Media Slog

BLOG HAIATUS

2011-12-22T04:54:00.005+08:00

This year has been really busy, and I'm rethinking the way that I spend time with social media.

If you care about what I put online, I recommend you try to find me at these services:

Facebook: Things that I want friends and family to see will go on Facebook.
Google+: I use an Android phone so this is convenient for me to store personal information. I upload my entire photo albums with Picasa. I "check-in" to keep track of how often I make it to the gym, and where I go with the hiking club. I use +1's instead of bookmarks. Search for me here if you want inconsequential information about my life.

Steve Jobs vs. Dennis Ritchie

2011-11-05T22:06:00.003+08:00

I stole this from a Facebook post by Sviet:

Without Steve Jobs (February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011) we would have:
No iProducts
No over expensive laptops

Without Dennis Ritchie (September 9, 1941 – October 12, 2011) we would have:
No Windows
No Unix
No C
No Programs
A large setback in computing
No Generic-text Languages.
We would all read in Binary..

They died in the same year and the same month but it seems only few notice the death of Dennis Ritchie compared to Steve Jobs.

Japanese Oddity: A Pillow Shaped Like a Toe

2011-10-31T15:43:00.003+08:00

From 10/22/11

WRONG WORSHIP

2011-09-07T14:42:00.000+08:00

GREAT SNO CONES OF AMERICA #1: The John Deere

2011-08-06T12:37:00.004+08:00

The John Deere Sno Cone is available at Jerry's Sno Cones in Memphis, Tennessee. I can't really describe the taste, is didn't seem to be lemon and lime; however, it is the best tractor themed sno cone that I have ever tried.

Moreover, it is one of the only times that I have had to wait in line for a sno cone.

Link,

The Urban Spoon: Jerry's Sno Cones

NAMES OF THE ORIENT: MONEY HO

2011-08-05T06:52:00.002+08:00

This lady is a secretary in Hong Kong. This is her real name. The existence of her name gives credibility to every female character that Ian Fleming ever conceived.

Whale Bacon from Apita

2011-06-07T12:48:00.002+08:00

I finally tried whale. I found it in bacon format in my local Apita. It left an oily residue of fat on my tongue. I'm pretty sure that you could imitate it, if you mixed a bottle of liquid smoke in with a bucket of Crisco.

I probably won't make a habit of eating it. I hope this makes the environmentalists happy.

Double Hearts Dog

2011-05-09T09:53:00.004+08:00

My Japanese friend Yukiko has the cutest family dog. On its side it has two spots shaped like hearts.

Someone needs to shoot a video of this dog so it can go viral.

John Piper Finally Debates Rob Bell!

2011-05-05T11:01:00.000+08:00

WOTD: THEODICY

2011-03-28T15:39:00.002+08:00

Theodicy is a theological or philosophical study which attempts to justify God’s intrinsic nature of omni-benevolence, omniscience, and omnipotence, despite the existence of evil which would otherwise stand to refute God's existence.

Link
Theodicy - Wikipedia

Butter on Fried Cheese

2011-02-28T20:09:00.001+08:00

You know you want to eat this.

Things I Eat

2011-02-27T13:34:00.001+08:00

We ate this Yellowtail!

Oki Onigiri

2011-02-23T10:05:00.001+08:00

This rice ball is stuffed with salmon and pickled vegetables. It is difficult to tell by the picture, but the thing is almost as big as my head. I saw this at a roadside service center on the way to Mt. Minue in Nara prefecture. I bought one to eat for lunch, but it was too large for my appetite.

Japanese word: 大きい　おにぎり

Japanese Children Playing with Syringes

2011-02-22T13:27:00.001+08:00

The concenience stores in Japan sell chocolate in these syringe-shaped containers.

The wrapper reads みずあめピュ~!

Bait Vending Machine

2011-02-20T17:40:00.001+08:00

Proof that Japan has vending machines for everything. I took this photo in Takayama, Japan.

Nintendo DS Game: Convenience Store Trainer

2011-02-17T22:24:00.001+08:00

Check it out! A Japanese video game about the very thing you will do if you play too many video games.

かわいい JAPANESE GIRLS + OUTDATED NATIVE AMERICAN STEREOTYPES

2010-12-06T20:49:00.002+08:00

test

2010-11-10T14:56:00.001+08:00

this blog is having problems...

Tongue

2010-10-04T18:06:00.001+08:00

When I visited Asakusa a few weekends ago, my friends and I ate grilled tongue in a back alley Korean barbeque joint.

The last time I had tongue was almost a decade ago when my grandma cleaned out her freezer.

A Film Made in Singapore about Dementia

2010-10-04T13:35:00.001+08:00

This Can Be Explained...

2010-09-24T17:50:00.001+08:00

Mad merchandise of Japan: Crunky Ball Nude

2010-09-17T17:06:00.001+08:00

It is not an innuendo; it is a candy.

Cosmos Flowers in Japan

2010-09-06T22:19:00.001+08:00

RUNNING COWS IN JAPAN

2010-08-27T21:26:00.001+08:00

The only reason that I bought this brand of さわやか milk is because the picture of the cow on the carton is totally awesome.

JUST ONE: ROY WEECE

2010-08-25T12:57:00.000+08:00

OBAMA COOKIES

2010-08-17T05:55:00.001+08:00

The people of Obama, Japan are so proud to share their name with the U.S. president that they made these cookies.

Carbonated Tea

2010-08-15T23:13:00.001+08:00

On sale in Japan...

$40 Watermelons

2010-08-15T11:04:00.001+08:00

Spotted in a Japanese department store.

YAHOO NEWS- ELIMINATING RSS

2010-07-29T05:57:00.005+08:00

I spotted this "ad" on Yahoo News. Apparently the site has eliminated RSS feeds and they are migrating to Twitter. This is a step backward. Twitter is a proprietary system designed to control information and pump superfluous ads to your phone. RSS feeds liberate the internet and create an interopable standard for freely distributing information. "100% RSS feed free" is not something that they should be advertising.

WEIRD AL- Still Relevant, Baby

2010-07-28T12:27:00.003+08:00

Here's a trailer for a new "Weird Al" Yankovic movie that won't be coming out. I still remember when my second grade baby sitter force-fed me "Weird Al" songs before I went to sleep. "Fat" was all the rage of Mrs. Hagerman's second grade class.

"Weird: The Al Yankovic Story" from Aaron Paul

PERFECT COUPLE

2010-07-24T00:42:00.003+08:00

If you've got a Facebook account, vote for my friends in the perfect couple competition. I'm sure that they're perfect. I just know it.

Orange Clove Catering Perfect Couple Competition

Wooden Indians of the Wild West #3

2010-07-22T12:24:00.004+08:00

This wooden Native American dispenses suckers all day long from his war bonnet at Pahaska Teepee, and he's not very happy about it.

The Streets of Wyoming #1

2010-07-22T12:18:00.003+08:00

This is tourist trap near the Badlands. You can get out, visit the gift shop, and pay to feed peanuts to a bunch of fat, spoiled prairie dogs.

Wooden Indians of the Wild West #2

2010-07-21T08:56:00.003+08:00

This cigar store Indian lives in the town of Cody, Wyoming.

Wooden Indians of the West #1

2010-07-17T11:23:00.005+08:00

This chief lives outside of Pahaska Teepee.

YELLOWSTONE IS BEAUTIFUL

2010-07-17T11:21:00.002+08:00

See the rest of the pictures here.

WIN AT SODA DRINKING!

2010-05-03T13:58:00.003+08:00

About six months ago my workplace installed a vending machine. Recently they updated the vending machine with a capability to win a second soda. That right, you can win at soda drinking. When you put in your money and select your beverage, an LCD screen on the machine will flash numbers just like a slot machine. If 7777 appears, you win a second drink.

UBUNTU 10.04 Lucid Lynx

2010-05-02T19:14:00.003+08:00

Today I upgraded my computer to Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx. This is the slickest version that I've seen, and I haven't had any trouble updating my drivers. Ubuntu is getting better and better. In terms of usability it has surpassed Windows, and soon it may surpass the Mac.

Install it on your computer by clicking on the link and following the directions.

Link

NOT-SO-CLASSY JAPANESE FASHION

2010-05-02T18:58:00.006+08:00

Once when I was out-and-about in Nagoya I saw a girl wearing shorts that were cut so high that the pockets were exposed. I couldn't believe someone would intentionally do this. I thought I was seeing someone who wanted to wear daisy dukes, but didn't know all of the steps required to pull off this Merle Haggard approved fashion.

Well, the other day when I passed this mannequin, I realized that the exposed pockets were intentional; they're even made of lace. If any of my friends decide to adopt this trend, I'll be able to ask, "Got any gum?" or, "Do you have any spare change?" and I'll know the answer even before I ask the question. What will the Japanese fashionistas think of next?

TAXIDERMY TANOOKI ON MT. GOZAISHO

2010-04-20T16:45:00.004+08:00

Over the weekends, I joined some members of my hiking club for a day going up Mt. Gozaisho (御在所岳) in Mie prefecture. It's a great day hike from the town of Yunoyama Hot Springs.

Gozaisho is one of those mountains that has been developed. If you're not a hiker, there's a ropeway going to the top as well as a restaurant and vending machine to greet weary hikers. In the midst of the development, I was still able to see some wildlife. If you're wondering, it is a Japanese tanuki.

Photos taken with an HTC-03A.

THE REASON FOR THE INTERNET #2: GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH WEBCAST

2010-04-20T16:15:00.005+08:00

Emily Holley, a family friend from Iowa, has debuted new blog that shares her name. Her first post is about a little recognized national observance called National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day.

Link
EmilyHolley.com: National Grilled Cheese Day

By the way, if you think it is strange that someone would devote 13 minutes and 36 seconds of video netcast to a grilled cheese sandwich, realize there are people out there who carry their passion to a much greater extent.

In Los Angeles there is a yearly competition called the Grilled Cheese Invitational. It is run by a grilled cheese organization that has its own judging society and membership cards.

Link
The Grilled Cheese Invitational

THE REASON FOR THE INTERNET #1: THE WEEKLY WORLD NEWS ARCHIVES

2010-04-16T19:23:00.004+08:00

When I was a kid, one of my secret goals in life was to write copy for this spread. Unfortunately, the Weekly World News is no longer sold. The only ray of light at the end of the fake news tunnel is that the entire thirty year run of this publication is available for free on Google Books.

Link

MY SISTER HELPED VETERANS

2010-04-15T17:40:00.002+08:00

Read more about what she did at Ozark Honor Flights.

YOU'LL LAUGH, BUT I'M NOT TELLING WHY

2010-04-13T17:06:00.004+08:00

This has something to do with a Japanese Christmas program that I attended. Enjoy the pictures.

You can click the link for more pictures.
Link

THIS IS FAKE! JAPANESE MICHAEL JACKSON PARODY

2010-04-13T16:57:00.004+08:00

This isn't some "Weird Al" shenanigan. Less than a year after the death of the King of Pop, the Japanese have released a parody video about his life and death. I have yet to watch it. If some knowledgeable stranger happens upon this blog thanks to the Google machine, please leave some details in the comments section.

STUFF IT, KID!!!

2010-04-13T16:38:00.003+08:00

I found this in Japan, but I can't classify it in my "Mad Merchandise of Japan" category because this is apparently an American product.

Go out and buy one for all of the young 'uns.

You can buy one here.

Link

1000KM

2010-04-13T16:30:00.003+08:00

When I moved to Japan, I knew that I'd be biking a lot. I decided to spring for a bike with a few extra features including a speedometer and odometer. Last week, I crossed the 1000km threshold on my bicycle odometer.

If you speak American, that means I've ridden more than 621.371192 miles.

If this Terrorists Win this is What your Daughters Will Get...

2010-04-05T18:06:00.004+08:00

Okay, the headline might be a little dramatic, but if you're Westernized like me you'll be shocked by this burka doll. My co-worker went to visit his daughter in Afghanistan, and brought this back as a souvenir. He affectionately named it Burka Barbie.

Fortunately, there is a classy woman underneath the burka.

Adult Nintendo DS Face Training Game

2010-04-05T17:49:00.003+08:00

Japanese customer service is the world's best. Unless you're breaking rules or asking for something a business doesn't know how to provide, most requests will be answered with a warm smile and a speedy response.

While perusing a Japanese book and video game store, I found this interesting gem that may contribute to Japanese customer service culture. The name of this game is 大人のDS 顔トレーニング. In English this means Adult DS Face Training. The purpose of this game is to teach people to make appropriate facial expressions. The DS even takes a picture of your face and evaluates your ability.

Read a more educated take on this game at Joystiq.
Link

GRASSHOPPER BENTO

2010-04-05T17:44:00.004+08:00

In Japanese students eat special school lunches called bentos. Last week one of my students ate a bento with cooked grasshoppers served on a bed of rice.

ALL ABOUT JAPAN

2010-03-29T17:21:00.001+08:00

Japan-The Strange Country (English ver.) from Kenichi on Vimeo.

(via Watashi to Tokyo)

MAD MERCHANDISE OF JAPAN #5: CHOCOLATE WRENCHES

2010-03-16T15:21:00.001+08:00

I'm Just not blogging much...

2010-03-09T21:55:00.004+08:00

COCO

2010-01-13T20:57:00.002+08:00

WOTD: Gruenization

2009-11-26T20:53:00.004+08:00

I just read the word gruenization on a blog post today. I couldn't quite figure out the meaning of this word, and it wasn't in any of the dictionaries that I examined. Later, I did a simple Google search for the word gruen and the results turned up something called the "Gruen Transer." Wikipedia defines the effect as "the moment when consumers respond to "scripted disorientation" cues in the environment." Specifically, it has to do with that confusing feeling that you get when you enter certain shopping environments.

Link
Gruen Transfer - Wikipedia

RULES OF JAPAN #1: Obey Hello Kitty

2009-11-25T19:41:00.003+08:00

I took this picture with my camera phone will riding the subway. She's saying "Abunai!" In English, this means danger. I'm pretty sure it is a warning to not get your fingers stuck in the train doors.

MAD MERCHANDISE OF JAPAN #4: The Alien Shrine of Nagakute

2009-11-23T14:19:00.003+08:00

The center of all life in the quiet Nagoya suburb of Nagakute, Japan is the Apita department store. For no apparent reason, the third floor hosts an alien (from the Aliens saga) guarded by defunct Coke and candy machines.

If you've got a story as to why this is here, please leave it in the comments section. By the way, I once found a giant paper mache ET in the upstairs of a Japanese truck stop.

MAD MERCHANDISE OF JAPAN #3: PET BEETLES

2009-11-23T14:09:00.002+08:00

The kabutomushi, also known as the Japanese rhinocerus beetle, is a popular pet in Japan. When wandering around downtown Nagoya a few months ago, I found a little shop that sold only beetles. Inside the store some of the beetles were larger than my hand, and they sold for up to ¥20,000 ($200). The shop clerk refused to allow me to take pictures inside, so I snapped a picture of the shopfront.

MAD MERCHANDISE OF JAPAN #2: Godzilla Plastic Food

2009-11-23T13:57:00.003+08:00

Takayama, Japan, located in Gifu prefecture, is famous for the beauty of the Miyagawa River, its quaint narrow streets, and its exciting festivals. A niche industry that thrives in this four hundred year old community is Japan's plastic food market. Nearly all Japanese restaurants display plastic food outside of their stores in order to entice those that pass by. I can tell that the folks that make the plastic food get a little bored with the same old noodles and rice.

Mad Merchandise of Japan #1: MJ Masks

2009-11-23T13:48:00.002+08:00

Was Jackson black or white? If you're dressing up in a Michael Jackson Halloween costume in Japan, you get a choice.

Tweet of the Day

2009-10-23T12:59:00.000+08:00

Dates should be formated as MM/DD/YY except for the years 1990 through 1992, which should be denoted in 'Hammer Time.'
From Fake AP Stylebook

Still Alive

2009-10-18T10:34:00.001+08:00

Hey Folks!
I'm still alive. I've been studying lots of Japanese lately.
I'm sure I'll post more things in the future.... sometime....
Stay tuned.

Twitter Tracker! Twitter Tracker! Twitter Tracker!

2009-09-13T19:56:00.002+08:00

I was one of the first hundred thousand people to use Twitter. At the time, I could only see a limited use for it. I liked how it distributed text messages via RSS; but unless you were a technical person, I didn't see why it was superior to other social networking tools such as Facebook or Plurk. I still don't. However, apparently lots of celebrities have jumped on the Twitter bandwagon. Conan's Tonight Show is to the rescue.

Check out the Twitter Tracker website!

A Malaysian Woman Won't Be Caned for Drinking Beer until after Ramadan

2009-08-24T17:24:00.002+08:00

Here's some news from Malaysia:

A Malaysian Muslim woman who had been sentenced to be caned for drinking beer in a hotel has been granted a reprieve until after Ramadan, religious official have said.

Read the full story.
Link

The Streets of Kansas #1: The Land of Ah's Motor Inn

2009-08-15T12:41:00.003+08:00

I was in Kansas when I took this picture of the marquee sign for the Land of Ah's Motor Inn in Erie Kansas.

Here's a link to the location.
Link

My Family in a Saloon

2009-08-03T03:01:00.004+08:00

My family doesn't usually hang out in a saloon, but we did for this picture.

Chia Obama

2009-07-31T09:47:00.002+08:00

The greatest new American innovation is the Chia Obama! This is a way to show your support for the President.

Link

Colorado is Beautiful!

2009-07-27T03:11:00.003+08:00

I took this picture while coming down Mt. Massive in Colorado.

HELP FEISTY PRINCESS CHARMAINE

2009-07-09T07:35:00.000+08:00

YO TEACH!

2009-06-27T12:47:00.002+08:00

I'm 99% certain that NBC is playing a big joke, and these web episodes are a tie in for the upcoming Funny People movie. Anyway, it still looks interesting. When you mix the banality of The Office with the wholesomeness of Welcome Back, Kotter you get Yo Teach!

Samuel L. Jackson cameos as the principal and Mark Taylor Jackson plays the wise cracking, yet subtly ironic teacher, Mr. Bradford.

Link
Yo Teach!

LIST OF SINGAPORE RESTAURANTS THAT DON'T SERVE FREE WATER

2009-06-23T08:39:00.002+08:00

Finally, someone has put together a list of Singapore restaurants that don't serve free water. Don't go to these places.

By the way, I find it almost inexcusable that spicy Thai restaurants are on the list. How can you torture your customers without offering at least a little relief?

Link
List of Restaurants that Don't Serve Free Water at Sparklette.net

Grandma Inez and Grandpa Cleo

2009-06-18T02:19:00.002+08:00

This picture was taken in 1948 after my Grandma and Grandpa finished building their new house on the farm.

SAY "NO" TO BLUERAY!

2009-06-02T22:41:00.000+08:00

I'm not getting a BlueRay disc player.

My Year as a P.E. Teacher

2009-06-01T16:25:00.003+08:00

From Media Slog

I just finished my first year of teaching P.E. If you knew me a few years ago, I'd be the last person that you would chose to teach P.E. However, my director had different ideas.

I explained to him, " I just don't have a 'love of the game' like most P.E. teachers." He responded, "You know the rules and can teach them. You might not be a coach, but you can be a P.E. teacher."

He was right. This last year, I've managed to get students to play baseball, rugby, basketball, floor hockey, American football, soccer, badminton, volleyball, kickball, handball, and dodgeball... lots of dodgeball. I've had a lot of fun too.

I have one student in both English and P.E.; I took a snapshot of his doodle a few months ago.

The picture is evidence that things didn't always go perfectly, but I feel like I've done a pretty good job; and if I had a chance to do it again, it would be even better.

Photo taken with a Treo 680.

The Most Impressive Line of Prose in a Movie Review

2009-05-27T20:15:00.002+08:00

Brandon Fibbs wrote the following lines in a movie review:

This is another of those movies in which one character says the inevitable line, “You’re the most interesting person I’ve ever met” despite the fact that there is nothing whatsoever in the script to support the claim. Just once, I want that line to be uttered in a movie about a mid-19th century Amazon explorer who lost one of his arms to ravenous piranha and the other to pigmy cannibals and still managed to climb Mount Kilimanjaro blindfolded and backwards while wearing a tutu. Instead, it’s nearly always applied to exceedingly drab, near 30-something-year-old men wallowing in life’s doldrums and dead end jobs with absolutely zero ambition.

Writing just doesn't get any better than that.

This appeared in a review for an R-rated movie that I haven't seen and don't particularly want to publicize. However, I reckon you can search for it on his site.

Brandon Fibbs.com

I MISS THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION

2009-05-23T09:18:00.002+08:00

Check out this NPR Planet Money interview with Elizabeth Warren, the democrat appointed during the Bush administration to oversee the correction of the banking crisis via TARP.

The NPR reporter Adam Davidson lays into her because of her belief that there is a crisis within American families as well as the banking system. Elizabeth Warren doesn't give in.

NPR: Elizabeth Warren Checks In (Start listening at 5:00)

Despite the controversy and supposed "failure," I liked the era of the Bush administration. People from all sides of the political spectrum presented their ideologies and fought to implement those visions. For me, I was thankful that usually the conservatives won.

The Obama administration is not framing the debate in this way. Obama and his cohorts pretend that no differences exist when they do, they use the language of conservative values and implement liberal policies, and they condemn institutions such as as the Guantanamo tribunals but keep them going.

Mulberry Mountain Harvest

2009-05-15T19:11:00.002+08:00

If I were living in the Midwest, you couldn't stop me from going to the Mulberry Mountain Harvest, a music festival with the likes of the Ozark Mountain Daredevils, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and Big Smith. It's a three day event and tickets start at $109.

Official Site
Mulberry Mountain Harvest

Blogging Can Make You a Celebrity in Singapore

2009-05-12T18:12:00.002+08:00

SoyJoy bars have just launched a campaign that features bloggers. They are apparently going to run them through a small gamut of trials and people will vote on who should win.

In my various blogging adventures, I've met three of six contestants and I think that they're all great folks. (From Left to Right)

Eunice, online alias Eunique Flair, is a fantastic photographer and has helped chronicle the consequences of the tsunami in Sri Lanka. She blogs about fashion and video games.

Nadia, online alias Nadnut, is a friendly gal who prolifically chronicles her glamorous day-to-day activities.

Pamela, called Honeymeow, is a hardworking mom here in Singapore. She appeared in the same page as me in the Blogger Calendar 2009.

Who will you vote for?
Check it out at the SoyJoy GI Challenge!

Two of these lucky contestants will get to win a trip to Japan! I'd be jealous that they didn't ask me to participate, but-

1) It seems there's just one guy involved!
2) I'm already going to Japan soon!

JAPANESE BULLET TRAIN CONDUCTOR

2009-04-28T22:41:00.003+08:00

This mysterious conductor was sticking his head outside the window of a Japanese bullet train. I'm not sure if he was sick or if he wanted to avoid eating insects.

STUPID TWITTER

2009-04-10T10:12:00.002+08:00

I started using Twitter because I wanted a sideblog for things that weren't quite important enough to write a blog post about. I think that I should reconsider.

Wanna Fight?

2009-04-08T22:29:00.004+08:00

Hey folks,
Fight me! Go to cneil.mybrute.com

Type a name, click validate, and you're off. It is the most passive video game that I've ever seen. Even a mom could do it. I find it more interesting than solitaire.

Wouldn't you like to get away to a search provider that knows your name?

2009-04-06T21:58:00.001+08:00

Cheers, everyone! Google knows my name. Should I be scared?

Japanese Pringles Ad

2009-04-05T23:45:00.000+08:00

Life Motto

2009-03-31T18:49:00.001+08:00

At the moment, this might be my life motto:

RIDICULOUS EUPHEMISM OF THE DAY: SYNERGY-RELATED HEADCOUNT RESTRUCTURING

2009-03-18T08:25:00.001+08:00

Nokia-Siemens actually used the ridiculous phrase "synergy-related headcount restructing" as a euphemism for "firing" in a company memo:

For example, here's a headline on a press release forwarded to me this week: "Nokia Siemens Networks enters final stage of synergy-related headcount restructuring."

"Hi, honey, I'm afraid I have bad news: I've been synergy-related headcount restructured."

Link

Grammar Help! at grammar.cullenhartley.com

2009-03-15T18:17:00.000+08:00

I haven't been updating my posts in the past week because I've been hard at work on my new online project (not to mention grades are due on Tuesday).

Click the big button to see what it is all about!

LOW INTENSITY

2009-03-09T16:46:00.003+08:00

When you walk down the street in suburban Missouri, you hear cars passing by and gets stares from overweight drivers wondering why you'd actually walk somewhere. When you walk down the street in a cosmopolitan metropolis like Singapore, you're very likely to hear a real person playing music who is glad you're walking by and hopes that you'll stop and listen for a bit. In Asia, most of the buskers are handicapped, but there is a growing, underground movement of talented musicians that are taking it to the streets.

Last weekend I happened to run into a group called Low Intensity performing in the underpass between Wheelock Place and the Shaw Center. I snapped a few photos and went to their website. It turns out this group has been getting a little publicity lately and was featured on Channel News Asia.

Check out their Website
Low Intensity

See my photo gallery
Low Intensity @ photos.cullenhartley.com

Kopi Luwak- the Special Weasel Coffee

2009-03-07T22:48:00.001+08:00

(Caution - this post may seem kinda gross.)

My first food service job out of college was working at the coffee kiosk in Mizzou's Memorial Union. At that time, before the big Starbucks boom, it was the only place that served Starbucks coffee in mid-Missouri. In my boredom, during the mornings and evenings when I worked there I'd spend free moments during the shift reading the labels. It seemed Starbucks liked to brag just as much about the source of the coffee as the flavor. Among others, I remember Kenya Special Blend, Sumatran Decaf, and Guatemala Antigua being popular offerings at the cafe.

My friend Byron, owner of Nanyang Goodmorning Cafe in Singapore, is a coffee connoisseur with clientele from all over the world. Recently he had a friend come back from a trip to Vietnam that brought back a version of the most expensive type of coffee in the world - Kopi Luwak.

Luwak is the Malay word for civet. A civet cat is basically the same thing as a weasel. What makes this "special weasel coffee" so unique is that the beans have been eaten, digested, and defecated by a weasel. But don't worry, you're not drinking it straight (they clean and strain the beans, and roast them in margarine and other flavorings.)

It should also be noted that the version Byron had wasn't the most expensive coffee in the world. The kopi luwak that I drank apparently came from a caged civet cat and wasn't the premium version which is sifted from jungle scat piles. Darn.

Byron prepared the coffee in a Vietnamese style press-pot. On my trip to Vietnam, I specifically remember these little devices being used to make cups of coffee. Byron's technique proved just as good as his Vietnamese counterparts.

Honestly, though, this coffee doesn't really live up to the hype. There's not a flavor so unique here that you couldn't find something just as good in Starbucks. If you look past the preparation process, the coffee tastes like nothing more than a strong blend of hazelnut. It wasn't a bad cup of coffee, but it wasn't so good that it was worth seeking out. This is purely a novelty delicacy prepared solely to give someone bragging rights.

And, unless you ask me about it, from this moment on I won't be discussing this food in public. You've got to consider the source.

Totally Bizarre Display at the Asheville, North Carolina Nature Center

2009-03-04T11:49:00.003+08:00

I noticed this museum display sitting on one of the back shelves of the Asheville Nature Center when I was there last December. Can you guess what it is? Leave your response in the comments section!

Learn more about the Western North Carolina Nature Center.

Link

Barcamp Singapore 3

2009-02-28T15:21:00.003+08:00

A lot of people learning and talking about technology!

USING SOCIAL MEDIA WITH THOSE UNDER YOUR AUTHORITY

2009-02-28T11:53:00.003+08:00

PRESENTING AT BARCAMP

2009-02-28T08:40:00.005+08:00

Today from 2:00 tp 2:30 I'll be making a presentation about teachers using Facebook titled Using Social Media with those under your Authority an Educator's Perspective.

Read about the venue here.

I'll post the powerpoint soon.

Registered my Name

2009-02-26T23:59:00.007+08:00

Last weekend after a few years of thinking about it, I decided to register my name, that is my domain name. There's not much there yet, but I think that I'll eventually be making a more professional looking website. I intend to keep this blog, but I may work on some projects that seem a bit more "professional." Right now there are a bunch of Go Daddy keyword ads, but soon http://www.cullenhartley.com/ will have some real content.

Psst- photos.cullenhartley.com works! But there are still a few quirks, and there aren't too many pictures. I haven't settled the issue of watermarks and I'm not quite satisfied with the layout. However, feel free to check it out. After my upcoming trip to Japan, I may do an official "launch" (an exercise that basically involves spamming my e-mail address list and Facebook friends) . But if you bother to read this website, maybe you'd also like to watch the site development.

WOTD: WUNDERKIND

2009-02-26T18:39:00.003+08:00

Wunderkind: A child prodigy is someone who at an early age masters one or
more skills at an adult level.One heuristic for classifying prodigies is: a prodigy is a child, typically younger than 13 years old, who is performing at the level of a highly trained adult in a very demanding field of endeavor.

(via Wikipedia)

CRISIS OF CREDIT: IT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW!

2009-02-22T14:31:00.002+08:00

Here's the most straightforward presentation that I've ever seen about the credit crisis. Now I know where all of my Edward Jones money went. Grrrr....
Link

SINGAPORE CHURCH COPIES OBAMA LOGO

2009-02-20T17:48:00.005+08:00

The international community watched and is infatuated with President Obama's politics, maybe even more than their own.

The church that displays this sign is located near Dhoby Ghaut MRT.

GRANT IS RUNNING FOR THE GREATEST JOB IN THE WORLD

2009-02-18T20:25:00.003+08:00

When Grant was a YoungLife missionary, he and I ministered to some of the same kids. Today Grant works for Crocs shoes, trotting all over the world taking HD videos of people wearing Crocs and promoting the brand. However, he's not satisfied with that. He's officially applying for The Best Job in the World, an assignment that is, if I understand it correctly, to go to a tropical Australian island in the Great Barrier Reef and blog.

He submitted his one minute video resume. Now all you have to do is vote for him. (By the way, you must click on the link. They won't let me embed the video.)

Link
Grant, Singapore- The Best Job in the World

ONLY IN AMERICA: SECOND GRADER BRINGS GRENADE TO SCHOOL

2009-02-16T06:46:00.002+08:00

The Dallas Morning News reports:

A Euless elementary school was briefly evacuated this morning after a 7-year-old student brought a disarmed hand grenade to school for show-and-tell.
The evacuation at Oakwood Terrace Elementary School began about 9 a.m. and lasted less than a half hour.

Read the rest; it is not as bad as it sounds.
Link

MC MR. NAPKINS

2009-02-13T23:19:00.003+08:00

Zach Sherwin, one of the guys that I used to go to high school with and the son of one of Springfield's Jewish rabbis, is now a professional stand-up comedian. He puts his videos on YouTube for all to see.

Five years ago he was touring with a group called The Late Night Players, but I never got a chance to see them. It seemed they mainly toured in the Northeast and at the time I was rooted in the Midwest. Now he's going by the hip-hop alias MC Mr. Napkins and posting headline based anagram rap videos on Youtube. I'll be shocked if the tour ever makes it to southeast Asia.

CAUTION TO MY STUDENTS THAT MIGHT STUMBLE UPON THIS BLOG: Some of MC Mr. Napkins videos have coarse language. The video that I posted has, in the last ten seconds, language beeped out. If you are one of my students, I don't recommend watching additional Mr. Napkins videos. Thanks.

For anyone else, here's the link to his blog.
Link

WOTD: FINGERSTACHE

2009-02-11T20:20:00.004+08:00

The finger mustache tattoo, otherwise known as the "fingerstache", is a tattoo of a stylized mustache on the index finger. The finger is then placed between the nose and the lips, making it appear that the wearer has a mustache. Its particular origin is unknown, however, the recent revival dates to the summer of 2003 in Columbus, Ohio, where a local tattoo artist began tattooing mustaches on friends' fingers as a joke.

(via Wikipedia)

I learned about the concept here. It is difficult to believe that this inane concept is actually a trend.

The photo is of a person that I've never met. It is Creative Commons licensed and available on Flickr.