Category: Uncategorized

I found yet another silly shockwave thingy.
It sounds like one of the announcements that you’d hear on the Yamanote. But try to read along and you’ll get a headache.
Ouch.
Gotta brush up on mah nihongo though. Only two months left!

So that “good chance” I wrote about down below became a done deal as I’m off on Sunday to Europe for two weeks.
My first trip there.
I’m usually nervous when I click “purchase” to buy the outrageously expensive ticket from UA. But to be fair, they were the cheapest for this trip.
Then as the departure date gets closer, the anticipation builds up. It’s an adventure! And when I’m finally on the plane, I’m thinking “are we there yet?” as I while away time in steerage-plus.
But all the important things are done. Lodging in London and Paris has been arranged, I bought my Eurostar ticket and I tracked down the Citibank branches for money once I land.
Since this is Euroland, where the US greenback has taken a beating, it’s hella important more than my Asia travel to make sure to bring everything I need with me because unlike Asia, stuff in Europe is hella expensive.
And you need to buy close to $200 worth of goods in one place to get a VAT refund. Bloody socialists…

Apparently, Tokyo is bigger than I thought…(duh!)

This place sounds reallly goood! Gotta go here next time.

My trip is about a month away. It’s still happening but some things have popped up that may muck it up.

#1: With Arnold being the Governor-Elect, they’re moving quickly to set up house. That means that people are being hired over the next few months. Hopefully.

#2: Governor’s Ball? Hope they do it at the end of the year. Gotta buy a tux.

#3: Friend of mine that I’m flying to Singapore to see (what a way to date, twice a year!) is going through some drama right now. Hopefully, we’ll work our way thru it.

But here’s the scary part. If staff appointments are being made or the Governor’s Ball is being held in the latter half of November, I’ve got to rebook the trip.

Thank goodness this is an award ticket…

more accurately, happy Chinese Communist day!

On 1 October 1949, the Red Army took control of the mainland and declared the founding of the PRC (while the legitimate Nationalist Government retreated to Taiwan). This day is celebrated as “National Day”, much like the 4th of July is out here. It’s a day off with celebrations in a jingoistic and nationalist manner, just like any other national celebration.

They also had some observances in Hong Kong, met with protesters. How nice!

However, because of the political climate there after 1 July, the Communists are preparing to intervene in next year’s elections that could, in theory, break their lock on the LegCo. Different analysis but same conclusion here.

Sounds very omnious. Read the last line about “arranging an initiative scheme” for their people to demonstrate and vote. That means they will pay their members to vote and be loud and stupid. Sounds like union, I mean democrap tactics to me.

Busybody American Leftist

Again from the ULSCMP, this story. Seems Martin Sheen (who plays a “president” on TV) knows what’s best forthe HK people in a letter he drafted on behalf of the terrorist organization PETA:

Hollywood film star Martin Sheen has called on Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa to heed appeals to permanently close the territory’s live animal markets.

In a letter to Mr Tung written on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Sheen said the live markets were cruel to animals and caused epidemics, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars).

He said the animals were housed in crowded, filthy conditions.

Sure, cause a ruckus in another country where manners will prevent the people who live there to tell him to “shut the fuck up”.

It’s typical of an American liberal to go somewhere and preach that “I know what’s best for you, do what I say now!”

Sheesh.

Conrad in HK has his say here; just wish I was as diplomatic.

Well, Duh!

In today’s unlinkable South China Morning Post…

The historic July 1 mass protest was the most significant political event Hong Kong has experienced since the handover, the United States Consul General in Hong Kong James Keith said overnight (HK time).

“It was a remarkable episode, one that will go down in the books as perhaps the single most important event in Hong Kong’s short political history since the handover in 1997,” Mr Keith told the Heritage Foundation in Washington DC

Mr Keith said the demonstration reflected some commonly held views among Hong Kong’s middle class, adding that it was directed at the SAR government – not the central government in Beijing.

“It was not just a referendum on the property market or the government’s fruitless efforts to stem the tide of unemployment and it was not a walk in the park during a local holiday by an essentially apolitical people,” he said.

Well, I think that this is mostly right. People I know over here who flew home (to HK) to participate in the march were demonstrating their displeasure against the puppet, er appointed-by-Beijing Tung regime because of their stupidity in ignoring the wishes of the HK people but also because they put Beijing’s dictates ahead of the specific needs of Hong Kong.

It was a direct demonstration against the Tung regime and an indirect slap at the Central Gov’t for forcing the issue through their Tung administration puppets.

Seems for the moment, the Central Gov’t has gotten the message. Tung, well, we will see…

I was chatting with a friend via ICQ about traveling so I sent her to this page. The one you’re reading Right Now.

She said “There’s three pictures of planes on it”.

Soooo now that I’ve got this Blogger thing working right, I will, over time, be posting pix and commentary from my trips to Asia. This is something that I’ve been meaning to do for several years now. And since I’ve finally cleaned off my desk, this is the next thing to do on the “To Do” list.

Well, at least it’s something to read at work, eh?