% are in need of a good editor, and 1% may be worth reading.

Candle light dinner

2005-12-15T19:33:00.000-05:00

Despite what the title of this post may suggest, I am not having a romantic dinner with a fine, young lass. No, my power went out. Now, my cellphone is my only source of amusement. Can't even read, consarnet!

Shocking new facts about the PRC's Founding Father

2005-12-13T22:22:00.000-05:00

A googlism:

mao is faltering before a boy band

I tell you, Chairman Mao falters before no man! But, before a boy band? I suppose it sounds plausible... Their gyrating hips would put him in a capitalist trance. And then, he would be roundly thrashed by the amiable, yet quirky, Jun-kun. Oh, what a day that would be...

Now this is what I call tolerance...

2005-12-12T21:04:00.000-05:00

Race riots in Sydney. I find this ironic, since when I was last in Australia in 1997, I was told by a nice, young Aussie about how accepting Australians were, unlike us Americans. OK, maybe he wasn't that blunt. But that was the gist of it. Now, I know the vast majority of Australians are not like this. They are warm, welcoming people. But anyone who claims their country is some liberal bastion of tolerance, completely devoid of racism, obviously doesn't have their eyes open. I consider America to be a very tolerant place, but I am fully conscious of the bigots around me. It truly is sad when "carloads of people" come to join a riot against an entire community, just because of the actions of a few. And really, when people riot, the apparent cause is just the straw that breaks the camel's back. Here's hoping someone gives these jackasses a lesson in cultural diversity. Australia is too nice a place to be ruined by a few bigots...

Alexander I am not...

2005-12-12T20:34:00.000-05:00

Found this at ComingAnarchy...

George MacClellan
You scored 44 Wisdom, 81 Tactics, 50 Guts, and 26 Ruthlessness!

Like General McClellan, you're smart enough to know what tactical decisions to make. However, the problem with McClellan is that he could never sprout the balls to act on his information, and in the end, that's why Geoge McClellan is only a sidenote in the history books.

I suppose I'm just too damned nice...

Alexander reminisces about his days in East Persia

2005-12-10T21:23:00.000-05:00

I find Central Asia to be a fascinating place. It was here that East and West first collided, with a mixture of cultures and religions. Being a nexus, it benefited from the exchange of ideas and goods that traveled along its Silk Road. I think this is why it has appeal to me. Because Central Asia has traditionally been sandwiched in between powerful empires, it never had the luxury of being isolationistic. And I think that the interplay of cultures is a beautiful thing. This summer, I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. They have an entire section devoted to art along the Silk Road. They even had examples where they displayed the Chinese original along side the Central Asian copy. And it wasn't just Chinese art. There was a good deal of Islamic, particularly Iranian art works. The fusion of cultures, I think, helps to create a higher culture.

The reason I bring this is up is that recently wikipedia's article of the day was about the Ta-Yuan. The Ta-Yuan were a remnant of Alexander the Great's conquests of the Persian Empire. One thing that I think very interesting about this kingdom is that, despite being Greek in origin, they are known to us by the name that the Chinese gave them. Most other Alexandrian kingdoms in the region are known by their Greek name, such as the Bactrians and the Seleucids. According to the wikipedia article, the Ta-Yuan were some of the first Europeans with which the Chinese had come in contact. They were also pivotal in the establishment of the Silk Road. Instances such as this, with the interaction of the Greek Ta-Yuan and the Chinese, I think show that the ancient world was not nearly as closed off and isolated as we are typically lead to believe.

I really would like to learn more about the history of Central Asia. Alexander the Great was more than just a conqueror. He brought with him Greek culture that heavily influenced the regions under his control. The best example of this that I can think of is the Greco-Buddhism art movement. And of course the influence of China cannot be discounted. Really, it seems to me to be a region rich in history and culture. I have been meaning to read a chronicle about Alexander by Arrian called The Campaigns of Alexander. I think it will provide insight into his life and times in Central Asia. I also want to read Sima Qian's histories of China.

As a footnote, the title of this post plays off the title of a Camper Van Beethoven song, Mao Reminisces About His Days In Southern China. I'll admit, I first listened to the song because I thought the title was neat. But it is rather good; I've been listening to it incessantly recently. You can check it out on iTunes.

Sofa King...

2005-12-10T14:58:00.000-05:00

Of course his technique was from a divine source

Check out Danger Doom. Preview: here

Snowy ruminations...

2005-12-09T10:10:00.000-05:00

If it weren't for the fact that I'm sure I-95 is piled high with accidents right now, I'm sure this would be a right pleasant day to go to the zoo! And the fact that there are about three inches of snow on the ground. But, that is neither hie nor hither...

So, I have toyed with the idea of creating a name "Chinesifier." For example, a common name like "Varun" would become "Varung." Geoffrey would become "Zhefuli." Fortunately, my laziness has prevented me from unleashing this garbage upon the world. However, someone created one for your Kung-fu (or gung-fu, for my Cantonese speaking readers) name. My gung-fu name happens to be "Silver Tofu." My special abilities include eating char siu bao, chopping tofu in half with my bare hand, and writing Chinese characters (hanzi) at a second grade level. Well, I mean, I knew that before I got my gung-fu name...

I suppose that I'll have to find something to busy myself with on this snowy day. Stay tuned for more nonsense from your friendly Maryland pok guy...

|As an aside, the blogger spell checker doesn't even know "rumination?" Suffice it to say, I am superior to the machine... :) |

It snowed!

2005-12-06T20:05:00.000-05:00

Winter has come to Maryland. Unlike in Georgia, where it doesn't come around until about February. I need to go get a sled...

The trials and tribulations (and redundancy) of single life...

2005-12-04T19:06:00.000-05:00

Now that I am living by myself, I have run across a seemingly contradictory problem: cooking meals. Strange as it may sound, it is really hard to cook just for yourself. Recipe's are typically for four or more people, which was fine in college when I had three roommates. Besides having issues with cooking a small enough meal for just me, there is also the issue of buying perishable goods. I don't really need a whole loaf of bread for myself. What I really need is how they sold bread in Japan. In the USA, they sell by the loaf. In Japan, by the slice. When I was living in Tokyo, you could buy six regular slices of bread, or four thick slices of bread. At the time, I thought this was really strange. But now, I think it's what I need. Where are the grocery items for the single person?

Most expensive parking lot in DC...

2005-12-03T21:54:00.000-05:00

So, if someone forcefully takes your car while you are away and then demands you pay $95 to get it back, what do you call that? Towing, apparently. Now, I can understand getting my car towed if I parked it on the street and it was obstructing traffic, or the meter had run out. I can also understand it if I had just parked it in the apartment parking lot without getting a pass. But getting a six hour pass, so that it is established that I am a guest at that apartment complex, and then towing it when I'm three hours late? Yes, I was late. But towing it? Couldn't they have put a sticker on my car or left a note? Apparently not. Apparently that is just way too difficult. So, pshaw to them! I ain't parking there anymore, that's for damn sure...

So, you say you want a revolution...

2005-12-02T07:14:00.000-05:00

I just heard my local weatherman use the word "huggle." I love being a trend setter. Granted, it isn't like he heard it from me. We don't really run in the same circles. But someone told him. And remember, there are only six degrees of seperation. But, that is inconsequential. What is important is that someone used the word "huggle" on a major television news show. Thank you, Fruits Basket. You have taught us so much...

Cry "Havoc!" and let slip the dogs of war...

2005-12-01T21:16:00.000-05:00

Something is wrong. How often does one think of Bangladesh as being a hotspot of extremism? Yet, two days ago, I read about yet another day of bombings in as many months. Now, I don't know much about Bangladesh. But I do know that it is a Muslim country, and, importantly, a democracy. Granted, very poor. But is not democracy the panacea that Bush is pushing in the war on terror? There has to be something more. There has to be a reason why someone went to Gazipur and decided to blow themselves up, taking as many figures of the secular government down with them. Even in Indonesia we see extremists blowing up Western hotels, far away from the center of what most Americans would consider "the Muslim world."

Then, yesterday, another article, this time about insurgents in the Iraqi town of Ramadi. While they may not have killed anyone or really did much, it seems to me they are openly flaunting the US military presence. Really, the war on terror will not be won by the military alone. When you have people willing to strap explosives to their person, you can't defeat that with superior fire power. And that, I feel is the problem. The Bush Doctrine is one that is incompatible with diverse means of taking on the enemy. But this isn't a time to pull back, either. We can't retreat behind our oceans, because we've seen they can't help us. But we can't just keep taking the same track, assuming the best either. Since, how can you defeat extremism abroad when you have extremism at home? Here is hoping that 2006 proves to be, not a back lash against Bush, not a back lash against Globalization, not a back lash against Iraq. Here is hoping 2006 is the back lash against incompetence, in all branches of the government. But I know that's hoping for too much...

Blah...

2005-11-30T21:46:00.000-05:00

苗
貓
喵

The things I do for my family...

2005-11-23T05:09:00.000-05:00

Like get up at 4:45 AM (0445) so I can leave work at 12:30 PM (1230) and get to Dulles in time for my 6:20 PM (1820) flight back to Georgia. Overkill, sure. But better safe than sorry. I've seen traffic on the Beltway at 10 o'clock at night that's worse than Atlanta at 5 PM. I'd hate to see it at 1 in the afternoon on the day before Thanksgiving...

A most capital day

2005-11-20T20:19:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I headed down to Annapolis with my wacky Tamil friend. It is a rather nice town. Narrow, winding streets, colonial architecture, good food. We mostly wandered around, even dropping in on the NA. Quite a day.

Yangban yokel...

2005-11-16T21:34:00.000-05:00

I can't believe what a nerd I am. I went to this one website to look up anime wallpapers. So, while I was there, I decided to drop by the forums and see what people were saying. As I was browsing, I happened upon a thread about North Korea. The author basically asked our thoughts about Kim Jong-il, the North Korean threat, what to do, etc. Well, this was essentially a course I took in my final year of college. So, here I am, on a forum for a website hosting anime wallpapers, expounding about the Korean nuclear impasse. And really, I enjoyed it. I liked bringing up that knowledge I had learned and trying to fit it into a concise reply. I felt... well... knowledgeable. Really, writing about North Korea is one of the last things I thought I'd be doing there. And all because I wanted to write a review about Kare Kano... Woohoo! That post netted me 0.5 credits! For your own edification, here is my post. Keep in mind, it's a post on a messageboard, not an academic paper. So before you go lambasting me for my feeble verbiage, hush up...

----------

The North Korea question is indeed an interesting one. The answer to it is made even more complex by how deft a politician Kim Jong-il happens to be. While not as powerful as his father, he has proved capable of maintaining control over the North through a personality cult and the army. But then, I have heard that that control may be slipping. Really, that's one of the issues with the North. They are so closed off and isolated that no one knows for sure what is going on. This sort of behavior tends to be frowned upon, much as whispering to a friend of yours in front of others.

While there are probably a myriad reasons why the North has a nuclear program, I would say that a large part of it is survival. The North seems to think that everyone has it's number, and in some ways that is true. Plus, the nuclear program helps boost the prestige of the North. Now with nuclear weapons they can say, "See? See how much attention we are getting from America, Japan, and China?" In essence, they are now part of an exclusive club.

I think the real threat of the North's nuclear program is not one of use by the North Koreans, except in a desperation move. Instead, the real threat comes through proliferation to other countries that may not have the technical knowledge to start their own program. I think this is why the US is worried about it. A funny thing about the North's nuclear program is that the South really does not care. The North has always been capable of leveling Seoul with conventional weapons, so the threat of a nuclear bomb is not that a high priority.

Where to go next is a question that I think has an elusive answer for the politicians dealing with this issue. The North has admitted to possessing nuclear weapons, threatening to create more. What needs to happen next I think is to try and minimize the threat that the North will produce more bombs or sell them abroad. Probably the best strategy is to try and get the North to open up. An invasion of the North would be a Pyrrhic victory. Yes, I do believe the US and ROK are capable of it, and even China would probably stay quiet, so long as the invasion was provoked. But the devastation would be immense. Engaging the North is the best option. And this is where China comes in. China is really the North's last ally. So if China can put enough pressure of North Korea, there is a chance that it will open up and perhaps bring about economic reforms a la Deng Xiaoping. Without these reforms, the North will be faced with two options: collapse or proliferation. The role of the ROK and Japan in this is helping out with the economic integration of the North. The ROK has already placed a large emphasis on this, opening up factories inside the North. Back in 1994, Japan and the ROK pledged to build two light water nuclear reactors in the North to provide power as part of a deal for the North to halt its nuclear program. This has yet to be done, due to the current impasse. But, with those plants in place, the North may actually start producing good en masse.

Really, at the moment it's a very complicated dance. The North and America do not want to give an inch. But, this policy isn't really working. And the longer it doesn't work, the more likely North Korea will end up at one of the two undesirable scenarios.

Ping pong ping pong ping...

2005-11-15T18:34:00.000-05:00

I'm addicted to the song in this flash cartoon. Seriously. I'm listening to it right now. I just have the site open in another tab. It's cheesy, simple, sounds like it was recorded in the 1930's... The list goes on. Plus, the Gundam stuck into the banana is a fantastic idea for a mobile phone. I mean, it is a Mobile Suit stuck into a mobile snack. I have a feeling, I'm going to drive my neighbors nuts with this...

Ring ring ring ring ring, Banana phone!

Back with the Mac...

2005-11-12T12:24:00.000-05:00

Yahoola! My Apple is back on-line. I really do love the way the Mac does a lot of things, so I bought a wireless router for my place. Now, I know, some of you might be thinking, "Gee willikers, Varun, you live by yourself. Why would ya need a wireless router?" Well, dear reader, sometimes it's nice browsing websites from my chair during a commercial break. Or, even at night, when I want to oggle the new Apple products from the comfort of my bed. Plus, I want to move all of my stuff onto the desktop so I can format this baby and just run OS X. In time for me to bring it home over the holidays! And, if I do get a Nintendo DS, they have wireless connectivity, so that would be boss. And, in case any one wishes to have a LAN party at my place, I'll be good to go. And besides, I love my Mac. I need to use it more. Since at the moment, without Internet access, it has been lying in a corner, collecting dust. Poor thing! *sniff*

There is a God...

2005-11-09T07:13:00.000-05:00

From this article on the BBC:

Eight school board members in Pennsylvania who supported an alternative to Darwin's theory of evolution lost their seats to evolution supporters.

Wouldn't it be nice if this were the tide turning? Maybe when I have kids, I can actually send them to public schools!

Only thing to fear...

2005-11-08T21:39:00.000-05:00

This weekend I saw the movie "Jarhead." It's a very good movie, but I agree with one review I read that it doesn't really have much to set it apart. It just seems like an above average war movie. But it definitely has its moments. One in particular I thought was well done. Right as they are about to go into Kuwait, Swofford is sitting on this defensive wall of sand. The Iraqis are shelling them with mortars, but Swofford remains seated, a distant look in his eyes, completely unfazed. When his fellow Marines finally get him to take cover we see that, well, he's pissed himself. I thought his was humorous, because we typically think of Marines as crazy warriors with a complete lack of fear. And yet, here is one who really, even after all the training, is unprepared for the gravity of war. I don't really think anyone is. Especially not some National Air Guardsman from Texas... Another thing I thought interesting is that the coalition that forced the Iraqis out of Kuwait numbered about 600,000. I'll admit, this was probably a bit of overkill, since the whole thing was over in just four days (not to say that ending it in four days is a bad thing). So, what made us think that this time we could occupy the whole country, not just oust them from Kuwait, with a third of that? Anyway, Jarhead is a good movie, and I'd recommend it. There are other scenes that I thought were interesting. But, you can go watch them for yourself...

Satiated...

2005-11-07T20:52:00.000-05:00

That meal was fantastic. The Greek Chicken Tenders, which, I'm pretty sure, aren't Greek. They have feta. And so, the uncultured mind associates them with Greece. But I digress. Truly, I think that was the best I have ever made that meal. Of course, the fresh ingredients I had on hand were an important foundation. Every bite made my tongue wag with ecstasy. And there was just enough so that I am neither hungry nor stuffed. If I knew any Greek, I would write some as a fanciful conclusion. Instead, just saying "fantastico!" will have to suffice...

Walking calamity...

2005-11-05T11:08:00.000-05:00

OK, boys and girls (mostly boys, I'm sure). Time for today's lesson. What happens when you take a brown paper bag and place it on your stove next to the kettle where you are boiling water for tea? That's right! It catches on fire! And what do you do if that happens?

PANIC!!!!

Yass, that is correct. Today I set my first thing on fire in this apartment. Now, granted, I'll admit. When I was younger (much younger), I had a little pyromania boilin' in my veins. I was in Japan, and since cigarette lighters are like M&Ms over there, of course I bought one. But those were all controlled burns. Things like little pieces of paper with instructions about which day you put out the burnable garbage, and which day the non-burnable. Ironic, ne? Today, however, was completely unexpected. I was just absent mindedly cooking breakfast, having finished the vittles, when I turned the kettle back on for one more boil before putting it in the mug for tea. And then the bag caught on fire. And... I panicked. Looking for something to put it out, trying to remember what my science classes told me about flames and oxygen. But, really, before I got my head on straight, it had run its course. Fortunately, there wasn't anything else nearby that was flammable. But still, quite a scare had I. One of the downsides to a gas stove, I suppose...

Love strikes twice?

2005-11-04T17:55:00.000-05:00

Yes, I have fallen in love, for the second time, with the band little by little. As I left work, I was looking for some tunes to play whilst I drove home, and I happened upon the aforementioned band. And as I started listening to Kanashimo wo yasashisa ni, I re-realized how incredibly boss they are. If it weren't for the traffic, I would have been truckin' down Route 1 at 90 miles an hour. Truly, it's a great song to drive really fast to. Of course, this elation wouldn't have been possible without my great day at work. Now, I know this will sound odd, but I was happy as I left work because I had more work. See, earlier in the day I was convinced that I was nearing the end of my project, and so had very boring tasks to attend to. But then I found something lacking in my code and, with the consultation of my co-worker, figured out what I had to do. Really, there is a fine line between being over worked and not worked enough. And once I hit that sweet spot, let me tell you, I love my job. So long as my boss can keep me happy like that, I will be as loyal as the dog whose year I thought I was born in...

Oh, and there was one trough that I hit today. For lunch, I drove down to the local BK for a burger. When I got into my car I felt like a high schooler who just got the privilege to go off campus for lunch. Granted, I've done this before, but it was really nice weather out, and, hell, it was nice getting out of the office. At the drive through I ordered a #5 Combo, the big Angus (or whatever). I thought, "Hey! Quiznos had that good Angus beef sandwich. Why not here too?" Big mistake. It tasted like a Whopper, only, since it didn't have cheese, not as good. And it gave me indigestion. So, really, I didn't think it was worth it. Not to say I won't go back and get the #10 Combo, which is a double cheeseburger and, might I add, a safe bet. Despite that, I feel great. Just wish a certain Tamil would tell me which movie he wants to go see...

Feelin' refreshed...

2005-11-04T06:53:00.000-05:00

I should go to bed early more often. If I get up at 630 anyway, going to bed post 2330 just ain't cuttin' it. But, last night, I curled up into bed 'round 2130 and read some Harry Potter for 'bout an hour. Thank YHWH it's Friday. And then next week is only a four day week! Yahoola!

Happy Halloween!

2005-10-31T21:32:00.000-05:00

Pictured here is my pumpkin! I haven't carved one in a number of years, so it was about time I honed my skills. I also forgot how difficult it is clean the inside of these things. Lots of seeds and stringy mess. But, how can one celebrate Halloween without a Jack o' Lantern? Or trick-or-treaters? Who have yet to make an appearance tonight. Now I have a bowl of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and no one to take them. Damn parents have become way too paranoid. So many of them buy into the Urban Legend of the razor in the apple. Oh well...

First day back from Pittsburgh. There are a few things I learned on that trip that are worth meditating on:

1. I like buxom women. One young lady at the party was just rrrrr. And in a French maid costume to boot...

2. I like the mountains. I think there is something primordial within me that responds very positively to mountains. The terrain, the beautiful fall trees, the cool, crisp air. It makes me feel alive, like I was always meant to be there. Not that I want to be a hermit or anything (sorry, Jefe). I get this same response in the Rockies and Japanese Alps as well. I guess that's just the way I'm wired...

3. In a rest stop on the way back from Pittsburgh, I saw this written in a toilet stall:
The Jews are the children of the Devil
Now, it seems to me that being in the countryside of Pennsylvania, this was probably a Christian who wrote this. Which is where the contradiction comes in: Jesus was Jewish, so does that mean He was a child of the Devil? What a moron...

Headin' home

2005-10-30T16:53:00.000-05:00

Returning from a party in Pittsburgh (PA). I love the scenery up here. I'll definitely have to come again. Good times had by all. Good to see all my old Fairport buddies. I'm thinking I want a Nintendo DS. It looks pretty boss.

Putzing around PA

2005-10-29T14:31:00.000-04:00

Here I am, freezing my nips off at a rest stop in Pennsylvania. There are even patches of snow here! The mountains are beautiful here. Emaculate foliage and idyllic towns. Less than a hundred miles to go to Pittsburgh. Perhaps more there...

FU - MO - FFU!!!

2005-10-26T21:27:00.000-04:00

I love amazon. When the mailman comes, it's like Christmas (in July, even). Today? A satchelful of anime and rockin' tunes. And if you say that The Shins don't rock, we'll have to have some words. I'll lose my religion. And, who says the South can't be fun? They have all these quaint idioms, now lost in the cultural mediocrity of the coasts. Not to say the South doesn't have it's problems. We all do. *ahem* Anyway, yesterday the mailman brought me the Harry Potter boxset. Well, I'm not sure what one would call it. But it was five books in a box. So, I'll reuse a terminology from my anime buying habits. Hmmm... I'm starting to notice a few bugs in this little composing program. Oh well. I'm a programmer too, so I know the urge to create flimsy code is quite irresistible. Better than me at work, where I've become very paranoid about my code. Constantly retracing my steps, seeing if I took the correct path. So, if you want to know what ramblin' is all about, come ask me. Being a ramblin' wreck from Georgia Tech... Time to curl up with the "Chamber of Secrets" and dose off to sleep. Two more days o' work! Then, a spontaneous trip to Pittsburgh (PA). Then, YHWH knows... Gettin' back to Georgia is going to be kind of expensive, I'm finding out...

The man with the plan...

2005-10-26T19:32:00.000-04:00

Would it kill him to wear a tie once in a while? I swear, if Bush had this as his election poster and didn't say anything about any issues, I would have voted for him. At the debates, he could just have the picture behind him, and when a question was asked of him, he would point to it. And everyone would applaud. Because, he is the man who makes the impossible possible... Or was that Mwu La Fllaga? Anyway, he would seriously rival Koizumi Junichiro for the most debonair politico. But never, never would he surpass him. For Jun-kun is just too cool. And Jun-kun can also get his reforms passed. While Georgy-poo gets all mixed up, playing in the sand...

When did it start getting so cold?

2005-10-25T17:55:00.000-04:00

Turns out, my heater doesn't work worth jack. Which is starting to become a problem, since it's cold outside (and inside, too). Plus it's raining, cloudy, and overall rather "bleh." It actually snowed in West Virginia today, which isn't too terribly far away. I haven't lived in a place where it actually snows on a regular basis for the past six years, so I'm going to have to learn the ropes again. In particular with concern to driving. That'll be fun... Damn heater. Guess I'll have to put a sweatshirt on...

Getting to know you (again)...

2005-10-22T23:52:00.000-04:00

So, today I was down in D.C. getting reacquainted with an old friend of mine. We met in the Congressional Cemetery, since he is in town to meet people from this wacky, on-line game he plays. It was grey, chilly, and a light mist, the perfect weather to trollop around a graveyard. After a whiles there, we all headed to a local bar, near the Eastern Market. It was good to catch up. My friend recently moved to Huntsville, AL, so I told him about some of the intricacies of the South. Like, going to Chik-fil-A, Waffle House, and Sonic. I mean, what else are you going to do in the South? Just joshin'. I also implored him to visit Atlanta, being a fair city (and only five hours away). In return, he promises to send me directions to a haunted hovel in Pittsburgh. Overall, a good time.

I bought the Metro's "SmarTrip" card on my way downtown. It's a really cool idea, in my opinion. I always thought MARTA was a little backward with their token based fare system. A flat rate whether you go one stop or from the airport to North Springs? Pshaw! Definitely, the idea of a rechargable, contactless card is rather boss. And since I plan to start using the Metro more, I'd say it was a worthwhile investment. I can park at Greenbelt and get downtown in about half an hour. And, granted I could drive faster, I save on parking. Plus, who doesn't love mass transit? I just wish I could find my iPod headphones... Perhaps this will be the incentive to go get a nano! YAHOOLA!

The Hammer of Justice...

2005-10-19T22:34:00.000-04:00

As an aside, lawyers must be thrilled today. Saddam made his first court appearance, and a warrant has be issued for Tom DeLay. About bloody time...

Sweet and sour...

2005-10-19T22:22:00.000-04:00

Like the sauce. This morning, I awoke to the sound of my neighbor playing music very loudly. They do this occasionally. But so far, it hasn't been at 6 AM (or 0600 for you military types). Granted, I admit, I should have been playing reveille, but instead I was sound asleep. Since I normally get up at 6:30 (0630), I decided it just lie in bed a whiles and then get up, in part because there was no way in hell I'd fall asleep again, and also because I figured I'd try to get to work by 8 (0800). That failed. But, the morning turned out well enough. It was cool and crisp, the kind of morning I love. The air just seemed so fresh and clean. The sky a brilliant azure. The moon was on the decline, waning. Fall is my favorite time of year, so I'm really looking forward to the up coming days, even if the thermometer hit the mid 70s today. Now that I'm in Maryland, I think I'll actually have a fall, unlike in Georgia where it just got not so hot, rained, and then iced over... Just to illustrate how much I like fall, I've written poems about it, all lost to the black hole that is the Internet...

Apple core...

2005-10-15T23:47:00.000-04:00

Tonight, I finally visited that city only twenty miles away from me, Baltimore. Going down to D.C. every weekend, I was starting to feel as if I were neglecting my metropolis to the north. The Inner Harbor is great, and I really need to explore it more. They did a really good job of cleaning up at least that section of the city. From the stories I heard, one would expect Baltimore to be some crime ridden hell hole. But it's quite nice. I really look forward to visiting again. If only traffic weren't such a nightmare in this whole damn conurbation. I swear. I was coming back along I-495 earlier today, and as far as I could tell, traffic was awful for the sake of being awful. No accident. No funeral procession. No speed traps. Just too many damn cars on the road. But, hell, what are you going to do? Nobody is willing to build mass transit because people don't live in concentrated enough populations, and people don't live in concentrated enough populations because there's no mass transit. So, I'll just keep listening to my iPod, and hoping everyone gets off at the next exit... Or maybe that someone will decide to move my office into downtown D.C...

Waiting for Arjun

2005-10-09T15:51:00.000-04:00

Going to Chinatown. I'm in VA, yet no sign of my dear Tamil friend... Oh, the waiting...

It won't stop raining

2005-10-08T18:17:00.000-04:00

Tammy (the former tropical depression) has her revenge. As to what she's avenging, I know not. But it's keeping me inside. At least I'm getting some cleaning done...

Tropical Tammy...

2005-10-07T17:07:00.000-04:00

A good day today! At work, it was a really relaxed day. Learned about metrics, ordered out Chinese, chatted with co-workers, refactored some code. Not much going on. And the icing on the cake is that we were let out 59 minutes early! Which is odd, but, hey, who cares? Even the rain from Tammy couldn't dampen my spirits. For the rest of the day, I'll kick back, watch TV, and perhaps clean up a little around the house. Life is good...

The wonders of a white collar job...

2005-10-06T18:13:00.000-04:00

Thank YHWH I have a sedentary job. My legs are killing me after the meeting yesterday. The reason being that a good portion of the meeting involved running around and shooting lasers at each other. You know, Laser Tag. So, I'd say that was rather successful. Nothing brings a team together like lettin' 'em shoot each other... Next week will mark my one month at work. Good stuff. Plus, I get Columbus Day off. For reasons that escape me...

Going to the dogs...

2005-10-01T14:46:00.000-04:00

In Falls Church with an Alaskan Malamute. Beautiful fall weather. Can the day get any better?

Rockin' with NPR...

2005-10-01T11:45:00.000-04:00

I'm listening to a concert I wanted to go to in Columbia, MD (but didn't for reasons as mulitfarious as my laziness) through the NPR website right now. Not just snippets of the concert. The whole thing. It is the Shins and the White Stripes, two very boss bands. And I can stream them straight from the website via RealPlayer (say about it what you will). Hats off to the National Public Radio. Who says non-profit organizations can't do good things? :)

Deer in headlights...

2005-10-01T00:59:00.000-04:00

Not quite. Since it was daylight... But, after work today I was sitting in the parking lot checking my cellphone voice messages when I noticed a family of deer near the edge of the woods adjacent to my office. It was a nice way to end the work week. Clear skies, cool breeze, and the deer romping in the underbrush. I didn't see many deer when I was in Georgia, but I guess now that I'm in Maryland I may see more of them. Makes me want to go hiking in the mountains. Which is something else I'll have to do while I'm here. Three weeks down. I'm definitely starting to enjoy work and get the hang of things. Tomorrow, a trip down to ol' D.C...