Some awesome fairytale pictures from Korean celebritys. I wonderd if i should have something like this in my final work?

Han Chae Young and Baek Seol Gong as the Queen and King from Snow White.Ye Ji Won as Little Red Riding Hood

Ha Ji Won as Gulliver from Gulliver’s Travels

Kim Seong Ryeong as Rapunzel

Chae Sira as Cinderella’s step-mother. Models Kim Min Hee and Lee Hyuk Soo’s reinterpretation of Tim Burton’s The Corpse Bride

Nice work, i wish i had a budjet for that…

One week before I start my first “real job,” I couldn’t feel any more like an adult.  Then I got a swift kick to the groin by my kindergarten-self.  The CW had a special 90-minute movie entitled “Turtles Forever.”  Now, I had watched the new TMNT cartoons, and although I enjoyed watching them for Turtles’ sake, they were not the Turtles of old.  My turtles, the early 90s incarnation, are THE turtles, and I think most of you would agree with me.

So you can understand why I might have been hesitant to sit and watch this entire movie.  But then it happened.

The movie opened with a classic Turtles entrance- out of the shadows they save the day.  I noticed something unexpected.  The masks that the shadowed turtles were wearing looked oddly familiar… something old.  Turns out I was right.  The old turtles were BACK.  They had warped into an alternate dimension (inhabited by the new turtles of course) and wallah- 2 sets of turtles in one show.

And where there are two sets of turtles, you have to have two sets of Shredders.  It was the Technodrome that warped the turtles, which of course warped Shedder, Krang, Bebop, Rocksteady, and the robotic Foot Soldiers.  IT WAS AWESOME.

This movie did a lot to point out how ridiculous the old turtles were- always worried about pizza, jokes, and generally tomfoolery.  The use of trashcans to take out enemies was a favorite joke in this movie.  However, I think that’s why we all liked them so much.  They were lighthearted and fun, less intent on making sense and being realistic (I mean, it was a show about TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES right?).

The main part of the story is that good ol’ Shed-Head has finally figured out how to destroy the turtles once and for all.  After learning about alternate dimensions and seeing that every dimensions has its own set of turtles (a cool moment where you get to see about 15 different versions of the turtles, including live-action movie turtles), he decides he must warp to Turtle-Prime and destroy Laird and Eastman’s very first comic book versions.  Turtle-Prime Turtles are BAMFs by the way.

Overall, this was a great way to spend my Saturday morning.  It reminded me of all the good times I had with the Heroes on a Half-Shell back in the day, and the story was actually really really good.

As a fantastic tribute to the 25th Anniversary of the Ninja Turtles, this movie definitely gets a Grade: A    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YixMJJzOCoA

De geschiedenis van China is in het Westen zo goed als onbekend. Ik heb er destijds op school in ieder geval nooit iets over gehoord, behalve dan hoe vreselijk het Chinees (en Russisch) communisme wel was. Zelfs nu China toch redelijk ‘hot’ is, gaat men meestal niet verder terug dan het huidig regime en wordt het gedrag van de Chinees vooral hierdoor verklaard, terwijl het huidig bestuur nog relatief jong is als men het totaalplaatje van de Chinese geschiedenis bekijkt.
De invloed van bijvoorbeeld confucianisme en taoïsme is niet te onderschatten, ook vandaag nog. Sommigen beweren ook dat Mao Zedong niet zo heel anders was dan de keizers die hem voorafgingen (Zijn beeld staat in de toeristenwinkeltjes ook vaak zij aan zij met die keizers).

En voor je hier gaat lopen, neen, ik ga geen geschiedenisles geven Alleen even melden dat er verschillende dynastieën zijn geweest, dat keizer Qin ooit China heeft verenigd. In zijn graf, in de buurt van de stad Xi’an, zijn de overbekende terracottasoldaten gevonden (hier een foto van souvenirsoldaatjes in een etalage).

En wat ikzelf tot voor kort niet wist, ook latere keizers hadden “ventjes” in hun graf.
Dat was de reden van ons bezoek aan de stad Xuzhou. In die streek zijn niet alleen een aantal graven teruggevonden, er is ook een bijzonder interessant museum. De inhoud daarvan was trouwens deels afwezig omdat de stukken nu in Brussel liggen n.a.v. Europalia.
De beelden zijn een pak kleiner dan die in Xi’an (die zijn zo groot als een mens), ze zijn wel bijzonder schattig, je kan er veel dichter bij komen én je bent zo wat de enige bezoeker van de site. Dat viel dus niet tegen!

Klockans visare rör sig, solen smyger över himmelshelvetet och jag följer med i vardaglighetens nycker. Upp, jobba, sova, äta, duscha, diska, sova, sova, jobba, äta. Och tårarna halkar nedför kinderna med tätare intervaller. Ingen människa kan göra så mycket fel som jag, vara så mycket fel som jag. Jag jobbar med nedböjt huvud och gömmer tårarna under smuts och damm. Så jag försöker förbättra, förbättra om, förbättra igen. förbättra mer. Förändra. Lämnar över hela min vilja och försöker igen. Men jag blir aldrig rätt. Jag är bara fel.

En medicinsk version av Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde. Om än i modernare tappning och av kvinnligt format. Övertygat utstrålar jag en briljant, men ack så förfalskad, social kompetens. Min utsida hycklar i all dess påklistrade självkänsla,här håller man ryggen rak bara så länge publiken finns kvar. Jag låser omsorgsfullt dörren som leder till källarens monster och skuttar självklart fram i vardagen med outtröttligt engagemang och sprudlande glädje.

På andras linser personifierar jag levnadsglädje, ohejdbar pratsamhet och en aning överaktivitet. På sin höjd kan ADHD-varning utfärdas eller ett  “vara tyst-problem” konstateras. Jag är den som ger svar på tal, med välsmord munverksamhet och en bitande träffsäkerhet. Jag tål att bli emot sagd, jag tål att skämtas med.

Det är därför få förunnat att få se den karakteristiska Sara-skuttigheten drivas på porten. Att förskräckt få skåda mina vanligtvis nyfikna ögon istället uppspärrade i panisk skräck. En bortbyting, ålande på golvet i vansinne med döden över bröstet och stämbanden vrålande i maximala möjliga tonvidd, inkletad i snor och slem. Men det är jag, mitt psykiskt söndertrasade alter ego.

Fast än det verkar osannolikt så finns det där, det hotade och skadade vilda djuret som skenar i mitt bröst. Och mina finurliga ögon kan på ett ögonblick förvandlas till svart hat allt emedan min kropp går till vild attack mot sig själv, i besinningslöst våld i ett desperat försök att tysta skammen som skriker i öronen.

Och hur många kan egentligen ana det antal tunna linjära spår som min hud stoltserar med, eller att mina blånader och skrubbsår inte anskaffats i klumpighetens namn. Inte heller skulle någon tro mig om jag delade med mig av tankarna som rasar omkring under hjässan i ljusets hastighet; där slutsatser dras bortom rimlighet och förnuft, där surrealismen är verklighet.

Det är min dubbelnatur, som ständigt hotar att kasta mig in i vansinnighetens smärta. En förvandling som kan ske blixtsnabbt, vid rätt förutsättningar för sårbarhet och omgivningens struktur. Jag vandrar omkring i livet som ett förklätt sprängämne, var steg kan utlösa den detonation som låter smärtan explodera i sin fullkomlighet.

Och det kan ingen få veta. Trots att sanningen sipprar fram genom sprickor i huden. Ingen kan få veta. Ingen kan få se. För ingen skulle förstå. (Döm mig inte, snälla, döm mig inte!)

That is what the movie should have been called, because I can sum up the entire story with two words: “I’m depressed.”  Every single character was just a big pile of sadness.

There were some good story lines to this movie.  Unfortunately, we are forced to sit and watch Bella sit and watch the seasons change.  When we could be learning about werewolf training or following Edward as he goes to exotic locations, we are stuck in a boring-ass town called Forks.  Who cares?

Congrats to Taylor Lautner though.  The dude showed up for this movie jacked.  From what I understand, they told him to bulk up or get out.  Good for him, and I did end up feeling bad for the character by the end of the movie, which I hope was the emotion that they wanted him to elicit from the audience.  Well done.

Unfortunately (you’re reading that word a lot aren’t you?), the other two main actors were sub-par.  Pattison’s and Stewart’s performances might be directly related to the fact that they play two of the most RIDICULOUS CHARACTERS ever written, but seriously, I did not feel attached to either of these fools.

Ashley Greene (Alice) continues to be my favorite character and actor.  She is funny, smart, and easy to watch.  I’d rather have the next two movies be all about her rather than suffer through another two movies of tears and agony.

I’m giving this movie a C-… but only because I’m nice.  When this movie finally started to get interesting (in the last 20 minutes), the action barely lasts long enough to make it worth the trip to the theater.  Will I see the next one?  Probably, but only because I know the next movie can’t be worse…. I’m going to watch Star Trek again to help me forget what I just saw.

John Woo, director of Red Cliff, is likely known in America for the films Face/Off, and Mission Impossible II but in addition he is quite an active director in Asia as well as having several films in the development stage to be released over the next couple of years. The film is actually part 2 of the 1992 classic Hard Boiled both starring Tony Leung and reuniting Woo and Leung for the first time since that film. The film was wildly popular in Asia and is advertised as the most expensive film ever made in the orient at least at the time of this writing. The story takes place in 208 A.D. involving the Han dynasty and their fight for power. The ensuing battle marks their end of rule in this loosely based historical drama.

Not having seen either film but considering the plot and my surmising that there was a lot of non-stop action, I was quite surprised at the restrained symphonic quality of the score and the minimal use of electronic programming from Taro Iwashiro, who I’ve had no prior experience with but certainly wish to explore further. The soundtrack was the winner of Best Original Film Score at the 2009 Hong Kong Film Awards. It also features a vocal of the main themes by Chinese J-Pop star alan.

“The Battle of Red Cliff,” is a pretty theme that would hardly be a description of a battle involving the Han dynasty but more like a theme from a melodrama with emphasis upon the fortunes of war through the percussion. It is a theme that is used throughout the score. “Light Of The Evanescence” is a soft tranquil theme in an andante tempo that depicts a quiet time in the forest by a brook or the aftermath of the battle. It too is repeated in the score and is really quite a moving piece. “Decision for Justice” is a proud heroic theme that indicates the resolve to solve the conflict at hand. While this is a military piece you don’t get the feeling of similar situation written for an American film. “Precious One” is a love theme version of “Light Of The Evanescence” with delicate flute and oboe in the forefront. “Red Cliff-River Of No Return” sung by alan is very oriented to the pop market and I’m sure the $ signs were in the eyes of the producer and director as this was being recorded. It is a pleasant theme and I’m sure many of you will enjoy it but it really doesn’t fit a film that takes place in 200 A.D. The score, performed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, has an overall Asian flavor with the use of a Bamboo Flute and Chinese Harp but still has its own unique identity and style. I never got the feeling of a 110-piece orchestra with extra brass to emphasize the military aspect of the film. This is definitely one to explore if your taste lends itself toward the classical side of film soundtrack listening. Recommended.

CD# is SILCD1296

Produced by Taro Iwashiro

Track listing

1. The Battle Of Red Cliff (03:05)

2. On The Battlefield (08:43)

3. Light Of The Evanescence (02:32)

4. Shadow Of The Evanescence (02:26)

5. Shooooot! (01:43)

6. Decision For Justice (03:58)

7. Secret Stratagem (01:51)

8. Closing In Upon The Enemy (04:13)

9. Unseen Locus (03:01)

10. Precious One (05:22)

11. Sound Of Heartstrings (01:35)

12. In Loneliness (05:35)

13. Beyond The River (04:19)

14. Red Cliff (End Roll Version) / Theme Song Of Part I (07:12)

Performed by Alan

15. Outroduction Of Legend (05:16)

16. Red Cliff (End Roll Version) / Theme Song Of Part II (03:32)

Performed by Alan

Total Duration: 01:04:23

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my [Korean] wife…it’s call call call call.”

That was the excellent advice I received this week from a former co-worker after living in my house for two days and two nights without heat or hot water because my boiler broke and my landlord delayed? forgot? to call the repairman.

Before I came to Korea, I read all of the advice books and sites on adapting to Korean culture. They said that Koreans don’t like direct conflict, so if you have a conflict, you should always deal with the person with a smile. They said in Confucian culture people should not raise their voice or show explicit displeasure. Those resources also admonished foreigners for complaining too much, for expecting too much from their housing, for not wanting to do anything outside of their written contract. Any and all complaints they said, were looked on unfavourably in Korea, especially when they came from foreigners. So the best thing to do, whether it be no heat or no pay or no service, was to deal with the conflict with a smile.

So when my ‘Christian’ hagwan found a room for me above a room salon and smack in the middle of a ‘sexy’ noribang, a ‘barber’ shop, and a love motel, I tried not to complain too strongly to the housing manager of the school. Sure I was asked if I was a prostitute every day. Sure I was a bit off-put by walking home through a path of blow up pictures of surgically enhanced women in string bikinis. Sure I was a little fearful by the presence of gangsters in the area. But I didn’t try to push my case until the 24 hour computer horse racing ‘casino’ below my window started blasting horse racing music 24 hours a day, preventing me from sleeping. And even then, when I complained, I did it with a smile.

Although my smile-complaining didn’t work for years, I kept plugging along, thinking that it was because I was a foreigner that nobody paid any attention to my complaints. Or that I was a woman. Or that I was a young woman. In my mind I would get very angry at things, but I held on to that early advice that polite manners were going to get me somewhere.

But of course, culture is a lot more complicated than one-solution-fits-all-problems. That and those advice guides are bullshit.

It’s true that Confucian cultures rules in many situations. Your boss, no matter how young, believes in Confucianism. And if you are a young woman, and your boss is an older woman…she definitely believes in Confucian deference.

But like all cultures and times and places there are an awful lot of forms of power in Korea. For example, the advice guides never tell you about the power of money. Sure in Canada we have the blue bloods and the nouveau riches, and there’s the expressions ‘money talks’ and ‘the customer is always right.’ But in Korea, where there is a profound lack of educational choice for those who do not have the ability to send their kids abroad, parents have found a dearth of power in the hagwan industry. Money speaks volumes here, and it is often parents’ moods and threats and beliefs, no matter how erroneous, which dictate not only curriculum changes but also the race of the people who are hired to teach their kids. Their money, or threats to remove it, can shut down a school in a panic over a non-existent ‘foreign-flu’ threat.

And then there is han. Some say it comes from years of foreign domination and subjugation while others find the Confucian yangban as the culprit. Han is a Korean word that is almost impossible to translate into English. It is a great longing, an unsettling remorse, an unresolved despair, a lament for the injustice felt in one’s restless soul. It is the stuff of pansori and the spirits that suddenly overtake the shaman. And this han, this overwhelming sense of being wronged with no resolution, is best expressed publically in loud laments. And it is han that will always win over measured reason.

Han is best employed when there is money at stake but the winner and the loser have yet to be decided. It is best used when there is a blip in the Confucian hierarchy, or when the stronger party is momentarily caught off guard.

Recently FI has spoken several times about how Koreans love to complain. They love to show their han and they will complain and complain and complain because it is only through their laments that the powerless find power and those that feel injustice, whether it is true or not, find resolution. I have indeed complained often in Korea. I have complained with a smile and I have complained after hours to expat friends and equally powerless Koreans in the corners of dark bars and bustling coffee shops with all the snarkiness and bitterness I could muster. But I had never tried direct and prolonged han with a person in a place of power.

And so, when my boiler broke…and my 50-something male landlord failed to do anything after I used my polite and well measured voice, I tried out a new tactic.

I complained. I complained the way a good ajumma would do. I bemoaned the newly frigid temperatures outside. I lamented the feeling of the cold floor on my feet which was starting to seep into my bones. I eluded ever so slightly to possibility of catching swine flu and thus bringing this feared illness on the whole building. I cried out at the injustice of not being able to take a hot shower and of the possibility that a lack of hot water might result in a truly disastrous flood if the pipes burst. I railed at the situation I was in, and I called and called and called and called.

And then it worked. Then the repairman miraculously appeared within 20 minutes of being called despite being too busy to come for the two days before. Then the heat was fixed without prolonged discomfort. Then the hot water flowed without interruption, and all was fixed in a few minutes.

I am not yet an ajumma. The married woman but also the stereotypically brash and audacious woman full of chutzpah that non-ajummas ridicule and fear. Despite my dear wish to remain outside the Korean hierarchical realm, I will be given that label upon my wedding day by those who know that I have married into the culture. I am quite afraid of being the pushy woman who bangs her shopping cart into others to get through the aisle faster or the woman who stares down a younger woman on the subway through her sun visor in order to terrify the girl into giving up her seat. But now that I’ve had a taste of han-based complaining…now that I’ve had a taste of complaining power I’m intrigued…

As if I didn’t have enough Thursday night TV to watch, I’ve now adopted a new show.  Luckily, the CW moved Smallville to Fridays this season, opening up a DVR 8:00 slot for a show not named Survivor.  I can’t get enough of Community.

This show started off rather slowly, but, like all great shows, it has picked up steam ever since.  The whole idea of the show is that Jeff (Joel McHale) has to go back to community college to finish his degree so that he can resume his law career.  Being too cool for school, Jeff figures out quickly that there won’t be any shortcuts at this school and is forced to join a study group to pass his Spanish class.  Enter the supporting cast, including the legendary Chevy Chase (who admittedly is not the wittiest senior citizen).

While each character has his/her own lovable idiosyncrasies, there is no doubt that Abed (Danny Pudi) is the best part of this show.  This asperger syndrome sufferer throws around pop culture references that are so quick and simple that you almost miss why are they are so funny.  His grasp on society isn’t the tightest (or is it too tight?), so many of his ideas lead to hilarity.  Some of my favorite Abed moments include trying to convince Troy he’s an alien, accidentally predicting the future with his student films, becoming Batman, and getting to know Jeff and meeting him (in that order).  Abed is making a strong case for funniest character on TV, right behind Sheldon on Big Bang and Barney on HIMYM.

B+.  Do not judge this show by its first few episodes.  You have to get a couple episodes in to really get to the meat and potatoes of this show.  Also, if you saw The Hangover, you’ll probably recognize Senor Chang and will approve of this casting.  Oh one more thing to keep track of is a Soup-favorite, the mocking of Ryan Seacrest.

I had planned to write about Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian because I just saw it yesterday and thought it was pretty good…. AND then I watched STAR TREK again.

J.J. Abrams has taken over my TV.  My girlfriend is obsessed with LOST, and quite frankly I’m obsessed with this movie.  I’m going to wear out the little bits of data on this DVD before I send it back to Netflix.  Let me also describe my pre-J.J. Abrams Star Trek relationship:  hate.  I am and will always be loyal to the greatest trilogy of all time: Star Wars. I am NOT a Trekkie; I do not approve of  Trekkie behavior; and yes, Han Solo could beat the shit out of Capt. Kirk.  Onward.

Zachary Quinto- a.k.a Sylar. Yes, I was hoping that at some point during the movie he would cut off someone’s head using his finger, but unfortunately, Abrams kept Sylar at bay.  Quinto plays a perfect Spock to Chris Pine’s Kirk.  His deadpan delivery makes everything he says sound perfectly logical, while also getting the most out of the script’s humor.

Chris Pine- Captain Kirk. Pine channels the cockiness of Shatner into the newest incarnation of the legendary captain of the Enterprise. (The character as a whole was just awesome in this movie- even the younger Kirk who steals that car was cocky and awesome.)  But Pine does the brunt of the work, and oh boy is he good.  He plays the hero perfectly and deserves every bit of credit that he can get for his portrayal.

The entire ensemble cast needs to be back for the sequel.  While Quinto and Kirk are the main characters, John Cho (Harold and Kumar, American Pie), Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz), and Karl Urban (Lord of the Rings) are just a few of the supporting actors who helped make this movie great.  They provided much of the movie’s humor and kept the Spock and Kirk characters fresh.

A+   This movie was the BEST of the summer.  It bettered a number of strong contenders coming into the summer, including the powerhouse Harry Potter.  It made almost $385 million and Paramount can’t wait for the release of the sequel.  I can’t wait to see where Abrams takes the sequel, hopefully to where no one has gone before.

http://www.esubjects.com/curric/general/multiculturalism/unit_three/pdf/Home_is_where_the_Han_is.pdf

Home is Where the Han Is: A Korean American Perspective on the Los Angeles Upheavals by Elaine H. Kim discusses the tragic aftermath of the LA riots that affected many Korean Americans. The riot began when four white police officers were found not guilty in the beating of Rodney King. Han recites the events as she depicts the hostility between the African Americans and Koreans Americans escalating from stereotypes. Kim writes in place of the silence that bestowed upon her people. She writes questioning the American dream and provides examples of how harsh white American responded to her piece in Newsweek magazine. Ironically, she speaks of the responses from white men and women who believe her ideas are pretentious are selfish. Some questioned Kim’s self-interest as they wondered how she could easily take for granted the opportunity to become a Berkley college professor. Others questioned why anyone would expect so much from the United States of America.  For example, Kim receives a letter that says, “At the same time some letters blamed me for expecting ‘freedom and opportunity’: it is a wondrous that folks such as you find truth in your paranoia. No one ever promised anything to you or your parents” (pg. 6). Finally others have outright told Kim and her people that if they do not like it in the United States, they should just go home.

What I come to realize throughout this piece is that sadly many people still cannot see the injustice streams of racism in the United States. Granted that in this tech savvy era, racist stereotypes are much more sophisticated. Prejudice images have become so deeply embedded in our culture that we take them as social norms. Often times I find myself to be the only one in my group of friends to understand why the media portray people a certain way or how the history of capitalism exploits minority culture for profit. I am furious that my parents strongly believe in the American dream and I am sicken to see that so many people do not understand how important it is to stand up for an invisible group, whether it be Asians, South Asians, or African Americans. I absolutely despise the fact that many minorities turn against each other and is masked by the similarity that all minorities were oppressed by the same kind. I personally feel as though we all should stand together and act as a force to overrule the ideals of the dominant ruling class. I empathize with Kim as she reveals all the responses she received from white Americans who insist that Kim is the racist one. I feel for her as she reads insult after insult from people attacking her intelligence to accusations of spreading propaganda.  I do not understand why some people; especially white Americans cannot let go of their imperialist thoughts and supreme nature. I just can’t understand why so many people chose not to see Kim’s perspective but were so easily convinced and offended that she questioned the so-called “American culture.” In a time where I so strongly believe in the movement of the invisible people, reading this article just makes me feel as though we haven’t made much progress.

Since I’m in the mood to share things that I would want to buy for my house one day, like the aquarium a couple days back. Here is another piece I’d Love to have, this is a custom Star Wars themed table that features Han Solo frozen in Carbonate (epic?) the glass top will get a bit smudged from time to time but it will only add to the coolness of this table. Right now there is just one as far as I know and its custom made by order, would definitely be a looker though. check out the website for other cool tables, or if you want to submit your own ideas, here.

il cinese, l’Amica, l’obesa, l’innamorato, la mezza tedesca, l’attore, la corsa, il musone, la barista

No, non è la lista di nove dei prossimi abitanti della casa del Grande Fratello 10, bensì la lista dei nove coinquilini che ho avuto nella mia esistenza. Persone con cui spesso ho condiviso molto più che le spese di casa, altre con cui non ho condiviso proprio nulla, altre ancora con cui non avrei mai voluto avere a che fare.

Han era sicuramente una personcina curiosa. Avete presente lo stereotipo del cinesino perfettino, nervosetto, veloce e curioso? Lo stereotipo del cinesino simpatico come una crosta anale? Ecco Han!

Dall’ottobre del 2003 al febbraio del 2004, abbiamo condiviso casa a Lancaster, Inghilterra, quando ero in Erasmus e al numero 8 di Ridge Street.

Durante una festicciola arrivò il padrone di casa con quest’omino bizzarro che voleva una camera. Non ricordo se già vivevo con l’Amica oppure non ancora. Ma ricordo con sicurezza che io e l’Amica lo abbiamo deriso senza tregua e senza pietà. Ecco perché.

Porello, si sforzava di essere più occidentale possibile, più giovane possibile, ma combatteva ineluttabilmente contro mulini a vento. Aveva un età indefinita, dai trenta ai cinquant’anni, insegnava inglese in Cina. Ma quando scoprimmo (io e l’altra coinquilina, l’Amica) che aveva 48 anni, e quando lui disse, riferito a sua moglie: “HE is my wife” capimmo che era sempre stato un vecchio, probabilmente anche da giovane, e che insegnava agli studenti cinesi delle basi di inglese sbagliate.

Insomma, ha perso subito credibilità, aveva un futuro nella politica italiana però…

Insieme all’età scoprimmo anche il suo vero nome. Frugando in una cartellina di documenti lasciata in salotto,scoprimmo anche che si chiamava Deshun, Han era il suo cognome. Al punto restammo di stucco e ci inventammo una storia bizzarra per rivelargli che conoscevamo il suo segreto. Abboccò a quell’improbabile scusa (che suonava tipo che in sogno ci era apparsa Mila Azuki che ci aveva rivelato l’arcano) e ci spiegò che si faceva chiamare per cognome, perché per noi era più facile pronunciare Han piuttosto che Deshun. HAN con la acca aspirata e la velocità di pronuncia era effettivamente più semplice di Deshun che si pronuncia Desciùn e che non rischi di pronunciare male confondendolo con una parola omografa che però significa “vassoio” o “cavaturaccioli”.

Certe volte mi sorprendo a pensare a cosa sta facendo quel piccolo principe Made in China, avrei sempre voluto conoscere la sua famiglia, ad esempio suo figlio, che si chiamava Biao che non ho mai capito come si pronunciava come nome proprio, perché a seconda dell’accento invece che chiamare il figlio del mio coinquilino, potevi vederti arrivare:

飑

biāo

uragano; ciclone

鳔

biào

vescica natatoria

膘

biāo

carne grassa; grassa

裱

biǎo

montare; incorniciare

标

biāo

1. segno; indicazione; marchio 2. mettere le etichctte; indecare (prezzi, ecc. )

表

biǎo

1. esteriore; apparente 2. parentela tra i figli di un fratello e una sorella 3. esprimere; manifestare; esternare 4. modello; esempio 5. lista; elenco; modulo 6. strumento di misura 7. orologio

Personaggino…

Una volta che ero in preda alla malinconia, scrissi e bruciai una lettera nel piccolo barbecue del piccolo cortiletto dietro casa (in Inghilterra tutte le case hanno un piccolo cortiletto dietro casa). Quanto fumo può fare una lettera bruciata? Tanto quanto basta affinché un cinese di mezza età che si lava i denti in bagno al piano di sopra corra giù con lo spazzolino in bocca a gridare “fire! fire! (al fuoco! al fuoco!) per aver visto un po’ di fumo dalla finestra. Mi ci vollero bei cinque minuti a calmarlo e mi guardava come se avesse quattro anni e io gli spiegavo che Babbo Natale non esiste, se ne facesse una ragione.

Passò quattro mesi a congelarsi le chiappe nel nord Inghilterra, chiuso in cameretta a fare chilometri di essay per il suo master, vestendo i suoi pigiamini che prevedevano panta collant marroni invece che pantaloni, bevendo acqua calda perché fa bene al corpo ed esclamando senza posa “uoztubidàn” (ossia what’s to be done) in ogni occasione. Doveva sempre chiedere “Why?” come un bambino di quattro anni. E quando dico sempre, intendo SEMPRE. Quattro mesi così, a bere acqua calda  e a fare i compiti, poi l’hanno rispedito in Ciaina perché non aveva il permesso di soggiorno in regola. Non ha manco potuto prendersi il suo master. Ha sprecato quattro mesi, lontano dalla famiglia e a farsi bonariamente prendere per culo da noi due. Lo adoravamo Deshun! Era il nostro tamagochi, era la mascotte perfetta. Chissà che casini sta combinando in Ciaina, chissà se ha imparato i pronomi personali, chissà se è tornato a Lancaster a prendersi il master per cui ha versato litri di inchiostro, chissà cosa pensava di me e dell’Amica.

Ovunque tu sia, Deshun Han, mi manchi…

Det är värre nu. Jag får kämpa så hårt för att hålla uppe fasaden tillsammans med andra; på jobbet måste jag gömma mig på toaletten när smärtan blir för ohanterlig, för att ingen ska höra mina tårar. Men det hjälper inte. Ingen dörr i världen kan skyla det som gror i mitt bröst. När min annars så glada person försvinner in i en dimma kantad av tomma ögon och uttryckslös mun, så vet jag att dom ser. Dom ser min ångestnervösa flackande blick och rastlöshetens irrfärd i kroppen. Dom ser hur mina axlar höjs upp till öronen och när min kropp försöker gömma sig genom att krympa ihop för att gestalta litenheten jag känner i magen.

Ett avgörande ögonblick tycks nära. Ett avslöjande om en nalkande katastrof. En katastrof som skulle kunna riva sönder allt jag har byggt upp, stämpla sinnessjuk i min panna för alltid. Jag känner hur jag får allt svårare att kontrollera mina impulser, kroppen vägrar lyda hjärnans nervinstruktioner och ignorerar förnuftets uppgivna röst. Jag är rädd. Rädd för mig själv.

Hans ord har flyttat in i mitt medvetenade. Fastän jag inte förstår varför följer jag Hans nycker och spel. Min enda livsuppgift är att inte göra Honom arg. Och jag misslyckas. Försöker igen, med än mer intensitet än vad som är möjlig att uppbåda, och misslyckas. Om jag misslyckas tar Han kärleken och tryggheten ifrån mig. Det får inte ske. Jag måste vara exakt och precis det Han vill ha. Jag måste ge Honom vad som än krävs för att inte behöva höra de orden han släpper lös när jag gjort Honom arg. På mina axlar vilar skulden, med dess klor djupt borrade in i mitt skinn.

Det finns ingen utväg nu. Hoppet är uppgivet, hjärtat bankar sig trött. Smärtan, skräcken, förtvivlandet, ångesten, rädslan, hopplösheten, desperationen och självföraktet har vuxit samman till en enda hänsynslös fiende, inför vilken jag står handfallen.

Svaljet blöder, och ropet på hjälp har tystnat.

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This entry is not about my own work, but about a piece I bought nearly two months ago.

I went to the exhibit of an installation made by a Dutch artist Han Koster. ( http://www.hnk.nu/) The installation was made in, or became part of a small church. It is difficult to explain how it moved me, so I won’t try to, but I was looking forward to collect the piece and today was the day!

Welkom op de website van de nieuwe eigenaar van Chalet 185 in Residentieel park Les Brulins in Resteigne. De website van de vorige eigenaar (www.resteigne185.be) staat niet meer online.

Snuister gerust eens door deze site en ontdek de extra voordelige tarieven voor een onvergetelijk verblijf in de prachtige Ardennen.

We verhuren de chalet doorlopend per week/weekend/midweek vanaf januari 2010.

Voor meer info, mail ons.

Oh my goodness.  Why hasn’t anyone thought of this before?  Look for the Hidden Immunity Idol without a clue!  What a simple idea. Sounds silly though- searching the jungle for a small bundled package holding the most powerful item you can have in Survivor without any clues to where it could be.

Maybe it’s really all not that hard after all.

Russell Hantz may just be the smartest player since Richard Hatch.  Not only did he find the idol hidden on his island without any clues, but after he used it without need at last week’s tribal, HE FOUND ANOTHER ONE WITHOUT A CLUE.  He’s a miracle maker.

But it goes beyond hidden idols.  It’s how he plays the game.  At first, he was considered the most vile, despicable player the game has ever seen.  He burned his tribemates socks, dumped out their water supply, and formed his very own “dumbass girls alliance.”  But when his team channeled Ulong from Survivor: Palau and lost almost EVERY immunity challenge, he became the leader of the underdogs and the heart and soul of this season.

With his tribe down 8 to 4, he has played his own personal game of twister, helping his alliance survive two post-merge tribals and possibly evening the numbers at 5-5 with a possible Shambo flop to the Foa Foa side.

This has a Danni Boatwright come-from-behind victory written all over it, except in this case, Russell is making his own miracles, and not waiting for one to find him.

If you’re a Survivor doubter, this season and this set of castaways should remind you why Survivor became such a phenomenon at the beginning of this decade and why there have been 19 total seasons with a 20th on the way.

OUTWIT. OUTPLAY. OUTLAST.

Oh my goodness.  Whoever made this movie (cough *Director Brad Silberling and Writer Chris Henchy & co.* cough) should reevaluate their life choices.  I’m not sure how Will Ferrell, the man who in little over a year has gone from top notch (Stepbrothers) to sad and forgotten, ended up in this disaster, but he is and it’s not classy, San Diego.  Not one bit.

I did find enjoyable parts to this movie; they’re easy to spot.  Just look for Danny McBride, and you’ll find the funny.  His inappropriate humor directed at co-star Anna Friel’s character (more on this mistake later) was gut-busting at moments and almost made me forget about the rest of the movie, which made the ‘07 Mets collapse seem bearable in comparison.

Okay, let’s talk Anna Friel.  Who?  Exactly.  In a movie where you are looking at the same three people the entire time, all three need to be household names.  Will Ferrell brought the star power.  Everyone at least recognizes Danny McBride.  Anna Friel wasn’t terrible in this role, but you just spend the whole time asking yourself “Who is this?” and thinking “there had to be someone else available.” She seems fit to be a minor character, but in this movie, there were no minor characters and she just wasn’t what the movie needed in its most desperate hour.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, this movie was not acceptable.  I love Will Ferrel movies (I even enjoy Bewitched if I’m not thinking about it too much), but this is a PASS unless you’re a HUGE Matt Lauer fan, because his bit-role is great.

Okay, yes.  It’s true.  I’m a Gleek.  Let me be honest though.  I am not saying that this show is going to win an Emmy anytime soon.  But it’s fun, and isn’t that what should really matter?

The idea that the star quarterback , wide receiver, and head cheerleader of the high school football team would forsake popularity to join the glee club is utterly and severely ridiculous. However, the supporting cast of nerds and outcasts makes the glee club lovable enough to forgive the writers’ disregard for the firmly established high school clique hierarchy (see Mean Girls if you’re still confused- I love that Tina Fey).

The cast includes Lea Michelle, the best and brightest voice of the show.  A former Broadway child-star, Michelle plays her role to perfection, providing the right amount of obnoxiousness with the talent to back it up.  Her character is the hopelessly in love one, and the inevitable Hollywood pairing of the glee club nerd and the popular QB is sure to come by the end of this season.

Jayma Mays (Hiro’s true love on Heroes), plays the quirkiest character of them all.  It’s just nice to see her in something else after having Sylar cut her head off, seemingly ending her run on heroes (Once Upon A Time in Texas changed all that though; Hiro should watch what he changes in the past).  She doesn’t sing or dance (well she did once… but that’s all), but she might be the best character of them all.

Okay so why should you watch it?  A) What else is on Wednesday nights?  Exactly.  B) Don’t Stop Believing.  If you aren’t going to ever planon watching an episode, just watch the first one.  If you can resist the show after hearing them sing Journey’s ultimate creation, you have no soul. For you Lazy’s

Pay attention to the humor.  Sometimes it’s subtle, sometimes it’s too overt to notice at first.  And be prepared for the song and dance, it’s awesome, even if it is too “polished” as my dear friend Melissa believes (valid argument, however she likes High School Musical, so her opinion doesn’t count here or in a court of law).

I did happen to run into the entire cast last week and had my first “in-the-city celeb sighting.”  Maybe I got a little too school-girly for my own good.  Oh well.

Gleek out on Wednesdays at 9.

Well well well.  Here we go again, Mr. Brown. First of all, let me say that not since Indiana Jones has a college professor gotten himself into so much trouble. Our hero, Langdon, is once again put into play by people whose ambitions are far more diabolic than he could ever know.

In a nice change of pace, Brown decided that the good ol’ USofA has enough mystery and history for Langdon to get himself into another sticky, bloody situation. While Paris, Rome, and London were all pretty fun, it’s probably accurate to say that more of us have been to our own nation’s capital and have actually SEEN things like the Washington Monument, Capitol Hill, the Smithsonian, etc. etc.

Quick synopsis (no spoilers of course): Robert gets a call (classic mistake Robert.  Stop answering phones, emails, and letters- you should know that you’ll just end up almost dying in a matter of hours afterwards) begging him to give a talk about something too intellectual for me to care about right now. When he gets to DC, the person he is supposed to be meeting is detained by our newest semi-crazy, semi-genius villain. Looking for enlightenment, our villain puts Langdon into play in order to track down everything he needs.  This is point where we, the readers, get taken deep into the history of America, DC, and the kitchen sink.

Is it worth the read?  Of course. After Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code, anything with Langdon as the hero is going to be a good read. He is one of the literary heroes of this decade, right behind Harry.

Is it better than its predecessors? No. If you can only read one, read Angels and Demons (and see the movie too, better than Da Vinci Code on paper and in film).

Will I read it again?  Probably. It wasn’t exactly a cheap buy, and by the end, if you’ve understood all the science and religion, congrats. You’re a genius. A second read will be worth the journey.

Grade: B

Next Time on HHH: not sure yet as this was just post number one.

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i’m so excited!

The adjective ’smart’ has been applied to many different entities in recent years. Terms such as smart home, smart grid and smart meter have now been joined by other, often vaguer, concepts such as the smart city, the smart economy and the smart planet. But what do these terms mean? And what role can technology play in enabling these ’smart’ concepts?

The term smart economy is frequently used by governments and can be a very loose term. In essence, a smart economy, like a real economy, has many components. It can be defined as using technology to deliver the infrastructure an economy needs. Initiatives that would be common in a ’smart economy’ include smart meters and grids to provide electricity in a ‘greener’ way, using Cloud Computing to deliver services and having environmentally friendly data centres that leverage virtualization and other cloud computing techniques. Allied to this is the development of communications infrastructure to support remote access to Cloud Computing services and Data Centres.

Clearly, the technology required to achieve any smart economy aspiration are many and varied. Smart Meters are clearly mandatory for any smart grid plans but, in addition, the data produced by smart grids needs to be converted into information that can be used by utility companies to better manage and monitor the energy being generated. Smart Grids are not limited of course to electricity as smart meters are available for measuring gas and water consumption. This more granular measurement of resource consumption is a fundamental tenet of any smart economy. Cloud Computing services such as Software As A Service (SaaS) will be supported by software companies. The evolution of Cloud Computing services could mean that we eventually come full circle back to the old Terminal-Host style architecture for computing where a typical user only needs a computer with an Internet connection to avail of application software. Infrastructure As A Service (IaaS) is currently being provided by services such as Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) (See http://aws.amazon.com/ec2/) where you can effectively rent a server. From a social and economic point of view, Cloud Computing services could potentially result in more and more service enterprises being created to provide software, hardware and development platforms over the Internet while the hardware requirements of a typical user will potentially decrease so that only a PC and Internet connection is required to do the majority of work. This sharing of computer infrastructure and reduction of application installations is indeed ’smarter’ and, in the case of the former, ‘greener’.

Smart Homes is another term that can be very broadly defined. The vision of a smart home was first promulgated by the HomeRF working group. This group was disbanded in 2003 when Wi-Fi 802.11b became commonly available in the home and support for the competing Bluetooth protocol became commonplace in devices such as mobile phones (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HomeRF for further details about HomeRF). The growth of wireless networking protocols and their common availability has advanced the possibility of the smart home. Smart homes will be able to manage energy and, in conjunction with installed smart meters, can measure resource consumption (electricity, gas and water). In addition to energy management, smart homes can also be remotely managed. Security systems and home appliances can all be controlled remotely by the home owner inside and outside the home. Many major corporations are undertaking smart home projects. Ericsson Turkey (http://www.ericsson.com/developer/sub/articles/other_articles/090831_IMS) have developed a system in partnership with Done (http://www.donetr.com) which uses Ericsson’s Connected Home Gateway (HIGA) to turn equipment on and off. This system also allows more sophisticated levels of control such as automatically turning off the gas supply and electricity when fires are detected by video cameras installed in the home.

Nokia has also unveiled its Home Control Centre which combines technologies such as wireless networks, CCTV and mobile devices to facilitiate the remote control of household appliances through any computing device that has a web browser. The Home Control Centre, which is due to be released in 2010 and has been spun off to the independent There Corporation in May this year, will initially provide solution in the area of home security. Currently named ThereGate, the product is a technology independent open LINUX-based platform that supports the most common smart home technologies. All devices for monitoring energy and security are managed under one system that can be accessed from a mobile phone or web browser.  Further details are provided at There Corporation’s website (http://therecorporation.com/).

The question we must now ask is what technologies facilitiate the development of smart homes. The Z-Wave wireless communication proprietary standard (http://www.z-wave.com) for home appliances enables remote communication and control of these devices. The Zigbee set of communication standards (http://www.zigbee.org) is used for communication between low powered radio devices such as wireless sensors. Just like the aim of the Bluetooth protocol is to eliminate unnecessary cables the goal of Zigbee, from a home automation perspective, is to eliminate unnessary remote controls. Protocols like Zigbee and Z-Wave can be used  along with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to enable the development of Home Area Networks (HANs). In addition to radio protocols the Internet Protocol (IP) can also play its part in the development of the smart home. IP can be used for security cameras and is also being used for wireless sensors. The Zigbee Alliance adopted Internet Protocol standards earlier this year and different manufacturers are developing sensors with embedded IP.  In 2008 Arch Rock (http://www.archrock.com/) introduced the first commercial implementation of the Internet Engineering Task Force’s (IETF) 6LoWPAN standard for IP version 6 communication over low power devices such as sensors.

The communication and networking standards are well established for the smart home but what about the hardware?Many components such as IP Cameras and CCTV have existed for a long time but the sensors and actuators required to control devices are continuously evolving. The market for these devices is a growing one. OnWorld predicts that the Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) market for smart homes will be US$6 billion in 2012. (See http://hiddenwires.co.uk/resourcesnews2009/news20090722-05.html). The key drivers here are energy and health management. Low-powered WSNs can be used in conjunction with smart grids to enable a utility company’s smart meter to communicate with a consumer’s network. In addition, WSNs can also be used to control lighting and heating in a home thus better managing energy consumption. WSNs along with Bluetooth are also being used in the area of home-based healthcare enabling the elderly and people with health problems to be remotely monitored by medical professionals. OnWorld also predicts that the aforementioned growth of IP-based WSNs will enable the home network to connect to the Cloud thus enabling the development of new products and services for the smart home. One possibility here would be an expert system that collects data from home appliances and issue recommendations regarding energy usage and possible savings.

In addition to the emerging technologies in the wireless arena it may be possible to use an existing technology that is already available in many homes – broadband. A recent GreentechMedia article ( http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/the-smart-home-thats-tuned-to-the-weather/) has described how a Californian startup called EcoFactor uses a broadband gateway to control temperature in the home. Local weather forecasts are also analysed to determine an appropriate heating and cooling strategy over a 24 hour period. This demonstates how many homes will not have to wait to install wireless devices to become smart homes – they can potentially use their existing broadband connection.

The common thread thus far for the terms smart economy and smart home is that of energy management. Energy management also plays a key role in the Smart City. Many cities are implementing plans to become smart cities. One example is Amsterdam in Holland (See http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/jun2009/gb2009068_275981.htm). Energy management is the key driver for Amsterdam’s smart city initiative. Households are installing energy saving systems as well as solar panels and household wind turbines to enable them to sell energy back to the city. 300 power hookups to recharge electric cars have also been deployed around the city. The local utility Alliander is also in the process of developing a smart grid. Between now and 2012 up to €1.1 billion is expected to invested in this inital stage of making Amsterdam a smart city. The goal of the project is to cut emissions by 40% by 2025 as well as boosting the economy through private and public investment. More details are available at http://amsterdamsmartcity.com/.

Figure 1: Taipei is aiming to become a smart city.

Smart cities initiatives, then, can be viewed as energy management and emission reduction programs at a macro level while the micro implementation of such programs is carried out at the level of the smart home. In other words the technologies used to enable smart homes also enables smart cities.

Unsurprisingly, major industy players such as IBM and Cisco are involved in the development of smart city infrastructure. Currently, the emphasis for smart cities is on energy management but there are other initiatives in areas such as traffic management. Instelligent computing systems have been deployed in cities such as Singapore, Brisbane and Stockholm to reduce traffic congestion and pollution. One mechanism used to reduce congestion is a congestion tax. This tax has been applied in Stockholm, Oslo, London and Singapore. The aim of most congestion taxes is not just to reduce congestion but also to encourage ancilliary benefits such as alleviating environmental damage and improving public transport. In Stockholm, for example, proceeds from the congestion tax are to be used to build a ring road for the city.

To make a congestion charge system viable technology must play a role. In conjunction with IBM, Stockholm implemented a free-flow roadside system that uses laser and camera technology to detect, identify and charge vehicles. The results of Stockholm’s smart traffic system have been tangible and dramatic. Traffic has reduced by 25% and public transport timetables had to be rewritten as buses were getting to their destinations faster because of reduced traffic jams. More people are using the Stockholm public transport system and greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide have reduced by 40% in the inner city. (See http://www.ibm.com/podcasts/howitworks/040207/index.shtml for more details.)

Another facet to smart traffic systems is enabling traffic signal controllers to act as a system. Usually, traffic lights are independent with limited coordination in sequencing. Using smart systems, real-time feedback can be provided so that, for example, a light can be turned from red to green for an approaching vehicle if an intersection has no other traffic. Smart systems can also enable the rereouting of traffic if an accident occurs or in the case of adverse weather conditions.

Smart cities aren’t just about energy and traffic management programs. They can be used to improve coordination across local government agencies as well. Services such as patient care can be dramatically improved if agencies use integrated information systems rather than multiple unintegrated IS. The US city of Albuquerque has reported a 2000% improvement in efficiency in sharing information across government agencies. The benefits have ranged from better and more timely information for citizens and improved services and public safety.

The scope of smart cities is an ambitious one. Cities from Incheon in Korea to Bordeaux in France have plans to become smart cities. Indeed, in some cases smart cities are being built from the ground up. For example, the city of Masdar in the United Arab Emirates has been designed as a smart city and relies entirely on renewable energy resources.

The prefix ’smart’ then principally implies the delivery of energy management programs using computing hardware and software systems. The principal hardware involved that will be used to achieve a smart entity be it a home, city or indeed economy are wireless sensors and smart meters. We are effectively considering better home development and urban planning when we consider the concept of ’smartness’.

Figure 2: The Smart Planet is a cornerstone of IBM’s strategy.

The final term we will consider is that of the Smart Planet. This vision is principally being driven by IBM (See http://www.ibm.com/ibm/ideasfromibm/us/smartplanet/index.shtml?sa_campaign=message/ideas/leadspace/all/planetflash). The vision of a smart planet is one where natural resources such as water are managed using software and sensors and computing driven solutions are available across entire ecosystems such as supply chains, healthcare networks and cities. The smart planet strategy is much more than a marketing gimmick.  The big idea behind the strategy is that many of the physical systems in the world – electrical grids, transportation systems, buildings, factories and rivers – can be managed more efficiently if they’re monitored by sensors.  The performance of these systems can then be analysed and improved. Sensors, RFID and GPS (Global Positioning System) can all be used to enable the management of these systems. IBM cites diverse examples of its strategy in action. Volkswagen is using IBM software and RFID technology to better manage its manufacturing operations while the San Francisco Public Utilities commission is using IBM software to reduce water pollution. (More details can be found at http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/blog/globespotting/archives/2009/07/ibms_smart_plan.html). Other examples include the use of IBM software and sensors by the Irish environmental protection agency to collect data across beaches and lakes to measure water quality and the use of sensors in Galway Bay in Ireland to collect data for the evaluation of weather and environmental conditions for the local fishing industry.

There are other terms prefixed as ’smart’ such as smart infrastructure, smart business etc. The fundamental point is that anything that is classified as ’smart’ is enabled by computer hardware and software technology, sensor in particular being common to ’smart’ ecosystems.

The final question we will consider is where Vertoda fits into the concept of a smart home, smart city and indeed smart planet. Vertoda can capture data from both wireless sensors and smart meters and so is ideal for translating this new pool of data into meaningful information that users can act upon. For smart homes, Vertoda can be used to capture data from household appliances and can provide information about energy usage and securing the home. Vertoda is an open source system and so can be used with any vendor hardware and can aggregate all the data emanating form the smart appliances in a household. Similarly, Vertoda can capture and secure data from smart meters and supply meaningful information on energy consumption and revenue to a utility company’s Enterprise Systems and Databases. Vertoda can also secure and translate the information required for building, security and energy management programs that make up a smart city. As Vertoda can be used with any type of sensor or smart meter it can used in the many diverse ecosystems envisaged by IBM’s smart planet strategy.