Must see TV

This is exactly the kind of thing I want to see less than a week before the election. These kids are amazing like Michele Bachmann is fucking crazy. If you watch any video in the next five days, make it this one.

The small beach

Most of my posts as of late have consisted of rehashed news stories and viral videos concerning the election and have generally had nothing at all to do with Japan. While I can't say this check-in exactly breaks the mold in terms of disrupting the former of those conditions, it does at least put the focus back on my current home.



Welcome to Obama, Japan, population 32,000 and just about the only place in the world not yet sick of hearing about the upcoming election. While you may have already heard the story of this small town and their fascination with Obama (Barack, that is), what you probably haven't heard is how appropriately the phenomenon speaks to Japanese pride and regional identities.

For a quick anecdote, let me take you with me on a drive I took not long ago down route 192 in Tokushima. Now Tokushima ranked near last in a 2006 survey of the most desirable prefectures in Japan, but you'd never know it from the advertising here. As my friends and I drove from East to West, we first passed a sign for a shop selling "famous" Tokushima ramen. Despite being just one of a multitude of ramen types sold in Japan (fyi: ramen is actually Chinese, but don't point that out), anyone in Tokushima will swear to you that their prefecture's is totally unique and amongst the country's finest. Of course, after filling up on the noodles, we then had the choice of heading north to the "world famous" Naruto whirlpools, or to go west and check out one of "Japan's 100 most scenic waterfalls." How this ranking is significant in a country roughly the size of California is puzzling, but regardless it never seems to be omitted from the various guidebooks and pamphlets that can be picked up along the road.

I say all this because I firmly believe that Japan is a place where regional pride and identity means everything. And if that's true, then the city of Obama has found the mother of all hooks to hang their hat on. Despite the fact Obama the politician has no actual ties to the Obama the place, the city's residents have nevertheless adopted him as their man, stamping everything from chopsticks to t-shirts to sweets with the senator's likeness, and even setting up their own support club. Clearly, the connection is something the people in this fishing village take seriously.


members of the "Obama Girls" dance troupe show their support


a city official proudly displays a letter from the senator himself


Obama residents cheer as they watch campaign coverage at a rally

Obama may mean "small beach" in Japanese, but at least in one town the word denotes something much bigger.

8 years later

If in another eight years, we find little to look back on and thank Barack Obama and John McCain for, we can at least credit them with inspiring the revival of one of the all-time great TV ad campaigns. Well worth the wait, if you ask me.

Mailing it in

With my ballot completed, quadruple checked, sealed in an iron box, and officially mailed off, I feel I at least deserve to print out my own sticker. Several months ago, I envisioned this day and imagined the need to justify my vote for Obama. Like the rest of America, I anticipated a tight race and polling places as divided as the constituents themselves. With roughly a week and a half to go before the actual election day, clearly anything can still happen, but the past month or so has, in the least, all but negated my need to put the reasons for my decision into writing. I say this not because I feel that common sense should prevail, but because so many others, including a good number of republicans, have done so already for me. I do, however, feel the need to explain exactly why I feel Obama and this election is so important to my generation. And since it is my blog after all, I ask that you please allow me just this one indulgence.

The first time I saw Barack Obama speak, it was on the Late Show With David Letterman. I have absolutely no recollection of what was spoken about, but I remember being struck by Obama's charisma. I knew very little about politics at the time (as opposed to my mere "limited" knowledge now), but I knew enough to surmise that elections were about roughly 15% policy and facts, and 85% presentation. By my calculation, if the guy with the funny name was indeed going to run for president (as was rumored at the time), I figured he had a pretty good chance of making a real run at it. The more I read about Obama from that point forward, though, the more I realized that there was more than a fair bit of substance to match his style. His views as a social liberal seemed to match up with mine, and I truly appreciated his ability to think critically about issues in a level-headed way. And so I began to do my research, and I watched his speech from the 2004 Democratic Convention, and like so many other young Americans, I was inspired. For the first time in my life, I was actually inspired by a politician. And while it probably shouldn't be, I find that to be amazing. Regardless of what people say about voters my age and our propensity to drink the kool aid for young, eloquent, intelligent black presidential candidates, the fact remains that Mr. Obama was able to motivate and mobilize an entire generation of voters who may not have been active before. And I think that's pretty cool.

My fear then, as we approached the final push not two shorts months ago, was that all that inspiration would somehow end up for naught. If Obama were somehow to lose the election, particularly in a means similar to that of 2000 (and again, anything can happen), I feared that the impact on twenty-somethings and our political engagement would be catastrophic. It now seems, fingers crossed, that that's not going to happen. I want to return to an America that's looking up, even through struggles, and to a leader who inspires us with optimism rather than fear. I want my kids, God willing I have them, to grow up as part of generation that is less cynical about their country than mine. And while I don't know what's going to happen in twelve days, I at least know that I won't be the only one my age holding my breath. After today, it's quite literally out of my hands.

Mind-boggling

Could somebody please explain to me what the hell is going on here? This guy needs to be fired immediately. Inexplicably stupid.

Putting out an APB

What: Debate watching party
Where: Matsumoto Bldg. rooftop
When: Friday, October 24, 7 PM
Why: democracy, terrorism


"Because I'm a maverick, and mavericks like to party"

Conscientious viewing

On the recommendation of a good friend I set aside two hours this past week to watch the PBS Frontline program entitled "The Choice 2008." Not only was the show one of the most objective (and noticeably optimistic) media pieces on politics I've ever seen, but watching it I got the sense that PBS truly cared about educating, and not just entertaining, the general public. Indeed, it would seem that PBS spared no expense in obtaining interviews from some of the campaigns' foremost voices, and in my mind the network earns even more points for publishing a list of journalistic guidelines, as well as a teacher's guide, on the program's website. Details about the issues themselves were somewhat lacking - in reality, if one wanted to hear about the candidates' positions on particular issues, he or she might be wise to look elsewhere - but from a human interest and historical perspective, I have to believe that you'd be hard pressed to find a more illuminating and comprehensive film on the election at present.

Please do yourself a favor and have a look if you get the chance. You can stream the entire program on both the PBS Choice 2008 website and YouTube, or you can download the show free from iTunes.

Zorbing

The "sport" is called zorbing, and it turns out that there are few greater thrills in Tokushima. I spent a good part of yesterday afternoon hamster-balling my way down a hill in Miyoshi, and although I can't share the rush with you, I can at least offer up some of the sights and sounds via my camera. Check it out:


ascending in the zorb express


view from the top


inside the sphere


the ride


another view

At 700 yen a roll, you can bet I'll be back again.

The world's oldest running joke

I was 10 years old when this was first reported - needless to say, I'm cautiously optimistic. From RollingStone.com:

It’s a day many Guns N’ Roses fans thought would never come: Chinese Democracy, the album Axl Rose has labored over for more than a decade, will finally hit stores on Sunday, November 23rd (a departure from the normal Tuesday record release day). The album will be sold exclusively in Best Buy stores and online at Bestbuy.com and iTunes. A music video is in the works, and the band — in which Rose is the only remaining original member — is expected to tour in 2009, according to a source close to G N’ R. “The music is well worth waiting for,” says Gary Arnold, senior entertainment officer for Best Buy, which began negotiating the deal in 2007. “We’ve all heard the stories about this album, and now everybody gets to hear that it’s real.”

The album’s 14 songs include the poppy “Better,” rocker “Shackler’s Revenge” (featured in the new Rock Band 2), the power ballad “If the World” (which plays in the new film Body of Lies), the anthemic title track and a song called “Scraped” that was previously unknown to fans. “It’s going to be a great rock Christmas,” Arnold says. “I just hope it doesn’t take 14 years for the next one.” BestBuy.com has a listings page up that isn’t taking pre-orders yet but does have the full track list and suggests that there will be several different versions of the album available (or at least a few different covers).

Hehehehe...

Uh oh...

Keith Olbermann is pissed.

The view from the trees

Arashiyama, Kyoto, 10.10.08

Politics for the lazy

What I really heard during the second presidential debate:

Get the latest news satire and funny videos at 236.com.

A sunny day in Kyoto

Just a few photos I took in the nation's old capital this weekend. It'll be getting colder here soon, but at least for one October Saturday, it was perfect.


Kiyomizu-dera


exploring the temple grounds


the bamboo forest


giant torii


in the gardens at Heian Jingu

The end is near(!)

Here it is: a hefty dose of responsibility in the form of an absentee ballot delivered by the Japanese postal service today. Hard to believe, but after months (or should I say years) of anticipation, we're finally gonna vote on this thing in a few weeks and put somebody new in the White House.

Not candy or American deodorant, but exciting nonetheless.

Not-so live blogging the debate

8:12 p.m. | Here we go! I've just finished the dishes from dinner and am now sitting down to watch the debate. I haven't read any blogs or news sources today, so this should all be fresh. Pressing play...

8:16 p.m. | Alan with the beige blazer asks the first question and Obama does his best to put off the man's question before diving in. First mention of "middle class," however. And here comes McCain with a dig.

8:19 p.m. | My first totally insignificant observation of the night: including Alan, four of the nine people in the section being addressed are bald or have shaved heads. Not sure if this weighs more in the favor of McCain or Obama.

8:22 p.m. | I like it when McCain talks about the "cronies" in Washington. It helps me to believe that we're in Gotham and Christian Bale is going to suddenly break through the wall and steal the election.

8:25 p.m. | "Oliver" asks about the bailout plan and Obama makes me go "ooooh" by kicking McCain on his historical inaccuracies. They're 1-1 on snippy comments.


Now on debate radio: Luther Vandross, with "Dance With My Father"


8:28 p.m. | Obama says "You're not interested in hearing politicians" after he's just finished pointing fingers. Meanwhile, McRestless has now paced, sat down, and stood back up in the last minute and a half.

8:32 p.m. | "Theresa" asks the first meaty question of the night, but her brashness is overshadowed by her giant pearl necklace. Obama delves deep into policy with his response, but I'm getting a little bored.

8:33 p.m. | The crowd concurs.

8:35 p.m. | McCain says "my friends," and follows by putting his hand on the arm of a woman's chair. The woman does not appear convinced as she noticeably moved away.

8:40 p.m. | I must say, I appreciate McCain taking notes when Tom Brokaw asks questions. I am, however, concerned about the well-being of his suit. I never noticed his little dino-arms before and every time he raises his arm it's putting a big strain on the fabric. The space between his collar and lapel is astounding.


HEYYY!

8:46 p.m. | Where's my generation at in this thing? In scans of the audience I've seen two people who appear to be under the age of 45. Somebody's gotta loosen up this studio.

8:50 p.m. | Points to Obama for expressing his intent to double the peace corps. I wasn't aware of that initiative before, but it sounds like a great way to get the national image back on track.

8:55 p.m. | Roughly half way home and I've begun watching the crowd more than the candidates. Impressive side-by-side moustaches in section 2 (number assigned randomly), and an absolute dead-on Bobby Hill look-a-like to their left.

8:57 p.m. | A dull debate and yet Brokaw still is losing control like a Spanish soccer referee. And now he's making up a rule. Not good for the moderator.

8:59 p.m. | A note on invoking Reagan: This may appeal to older voters, particularly Republicans, but it does nothing for people my age. Ronald Reagan to me was the president I don't remember who acted in some films. Sure he was a president before the current shitstorm, but pick someone we're more likely to respect (hint: our social studies teachers all really liked FDR).

9:01 p.m. | Brokaw just corrected me! It's section C.

9:05 p.m. | Nice art deco sweater in the back row. AND MCCAIN JUST CALLED OBAMA "THAT ONE!" And now he's spinning back some imaginary turntable with his right hand. The republican's on a roll.

9:09 p.m. | Now might be a good time to mention that the CNN broadcast I'm watching does not have a "voter enthusiasm/emotion/excitement" meter. Nevertheless, I've gotta think Obama mentioning McCain's plan to tax health care benefits struck a chord with the independents.

9:12 p.m. | Ouch. McCain just made a joke about needing a hair transplant and the crowd was stone silent. This is about as much fun as a funeral.


Wow, neat photo!

9:16 p.m. | Part 2 of my video has just ended and I'm calling a 5 minute snack break. Here's hoping I can stay awake through the rest of this thing.

9:21 p.m. | We're back and I'm suggesting a new rule (since Brokaw can't seem to keep the ones agreed upon before the debate). Once in the final third of the debate, each candidate may call upon an audience member to come down and attempt to "psych out" the opponent. All matters of conduct and language are fair as long as there is no physical contact.

9:26 p.m. | It's worth noting that I've now been watching this debate for well over an hour and I've not yet heard one new attack or argument from either candidate. Which leads me to think - why should I? Media saturation has made these debates completely redundant.

9:28 p.m. | McMaverick just said "my friends" for the 82nd time. If I was playing a drinking game I'd be hammered by now.

9:31 p.m. | Katie Hamm is now asking a question. I was starting to forget that this was a town hall debate. Not sure who's fault it is, but this format is a sham.

9:33 p.m. | Debunking two pre-election myths. Myth #1: McCain doesn't know what he's talking about. Sure, the guy's campaign is falling apart and his decision making has been questionable with regards to recent political maneuvers, but he still knows his stuff. Nice exchange on military strategy there. It's his running mate that's a complete idiot, not McCain.

Myth #2: Obama is too soft and is afraid to go to war. Afraid? No. Rational is more like it. But the guy just said "We will kill Bin Laden" and "We will crush Al Qaeda" in consecutive breaths. That's about as refreshing as anything I've heard all night.

9:42 p.m. | The crowd just laughed for the first time tonight. Must have been Brokaw's strong and disarming voice that drew it out of them.

9:46 p.m. | Yawwwn.


I'm swimming!

9:51 p.m. | It appears that a man in section D(?) and a woman in section A(?) are wearing the same print - the man's on his tie and the woman's on her skirt. If I can make another rule, I'm changing the seating chart to put these two together.

9:53 p.m. | Is Russia the new evil empire? Obama's evasive answer? Ok. McCain's "maybe?" Not so much.

9:58 p.m. | Who's writing these questions? The audience members selected to address the candidates look like they've been held against their will. I did, however, enjoy watching veteran "Terry" interact with John McCain - one of few truly sincere McCain moments of the past month.

10:00 p.m. - Last question! Thank God. I never thought I'd say this, but where's Sarah Palin when you need her??

10:02 p.m. - It's insignificant, but I've gotta say that Obama works the stage much better than his counterpart. His debate performance may not be as bracing as his speeches, but he still does an excellent job of connecting with the audience through his body language.

10:03 p.m. - Ok, so I've started reading the blogs in the last half hour. Here's what I have to say about the "that guy" thing: I've watched the clip again, and I don't think McCain had any intention of painting Obama as an "other," as some people have suggested. Was he being a prick? Yeah, probably. But racist? Doubtful.

10:05 p.m. | Well, it's over. Brokaw's just finished talking and now the candidates are joined by their families. I have to say at this time - John McCain is a lucky man. Michelle Obama is an attractive woman, but Cindy McCain is a stone cold fox. Nice choice with the blue jacket and skirt combo tonight.



Closing comments: An underwhelming debate on all fronts. McCain is the loser for not doing enough to change the game after a terrible week, but the real losers are Tom Brokaw and the debate committee. Whether or not it was their fault, the debate was stale and nothing but re-hashed questions from previous debates and interviews. I'm sure there'll be plenty to talk about in the days to come, but I'm headed to bed and calling it for Obama.

Coming in November

Sifting through the muck

I've been getting pretty bored with election print media coverage lately, but I stumbled upon this article today by Frank Rich at The New York Times that I thought was worthy of a read. Take a look:

Pitbull Palin Mauls McCain

By FRANK RICH

SARAH PALIN’S post-Couric/Fey comeback at last week’s vice presidential debate was a turning point in the campaign. But if she “won,” as her indulgent partisans and press claque would have it, the loser was not Joe Biden. It was her running mate. With a month to go, the 2008 election is now an Obama-Palin race — about “the future,” as Palin kept saying Thursday night — and the only person who doesn’t seem to know it is Mr. Past, poor old John McCain.

To understand the meaning of Palin’s “victory,” it must be seen in the context of two ominous developments that directly preceded it. Just hours before the debate began, the McCain campaign pulled out of Michigan. That state is ground zero for the collapsed Main Street economy and for so-called Reagan Democrats, those white working-class voters who keep being told by the right that Barack Obama is a Muslim who hung with bomb-throwing radicals during his childhood in the late 1960s.

Read the whole thing here.

At the zoo

I'll sheepishly plead ignorance on this one. What may have otherwise been an unremarkable trip to the Tokushima Zoo on Saturday became a landmark even when I stumbled upon this guy, the lesser panda.


*warning: this is the cutest thing you will ever see in this space

How I made it 24 years through life without any knowledge of the lesser (or "red") panda, I'll never know, but I will forever be thankful for the day we first met. Rumor has it they're going extinct too - just one of the many awesome joys of deforestation - but I'll gladly help to protect them by adopting one.



The lesser panda may be native to China, but this clip is distinctly Japanese in it's cuteness. Watch closely as Becky gets panda-slapped by the soft paw of adorability.



All in all, an excellent day at the zoo.

Three fingers means a change-up

With the onset of fall weather, a new school tomorrow, a new exercise plan starting in the morning, and the McRib (and double McRib!!) inexplicably added to the Japanese McDonald's menu, I figured it was time for a shake up around here. This is one of the most important months of my short lifetime, so expect lots of obnoxious political commentary in addition to the usual absurdities that occupy the better part of my thoughts. Coming up tomorrow: a trip to the Tokushima Zoo, and how I discovered my new favorite animal.

Enjoy your Sunday.

When you are engulfed in flames...

just keep talking.

I hate to jump on the "let's not look at the issues" bandwagon, but this woman is a walking sound bite. When did the definition of "gotcha journalism" expand to encompass any and all (fair) questions that the interview subject is unable to answer? Really I like this though because it reminds me of one of my all-time favorite quotes from The Office:



Michael: Hey, whatcha gettin'?
Jim: I'm going with grape.
Michael: Ah, good stuff, good stuff. Did you see the game last night?
Jim: Which one?
Michael: (shakes his head) Any of em.

Thanks for the mail

What is love? For the past 14 months, love has been a yellow envelope marked "Handle with care." It's carried a U.S. address and a "detailed description of contents" and has been bonded with super strong moisture resistant Scotch adhesive. I don't have all the answers, but I do know this - love is spending $20 days after an economic crash to send someone a bottle of shampoo and throwing in a few other items "just because." You don't need to hear it, but you will anyway: Thank you.

Incidentally, this is what a bag of gummies looks like after 7,000 miles of air travel: