ramancoke.com

Weezer. on a BOAT.

2012-01-26T18:31:00.000-05:00

several months ago, as i was rocking out to one of my long-time favorite bands in the kitchen (not the garage), i decided to consult said band's official interwebbery to catch the latest album/tour news, only to discover this beautiful event was going down on the high seas.

that's right. WEEZER. on a cruise. AND Ozma (another great band i like). AND some other likely-to-be-good bands that were too cool for me to have heard of before (future bragging points!).

i was sold. now i just had to find someone to go with me.

the wife was a pretty immediate "ehhhh" (not good enough if you're going to get ON A BOAT with ~17 bands rocking out).
...most others asked had "better things to do."

losers.

fortunately, my tried-and-true travel buddy Will (of Antarctic, Argentine, and Middle-East fame) was game. what's great about Will is that he's ready-and-willing to go to most of the crazy places i get it in my head that i must go (but my wife and/or other friends). what's not-so-great (sadly and truthfully) is that our travels are progressively getting tamer in ~~our~~ my old age (it's a state of mind that Will has not yet "settled down" on). regardless, i'm pretty sure we'll be going to the Mall of America next year (assuming the Dandy Warhols are playing there, because honestly, what can i say? heroin is so passe).

but let's get back to it.

4 days of rock. on a boat. up close and personal. with drinks. in the sun. throw in some random towel animals, and that's about as good as it gets. here are some pictures (unfortunately, the fancy-awesome dSLR was NOT brought along, so i had to make do with a point-and-shoot).

net - i got to see Weezer THREE times. i got to see Ozma THREE times. and i discovered quite a few other new bands (the Nervous Wreckords, the Antlers, Wavves, Free Energy, Yuck, and Sleeper Agent are all now in regular rotation to be rocking in my ear-holes). and then most of said bands were frequently seen just hanging around the boat lounging, drinking, gambling, playing basketball, shuffleboard, and of course eating.

what made the show(s) even better was that it was like a music festival, but significantly less crowded, well, it was on a boat. the screaming hordes of fans weren't bad, quite nice, actually. there was always a great view of the band (whether right up on the stage, sitting at the bar, or atop a giant water slide with a view of the blue blue ocean). and there was usually a waiter walking around to offer you a drink.

we even met some cool German people (wie geht's Martin + Rebecca?!?). and then there was everyone else...with their mostly amusing styles of dress, tattoos, or were just plain weird. it never got old seeing people walking around in their robes all day, but it was quite weird seeing them with their Mexican wrestler masks AND their robes. all in all, everyone was well-behaved.

for your viewing (and listening) entertainment, i took some videos. first up, here's Weezer performing Radiohead's "Paranoid Android":

and just for giggles, in the next video below, pay close attention to the dancing kid in the background (at the top) as Ozma rocked out (image is grainy because i was filming the screen). it made for a really strange (albeit hilarious) juxtaposition, especially towards the end, where Ozma is playing the ever-heart-wrenching "Battlescars":

halfway through the journey, we made a brief stop in Cozumel. saw some Mayan Ruins, some ridiculously large Iguanas, cool kite surfers, chips, salsa, and cerveza on the beach. but most importantly, 10 TACOS FOR 40 PESOS. God bless the Mexican people and their delicious, delicious cuisine. so here are those pictures.

so that's a wrap. there are now FOUR reasons you might get Raman on a boat:
1. to go to Antarctica with Russian sailors.
2. to get to a rain forest in the south China Sea.
3. to get married in international waters (and see Alaska along the way).
and now,
4. to rock out to one of my favorite bands. =w===
...sadly, Radiohead will never sell out to this extent. and the (good) Beatles are dead.

so remember, while you take your car to work. i take my board. and when you're out of fuel? i'm still afloat.

next stop, ICELAND.

on death (and life).

2012-01-03T11:56:00.002-05:00

a family member passed away last week.

as it was happening. it didn't really seem to affect me. this was an aunt of mine, my mom's eldest sister. she was in the UK, and beyond a few forced/awkward Skype calls (when visiting my mom), i honestly had not made the effort. i only really got to know her as a kid, on the occasional visits across the pond. ~20 years ago she was diagnosed with MS, and it slowly began to affect her mobility, getting significantly worse these past few years. when news of her worsening condition became dire, my mother was quickly on plane. not two days later after she passed away. beyond the relief of her pain being over, and a deep sympathy for my mom, her other sister, and my grandfather - i didn't feel much inside for my now-deceased aunt, and i wasn't sure if this was OK or not.

maybe it's because this isn't the first time i've had to directly dealt with death. i would imagine we all have.

as a kid, a schoolmate was killed by a drunk driver. the trip to the funeral home gave me some bad dreams. i now only remember all the baseball cards his friends had put in his casket. but i didn't really understand/process what had happened.

over the next few years (my childhood), a lot of my father's family in India would pass away - many uncles i had only met as a six-year-old kid. it was still so distant. i always wondered why i couldn't see my dad express more as all the people i saw on TV. it wasn't until i was in college and his mother (my paternal grandmother) pass away that i saw the affect everything had had on him - the guilt of not being there, of not doing enough. it's not often one sees a parent break down. it leaves an effect on you. compassion for what they've done and sacrificed, and also a glimpse into realizing that we're all human.

around the same time, as a young doctor, my sister had to deal with some pretty horrible things. we don't talk about it often, but it reminds me that the worst we have to offer is closer than you think.

as a young adult (2004), one of my best friends i grew up with took his life. that was a pivotal point for me - shaping the way i view a lot of things, as well as interactions with a lot of people, for better and worse. i try not to think about it as much anymore, but i realized long ago how futile that is. i would be lying if i said my thoughts don't stray there once every few days, especially given all that he gave me that i clearly could not reciprocate. at that particular funeral, my dad, being "experienced" in death, said something that's stuck with me. "people say the pain will go away. that's a lie. you just get used to it." my dad was right.

a year later, another kid i knew from childhood (nowhere near as close) also took his life. it turns out he had MS, and it had only recently began to manifest itself. the issue of choice came to mind, in light of his condition. i did not go to the funeral. every time i see his parents, i feel like saying something, but i haven't. and now it's just to awkward. the elephant in the room is still there, but the moment has passed.

in more recent years (2008?), the one uncle with whom i was always closest (my mom's younger brother) was diagnosed with a rare nerve cancer. he was a smart, well-off guy, so he fought it as best he could. but his sheer intelligence gave him a hubris and confidence that eventually caught up with him. the effects are still felt in my family - his children, his parents, his remaining sisters. i still catch myself at family gatherings expecting to see him there, or to say something funny. i want to see myself as successful as he was professionally, while avoiding a lot of his personal mistakes.

not 3 days after moving to NY (early 2009), my maternal grandmother passed away. i was actually ready for this one, and she had a life well-lived. so the grieving process actually made sense. but i still catch my grandfather crying when he lets himself stop to remember her, and can't help but find myself at a loss for words.

last year one of my wife's close friends (and her husband) was killed in a car accident. i had just met them at their wedding months earlier. we got the news as we were preparing to go to another wedding, where my wife was to be a bridesmaid with her. it was an odd shadow cast. such a random thing striking at such a random moment gave pause to the fact that it can happen to any of us. it's only a matter of (bad) luck. but i don't believe in luck, much less anything, so i guess it's only a matter of time.

==
since my mother's recent return from England to see her sister one last time, she brought a number of photos back. she asked me to sort through all of them. it's only in the act of going through these, on late nights, early mornings, and long plane rides - that i've begun to feel regret. not just for the loss of my aunt, but for not having made more of an effort in these past years. i take some comfort in knowing that she was surrounded by family that loved and cared for her in England. but the more i recall her personality, i sense that as an adult, i would have found a kindred spirit in her hilarious sarcasm, broader optmism, surprising creativity, and silly organizing tendencies. but maybe i'm just projecting as i stare at all of these damn pictures.

her funeral and cremation was earlier today.

i tell myself that death is part of life. it is.

i tell myself that it's all balanced by new life - all the babies my friends keep having (most importantly my sister's new son). but then i remember that we're all getting older, and life is getting harder. aunts, uncles, fathers, mothers, in-laws, friends, mentors. it's only a matter of time. so sieze the dium or whatever.

that doesn't make it easier.

i just wish i wasn't getting used to it.

2011-12-15T14:59:00.001-05:00

so, it's no surprise that i'm a fan of Google's forays into advertising. the latest addition for their new flagship phone, the Galaxy Nexus, is no exception.

uncle.

2011-11-21T16:47:00.001-05:00

Nikhil David Sehgal Fleming.

let the uncle nerd-spoiling-his-nephew begin...

a failing minority in the democracy of ideas.

2011-11-16T19:29:00.001-05:00

i've been noticing a trend that has always existed, and will likely always continue to exist (that doesn't mean i have to like it):

businesses cater to massive trends, and seem to rarely be incentivized to innovate, and create better products/services for people who would consume them.

to be clear - i'm not saying companies don't innovate, i'm just saying their method of doing so is often slow-moving, and not always rewarded/prioritized.

let me give you 3 not-so-quick examples:

#1. UPS

i buy a LOT of stuff online. comic books, electronics, clothing, and most recently a pretty awesome winter coat. Amazon is my ecommerce venue of choice, so many of these items are shipped UPS, which as you know, often requires a signature. as i no longer work from home, i often do the yellow-paper dance with which we are all undoubtedly familiar.

there's a yellow slip of paper on your front door saying you missed the delivery. you can either pick it up directly from UPS (which i do in the case of expensive electronics or other awesome toys), or sign a sheet of paper to leave it at your front door.

first, how ridiculous is it that i order something to ship to me, but i am willing to go pick it up? in most cases, i sign the sheet of paper, and the package arrives the next day. hooray for a stupid one-day delay!

i've often wondered WHY, when ordering my goods, i can't just tell UPS in advance that they have my authorization to just leave it at my door. it certainly would save them from having to make the extra trip, and i'd get my package of awesomeness sooner.

so, yesterday i got an email from Amazon (yay) saying my new winter coat had shipped. sweet. i checked the tracking # online, and saw it would be arriving the next day. on the UPS website, i also noticed some callouts for "UPS My Choice." sounds interesting, a service that allows me to receive alerts and tell UPS to just leave the box at my door (no dance needed!)

after a confusing sign-up process (and i'm a digital geek, so you know the user experience sucked) where i gave my entire family history to UPS, i found out i had to PAY a premium to opt into the desired no-dance service of them just leaving the damned box. no way, i already just bought an expensive coat, and have an Amazon prime account.

instead, this morning i decided to be coy, and left a note for UPS on my door with my name, my signature, and my authorization to leave the package (including the shipper AND tracking #). alas, i arrived home to a yellow slip which i signed as i shed a tear.

honestly, i'm tempted to call/email UPS and tell them about my consumer frustration. why isn't their service free? why isn't a letter i post (or potentially even a form letter i can print from their website) good enough? i'm ceding their liability of a lost package! and it saves them money from having to make an extra trip!

honestly, i work at a major corporation, so i have some idea for why nothing is changing. "enough people haven't complained about it," "it's not a big enough opportunity." at the end of the day it would make consumers happy, and frankly, give them a key innovation/point of differentiation. every day they DON'T do something is a day someone else can figure it out (eg, Amazon).

next example.

#2: Google Reader

this one is of a recent heartbreak (as i always have, and only now still kinda do, heart Google).

do you use Gmail? it's great isn't it? those guys at Google sure are swell. one of the best known secrets about Google has always been Google Reader (you used to be able to click the "Reader" link at the top of your gmail to be able to discover it). VS constantly going to 20 million sites for information, you can have it all ported to you, on-demand, DVR style. that's basically how RSS works.

but somehow the geeks at Google found a way to make it EVEN BETTER. just when this whole "social networking" thing was really taking off (back in the stone age, like 2007), they added their own "social features." if you used Google Reader, and say your gChat buddy Lindsay did too, man were you in for a treat. as Lindsay read to her heart's content on Google Reader, she could clicked "share" at the bottom of an article she read on say, "NY/Paris apartment design." this would add to a growing list of selected articles that Lindsay had read (and deemed share-worthy), that all her friends could see.

so now, every morning i would go read my geeky Tech blog, my nerdy comic book blog (sharing articles i thought were cool along the way so my friends could see them), and THEN, see an ultra-cool list of curated content from my friend Lindsay, who is totally in the know about hip cool stuff i normally could not be bothered with. over time, this became my favorite part of Google Reader. learning about things via curated content from my diverse friends, and sharing my personal geekeries with them (to be clear, we're all geeks about something, this just allowed us to learn more about what our friends were geeks about).

"but Raman," you say, "you can already do that on Facebook/Google+/Twitter!" ahh yes and no, my dear reader (no pun intended). when you share something on Facebook, it goes into an immediate stream of thought (e.g, broadcast TV). when you would share something on Google Reader, it would gointo a nice little organized pile of content, organized by person. so if i'm not feeling like looking up hip urban stuff Lindsay has to share, i don't have to (though let's be honest, i'll eventually want to). instead i can go about reading my comic book blogs, OR even go read the best articles about hacking/MMORPGs from my buddy Josh (sorry, it just wasn't feeling like a Lindsay day). it was "on demand curated content" - enabled/discovered by social relationships. it's like a DVR. and we all love our DVRs, don't we?

so why am i harping on about something i love? if you can't already tell by my above use of the past tense, i'll break your heart now. Google decided to recently KILL the social features of Google Reader. now we are left with a simple RSS reader where your "shares" are not put into a nice little organized pile for your friends to read, but rather pushed out into a never-ending stream of content on, you guessed it, Google+. as you can imagine, there was a vocal minority of folks up in arms as this happened (i was one of them, i even emailed a # of my buddies at the big G). but Google stayed the course as they couldn't be bothered. i get it, i really do, that's what typical businesses do. but i always loved the fact that Google liked to "think different." but alas, as they pursue (one of) their clearly spoken agenda(s) to beat Facebook, they begin to slowly lose what was their edge, their inherent Googliness (eg, don't be evil)

my point is not just to whine about Google (well it is, a little), but to illustrate the broader idea here. it's not usually in the best interest for a company to (maintain) relevant innovation they might see from small groups of people (which is often an indicator of a moving trend), but rather to cater to the masses, and be vanilla like everyone else.

Yogurt

my final example is from an area for which i have an interesting, unique perspective. i'll keep it quick.

if you're an American, i bet you like, or have at least heard of Greek yogurt. it's all the rage. one of the fastest growing food segments in decades (ie, it's not just a trend). the big players in the battle for global yogurt domination, self-admittedly, missed the early window to get in on the action - and a handful of upstart companies beat them to the punch, taking the lunch money of the incumbents along the way. how did the big guys miss this? the amount of people using the product were too small.

in my time spent amongst the world of delicious dairy snacks, i have easily seen 2-3 key opportunities/markets that are being missed. why are they not being addressed? the opportunity is too small. there aren't enough people buying there. chicken or the egg, i say. for all we know, it could be tomorrow's Greek.

knowing is half the (losing) battle.

i realize that big companies can't go chasing everything. you have to have focus. but perhaps it would behoove them to FOCUS a small (but significant) amount of their energies (resources, cash, etc) on keeping their ears to the ground to identify opportunities for innovation - especially sourced in the minorities - to ultimately "surprise and delight" the majorities. i used to work at a company that did this.

you know who also has consistently done this sort of thing well in recent decades? Apple. i know it's cliche to say (but cliches exist for a reason). you know why?

because there was one guy in the minority, who had a majority share of voice.

i really wanna be that guy, but...

(sigh).

(more) photo randomness

2011-10-16T13:55:00.000-04:00

as our staff-writer(s) work up the courage to get back to posting regularly, here's a collection of some of the random photography we've scoured from across the web

let's start with something French, weird and old-looking:

followed by something just weird and old-looking:

this one also has a kid, and is kind of cute...

while THIS one is just cute (but has a giant animal pretending to be something else)

another giant (sea) animal pretending to be something else, albeit with more malicious (delicious?) intent.

yet another giant sea animal, but ridden by triumphant from Aquaman

and this one is just being plain mean to Aquaman :(

speaking of being mean. some long-haired hippie in a robe is shooting poor Chuckie D.

these two probably get along better than the 2 guys above (but only bc their last names rhyme)

and this is just a cool looking sculpture that can answer most questions...

in closing, some reflection on the value of what i currently do for a living

and perhaps even some thoughts on what i'd rather be doing at work.

...or AFTER work.

and finally, a really cool old guy i know picking some fruit.

panorandom.

2011-10-12T10:50:00.002-04:00

so it is still likely to be more than a month and a day* before any comprehensive photojournalism will be shared from recent adventures in Alaska, Turkey, or any islands of the Dodecanese or Cycladic variety. but in the interest of making semi-regular posts, i figured i'd share a few photos taken with one of my latest acquisitions - the mobile app Pano.

so sit back and enjoy, but be prepared to open in new window, zoom, and scroll after the jump.

==
rooftop of our inn in Istanbul. Bosphorous on the left, Oldtown Sultanhamat on the right.

rooftop of the Blue Mosque in Sultanhamat (Istanbul)

grabbing a Coke and smile. random Chinese girl on left, Bosphorous (significantly further north on the strait) on the right.

back in Istanbul. the same random Chinese girl on the left (i'm pretty sure she was following me), and some idiot with a "4" shirt on the right (but man that guy looks cool/interesting).

Istanbul sunset, as seen from above. the problem with pano sunsets is the sun moves a little too fast

the island of Rhodes, sitting stranded outside our Ivy-covered Inn after the Turkish bath incident

Akrotiri red sand beach in Santorini, Greece. the phone was dropped in the beautiful water shortly after this picture was taken.

and just for proof that Pano is great for party pictures as well, here's a picture of my buddy Damon with his evil twin brother Pierre (sans goatee)

that's all i got (for now). now that entire RamanCoke team has gotten through it's recent merger (and all the ceremonial duties required), you'll start to see us posting more regularly.

and if that wasn't enough, here's a picture of my boy Marty (not to be confused with my other boy Nick) telling you how it's going to be:

*don't hold me to that.

think different.

2011-10-06T11:10:00.000-04:00

"Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do."

gobble gobble, opa!

2011-09-09T09:35:00.003-04:00

leaving on a jet-plane in a few short hours. the entire team at RamanCoke (including our newest Jamaicananadese board member) will be taking a brief hiatus from the interwebs, so you (hopefully) won't be hearing much. although, that probably won't make much of a difference for you, our loyal, yet neglected reader...

perhaps more to come when we return.

güle güle!

soon...

2011-07-21T18:34:00.004-04:00

that's right. tomorrow i'm on a boat. not that boat, but this one.

the Bulgarian Banksy.

2011-06-20T09:57:00.000-04:00

while i WAS in Europa last week for work (mind-boggling media meetings), i didn't get the chance to make it to Sofia, Bulgaria. really.

really.

Googling TV.

2011-05-04T12:34:00.001-04:00

if you haven't figured it out by now, i work in marketing, which is a subtle bit different from advertising.but when i do see interesting - often even good - advertising. i like to share it.

so you probably already also know i'm a big fan of the Google. over the past few years, they've slowly toed their way into "traditional" TV advertising. the first of which was a few years ago for their Superbowl spot, "Parisian Love":

more recently, they launched some "longform" (TV) advertising around their web browser, Chrome (if you're not already using it, switch already and thank me later).

rather than tout the benefits of their superior product offering (of which most are not aware, nor do they care), Google simply decided to drive awareness via emotional stories of how we, the user see them. this is one of those ads, and it's great:

as a marketer, i could easily go on about Google's other forays into advertising (the good and the bad), but i won't bore you.

as a consumer, i say this. i'm a fan.

who's on...your mother?

2011-04-25T20:30:00.002-04:00

hopefully someone got the homage/reference at work (play?) here.

...still don't get it? seriously? kids these days...

europa (macht arbeit...und spaß!)

2011-04-18T22:05:00.000-04:00

i (now) work for a French company. so when it's time for corporate training, where else does one go but France? taking advantage of a work flight, i opted to spend the long weekends before and after traversing nearby parts of the continent i'd always wanted to visit - Belgium, Berlin, and Prague. and because i'm lazy, here's but a quick recap with the (embedded) photo albums below (or see them all here). enjoy.

Bruxelles, BE.
i had originally meant to visit years ago, when my former roommate was living there. Brussels was my direct flight in, and frankly, underwelmed me (does that mean something meeting expections is "welming"?). i got over my jetlag, saw the "Grand Place," the peeing baby statue, randomly ran into an old Swedish buddy, and caught the first train out.

Bruges, BE.
i left a little piece of my heart here. honestly, a charming town, especially on Sunday afternoon, as all the British tourists are vacating from their weekend holiday. cobbled, winding streets, canals, and church abbeys. but such romance is only made more lonely when travelling solo (fortunately i did not turn to despair in the clock tower like the town's infamous film). fortunately, in the closing hours of my final evening, some fellow travelers invited me to join them for post-dinner drinks. which turned into 2-3 too many. and it was there i developed an appreciation for the fine Belgian ale that is Kwak.

Antwerpen, BE.
what a fantastic town. and to think, i almost skipped it to instead pop into Luxembourg (and cross another country off my list). the train station puts Grand Central to shame, and the main cathedral acts as a beacon from all points of the city. tons of character, a great art scene, some oldschool UNESCO printmaking, and some great street food (Frittes!)

Evian, FR.
and then i had to goto work. but a beautiful lakefront resort with a ton of my interesting counterparts from around the world wasn't bad. then i had a nice meal on a French farm home with a former colleague from the soap company. LOTS of wine and cheese. stereotypical, i know, but i'm not complaining.

Berlin, DE.
just a weekend trip, but a great modern city to wander. and yea, there's that big wall thing (and Darth Vader at the Brandenburg Tor). so, as a bit of cold-war junkie (and a student of the German language), i had more to occupy me than just my photography. the Mauer Park flea market was pretty awesome, and i had my fill of Doner. but i did get a lot of strange looks from the locals when they saw i spoke the local language.

Praha, CZ.
last leg of the trip. per my usual pattern - knock the famed castle/old-town out in the first day, and spend the rest of the trip getting lost (and finding your way back out). creepy/sexy statues everywhere. gothic architecture everywhere (pictures don't do justice to the spooky illumination of the orange street lamps in the fog of night). oh yea, and a symphony in a museum. Lentilky anyone?

so das ist alles. very doubtful that i'll have as much free time the next time the company sends me back across the pond, but i'll give myself an "A" for effort.

FIN.

US roadtrip (Dec'10)

2011-04-16T11:03:00.003-04:00

only 4+ months after the fact, but ALL the photos from my great-American-i-just-quit-my-job-and-need-to-go-somewhere roadtrip have been posted here

originally, i was going to travel to Russia, Estonia, Latvia, etc (what some cold-warriors and birthers would say the antithesis of America), but i then found out that was somewhere my fiance eventually wanted to go there (and could not yet get the weeks off). so, i simply made the most of my pre-existing holiday travel (thanksgiving in LA, christmas in Cincinnati), and decided to see as many of the great American states in-between that i had not yet visited - AZ, NM, CO, NE, IA (yes, NE + IA), MO, KS, OK, and AR.

for some of the journey i had some road-companions join (my fiance for a long weekend, my new brother-in-law for a week). i also had numerous recommendation and introductions - meeting friends and friends-of-friends along the way, all of whom were more than gracious to extend their hospitality, and show me their slice of the country. i got to jam out with an all (older) ladies bluegrass band in Albuquerque, NM, eating junk food with a small-town lawyer in Alamosa, CO (and her turtles), and was shown the Christmas lights (and finer sights) of Tulsa, OK. i shared Dr. Peppers + travel stories with a cute 100% Navajo girl, and broke bread (literally from the Zuni tribe). on a blizzard-y day, i stared across the malt-shop counter at a little kid in Hamburg, IA. i even went to TX, despite my animosity for that state, because my awesome friend Megan decided to move back there with her husband, and she's pretty kool.

there were 8 national parks (giant sand dunes!), 3 presidential libraries, numerous museums, 2 bass pro shops, a giant meteor crater, an underground salt mine, a blizzard, and breakfast tacos, ohhhh the breakfast tacos. sadly, the giant ball of yarn eluded me. i don't think i calculated the exact mileage, but there were 3 rental cars, 1 car accident (not my fault!), and a speeding ticket (totally my fault!). i'm pretty sure i never have to drive my brother-in-law anywhere ever again (more because he's afraid of my driving).

sorry, no photo highlights (or even embedded slideshows). for that you're going to have to go through the countless useless photos i took along the way to entertain myself. but i'll leave you with this gem:

final state count? 43, which means i've got 9 to 19 years to cover the remaining 7. but i know i'll be knocking at least one off the list this summer =)

little workers.

2011-03-14T18:30:00.002-04:00

if you've ever been in the 14th Street/8th Ave NY Subway station (west side, A, C, E, or L trains), you might have seen a bunch of little metal workers scurrying about. seeing them always gives me pause and a smile. recently, my pal Richard photographed what seems like almost all of the little guys, so i figured i'd share.

enjoy.

so, as it turns out, the name of this permanent installment is "Life Underground," by sculptor Tom Otterness, and was put up (down) in 2001. hooray for the intersection of public transportation with the arts.

nutella.

2011-03-12T14:44:00.000-05:00

a (french) colleague shared this ad with me, and since i have nothing of value to post as of late, i figured i'd make a post of what i thought was a relatively inspiring piece of advertising.

that's right kids. ask your parents to buy you a chocolatey hazelnut spread, and you might just grow up to be in a commercial.

Calvin & Scott.

2011-02-13T15:41:00.000-05:00

recently at a party, a guy that happened to work at the U.N. out-nerded me by sharing the following good stuff:

(click to enlarge)

despite the weird nerd overtures, this really took me back. as a young lad, i was always a fan of Calvin & Hobbes. while it wasn't my first exposure to the medium of comics, it was the bar by which all else would be measured. in fact, once Bill Waterson bowed out, i quit reading the (newspaper) comics altogether. everything else in those few daily pages i found far too trite and sophomoric. i soonafter actually quit reading all comic books for ~2 years. to this day, Calvin & Hobbes is (one of) the gold standards by which i hold the medium. fun, imaginative, and thought-provoking.

of course, within a couple of years, i came back to comics, but not for the same reasons of fantastic action-and-art oriented spectacle. instead of following heroes and artists, i was drawn back in for characters and writers, something i still do to this day (neat art is appreciated, and super-heroics, while a nice perk, are not necessary). i don't think this would have been the case were it not for the initial seeds planted by Calvin & Hobbes.

tangentially, probably one of the great appeals of Scott Pilgrim (IMHO one of the few true successors), was that (for me) it was in much the same vein of Calvin & Hobbes. this most likely given SP's inane, imaginative, but serious emotional bent (oh Ramona, you're so much more than Susie ever could have been). or perhaps even more literally, i imagine Scott as a portrayal of who Calvin might have grown up to be (though i'm sure that's not what SP creator Brian Lee O'Malley had intended).

naturally, over the years, quite a few artistic homages have been made (not counting Calvin praying and/or pissing on the rear window decal of a pick-up truck), but only a few really capture the true spirit of imagination and fun - like those above and to the left. i think this might have been the only t-shirt i bought in 2010 (a throwback to the already classic sled-based original somewhere in a long-lost t-shirt pile). it was never really a choice, as soon as it was published, it was as good as bought. i'm such a sucker.

but i digress. i really miss you Calvin (& Hobbes). i'm really grateful for everything you gave me. maybe someday soon i'll pick up and re-read through all those volumes i spent all my allowance money on, and have carried with me to every bedroom bookshelf of mine.

pandas.

2011-01-11T21:11:00.000-05:00

i wasn't going to post anything about recent events in AZ, but then i saw Jon Stewart's recent remarks, which i found pretty well thought through, so worth re-posting here. give it a go and let me know your thoughts.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Arizona Shootings Reaction
www.thedailyshow.com

universal greetings.

2010-12-18T13:51:00.000-05:00

the great road-trip is coming to a close, and eventually i'll get around to some post-trip postings. but in the meantime, i leave you with this little bit of home that's been making its way across the interwebs.

monica's wedding.

2010-11-27T14:22:00.000-05:00

my (youngest) kid-cousin Monica is all grown up, as she got hitched yesterday in California. i had the honor of being asked to be the official pictcha-man (not to be confused with the Jigga-man), so naturally i took quite a bit of photography, at what was a great, small and intimate event (the best kind). please check out the slideshow below.

but fear not, i culled down some 1400 pics to ~600. sadly, i didn't have time to embed with music (so i recommend cuing up some the Shins). and if you're patient, you just might get to see a few of yours truly getting his groove on. enjoy, and congrats to Monica & Chris.

it was a great post-thanksgiving preamble to my impending road trip, which starts at midnight. next stop, Phoenix...

selling soap. no more.

2010-11-23T15:04:00.001-05:00

just a a few more things to wrap up before i close out the chapter of my life that was P&G. i've actually made it a point to never explicitly call them out on these posts (so no one could misconstrue this as a marketing blog, or an official POV from a P&G marketer), but i guess i can say whatever i want now (spoiler alert: it's all positive).

i worked for the Procter & Gamble company.

i remember back in grad school, when i heard i had gotten an interview for an internship with "Procter & Gamble," i thought they were a law firm. little did i know they made EVERYTHING, and were the biggest, and one of the best marketing companies in the world. having an engineering degree and working on an MBA in IS - i figured i just wanted to do IT/information security/consulting stuff. so naturally, i was a little annoyed when i saw the role description i was interviewing for was "Beauty Care Interactive Marketing." Beauty Care - WTF? despite lots of personal stuff going on that summer - i had a great time with the internship, actually having fun doing something i wound up being pretty good at. i eventually got an offer, so it was a no-brainer to accept and move my life up to Cincinnati.

7+ years later i'd worked across categories and regions on several "billion dollar brands", got to stand toe-to-toe with some amazing people (marketers and otherwise, internally and externally), helped define what digital marketing could and would be for the company, and get a glimpse for what REALLY goes on inside a big and mostly-not-evil corporation. "touching lives, improving life," indeed.

most importantly, i grew up. i got to travel the country and the world. i got to work and live abroad with people from all over. thru the company, i got to know some of my closest friends and mentors. i even met my eventually-to-be fiance there, later following her to NY, where "the company' found a way to make the most out of my professional skills and personal needs.

over the years, a lot of my friends moved on to bigger and better things (comedy, politics, marketing, startups, agencies, etc). i even started meeting quite a few ex-P&G'ers from whom i would learn a TON. the common denominator though was always that these were some of the smartest, best people i'd get the pleasure of knowing - right up until the very end.

so it's really weird to find myself finally leaving. probably a year or so later than i should have. but it was worth it - (almost) every step of the way. so yea, P&G has been a big part of my life, and i'm proud to say i had the pleasure of working there.

thanks "uncle Procter"

Ringo*

2010-11-18T15:31:00.000-05:00

as i'm sure some of you may have already heard yesterday's big news - Apple is finally offering the Beatles on iTunes (see my above spoof of Apple's current homepage takeover). about damned time. but frankly too little, too late - as i've my MP3 library was long-ago already filled with their entire catalog.

honestly, i didn't really become a Beatles fan until 2007, when i was living in the far east without in-person access to all my music buddies' recos (ie, going to shows with them or having them hand me albums to listen to). fortunately, years before my move, my good friend Rajiv had insisted that to be a true rock fan, i had to have a POV on the Beatles (all i had really known was the few albums like Help! that my parents had lying around the house, and Danger Mouse's the Grey Album). i soon became hooked (Revolver and the White Album being some of my favorite albums of all time). now if only i could get shipped off to another foreign country so i can spend some quality time with Bob Dylan and/or the Rolling Stones.

a few years later, i became addicted to the game Rock Band, and guess what, soonafter Beatles Rock Band followed. sadly, i had already moved to suburban NY, so the only true Beatles Rock Band celebrations was playing the entire game through the night it came out (as i "happened" to be in Cincinnati for a business trip), and then our 2009 halloween party (where my fiance + i were aptly dressed as hippie John & Yoko).

a few observations i'd like to share about the Fab Four:

they're one of the few bands to transcend musical archetypes during their brief history: starting as a poppy boy band that the girls swooned for (minus the slick dance moves and earpiece microphones), they soon grew up to be hard rock icons (as seen above, as contemporaries of the Rolling Stones, etc), and would quickly transcended into weird trippy experimental music (a'la Radiohead) before finally breaking out into their own individual projects and movements (most notabley John).
most people are either John or Paul fans. and while i will gladly admit to their insane talent (the 1+1 of those 2's friendship + collaboration equaled 300), John was a bit dooshy, and Paul was (and continues to be) a bit of an immature, yet talented, sellout.
George Harrison was the coolest, and remains my favorite (above, on the far left). and my guitar gently weeps for him.
Ringo* was the ugliest. seriously. sure he's aged well (which is code for...he grew a beard to cover up his face), but man was that guy was ugly*. if you can't already tell by the picture above, he's the one on the far right.
i only recently realized that the band's name is a pun. their namesake bug is spelled "beEtle", while the band name is spelled "the BeAtles," as in "we got the beat." pretty neat, eh? and don't even pretend you already knew that (for the sake of my fragile ego).

that's all i got. the Beatles were awesome. they are (one of the) bars to which all rock-bands should be held over time. and Ringo* sure was ugly.

*(to be clear, this whole post was simply an excuse for me to share my graphical spoof ridiculing Ringo Starr's sub-optimal appearance. that fact that i could use a * as a poor typographical pun to also make this point only made it more worthwhile. you're welcome)

from soap to yogurt. and America!

2010-11-14T14:25:00.002-05:00

it's official. i'll soon be unemployed.

...though rest assured, loyal readers, it's not to the "America: what happened?" tunes of our current domestic woes, but rather the "America: it happened!" way that is moving our global economy (and allowing me to take a pretty awesome road trip*).

the gist: after 7+ years shilling some of the world's best personal care products via the wonders of in the interwebs (aka "digital marketing"), i've turned in my resignation notice, and will soon be jumping into a broader, more senior "integrated marketing" role - to sell yogurt. mo money, mo problems, indeed. but i was able to negotiate the entire month of December off. but i promise, more on that in a bit*.

so you're probably asking yourself, "self, yogurt doesn't really seem that exciting? why would our good friend Raman choose to go that route (especially when he had a safe and stable job)?" to be clear - i didn't seek this out - it kinda found me, and was too good an opportunity to pass up. and while i was still doing well in my current career with the soap-company, my NY-based location (away from the corporate mothership) wasn't really helping with certainty and upward trajectory.

this new role, while a bit of a risk, is a calculated one. i'll be at the US headquarters of a European company (so yes, potential travel and relocation are in my future), but for the meantime i get to stay put in NY (minimal disruption to my personal life). the values of my soon-to-be new yogurt-making employers are a good fit with where i'm coming from and where i want to go, and i'm a big fan of the culture there (pun fully intended). all that being said, this was one of the tougher decisions of my personal and professional life - as i'm leaving behind a lot of great friends and colleagues, and a global network of rockstars that's hard to beat. but the future awaits, and i'm excited about the next 5-7 years of my career selling yogurt.

and frankly, between you and me - this is the real litmus test of IF marketing is the right fit for me long-term. i think it will be, as i'm getting on-board at the ground floor of something big - and the room for me to continue growing personally and professionally seems boundless.

*but enough grown-up talk. let's get to the real reason you're reading this: America.

(click above to see the latest and greatest itinerary of my upcoming trip)

that's right. America. while i did recently attend a rally in DC, that's not what sparked this interest. i effectively have a month off as i transition between my job of selling yogurt to my job of selling soap. i'm already out west for the Thanksgiving holidays with extended family, and have no commitments until the Christmas break - where i reunite with my immediate family in Cincinnati.

so in-between the two, i'm renting a car and hitting the hi-ways and by-ways of the American south/midwest (AKA - a bunch of states i've not yet been to - getting me closer to one of my many travel goals - 50 states by 40). i'll be starting in LA, and making my way to/thru Arizona and New Mexico - and then straight up to Denver, Colorado. from CO, i'll be flying over to Omaha, Nebraska, where i'll zig zag my way through Nebraska, Iowa, and Kansas, before zooming down to Oklahoma and Arkansas. my final stop will be in Houston, Texas, where i'll hang for a few days with a close friend from my German-speaking days. and then i'm leaving on a jet-plane for Cincinnati for the holidays.

so my question to you, dear reader is this: got a place i can crash? while you may not live in my path of American exploration (and if you do, seriously, let's talk), i'm sure you've got a sibling and/or close friend along the way. if not, at least give me your recommendations of random sights to see (giant-sized baskets) and foods to try (giant-sized baskets of artichokes). otherwise it's just going to be me and the road. and i just might drive the road crazy.

so that's all (for now) folks. just keep buying soap to keep my current retirement savings going. start buying yogurt to ensure i have a job in the new year. and let me know what i should do along my route through America!

remember: soap, yogurt, America!

welcome back Conan.

2010-11-09T17:43:00.000-05:00

i never caught onto the whole "Coco" movement, but i have been a Conan fan for a long, long time (i'd share a video that illustrates said point, but a certain someone has issued a cease + desist of such interweb video tom-foolery)

sure i stopped watching "Late Night" once i finished grad school and got my first real job, but it was always reassuring to know he was putting up the good fight. then the Tonight Show debacle gave him a rise in prominence (and ratings). sadly, the double-edged sword that is living in NY kept me from seeing any of his live shows (we get everything, but it sells out in minutes).

his live show premiered last night. i'm a big fan of shows made for cable VS the networks. a built-in smaller audience allows for more great story-telling and conceptual risk-taking that the masses of America aren't willing to deal with. that's why you get lots of (mostly) inane stuff on the networks (Two & A Half Men, really?), and really brilliant stuff on cable (It's Always Sunny, Mad Men, etc). don't even get me started on HBO)

so, for those of you that missed it, i now share with you, the cold-open.

your welcome.

Surya - master debater.

2010-10-28T13:43:00.000-04:00

my buddy Surya is running for Congress in Ohio's 2nd district. he recently debated the incumbent Jean Schmidt on local TV, and frankly - to quote a close Republican friend - dominated. here's the debate, and Surya's most recent (and final) ad as icing on the cake.

i hope wherever you live, you've registered and will be voting this Tuesday.

(Surya - apologies in advance for my my lame pun, i couldn't resist).

hello ZoomZoom.

2010-10-15T18:09:00.001-04:00

so if you've been watching my car dilemma unfold in recent weeks, you'll be pleased to know that i've purchased my first new car, as seen above (mountains and starry night not included, this was a stock photo i took from the interwebs).

i feel so grown up now, like i just went thru a rite of passage. thankfully dealing with my salesguy online (and edmunds.com) made the process more bearable.

and don't call it "cute" - it's "cool" - all 5 doors of automatic (sigh), moon-roofed, "gun-metal" blued, goodness (though the blue IS a bit lighter than shown above).

now i can whisper "zoom zoom" as i zip pass you on the high-ways and byways of life.

goodbye Celica.

2010-10-11T00:24:00.001-04:00

last week i was in a car accident*. i'm fine, and no one was hurt, except for my friend of some ~11+ years, who was not able to survive. it was only a car, but having now said goodbye, i find myself remiss.

my '96 Celica was not my first (the first being the '84 i inherited from my dad + sister), but it likely will be my last. it was my first "new" (to me) car - having gotten it late in my college years (used - a family first!).

it was a cool ride then - cd and tape player, power windows, hatchback, spoiler and all - and it was a cool ride now - until the very end. over the years, the clutch had been replaced (after teaching far too many friends how to drive stick on it), as had the brakes, the tires, and even the radiator (a project i embarked on with my future brother-in-law at a crowded train station). when the a/c went out a few years ago, i didn't bother replacing it, opting to rather keep the windows down, and music blaring.

it had driven me all over AL, GA, MS, and GA for road-trips to see rock-shows, pretty girls and/or good friends. my tv, computer, clothes, comics and far too many personal belonging had been shuttled in and out of it between dorms, apartments, houses, and condos. it had moved me to OH - twice, and into (and out of) my first house. eventually, it took me out to NY for our most recent (and what would be its final) move. despite all the work/hassles of life, they were OK as long as i had my good Celica buddy. because driving it was always a fun (and fast) time.

*and then, it all came to a (fitting?) speeding end. driving in the rain (carefully, and slowly, believe it or not), crossing a bridge, i hit a patch of water, and hydro-planed into a concrete barrier at a not-so-slow speed. fortunately, the undercarriage of the car took most of the damage, though leaving the car undriveable. i got lucky, as the accident could have been much worse (others could have been hurt, i could have gone flying). i was in immediate shock after the accident, so it wasn't until much later that night that i realized how much worse it could have been, especially in light of recent events.

but i was ok. the Celica would not be. in it's aging years, as i had long ago dropped the collision insurance (opting only to pay for damage to anything else in its path), so the repair guy let me know it really wasn't worth it to fix up. while i'd already been thinking a new car was inevitable, it was not something i really wanted, even though i knew i had to grow up eventually.

so this past Saturday, i went to the tow-lot, cleared out my belongings, and handed over the car title to have it "junked." you've already seen the final pictures above.

so goodbye, dear Celica. R.I.P. you'll always represent the white machine (as said by my dad, and coined by my buddy Joe). but you sure could go fast, so we'll have always called you the InjoXpress (mach deux).

i guess i now have to buy a new car.

happy birthday mario.

2010-09-30T11:28:00.000-04:00

i just found out that my good friend Mario is turning 25. similar to the teen-bopper speed-metal quartet Weezer, Mario's been around at most of they key stages of my life. allow me to reminisce:

growing up an adolescent playing the original "Super Mario Bros" on my friend Raj's NES after school.
in junior high - playing SNES Mario Kart at Marshall Beasely's on the weekend, or b&w Mario on Tommy Chai's gameboy during science fairs.
true, there was the brief affair with Sonic the Hedgehog at neighbor Milton's house (and on my Game Gear). but that was a short-lived fling-of-fancy, so we won't spend too much time on that.
in highschool it was Mario-64 on the snuck-in TV of my boarding school dorm.
thru highschool and college, on my freqeunt weekend/holiday visits home, there were many 4-player Mario Kart 64 races late into the night at my friend Bhuwan's house (after many a lengthy lecture by his father, or as we prepared to defend from an inevitable TP-attack) - with his younger brother Barun + the afore-mentioned Raj
Mario Kart DS was a big hit during my travels - playing little kids in restaurant waits, or with Ben + his brother on the tube in London.
"the New Super Mario Bros" (DS) was a mainstay on many work flights around the world - whether it be thru an earthquake in Hawaii, or passing the time on a weekend trip thru Southeast Asia (where i finally bought myself an actual green mushroom)
during my many "grown up" years in Cincinnati" i clung to my youth by playing far too much Mario Kart Wii with close friends.
"Super Mario Galaxy" helped me deal with my girlfriend moving far away to NY.
and now that i'm actually in NY living with my fiance (the afore-mentioned girlfriend) - the newest 4-player, side-scrolling "Super Mario Bros" (Wii) has been a maddeningly frustrating big hit with our friends here.

as Mario's grown up, so have i. most of my generation would probably argue, Mario's a bigger deal than Mickey Mouse or Spider-Man (well, let's not get TOO carried away). i can't wait to see what's next, to get to eventually play some Mario with my future kids, nephews, nieces, and grandkids. so anyways, i leave you with a pretty interesting piece i recently saw in an industry publication:

...a truly evergreen gaming franchise is celebrating a remarkable milestone for the industry. The endemic Super Mario Brothers turned 25 years old this month, celebrating a quarter of a century of bringing fame to Italian plumbers, mushrooms, and 1ups. The mere soundtrack to Super Mario Bros. echoes with nostalgia, not to mention the fact Mario and his supporting cast have endured as iconic characters beloved by all for much longer than most modern- day gaming heroes. Mario made his debut in Donkey Kong, but established his legend in Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), selling over 40 million copies worldwide, putting Nintendo, and Mario himself, at the forefront of gaming’s new identity.

As Nintendo grew with changing technology, from the NES to the Wii and into handheld devices like Game Boy and Nintendo DS, the Mario brand evolved as well, oftentimes launching a title alongside a new system to bring a familiar face into gamers’ homes with their latest console. Over time, Mario games have sold over 222 million copies across all platforms worldwide, ac- cording to Nintendo. Robert Lowe, Nintendo Marketing Manager UK Ireland, noted that Mario “is an enduring gaming icon that has a truly universal ap- peal. His games blend immense creativity, superb gameplay, and unbridled fun in a unique and spellbinding way.”

Though he’s gone through many iterations as technology has evolved, Mario continues to possess the staying power across generations, technology, and narration, allowing him to remain a videogame staple for over five genera- tions. While most cartoons, videogames, and movie characters strain to remain relevant, Mario does it with ease, bringing new and experienced gamers together. Nintendo has featured the character beyond his own titles as well, using Mario to introduce new play mechanics to gamers, like puzzle games via Dr. Mario, RPG games like Mario and Luigi on the DS, or ushering in the 3D-platform adventure with Super Mario 64, which many argue is the greatest videog- ame ever created. Even analog gamepads, now a staple across all forms of gaming, can give credit to Mario, as the control style was invented for players to better control the plumber in the 3D envi- ronment on Nintendo 64. This coupling of familiar, beloved characters with new technology has let Nintendo innovate beyond the joypad and console, breathing new life into the company and the industry as a whole.

Even after 25 years and over hundreds of millions of games sold, Nintendo confirmed that we can “rest assured [knowing] that it will be Mario who takes us on brand new adventures in the future.” To this day, a Mario game still sits in the top 10 for monthly NPD sales and news of his latest adventures - be it in the tried-and-true environment of the Mushroom Kingdom or in outer space on planets shaped like his head - create gamer buzz like no other. So here’s to you, Mario. A very happy birthday, with many more years to come.

Mandi & Corey's wedding.

2010-09-15T16:48:00.004-04:00

so my sister got married a few weeks ago - the official pictures are finally here...

(click above to see a quick musical montage put together by Tine Hoffman, photographer extraordinaire)

and if you're even more interested, check out the piece that our hometown paper, the Montgomery Advertiser put together (with their own related photo galleries).

31.

2010-09-14T18:28:00.049-04:00

sure, it's just another prime number, but it was reason enough for me to take the day off and get a few "ME" things done...

moved car ($^$% 8am street cleaning).
slept in.
morning shower (that's something considering i've become a night showerer)
read the economist.
work email to a work friend (even though i'm not working).
NY tips for a friend planning a surprise birthday trip.
read some comic books.
made some postcards.
went for a walk.
bought some postcard stamps.
bought some quarters.
went to the library.
tried some cheese.
got some candies walnuts.
got a jerk pork panini.
got a Dr. Pepper.
sat in the park for lunch and contemplative thinking.
talked to a guy about yogurt.
put icing on cupcakes.
read some birthday cards.
got some sweet audio stuff from my sis + new brother-in-law.
attempted to fix my blackberry.
called + talked to my troubled cousin.
looked into some interesting grad school programs.
made some wedding plans.
went to the gym.
making fajitas for friends for dinner tonight.
made fresh salsa (last night, but for today, so it counts).
will play some video games (Mario!)
will read some comics books.
this blog post.

so in reality, it's not much different from any other day that i stay at home and not work. not as much quiet introspection as i would have liked, but y'know, there's always tomorrow (and the day after).

2229.07.2011

2010-09-13T19:22:00.003-04:00

with all the hubub over secret announcements as of late, i feel the need to jump on the bandwagon and post the following vague image:

no, i'm not starting a Indo-Chinese secret society (or am i?). and NO, this isn't just an attempt to show off what happens when you pair my religion/comic-addled imagination (there's an upcoming post on that) with my lackluster Photoshop skills (there's another post on that).

i'm sure some of you will eventually figure it out (i may have to mail you a hint), though i'd ask you to NOT leave comments below and ruin the fun for all of our other loyal readers.

you're welcome.

death (and life).

2010-09-12T20:22:00.003-04:00

this is a pretty sad post, so i decided to put the happiest, cutest picture i could find at the top.

yesterday my fiancé found out one of her college friends (and husband) died in a car accident Friday.

we were taken aback, sad, and remorsed (is that a word?), but are ultimately ok. our thoughts go out to Yu Lin + John's family and friends. this is never easy.

i had only met the couple once at their wedding in San Francisco a few years ago. we had a great time, but as with all weddings, didn't get to spend too much time with the couple. we were actually supposed to see them next weekend at another friend's wedding, and had just mentioned how we were looking forward to get to know them as a couple, etc. i guess that will never happen.

but it sparked a number of conversations and thoughts on the broader topic.

it was too soon.
in our late 20s/early 30s, it always seems like one week after another, someone is getting engaged, married, or having a kid. we've even had our first few divorces. and yes, there is death. but as we get older - into our 60s, 70s, 80s - what milestones do you look forward to hearing from your friends about? unfortunately - it's not life (unless you count grandchildren - but i assume you get desensitized to the good news/cuteness that comes with the territory of being a new grandparent).

it should have been something (someone) else.
we expect death to come in an expected manner - like with old age and disease. it doesn't make those things any easier, but you have time to steady yourself for the worst. but at any point lightning, a bus, or worse could strike, and you're done. no one wanted this to happen, but did it have to be in such a manner? if you read the article linked above, you'll note that the person whose fault it was survives. they'll get on with their lives, but they've ruined countless others. this was nothing intentional, but that doesn't make it fair, or right.

life is precious.
it sounds cliche, but sadly rings true more now than usual. this came out of nowhere, and frankly it could have happened to any of us. our immediate shock made everything else big (career, vacations, etc) seem insignificant, and everything else small (meals at home, talking with your friends) seem more important. animals and insects reproduce litters and swarms - knowing that many will die, and few will survive. even our ancestors had many children, because there was no certainty how many would survive to carry the family on. but in our modern society, families usually can only afford/manage to have 2-3 children. and so much goes into them. for something like this to happen becomes all the more devastating.

it will always hurt.
a few years ago a close childhood friend passed away. my dad spoke at his funeral. sadly, death is nothing new to my father, as he has seen most of his family (in India) pass away over the course of his adult life. he said something that really stuck with me (i'm paraphrasing):

"people say you'll get over it in time. they're wrong. you don't. you never forget these people. you keep them with you, they become a part of you. what's painful now becomes something you learn to endure, and not as hard to live with anymore."

i'm now going to make cupcakes. i would advise you do the same.

141.

2010-09-11T16:16:00.002-04:00

a few months ago my friend Kyle told me he was starting a side-company...

naturally, i asked Kyle (in Portland) to sign me up - i was ready and willing* to make a modest contribution for a good (and well-thought + designed) cause. besides, i needed a new pair of glasses. unfortunately, they weren't available in NY until a few weeks ago. naturally, i went in to check them out immediately, found a pair that worked for me, dropped off my prescription, and picked up my new pair yesterday (just in time to hit the hip Brooklyn party scene).

so i've got a new pair of stylin spectacles. and i like to think that somewhere far away (here or abroad), someone in need will be getting a pair. so if you've got some cash and need some well-made glasses, get your self some 141's (or ask Kyle how you can help get them in your town). and tell your friends to do the same.

*basically - if someone i know goes out on a limb to do something special and unique, i'm ready and willing to support them with money or time. sure i'm a nice guy, but it's also because i'm living vicariously through their bravery and effort. so what are you waiting for? go start a for profit, not-for-profit, creative arts community program, tell some jokes, write some fiction, write some non-fiction, or even run for office.

thanks for doing something awesome Kyle.

the book is better?

2010-09-08T10:59:00.003-04:00

how often have you seen a movie/show and said "the book was better"? i'm usually as guilty as the next guy, i'm also a big fan of stories transcending mediums, so long as it's not a literal translation, but rather taking the story to ANOTHER level (not necessary a vertical move, but a lateral one), that is more suited to what makes the new medium so special. so in today's post i'm going to discuss 2 such transitions done right.

the Divine Loophole

a few months ago, a friend pointed the Ramayana: the Divine Loophole out to me - a(nother) retelling of the classic Hindu tale. Sanjay Patel, a Pixar artist was inspired by a more modern novelization of the sacred tale (by Ashok Banker, of which i'm still only 1/2-way thru), and decided to make it more "kid-friendly." the end result, a beautifully simple and sweeping tale that captures the essence - if not the themes - for first-generation Indian-Americans to tell the kids that they're now raising even more far-removed from their (grand)mother culture . i've already bought a few copies for various friends with kids, the majority of which are actually NOT indian. a good story is a good story (and this is from one of the greatest stories in human history). and great art is great art (i mean, the guy worked for Pixar!). besides, it's about a blue guy fighting demons with his monkey-sidekick. what's not to love?

Versus the World

ok, this half of the post was a long time coming (in fact, many of you are probably wondering why it did not come sooner, and/or accuse me of coming up with the broader highbrow topic to just talk about the film). Scott Pilgrim VS the World. with all my going on (and on) about Scott Pilgrim on this here bloog, it was only a matter of time before i let my thoughts be known. but for those of you that don't know of my fanatism, let me give you the basics about SP. it's an indie (and award-winning) comic by Bryan Lee O'Malley - about an out-of-work guy in a band who meets the girl of his dreams (literally), Ramona Flowers. but for true love to triumph, Scott must first defeat her 7 evil ex's. along the way are plenty of geek-tastic references (video games, comic books, ninjas) woven into the comic book real-life witty (and at times, charming) antics. what's not to love?

naturally, i was pretty jazzed when i found out that director Edgar Write (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz - both 5-star films IMHO) was helming a LIVE ACTION version of my new favorite cult-comic, starring Michael Cera (Arrested Development, etc) in the heroic lead role as Scott Pilgrim. once again, for those of you who missed it the first 37 times, here's the trailer:

despite my RIDICULOUSLY high expectations the movie was actually pretty damn good (4.5 out of 5 stars). so what kept it from being a 5-star masterpiece (like my other summer movie fave: Inception?) believe it or not, high-expectations are only part of it. what was really at work in that missing 0.5 was that i was TOO familiar/enamored with the source material. over the course of a few years, and six more slowly-paced black & white graphic novels, i got to know Scott, Ramona and the gang. for awhile i even entertained the idea that Scott Pilgrim was what Calvin (of "& Hobbes" fames) must have turned out like when he grew up. while reading the books, everything else (between the panels and liberal use of onomatopoeia) was left to my imagination.

the film was a colorful, effects-filled, fast-paced, loud-music, and decidedly different (from almost any other film made) approach to the story. not minding the story, the only thing in recent memory that matches the visual spectacle of Scott Pilgrim VS. the World was the film adaptation of Speed Racer a few years back (that's LOST's Matthew Fox as Racer X kids!).

the director's approach to Scott Pilgrim was NOT to make a literal word-for-word, scene-for-scene translation of the source material, but rather to build something something that was unique and appropriate for the big screen - cramming 6 books into 1 film (unlike Harry Potter, it would not have been appropriate to break up the story into several movies...one for each volume).

so the film was great. critics (geek and non-geek alike) loved it, and the the full row of my friends i took to see it opening weekend had a great time (though given their silence throughout, i was a little apprehensive they might want to stone me after). the style was fresh, the pacing was fun, and even the colors/costumes/lettering felt like something out of a comic (in a good way). sadly - America did not feel the same way (they were all too busy watching Eat, Pray, Love and/or the Expendables). Scott Pilgrim wasn't the blockbuster to payback the high production cost and marketing, so only lasted a few weeks in theaters. the masses don't know what they missed.

==

so what's the lesson learned? it's not (always) about whether the book was better. what matters is if the story can transcend itself to be told in new and different ways in evolving mediums.

that and everybody needs a monkey-friend.

my content conundrum (in the shallows).

2010-09-04T23:55:00.000-04:00

WHY is it easier for me to...

...read the Starman, Superman, or indie comics/graphic novels (via the library, TFAW, or Amazon) VS the Nick Hornby, Dave Eggers, or Ashok Banker collecting dust on my shelf/bedside table?

...skim/obsess through articles from Wired, Fast Company, and/or Google Reader VS sitting down with my weekly copies of the Economist and/or the New Yorker?

...watch an episode of Mad Men, [insert HBO series], or Clone Wars VS catching up on any # of films (foreign or domestic) that i've been meaning to watch?

damn you Nicholas Carr for articulating it so much better than i could have. but that doesn't mean i'm going to read your book (i just got 14 new graphic novels from the library)!

phone-evil, pt.2: she don't want no smart-phone?

2010-08-27T10:08:00.001-04:00

ahh, the power of double-negatives (and poor grammar). like the double negativity of these 2 posts-as-fists in the face of the evil phone-industrial complex! WHAK! POW!

phone manufacturers are evil (as explained in two parts)

PART 2: she don't want no smart-phone?

smart phones aren't for everyone. i (begrudgingly) get that. though the real icing on the cake was when my mom (and subsequently, my dad) got iPhones last year. i went thru a lot of phases (of grief) to accept this. for the longest time i was upset that they were spending quite a bit of $ (monthly data plans) on something they were hardly going to learn to use, but i eventually got over it. who was i to stop their adoption of new technologies?

so first, thanks to Steve Jobs - for convincing my parents to hand over their hard-earned money for something they don't need (now i get my dad's objection to me getting Reebok Pumps in 5th grade).

but this post isn't about my #1 reader (hi mom!), it's about my #0 reader, my fiance...who takes pride in NOT reading my bloog (since it's pretty much a distillation of all the other noise she gets from me on a daily basis =), so we can talk about her all we want here.

my fiance (to protect the innocent, let's simply call her "Katie") needed a new phone. the Motorola KRZR she'd been using for the past 3-4 years was finally breaking down. while i've had a smart-phone of some sort in recent years, she resisted, and i'm OK with that.

her rationale? her phone was great, and worked fine (a battery that lasted for DAYS - remember that?). beyond that, she rarely texts, and doesn't feel the need to be online 24/7. why bother looking up random internet stuff when i'm always around (not because of my fake-omnipotence/know-it-all nature, but rather the always- on gadget in my pocket)? "Katie" is not too crazy about the Facebook or Twitter, because she recognizes the practical inanity of it all (one of the influencing factors of my "social media blackout" - which is more of a frequent brownout these days). among many other reasons, this practical, no-nonsense nature is why i love her (why she reciprocates still escapes me, but that's another post).

and let's be clear - Katie's not a luddite. she's gets the interwebs. we chat all day at work, we're both users of the cloud (Google maps, mail, calendar, docs), she's an avid user of TripAdvisor, and she likes to her recipes online (so she can cook with chopsticks...how cool is that?). beyond that, she tinkers/takes apart her car + electronics when she has to (probably because her dad's an oldschool car-guy, her 2 older bros are electrical engineers, and i'm useless). oh, AND she's a chemical-freaking-engineer who formulates secret formulas in a lab all day (sadly, she has yet to concoct a concoction that will grant me super powers, though i am still hoping). bottom line? she's way smarter than you + i mere mortals (and i'm pretty sure she knows kung-fu).

but i digress. it's time for "Katie" to get a new phone. she still doesn't want a smartphone. she just doesn't see the point. it's just another way to spend money we don't need to. as with the acceptance of my parents unnecessarily wanting one, i've come to grips with the fact that my better half does NOT necessarily want a piece of tech she doesn't need (you should see the running iPod debate in our household). one day i'll convince her otherwise, but that day is not today

so it's time to go phone-shopping in 2010. as you may recall from Part 1, i recently made the smartphone switch from Apple to Google for a # of reasons (and believe you me, i did my research). since the smartphone market has advanced so much in recent years, i would expect just as much, if not more innovation on the lower end of the phone spectrum (no pun intended nerd-readers). at at least a common adherence to good/simple design principles. boy was i ever wrong.

pretty much all non-smartphones are total crap these days. remember the Motorola Razr (the predecessor to Katie's KRZR)? that thing was heralded as THE hallmark in phone design. beyond making calls - it didn't do much. it didn't have to. it was a great looking phone that fulfilled it's primary function. nothing more, nothing less. it was a great phone used by everyone, their mother and Jack Bauer/Michael Westen. but good phone design was restricted to Moto - there were some solid phones by Nokia and Sony-Ericsson (even Spidey had one).

fast forward back to today and take a look at again at the non-smartphone market (via the major wireless carriers in the US). they're all non-intuitive clunkers with far too many buttons, bells and whistles - VS simply being excellent at making calls. it is shockingly appalling.

what's the reasoning here? simple. by having an inferior offering in the non-smartphone market, the wireless carriers make smartphones (with their profitable data plans/contracts) more appealing and aspirational to the masses - even though they may not need it.

(sigh)

so on both the high AND low end of the spectrum, i have firmly illustrated why phone manufacturers are evil.

believe it.

phone-evil, pt.1: goodbye Apple, hello Google.

2010-08-25T10:49:00.000-04:00

a legitimate, long-overdue post (i always say that). but i feel compelled to write to tell you...

phone manufacturers are evil (as explained in two parts)

PART 1: goodbye Apple, hello Google.

so i (finally?) got rid of my iPhone, and traded (up) to Android. why'd i make the switch? allow me to elaborate, in order of easiest to most dramatic:

1. my fiance was on Verizon.
even though we're still living in sin, we're eventually going to be a family unit, which gives us all the more reason for a family plan (on a related note, see Pt.2). besides my 2-year contract with AT&T was up.

2. i wanted to try something new.
in 2007, my love-affair with smartphones began with Blackberry. i soon moved to Asia in 2008 and switched to Windows Mobile. and in 2009, after a tragic bike/phone-smashing accident (i ran into a pole, phone-pocket first), i switched to the Nokia N95. but this was just a stopgap measure. on the Jun'09 release date of the new iPhone 3G, i was first in line to get one. what began as a painful activation experience (i blame AT&T, as the folks at the Apple store were GREAT), soon led into my obsession/fascination with arguably the most advanced phone of the time. Apple made, and continues to make great devices (i recently switched to a Mac), and i mostly LOVED my iPhone (maximizing it's use for a music/media player, work/personal email, GPS, camera, etc). they changed the game for smartphones (sadly, i eventually had to cede my work email, and now also carry a Blackberry). and then Google came along with their goofy idea to get into the computer-in-your-pocket. now the only (major) player left was Google's Android. but we'll get to that later.

3. Apple screwed me (and many others).
unfortunately, like all marketers/manufacturers - Apple ultimately got too big (and partially evil) in the phone business, and stopped looking out for the little guy (me), prioritizing making a buck over optimal user experience. remember how i mentioned getting a Mac? well i finally got around to switching my iPhone over to my shiny new Mac, after which i soon received a friendly iTunes message asking me to upgrade my iPhone Operating System (OS) to iOS 4. now being a former ECE, i should have known better. new software is usually designed for new hardware. so 9 times out of 10, it's just going to slow your old hardware down. "but this is Apple," i thought, "they're smarter than that. besides, they're all about the seamless integration of hardware + software, so i should be OK." WRONG. upgrading to iOS 4 made my phone slow to a CRAWL. and could i go back to the previous version of the OS? not easily. were Apple really so obsessed with user experience, how/why would they make this happen to me? could they not have given me upgrade warnings, perhaps not even allowing me to do so (or better yet, creating an 3G-only OS "tweak"). i only found out the next day of this, and from a tech-blog, not some Apple press-release (tho i recently read this, but it's too little too late). i'm pretty sure Apple isn't this stupid (does that make them that evil? here's a similarly themed John Oliver/Wyatt Cenac bit). i'm pretty ure it's evil. they wanted me to trade up to a new phone (2 years later), even though i shouldn't HAVE to

IN CONCLUSION.
THAT was the final nail in the coffin. Apple got their way, and i di "trade up" my phone (and as you already know, it was NOT the iPhone 4). i got myself the sleekest (Google) Android-enabled phone, the HTC "Incredible."

out of the box it took some getting used to, but my ability to customize and enable it how I want it (unlike the iPhone, for which you have to "jailbreak" to do so) is light-years better. not to mention i can "trade up" the memory (micro SD) and/or battery over time. and video is waaaay easier. i can simply plug-in, and drag+drop files to watch on my frequented planes and trains (whereas with iPhone i had to convert the file into an Apple-friendly format, import the file into iTunes, and THEN sync my phone. all in, a ~20/30 min process per video.bottom line, if you're REMOTELY geeky/computer savvy, go Android. if you're my parents with an iPhone 3G, hold onto it, but don't upgrade your OS (yet).

so that's that. i'm a GoogPhone guy now.

coming up next:
PART 2: Why does she have to get a smartphone?

get ready to waste some time...

2010-08-10T15:03:00.002-04:00

yea yea, my sister got married last weekend. more to come on that.

in the meantime, here's something that's taken up too much of my day already:
(NOTE - i removed the embedded ad bc the song was getting annoying everytime the bloog loaded with more recent posts - you can find + play the interactive ad here)

WOW. a special kind of ignorance.

2010-07-29T12:53:00.004-04:00

as many of you esteemed readers know, the staff at RamanCoke.com subscribes to a whole slew of emails from many different political factions.the latest installment from the GOP (which is curiously missing the signature of one Michael Steele) was quite interesting.

we're not saying there were NO left-leaning provisions in the recent DISCLOSE Act - Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections (strained acronym alert!) - which would force disclosure of election-related disbursements by corporations, labor unions and nonprofit groups (based on the recent alarming Supreme Court ruling that said corporations could basically pump as much $ into campaigns as they wanted)...

...BUT for the GOP to say/send this?

amazing, eh? send this kind of email to its constituents is just plain silly. but i've come to expect that sort of thing from them. though let's not leave the political commentary to the echo-chamber that is often the halls of RamanCoke, let's bring in an esteemed, outside expert.

from the Halls of Asgard (now somewhere over the great state of Oklahoma), let's ask THOR, the Norse God of Thunder what he thinks:

hmmm. i sort of get your point Wing-Head. this sort of crap makes me want to go curl up in a ball at home too (but i mostly just wanted to jam in a cool graphic at the end so this post wasn't a complete waste of pixels)

(sigh).

what...is...burn notice?

2010-07-27T22:13:00.000-04:00

sure, there are far more interesting things i COULD be writing about, but as the lady-friend and i finally started watching the namesake of this amusingly appropriate SNL skit (in the summer hiatus), it felt appropriate to share in good humor:

if you actually watched the show, you might ask yourself "who knew Bruce Campbell had a steady job?" or say something like "i didn't know there was a modern-day Macgyver-ish secret-agent show out there!"

it's no THE WIRE, BSG, or LOST, but it sure goes down like candy. and then Don Draper had to come back and ruin all my fun!

spiderman VS batman. who?

2010-07-13T18:15:00.001-04:00

no, this is not a post where i fanboy pontificate on who would win in a battle royale between 2 of my favorite superheroes (let's be clear, Green Lantern, the Flash, the Fantastic Four, Invincible, and Scott Pilgrim all make the cut into such a complex round robin/bracketing system akin to the World Cup). rather, view this post as a complex character study, where we make some elegant compare/contrasts.

but first let's get the basics info out of the way (for sheer entertainment value, as it really provides no useful context for the more interesting discussion below). assuming you live under a rock, let's first answer, who are they?

BATMAN (a.k.a. "the Bat," "the Caped Crusader," "the Dark Knight," "the world's greatest detective")

first appearance: Detective Comics #27 (May 1939)
secret identity: Bruce Wayne, billionaire playboy/philanthropist
main squeeze: Robin (j/k, as Bruce he's a pimp and can't be held down by any one lady, though he fancies Catwoman and/or Talia, daughter of arch-nemesis Ra's Al Ghul
buddies: Robin, Alfred, Nightwing (the original Robin), Commissioner Gordon
inspiration: dead parents, bats, ninjas
powers: none. he's just a slightly obsessive guy in peak physical/mental condition, who's trained to be the best at everything - fighting, ninja-stuff, detectiving. also has a ton of gadgets, cars, planes, etc with a bat-prefix ("where does he get those wonderful toys?")
notable media: 60s TV show (holy Adam West!), 60s movie based on TV-show, some Tim Burton movies, 2 crap-tastic Joel Schumacher movies (shudder), a few awesome cartoons ("the Animated Series," and "Batman Beyond"), 2 more recent awesome Chris Nolan movies, and even a musical

SPIDER-MAN (a.k.a. Spidey, Wallcrawler, Webhead, "Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man," "Threat or Menace?")

first appearance: Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962)
secret identity: Peter Parker, freelance photographer, closet scientist, sometimes schoolteacher
main squeeze: Mary Jane Watson, Gwen Stacey (deceased),
buddies: Harry Osborn, Johnny Storm, Luke Cage, Wolverine
inspiration: dead uncle (Ben), pro-wrestlers
powers: does whatever a spider can (sticks to walls, a "spider sense"); spins a web, any size (web-shooters), catches thieves just like flies; Is he strong? Listen bud; He's got radioactive blood (and thus the proportionate strength of a spider)
notable media: 1975 rock album, 1977 TV show, 1978 Japanese TV show, 80s cartoon, 1995 Ramone's theme song cover, an awesome 2003MTV CGI-animated series (with Neil Patrick Harris as the voice of Spidey!), a few other so-so cartoons, 3 Sam Raimi films starring Tobey Macguire (the first 2/3 of which were really good), and an upcoming musical.

so what's the deal with these 2 (a.k.a. why am i bothering to write this post) pinnacles of super-awesomeness? it's about

...who are they really?

Bats is just a [war-on-crime obsessed] guy (with LOTS of money). his fanaticism stems from the childhood trauma of having his parents gunned down in front of him by a common criminal. but still just a guy (who dresses up at night and runs around in tights and a cape). to strike fear into the heart of criminals ("a cowardly, superstitious lot"), he has BECOME a symbol of fear and terror - or more specifically, a bat. but it doesn't end by simply putting on the pointy ears. Bruce Wayne IS Batman. and Bruce Wayne is just a mask that he wears to blend in around the rest of us.

Spidey is the everyman. as Peter Parker, he has hopes, dreams, lame low-paying jobs (with jackass boss), limited success with the ladies (though he DID wind up marrying a super-model, so maybe there's an aspirational element to it), and an uncomfortable amount of guilt. he just happend to ALSO be randomly bitten by a radioactive spider (it could have happened to any of us), got powers, and decided to make some cash with it. by shirking his responsibilities to use those powers for good, his father-figure uncle was gunned down by a petty thief Peter could have stopped (and thus the lesson that "with great power comes great responsibility"). and to this day PETER carries that guilt around with him. so everything Spider-Man says and does is really Peter (even those cracks he makes wise with the bad-guys, which is really what he WANTS to say to everyone else mean from his "real" life)

so there you have it:
Bruce Wayne is really Batman.
Spider Man is really Peter Parker.

your welcome.

precious little life.

2010-07-06T15:02:00.006-04:00

words cannot describe how excited* i am about this movie:

*(but am futily trying to keeping expectations low and bracing myself for heartbreak and/or disappointment) - august 15!

if you don't already know (WTF - you been living under a BRIDGE and/or not reading my bloog?!?) it's based on an india comic i'm crazy aboot. the final volume of which comes out in but a fortnight:

finally, i leave you, dear reader, with one more thing to rock your mind. IF you were paying close enough attention to the (international) trailer above, you'll have noticed co-starring roles by actors Brandon Routh and Chris Evans. what does that mean? this is a movie where the protagonist (Scott Pilgrim) fights (actors who have or will soon have portrayed) Superman AND Captain America.

believe it.

dog day afternoon.

2010-07-03T06:31:00.000-04:00

aw.

jean-luc says...

2010-06-27T21:02:00.000-04:00

and on a drizzly cliff overlooking the rocky irish peninsula, she said yes.

ireland pics.

2010-06-27T20:02:00.005-04:00

this post precedes the next one, which is far more significant. click to peruse the (far too many) photos from our recent road trip thru southwest Ireland:

Éire.

2010-06-18T18:15:00.005-04:00

for the first time in a long while - we're actually heading to a (fully) developed country for a holiday, VS some of our usual jaunts (Canadia doesn't count!). fancy that.

i'll give you 3 guesses where:

spoiler alert: it's NOT the Gallapagos. and it's not easy being green see you in a week!

music + book club.

2010-06-15T11:12:00.003-04:00

= musooklub.

several weeks ago i started thinking about music. sharing music, to be more specific...sharing music with friends, to be more social.

a few scribbles, pencils sketches, and ideas for pyramid schemes later, it was 1am, and i was sending the following email to a close handful of friends:

friends -  had a social-music idea i want to try out for the next year or so. i think each of you is uniquely suited to participate. you'll get to hear some new music, and maybe even meet some (more) friends of mine. if you're interested. please leave a comment on the site ASAP. once we have critical mass, we'll get started.

so what happened? we started a music "book club" to discover a new album every week. still doesn't make sense?

who: 13 signed up - i selected 6 boys, 6 girls, me. i picked friends whose musical taste is a step ahead of most (myself included), with whom i very probably traded/talked music, or went to a show together at the point where our lives intersected. people from as far away as bangalore, brisbane, and portland, or as near as brooklyn and cincinnati.

 what: we all take turns sharing with the group an album we've heard in the past ~12 months. everyone listens, everyone reviews (1 to 5 scale, with further commentary/discussion encouraged). i basically started "crowd-sourcing" my new (to me) music consumption. but everyone wins, really, because they get to do it too.

when: every week. members take turns making posts Sunday nights - 1 album a week. we all listen, review online within the week.

where: on the interwebs, a Google doc, and some other fun tools. beyond that, in your ears, on the train, at your desk, in your car, at the gym, etc. maybe we'll schedule a 1-year reunion on a boat in Alaska.  

why: i like music. but i don't LISTEN to enough. i hear plenty (there's just no effective FILTERS): radio-stations, streaming sites, magazines, podcasts, soundtracks, mixtapes, MP3-dumps, and word-of-mouth from trusted sources give me tons of ideas of what's out there. but like you, i keep busy. so more often than not, i don't make the real "leap to listen" (and learn more). so we all eventually go back to whatever's comfortable, familiar, and nothing really changes (enough). until now.

also - i like hearing songs. i like seeing bands. but most of all, i like listening to ALBUMS. from start to finish, an album, like a good BOOK (or film), lets you only know how you feel about it if/when you make it to the end. unlike books/films, this often takes 2-3 tries. what's better about albums - you can easily experience it over (and over) again.

so the klub gives members a GREAT method to listen to something new(ish) EACH week - from 12 other somewhat diverse people around the world. and at the end of the year, we'll have listened to ~50 new albums, and maybe made some friends along the way

can it work? so far we're 14+ albums in and going strong (though we're all behind, we're all committed to staying on the weekly rhythm. while we're keeping the immediate group closed, anyone is welcome to come to the blog, and maybe hear something new each week. if you engage enough, we might even consider letting you join. though nothing is stopping you from starting your own musooklub with your friends

so maybe the concept (koncept?) will become madly popular, i can write a business plan, get some VC money, scale it, get bought out by Google/Apple, and quit my job, start a band, and travel in a winnebego criss-crossing former Soviet Republics and/or Latin America.

OR i'll just listen to more music. and that's good enough for me.

summer movie originality (?)

2010-06-14T12:41:00.005-04:00

every day i feeli more and more like an old man. Hollywood only persists by placing another a nail in my coffin.

at first it was music. more than a few years ago i finally caught myself asking (in actual non-mockery) "what are kids are listening to these days?!?" that's ok though, bc the interwebs is causing our tastes in preferred/popular music to quickly splinter. granted, there is still mass-appeal stuff that appears on the radio, but the distribution and consumption of niche tastes is easier than ever (a forthcoming related post on that).

the same concept (mass fragmentation) applies for TV - network VS cable. don't believe me? google "Frisky Dingo." so despite craptastic shows like "Two & a Half Men" (that one's for you DB) beating out works of art like "30 Rock" week-on-week, i'm OK with what's happend to modern mass television (sorry Aaron Sorkin, big love Bartlett style)

back to the point of this post ("raman is a becoming a crotchity old man"): as i was recently sitting thru a # of movie trailers, it occurred to me: the concept of originality is (nay, has been) fast escaping the film industry. not to harken on the "good ol days" (but i will), but remember when it felt like everything coming out was new + different, blowing our collective minds on what could be done on the silver screen? Star Wars, Alien(s), Wall Street, the Shawshank Redemption, the Matrix, almost anything by Wes Anderson, Woody Allen, etc

so now what are we left with? here's a short sampling of the upcoming summer movies i'm actually excited about (with links to trailers, since many of the idiot studios DISABLE embedding), and i'll let you do the math.

Toy Story 3: Pixar doesn't make bad movies. in fact, 99% of their films are original, well-thought out concepts. BUT this year's submission to the annals of inevitable Pixar greatness a sequel to their sequel. milking a long-standing franchise for all it's worth. i'm sure it'll be better than Cars though.

Scott Pilgrim VS the World: based on a popular indie comic book (of which by now you should know i have a long-standing obsession), and directed by a Edgar Wright - a guy who makes hilarious films such as Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead. still, it's BASED on a comic book.

the Last Airbender: based on a good for kids and grown-ups cartoon called "Avatar" (sadly James Cameron got to the name first) that famed thriller/twister M.Night Shyamalan decided he had to make when he got way more into it than his kids. as excited as i am, i'm not sure if a live-action film can beat the delivery of the source material.

Inception: OK. this is a pretty original/intriguing one. and Chris Nolan doesn't make bad movies. and as much fun as i like to make of Leo, he's a good actor who tends to pick pretty solid projects. so i'll be there. hopefully it doesn't go over the audience's head.

so 3 out of 4 of the movies i'm excited about this summer are by definition, UNORIGINAL. throw in Iron Man 2, and the numbers look even worse. OK, so i'm a bit of a geek for some (all) of those i bear excitement for, so therefore i grant that the source material must be equally as geeky.

factor in some movies i was NOT as interested in - MacGruber, Sex & the City 2, the A-Team, and the Karate Kid (which takes place in China not Japan, so is it actually about Karate or Kung-Fu?) - and the numbers look even bleaker. sequels, remakes, books, comic books, genre-sketches, cartoons, TV shows. it's only getting worse. and to make matters worse, the lion's share of actual original concept movies hitting the silver screen don't help the math, because they look like movies developed by marketers and focus groups.

i'm getting too old for this.

it's go[al] time.

2010-06-11T09:44:00.000-04:00

the World Cup officially starts today (June 11 - July 11).

despite hardly being a fan, i can't help but get a little excited. so we'll see where it goes (and how much i actually watch/appreciate). i've got other things cooking.

syrian comic books.

2010-06-10T16:05:00.000-04:00

there was quite a lot of awesomeness during my recent trip to the Middle East. but you already know that because you already saw all the trip's pictures.

what you did NOT see was these little gems i picked up on the streets of Damascsus (Syria). sure, they're moreso coloring books than comics, but they feature the trials and tribulations of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man and the Man of Steel himself, Superman. what really makes them great is the Arabic/English "interpretations" of what our 2 righteous heroes are really up to.

i'll say no more. enjoy!

Spider-Man:

Superman:

photos: montreal VS the karl.

2010-06-04T03:27:00.003-04:00

between the spills, flotillas, lost and what not - there are more than enough things to write about. but i'm going to be lame and let mum be the word.

so here are some pics from our memorial day trip to Canadia - Montreal to be exact:

AND as a bonus, some photos from my good buddy Karl's visit to NY, which was way awesome (though the first 1/3 or so were taken with his phone, so pretty grainy):

NOW, when someone other than my mom comes to the blooog, they see more than just silly videos and/or me poking fun of the RNC.

next up on ramancoke: silly middle eastern comic books!

too easy.

2010-05-25T18:10:00.000-04:00

my favorite (oxymoronic?) line: "Help Make the Digital Age a Conservative Age!"

you can't make this stuff up! i guess truth is stranger than fiction...

write the future?

2010-05-21T10:21:00.005-04:00

so Nike released this a few days ago in the lead up to the World Cup. they claim it's their best ad* ever. i'm not so sure, but you be the judge (be sure to lean back and watch it full screen). it's long, but stick with it til the end, as it's much more than it seems:

*i find it amusing that while this IS an ad, just not in the typical 15/30/60 second TV-centric manner which we're limited to thinking. how often will this 3-minute ad actually be aired on TV? probably not much. you'd think that as a "new media" guy, i should be elated. but as much as i sometime enjoy it (when done well, as this one is), long-form ADVERTISING (not video) is still sometimes a copout, exuding out of the pre-defined margins (coloring outside the lines?) that has so long defined the (TV/advertising) medium - meaning it will touch less people (even though those few who see it will likely more deeply connect). at least until the distribution/consumption models change drastically...at scale. we're not there...YET.

until then, this is just another entertaining mini-movie, that happens to be made by some guys that want to sell you some shoes. just do it (already).

there, this post isn't just a random video post to avoid the broader commentary that you have come to know and love from ramancoke.com

come with me...

2010-05-19T16:02:00.000-04:00

i've got a few other posts swimming in my head, but in the interim, thought i'd mix it up my sharing this ad, which i've been seeing quite a bit lof ately. i love the concept, song and the drawings, if not the service it's promoting...

thankless.

2010-05-09T16:41:00.002-04:00

just saw this ad running (i guess there's more to it all than just selling soap:

...as thankless as a job as it is, it's also the job that no measure of thanks one can give for this job.

happy mother's day mom (my #1 fan + reader)

¿cinco de mighty-o?

2010-05-05T16:54:00.006-04:00

if there are 2 things i love in this world, it's Mexican (food) and comic books. fortunately, i rarely combine the two, because my comics would then have salsa/white cheese dip all over (though it's depressingly hard to find the latter up here in the northeast). but over the years, the funny-book industry has managed to successfully bring us a NOMBRE of strong Latino characters (heroes and villains alike, i don't discriminate). so here are FIVE (get it? bc it's CINCO de Mayo) of my favorites, in ascending order from lamest to most-the-awesomest:

#5: AZTEK.

despite the cool premise, this guy was too lame for fame (i JUST coined that phrase to be the opposite of "too cool for school"). Aztek, A.K.A. "Uno" was raised from childhood by the Q Society (a secret organization) to be the champion of the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl to battle their enemy, the Aztec god, Tezcatlipoca. he was given a magical suit of armor that bestows him with many abilities (which they seemed to make up as the stories evolved), complementing Uno's peak human mental and physical abilities. Aztek soon joined the Justice League, but resigned when it was revealed that one of the Q Society's mysterious benefactors was Lex Luthor (gasp!). He was later blinded helping the League save the Earth in a battle against the planet-destroying machine Mageddon, (apparently, the 'Tezcatlipoca' that the cult was referring to all along), and ultimately nobly sacrificed himself to allow Superman the chance to destroy Mageddon/Tezcatlipoca. good riddance.

#4: THE TARANTULA.

growing up, this was probably my FIRST real exposure to reading the Spanish language (yes, in comics), as this guy was always all "¡Besame el culo!", "¡Cagaste y saltaste en la caca!", "¡El burro sabe mas que tu!", and "¡Kieta el stupido elephante!" to my friendly-neighborhood Spider-Man (not really, he never said any of THOSE things, but there were a bunch of Spanish insults thrown at the wall-crawler that i could not understand as a child). but i digress. the Tarantula is a CLASSIC, lesser-known Spidey villain who wears a red stretch costume with a tarantula on his chest (big surprise!). He's equipped with poisonous stingers attached to his boots. expelled from his small fictional South American republic (Delvadia) as a revolutionary terrorist, Anton Miguel Rodriguez, Anton went over to the side of the repressive fascistic-dictatorship government, where they made him their government's wanna-be Captain America type operative - the Tarantula. he soon embarked on a criminal career in the US. an athlete with incredible agility, leaping, and fighting skills, Anton also wore retractable razor-blades gloves and boots (!), loaded with paralyzing or lethal drugs and poisons. just before his death he even gained the ability to shoot organic webbing from his backside (you can't make this stuff up. well i guess).

#3: THE TARANTULA.

wait, didn't i just cover this one? nope. this is the sexier, female, more recent, DC-Comics version. how sexy? well, let's just say that she seduced former boy-wonder Nightwing (the original Robin, of "Batman-and-Robin" fame) into some romantic relations (¡muy caliente!). sure, it was after he accidentally killed a criminal underboss and was effectively in a catatonic, post nervous-breakdown stance, but let's be honest, she was pretty hot. her origin goes something like this: Catalina Flores, was a once an FBI agent, and also happened to be sister to the assistant D.A. of Blüdhaven (Nightwing's primary stomping grounds, as he needed to get out of Batman's shadow in Gotham city). to battle the city's corrupt police officers and gangland criminals, she soon assumed the mantle of her childhood hero, the Tarantula (not the MARVEL-comics villain above, but rather the 1940s DC WW2 hero). she inevitably had a few rooftop "clashes" with Nightwing (both of the physical and PHYSICAL variety). when it was revealed she was the real culprit of the above-mentioned bad-guy, the Tarantula was eventually arrested, later becoming a member of an elite government dark ops team. besides being a hot temptress home-wrecker that can kick some major nalgatorio, i'm not really sure what her powers are.

#2: SPIDER-MAN 2099.

celebrating the 30th anniversary of the original Spider-Man's first appearance, Spider-Man 2099 was one of many re-imagined future versions of classic Marvel characters living in 2099 - where a dystopian America is governed by corrupt corporations. This new Spider-Man (not quite el Hombre Arana), A.K.A. Miguel O'Hara (1/2 Spanish, 1/2 Irish, such an obvious combination of minorities) was a scientist performing animal genetics research for one these corporations, where he was tricked into an endentured-drug-addiction by his employers. when trying to "reset" his human DNA (the 90's era cloning themes were readily apparant here), some spider-DNA was "accidentally" thrown into the mix, granting Miguel spider-like powers - the proportionate strength, speed, and agility of a spider (naturally), an amped-up metobolism, and enhanced senses (not quite the "spider-sense" we know and love). the reduced flicker fusion threshold of his retinas allows him to perceive fast-moving objects in slow-mo (like bullets, lasers, etc). a side effect of all his visual enhancements are red irises. spinnerets in his forearms enable him to fire a webbing-type substance from his wrists ("spins a web any size, catches thieves, just like flies!"). retractable talons in his fingertips and toes enable him to instinctively climb or rend most surfaces (initially making short work of his bedsheets while sleeping). Spidey 2099 also possesses venom glands and pronounced, pointed canine teeth, which allows him to paralyze his foes with a bite. his costume was (appropriately for this post) acquired from a Mexican Day of the Dead festival, and the web cape acts as an acts as an air foil (made from "Lyte Byte," an anti-gravity material commonly used in futuristic hang-gliders), allowing him to briefly glide on air currents, while slowing his freefall descent. que chulo.

...and now, i reveal to you WHO the most awesome (nombre-uno*) comic book character of mexican-O-rigins:

#1: BAT-HOMBRE.

that's right. Bat-Hombre. let that sink in for a second.

hopefully your head didn't just explode. this guy is just far too awesome for words to describe. and literally so, as there was virtually NO information about this gem out there. but in name alone he wins. complete with Bat-espado, Bat-caballo, and most importantly Bat-stache. origin? from what i can gather, some evil Mexican ganglords were causing trouble, so the Federalis called on the gringo Batman north of the border to come down and right some wrongs. upon further investigation, Bats figured he'd be better off setting the Mexicans up with their own hero - "teach a man to fish" and all that (the Arizona state government could learn something from these guys). and the rest, mi amigos, is history.

*(and yes, i KNOW that nombre = "name"...not "number" en espanol. but "nombre-uno," aside from being a teaser for bat-hombre, also indicates "name #1", and that's where Bat-Hombre delivers)

shop like a boy. dress like a man.

2010-05-04T17:01:00.002-04:00

there are FAR more interesting things going on in the world and my life today, but you, the treasured reader deserves a non-sensical post.

so most of you probably already know of my t-shirts addiction (i like to think i'm in recovery, but i relapse every now and again). so i was interested to see the fine folks at threadless.com sourcing some of their "classic" designs into re-imaginings on a gilt.com - a supposed hi-end fasion e-tailer. below is a screenshot of some of of the shirts featured (all of which are shown - the original threadless versions have been purchased for myself or a loved one):

the first part of recovery is admitting you have a problem. fortunately, no wallets were harmed in the making of this bloog-post.

jump around.

2010-05-02T19:52:00.001-04:00

somehow i just got around to seeing this spot, which is pretty awesome:if you're here for the middle east pics, scroll on down to the previous post. me? i came to get down, i came to get down. so get out your seats and jump around.

middle east: as-salāmu alaykum.

2010-04-28T16:45:00.003-04:00

2 weeks in the Middle East felt more like 2 months (time is a funny thing). but now that i'm back, it's as though i never left, my travels but a distant dream. the only way to recall those many images are by recounting experiences/stories to friends and family, zoning out at work, and of course, sorting thru the many, many photographs taken - all of which i hope to distill into a rather lengthy post (hardly something new).

"you're going WHERE?"

most people (mom, girlfriend, and friends' moms included) all asked WHY i wanted to go somewhere "so dangerous." full disclosure: i was just as reticent as the next guy, falling susceptible to all the (western…US-media) noise that paints a far more harrowing picture than actually exists. but still, i HAD to go. it's hard to explain my wanderlust (though some of you have it worse than i). i knew it was probably NOT going to get any better (the region or my desire to go), and frankly, i've come to realize my "young and invincible" years are fast winding down as i finally "grow up." it also didn’t hurt that quite a few friends (from previous lives) had traveled, and even lived in the Middle East, and they had nothing but positive things to say. so thru the advice and experiences of others, as well as a little consulting from the ever-handy Lonely Planet, the trip seemed doable. in reality, my mind was already made up long ago, before i probably even knew it.

i won't lie. it was an exciting thing, knowing how close we were to Israel, Lebanon, and Iraq - frequently seeing signs marking distance in mere kilometers, or passing thru security checkpoints, as a LOT of distance was covered by road. during our brief stay in Dubai, we even had the potential to skirt into Iranian territorial waters. (un)fortunately, the sea was not angry that day my friends.

now having returned in one piece (if anything, more enriched than when i left, though i would have been probably been most upset had i not returned to see the final season of LOST) i'm happy to report that this trip ranks up there with other top travel experiences. below is a quick recap with some interesting anecdotes, and of course, pictures embedded in slideshows beneath each section:

click the above mosaic to skip past my verbosity straight into ALL the pics

broad observations/generalizations:

if you read any of the previous automated posts, you'll know we hit 3 countries - Jordan, Syria, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE - specifically Dubai) - with the intent to cover a TON of ground within, charging pretty hard for 2 weeks straight. joining me was my college roommate Will, who opted to take a break from his current state of early-retirement (let him explain it, but be warned of impending jealousy). the great thing about Will, beyond being a fellow traveled lad (with an unhealthy obsession with flagpoles), is that he easily puts up with my inane nature (4 years in a dormroom and a trip to the bottom of the world being proof), not an easy task. an added plus, is that he's one of the few guys who, while standing amongst the world's many natural wonders and/or ancient ruins, is able to fully entertain a lengthy conversation about random science, religion, politics, or, more often than not, television (Star Trek TNG, Seinfeld, Saved by the Bell, etc). i guess we're just a couple of cultured fellows like that.

along our journey, we encountered a number of travelers, many of whom were spending a significantly longer (2-6 months+) wandering the region. what's most interesting to note was that we all skewed much older (late 20s, early 30s) than those you often expect to find in Europe (late teens, early 20s, just out of college and ready to party) or Asia (mid-20s, trying to figure out their life). but in certain corners of the world (the Middle East, Africa), i find that that only us old guys are willing (crazy enough?) to go.

they were Irish, Dutch, Kiwis, Aussies, Koreans, Hong Kong-ers, and of course, Canucks. there was even an elderly (70+, easily) Australian couple with whom we shared a day-long cab ride down Jordan’s King's Highway – whose travels made Will + I, in comparison, feel like we'd hardly left Alabama. some of the only Americans we encountered in Jordan + Syria were a gaggle of girls (students) atop "the High Place of Sacrifice" overlooking Petra's ruins. i think they were just as shocked to see two fiendishly good-looking American gentleman as we were to be considered good-looking. as for the UAE? I was overwhelmed by the sheer # of ex-pats, Yanks, Brits, and otherwise. but let’s save Dubai for the end of the post, as that’s another story altogether.

the locals: i cannot stress how friendly most of the people we encountered were, old young, or in between. while being greeted with smiles and welcomes, and followed around by little kids everywhere we went (unnerving at times), the real highlight was getting to talk to many of them (especially our contemporaries) about their view of the world - whether it be regional politics, the ever hot topic of Israel, American life, or anything else in between. as we expect many to do of us when we travel, it’s important to make the distinction between a government and their people (despite then MANY pictures of royal/political leaders found on posters adorning every street and store), and remember that everything we say and/or do is a representation of our own countrymen. unfortunately, I left my beltpack and bellowing flag cape back in NY.

the food: i’m sure i don't have to tell you how well we ate. i can say with confidence had my (ful)fill of hummus with each day. i will be sad to no longer have the everyday hardy breakfast of pita and spreadable cheese with a boiled egg and hot tea. and i now have a newfound appreciation (and talent) for the unique and flavorful buzz that only shishe can deliver (which i find strangely ironic in a culture so restrictive of alcohol consumption, i assume because of it’s mind-altering state. i guess every society has it’s own hypocrisies, ours included).

the religion: my love of Islamic architecture was only further cemented as we walked passed countless mosques and stared across many horizons dotted with minarets. the calls to prayer heard from every corner of town (whichever one we happened to find ourselves in) were both a beautiful and jarring thing, effectively dividing the day up for us, unlike the the frequent rooster's call, as he was always clearly in the wrong timezone. in all seriousness, these were not a nations of militant Islamists – every measure of the spectrum was seen, as you find in the West with Christianity. to me there are more similarities than differences that religion impresses upon the social fabric - though it is clear to see how in those nations of chaos amidst development, the rule of Islam can bring comfort and order.

the ruins: who knew that the Romans, Nabataeans, and assorted Crusaders left so much behind? a good deal of our time in both Jordan and Syria was spent amidst relics of the past, ancient civilizations that had long since come and gone. houses, tombs, temples, and often entire cities were left for us to explore. and the sheer scale of these architectural feats was not lost upon us, considering the lack of modern construction tools at their disposal (but labor WAS relatively cheap). this is the type of thing you'd expect to find in Rome, Greece, etc. it's usually NOT the first thing one thinks of when they think of the Middle East (my mind usually wanders to flying carpets and genies).

JORDAN.

we first arrived in Amman, and while we only stayed there for 2-3 nights here-and-there (acting) as our base of operations, it was underwhelming. but to be fair, our short stays in and out of town didn't really do it justice. but i'm fairly certain you can take the capital city of any semi-developing, growing-middle-class, and burgeoning-to-be-cosmopolitan, country, and you've got Amman. were there (Roman) ruins on a hill? museum remnants of ancient civilization? street vendors (selling produce, trinkets, Iraqi currency)? minarets, mosques, and frequent calls to prayer? all of the above. but again, Amman was just a stop, and we were quickly on the road.

the road south: hiring a car for the day we headed south on the King's Highway, a winding road thru hills and valleys of desert mixed with greenery. we stopped to climbed and conquer ancient Crusader castles (Kerak and Shoback). we pulled over to look down the valleys (Wadis) of Al-Mujib and Al-Hasa. by the late afternoon we were in Wadi Musa, we spent a few hours wandering thru the ruins of Little Petra - "little" because it was an appetizer for the next days main event.

Petra: i'll spare you the historical details, but if you've seen the end of Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade (a title that makes way more sense, and upon further reflection, probably not too popular in the Islamic world, given the regional history), you can get some IDEA of how we spent our day in the ancient abandoned city of Petra (though there was no Holy Grail, Sean Connery, or promise of immortality). we entered at 6am, seeing the main attractions before the sun and the crowds were fully out, and opted to spend the better part of the day ascending ancient steps and thru cliffs, seeing more isolated view and ruins. the evening was spent on the far end of the city, atop the Monastery, watching the sunset from a cliff face with a couple of local Bedouins. we descended back into the city thru the dark of night.

the Bedouin desert: the next day we departed early for Wadi Rum. upon arrival we hopped in a beatdown 4x4 (the only retained functions were the door, the engine, and the 4-wheel drive - even the ignition was hotwired), with Hussein, our 20-year-old Bedouin driver/guide. joined by Gerard the traveling Irish doctor, we hiked fallen rock faces, made our way thru Siqs (canyons), scaled rock faces (Will = Spider-Man, squint to see him atop the rock on the left), and scurried up red sand dunes (sadly, we didn't bring a sled/snow-board). insert the theme from Lawrence of Arabia (whose house we stopped by). we had lunch under the shade of a desert rock, using rocks and screwdrivers to open our cans of tuna that accompanied the standard pita. the rest of the afternoon was spent at an empty camp, hanging with our 2 new Bedouin pals Hussein and cook Attalah under the open tent napping, sharing tea ("Bedouin whiskey"), some zany cultural conversations (how many women DO we each have back home?), and using their drums along the beat of music from our phones - theirs and ours (even Meg White would have trouble playing her tunes on the Bedouin drums).

the right side of our own country would be glad to know that our 2 Bedouin friends in the Wadi Rum desert were pretty sure that President Obama was a card-carrying Muslim. isolated for the afternoon, we made rock cairns as the sun set, and spent the evening hanging out at camp with a newly-arrived family of Catalans and French guys. we slept outside in the desert under the stars. the next day wrapped up our time in Wadi Rum with an early morning harrowing sunrise climb of mistaken death, and we were soon off, saying farewell to our new Bedouin pals.

the road (back up) north: back on the road, we made a quick stop in Aqaba for some black-market Saudi gas (our driver pulled up next to a residential garage, darted into a house, and brought out a couple of gas canisters). as we sped up the Dead Sea highway, Israel was just a few miles over the mountains due West, which probably explains the numerous military checkpoints we passed thru. we were soon driving alongside the Dead Sea, where we made a stop at Amman Beach for a quick float, the lowest point on the surface of the earth. note to future travelers - make sure you take your dip in one of the world's saltiest bodies of water (8x that of the ocean) BEFORE a few days of hiking, bc the inevitable cuts, scrapes, bruises and chafing sting JUST A LITTLE (but nothing that a little mud couldn't cover up though). next was ascending Mt. Nebo, where Moses apparently saw the promised land (+ proceeded to croak), which was a bit lost on me, not being a good Sunday school student (incidentally enough, Muslims consider Christians + Muslims to be their brothers who are "of the Book", they just haven't yet been enlightened to the ways of the Prophet Mohammed). a quick trip into the mountain-top town of Madaba (where we scoped out a mosai-carrific Cathedral), before an shisha-filled evening in Amman with some of our fellow travelers with whom we were reunited.

north(er) Jordan: our next (and final) day in Jordan was spent in the greener northern hills - heading as far north as Um Qais - overlooking the Syria + Lebanon border, then zig-zagging down to another Crusader castle (Aljoun), followed by the ruins of the Roman city of Jerash with our Korean pal Hyegyung (where i saw the most GInormous centipede of my life). dinner of nationalist conversations with a Taiwanese-Canadian (named Louise) over a traditional Jordanian meal of almonds, rice, and chicken, followed by the first free candy (of much, much more) handed to us by a local purveyor of sweets. by 3am we would soon be off to the airport, saying farewell to Amman, making our stupid-o-clock flight to northern Syria.

SYRIA.

wow. i cannot say enough positive things about what must be "the friendliest rogue state* you will ever visit" (*though that status is quickly changing, as the US considers reopening it's embassy...we missed John Kerry's state visit by just a few days). the when future folks ask about "what's the coolest/favorite" place you've traveled, Syria is going to give the rest a run for their money. the people were warm and hospitable, the food was amazing, and the scenery - both of the natural and ancient variety, often took our breath away. i cannot reiterate how the locals were some of the friendliest i've encountered in ALL of my travels - be it drivers, children, merchants, or just plain locals we encountered in the small towns that dotted the country, never before have i felt so welcome as a stranger in a strange land.

Will was a BIG hit with kids and teens alike - with me often taking pictures of them and him with THEIR cell phone cameras (to be fair, that happened once or twice in Jordan as well). i'm pretty sure they thought he was a European football star of sorts. i guess i was merely dismissed as some comic-book-shirt wearing weirdo local guide. i lost count of the times someone offered us free candy in the streets. the merchants constantly wanting to chat us up, not even to necessarily sell us anything. the Kurdish waiter in Aleppo who was such a fan of Obama that we got some free ice cream for dessert (i have yet to write my pal Barry a thank-you note for that).

Aleppo Friday: the first half of our day in Aleppo was spent wandering thru town like zombies (per the ridiculous-o-clock AM flight), while the afternoon was spent wandering the empty souqs (markets) of Aleppo (it was Friday, the Islamic equivalent of the Christian Sunday), that have been around for centuries. we conquered (yet another) Citadel. we ran from little kids hounding us, and we relaxed in Turkish bath. did i mention that our hotel room was like a cavernous castle-manor room with pink comforters?

on the road again: early the next day we explored the souqs as they opened. whether it be locally made soap, woven silks/scarves, nuts, spices, meat, jewelry, or some intimate attire for your lady-friend, the friendly and willing to bargain souqs had what you wanted. but by mid morning, it time to leave town. the next three days would be spent winding thru Syria roads with our driver Abraham - a rather large chain smoking, vest-wearing, Arabic music-singing, ace driver and father of 4 who knew ALL the best stop of in-between-towns along our route - whether it be a random vantage point or locals-only hole-in-the-wall restaurant. though to be fair, taste in American music (Celine Dion, etc) left something to be desired (so we kept to the Arabic music and talk-radio for much of the trip, making up humorous translations in my head for the latter).

things that Krak me up: after perusing the the hilltop (Roman) ruins of Apamea (and more encounters with the local teenage population), we descended into town for a late lunch of fresh fish (taken-out-of-a-tank-and-gutted-cleaned-and-grilled-on-the-side-of-the-street fresh). we rode south to the massive Krak de Chevaliers (THE crusader castle to visit when passing thru and/or crusading/conquering Syria), where an Egyptian-Syria film production of Cleopatra was taking place. by dusk we found ourselves in Hama amidst the water-wheels filling the towns many aqueducts. i didn’t really get it, but they were bigger, cooler, and noisier than i expected.

beehives, castles, and (more) ruins: the next morning, after a quick view of Hama's waterwheels by day - we sped further south, climbing up the lone hill-top remains of Shamami's Castle, still in a morning trance (it was windy!). from there, into the bee-hive like den (literally) of a local farming family, and then thru the Byzantine castle Bin Wardn. we finally arrived in the ancient Roman city of Palmyra, where the rest of the afternoon and evening was spent traversing ruins as far as the eye can see. after a hazy sunset atop the Palmyra Citadel (by this point we’d lost count of the castles we conquered), we enjoyed a dinner featuring some bootleg Lebanese beer.

tombs, monasteries, and near-dead languages: sunrise brought an encore hike thru the Palmyra ruins and tombs, before making a beeline south thru the desert. there was the mandatory quick-stop at the Bagdad café for Will to purchase some brass baubles that would later cause many-an-airline security headache, before hiking up to the the mountain-top Christian monastery at Marmusa, followed by a brief respite in Maalula, one of the few places in the world where Aramaic, the language of Christ, was spoken.

and then, Damascus. one of the claimed contenders for world's oldest city, legend has it that the Prophet Mohamed refused to enter, as he only wanted to visit paradise when he died. while much of our time was spent within the walls of the "old city" - my impression was that outside of those walls was a modern urban experience as underwhelming as Amman. but INSIDE those very walls was a completely different story. souqs with merchants selling everything and anything you could want (the grand souq letting sunlight in thru the bullet holes from when the French were forced to leave), grand and beautiful mosques – both Shia and Sunni, fantastic food (freshly tossed pistachio ice cream?), and winding alleys/streets that you could easily get lost in (fortunately Will kept a compass on his watch). we soon ran into a familiar face from Jordan (our Korean fellow traveler), and spent part of evening watching at a tea shop watching one of the last "storytellers" - a real animated character (some other guy's 2008 video excerpt below):

the next few days were spent wandering the Damascan streets, checking out local crafts markets, getting a rocking shoe-shine, and examining a ton of remnants from ancient civilizations at the Syrian National Museum. Damascus was a fine way to spend our final Syrian days.

DUBAI

an underwhelming Emirates* flight got us to Dubai (*Singapore air is waaaay better for regional shorthauls, though for longhaul flights it still remains TBD who is the better airline) for the final 3 days of our trip. we were eager to see what all the fuss was about, while catching up with a few old friends living there (grad school roommate Chad, co-worker Khurram, and Matt - the guy who helped me survive grad school finance). my only frame of reference for what to expect was Singapore - a very cosmopolitan, developed hub in thick of an exciting region. but such an analogy can only take you so far, as Dubai has a BIT more Las-Vegas type extravagant ridiculousness thrown in for good measure.

Dubai - one of the richest of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – is a grand middle eastern capitalist experiment that would make the most hard-right American libertarian/republican weep with joy (assuming they could get over the stark religious contrast and lack of easy-booze). we went up the world's tallest building, shopped in the world's biggest mall (featuring a ridiculous fountain and aquarium), viewed shows of the world's biggest fountain, and saw far too many luxury cars. we even got on a boat.

as for the tallest building - the Burj Khalifal is an amazing building (Will couldn't stop taking pictures), and we were fortunate to head to the top, as they had only just re-opened the observation deck. it easily dwarfs any of the world's other tall structures by any measure you choose. at the world’s biggest mall - i enjoyed the fine cuisine of Taco Bell - and saw many Emiratis and Saudis flaunting their wealth, as their familial entourage trailed behind. And while i make no attempt to insult the modesty of the local women, it was interesting to see them strut their stuff from underneath the cover of their black abayas (not to be confused with burquas, worn in other parts of the Islamic world). you know how removed and cool you feel when you wear sunglasses (no one else can see you looking at them)? that's the gist of an Emirati woman's swagger while out and about in her abaya. and on occasion you could see their designer shoes, hinting at the full on designer fashion they were certainly sporting underneath.

as for our final afternoon in Dubai? tired of wandering the desert metropolis, we opted to go skiing, just to say we did. so by far, Dubai exceeded the hype. while in absolute contrast to the prior 2 weeks, it made for quite the exclamation point on the end of our travels.

after a restless 15-hour flight home (just skirting under the European airways made empty by Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull eruption), Will had the pleasure of being searched by US customs while i slipped thru (despite my darker complexion). unfortunately, there were no local kids asking me to take pictures.

so if you've made it this far down the page, kudos to you, you can now say you've read about my Middle East travels. but we barely scratched the surface, so of course it's just a matter of time before i return.

wa alaykum as-salām =)

inevitable [alien] destruction.

2010-04-22T09:27:00.003-04:00

on this 40th anniversary of Earth Day, i pose the following to you, my esteemed readers:

if we don't 'save the Earth' now, why are the aliens going to want to come a visit?

let's face it, we're NOT getting off this rock and to the stars (or towards infiinity, and beyond, for that matter) anytime soon, a'la Star Trek - TOS, TNG, or otherwise. we're just not THAT smart. even physics is against us.

our only hope is really for some aliens - benevolent or otherwise to come down from the heavens and reign themselves upon us. but if we squander our beautiful blue planet, they're not really going to have any incentive to drop in for a visit.

so don't do it for your kids and grandkids. do it for the aliens.

monkey, monster, music.

2010-04-21T16:21:00.002-04:00

it's gonna be a few more days before i post any Middle East pics/observations, so in the meantime, here's a random commercial i like (bc it's got a cool sock monkey, dancing robot, red monster, and some pretty cool music):

and now, back to your regularly scheduled programming.

cheerio.

free speech and (more) stupid emails.

2010-04-18T17:09:00.000-04:00

now that i'm back from the lands of Arabia (more to come on that), i thought i'd sort through some of the non-critical emails that had piled up in my inbox during my dubious absence from the interwebs. and look what i found:

...you know i had to totally clickthru to see where it took me (click to enlarge):

in numerous other screeenshot-laden posts, i've discussed my views on the ridiculousn politcal tone on one side of the fence right now (sigh).

but just to be "fair and balanced," let me show you an email i got on the SAME DAY from the other side:

...aaaaand, the clickthru:

now answer me this, which one of these emails (and subsequent micro-site) quells you into a partisan rage?

i guess freedom of speech doesn't mean you have to be civil and mature about the level of your discourse (double-sigh). maybe i should have just stayed in Dubai where i could have become an desert ski-bum (and yes, we totally did that just hours before our evening flight back to the land of the free).

Dubai (and Club Chad).

2010-04-16T22:03:00.028-04:00

end of the road, this felt like a great place to end the trip, in arguably the most developed corner of the Middle East:

i've oft heard Dubai compared to Singapore, in the sense that it's an island in a sea of regional chaos (or to play out the metaphor more accurately, an oasis in the desert). from everything i've read to date though, the sheer amount of capital and development that's been poured into the city feels dangerously unsustainable (especially in a freaking desert - where there's an indoor ski slope, really?). and i guess we're sort of seeing that as the market bears out. but you're not hear to read what i think, but rather what i shamelessly can edit, copy, and paste:

==
Dubai (Arabic: دبيّ‎; pronounced /duˈbaɪ/ doo-BEYE) is one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula.

Glitzy, glam, over-the-top and a little overexposed, Dubai lives for attention. On the surface it’s materialistic beyond anyone’s wildest dreams and by treating every visitor like a VIP, visitors respond by spending like VIPs, only to need resuscitating when the next month’s credit-card bill arrives. But this is the whole idea. We’re talking about a city that virtually invented the ‘shopping festival’ (Dubai Shopping Festival, or DSF), the simple premise of which was to get people to travel to Dubai and spend money. With myriad shopping malls, flamboyant hotels, a dizzying array of dining options and hip clubs and bars, it’s all just too easy.
Driven by Sheikh Mohammed, a leader who doesn’t understand the word ‘no’, visitors and potential residents are flocking to this Middle East metropolis in increasing numbers with the promise that Dubai is like no other city on earth. And Sheikh Mohammed is delivering. However, whether you end up loving or loathing its ostentatious nature, under the surface another Dubai exists.

Head to the Heritage Village during Ramadan or the DSF and you’ll witness a different Dubai, where local Emiratis take joy in their songs, dance and traditions. Spend a few fascinating hours by the creek, watching the dhow (traditional wooden boat) traffic and the abras weave along the waterway while smoking some sheesha. Walk the streets of the tranquil, restored Bastakia area or take a stroll through multicultural Karama or Satwa. You’ll find this Dubai a million miles removed from the credit-card frenzy of the five-star hotels. Whatever you end up preferring, Dubai is a fascinating experiment and a city-state that’s like no other.
==

and thus ends my trip thru the Middle East. we'll soon return to our regularly scheduled lame blog about comic books and the many silly things i see.

declare the pennies on your eyes.

2010-04-15T04:15:00.028-04:00

let me tell you how it will be...

OR
if you prefer a somewhat more retro/goofier cartoon version (with semi-amusing preface):

song background.

lyrics:
"Let me tell you how it will be,
There’s one for you, nineteen for me,
‘Cause I’m the Taxman,
Yeah, I’m the Taxman.
Should five per cent appear too small,
Be thankful I don’t take it all.
‘Cos I’m the Taxman,
Yeah, I’m the Taxman.

(If you drive a car ), I’ll tax the street,
(If you try to sit ), I’ll tax your seat,
(If you get too cold ), I’ll tax the heat,
(If you take a walk ), I’ll tax your feet.
Taxman.

‘Cause I’m the Taxman,
Yeah, I’m the Taxman.
Don’t ask me what I want it for
(Taxman! Mister Wilson!)
If you don’t want to pay some more
(Taxman! Mister Heath!),
‘Cause I’m the Taxman,
Yeah, I’m the Taxman.

Now my advice for those who die, (Taxman!)
Declare the pennies on your eyes, (Taxman!)
‘Cause I’m the Taxman,
Yeah, I’m the Taxman.
And you’re working for no-one but me,
(Taxman)."

Damascus.

2010-04-13T09:34:00.001-04:00

this is the one we've all been waiting for...

==
Legend has it that on a journey from Mecca, the Prophet Mohammed cast his gaze from the mountainside onto Damascus but refused to enter the city because he wanted to enter paradise only once – when he died. In a place that vies for the title of the world’s oldest continually inhabited city, this is but one of thousands of stories.

Damascus (Arabic: دِمَشقُ‎, Dimashq, commonly known as الشام ash-Shām also known as the "City of Jasmin" Arabic: مدينة الياسمين‎) is the capital and largest city of Syria. The Damascus Governorate is ruled by a governor appointed by the Minister of Interior. In addition to being widely known as the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world, Damascus is a major cultural and religious center of the Levant.

Currently, the city has an estimated population of about 1,669,000. Unofficial estimates often assume a much larger population. First settled in the 2nd millennium BC, it was chosen as the capital of the Umayyad Caliphate from 661-750. After the victory of the Abbasid dynasty, the seat of Islamic power was moved to Baghdad. Damascus saw a political decline throughout the Abbasid era, only to regain significant importance in the Ayyubid and Mamluk periods. During Ottoman rule, the city decayed completely while maintaining a certain cultural prestige.
==

hopefully we'll be spending quite a few days getting our Damascus on. in the meantime, you can get your wiki on, and learn more about Damascus.

this pre-written post brought to you in part by beavers. because beavers make dams, and i'm out of witty ideas for sponsors.

Hama. Palmyra.

2010-04-11T06:52:00.043-04:00

assuming we have not been abducted by bandits, we continue thru scenic...

...where we'll hopefully be making our way south thru some small towns to see some old stuff.

HAMA:

==
Hama (ancient Hamath; Arabic: حماة‎ Ḥamāh, "fortress") is a city on the banks of the Orontes River in central Syria north of Damascus.The city is the location of the historical city Hamath.

The ancient settlement of Hamath was occupied from the early Neolithic to the Iron Age. Remains from the Chalcolithic era have been uncovered by Danish archaeologists on the mount of the mount on which the former citadel once stood.

Hama's most famous attractions are its 17 norias, dating back to the Byzantine times. Fed by the Orontes river, they are up to 20 metres (66 ft) in diameter. The largest norias are the al-Mamunye (1453) and the al-Muhammediye (14th century). Originally they were used to route water into aqueducts, which led into the town and the neighbouring agricultural areas.
==

PALMYRA:

==
Palmyra (Arabic: تدمر Tadmur‎) was an ancient Aramaic city[1][2][3], In ancient times it was an important city of central Syria, located in an oasis 215 km northeast of Damascus[4] and 180 km southwest of the Euphrates at Deir ez-Zor. It has long been a vital caravan city for travellers crossing the Syrian desert and was known as the Bride of the Desert. The earliest documented reference to the city by its Semitic name Tadmor, Tadmur or Tudmur (which means "the town that repels" in Amorite and "the indomitable town" in Aramaic.[5]) is recorded in Babylonian tablets found in Mari.[6]

Though the ancient site fell into disuse after the 16th century, it is still known as Tadmor in Arabic, and there is a newer town next to the ruins of the same name. The Palmyrenes constructed a series of large-scale monuments containing funerary art such as limestone slabs with human busts representing the deceased.

The most striking building in Palmyra is the huge temple of Ba'al, considered "the most important religious building of the first century AD in the Middle East". It originated as a Hellenistic temple, of which only fragments of stones survive. The central shrine (cella) was added in the early 1st century AD, followed by a large double colonnaded portico in Corynthian style. The west portico and the entrance (propylaeum) date from the 2nd century. The second most noteworthy remain in Palmyra the theater dated to the early 1st century AD.
==

alright. enough of this cultural mumbo-jumbo already.

this pre-written post brought to you by Bubo the dumb robotic owl from 1981's Clash of the Titans. because there was ancient stuff involved there, and that's the gist i expect to get from both of the above towns (sans silly mechanical owls, hopefully).

Syria: Aleppo.

2010-04-09T20:22:00.051-04:00

that's right. by now we've entered fully into the Axis of Evil. but in all seriousness, i'm guessing/hoping that Syria is the highlight of our trip (other than our final stop at Club Chad, of course).

==
Contrary to what the US State Department may wish the world to think, Syria is not populated by terrorists, zealots and other bogeymen. In fact, Syrians are among the most friendly and hospitable people in the world, and most visitors to their country end up developing a lifelong infatuation with its gentle charms. Since Bashar al-Assad took over the reins from his father in 2001, modernisation has been on the national agenda. This is no Levantine backwater - Syria is a modern, efficient and very proud nation with an administration that is becoming more liberal and outward looking by the day. It needs and deserves travelers to bear witness to this fact.

Fortunately, all this modernisation doesn't mean that Syria has lost sight of its past. The country has more than its fair share of significant historical sites, all of which are respectfully maintained by the authorities. The ancient cities of Damascus, Aleppo and Bosra are all listed on Unesco's World Heritage list, as is the sensationally beautiful ruined city of Palmyra (and we're hitting up everywhere listed but Bosra, but hope to make it to Hama as well). Mighty Crusader castles, labyrinthine medieval souqs, jewel-like Damascene houses and sacred Umayyad mosques are only some of the treats on offer; there are plenty more for those who are keen to search them out. Best of all is the fact that these monuments are often woven into the fabric of daily life - the locals worship in the mosques, shop in the souqs, drink tea in the houses and picnic in the ruins. And they're happy for travelers to join them.
==

first stop? Aleppo...

==
Aleppo (Arabic: حلب‎ [ˈħalab], Turkish: Halep, other names) is a city in northern Syria, the second largest Syrian city and one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world; it knew human settlement since at least the second millennium B.C. through the residential houses that were discovered in Tel Qaramel. It occupies a strategic trading point midway between the Mediterranean Sea and the Euphrates. Initially, Aleppo was built on a small group of hills surrounding the prominent hill where the castle was erected. The small river Quwēq (قويق) runs through the city.

For centuries and as recently as the 19th, Aleppo was Greater Syria's largest city, and the Ottoman Empire's third, after Constantinople and Cairo. Although relatively close to Damascus in distance, Aleppo is distinct in identity, architecture and culture, all shaped by a markedly different history and geography.

The city's significance in history has been its location at the end of the Silk Road, which passed through central Asia and Mesopotamia. When the Suez Canal was inaugurated in 1869, trade was diverted to sea and Aleppo began its slow decline. At the fall of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, Aleppo ceded its northern hinterland to modern Turkey, as well as the important railway connecting it to Mosul. Then in the 1940s it lost its main access to the sea, Antioch and Alexandretta (Iskenderun), also to Turkey. Finally, the isolation of Syria in the past few decades further exacerbated the situation, although perhaps it is this very decline that has helped to preserve the old city of Aleppo, its mediaeval architecture and traditional heritage. Aleppo is now experiencing a noticeable revival and is slowly returning to the spotlight. It recently won the title of the "Islamic Capital of Culture 2006", and has also witnessed a wave of successful restorations of its treasured monuments.
==

so there you have it. doesn't seem so Axisy of Evily, now does it? after the jump, find more information on Syria and Aleppo.

this pre-written blog post brought to you by Dr.Evil, because he didn't spend six years in evil medical school to be called mister (pinky to chin).

Wadi Rum.

2010-04-06T14:11:00.003-04:00

that's right. by now we've probably gotten to ride a camel, and are (hopefully) making plans to spend the evening in the desert with some friendly (?) Bedouins.

==
Wadi Rum (Arabic: وادي رم‎) also known as The Valley of the Moon (Arabic: وادي القمر‎) is a valley cut into the sandstone and granite rock in south Jordan at 60 Km to the east of Aqaba. It is the largest wadi in Jordan. The name Rum most likely comes from an Aramaic root meaning 'high' or 'elevated'. To reflect its proper Arabic pronunciation, archaeologists transcribe it as Wadi Ramm. The highest elevation in Wadi rum is Mount Um Dami at more than 1800m above sea level.

Wadi Rum has been inhabited by many human cultures since prehistoric times, with many cultures — including the Nabateans — leaving their mark in the form of rock paintings, graffiti, and temples. As of 2007, several Bedouin tribes inhabit Rum and the surrounding area.

In the West, Wadi Rum may be best known for its connection with British officer T. E. Lawrence, who based his operations here during the Arab Revolt of 1917–18. In the 1980s one of the impressive rock formations in Wadi Rum was named "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom" in memory of Lawrence's book penned in the aftermath of the war, though the 'Seven Pillars' referred to in the book actually have no connection with Rum (i totally saw Lawrence of Arabia a few weeks ago in visual preparation for the trip).

The village of Wadi Rum consists of several hundred Bedouin inhabitants with their goat-hair tents and concrete houses, a school, a few shops, and the headquarters of the Desert Patrol.
==

so enjoy the warmth of your blankets and the roof over your heads. and have a sip of warm milk for me. but be forever jealous that i got to ride a camel in the desert.

and as always, feel free to learn more about Wadi Rum. this advance-post is brought to you by your (socialist) public library system. where i got my copy of Lawrence of Arabia =)

Petra.

2010-04-05T10:51:00.005-04:00

probably best known by those of us in the Western world as the place where Indiana Jones (and father, played by Sir Sean Connery*) took a sip from the Holy Grail (on his "Last Crusade," which it totally wasn't, given the recent crap-tastic revival film), Petra also happens to hold one of the "modern" wonders of the world (which is also where Indy took a sip from the holy grail). assuming we didn't miss our 6:30 am bus down the King's Highway. we'll be spending a few days in the south of Jordan, with a few more stops along the way.

here's your official info:

==
Petra (Greek "πέτρα" (petra), meaning rock; Arabic: البتراء, Al-Batrāʾ) is a historic and archaeological city in the Jordanian governorate of Ma'an that has rock cut architecture and water conduits system. Established sometime around the 6th century BC as the capital city of the Nabataeans, it is a symbol of Jordan as well as its most visited tourism attraction. It lies on the slope of Mount Hor in a basin among the mountains which form the eastern flank of Arabah (Wadi Araba), the large valley running from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. Petra was chosen as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007 and a World Heritage Site since 1985. Petra was chosen by the BBC as one of "the 40 places you have to see before you die".

The site remained unknown to the Western world until 1812, when it was introduced by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. It was described as "a rose-red city half as old as time" in a Newdigate Prize-winning sonnet by John William Burgon. UNESCO has described it as "one of the most precious cultural properties of man's cultural heritage."
==

learn even more about Petra, thru the wonders of interweb crowdsorcery, you can . this advance post was sponsored by LucasFilm - modernly ruining their great movies of your childhood, but making it all OK thru their cool cartoons, videogames, and toys.

*and fret not, despite Will's double-oh-obsession, there will be no drinking of water from ancient chalices.

wabbits.

2010-04-04T04:44:00.007-04:00

happy Easter (or as my more pious friends call it, "the Resurrection", which kind of sounds like a rockin' 90s sequel), from the entire team at RamanCoke.com :

pictures of fallen bunnies not appealing to you? then allow my good friend Usagi Yojimbo (samurai bunny) wreak vengeance upon all the non-believers:

this automated blog message (whilst i traverse the promised land) brought to you by the fine folks at Just Born (you can't make this stuff up), who have been providing ready-sweetened Peeps to the child inside of all of us, since 1958. they really put the "-er" back in Easter.

greetings from Jordan.

2010-04-03T07:45:00.000-04:00

if you're receiving this message, it doesn't really mean that i've arrived safely in the Middle East, merely that i had the foresight to pre-write a handful of pre-posts detailing my trip (remember, the interwebs on vacation = evil). disclaimer: most of the content was pre-ripped off from other sources. regardless, let's proceed to get you edumacated:

==
Amman (pronounced /ɑːˈmɑːn/; Arabic: عمّان‎, ʿAmmān) is the capital and largest city of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. A city of ~2 million inhabitants, it is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.

There's much to see in Jordan - ruined Roman cities, Crusader castles, desert citadels and powerful biblical sites: the brook where Jesus was baptised, the fortress where Herod beheaded John the Baptist, and the mountain top where Moses cast eyes on the Promised Land. Biblical scenes are not just consigned to the past in Jordan; you'll see plenty of men wearing full-flowing robes and leading herds of livestock across the timeless desert. For many people Jordan begins and ends with the magical ancient Nabataean city of Petra (we are sooooo going there, after all, it was in Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade!), which is without doubt one of the Middle East's most spectacular, unmissable sights, battling it out with Angkor Wat (been there) and Machu Picchu (going there, eventually, but not on this trip) for the title of the world's most dramatic 'lost city'.

But it's not all crusty ruins. Jordan's capital Amman is a modern, culturally diverse Arab city which is lightyears away from the typical cliches of Middle Eastern exoticism. The country also offers some of the wildest adventures in the region, as well as an incredibly varied backdrop ranging from the red desert sands of Wadi Rum (where we plan to spend the night in the desert with some friendly Bedouins) to the brilliant blues of the coral-filled Gulf of Aqaba (not sure if we'll make it there); from rich palm-filled wadis to the lifeless Dead Sea (high on the list for a quick swim). Ultimately it's the sensual delights of daily life in the Middle East that you'll hanker for longest after you return home; the bittersweet taste of cardamom coffee or the smell of a richly scented nargileh (water pipe); the intoxicating swirl of Arabic pop sliding out of an Amman doorway and the deafening silence of the desert.
==

did i mention that Jordan's Queen Rania is a major hottie? and she's pretty the-awesome, an education-advocate (among many other things), and considered by many to be world's most powerful woman. but she's also married to the King. don't worry, we'll be keeping Will away from the royal palace.

that's all for now. thanks for stopping in. please leave a message at the

middle east.

2010-04-02T08:59:00.009-04:00

that's right kids, your uncle Raman has lost his marbles (again), and tonight shall undergo on yet another far-fangled adventure. this time to the distant lands of Arabia. fortunately, he'll be traveling with his trusty sidekick double-oh-Will*, lover of ladies near and far. together we shall traverse up and down Jordan and Syria, eventually hopping over to the emirate of Dubai for some wild and crazy at the Club Chad.**

(click the map for more detail)

honestly, the trip is far LESS harrowing than it sounds (mom), as we'll be (mostly) sticking to the guidebook and friendly-recommendations on this one.

"but didn't former US Ambassador to the US John Bolton (nice mustache, FTW) expand Bush's 'Axis of Evil' to include Syria?" he sure did, but from everything i've read/heard from friends (who live/travel the region), Syria is actually one of the more friendly (and most interesting) nations in the region, and has gotten quite a bad rap. the US state department has actually begun re-engaging for diplomatic relations with them. however, if something happens to me, i'll probably be most upset because i won't have gotten to see the last 6 episodes of LOST.

but fret not, loyal reader. whatever happens, this won't be the last you'll be hearing of my travels as you sip your morning latte. in the coming weeks, you'll hopefully be seeing some brief (automated, pre-written) posts to make you more jealous and informed. but no promises on any live updates (as i plan to stay as far away from the interwebs as possible, bc after all, this is my vacation). feel free to leave any messages with my secretary/roommate/girlfriend =)

*WILL: undergrad roommate, former nuclear submariner, current professional loafer/rower

**CHAD: grad-school roommate, former legal banker, current bank-trader-on-Saudi-markets, and always one of the few guys (like Will) who makes my travels look lame.

[A]prl F[oo]KS

2010-04-01T13:47:00.001-04:00

i'm a geek, and i particularly love what our friends at the big Goog in the sky do every year on April 1, putting their cherished brand on the line to have a little fun. this year they went as far as ~~partnering with~~ taking over an actual municipality:

whether it's setting up a travel-to-Mars service w/ (sir) Richard Branson, truly going offline, simply Rick-rolling ALL Youtube traffic, or delivering free internet through your toilet. this year, they went so far as renaming a city (above), and removing vowels (which is key, understanding the recent Sajak-influenced CPV* inflation we've seen in these tough economic times:

brilliant. a complete listing of the Goog's April "festivities" can be found here. sadly, i'm pretty sure MY benevolent corporate overlords won't be having this kind of fun on their cherished brand jewels

*(CPV = cost-per-vowel)