special MLK/inauguration issue.

now on this ever (un) productive MLK, as i reflect on what the day actually means to ALL of us Americans, i can assuredly tell you that i'm as excited as the NEXT guy about this Tuesday. but for me it's more about the candidate, NOT "the fact" that he's our first black president ("history").
let's talk about that a bit more. i'll have you know, that my good friend Barry is NOT the first black guy the American people have accepted as their president.

yea, yea. i know what you're thinking, "Raman, quit being like everyone else and saying that President David Palmer (played by Dennis Haybert in 2001's premiere season of 24) paved the way in pop culture for America to accept the IDEA of a black president."

i'm not going to go there. in fact, i'm really not a fan of 24 (moreso bc i USED to be, until i realised the plots were contrived, and recycled. sadly, it took me FOUR SEASONS to get there, but that's another post. ).


in truth, probably the most distinguished black President we ever had was President Tom Beck, played by Morgan Freeman in Deep Impact (1998):

...his voice still gives me [reassuring and comfortable] chills, whether it's biding his time in jail or following a bunch of penguins around.

but how can we EVER ignore the sheer presence of President [of the United Federated Territories] Lindberg, played by Tommy "Tiny" Lister in Luc Besson's amazing the 5th element (1997):
... and yes, that's "Debo" (a character he later played in the the 2000 cult hit "Friday")


and finally, for the sake of ABSOLUTE completion, let's not forget President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho, played by former NFL linebacker Terry Crews in Idiocracy (2006):


though despite all of the above distinguished gentleman's country/world/universe saving, none of those who came before to portrayed the Commander-in-Chief could do the ONE THING that has captured the heart & minds of all of us at RamanCoke.com...

a team-up with his childhood buddy, the Amazing Spider-Man!
(you knew i was going to have to mention it here eventually)

now let's hope that the real thing is even better than it is in fiction. i've got my fingers crossed (but am pretty sure i don't have to)...

Singapore Se.

just read this in "Khabbar" an indian magazine my parents read. rang true to some of my earlier observations on Indians in Singapore (esp the last 1/3 of their article):

Singapore Se
By Zafar Anjum

Can you name a country which is the richest in its region, with Indians forming less than 10 percent of its population, and yet it has an Indian president, many Indian cabinet ministers and a thriving professional class of Indians with their own global glossies and radio stations?

It is not Dubai. It is Singapore.

That’s why it didn’t seem odd when I was recently chatting about Singapore’s Indian diaspora—new and old—with some American students in a café on Orchard Road (Singapore’s famous strip of upscale malls). These students from a college in Indiana were in Singapore to conduct research on the Indian diaspora in the island state. Why did they choose Singapore for their study? Because it is the microcosm of the Indian diaspora in a globalized city state in all its hues and colors—old and new, rich and poor, from all regions of India, and representing more or less all cultures and religions of India.

Here is a succinct description of the Indian diaspora’s situation in Singapore. This is a diaspora whose story might not have been narrated to the world, but it is a story of grit and hard work and of final triumph that needs to be broadcast and celebrated.

The Indian community
When I first arrived in Singapore a few years ago, little did I know that I was coming as a member of the “new diaspora,” that there already existed a vibrant “old diaspora” of Indians in this tiny city state, and that I was a mere speck in a phenomenon of migration that was in action for centuries. In the months and years that followed, I discovered that Indians had become a major ingredient in the racially mixed salad bowl of Singapore.
Singapore is among the world’s tiniest countries with a total land area of just 266 square miles and has a population of about 4.5 million, of which 76 percent are Chinese, 13.7 percent Malay and 8.4 percent Indian (Singapore Department of Statistics, 2005). The vast majority of the 350,000 Indians in Singapore, almost 64 percent, are Tamilian. They are followed by Punjabis, 8 percent; Malyalis, 8 percent; Sindhis 6 percent; and Gujaratis, 2 percent. Almost a quarter of the Indian population—about 90,000—are permanent residents (non-citizens) who live and work in Singapore.

Despite being a minority, Indians have achieved much to enrich Singaporean life, culture and economy. Indians can be seen in the top echelons everywhere. “Being a creative and entrepreneurial group, Indians are a great asset to our economy,” Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong once commented on the community’s contribution to Singapore.

In politics, the community has produced many outstanding leaders. The current President of Singapore is S. R. Nathan, an Indian Singaporean. Earlier also, Singapore had an Indian President in C. V. Devan Nair (1981-1985). Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister, Professor S. Jayakumar, is Indian and so are two other cabinet ministers: Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan. Indians are well represented in other walks of life, too, ranging from medicine and law to media, civil service and business. In fact, the proportion of Indians who works professionals, managers, executives and technicians has doubled in the last decade or so. The expat Indians have a direct hand in the recent realty boom, forming one of the largest groups to buy property in Singapore.

In the cultural space, yoga, Indian dances and Indian cuisine are exceedingly popular among Singaporeans. Indian food is as much part of Singaporean cuisine as Chinese or Malay food. Bollywood movies are a craze in Singapore, and not just among Indians. Shahrukh Khan is a household name among Malay families. He is even popular among the Chinese who like to see Bollywood films. “I really like Shahrukh Khan and I love watching Bollywood movies,” confided one of my Chinese colleagues over lunch one day. “What do you like about them?” I asked her. “I love their story lines—the family situations and the bonding between family members, the emotional scenes, the song and dances,” she said. “These are the kinds of experiences that only Bollywood movies can provide.” Touché.

Patterns of migration
Indian migration to Singapore dates back to the early 19th century, when Sir Stamford Raffles established Singapore as a trading post. Malaya and Singapore were sparsely populated, so the British authorities encouraged the migration of Chinese and indentured Indian labor to meet the demands of the expanding colonial economy.

The trading post also attracted Indian merchants and traders. The Chulias (Tamil Muslim traders from the coastal area) were the earliest Indian traders to come to Singapore. Another important group of migrant traders was led by Narayana Pillai, an influential figure among the old diaspora, who built the famous Sri Mariamman Temple in 1827. Next came the Chettiars, who were in the money-lending business, followed by Sindhi traders in 1860. English-educated Malayalis also headed to Singapore, giving rise to a middle class of Indian professionals. The Sikh immigration started in 1870, mainly as part of the police force and as military personnel. By 1931, Indians in Malaya and Singapore numbered over 620,000 and comprised 14.3 percent of the population.

In the 1940s, Indian nationalism in Singapore reached its peak. Indian Freedom fighter Subhash Chandra Bose came to Singapore in 1943 and many Indians joined his Azad Hind Fauj. During the Emergency period (the 1948-60 communist insurgency in peninsular Malaya and Singapore, most active between 1948 and 1951), Singapore imposed strict restrictions on migration. Immigration from Indians was not fully opened until 1990. The new immigrants, members of Singapore’s new diaspora, are mainly professionals and have had major impact on the demographics of the Indian community.

Paradigm shift
A few years ago, if one were asked about the Indian community in Singapore, one could have described it in one sentence: a minority of top achievers, the rest a ‘ticking bomb’ of underclass citizenry.

But today, the situation is different. While the so-called underclass has shown signs of improvement, it is the influx of white collar workers from India, encouraged by the Singapore government’s policies, that has set in motion the dynamics of change in perception. These new Indians can be seen right at the top, leading or managing companies in Singapore or working as top-notch professionals (managers, engineers, doctors, IT professionals, et al.) in global and regional companies in the island state.

The community has been so successful that last year saw the launch of India Se, a monthly glossy magazine for global Indians. Says its founder editor Shobha Tsering Bhalla, “I felt it was high time we had a magazine. I felt we had reached a critical mass and critical achievement level and they (NRI Indians or global Indians) needed their own media. They needed their own media to shout about their achievements and aspirations. Also, there was a need for that media for advertisers to reach them.” According to Shobha, the magazine is already in its second year and is doing well, reaching out not just to Indians in Singapore but to Indians in the entire Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

This year, a Bollywood radio station has been added to the bouquet of radio stations run by MediaCorp, one of the two largest media companies in Singapore. This is in addition to the Tamil radio channels that have been operating for a long time. Also, almost all major cable TV channels from India are now available to the Indian community in Singapore.

This group of new Indians has helped change the perception of Indians among members of other races in Singapore. Until now, despite producing a stunning crop of brilliant professionals, businessmen, bureaucrats and politicians over the decades, Indians of the old diaspora were usually seen as blue collar workers—and this image was strengthened by the constant inflow of laborers from India, especially the south. The new Indian immigrants, with their professional expertise and high income status, have helped transform the image of Indians in Singapore.

Until the high tech boom, the Indian labor pool was comprised principally of blue collar construction workers and domestic help. Fewer than 9 percent of Indian expats (permanent residents) in 1990 held a college degree. By contrast, in 2000 almost 51 percent of Indian permanent residents were college educated.

Singapore’s Indian citizens have noticeably lower academic credentials: fewer than 8 percent of Singapore Indian citizens have a college degree, for example. Since expat Indians account for almost a quarter of Singapore’s Indian population, the new, educated, high income Indian professionals have altered the overall community demographics in dramatic ways. In the last ten years, the proportion of blue collar workers has halved, from about 15 percent to 8 percent, whereas the proportion of professionals and managerial workers has doubled from about 22 percent to 43 percent of the total India workforce. This numerical transition has helped revolutionize the image of Indians in Singapore.

The average annual income of Indians between 1990 and 2000 grew from about US$10,000 to US$22,600—an increase more substantial in the Indian community than in any other ethnic group.

The magnetism of Singapore
Singapore is a magnet for Indians—both tourists and immigrants. More Indians are flocking to Singapore than ever before, thanks to a booming economy and its reputation as an overseas destination. In terms of tourists, Indians are the fourth largest group of visitors to the island nation after Indonesians, Chinese and Australians. In 2007, 749,000 Indians came calling as against 658,685 in 2006, accounting for seven percent of the total visitors (about 10 million).

But tourism apart, the question to ask is: Why are the new Indians choosing to come to Singapore?

I recently met an Indian neurologist who works in one of the top government hospitals in Singapore. A Tamil Muslim, he worked for eight years in Malaysia and then for about two years in Australia. Four years ago he decided to bring his family to Singapore and settle here. “Though people in Australia were nice and I had all the material comforts of life there, I was worried about my children’s future,” he said. “What kind of values will they grow up with? I wanted to expose my children to more Asian values and culture and I found Singapore best suited to offer the best of the East and the West,” he said.

What the doctor said underlines what is unique about Singapore: in terms of infrastructure and comforts and conveniences, it offers facilities at par or even better than what is available in most Western countries. At the same time, an atmosphere of multiculturalism and cosmopolitanism, curated by the government and grassroots organizations, provides the cultural nest to immigrants. The presence of a notable Indian diaspora makes the new immigrants immediately feel at home.

“Long-term economic prospects predicated on good government and security—this is Singapore’s sweetest siren call for foreigners,” said Shobha Tsering Bhalla, who came to Singapore in 1986 and has now taken up Singapore citizenship. “Singapore’s delicious and diverse cuisines, its verdant parks and efficient transport system are just the icing on the cake.”

According to Shobha, her businessman husband swears by Singapore. “Where else in the world could you do business like in Singapore?” he says. Singapore’s smooth, efficient and transparent business atmosphere was critical in their decision to put down roots in Singapore, especially for an Indian family that had seen life in places like the U.K., Russia and Egypt.

For India-born Manpreet Singh, formerly the CEO of Mindshare Singapore, the decision to become a Singapore citizen was simple. “During a discussion with my Portuguese girlfriend, she asked me: ‘So, where do you want to settle down?’ The answer came as a flash—Singapore. I have been here for ten years and there is no better place I can think of to stay than Singapore,” he told a Singapore newspaper. Singh, who has lived in Hong Kong previously, became a Singapore citizen in 2005.

Singapore’s new citizens come predominantly from Southeast, South and East Asia. Indians form a significant part of this group. The Singapore government is also trying to boost the country’s population by inviting more migrants to work and live here. According to government estimates, some 2 million more migrants are expected here over the next 40 to 50 years—boosting Singapore’s population to 6.5 million.

The gulf between the old and the new diaspora
However, the influx and the success of the new Indians has also created a gulf, a divide, between the old and the new diaspora.

Writing about one of his recent visits to Singapore, diplomat and columnist Shashi Tharoor note in The Hindu: “I was struck, during my one-week visit to Singapore, by the frequent references my friends made to the existence of an expatriate-Indian/local-Indian divide. There seems to be little mixing between the two groups—Indians from India still see themselves essentially as expatriates and have few friendships with local Singaporean Indians, other than the affluent elite amongst the latter. This is a particularly Singaporean problem with few parallels elsewhere, because other countries with long-established Indian populations, like Fiji, Mauritius or Guyana, do not also have a significant ‘new’ Indian expatriate community. Because the expatriate community is large enough to be socially self-sustaining, there seems to be little social contact with the ‘locals.’”

Shobha Tsering Balla tries to explain the new and old Indian divide in these terms: “The new Indians are a light cut above them (the old diaspora), educationwise, exposurewise, in terms of thinking, because they all come with degrees. Many of the Indians here never got a chance to do their degrees. They suddenly started feeling threatened [by these developments]. Indians have started to come in with so much more education levels and on a much higher salary, living in better housing, educating their children in better schools.”

“There will always be a divide between the new and old Indians in Singapore and it is not something that has been artificially created,” adds Shobha. “It just the natural dividing line like in any other immigrant society. If you go to the U.K., there will be a dividing line between the just arrived immigrant and the Southall U.K. Indian. That may not be as pronounced as the dividing line between a new immigrant and a Serangoon (the Indian enclave in Singapore) Indian. It is so natural. It is language, dress and food [that creates the divide]. If these factors are common, then references to context are easier.”

But Shobha thinks there is a way out. “This gulf can be narrowed as we mix socially, as we start working together and inviting each other to our houses, as we start forming relationship, she says. “I think ten years is too short a time to gauge that. But this is possible if both sides made a conscious effort [to mix] with each other.”

Tharoor also suggests a similar approach: “The key to a solution may lie in the expatriates ceasing to be expatriate and making Singapore their permanent home, at which point certain common elements may well come to the fore. But I wouldn’t necessarily bet on it.”

Even if the new and old Indians may not be mixing that frequently for now, the old Indians are surely mixing with other races in Singapore—and a good indicator of this trend is interracial marriages: Last year, interracial marriages accounted for 16.4 percent of about 24,000 marriages, compared to 8.9 percent in 1997.

A booming relationship with a growing India
Since the 1990s, the significance of the Singaporean Indian community has increased because of their strong and invaluable links with India, especially at a time when Singapore seeks to ride on India’s growth. With India opening up its economy, there is a boom in the bilateral trade between the two countries; tourism and investments are steadily growing. In fact, the Singapore government has signed a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement with India that is bringing the two countries closer than ever. Indian companies already see Singapore as a good base—1400 have set up offices here and comprise the fourth largest contingent of foreign firms.

As Tharoor observed, “What is particularly striking about this is that Singapore is perhaps the country with the greatest affinity for, and interest in, contemporary India.”

The Future
The future for Indians in Singapore is bright.

This is not just wishful thinking. Over the decades, the Indian population has grown, from about 6 percent to over 8 percent now. In terms of education, its progress far exceeds any other community’s. And the increase in Indian income is greater than what you see among Malays or Chinese. Also, as noted, there is growing official interest in India and the local Indian community. A sure sign was the mini PBD (Pravasi Bharatiya Divas) held in Singapore this October. So far, New York has been the only other non-Indian city to host this prestigious gathering of overseas Indians.

All these factors evoke a feel good attitude and optimism about Indians in Singapore. But I think their success story can be even more spectacular when the divide between the old and the new diaspora is bridged. As Tharoor puts it, plainly but so effectively, all that remains is for the two sets of Indians in Singapore to understand each other better.

===
SIDEBAR ITEMS:
Little India
Little India in the Serangoon Road area symbolizes the Indian community in Singapore. Spread over just a few kilometers, it showcases temples, mosques, malls, restaurants, small shops selling cheap clothes, electronics, flowers and vegetables, Indian magazines and DVDs. Two businesses—jewelry and food—dominate. Given the penchant for gold and silver in the South Asian community, there are dozens of jewelry shops to cater to their needs. As for restaurants and eateries, there are more than 100 to choose from.

At the head of Serangoon Road, there is the Little India Arcade and the Tekka Mall, the latter currently being redesigned and set to reopen as an electronics mall. Many foreigners visit the Little India Arcade for souvenirs, bolts of cloth, temple garlands, gold jewelry, ayurvedic medicines and spices.

On Campbell Lane, one can see shops that display Indian musical instruments, furniture and brassware. Mustafa Centre, as Singapore’s largest Indian mall, occupies 150,000 square feet and sells over 150,000 items. Open 24 hours, it is in a way the lifeblood of expat Indians in Singapore. Starting out as a small clothing store in 1971, Mustafa Centre grew to its present size on Syed Alvi Road by 1995. It packs in over 15,000 customers of all nationalities during weekends, and has an annual turnover of $302 million.

In Little India alone, there are plenty of restaurants to satisfy your appetite. The better-known ones include Komala Vilas, Delhi Restaurant, Anand Bhawan, Copper Chimney and Raj. You can go to Race Course Road for dining options like Muthu’s, Banana Leaf Apollo, Hyderabadi Biryani Restaurant and Anjappar’s. If you would rather enjoy dining in the open air by the Singapore River, head on to Boat Quay and Clarke Quay. You will find many fine Indian restaurants serving food by the promenade. If you have set your heart on savoring local dishes like Roti Prata, Murtabak, biryanis and fish-head curry, the best places in town are the Islamic Restaurant and Zam Zam on North Bridge Road near the Sultan Mosque. The choices are endless.

Religious Landmarks
The monumental Sri Mariamman Temple, Singapore’s oldest Hindu temple, is on South Bridge Road in Chinatown. Originally built in 1827 (rebuilt in 1843), it is dedicated to Mariamman, the goddess of healing. There are about two dozen temples in Singapore. Little India has three major ones: Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple and Sakaya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple.

Sri Veeramakaliamman is dedicated to the goddess Kali. The temple has a huge number of her figures in various incarnations along with the figures of her two sons, Murugan and Ganesh. The Thaipusum festival is dedicated to Lord Murugan. Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple is a little further down on Serangoon Road. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and his consorts. It has a wide courtyard that is used by devotees during the Thaipusam festival. The Sakaya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple, which has an illuminated 50-feet high Buddha statue on Race Course Road, is also known as the temple of a thousand lights.

kamla rani marwaha - jan 7, 1927 - jan 8, 2009

i've known this was coming for quite some time, and just got the phone call from my mom.

i often forget what an extraordinary life my grandmother lived. she lived on 4 continents, and spoke more than 4 languages.

born in a small town in Punjab, India, as a young bride she would later move to Kampala, Uganda with my grandfather, where they would start their family (my mother and her 3 siblings). during Idi Amin's rule, my grandparents would flee to England, where they finished raising their children. as a child, i spent many summers "over the pond" at my grandma's house in Wolverhampton (a little bit further than over the river and thru the woods"). more recently, her son, my [late] Uncle Joe, would bring his parents to the US, where she lived in southern California, until she passed away less than an hour ago.

over the past few years, as her health has had it's ups and downs, i've made quite a few trips to see her and spend some time with her. last night i spoke with grandma to wish her a happy birthday, and was somewhat distressed by her condition, yet today still came as a surprise. she was 81 years old and a day. she's survived by her husband (my grandfather), and her 3 daughters, one of whom is my mother.

that's me and my grandma in Montgomery, AL (i'm assuming a few weeks after i was born). i'm going to miss her. but i'm glad to have spent so much time with her over the years, especially as an adult.

i hope she's in a better place now. but i'll still miss you grandma. we all will.

states & capitAls.

something educational for you on this fine frigid afternoon. this little runt is smarter than me (my favorite part is at 1:34 when he mentions my hometown)!

further proof to me that the youth of America (and the world) must be put down before they take over!

this is total CRAP.

for serious?!? like i have $9380 burning a hole in my pocket for these d-bags?

i guess my future progeny will just have to deal with ramancoke.com, unless they can come up with something equally as hilarious.

oh, and in related news, someone i know had a baby recently. congrats (and a delayed ramancoke congratulations to the newest addition to the Zilch's & the Mathur's). i hope you've already bought your kids domain names...

why i likes the comic bloogs.

in all honesty, this plethora of excellence came from pretty much one source, Chris' Invincible Super Blog:

sanjay gupta = surgeon general?

my sis (the doctor) just sent me this. definitely one of those WTF/really?/cool moments.

think about it. other than being a hip, young (39), PRACTICING doctor who as a correspondent for CNN, is critical of the national AND world health situation. and i'm sure my mom respects the fact that he's brown.

plus, he's been parodied by the Daily Show already (the lead girl in the opening of this video is apparently my buddy Rajiv's fellow newscaster on the side)

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Paging Dr. Mandvi - Political Genes

now, if only Barry would nominate Fareed Zakaria to some prominent post in his administration, i could resign myself to happiness (no idea, who i'm talking about, you clearly don't watch enough Daily Show...but i forgive you, just read this article or book...you might actually learn something).

i hope i'm this cool when i'm a dad.

"a new bag each day for my kids.
i'm the dad. i make these during my lunch break."

to see more Lunch Bag Art, go here.

and be sure to scroll thru all of them. there are some especially good ones (esp when his kid's teacher sends a note back)

THE comic book list.

upon my fierce recommendation, my pal Bob recently picked up Watchmen, and was blown away. soon, he was asking for OTHER good comic reading.

naturally, in true Raman form, i obsessed over the razor-sharp list that i would provide back to him (of my semi-recent comic greats from the past ~15 years). i now share that list to the rest you, my non-comic-book reading fans (everything below links to Amazon for more info/purchase, but you can probably just as easily get this literary greats from your local library, or if you live in NY, from the storage unit that houses the bulk of my material belongings).

and a-WAY we go...

Watchmen - this one is THE great. soon to be made into a movie (sure to disappoint =(. but i stand firmly by my belief that this should be required reading for all (high) school children.

Scott Pilgrim – this is currently my favorite comic (being made into a movie w/ Michael Cera leading). Very real-life/manga-influenced. About a normal guy in Canada.
Marvels – a tale of the beginnings of the Marvel Universe (Spidey, X-Men, Captain America, Fantastic Four, etc), from a reporters POV
Kingdom Come – a tale of the END of the DC Universe (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, etc), from a minisiter’s POV
...these last 2 are excellently painted by a guy named Alex Ross, so it all looks very hyper-realistic (and as with everything recommended here, they are excellently written)

Pretty grown-up stuff (in a vein similar to Watchmen)
Y: the Last Man - one of the writers for “Lost” scribes this gem of a series. imagine that every man on earth, save one, survived. get your head out of the gutter and think about the consequences of 1/2 of the world population being obliterated. this book examines this in serious detail, thru the journey of one man, and his monkey (literally).
Preacher – this was pretty revolutionary when it came out ~10 years ago. story of a Preacher, his best girl, and his Scottish Vampire buddy on their quest to find God).
Walking Dead – pretend if they had a TV series that starts as a zombie movie, but keeps going. ie, you keep following the survivors.
Powers – follows a couple superhero homicide detectives in the big, bad city. explores the dark side of super-heroics and it's effect on the society that looks up in the sky.
Ex Machina - same writer as “Y”. what if the mayor of NY was an ex-superhero? West Wing meets…Greatest American Superhero).
Sin City – you can’t go wrong here. Read them in order tho. the movie vignettes are almost identical to this in script/look/feel.

your more traditional super hero fare:
Ultimate Spider-Man – probably the BEST super hero comic on the market. Reads like a WB TV series. Lots of teen angst. Basically rebooting Spider-Man as a modern teen
Invincible – a STRONG runner up. Better than spidey bc it’s new and fresh. but still only gets 2nd bc Spidey is one of my favorites
the Ultimates – the Avengers, Marvels premiere super-team (Capt America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, etc) if Jerry Bruckheimer were to make it a movie)
the Flash: Terminal Velocity – this is THE story arc that got me BACK into comics after I briefly quit in junior high
Superman: For All Seasons – a refreshing tale of Superman’s first year, told in themes based on the 4 seasons (by one of the now-writers of Heroes).
Superman: Secret Identity – what if Superman existed in our world? By the guy who wrote Marvels (Kurt Busiek)
Batman: Year One - Batman Begins was loosely based on this, by the guy who did Sin City, and 300 (Frank Miller)
Batman: the Long Halloween – a year one tale of Batman, told by the guys who did Superman: For All Seasons (Jeph Loeb & Tim Sale)
Batman: the Dark Knight Returns - Batman comes out of retirement in a dystopic future to kick some ass) - also by Frank Miller
Daredevil: Out/Underboss – forget about the (bad) movie. Brian Bendis (the crime author who writes Powers and Ult Spider-Man) took this b-list hero to the next level
Astonishing X-men – a refreshing new take on our favorite mutants. by the TV writer behind “Buffy”, “Firefly”, and Serenity (Joss Whedon)
New X-men – the bizarre art/story of Grant Morrison/Frank Quitely here will blow you away

Bone - one of the cutest (+ probably smartest) series around (if you dig Lord of the Rings & the stories of Pixar films). the modern (moral) fairy tale of a young traveller and his brothers, and what they find along the way.

so pick up one of these, start reading, and thank me later.

tweeting the move.

as i was bored silly on my drive to NY yesterday (and apparently trying to kill myself...thank the maker for "rumble strips"...don't try this at home kids), i documented the journey via twitter. here's the transcript, recorded here for posterity's sake:

6:46 AM about to start quite possibly the longest commute of my life.

9:24 AM ich bin hier: http://twitpic.com/yy1c

10:04 AM dear zanesville, OH: thank you for letting me use your fine lavatory facilities, for I have a wee bladder.

10:10 AM (from Sean): looks like you will be near Pittsburgh for lunch. Try to find a primanti bros. Anything with fries on it.

10:38 AM (to Sean): thanks for the suggestion, but no can do this time. I need to get to my (home) office by 7pm for a key meeting (dinner)

10:44 AM barnartist.com just saw painted on the side of a barn (duh) with an eagle. AWESOME.

11:06 AM "west virginia, mountain mama, country roads, take me home..." http://twitpic.com/yyo211:16 AM next state, please... http://twitpic.com/yyr2
11:18 PM (from Miriam): are you driving up through bethlehem? you should stop by!!

11:39 PM (to Miriam): augh! too late! you shoulda called me! (sad)
(i thought i had already passed Bethlehem, PA)

11:47 AM (from Miriam) where are you now? nyack is just a couple of hours down 287-78 from bethlehem, so you should come visit!

11:59 AM did you know @bobbyarnold had his own city? http://twitpic.com/yz2r

12:27 highschool/college mixtape #4: "the Saturn drive mix"

12:37 PM just passed the halfway point...now i HAVE to go there... http://twitpic.com/yze4
4:06 PM getting closer... http://twitpic.com/z1po
4:46 PM slight detour in Bethlehem, PA, to visit miriam, a highschool friend who saw my travels

6:46 PM new jersey

7:02 PM aaaaannnd we're done. http://twitpic.com/z3sf about 19 hours ago

THE last supper.

one of the only things i'm going to miss about Cincinnati (other than my townhome + big TV/couch):
allow me to elaborate.

when i first moved to Cincinnati, i was on the eternal quest to find a "dirty Mexican" restaurant (defined by me via 3 key criteria:
#1: food comes out abnormally fast.
#2: they serve white queso dip (yum!)
#3: you pay up front.

i guess one could say it was my attempt to have a little piece of home (Alabama that is. i'm not Mexican, my sister's childhood claims of my adoption are grossly exaggerated) in my new city.

within a few months, when a few AL friends were visiting, we randomly stumbled upon Fiesta Brava, in Maineville, OH. it soon quickly became a favorite spot to organize mexican food outtings. but the masses revolted and could not stand the 30-minute commute (which i only sometimes drive, and if you know me, you know that in Cincinnati i hate leaving my 5-mile radius). this place was practically in Canada for me.

but my friends still came. i soon began having my birthday dinners there (the only exception being this last year, where i hosted my birthday @ Toylab...we instead went next door to the more local Mexican restaraunt, Los Portales). and when it came time to move to Singapore last fall, i had my "last supper" at Fiesta Brava.

so it was only appropriate that on my last night in Cincinnati, i force some of my closest friends in town to make the pilgramage up to Fiesta Brava one last time (not all are pictured here, as some had to leave early...i'm the guy in the green "sad robot" shirt, as it's been a lethargic last few days wrapping up my life here).

but the cheese dip was still good. AND we got a "week in review" drawing in to boot!

too bad me, nor any of my other AL friends in NY, have yet to find a decent "dirty Mexican" restaraunt in the city.

i love a challenge.

year in review.

i had sent the note below out with my hilarious (as always) Christmas Cards. seemed appropriate to share given the day and all.

--
Friends, Ramans, Countrymen: i usually scoff at those who send an “annual letter,” so believe me, it is with some reserve that i write you this holiday update. it’s been a pretty eventful year, so if receiving this, you’re someone i care enough about to (1) send a funny card, and/or (2) keep up-to-date the latest happenings you might not have already heard about (seriously, why is ONLY my mom reading ramancoke.com?). thus begins my 2008 “Year in Review” (in written, not drawn form :)

JANUARY: the new year was rung in alongside one of my closest friends in Chiang Mai, Thailand (↑). paper lanterns were lit, as we watched them float into the sky with thousands of others. 2007 had been a long year, i was ready to see what lay ahead. before moving BACK to the States (from my 2007 work stint in SE Asia, where Kathryn & i took the chance to travel the region extensively – the only nations NOT covered being Laos, Brunei, and Myanmar –a return is inevitable) – a week alone was spent backpacking thru South India, a region which may as well be a country unto itself. from the backwaters of Kerala to the temples of Tamil Nadu (↑), I had plenty of time to explore a facet India different from my own heritage, and reflect on what part the culture/religion of my people played in my life. and i saw a lot of elephants. they smell.

coming back was like hitting a brick wall in many ways. the return-culture shock of too-big portions, the 24/7 news cycle (where little of value is said), bad reality television, and the cold Cincinnati winter quickly gave me pause. but i WAS able to get good Mexican food again, catch up on my comic books, be in a closer time zone to my family, and draw the news (→) on a weekly basis with my friends. so it was all good. my new job had me leading some really cool, BIG stuff on Tide, Downy, and Gain. not having to buy laundry detergent was also a plus.

APRIL: shortly after returning, Kat finally jumped ship from P&G (the company where we met some 5 years earlier), and took a position in NY. thus began the no-fun long-distance relationship. but have no fear, we had a plan. it would just take a bit. now i had to find something to do with all my free time. little did I know that i’d wind up making toys for kids. i soon discovered Happen Inc., a local non-profit, whose mission is to bring parents and kids together thru creative arts. one of their programs, Happen’s Toylab, was where i'd spend weekends donning a lab-coat and using power tools to make kids happy (←). think Sid’s toys from Toy Story meets Build-a-Bear, only 53x times* cooler. i quickly got involved with Happen’s other community programs, while also lending my professional hand to help take Happen Inc. to the next level. by far this work has been one of the more fulfilling things i’ve done in my adult life. AND the easiest way to becoming a professor i’ve found to date. though i am still remiss to have discovered it so late in my time in Cincinnati.

*(when compared to typically lame kid things like video games, ready-sweetened cereals, and Chuck-E-Cheese)

JULY-OCTOBER: taking the fulfillment angle a notch further, i also got involved with the Obama campaign in Cincinnati (“think globally, act locally”). reading the news, discussing with friends, and donating while abroad was one thing, but rolling my sleeves up in Ohio (a “battleground state” in US politics), like so many others, young AND old, knocking on neighborhood doors, near and far, and talking to people about “my candidate” made a difference. especially when on Nov. 4 the Ohio win pretty much sealed the next leader of the free world. but winning the election was one thing, fixing the current state of affairs is another. though for the first time in a long while, i’m really excited to see where WE can take our country. that, and hopefully Jon Stewart might stop being so funny and sad at the same time. a boy can dream.

NOVEMBER: the day AFTER the election, i gave myself a bad haircut, and stepped on a plane for Ushuaia, Argentina, where i'd join my college roommate, board a Russian boat, and make way for Antarctica - where I would set foot on my 6th continent, one step closer to my goal of “7 before 30” (Africa is last). words can barely describe the scale and wonder of the Antarctic. only possible to go to during their summer, the continent halves in size as the surrounding sea ice melts, a fantastic sight. and yes, there were penguins everywhere (↑). and NO, i did not bring one back for you. that would be illegal.

the week after was spent wandering Argentina, hiking glaciers in Tiera del Fuego, hanging out with friends in Buenos Aires, and even making a side trip to Uruguay. highlights? gazing cemetery statues, hilarious local children, and a really big pillow fight (←).

DECEMBER: upon returning home to Cincinnati, preparation for my next trip would commence immediately – moving to NY, where i'll be taking a transfer with P&G to focus on broader media/measurement work. the best part (and the real reason for going) - being back with Kathryn (→). where do go from here? well, there, but after 5+ years as friends and otherwise, let’s just say i'm optimistic. i think that’s become a personal theme of mine these past few years, as life is good.

so, i think i got around pretty well in 2008. saw some neat things. spent time connecting with family & friends of old, while also making friends anew from all over (Austria, California, India, Israel, Korea, Sweden, St.Martin, and yes, even Canada). and there were even 2 REALLY good comic book movies. i mean, what are the odds?

i hope this year has been equally as great for you & yours, & only wish you the best in the new year(s) to come. please do stay in touch.

-Raman (December 2008)