Home.

After four months away from the states and 11away From Hawaii, I finally made it back to Maui on the morning of the 22nd. The plane ride was absolutely horrendous and the delays were a bit of a nightmare, but it's great to be home for a nice break before I go back to California next month. I will try my best to post more regularly in the coming weeks than I have been. But for now, Merry Christmas!

Xmas Time Is Here...

My good friend Kelssie recently emailed me a link to a couple of ElfYourself videos. It's a marketing tool developed by Office Max that allows you to upload pictures of people's faces to be superimposed on a live action video of elves dancing. Check out our moves here and here.

That Would Explain It.

The New York Times published this story today about the influx of American students in foreign universities, with a special focus on the University of Edinburgh and the University of St Andrews. While I've encountered a number of foreign students studying abroad for the year or semester during my time here, there have been a few Americans that I've bumped into along the way that are studying here permanently. I can't say that I would've liked to have started and ended my college experience at Edinburgh (mainly due to the teaching style and because I would like to work in America after graduation), but it does make sense given the lower cost of tuition here. Plus, Edinburgh and St Andrews have great reputations on the international stage.

London.

Buckingham Palace

Trafalgar Square

Piccadilly Circus

London Eye

Big Ben

Of all the cities that I've been to in the past few months, London felt the most metropolitan and alive. Yeah, the city has some great history, museums and landmarks galore, but there is something about London that seems very forward-looking. The streets were bustling with Christmas shoppers, tourists and suits. The buildings were glossy and the Underground was packed.

Can't miss: Wagamama, Soho, Tate Modern

Berlin.

1936 Olympic Stadium

Reichstag (German Parliament)Holocaust MemorialBrandenburg GateVictory Column

Apologies for the long delay. The past week has been packed with essays and airplanes.

On November 21 to 24, I traveled to Berlin for the weekend on a cheap RyanAir flight from Edinburgh. Having been in Scotland for the better part of 3 months, it was nice to be out and about on the continent again.

Berlin is a city of contrasts. A mix of the incredibly modern with the still-recovering. Unlike Rome and London, I didn't feel as if there was much in the way of tourist-traps in the city (though there were a handful). When I'm in a new city, I often like to hit the major attractions, and map my way from my travel book. But there, the atmosphere was different. I got the sense that the city is always in such transition, that the main attraction really was the city itself. The glass skyscrapers and boxy communist architecture, the subway cellist and the smoky techno bass. Plus, the food was great. Who knew there'd be so much Vietnamese food in Germany?

A fuller picture of the city:


And if it looks like I'm oddly excited to see snow, it's because I was.

Can't Miss: Curry Wurst, Reichstag, Listening in on German conversation (even if you don't know what they're saying)

Tragedy.

I got word today that Jill Walker Robinson, my former boss at the Pomona College Office of Communications, died on November 17 while traveling in Texas. She was 44. I only worked under her for a semester before she left Pomona to start her own publishing company, but I will be eternally grateful for her support and guidance during that time. She was a great mentor, a great friend and a great person.

Here's the story from News 8 in Austin.

Bye, Bye, Bye

TRL - MTV Shows

MTV aired its last episode of TRL on Sunday after 10 long years of providing afterschool entertainment to millions of teens. An all-star line-up of celebrities, many of whom rode the TRL wave to pop stardom in the late '90s and early '00s, made appearances in a 3-hour-long tribute to the MTV staple. It really is the end of an era.

Spam on the rise.

Apparently, the current economic downturn is forcing more and more people to turn to Spam to, as the NY Times put it, put "something that resembles meat on the table." The Hormel factory in Minnesota has been cranking out cans of the "gelatinous 12-ounce rectangle[s] of spiced ham and pork" by the millions non-stop since July to keep up with the demand. Who woulda thunk it given this NY Times description of the delicacy:

Spam, a gelatinous 12-ounce rectangle of spiced ham and pork, may be among the world’s most maligned foods, dismissed as inedible by food elites and skewered by comedians who have offered smart-alecky theories on its name (one G-rated example: Something Posing As Meat).

And just for the record, the Spam article does not once mention Hawaii. I guess these New England journalists just don't care about how the rise in Spam prices is gonna lead to a decline in local utility. Alonka.

Obama and Hawaii

Death Cab

Death Cab for Cutie is one of those bands that I've liked since high school that have gone from indie to not-so-indie-anymore. And while some might have turned their sights from the band as the masses latched on, I'm still very much a fan of Ben and the gang, and was really happy to find out that they would be performing nearby.

Death Cab performed Friday night at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange just about 15 minutes out of the city centre. The venue was nice enough. A Glass House sized hall nestled between a row of town houses (I sort of feel bad for the residents) and an ASDA (that would be the UK version of Wal-Mart). DCfC being such a popular band, I expected the venue to be arena-sized, but we were actually pretty close to everything.

The opener was a Scottish band called Frightened Rabbit, who seemed pretty popular with the local crowd. I only knew one of their songs...but enjoyed their catchy shrieking nevertheless. ('I Feel Better' was especially good.)

Death Cab themselves were very good. What was interesting, I thought, was the nonchanlance with which Ben Gibbard and the band made their way to the stage. For one of the biggest singers/songwriters in the past five or so years, they did not act like it. (He even traded in his trademark horn-rimmed glasses for contacts?!) No theatrics, just music. They barrelled through about an hour and a half of their more well-known tracks, starting with 'Bixby Canyon Bridge' off of their Narrow Stairs album and ending their encore with 'Transatlanticism.' The high point: the crowd joining Gibbard and his guitar for a hushed, almost transcendant version of 'I Will Follow You Into the Dark.'

Okkervil River!

Earlier this fall, I was saddened to learn that Okkervil River (a quality folk/alternative outfit out of Texas, one of my personal favorites) was planning a show in LA as part of their Stand Ins tour while I was here in far-off Scotland. In early October, however, one of my friends at Pop! Music pointed out to me that they would actually be making a stop in Glasgow (that's about an hour from Edinburgh by bus) on their European leg. I immediately scooped up tickets.

Just as I heard from my friends who actually did attend last month's show, Okkervil did not disappoint. I'm used to seeing bands that are great on record and so-so live, but I can honestly say that Okkervil, even with a limited repertoire of instruments shipped trans-Atlantic, sounded better in Glasgow than I've ever heard. Lead singer Will Sheff's unique brand of histrionics and subtle crooning blended seamlessly with the intricate soundscapes that have made Okkervil of my favorites. The lyrics, already powerful, brought to life by a gesture, an upward glance. My only complaint: I didn't get to hear "Bruce Wayne Campbell Interviewed on the Roof of the Chelsea Hotel, 1979."

The Sunday evening concert was also my first time in Glasgow. When we arrived at Buchanan Bus Station, the rain turned to hail, remarkably, then suddenly stopped. From the moment I stumbled off of the bus, slightly carsick, I realized that Glasgow had a different feel than Edinburgh and really anywhere I've been in Europe over the past three months. It was more commercial, more brightly lit, more American. The subway was squat, more like the boats in 'It's A Small World' at Disneyland than what I had expected from Scotland's only underground system. And the venue, Oran Mor (which apparently means 'Big Song' in Gaelic), was great. Best shellfish and chips I've ever had.

Spam Musubi!

Sometimes when I've been away from Hawaii for a while, (borrowing a line from the ever-sad-he-moved-away-from-Hawaii singer Justin Young) I tend to long for familiarity. Having gone through a spring semester and summer internship in LA and three months in Europe, I have not been back on Maui since January, so it's nice to have some taste of home.

Without Sam Sato's or Da Kitchen nearby, I just had to make do with what was available: spam, nori, rice. This was really my first time (outside of 'Iao School home ec.) making Spam Musubi, so the recipe for preparing the spam (basically, frying it in one part shoyu, one part sugar and a splash of mirin) was sorta made up along the way. The good news: it actually tasted like Spam Musubi.

Okay, maybe Miyako Sushi is slightly better (yeah, Sandy, you're welcome), but all in all it was pretty good. And it was nice to have a taste of the islands, even though I am 8,000 miles away.

Also, The New York Times published this story about plate lunches and President-elect Obama. Go read um yeah.

Oyako-don.

I made Oyako Donburi last night, and it actually tasted pretty good. Makes me miss Hawaii/Japanese food even more though. Here's the recipe a la my mom:

OYAKO DONBURI

1Tbsp oil
1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups chicken, sliced thin
1 C green onion or round onion

1 1/2 cups chicken stock
5 eggs

4Tbsp shoyu
cooked rice to fill 6 bowls

2Tbsp sugar
1 can sukiyaki no tomo or bamboo shoots

Saute chicken meat in oil. Add stock and cook until chicken is tender. Add little salt and green onion. Beat eggs slightly, pour over chicken evenly.

Cook over low fire until eggs are coddled (Cover the mixture after you pour the egg mixture on. Keep checking and if the egg mixture looks cooked then it is done).
Fill bowl two-thirds full with cooked rice. Cover with the chicken-egg mixture and pour sauce over all.
Serve immediately.

It's About Time

Comedy Central, which I have no way of watching here in Edinburgh, apparently aired an election night special co-anchored by John Stewart and Stephen Colbert. This video comes courtesy of Kelssie. Good stuff.

Election Night in Edinburgh

Since I've been in the UK, I've been asked a lot of questions. About the economy, about my political loyalties, about voting. I've heard Scots and Germans, Japanese and Indians talk. About Iraq, about bailouts, about race. And in every case, the conversation has always led to Obama.

Although it was 1 AM GMT before any returns were reported or any states called, the University was absolutely buzzing. It was standing-room-only in pubs across the city and at one University party 600 people showed up to watch the map light up on the big screen. Eyes would narrow as the Eastern states were colored precariously blue or red. The world was watching.

Today, the reaction around campus has been amazing. I've been congratulated no less than ten times today. There's a sense that a change is upon us. And Edinburgh is happy to see it.

When I first applied to study here in the fall, when I first realized I'd be here for the elections, I felt sort of disappointed. But I think being here has really imbued me with a sense of hope far greater than I'd have back home. America has reason to celebrate today. But we are not alone.

Victory!

Last night, America made history. Watching the new first family appear on stage was surreal, Obama's speech almost cinematic. Twenty-one months and too many ups-and-downs to count have taken Obama from a long shot to one of the world's most influential figures. He puts a new face on an America beleaguered and made pessimistic by the way things are and they way they've been for the past four years. It wasn't until last night, seeing the emotion of the crowd in the awe of the moment, that I realized just how important this moment right now is for our nation. We have the chance to make some big changes, the chance to reassert America as the greatest nation on earth. Obama will be the person to take us there, and I couldn't be happier.

Today, I am optimistic.

Election Day.

The following is an editorial that I wrote for The Student newspaper.

Two long years of stump speeches and bumper stickers have brought us here. As Americans wake up this morning and make their way to the polls, the eyes of the world are upon them. At a time when, according to The New York Times, the future of America—and by extension, the world—“hangs in the balance,” we will all be awaiting with bated breath the outcome of what may very well be the most important election of our generation.

Personal politics aside, there’s no doubt that today’s election is a historic one. Senator Barack Obama is the nation’s first African American nominee, and Governor Sarah Palin only the second female vice presidential nominee. This is the first time in 80 years that neither candidate is an incumbent president or vice president, and the first time that both candidates have been born outside of the continental United States—McCain in Panama, Obama in Hawaii.More importantly, however, are the unprecedented problems that the 44^th President of the United States of America will be inheriting come Inauguration Day. President Obama or President McCain will be forced to resolve two unpopular wars in two very unstable theatres in addition to the largest global financial crisis since the Great Depression. The president will also be responsible for righting the wrongs of the Bush Administration, overhauling economic and foreign policies that have turned world opinion against the US over the past eight years.

The truly global nature of the issues facing the next president has generated unprecedented international interest in this year’s race, especially here in the UK. In the past few weeks, much of the national and local media has dedicated considerable time to the campaigns, featuring detailed editorials on everything from the Bill Ayers kerfuffle to the comedic stylings of Tina Fey.

In Edinburgh, political organizations have sprung up in anticipation of the election. The Democrats Abroad—Scotland Chapter has taken an active role in registering American citizens living in Scotland for absentee voting, and have organized popular debate-watching parties in the city. Starting with the first presidential debate on 26 September, the group has brought together hundreds of Edinburgh Obama-supporters, including a number of non-Americans, to watch the presidential debates. Though thousands of miles away from Washington, the group provides a forum for political discourse that many in the city have found exciting in the month before the election.

Tonight, EUSA will be holding an all-night results-watching party on the big screen in Teviot for all students. In addition, election-themed meals have made their way onto the menus of the Teviot Library Bar and King’s Building House with Hawaiian and Southern flavours dominating dishes named after Obama and McCain, respectively. EUSA Vice President Services George Thomas told Student last week that “EUSA is committed to increasing involvement and raising awareness” with the election theme.

Indeed, if there’s any upside to witnessing the longest campaign cycle in recent memory, it is awareness. After two years of debates, town hall meetings and media saturation, we are all more aware of the pertinent issues and where the candidates stand on any number of them. Where previous elections have seen candidates zero in on issues like the economy or national security between the party conventions and election day, the drawn out primary process on either side of the aisle this time left no stone unturned. In 2004, Bush made it clear that he was a war president, and successfully shaped the debate around the national security question. In 2008, however, the focus drifted from ethics reform and healthcare to national security and, of course, the failing economy. The candidates have been forced to shape and reshape their campaign strategies first against members of their own party, then against those from across the aisle, giving voters a more nuanced understanding of a wider range of issues than ever before.

In recent weeks, however, a campaign once built on sound political discussion between two congenial opponents turned ugly. Sarah Palin accused Obama of “palling around” with terrorists while Obama supporters swiped at Palin’s family and intellect. At McCain rallies, supporters of the Arizona senator raised questions about Obama’s religious beliefs, equating Islam with being un-American. In Washington, pundits and members of congress openly broke out into partisan bickering, even when trying to pass emergency economic legislation. Undermining both candidates’ promise of reaching across the aisle, the election turned inevitably to partisan conflict, aiming to find and drive a wedge between blue America and red America.

Tomorrow, the political dust being kicked up in this final stretch of the campaign will begin to settle, and America will move on. No matter the results, no matter how the television talking heads spin the numbers and speculate why things turned out the way they did, there will still be only one America—neither blue nor red. It might have made political sense a week ago to race bait or use fear tactics to get those final votes in, but where will that really put us tomorrow? We can only wait to find out.

It’s almost surreal to think that the election is finally upon us. With closing arguments made, the world waits today. No matter the result, the election will change the course of global political and economic events in ways that neither we, nor the next President of the United States, can predict. As we celebrate our candidate’s victory or mourn his defeat, whoever he may be, it is time that we take a second to remember that tomorrow, we will no longer be separated by our political loyalties. Election Day is a time to celebrate a change, yes, but it also a time to reconcile. So, enjoy the day. Have an Obama burger. Or McCain burger, if you’re so inclined.

Tomorrow, the real work begins.

Embedded Reporters Go Back to the Real World

Photo: Todd Heisler / New York Times

With the newspaper business continuing on its steady decline, some of the larger newspaper and television outlets found an inexpensive way this election cycle to maintain nonstop coverage of the candidates as they crisscrossed their way from battleground state to battleground state over the past two years: Campaign Embeds. (See The New York Times story published this morning.) These predominantly young and inexperienced writers are paid to follow candidates to each of their hundreds of campaign stops, serving as the eyes and ears of the elite media at each of the campaigns' backwater town rallies and urban dinner parties. It's not a glamorous job at all, and the reporters will face a harsh uphill battle come the end of November when they are thrust into today's not-so-sunny job market. If I'm still on the reporter track in 2012 though, I might be persuaded to apply. Think about it: Being able to travel cross-country on your company's dime while contributing to the first draft in history...not too shabby.

Rankings

Every year, The Times, a London-based paper, publishes The THES - QES World University Rankings listing, you guessed it, the top universities in the world. And, coming from Pomona which is too small to compete in these rankings, I was happy to see that the University of Edinburgh(#23) made the top 25 this year.

Here's the top 10:
1. Harvard
2. Yale
3. Cambridge
4. Oxford
5. CalTech
6. Imperial College London
7. University College London
8. UChicago
9. MIT
10. Columbia

Other notable list-makers:
17. Stanford
30. UCLA
38. Melbourne
40. NYU
58. UCSD
59. UW
60. WashU

British Cold Remedies

Dealing with the sudden temperature fluctuations and coughing classmates over the past few weeks, it was almost inevitable that I would come down with a cold of some sort this fall. Being so far away from the nearest Target or CVS, I've been familiarizing myself with over-the-counter British cold remedies. Here is a list of three of my American go-to's and their British names:

Tylenol Cold (Acetaminophen) --> Paracetamol
Cough Syrup --> Chesty Cough Syrup
Cough Drops --> Cough Sweets

I've also been taking Fisherman's Friend cough drops. They are basically menthol lozenges with a bite, the kind of thing that clears out your entire respiratory system upon inhaling. It's remarkable how effective it is in treating a sore throat and suppressing coughs. Apparently, it is available at a limited number of locations in the States. Definitely glad I found them.

The Deep-Fried Mars Bar

A Scottish invention and symbol for national health problems, the deep-fried Mars bar is a sight to behold. It is exactly as it sounds: a Mars Bar (think the heavy caramel and nougat of Snickers minus the peanuts) dipped in heavy batter then cooked in hot oil, most likely lard. To borrow a line from Campbell's: Mmm Mmm Good! And good for you, no doubt.

Aside from Haggis, this deep fried treat is among the most publicized of Scottish must-try's, served in tourist-frequented Royal Mile "chippys" (shops that will deep fry really anything--we're talking seafood, pizza, kebab, and, shockingly, potatoes). Having had a deep friend Twinkie at the Maui County Fair once, I was expecting something akin to that sour, greasy mess of a heart attack, but it was actually quite nice...initially. The melty chocolate and crispy batter coating made the bar taste sort of like the fudge-y crust of a deep fried ice cream sundae. And, included in the cost, came the free after taste of animal fat, a ubiquitous film of grease and a feeling that can be described onomatopoetically as "blehhhhhck."

Don't know if I'll be doing that again anytime soon. But, being in Scotland, I guess it was worth a try.

Best. Thing. Ever.

With just 9 days left before the election, it's important we get down to the real issue...

Picture This Face

"Before you vote, when you're in the voting booth, picture this face."

Hard Times.

Last week came the solemn announcement by Sen. Obama that he would be suspending his campaigning for a couple of days this weekend to visit his ill grandmother back on Oahu. According to The Honolulu Advertiser, Obama visited his grandmother at the Punahou Circle Apartments on South Beretania Street just a couple of blocks from Young Street, which I've realized is on the same block as my late grandmother's apartment. He mentioned yesterday that she may not be well enough to make it through to see her grandson get elected president, but that he was glad to be able to speak with her while she still has all her faculties. My heart goes out to Sen. Obama and his family...We all know how hard it is to lose a loved one. It's a shame that they are being forced to go through all of this in the public eye during a time of such stress on the campaign trail.

...Going...And Going...And Going...

Just about two weeks ago, I mentioned how happy I was to see that the pound-dollar exchange rate had fallen to $1.73 per pound. Today, the exchange rate is at an unbelievable $1.53/£, the lowest it's been since 2002. Analysts in London are saying we might see it dip into the $1.40 range in the near future.

On top of that, the pound lost 9.8% of its value this week relative to the surprisingly strong dollar...that's the largest drop we've seen since 1971. While it doesn't bode well for the British economy, Prime Minister Gordon Brown is hoping that the low rates will encourage foreign investment and drive the UK economy out of its first recession in over a decade (the longest streak of economic growth in the past century).

Suffice it to say, I will be visiting the local Barclay's ATM in a big way in the next few days.

Luda!

Got an email from ASPC [Associated Students of Pomona College] today which was sort of depressing seeing as I'm 5,000 miles away from where this is going down. It read:

Ludacris tickets go on sale TOMORROW (10/23) at Bridges Auditorium at 9:00am for a Saturday, November 22^nd show.

Tickets are $35.00 w/ 5-C ID

Just when I thought I would finally get to see "Saturday (Oooh Oooh!)" live...

Chopped N Skrewed

I'll be the first to admit that T-Pain is pretty ridiculous (and not in a "Can I Get It" kind of way). His affinity for Audio-Tune pixelated vocals can get tired...fast. But that's not the case with "Chopped N Skrewed," plus the video is ridiculous (I meant it that way this time).

Enjoy. (If you're streaming from the UK or anywhere outside the US, you won't be able to view it...yeah...)

• T-Pain
• New Music

A Palace, A Wheel, A Wall

As I mentioned in the Falkirk Wheel post, I went along on our final Pomona-led excursion yesterday that took about 15 of us to the towns of Linlithgow, Falkirk and Stirling. All are smaller towns between Edinburgh and Glasgow and are about an hour away from the city center.

In Linlithgow, we visited Linlithgow palace, a large Renaissance complex where Mary, Queen of Scots and Scotland King James V were born. The palace was in surprisingly good condition and the vibe inside, I felt, was much more personal than at most of the castles that I've been to. It sits on the shore of a small loch (read: lake) that was teeming that day, despite the rainy conditions, with fishermen and sailors.

Second on our agenda was Falkirk. A former center of the Scottish Industrial Revolution, home to the relatively new Falkirk Wheel and an ancient border town of the Roman Empire, Falkirk definitely had a lot of interesting history. In addition to the Wheel, we visited the Antonine Wall, proving that Romans really weren't ones for proper word usage. The "wall," built 2,000 years ago to mark the Northwestern boundary of the Roman Empire, is actually a 60 km long ditch with mounds of earth on either side about 10 feet high. Yeah, I don't know how that would've stopped anyone either.Finally, Stirling and the Stirling Castle. Most of the castle dates back only to the 15th century (so young, I know). Scottish monarchs, including Mary, Queen of Scots, were crowned here and it came under siege by the Jacobite Bonnie Prince Charlie in his 1746 campaign to retake the British throne. I was far more impressed with Stirling Castle than I was with Edinburgh Castle. More scenic, more buildings, though it did lack the royal bling.

Falkirk Whee!

Yesterday, I went along on yet another Pomona-sponsored excursion where, under the guidance of our Study Abroad Liaison and fearless leader Tom Barron, we travel around this great nation looking at things that we should be looking at. This week: Lilithgow, Stirling and Falkirk. (Pictures and details of the trip to come in subsequent posts.) But first, this.

Above are two pictures of the Falkirk Wheel. I generally do not have any invested interest in architecture and engineering, but I was very impressed by this giant thing-a-ma-jigger. Built in 2001 and christened by the Queen during her Golden Jubilee in 2002, the structure transports ferry boats between the Lowlands two great canals: the Forth and Clyde Canal and the Union Canal. The canals were used in the 1800s by the growing industrial companies around Edinburgh and Glasgow and had fallen into disuse by the mid 1900s. In the late '90s, the Scottish Executive decided to refurbish the canals and construct this massive structure to help connect them. Today, it's mainly for use by tourists and casual boaters on holiday. (Apparently, inland boating holidays are kind of a big thing here.)

Tiger!

Possibly the creepiest/best thing I've seen on YouTube in a while.

Sorry for the Bloviation

I recently wrote an editorial for the "Comment" section of The Journal, a student publication here in Edinburgh, addressing the prevalence of US presidential election coverage on this side of the pond. Just thought I'd share, a snippet:

The presidential election brings promise of change in the international political system amidst a crumbling economy and ongoing military strife throughout the globe. For Scots and Americans alike, the election presents the chance for a sea change in international politics as usual, and a 180-degree move away from the policies of the Bush Administration. It’s an opportunity to stop and rectify the damage done to the world economy, to relations between the United Kingdom and the United States, and to Iraq. In an increasingly globalized world, America’s success is the world’s success.

You can read the full text of the article here.

Toledo Represent

During last night's presidential debate, "Joe the Plumber" was mentioned some 25 times (that's 21 by Sen. McCain and 4 by Sen. Obama). I'd just like to point out that Joe is from TOLEDO, OHIO. Represent!

Seriously though, Joe's a small business owner (note that all plumbing businesses making less than $14 million a year are considered "small") whose firm makes about $280,000 a year and is thinking about expanding his plumbing enterprise. Joe asked Obama last week whether he would see higher taxes under an Obama plan.

Obama's answer: You would only see a 3% tax increase on revenue over $250,000 because your firm is part of the 5 percent of businesses nationally that are seeing those kinds of figures.

Joe's response on Fox News and later reappropriated by the McCain campaign: Redistribution of wealth is "kind of socialist."

California Fires

If it's fall, you can bet there's another series of fires smoldering in Southern California. After living through my first major SoCal fire just around this time last year, I was not very surprised to hear on yesterday's AC360 podcast (you can subscribe to it on iTunes) about the conditions in the San Fernando Valley and, most recently, in San Diego and San Bernardino. As of this morning, the fire had torn through about 18,000 acres in the Valley alone. My sister just emailed me today saying that the Metrolink has been shut down...which once again makes me very thankful that I am still not relying on the Ventura Line to commute anywhere anymore.

Here's hoping that my family and friends that live in the area around Simi and Moorpark come out of this one unscathed.

100 Years...100 Movies

On a lighter note, I've recently realized that I haven't seen any of the films that I really should be watching. As great as Superbad is, I don't think it'll be making any Top 10 lists in the near future. The world just wasn't ready for it. In any case, I have started watching some of the movies off AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies list, starting at the top with "Citizen Kane." I don't know if I'll be able to make it to all of them this semester and make it to all of my lectures, but over time I think I can do it.

I will be providing reviews from time to time. In the meantime, if you'd like to join me, you can get most of the movies from this awesome movie blog that I tracked down the other day.

CITIZEN KANE anyone?

http://rapidshare.com/files/71664692/1941CK-kp.part01.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/71666931/1941CK-kp.part02.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/71669637/1941CK-kp.part03.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/71671876/1941CK-kp.part04.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/71674473/1941CK-kp.part05.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/71676746/1941CK-kp.part06.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/71679452/1941CK-kp.part07.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/71682073/1941CK-kp.part08.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/71684536/1941CK-kp.part09.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/71685680/1941CK-kp.part10.rar
Password: klepal

You Get What You Wish For...

As the video above shows, however, perhaps McCain's campaign has been too effective among the base. Speaking at a rally in Minnesota last week, McCain (who I believe is a decent man who despises racism) was forced to take the microphone away from one of his own supporters in front of a crowd numbering in the hundreds. John McCain, once a decent man more interested in speaking for the people of this country instead of at them, is slowly realizing the effect that his hate-mongering campaigning has had in America. It's frankly disgusting that these sorts of attitudes still exist in America, and John McCain knows it. I commend him for returning to his straight talk roots, but I think that for McCain, it may be too little, too late.

"Highlands"

Another weekend, another Pomona-sponsored excursion. This time: the Highlands. Sort of. Under the direction of our trusty advisor and ever-reliable source for all things Scottish, Tom Barron, the Pomona contingent took a day-trip to the southern highlands this past Saturday. We started with a 2 hour bus ride (possibly the most nauseous I've been since I've gotten here) to the small village of Comrie. From there, we hiked for about 3 hours to the "Devil's Cauldron" which sort of reminded me of an O'opu-less 'Iao Valley, and a monument atop a hill dedicated to some lord. Even with the mist that seems to hover everywhere in this country, the view from the top was pretty great. Following the hike and a Pomona-sponsored lunch, we drove a bit further north to Loch Earn, a relatively small lake (Loch = Lake) cradled between a series of nearby peaks. And finally, a trip to a bridge over rapids in a river so brown it looked like coke. A great trip, though I was later informed by my Scottish flatmates that I had been nowhere near the Highlands. Go figure.

The Wait is Over

Following label disputes, a brief touring stint with a musically-reformed Mandy Moore and five years of blogged promises of a Sophomore release, Rachael Yamagata - the songstress out of Virginia Beach - released the two-part "Elephants...Teeth Sinking Into" this week riding a sigh of relief to the sixth position on the iTunes bestseller list.

"Elephants," the first in the two-part series, harkens back to the misty intrigue of 2004's "Happenstance." Replacing chick rock crescendos with subtle whispers over intricate soundscapes that sound more Sigur Ros than Sarah McLachlan, Yamagata has not lost herself. "Elephants" is hands down the best of the lot, at once recalling the simplicity of songwriting that has made Yamagata the darling of folksy artists like Bright Eyes, (the post-Candy) Mandy Moore and Ryan Adams, and showing a complex interplay of music and lyric.

Admittedly, the second four-song set, "Teeth Sinking Into..." is a bit of a stretch. Taking the precarious angstiness of songs like "Letter Read" a bit over the edge, the second in the two part collection seems an unecessary addition to a release that otherwise would've shown an elegant progression for Yamagata. Rock-tendencies aside, a satisfying release that almost makes the four year wait worth it...Almost.

Like A Brick.

In a week of looming economic darkness, a hint of light for Americans abroad. The falling exchange rate hit an all time low this week, dipping today to $1.73 per pound. (That's almost 25 cents lower than when I left California in August.) The figure above shows the downward trend since early July.

With the £500 billion British bailout and interest rate cut announced today, however, that may change in the very near future. That the value of the GBP is falling like a brick against the USD in a time when the US economic infrastructure faces ruin shows just how central the American economy is to the rest of the world. For now, I'm withdrawing while the rate lasts.

Responsibility

Say What??

In a match made in iTunes shuffle heaven, Okkervil River's latest music video for "Lost Coastlines" off their "The Stand Ins" LP was featured on Kanye West's personal blog this week. 'Ye-mazing.

Foreign Correspondent

As a former News Editor for The Student Life newspaper back at Pomona, I happily agreed to contribute to a new column this semester of correspondences from abroad. See, Pomona sends about 300 students (mainly third years) abroad every semester to far-flung locales--everywhere from Nepal and South Africa to, well, Edinburgh. Not having written anything since this in early August, I was a little bit rusty...and my task was to sum up my experiences here in one coherent swath. Here's what I came up with, pre-chopping block:

Edinburgh is the only city I know with buildings the same color as its sky. While it has been a little difficult for me to forego the sunshine of a Southern California Fall, the unpredictable downpours and perpetual grey of the Scottish capitol have, for me, become an integral part of the city’s charm.

The mixing of the historical and decidedly modern is shockingly pervasive here. My walk to class each morning sends me straight through the heart of old Edinburgh, a few blocks of Reformation-age cobbled streets and stone buildings interspersed with ad-plastered pubs and swanky townhomes. And, adding to my growing list of things I’ll never see in Claremont, I pass both a medieval castle and a McDonald’s anytime I need to go to the ATM.

American fast food and modern conveniences aside, there’s an odd air of history in the city that gives an added sense of importance to, well, everything. Coffee is not just coffee when you’re sitting in the same café where JK Rowling penned ‘Philosopher’s Stone.’ A weeklong freshman orientation is not just an orientation when it’s Fresher’s Week, the largest, loudest and drunkest university-sponsored party in Europe. And a university is not just a university when its alumni include Adam Smith and David Hume.

Dating all the way back to 1582, the history of the University of Edinburgh has not been lost on its marketing department. Where Pomona boasts Roy Disney ’51 and Bill Keller ’70, the University of Edinburgh’s list of noted alumni is a who’s who of really smart people with names like Alexander Graham Bell, Darwin and Robert Louis Stevenson. It’s a list, I’m guessing, of people that matriculating students are supposed to think they might end up like if they study here.

Truth is, with the hands-off academic policy on assigning and evaluating work, I’m impressed that they were motivated to get as much work done as they did. Unlike the American system of required reading and regular assignments, the Scots take a laissez faire approach to education. Reading lists tend to be three times as long as they are in the States, encouraging you not to read more, but to choose what interests you. It’s a system of self-guided education that students here find liberating, and I am still adjusting to. In addition, class sizes at the University of Edinburgh are, by liberal arts standards, jarring. Two of my classes have upwards of 250 students, filling all seats in their Little Bridges-sized lecture halls that take 15 minutes for everyone to shuffle in and out of. It’s education en masse.

Despite the sheer scale of the institution, however, there is plenty chance for person-to-person interaction. Navigating the long queues (that’s Brit-speak for lines) and the University’s fumbling bureaucracy with new Scottish friends has been one of the greatest parts of the experience, not to mention the time spent picking up on Glaswegian slang and the subtleties of discount cider with the flatmates.

In a university of 24,000 students, it’s easy to feel like a number (mine is s0895928). And while sitting in on 300 person philosophy lectures and partying with 2,000-Freshers is still slightly disconcerting, I’m beginning to feel like I am taking part in something big. It’s oddly rewarding to know that, just by being here, I am playing some role in the University’s history. And if not, at least the haggis, Strongbow and IRN BRU are tasty.

Language Barriers

Aside from my struggles deciphering the Scottish and, more specifically, Glaswegian accent, British English is not all that different from what I'm used to back home. There are some weird variations in language, however, that still perplex me from time to time. Here are some examples:

Firstly, there is an obvious difference in the spelling of words that is sometimes surprising. I feel there's an odd fascination with unnecessary vowels:
Medieval --> Mediaeval
Skeptical --> Sceptical
Defense --> Defence
Theater --> Theatre
9/28/2008 --> 28/9/2008
Color --> Colour
Maneuver --> Manoeuvre

And some terms are, well, just incomprehensible from the American English. These are all terms that I feel really self-conscious about both saying and not-saying when conversing with my peers here.
Line --> Queue
Bathroom --> Loo
Dinner --> Tea
Cigarette --> Fag
Stove --> Hob
Z --> Zed
Dish Soap --> Washing-Up Liquid
Fries --> Chips
Chips --> Crisps
TV --> Telly
Cell Phone --> Mobile
Trailer Trash --> NEDs
Vomit --> Sick
Sketchy --> Dodgy
Cup of Tea --> Cuppa
Little --> Wee
Shrimp --> Prawn

For a more academic approach, turn to the ultimate linguistic source.

TV, Not Telly.

Being in the UK, or just out of the United States for that matter, means that I cannot stream full TV episodes from American sites like nbc.com and mtv.com. Apparently, they have their software read your IP Address to determine whether or not you're accessing their copyrighted material from abroad. That means, no new episodes of Chuck, The Office or The Daily Show. Darn. It also means that I've had to get slightly more creative in getting the TV fix that I need. Yeah, I know that I'm supposed to be seeking out local media and immersing myself in all that's British, but frankly shows on the Telly are really not that impressive. I mean, have you seen British Deal or No Deal? Seriously.

Aside from the stuff that I can access via Megaupload and Rapidshare links of blogs, here's a list of the top 3 sites that have been keeping me current:
http://www.surfthechannel.com
http://www.hulu.com
http://www.megavideo.com

Any other suggestions?

I've Got Mail!

Checked the mail today and was pleasantly surprised to see a postcard from my good friend C.S.H. (You can read her stuff here and here). It's from the Body Worlds exhibit that she recently went to in Los Angeles and, disturbingly, shows a rabbit's Circulatory System in 3D. It's interesting, but a bit jarring to see on my wall everytime I look up from my computer screen. In any case, it was great to hear from a friend...

If you want to join in, here's my mailing address:

6/1 Darroch Court
St Johns Hill
Edinburgh
EH8 9TS