Where The Hell Am I?: January 2007

Sunday, January 28, 2007

2007 Weblog Awards - Vote for Megan Lyles :: Travelogue

The nominations for the 2007 Weblog Awards are up.

Megan Lyles has a blog that chronicles her one year trip to Latin America. It's been nominated in the Best Latin American Weblog (the 7th category on the list).

Here is the link to her blog, so you can check it out: Megan Lyles: Travel Writer

Anyway, please check out her blog and vote for her. She took an amazing trip and went out of her way to write an excellent blog about it. It's great to see her get this recognition, and it would be even better to see her win.

Here is the link to the 2007 Weblog ballot: Seventh Annual Weblog Awards

You can vote until 10:00 PM EST on Friday, February 2.

Thanks!!!

There are some other blogs there too. Including one of my favorites PerezHilton.com in three categories.

Okay, off to get ready for lunch...ciao my dears!

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Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Oh those wacky Japanese

This is a funny clip I got from my friend Zen on MySpace.

It's hilarious.

Enjoy!

Japanese Mob Scare Prank

I have to say it made me wonder what the heck I'd do if those guys came running towards me when I'm wandering around and exploring in Japan.

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Tuesday, January 23, 2007

State of the Union - 2007

Image from the ClayBennett.com website

I was watching.

I was underwhelmed.

I did applaud loudly for Nancy Pelosi. I saw her speak at one of the graduations for my law school. ;-) I think she's doing a great job, and I'm glad she's the House speaker!

I do agree we need to work on healthcare, but after six years he's going to start that NOW? Well, as an insulin dependent diabetic, I'll say it's better than never dealing with it.

I do agree that the US has some amazing immigrants and that there are amazing Americans doing some great things worldwide - um, yeah, that's why so many people risk life and limb to get to the US.

He forgot however to mention New Orleans. There were good things like energy, healthcare, education, and global warming. It just seems that it's six damn years too late. Let's hope that in the last two something CAN be done.

It just seemed to be the same ol' couched in "let's work together" rhetoric because that's the only choice he has now. It would have been much nicer to see that tone two or even six years ago.

I'll let Andrew Sullivan speak for me on the details because, at least, he's getting paid to blog about it.

Sullivan's live blog during this 2007 State of the Union (SOTU) address:

Live-Blogging the SOTU

23 Jan 2007 09:22 pm

10.02 pm. Brave but not so humble. The subway dude is spreading the love. I'm letting go and giving in. America! Yay!

10.01 pm. Baby Frigging Einstein?

10 pm. The NBA dude is next to the Asian heroine or whoever. There's around six feet between his head and hers. Best shot of the night.

9.58 pm. I'm looking at the script. The hero section is looming. Oy.

9.55 pm. He wants more recruits for the armed forces. Six years late, he endorses Al Gore's position in the 2000 election. Still: it's a good move. Maybe next time, we will go to war with sufficient strength and intelligence to win.

9.52 pm. "Whatever you voted for, you didn't vote for failure." Damn right. But this president gave us failure. He failed in his task of basic competence and decency in the war. That is why the situation in the "here and now" is so grave. Because of his delinquency and arrogance. The American people are not stupid. And their approval rating simply reflects the reality they see.

9.50 pm. "Chaos is their greatest ally in this struggle." The president is speaking of Islamists, Sunni and Shia. I agree. So why did the U.S. sit back and let chaos spread across Iraq for three years? Why did this president refuse for three years to send sufficent forces to succeed?

9.45 pm. The president forces the Democrats to stay sitting when he urges "victory" in Iraq.

9.40 pm. "The Shia and Sunni extremists are different faces of the same totalitarian threat." Is this the formulation by which the president tries to frame a Muslim civil war as a single war against the West? Rather than attempting to exploit the differences among Islamist terrorists, the president seems eager to unite them. I can't say it makes any coherent sense to me.

9.34 pm. "The challenge of global climate change." Could he be any vaguer?

9.32 pm. I like the energy stuff. I have no idea if it's serious, but I like it - and the connection the president made to national security.

9.29 pm. "Without animosity and without amnesty." Nice one, Matthew.

9.28 pm. Deathly silence greets the words "temporary worker program."

9.20 pm. It takes a Democratic Congress to put fiscal conservatism at the front of this president's priorities.

9.13 pm. He can't help himself. He begins with a graceful nod to the first female Speaker; then he wrecks it by talking of the "Democrat Congress". The transcript says "Democratic Congress." No biggie - but it does rub the other side the wrong way.

Sullivan's take on 2007 SOTU Democratic response:

Webb

23 Jan 2007 10:26 pm

It was, I think, the most effective Democratic response in the Bush years. He managed to bridge economic populism with military service and pride: a very potent combination. He did so with a sense of responsibility. The message, in short: "Lead us toward responsible redeployment in Iraq - or get out of the way." And he said it with testosterone and authority - more authority than this president now has.

Enough said. I'm going back to my computer game.

More links:
The Official Whitehouse news release - State of the Union Address 2007
WashingtonPost.com - Instant Analysis: State of the Union address
New York Times - Bush Insists U.S. Must Not Fail in Iraq

Humor:
The State of the Union Address Drinking Game
Cox & Forkum: SOTU

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Sunday, January 21, 2007

Racist Insensitivity

Sad update: March 23, 2009

I learned about Jade Goody from the incident below when she said something amazingly stupid on TV. However, since then she's done a lot of good and has been a figure in British pop culture. Unfortunately, during that time she was diagnosed with cervical cancer and she died yesterday, March 22.

Here is a piece from The Guardian in the UK going over her short life: Jade Goody: At peace - and ﬁnally out of the limelight.

In this piece the author talks about the incident I wrote about below. She's right that it has been revised over time. For me, it was racist and insensitive. Time can't and won't change that. However, the important issue is Goody apologized and time proved her apology to be sincere.

For what it's worth, it's sad to hear she's gone. She was a fighter and that always endears public figures to the public, even me.
_______________________________

A clash of cultures? Photo and caption from the BBC News website.

Two interesting stories have come up dealing with racism.

One deals with the British TV show, Celebrity Big Brother.

The other deals with this year's annual joke issue of Princeton University's Daily Princetonian newspaper.

When the story about Jade Goody's treatment of Shilpa Shetty got out (Goody on the right and Shetty on the left), I had no idea who either one of them were. The only thing I knew about this edition of the show was that somehow Jermaine Jackson, Michael Jackson's older brother, ended up in the cast.

Um, okay...yawn.

However, this ended up as one of the top stories for the BBC, so I got to see it develop last week from watching the daily newscast in my hotel room.

For those not familiar with the incident(s) Celebrity Big Brother essentially puts famous people to live with each other in a house and everything is taped. Shipa Shetty is a famous Bollywood performer and she was subjected to racial bullying from the white members in the house.

The BBC has summarized what went on: Big Brother controversy in quotes

What do I think? Well, I didn't see the show. I've only seen selected clips, but I agree with the outrage.

I was particularly shocked to hear that someone was critical of Indian cooking and said that Indians were thin because they didn't cook their food properly. Considering the high amount of fat on British asses and the general distaste for British cusine, you'd think the person who said that might have thought twice before making that comment. I have never heard anyone say "hey, let's go to that British restaurant down the block!" I'll take Indian food over British food any day.

I'm glad that Goody got evicted and has apologized for her horrible behavior. There is something to be candid and having a reputation for speaking your mind, but it is something totally different when you shoot off your mouth without thinking about the consequences.

More links:
The Times of India: Shilpa fracas: Beauty and the Beasts?
The Scotsman.com: Celebrity bigot brother
The Independent: Look back in Ongar: Anger in her home town forces Jade Goody into hiding
BBC News: Schools 'must act on Brother row'

The second incident happened in this year's spoof edition of the Daily Princetonian.

In it there was a piece that made fun of Jian Li who sued Princeton after being denied admission.

"Hi Princeton! Remember me? I so good at math and science. Perfect 2400 SAT score. Ring Bells?" the article begins. "Just in case, let me refresh your memories. I the super smart Asian. Princeton the super dumb college, not accept me."

Come on.

It would be just as bad to make fun of an African-American student by using broken English or a native American student by using invoking images of Tonto from the Lone Ranger series.

"I think the article was extremely distasteful," Li said. "Whoever decided to publish it showed an extreme lapse of judgment."

Li now attends Yale and, I'm sure, he's probably happy that Princeton didn't admit him considering the insensitive madness published by Princeton's students.

More links:
Princeton Newspaper Stirs Controversy

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The Last Word: Art Buchwald

Art Buchwald passed away last week while I was tempting fate at a ski resort in Muju (the attempt was successful and my muscles remind me of that with every move I make).

The New York Times has an interesting obituary concept: The Last Word. In the Last Word, they interview prominent personalities and give them the opportunity to narrate their own obituary.

Some might see it as morbid, however, I think it's a great idea.

I think you'll agree when you see how Art Buchwald starts off his obituary.

Here it is. From the New York Times: The Last Word: Art Buchwald

Rest in peace Mr. Buchwald.

One of my blog crushes, John Mayer also blogged about him, so here is that link too: Art Buchwald

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bell hooks: Cultural Criticism & Transformation

These YouTube links were posted on a forum that I go to fairly regularly.

It's a great talk recorded in 1996 with a great American intellectual, Gloria Jean Watkins, who is commonly known by her pen name: bell hooks.

I really like that she's discussing the images of race in pop culture because so many people want to deny what's right in front of our faces. I'm particularly moved by her honesty because to deny the reality of what she's observed in pop culture related to race is truly a sin.

It goes for about one hour and please be warned that at times there is strong language from the interview and film clips.

You might not agree with all of her assessments, but I found myself nodding many times during her discussion of various aspects of pop culture.

bell hooks: Cultural Criticism and Transformation:

Part One: 9:23

Why Study Popular Culture?
Critical Thinking As Transformation
The Power of Representation

Part Two: 8:40

Motivated Representation
An Example of Motivated Representation: Leaving Las Vegas and the Backlash Against Feminism
Why "White Supremacist Capitalist Patriarchy?"

Part Three: 6:36

Enlightened Witness (literacy)

Constructed Narrative (Hoop Dreams)

Part Four: 6:21

Dealing with O.J.

Part Five: 5:43

Madonna: From Feminism to Patriarchy

Part Six: 6:07

Spike Lee: Hollywood's Fall-Guy

Part Seven: 5:48

The voyeur's Gaze - warning this is very graphic due to scenes from the movie, Kids.

Part Eight: 9:58

Rap: Authentic Representation or Market Construct

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China, Missiles, and Satellites! Oh My!

While I was at a ski resort and away from my computer a few interesting stories happened. I had the privilege of watching news from BBC World, Deutsche Welle and Al Jazeera in English broadcasts while I was away. I won't blog about them all, but this one caught my eye.

China has tested a missile that can successfully destroy a satellite in orbit. It seems that it was common knowledge that China had the technology, but the test confirms that they can do it.

Maybe I'm incredibly naïve, but as a sovereign nation, doesn't China have the right, and I'm sure its citizens would say, duty, to pursue military technology and to test it?

As Anne Penketh mentions in her article in the Independent "US alarmed by Chinese 'missile strike' on satellite", this type of test has not been "outlawed by international law." China didn't do anything illegal. It just seems like they've managed to step on a few diplomatic toes. They've also made it clear that the playing field in regards to the ability to shoot down satellites is now, without question, equal.

Both the United States and Russia have had this ability for years. Also, my country spends a fair share of its budget on the encouragement and pursuit of military research and development in both the public and private sector. I would expect that with its strides in economic development that we will continue to see China increasing its military capability. I would hope that the folks in the Pentagon are making sure they're on the advanced end of development because China isn't showing any signs of cutting off military spending anytime soon.

Is this test reason for alarm? Possibly.

However, as stated, people knew China had the technology before they completed the test. I don't see why China has to answer the United States regarding this test because it's not like the United States has been in the habit of getting approval for all of its military moves. I understand the concern over space debris, but neither the United States nor Russia were worried about space debris when they blew up satellites in the 1980s. To their credit, both countries did agree to stop blowing up satellites because of the risk of space debris. However, back to the point of my country thumbing its nose at other countries, the case and point is, of course, the war in Iraq.

The diplomats in China aren't stupid. This test was done to send a message. It might be to force Washington's hand in agreeing to a treaty to ban space weapons that Bush refuses to sign or just to ensure that China's unofficial military policy of asymmetric warfare is under no threat from the United States and its allies.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure that the current administration in Washington, D.C. has the requisite acumen to decipher the message accurately.

More links:
World Politics Watch: China's Anti-Satellite Test Revives Debate About Space Warfare
New York Times: China Shows Assertiveness in Weapons Test
Washington Post: China Criticized for Anti-Satellite Missile Test
International Herald Tribune: News Analysis: China's missile test: A message for U.S.
BBC News: China test sparks space arms fears

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Saturday, January 13, 2007

Dave Chappelle: Mitsubishi Eclipse Commercial Spoof

I'm heading off to the Muju Resort tomorrow. I'm more content just to stay in my warm apartment, but I hope I'll have a lot of fun.

Therefore, I'm avoiding the news. It just depresses me. There is nothing deep about this post; it's just something funny.

I was watching the first season DVD of Chappelle's Show and the spoof of the Mitsubishi Eclipse commercial is just so funny. I knew it was spoofing the whole white people can't dance thing. That black culture aspect of it, I got. However, as I've been out of the States, it was also spoofing something that I'd never seen. I wanted to see what the original was like.

I found the original commerical on YouTube:

Here is the Chappelle's Show spoof of that commerical. It's hilarious. Enjoy!

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Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Apple, Inc.'s iPhone = Very Nice

Click the picture to go to Apple, Inc.'s iPhone website.

Being a former San Francisco resident, an electronics dork and a John Mayer fan, of course, meant I heard about this year's Macworld.

In fact, back in the day I'd be there because owning two Mac laptops back-to-back made law school a bit less stressful when I lived in San Francisco. I was very Mac loyal at the time. Macs nursed me through university, so for law school it was a no brainer. Even though I use a PC now, I'm still loyal to Apple. It's just being here in Korea, the market is dominated by PCs, and I didn't want to fight the trend here.

When in Rome...

Anyway, as I'm gearing up to head back home next year, it's a different story.

Steve Jobs gave his keynote address and introduced Apple, Inc.'s new product: the iPhone. It's pretty sweet! Here is Jobs' keynote address if you've got about an hour and a half to spare to watch it: Macworld 2007 Keynote Address (the iPhone intro is the second tab.) If you're a Mayer fan he performs two songs at the end of the presentation.

They've also paired up with Cingular as the service provider for the iPhone. So I basically have two things almost decided: 1) the type of phone I'll purchase when I get home and 2) my cell phone service provider. Now I'm going to wait and see what issues come up when the phone is actually out there being used by consumers. It won't be sold until June and people are already saying they have to have it, so I anticipate iPhones selling out pretty quickly.

However, my first issue is you can't expand the functionality of the phone. It's $499 for 4GB and $599 for 8GB. If I'm going to pay $500 for a gadget, I want to be able to add memory and expand the use to suit me. However, I guess the counter-point is with 8GB, you've got a lot of memory to play around with. We'll see.

The reviews are coming out now, and people have already started thinking of ways to improve the iPhone: Pouring cold water in the Apple iPhone.

More links:

Honeyee.com Web Magazine-John Mayer's Blog: Bring on the iPhone!!
ABCNews: The Introduction of the iPhone From an Apple First-Timer's Perspective
NY Times: In Cingular-Apple Deal, Only Phone Was Missing
San Francisco Chronicle: MACWORLD EXPO NOTEBOOK
CNET: Pluses and minuses for the iPhone
Macworld: Not waiting on the world to change
Scientific American: Apple introduces svelte multimedia iPhone

The new iPhone commercial:

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Tuesday, January 9, 2007

Nappy Hair And Self-Acceptance

Graphic: The cover of Nappy Hair by Carolivia Herron

I Freed Myself When I Embraced My Locks is a Newsweek article by Evette Collins in which she talks about accepting her nappy hair.

If you're not clear what I mean, nappy hair is the natural texture of Afro or sub-Saharan African hair. It's tightly coiled and highly textured. It looks very strong, but is very fragile and breaks quite easily. Also, because of those tight coils once it dries it coils up even tighter (think of the Seinfeld episode dealing with shrinkage.) I remember having to explain to a little Korean girl who asked me about my hair that hers grew out straight and mine grows out in tight little coils.

Although I'd kept my hair natural for years, I hid it under braids. I started wearing my hair natural about a year and a half ago. Previous to that, I honestly had no idea how to work with the natural texture of my hair. Thank goodness for the Internet because I searched around and found I wasn't the only one. The site I frequent most is Nappturality.com. At that site there are women ranging from those just starting out to those who've been natural for a long time.

It's a great place to learn about my hair and learn from the successes or mistakes of others. Also, I can share my experience too. I have to say, like the writer of the article, I won't ever go through the process of altering the texture of my hair ever again. It's beautiful, and, on top of that, it's unique. I can do so many cool things with it from a fun afro to twisty ringlets.

Now that I've worn my hair naturally for two years, I can't imagine putting another relaxer in my hair. Wearing my hair naturally has opened my eyes to my own beauty, and eliminated some major hassles. I don't miss being in the salon from morning till sunset. I don't miss running from rain clouds. Most importantly, I don't miss hair loss.

One day, about five months after I started wearing my natural hair, I was out getting lunch when I heard words that sounded almost foreign to me: "Your hair is so thick and pretty!" The woman who complimented me not only put a smile on my face, she confirmed something I had struggled to convince myself of—that my natural hair was beautiful, too. I'm now proud to wear it, to show other black women that our hair is gorgeous just the way it is. It took me years to get to a peaceful place about my hair, but in the end, I got it all straightened out.

I too got those compliments, and they helped me realize that my hair was beautiful.

Thanks for the great article Ms. Collins, and I hope you all click through and read what she has to say.

----------------
Here is a clip from that Seinfeld episode about shrinkage, but this relates to the male anatomy and NOT the texture of my hair ;-):

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Monday, January 8, 2007

Chris Crocker on MySpace

Update 5 (Oct. 26, 2007 @ 9:07am)

I have to officially retract, that means "take back" for you all with limited vocabularies, my "wise" description of Chris. I'm a bit sad because I defended my point so well, but Chris' recent antics leave me no choice.

I'm from L.A., so I know that when people get to L.A. and people pay attention to them, they loose their heads a fair amount of the time. With this literal crotch shot spoof I think Chris has. Click over for privates in full view.

Dlisted: BARF!!!!! Chrissy Crocker Recreates Brit's Cooch Flash!

Update 4 (Sept. 26, 2007 @ 7:01pm)

Go on girl!

A recent MSN article: 'Leave Britney Alone' Guy is New Web Star

Update 3 (Sept. 19, 2007 @ 11:05am)

Okay, I know that in this ADD generation raised on the quick cuts of MTV videos and computer games that y'all don't read much or maybe don't read very well. However, let me say what I've said in the comment section.

I do not know Chris Crocker.
Haters...your comments will not be posted.
If you have messages for him, then go to MySpace and write him. I've linked his MySpace page for a reason. I will not post letters directed to him because I'm not him and have no way of contacting him.

Okay, now go back to your MTV and computer games.
______________________________

Update 2 (Sept. 15th @ 9:48pm)

Okay, a spike in traffic on this blog have been going straight to this old post, so I know it's all about viewing the Britney video or finding out more about the person who did it.

Here is an article to help you learn more: Escape from Real Bitch Island
______________________________

Update 1 (Sept. 13th, 2007 @ 6:58am)

Oh, update time!

In response to Britney's horrible performance on the MTV VMAs and the blog shit storm that has followed, Chris responded with a video. I saw a clip of it with him being interviewed on ABC News. He said it was to give a voice to Britney's fans.

I noticed surge in traffic and figured something was up. So here is the video you're all looking for:

______________________________

Warning the videos have a TON of swearing, so if it's not your thing, DON'T hit play. Also, if you're homophobic, this isn't for you.

With those warnings out of the way, Chris Crocker is hilarious!

I'll post the first video I got from a friend who, like me, was in medias res of the JMMSP Angry Bunny Scandal 2007 (trust me, you don't want to know more than that.) Folks were angry, someone found Chris' videos and they started getting sent around.

This & that.

That's a trip, no?

He's also hilariously funny. His comedy, like all good comedy, comes straight from real life. I know my best jokes have been those based on the weird, sad, or even offensive things that have happened to me.

Here is an example:

Real Bitch Island.

Anyway, he has more videos on MySpace.com and most have me laughing hysterically or nodding my head in agreement with his points. Here is an example of some of Chris' truth.

Fuck personality.

He's a funny ~~but wise~~ one.

He hasn't seem to have uploaded these to YouTube, and I don't know why. However, here is the link to all of Chris' videos on MySpace. You might have to join, but MySpace is a funny place in itself.

Enjoy.

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Sunday, January 7, 2007

No Offense, But Y'all Need to Travel More

Okay, now I know I've been overseas for awhile. As I've posted before, I don't think I'm even close to traveling to all the places I want to see.

However, when I say "I live in Seoul" people seem to think that I'm stuck in some third world nightmare. South Korea ( the Republic of Korea (ROK) or 대한민국 "Daehan Minguk") is not North Korea (the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) or 조선민주주의인민공화국 "Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk".) BTW, I'd love to go to Pyongyang just to see it even if it means I'm stuck with a guide. That would be so interesting, but alas, my American citizenship will probably hinder that travel desire.

I've had phone conversations while driving to Costco only to have the person I'm talking to back home say "oh wow! They have Costco there?!!!" (BTW, I got rid of the car when I realized I was moving to Seoul.) I had someone else ask me what Christmas is like here. Well, in a country that actually prides itself on having such devout Christians, I gotta say it's not THAT much different. All the commerical trappings are here. The Santas are a bit more lean, but they're here. I've had conversations with people while sitting in the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (again, international, on my celly) and it's just shock when they realize I can get the same cafe au lait here as I can back home.

I live a pretty similar life here than I would back home. I mean that in the sense of consumer goods like shopping and products. I have access to Aveda and M.A.C. at the department stores down the road. The Body Shop is here as well as L'Occitane. In addition to the international brands, there are some great Korean brands too, like Missha. I had one friend swear up and down that I couldn't get an Eagle Creek travel backpack here. However, I knew that will all the new money in Seoul that the major department stores would have Eagle Creek products. Guess who was right?

Maybe it's because I'm from L.A. I know that where there is money, businesses follow to gobble that money up. So in terms of shopping, over-priced coffee, books, CDs, etc. I'm set. The choices have increased since I arrived, but I'm not complaining. Also, South Korea economy has ranked quite high and has undergone tremendous development. With that comes a rise in consumption.

What inspired this blog was an email today from a restaurant my classmates and I go to every once in awhile. Also, what inspired it was just having always deal with the "wow, you can get blue cheese there?!!!" It gets a bit annoying after awhile, but I try not to get annoyed because I realize most people haven't traveled far and wide. Hell, I haven't traveled far and wide...yet. Most certainly haven't traveled or lived here.

Anyway, it's an Italian restaurant, Spaghettia, and the email was just a menu listing their new dishes. I'm going to post it because, while I tend to prefer Korean food to over-priced foreign eats, sometimes it's just what the doctor ordered. Plus, I think it will be interesting for all of you overseas that think I'm living in a wasteland to get a clue (I mean that in the nicest way possible.) The quality does vary depending on the restaurant and I still haven't figured out why they serve sweet pickles on the side with pizza here. However, there are many places that do a damn good job.

Here is the menu:

So, um, folks, travel more. You'll realize that, good or bad, globalization is very real.

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Saturday, January 6, 2007

Momofuku Ando, The Inventor of Instant Noodles, Dies

This sucks nuts.

I just heard that Momofuku Ando, the inventor of instant noodles, has died.

Now I'm not poor these days (I'm not rich either so put the blackmail plans away), but at the end of this semester I just had no time. I subsisted on Korean ramen, coupled with healthy drinks like fresh juice and health drinks and vitamins. I know, not the best approach to nutrition, but if you don't have time, you don't have time.

I just wanted to post a blog to say Momofuku Ando really did help a lot of students not starve. For that, I thank him. That's cool.

Rest in peace.

More links:

Inventor of instant noodles dies at 96
Momofuku Ando, Japanese inventor of instant noodles, dies at 96
Korean Instant Noodle Review at Noodleson.com

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Myanmar Rejects Visa For Kim Dae-jung

Aung San Suu Kyi on tour (from ibiblio.org)

Okay, I'm tired of superficial and catty celebrity gossip. I'm guilty of indulging, but now I need to switch gears. I've dived right back into those news stories I've been avoiding.

For those who don't know who he is, Kim Dae-jung, is the former president of the South Korea and the winner of the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize.

He wanted to visit Myanmar's Aung Sang Suu Kyi, who has been in detention in Myanmar for over 10 years because of her efforts to free Burma. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. It seems that Kim's visa request was immediately rejected

on the grounds that the purpose of his visit constituted "interference in the domestic affairs" of Myanmar...

It's just a sad and unfortunate story, and more people should be aware of it.

Here is the link to the news story: Myanmar rejects South Korea Nobel laureate Kim's visa

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The Five Stages of Grief

I just got this from a friend today. Thanks Zen.

Yes, it's another YouTube clip.

It makes fun of the Kübler-Ross model and its five stages of grief. Which are: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.

It's hilarious.

I was right all along.

It's come out that without question the public has been punk'd re a certain new celebrity match-up involving a pop star I've recently come to appreciate and a certain female celebrity who forgets words to songs at Kennedy Center Honors tributes: John Mayer and Jessica Simpson for you slow folks.

Some definitely need a laugh right now.

Heal, my dears, heal. There will always be another pop idol to worship. Those who were in it for the image, which I suspect has intentionally been smashed (he's a smart one), remember that, most definitely, "It's only music now."

All I have to say is, "I told you so." Don't you hate that?

___________________

The PerezHilton.com blog via Try JM: New Year's Eve Leftovers!

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Wednesday, January 3, 2007

The Sprinkle Brigade

Update: February 29, 2008 @ 9:34am

The interest in dog poop simply astounds me.

I got an email today titled "About Your Post: The Sprinkle Brigade". I always think these are sort of funny 'cause it's someone who found my blog via a web search. These are almost always connected to someone trying to sell something too. Guess what? Yep, someone was trying to promote their product.

It turns out that there is a company that has a calendar dedicated to dog poop and other items that, in my opinion, are just "ewwwwwww". This is what the email had to say:

Have you ever seen monthlydoos.com

this is a dog poop calendar that has been around since 2003.

Um, okay. My reply was pretty terse as I'm hoping that folks on the Internet at large don't think I have some obsession with canine crap. What made the Sprinkle Brigade funny to me was the random nature of walking down the block and seeing a random decorated piece of dog poo. That's different from going out of my way to purchase products centered around the them of dog poo.

However, who am I to squash entrepreneurial zeal?

If commercial expressions of dog poop is your thing, maybe Monthly Doos is the calendar and their other products are for you. Click over and enjoy.
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Hahahahaaha!

I love it. I've clearly recharged and I'm reinvigorated enough to actually pay attention to the news again.

This is so much so that I've decided to tune into CNN International again. My theory is CNN tries to put the most negative spin on news stories as possible. However, as my cable provider doesn't provide the BBC's newscasts, I'm stuck with CNN.

No offense Anderson, I adore you, but after watching CNN most of the time I just want to find a nice cave with the modern amenities and food delivery and never come out.

However, the newscast did provide some levity, so maybe they missed me tuning in. They talked about The Sprinkle Brigade* which is a group of street artists that decorate the dog poop that some rude New York dog owners choose not to clean up. Fuckers...I hate people who can't bother to use a pooper scooper or whatever the latest thing is.

Anyway, the reporters were so freaked out that they didn't show the web link, but that's okay. I looked it up. Thank you Google.

I love what the Sprinkle Brigade is doing. It's weird. It's subversive. However, the best thing is you're more likely to notice the errant dog poop and not step in it. Since I like my blog poop free just click on the link above for subversively decorated dog poop.

Here is another webpage that discusses the issue of dog poop at length. It has pictures of the showing the colossal rudeness of a women in Seoul who brought her toy dog and the subway, and, yes, the dog let loose in the subway car.

The Sprinkle Brigade story actually reminded me of another article I read in the current issue of Good Magazine. The Good Guide to Culture Jamming was an interesting read although I'm not sure if I completely agree with Sam Schwartz's perspective. However, even though I've heard of the concept, I'll admit this is the first article I've read about culture jamming.

Culture jamming is an attack on the authority of the dominant culture. Some culture jammers trick the mass media into passing subversive messages. Others construct new canvases to broadcast their ideas outside of the old structure.

Culture jamming is not undertaken to promote a brand or any other commercial interest. There's another term for that: advertising.

I think the decorative dog poop fits this description. It's a big red blinking light to some rude dog owners in New York City to pick up after their damn dogs. I'm sure pedestrians appreciate it too. Maybe the next time I go to the Big Apple I won't have to literally dodge the crap. I've been lucky, so far. I have had no misteps into dog poop ever, and I've spent weeks wandering around Paris. Maybe Paris needs it's own chapter of the Sprinkle Brigade, but I've heard they've cleaned a lot of the dog poop up in Paris.

What's funny is while I'm writing this the Oprah is on and it's a rerun of the episode with Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer or dog trainer to the stars. Seeing dogs that get more love than orphans is, as an adoptee, is just sad.

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*The folks at the Sprinkle Brigade also have a blog: http://sprinklebrigade.blogspot.com/

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