Georgia Pok Guy

I received an iPhone for Christmas (from Santa, of course) and I still haven’t set it up yet. I suppose it will have to wait for Boxing Day, then…

I know it’s been three months, but I keep forgetting that Yasuo Fukuda is the Prime Minister of Japan…

I find it strange how GUI programming can be tedious and repetitive, a wholly unpleasant experience as you bang your head over the disjointed jumble on the screen, and yet the end product can induce such elation.  I mean, back-end programming is such a straightforward affair, typically coherent and structured (depending on the programmer, of course).  Ultimately that should be more satisfying, right?  But I suppose it’s the visual aspect of it.  I can grab some random passerby (I do this all the time) and say, “Look what I made!” pointing at the little JFrame on the screen.  Whereas saying, “This class is completely r0×0r!  The data it’s holdin’ is just awesome!” just doesn’t impress as much.  Plus, GUIs are a lot easier to show off to management, a definite plus…  Of course, there is something to be said for devising a super efficient algorithm…  That makes me happy as well.  But, again, harder to show off…

This evening I headed on down to the local Best Buy in search of deals on Christmas gifts.  To my surprise, I actually found them!  I managed to snag a copy of Superbad for my older brother (I’m starting to wish I had gotten myself a copy as well) and a volume of Cowboy Bebop for my younger brother.  Both of these were discounted, which alleviates some of the strain on my checkbook this Christmas season.  After picking up the Cowboy Bebop volume, I moseyed on down the anime aisle and spied their stash of the Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi.  I wasn’t expecting much for price, but it turned out to be a good deal!  I picked up the 3rd and 4th volumes for about $20 each.  Last time I was in Best Buy, their anime was marked at the average retail price (about $26 a volume).  It might be a ploy to get people to spend more money for the holidays, but who cares!  I just wish they had more of the Cowboy Bebop for my brother…

The second surprise of the evening was to learn that Adult Swim has gained the rights to broadcast Code Geass.  Finally, they’ll be showing a good new series, rather than having to rely on rerunning Samurai Champloo and Fullmetal Alchemist…

I love this quote:

Wikipedia really is the whore of the internet

Found here.  As the author asks, will wikipedia use it in their donation drive?

May you come one day closer to enlightenment!

It snowed! Maryland looks all pretty under a blanket of white. After living in Georgia, I am still getting used to it snowing multiple times every year. The idea of snow in December in Georgia is about as far off as the last Ice Age (and no, not the movies). Now, if they just wouldn’t salt the roads to death, I wouldn’t have to wash my car this weekend… Still, snow!

I think I’m a grammar nazi.  The other day at lunch, I overheard someone say, “…it went good.”  I didn’t scream it out loud (although that would have been funny), but I was screaming in my head, “It’s ‘well,’ you dolt!”  Actually, I’m pretty good about not pestering people about their grammar (apparently I come off as snobbish when I do).  So, I suppose I’m more like a grammar crossing guard…  Still, I would love to see a really strict grammarian on an Internet messageboard…  The kids these days sure lurve to butcher grammar…

Apparently if I want to set foot in that beautiful country again, known to some as the Land of the Rising Sun, I will have to have my photo taken, fingers printed, and intentions questioned.  As an American, this naturally does not sit well with me.  I do not agree when my own country does this, so naturally I will not agree when other countries do it.  I likes my privacy.  And I don’t take kindly to people suspecting me of being a ne’er-do-well.  So, what’s a Japanophile such as myself suppose to do?  Suck it up, I suppose.  Flash a toothy grin for the photo and answer all the questions in flawless Japanese.  And check my dignity at customs, accordingly: 

You win some and you lose some, apparently.  First for the losses (so you feel better with the wins!):

• Betting against Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party would have been like betting against the Harlem Globetrotters.  Free and fair elections?  It’s just around the corner, comrade…
• According to a tidbit in the November 24th edition of the Economist, 20% of polled NYU students would sell their vote in the next election for an iPod (hopefully one of the high end ones, at least); 2/3 would do so for a year’s college tuition.  Half, it was found, would give up their vote for the rest of their life for $1 million.  So much for our civics classes…

Now, for the wins (unless you happen to lurve autocracies):

• Chavez’s power grab was defeated in a referendum!  He may have mastered the art of socialist populism, but he might want to take a page from Putin next time he wants to ride roughshod over the Venezuelan constitution.
• The pro-democracy candidate, Anson Chan, won in Hong Kong.  Hong Kongeese everywhere should feel relieved.  Her main opponent, Regina Ip, did try to pass an anti-subversion law that brought 500,000 to the streets.  Let’s just hope Beijing is big enough to honor the set back.

So, elections all about.  Can’t wait until 2008 when I get to participate in the noble sport.  And, no, I won’t be selling my vote for an iPod…