Out of pocket till Saturday. On the train up north to meet Okaasan. Groveling will be involved.

A friend sent me this video to help put me in the mood for the big jump to Shopping Mall USA. Its actually a pretty neat video-a whacked out Finnish band called the Leningrad Cowboys with the Red Army band and chorus. ( That’s right-THE RED ARMY, the same one of the ready to pounce on the Fulda Gap days.).

Still coming to terms with leaving Paradise. But its still a good video:

An observation from Andrew Sullivan’s blog about the “good” Reverend Wright. I wonder if there was a donation to the church from Hillary’s campaign-maybe a a whole bunch of them?

Jeremiah Wright fucked Obama today and fucked him good. Remember how good everything felt right after Obama historical speech in Pennsylvania — like we might inch toward an honest discussion on race? Wright seemed to do everything he could this morning to shut that down. There were some interesting comments in his speech, comments that did not trouble me. But then we reached that Q&A and I practically watched it through my fingers. His comments on Zionism made me sick. And his surprisingly un-nuanced answer to his statement about 9/11? That was a gift to Karl Rove and the freak show. Today has chilled me to the bone.

However, you are correct about the silver lining in this: This is the exact opening Obama needed to slam the door on Wright. And if he does not, even this diehard supporter will be forced to take a small step back. But what I will be interested in seeing is how other African-Americans react to Wright’s Big Moment. Will they see a man who is greedily and arrogantly using the spotlight of this primary race to potentially spoil Obama’s chances and turn against him?

One would hope they do and that the people would reject this as what it is-reverse racism. My sense is though that “Black America Inc” the people who puport to speak for people who need no spokesperson-like everday working African Americans-will do no such things.

Which gets to the question. When does race not matter anymore?

“Never underestimate the value of early training and proper breaking in”-James Earl Jones in Gardens of Stone.

I found this gem over at Tokyo Times:

Why does this make me both thirsty and nostalgic for my high school days?

And before any of the mad mothers go ballistic-its a commercial for a non alchoholic drink.

To do something nice for some really hard working Americans.

One of my readers is organizing an effort to send e-mails to Sailors who are deployed. In case you have not noticed, and judging by the mil blog posts-many of you have not-the Navy is just as busy as the Army and Marines these days. Sure it takes them to some nice places, but it is also keeping them out at sea, away from home, working the long hours being at sea requires. Especially when you are on a destroyer.

So Jim has come up with a letters from home project. He is shooting for 250 e-mails to Sailors. In this effort he has teamed up with LCDR Chris Avery ( who I had the privledge of buying more than couple of beers for a year or so back) who is now serving as XO of USS Russell and has started a blog for the ship.

If you have time to surf here (and I hope you do), you have time to send an e-mail to this location. Tell a Sailor hi, that you are thinking of them, and that their work is appreciated. Or send them a story about what you are doing wherever you live. Ask them where they are going and pass along good places to go at their next port of call. (E @ L-this means you.)

I should not have to remind anyone that Thumper’s rule*  applies here. Send me your hate mail-not them. They are doing God’s work and I would be happy to join them. (Well at least for a little while…….).

*Thumper’s rule- If you cannot say something nice,  don’t say anthing at all…………………

And……we’re back!

The weekend in Nikko was just great. We had a great time and it was a lot of fun. Pix are coming later on in a subsequent post.

I upgraded to Word Pres 2.5.1 and despite the “easy” install instructions-having problems getting every thing to work. So I am tinkering under the hood and we all know that usually goes no where good. More to follow and links will be updated.

And as is her want-all the good will the S.O. built up this weekend was evaportated in one hour when she let me know we need to go see her mother. Now mind you I have been after her to do that for at least 6 weeks with no result-and now, only now-when I have made other plans,  does she drop this little bombshell on me. This being after I had already planned all our move stuff and a side trip for me.

So that nice post I was writing, extolling her many virtues? Its going in the draft file-till I get in a better mood.

I suspect groveling will be involved in visiting her mother this week. GRRRRRRR!

Up early and on our way to catch the train to Niko for a weekend together. Consider this an open post till I get back Sunday night.

Question.  Do you think Obama’s campaign has peaked? And now its sliding downhill? I think he may have crested and does not realize it yet.

Discuss.

I got blindly drunk last night-just barely stumbling onto the last train back out of Yokohama. The S.O. was none too pleased when I darkened our doorstep at 1:30 am in as foul a humor as I have been in years. It is 6 am now and my head hurts. When is that damn coffee going to be done?

I’m thinking hard about staying drunk all next week after we get back from our trip to Niko this weekend.

The cause of my tumultuous leap into binge drinking and total inebriation? The twisted unfairness of the path that life takes us on sometimes……………

Goddammit Skippy, come to the f*&king point!

With General MacArthur presiding, I signed the surrender declaration this week, turning down 2 different job offers in Korea to accept……………..I still can’t believe I am saying this………a job offer in Shopping Mall USA.

Wrong side of the dateline, wrong side of the Mason Dixon line, and definately outside of commuting distance to Hong Kong, Singapore, or Bangkok.

You can say it now:

WTF?

Believe me, I have been asking my self and the S.O. that question over and over, every day this week. Wise woman that she is-she has made no input into this decision-because she knows I would blame her for it later on. No matter how good or bad it turned out. This way, the only person I can blame is myself.

Which really sucks.

But I thought you were committed come hell or high water to staying in Asia?

I am. I’m also a prisoner of pretty stark economic realities and when I laid every thing side by side, and did an apples to apples comparison-Shopping Mall USA came out way ahead every time. Professionally its a much better opportunity, with the potential to open up a whole new world of knowledge for me-in an area I have never worked in before. The Korea things would have tunneled me into more of the same-with a lot of the same frustrations I have had for the last two years. A lot of people whose opinions I really trust have told me that again and again.

Plus, given my family situation right now-being closer to my aging parents makes a good deal of sense and my sister will appreciate it. It would also be nice to be back stateside long enough to try to make some sort of peace with my kids and perhaps take my ex back to court to undo the injustice that was done to me 9 years ago.

And I’m hoping-that this will in turn open up some other opportunities down stream that will bring me back to Asia, in a more secure position, to stay for good. Because just like MacArthur-I will return!That will be saving goal numero uno-to continue to build up a war chest for that.

Add to that the fact that this particular course of action was the only one that fell very neatly into place-I received a lot of support from some dear friends who helped me find this opportunity-and I just feel its possibly the thing I am destined to do. At least for the short term. Every other road I turned up, I hit roadblocks whereas this particular avenue went very smoothly. So maybe it is destiny.

Of course,  destiny can work for ill as well as good-as my subconscious self kept reminding me last night.

Why does all of the things I’ve written above strike me as a giant rationalization?

Michael: Don’t knock rationalizations.  I don’t know anyone who could get through the day without two or three juicy rationalizations. They’re more important than sex.
Sam Weber: Ah, come on. Nothing’s more important than sex.
Michael: Oh yeah? Ever gone a week without a rationalization?

And of course, this whole situation is made a lot more complicated by the 128 pounds of Japanese baggage sleeping blissfully in the other room. The last few weeks have really caused me the question the wisdom of acquiring, or continuing to carry,  that particular burden. There was a demonic voice that taunted me all last night:

Dump her! Take your stuff and move to Singapore! You’ll never get another chance!

I am wagering that is not a true statement. So…..in damnfool decision number two, she is going with me and we will build some sort of life together in Shopping Mall USA. Yes you can say it too-I’m an idiot!.

As I have said before, though-her smile still does it for me. I reserve the option to hit the eject button at a later date, however.

As for the blog? Its not changing. I’ll still write about Asia, politics,and any other thing that strikes my fancy. I’ll just be doing it from the moral equivalent of inside the Green Zone or behind enemy lines. I hope you will keep coming back to read my posts.

This was so not in the plan I laid out for myself 8 and 1/2 years ago. I was supposed to be living in my small apartment in Pattaya right about now. Life is so damned unfair!

So wish me well.

Is it too early to open up the bourbon? Probably. At least the coffee is done. Ohayo Gozaimasu!

You knew this was coming.  There was going to be some sort of payoff to the general, the only real question was would it come now or in the next administration. Now we have the answer-it comes now and in doing so the administration flips a big bird to the forces trying to halt the hemorrhaging of the military’s future to meet the demand now.

All the usual suspects will come out and hail this appointment as the greatest thing short of the second coming.  Before we do-I’d like to know why there was “overriding opposition from within the Pentagon.” That phrase alone smacks of Rumsfeldian “I know more than military professionals do.”  It would be useful to remember where that type of thinking got us before.  It would also be useful to remember that David Petraus is not the author of the administration policy on Iraq. Fred Kagan is.

The only question to be answered now,  I guess, is will they keep Fox Fallon muzzled? I suspect so. A shame, since I would love to know if Fallon really said Petreaus was “an ass-kissing little chickenshit.” (Fallon has denied the reports.) I respect Fallon’s judgement, so if he did, I’ll bet there was a damn good reason. Let’s hope that comes up at the confirmation hearing………..

But it won’t.

I’d also like to know if,  under this new arrangement, the “strange command relationship” of Iraq will remain-and thus Odierno will have the same direct line to the White House as Petraeus did.

Don’t hold your breath waiting for that to happen. Petraeus will still be the only spokesman on Iraq.

What is clear, is that by this promotion, is that US participation in Iraq, the war that never ends- but has become a self sustaining chain reaction of violence-will continue. And even if a Democrat wins the White House ( something I think the Pennsylvania primary made impossible), thanks to the beatification of this particular general-any move to go against his recommendations as the theater commander will generate a firestorm of bad reaction. It will make the gays in the miltary issue that Hillary’s husband faced seem tame.

It also signals that the battle is over-and the neocon view has won. Fallon’s key strength,  and the issue that was discounted by this administration,  was highlighted well by Fred Kaplan last month when Fallon’s resignation was announced: Fallon had a better big picture view of the Middle East and regarded Iraq as the dead end that it is.

It is well-known that Fallon has long been at odds with Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq (and technically Fallon’s subordinate). I do not know whether it’s true that Fallon once called Petraeus “an ass-kissing little chickenshit.” (Fallon has denied the reports.) I have heard from several sources that the two men dislike each other and that their disagreements have been tense, sometimes fierce. Petraeus is in charge of securing Iraq. Fallon’s purview spans the entire Middle East and South Asia; he considers Iraq a dead end and thinks more resources should be devoted to other crises in the region. Fallon’s departure does signal that Petraeus has won that contest. Some think it’s likely that when Petraeus leaves Iraq at the end of the year, he will take Fallon’s old job. (If so, he may also change his views on some matters; as the old adage about bureaucratic politics has it, you stand where you sit.)

Petreaus confirmation hearings will be a breeze-he should probably send a donation to Move On.Org and thank them for that. Because it gave the General annointed status-and allowed the adminstration to play its favorite card, namely allowing criticism of the message to be interpreted as criticism of the messenger. That, in turn, allowed the key implmenter of the adminstration’s policy on Iraq to stick to the Catch-22 script that he was given:

1) Further pullouts might trigger defeat; the costs of defeat are too horrible to ponder; therefore, we shouldn’t ponder further pullouts.

2)As Petraeus himself has said many times, and as many senators repeated over eight hours of hearings, the surge—along with the shift to a counterinsurgency strategy—is a means, not an end. Its point is not to win a military victory (there is no such thing here, Petraeus has emphasized) but rather to create enough security in Baghdad—a “breathing space”—to let the political factions reconcile their disputes.

3)When asked what level of stability in Iraq would let us reduce our presence there to, say, 30,000 troops? What does a stable-enough Iraq look like? The answer is always: “ I do not know.”

A proper confirmation process would zero in on these and other questions and it should serve to highlight what is the truth about administration Iraq policy: The United States does not know when we get to an end point? And it never will.

There are a lot of other questions that could be asked, and answers demanded. But they won’t happen this year-and by appointing Petreaus to CENTCOM, the President’s desire to punt the war to his successor is now complete. Which has been his goal since mid 2007. So no one should really be suprised.

Chalk up another candidate for my trusty Louisville Slugger:

This guy had a job that I would kill for. Jet around the world, usually in first class or on a private plane, and then tell everyone else how to have a marvellously expensive good time. What’s not to like about that?  And since this job pays you well, you can slice off more than your fair share of tuna-albeit discretely of course-and leave a trail of women sobbing around the globe.

Like I said what’s not to like?

So for the life of me-I just cannot understand taking a great gig like that and pissing it away because……….wait for it……….you are a gay cokehead.

Going to have to get my Gadar fixed-I sure as hell did not see that coming.

My Canadian counterpart did however:

I haven’t been able to watch CNN much this week. The only real stories are that Barack Obama’s saying something stupid, Hillary Clinton is shrill, and the entire state of Texas is under arrest for polygamy and suspected child-rape. I’m not sure how to break this to you fine folks, but none of that is exactly news. All of those stories have been rather well known for several years now. And if you aren’t very well versed in history, the United States Congress twice refused to annex Texas for a reason.

Not watching CNN, I haven’t seen Richard Quest for some time now, and I’m a better man for the experience. Mr. Quest is far better suited for a Brighton game show than he is what pretends to be a serious news organization. He’s loud, obnoxious, overly excited about the trivial, and annoyingly British.

I wasn’t overly shocked to learn that Richard is a gay man either. If you’re English and not Keith Richards, I automatically assume that you love the cock. I’ve just found it easier that way. Maybe it’s because I can’t see how any woman would fuck someone with teeth like that. Also, his name actually is Dick Quest. Things like that are pretty hard to overlook.

What I didn’t know is that Richard Quest is more than loud, obnoxious, overly excited about the trivial, and annoyingly British. He’s so much more. He’s a refined gentleman, devoted to life’s baser persuits and therefore a guy I can relate to.

A more detailed analysis follows.

Trolling Central Park with drugs? OK I can understand that (well, not really…………). But the rope? And the sex toy? Call me boring, but I can do just fine without assistance thank you very much.  I know what the rope is for, as my counterpart points out-everyone should. I just don’t think its really necessary if you ask me.

A beautiful, naked woman works just fine.

Idiot!

If CNN needs a new broadcaster to fill in-you know where to find me. And the only place you will find me stumbling around at 3am is Orchard Towers. Think of the money the network could save.

On the plane back from LAX, I watched a really neat Japanese movie. It is called ALWAYS , (Always san-chome no yuhi-literally third district sunset in Japanese). The movie was released in 2005, but it has a look and feel of the time period that it is set in, 1958. Even the opening credits are made to look old.

The movie is set in a far different Tokyo than the one I have come to know and love. Thirteen years after the end of the war, the country is finally pulling itself out of its depression and the economic miracle that is to come is just on the horizon. As a sign of its emergence into the modern world, the Tokyo Tower is under construction and hangs over the film as a symbol of pride and hope of things to come. It is a touching film, nothing spectacular as movies go-but one that will warm your heart nonetheless.

The movie tells the story of a few people who live and work in a rundown neighborhood, and their impact on one another’s lives. Mutsuko (Maki Horikita) arrives from the country, awed by the size of Tokyo, and eager to take on her new position working for the president of an automobile company. She’s disappointed when she learns the “automobile company” is a small garage run by the struggling but industrious Suzuki (Shin’ichi Tsutsumi of One Missed Call), and he’s upset when he learns that the auto mechanic he thought he was hiring is actually a bicycle repairwoman. Soon enough, Mutsuko settles in with Suzuki, his wife (Hiroko Yakushimaru of Princess Raccoon), and their impish little boy, Ippei (Kazuki Koshimizu). Across the street, Chagawa (Hidetaka Yoshioka of The Hidden Blade) runs the candy store, but he’s also a frustrated novelist who earns a little money by writing boys’ adventure stories. He has a crush on the local pub owner, Hiromi (Koyuki of The Last Samurai), and she uses that to her advantage when she’s saddled with Junnosuke (Kenta Suga of Godzilla: Final Wars), the abandoned son of an acquaintance. One night, she convinces the drunk, smitten Chagawa to take the boy in, promising to visit occasionally. She does, and soon the unlikely trio begins to resemble a family themselves. Chagawa-san becomes the center of everyone’s actions as he works to win a coveted prize for literature and in the process, keep Junnosuke living with him and win back the love of Hiromi. That story is told in a later sequel, which is just as touching.

The really great thing about the movie is that they blend the set together with real footage of Tokyo in 1958. As a result you get to see Nihon-bashi without an expressway over head-and also with out skyscrapers all around. Tokyo Tower is brand new in the film and suffice it to say the glittering world of Roppongi is still many years into the future.

I tried to find a clip with English subtitles, but trust me the movie comes with them on the DVD. The clip from the second movie below will show you the look of the movie and of “old” Tokyo. It is worth watching.

What do The Townhall Harlot and the Chinese government have in common?

They can both dish out criticism, but they cannot take it. With the Chinese, it seems they don’t like having the truth about their stinking commie government pointed out by CNN. With Michelle Malkin it has to do with any feedback that is not laudatory to her, praising her fifth grade prose, or otherwise making her out to be the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Now its no secret that I have no use for this particular Pinay. And I was going to set out on a rant-until I found out that the work had already been done for me:

to malkinblog@gmail.com,
date Sun, Apr 20, 2008 at 6:51 PM
subject Unhinged: Exposing a very Rude Asian Girl

Michelle,

I am writing about the messy silly child like article you wrote about “Snob-ama not alone out there”.

FYI, I am from a small town in Pennsylvania and graduated from a nearby university in West Virginia. FYI, Obama is right on the money about the jobs drying up, guns, religion, etc. However, he forgot about the crystal meth, drugs, alcohol, gun deaths, etc. You need to get out of the office, stop writing junk mail, do your home work, and stop stealing one liners from the O’Reiley Factor. Michelle you even been to Pennsylvania? Probably not……..

I watch the FACTOR on FOX regularly. When you come on the show, I am so turned off by you, your negative energy, rude behavior, unprovoked personal attacks on guests, and snobbery that I actually turn the channel until FOX sponsors put the hook around your neck and yank you off the air. You seem like a miserable human being.

How did you get that job? You have no talent and can barely write a fluid sentence. I have yet to see you have one smart, engaged, ORIGINAL intellectual thought, and down to earth conversation. I have yet see you treat a guest on the FACTOR with respect and without personal attacks. I guess that people like you and Anne Coulter rehearse your LINES in the mirror to see whom can say the most outrageous things.

I am sure your life is not perfect and I am also sure that you have never lived nor been to any small town Pennsylvania. I don’t see any Asians in the back woods honey.

People like you try to make a quick buck (leach) on the coat tails of talented hard working smart All-American people by trying to tear them down with stupid unfounded remarks. For instance, I watched John McCain doing a public Q&A on C-Span this week (The Week of April 14 to 20) and the question came up about Obama being an Elitist. Guess what? – You were wrong. FYI, Senator McCain said “NO – I don’t believe Obama is an Elitist – McCain went on to say ” Obama made a mistake and used the wrong words – BUT Obama was correct about small towns – FYI – Michelle – the people in small town America are angry.”

Michelle – if anybody is a snob – ITS you. We are lucky to have people like Obama and McCain step up to the plate like true All American men, ignore your trash mouth, and try to make a difference. Lastly, what have you done to make America a better place to live. I can only imagine you are a “taker”, sensationalist, story teller, opportunist, and a bad journalist.

I also find you to be rude, obnoxious, talentless, and probably an EEO hire to fill an Asian hiring requirement. Seriously, if you lost your job, NOBODY at FOX or in Pennsylvania would care because we don’t listen to your negative personal attacks on good American people. Where in the hell did you attend journalism school. China?

Kisses from Kissimmee, Florida,

Registered Informed Free Thinking Independent Voter

 
Pretty well sums that up!

How about deconstructing this, from John McCain:

John McCain screwed up on Foreign Policy 101 AGAIN. Yesterday at the AP annual meeting, McCain said he would defer any decision to General Petraeus over whether troops should be shifted from Iraq to Afghanistan in order to intensify the search for Osama bin Laden. Only problem is that this is not Petraeus’s job, as he has stated before.

Oh wait, the President fired the guy whose job it was to make that decision.

And while we are on the subject of campaign gaffes, it seems I recall Sen McCain stating in a debate that he knew of no major military flag officer who felt that the war was harming US military readiness. So the question I would like to see the reporters ask the good Senator is:

1) Do you still believe that?

2) And if you do, how do you reconcile that with the recent statements by the CJCS, and the Army Vice Chief of Staff saying that prolonged deployment of troops to Iraq is in fact hurting military readiness?

Gen. Cody said that the “heavy deployments are inflicting ‘incredible stress’ on soldiers and families and that they pose ‘a significant risk’ to the nation’s all-volunteer military. ‘When the five-brigade surge went in, that took all the stroke out of the shock absorbers for the United States Army,’ Cody testified. ‘Our readiness is being consumed as fast as we build it. Lengthy and repeated deployments with insufficient recovery time have placed incredible stress on our soldiers and our families, testing the resolve of our all-volunteer force like never before.

That has to be at least as important as the fact that Obama does not wear a flag pin…………….

The key factor in US elections is this: