Football, History, and World in Transition

do-it-yourself athletic scholarship

2008-12-22T18:05:00.000-08:00

Over the past few years, recruiting has become a giant industry of its own in the world of collegiate athletics. There have emerged expert scouts, who serve (and make handsome profits) as middlemen between college athletic programs and prospectus recruits. Professional recruiting "counselors" can charge high school athletes and their parents over a $1,000 for placing them with college athletic programs. But what do you do if you're not a highly touted recruit or your parents can't afford to hire a professional consultant to land you that college athletic scholarship? According to this Wall Street Journal article, high school athletes can now post their profiles and videos on do-it-yourself websites. The recruiting business seems to have become ever crazier in recent years, and along with the ridiculous test prep business, it has served to expose the problem inherent in our education system. Instead of offering fair and affordable education to students of all backgrounds, our system has commercialized college entrance on all fronts. Students of both scholarly and athletic persuasions are forced to make themselves more marketable, and Prep Stars' and Princeton Reviews of the world cash in on the system that fosters overtly, and unnecessarily, competitive and money driven education market.

great african american coaches snubbed yet again

2008-12-16T17:04:00.000-08:00

After forcing head football coach Tommy Tuberville to step down, Auburn hired Iowa State's Gene Chizik over other candidates with better coaching records. Chizik is on a 10-game losing streak and has shown little to no evidence at Iowa State that he is deserving of a big time coaching gig at an SEC powerhouse.

In what seemed to be a hastily organized search process, Auburn interviewed two quality African American coaches--Turner Gill and Rodney Garner. Gill has turned Buffalo, undeniably the worst college football program prior to his tenure, into a winner and shocked the college football world by winning the conference championship this season. He was a star quarterback and later an outstanding assistant coach at Nebraska before taking over the head job at Buffalo. Garner is an extremely talented assistant coach and recruiter at Georgia. And he played and coached at Auburn.

However, on Monday, Auburn's Athletic Department surprised no one but disappointed many by introducing Chizik as their choice of replacement for Tuberville, who was one of the best head coaches in Auburn history. Chizik just so happens to be a white man, by the way. But to be fair to Chizik, I should mention that he was a highly regarded assistant coach at some of the big time college programs, including Auburn. But as a head coach, he was an embodiment of mediocrity. There is no question who was the better candidate in this hiring process: Turner Gill.

Here's one of the better articles circulating around the internet regarding this matter: "Auburn's 'best fit' defense of Chizik looks lame."

And according to former NBA star and Auburn alumnus Charles Barkley, who had talked with Gill during the hiring process, Gill was concerned about his chance of getting the job because his wife is a white woman. I also heard a commentator on ESPN yesterday confess that he had been told by a few white coaches in the SEC, the conference to which Auburn belongs, that they were concerned about Gill's chance of getting the Auburn job precisely because he is married to a white woman. I understand that Auburn is located in the deep southern state of Alabama and I guess there still are white southerners who do not wish to associate themselves with African American men married to white women. And unfortunately, they include university presidents, athletic directors, donors and athletic boosters, all well educated white people. And this is 2009 for god's sake.

FYI, there are 119 teams in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS, former known as Division I-A), which is the highest division in college football. As of today there are four African American head coaches, including only one at a BCS school (Miami's Randy Shannon).

joe pa will coach next year

2008-12-16T16:59:00.000-08:00

Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno will be back on the sideline next season after all. The oldest active coach (he'll turn 82 next week) signed a 3-year contract extension, which will likely stamp his place in history as the winningest coach in major college football. His principal rival, Bobby Bowden of Florida State who currently is the second winningest coach, will most likely retire after this season, so I think Joe Pa's place in history will be firmly secured for years to come. It would've been nice if his team hadn't lost to Iowa this season. The win would've given Penn State a perfect record and a shot at the national championship game. I'll be rooting for Joe Pa and Penn State against USC in this year's Rose Bowl game.

back

2008-12-14T16:57:00.000-08:00

After trying out a new website at Uber.com for a while, I'm back on Blogger. Uber was pretty cool while it lasted. More updates to come soon.

great performance at rutgers stadium

2008-12-10T16:51:00.000-08:00

Here's an awesome performance of a Bon Jovi song by an 11-year old boy at a college football game.

season kicks off

2008-08-30T16:36:00.000-07:00

At long last, the college football season has arrived. I'll be watching LSU vs. Appalachian State while grading papers. Whoo hoo.

daily show special olympics update

2008-08-18T16:38:00.000-07:00

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Special Olympics Update - Controversies

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

how much does michael phelps eat?

2008-08-17T16:31:00.000-07:00

According to this story on Yahoo! Sports, U.S. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps consumes 12,000 calories per day.

And here's what his typical meals consist of:

"Breakfast: 3 fried egg sandwiches, 2 cups coffee, 5-egg omlette, bowl of grits, 3 pieces of french toast, 3 chocolate chip pancakes

"Lunch: 1 pound pasta, 2 ham and cheese sandwiches, energy drink (1,000 calorie)

"Dinner: 1 pound pasta, 1 large pizza, energy drink (1,000 calorie)"

Looks like competitive swimming beats any weight loss program out there.

chinese gymnasts

2008-08-14T16:25:00.000-07:00

Whoa, those gold medal-winning Chinese women gymnasts looked awfully young. By now a lot of you know that there has been plenty of gossip about the falsification of the girls' ages. If such speculation were found true, it'd mean that the Chinese gymnastics team has lied about their gymnasts' ages (only athletes 16 or older can compete in women's gymnastics events) to make them compete with older (therefore less flexible?) gymnasts from other countries. However, I am not speculating cheating or conspiracy, here. Amid speculations no one has been able to produce proof of cheating. Those gymnasts looked young, indeed, but most gymnasts look younger than their ages. The point is that looks alone can't prove anything.

I think it's okay if some people feel puzzled by how young and physically undeveloped these girls look. And I'm sure some have gone so far as to assume that the Chinese have cheated to win gold medals. But I think it's problematic when journalists, without any reasonable proof, try to suggest that China's secrecy and gross violation of rules must've been involved. And here's a really terrible article written by SI.com (Sports Illustrated)'s Selena Roberts making such groundless accusation. It's a prime example of bad journalism, written with the obvious purpose of stirring controversy and bitterness (especially among American fans who saw their gymnasts fall short of winning the gold), while featuring no reason or objectivity. And I feel no desire to waste my time commenting on it because it's just disgusting.

BTW, FIG (Federation Internationale de Gymnastique), gymnastics' international governing body, has confirmed the validity of the age-proving documents that the Chinese had submitted prior to the competition. I don't know about you, but I think the sport's governing organization probably has a better and more sophisticated way of confirming the true ages (on paper, of course) of the competing athletes than most of us do. But what if the Chinese had submitted falsified documents in the first place, one might feel so compelled to ask? So, should FIG or IOC or UN or Interpol raid registry offices in China to dig out the birth certificates of Chinese Olympians? Any reasonable person would think that's ridiculous (although Roberts believes IOC should launch a similar investigation). If it comes down to such investigation, though, they should check the birth certificates of gymnasts from other countries, too. Who says only the Chinese are capable of being habitually deceitful? Who knows if that French gymnast didn't go through a series of plastic surgeries to make herself look older than she really is?

BTW, I actually think at least one of the girls might be significantly younger than 16. But I'm only guessing solely based on how they looked to me on TV. Was cheating involved, then? I think it's possible. But I can't possibly know until it's proven and I feel absolutely no moral obligation to automatically conclude that what cost the American gymnasts their gold medals was the vileness of the Chinese officials rather than their poor performance on the floor.

summer course

2008-08-10T22:45:00.000-07:00

Currently I am teaching a course titled "Asian and Pacific American History: 20th Century" at the University of California, Santa Cruz. A course like this is normally called "Asian American History." I added "and Pacific" to the title to make the course inclusive of the history of Pacific Islanders, who are now lumped together with Asian Americans for census purposes, resource allocations at public educational institutions, etc. But more importantly, Asian American history and Pacific Islander history are closely linked and I have felt for quite some time that most Asian American history courses have largely overlooked or offered only a token coverage of Pacific Islander history. It is, of course, unfeasible to cover the experiences of all Asian American and Pacific Islander groups in a survey course. My course is certainly not designed to examine the formations and transformations of "ethnic" groups. Rather, it focuses on historical issues and topics that have had complex and transnational implications and shaped history on multiple levels: Asian American history, Pacific Islander history, U.S. history, history of war, imperialism, labor history, gender, race, immigration, etc. An example would be close historical interdependence and convergence of U.S. imperialism, the "War of 1898," U.S. colonization of Hawaii and the Philippines, history of missionaries and plantations on the Hawaiian islands, history of Asian emigration to Hawaii and the U.S. and the development of multicultural labor community, racism and the annexation of the Philippines, etc.

Of course, I could've named the course "Asian Pacific American History" or "Asian American/Pacific Islander History." However, I have a little problem with the latter because of the way it sounds when I say it out loud: "Welcome to 'Asian American slash Pacific Islander History,' folks." It's a little too long for a course title. And I really didn't want to turn the most important part of my course title into an acronym: "Welcome to 'AAPI History.'" I also don't like "Asian Pacific American History," because the term "Asian Pacific American (APA)" is deemed problematic by some constituents of the APA community. I had learned some years ago from some of my South Asian American acquaintances that a lot of South Asian Americans tended to shun the then new and sexy term "Asian Pacific Americans," because of the potentionally exclusive impression the term might create by geographically associating "Asia" with the "Pacific Ocean." Historically, South Asians have been marginalized in the Asian American studies curriculum as well as the general discourse concerning the Asian American community. In general, Chinese and Japanese American experiences have dominated the conventional immigrant narrative of Asian American history. In other words, the Pacific Ocean has always overshadowed the Indian Ocean. The term "Asian Pacific American," however well-intentioned and inclusive it may sound to many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, works to make already marginalized groups--namely people of South Asian ancestry--feel even more marginalized. Therefore, "Asian Pacific American History" doesn't serve my intent to make the course inclusive of topics and historical issues that have impacted people of all Asian and Pacific ancestries.

So, I named the course "Asian and Pacific American History," knowing too well that this is far from the perfect title. This also betrays the convention, as the course would be called "Asian American History" at any institution of higher learning in the U.S., because that is now the established name of the field itself, like U.S. history, African American history, women's history, etc. But I wanted to experiment with the title and may experiment with other odd sounding course titles in the future.

dog off the menu during olympics

2008-08-09T16:15:00.000-07:00

Well, Beijing restaurants won't be selling dog meat during the Summer Olympics. The decision by the Chinese government was an obvious measure of precaution against potential Western criticism and protest against dog eating, which is really not popular at all in Beijing, by the way. Perhaps it shows the government's determination to prevent any further bad publicity after facing a series of recent and ongoing international outcries against its violent actions in Tibet, its inaction against Sudan, and human rights problems in China, etc.

Incidentally, so far, prominent pet lovers in Europe and America, most notably French actress and animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot, haven't publicly brought up the issue of dog eating the way they did in 1988 and 2002, when the Summer Olyimpics and the World Cup were held in South Korea. Bardot is probably too busy dealing with her own bad publicity issue, as she stood on trial earlier this year for making racist remarks. I have a lot of respect for many animal rights activists, but not this one. In my view Bardot's activism in the past has been characterized not by genuine concern for life, but by her hatred and prejudice against other human beings and their cultures. And I doubt that the truly concerned animal rights campaigners actually take her seriously. But it's a shame that a racist old witch like her, largely because of her celebrity status, has established herself as one of the most furiously outspoken fighters for life and welfare of animals.

moved

2008-08-09T03:22:00.000-07:00

I have moved my blog to my web page. You can read my blog there.

open letter to barack obama

2008-08-01T18:49:00.000-07:00

Like many other Barack Obama supporters I've been disappointed with the Senator's recent compromise of principles. From his vote for the FISA bill that grants telecom immunity to breaking his early promise for dialogue with Iran, seeing his move toward the center has been disheartening. I understand he needs votes in November, but he shouldn't forget that those who support him do because they want change now, not after he has become a lame duck. So, like some of my fellow Obama supporters I've signed an "Open Letter calling on Barack Obama to stand firm on the principles he so compellingly articulated in the primary campaign."

keep your laptop at home

2008-08-01T18:11:00.000-07:00

More disturbing news about our border security policy. According to this article, U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security agents are authorized to detain laptop computers carried by travelers entering the U.S. for any or no reason. And any personal records or documents stored on your computer can be viewed and taken by them. Apparently, this policy actually has been in practice without public announcement for some time. But then, why should I be any surprised at this addition to our administration's now well known efforts to turn this country into a police state? I guess I'll just overnight my laptop when I return home from my next international trip.

wisc checks in at no. 12

2008-08-01T15:42:00.000-07:00

The Preseason Coaches Poll put the Wisconsin football team at No. 12. It's a bit understandable, inspite of the presumably higher expectations of the Badger fans, that the team is ranked outside top 10. The defensive front is suffering from multiple injuries and the quarterback situation hasn't been resolved. And the young receivers need to be tested. Wisconsin faces 5 teams in preseason top 25 this season, which should help improve the team's strength of schedule. The September 17 showdown against No. 25 Fresno State, which I think should've been ranked higher, should be a huge early test.

Georgia is ranked No. 1, which was expected. But there are some teams who certainly are overranked, thanks to their past records or name value. These teams include LSU (No. 6) and Michigan (No. 24). What? Michigan? And USC (No. 2) is ranked ahead of Ohio State (No. 3) and this should spark some heated discussions among experts and fans alike.

Here's CFN's analysis of the Coaches' Poll.

I don't know how many actual games I can watch on TV this season, but will try to catch as many Wisconsin games as I can. I missed all games last season because I was out of country, so I'll probably feel less guilty about watching 3-4 games this entire fall. And I get free ESPN!

christ in japan

2008-07-14T15:37:00.000-07:00

From Yeti of Himalaya to Paul Bunyan in the the northern U.S., the best stories of mythical legends, creatures, spirits and holymen have come from cold, snow-clad regions around the world. And here's one of my favorites: Jesus Christ in Aomori Prefecture, which is one of the coldest regions in Japan. The words on the plaque read:

"When Jesus Christ was 21 years old, he came to Japan and pursued knowledge of divinity for 12 years. He went back to Judea at age 33, and engaged in his mission. However, at that time, people in Judea would not accept Christ's preaching. Instead, they arrested him and tried to crucify him on a cross. His younger brother, Isukiri casually took christ's place and ended his life on the cross.

"Christ, who escaped the crucifixion, went through the ups and downs of travel, and again came to Japan. He settled right here in what is now called Herai Village, and died at the age of 106.

"On this holy ground, there is dedicated a burial mound on the right to deify Christ, and a grave on the left to deify Isukiri.

"The above description was given in a testament by Jesus Christ."

A good friend of mine from Aomori sent me these photos.

oshima

2008-07-12T16:05:00.001-07:00

crossing the bridge

on the island

museum of japanese emigration to hawaii

quite appropriately, i was greeted by a fake palm tree

entrance to the museum

The island was pretty much what represents the Japanese countryside. But I was surprised, and impressed, by the fine quality of the Museum of Japanese Emigration to Hawaii. The museum had a nice collection of books and primary materials, as well as good exhibits. Back in the late 19th century, Oshima suffered multiple economic and social problems--overpopulation, natural disasters, etc.--which prompted the labor recruiters to concentrate their effort on encouraging young men from this island to seek opportunities on the Hawaiian plantations. The effort proved successful, and the island that was once called "Imogui shima," or, "the island of sweet potato eaters," would soon become known widely as "iminno shima," or, "the island of emigrants."
April 2008

oshima

2008-07-12T15:57:00.001-07:00

on the way to suo oshima, yamaguchi prefecture

obatake station

Obatake is a small coastal town in Yamaguchi Prefecture. There's a bridge that connects the town to Suo Oshima, the island that sent over 1/3 of the first group of labor migrants from the prefecture to the Hawaiian Islands in the 1880s.
April 2008

yamaguchi

2008-07-12T15:45:00.000-07:00

shin yamaguchi station

yamaguchi city

yamaguchi prefectural library and archives

Yamaguchi was a nice change from the huste and bustle of cities like Osaka and Tokyo. This was a prefecture that sent a large number of labor migrants to Hawaii in the late 19th century and early 20th century. The foreign minister (Inouye) at the time was from Yamaguchi and it is believed that his influence on the recruitment effort in his home prefecture was significant.
April 2008

looking forward to the football season

2008-07-11T19:35:00.000-07:00

So, I'm back in the States, as some of you have found out. I've worked pretty hard this week preparing for my summer course, etc., so I'm taking this evening off for a change. And what has occupied my mind as soon as I decided to take it off work, research, etc. is college football. Yes, I am a college football fan. I came back just in time for the beginning of the fall camp, which is what the summer practice camp is called in the college football world.

For the longest time I have not followed the developments in collegiate sports, but apparently, there have been a few interesting coaching changes. UCLA's hope to defeat its cross town rival USC has gotten a huge lift, as new head coach Rick Neuheisel landed offensive guru Norm Chow as the team's new offensive coordinator. This should make my friend and UCLA alum James very happy, although he'll be busy taking care of his baby girl this fall, who is due this coming November when UCLA battles USC.

Like most other Badger fans, I have high hopes for Wisconsin this year. They play Fresno State, which is projected to be a top-25 team, in September in Fresno. I am extremely tempted to go watch the game live, although it'll cost me dearly. Other than Fresno State, Ohio State seems to be Wisconsin's toughest opponent this year. If the Badgers defeat Ohio State at home, they'll have an excellent chance to win the league and play in one of the big postseason bowl games. If they go undefeated (something that has never happened at Wisconsin because of an unexpected and stupid loss or two each season they were touted as conference and national title contenders) they'll most certainly play in the national championship game. I'm not counting on the Badgers to contend for the national championship, but qualifying for a big bowl and finishing in the top 5 doesn't look too unrealistic. First, we'll see how well they handle Fresno State in September.

More useless thoughts on football and other aspects of life later....

kobe matsuri

2008-07-10T00:21:00.001-07:00

the annual kobe festival: the city celebrates the 100th anniversary of japanese emigration to brazil, may 2008

evening by the sea

2008-07-10T00:15:00.000-07:00

think you can survive this japanese game?

tajiri-cho, sennan-gun, osaka prefecture, may 2008

panel discussion

2008-07-10T00:06:00.001-07:00

on the panel "seeking modern japan," japan foundation kansai center, osaka prefecture, may 2008

ise

2008-07-09T23:51:00.000-07:00

ise shirine, mie prefecture, may 2008

dolphine island

2008-07-09T23:45:00.001-07:00

dolphine island off shima peninsula, mie prefecture, may 2008

academic life in japan

2008-07-09T23:32:00.000-07:00

with researchers from kobe and kyoto

prof. sakaguchi demonstrates his excellent singing

master of the house

Okay, these activities didn't necessarily involve teaching or research, but they were nevertheless conducted by a group of academics and grad students (taken at nijikai--after party--in matsuyama, ehime prefecture, february 2008).

back in santa cruz

2008-07-07T19:19:00.001-07:00

My goodness, it's been six months since I last visited this blog. A lot has happened since January and it's impossible for me to post all the updates that I've long intended to announce on this blog, because I'm really busy right now.

I may add some more photos from Japan and reflect on some interesting experiences I had there, but for now I feel like concentrating on the present and the future rather than living in the past. To be honest, I just feel too lazy at the moment to do anything with this blog.

In three weeks I'll start teaching a summer course. In the mean time I need to collect and read a bunch of newspaper articles and magazines from the 1930s and 1940s. I also have an editing project, which I'm really looking forward to undertaking.

BTW, as some of you have been informed in one way or another, yes, I am engaged.

More to come.....

online at last

2008-01-14T02:52:00.002-08:00

My laptop is fixed. After a painful few days of trial and error, I reinstalled pretty much everything, including a new antivirus software that will (hopefully) prevent future catastrophic malfunctions. This blog hasn't been updated for a long time. I shall post some photos from my trips to Hiroshima, Tokyo, Nagoya, Sendai, etc. If I have time, I'll also try to include some remaining idle thoughts about football, research, and other uninteresting subjects.

Happy new year from Osaka.

true origin of hip hop

2008-01-07T22:23:00.000-08:00

freaks of the beat - drop music video

2007-12-09T07:33:00.000-08:00

pretty cool, i'd say....

no turkey

2007-11-21T04:36:00.001-08:00

while you're munching on turkey i'll be enjoying one of the wonderful fried chicken dishes in the dining hall here at the japan foundation kansai center. happy thanksgiving from osaka!

kyoto--kinkakuji

2007-11-19T03:31:00.000-08:00

kyoto--kiyomizudera2

2007-11-19T03:21:00.000-08:00

kyoto--kiyomizudera

2007-11-19T03:15:00.000-08:00

kelly tsai: "by-standing: the beginning of an american lifetime"

2007-10-27T01:29:00.000-07:00

and dead again

2007-10-20T07:35:00.000-07:00

Okay, the computer died on me and I don`t know how to revive it. I`m definitely going to take it to a store and let a professional handle this. I actually feel like throwing it out the window.

Speaking of the window, before coming to this computer lab I sat in my chair and looked outside the window for over an hour. And it felt like just a few minutes. Sometimes I experience these moments when a million thoughts seem to occur all at the same time, and I just sit by the window looking outside counting and pondering on these thoughts and emptying my mind. I guess this might be my way of meditating.

I just realized that my blog is still on the U.S. Pacific Time. It is actually close to midnight here. I don`t know how to reset time. I just devised a plan to get more sleep. I am going to try to get up each morning five minutes later than the morning before until I become used to getting up close to 7Am. I think this is much more feasible than trying to go to bed before 1AM. Well, I think it probably won`t work.

it's alive!

2007-10-19T21:55:00.000-07:00

Whew. My computer is working again. And I backed up all my files.

I've never been so sleep deprived. For the past couple weeks no matter how late I've gone to bed my eyes have involuntarily opened themselves at 6 in the morning, and sometimes earlier. And no matter how tired I am I just can't sleep before my normal bedtime, which is early in the AM. I've been living since I got here by a rigorous schedule carefully planned by the instructional staff here at the center. I haven't lived in this kind of routine pattern in a long time, so I think my body hasn't figured out how to react to it properly. Two weeks certainly aren't enough to transform me into a morning person. Interestingly, however, I feel very healthy and alive. And my mind is clear almost all day long. I just need to start getting used to working early in the morning, a process that will require some significant amount of effort and will power.

The program has so far met all that I expected and more. My language advisor here has identified quite accurately what I need to improve upon, and designed very effective and intensive training plans for me. According to the calculation by a fellow researcher in the program each participant is taking what's equivalent to 22 college units in the first term, which is certainly more than I asked for.

I don't have enough time to read things not written in Japanese, but yesterday I forced myself to start reading Learning Places: The Afterlives of Area Studies co-edited by Masao Miyoshi and H.D. Harootunian. The introductory essay by the editors contain an interesting take on Japan Foundation, which is sponsoring my studies here, and its role in disseminating Japanese studies and culture. The main purpose of this reading, and future readings in English, however, is to prevent myself from losing my familiarity with academic language (although I'm not sure if this is something that's easy to lose after being in grad school for 3 years and going through QE) and my reading comprehension as well as to maintain my mastery of skimming. I got a copy of this book through the center's excellent interlibrary loan program, which allows me to order books and articles from pretty much any university or public library in Japan. Of all the benefits that the center offers, the interlibrary loan privilege excites me the most. Another symptom of being a grad student?

blues

2007-10-19T06:37:00.000-07:00

I have been a blues fan since I was a teenager. When I was a student at the University of Wisconsin my exposure to the blues was helped greatly by Madison's proximity to Chicago, the blues capital of the world. Naturally, many blues artists stopped by Madison and I frequently enjoyed live performances at various venues. The highlight of my blues experience in Madison was the second annual Madison Blues Festival, in which Buddy Guy, one of my favorite bluesmasters and the greatest living guitarist, was a feature artist. There I witnessed a great storyteller, passionate performer, and amazing entertainer. I was blown away by Buddy Guy's performance--his electrifying guitar playing and singing, and his god-given ability to tell stories through music. To this day, one of my biggest regrets is my failure to visit Buddy Guy`s Legends in Chicago.

Buddy Guy - Sweet Home Chicago

2007-10-19T06:19:00.001-07:00

violet kazue de cristoforo

2007-10-16T05:14:00.000-07:00

Poet and former Tule Lake internee Violet Kazue de Cristoforo died at age 90. I almost had a chance to talk with her a couple years ago, but the opportunity didn`t materialize.... The news of her passing comes at a moment when I`m increasingly anxious about the progress of my research. It's another reminder that time is not on my side, as my potential interviewees are leaving one by one. I sometimes can't help feeling helpless because I strongly feel I need to, and want to, help tell their stories and I want the stories to come from them. This will, of course, serve as a good motivation for getting my work done and finishing my dissertation, but I am also afraid that the scholarship on Japanese American internment and redress movement is far from ready to let these people go....

2007-10-16T04:58:00.000-07:00

2007-10-13T19:57:00.000-07:00

photos by S.

The weather has cooled down a bit lately and the sea breeze has made my daily walk so much more enjoyable. The honeymoon period in Osaka is about to end, and I am enjoying a quiet and uneventful Sunday. I procrastinated a bit earlier in the day by reading college football news. Upsets have been common features in this year's college football season, and this weenend was no exception. Both numbers 1 and 2 (LSU and Cal, respectively) fell, as did Wisconsin, which with two consecutive conference losses is now completely out of the national and conference championship race. This has been by far the most chaotic and interesting college football season since I began following the sport more than 10 years ago. I'm sure this season is forcing college football beat writers to be ever busier, more analytic and creative, and yet happier, as they, and their career, thrive with the increasing readership and debates generated by the season's chaoses and controversies.

evening2

2007-10-12T17:55:00.000-07:00

I've enjoyed the past few evenings casual walks along the beach and around the neighborhood. Last night I had a pleasant encounter with a stray cat, who didn't seem all that thrilled by my approach, as you can see in the photo. One of the things I notice whenever I travel to a different place is that local animals, especially dogs, in each place look quite different from their kin in other locations. Solvang, California, for example, has some of the most incredible looking dogs in the world, the kinds that I haven't seen anywhere else. Raccoons in Madison, Wisconsin look different from ones found in the neighborhoods of Santa Cruz, California. I like what I've seen so far in Osaka. Dogs look very nice, funny, and well groomed here. I haven't seen a lot of birds yet, but I hear them often. Seems like there aren't as many hawks here as there are in Santa Cruz, where I used to see them everyday hovering over my neighborhood.

Speaking of birds, in my neighborhood in Los Angeles, there used to live a chicken. This was quite bizarre, considering my neighborhood, surrounded by high-rise buildings, is located in the mid-Wilshire area, a heavily urban, business district. After a while the chicken's presence became such normalcy that neighbors and passers-by didn't pay much attention to it. She would appear almost daily and hang out on the sidewalk in front of my apartment. I enjoyed watching and sometimes talking to this pleasant animal (although she never showed any interest in interacting with me) and felt quite privileged to have this unusual friend in my urban neighborhood. Then she disappeared one day and never came back. I hope she died a natural death.

This will be the last weekend before the commencement of my research and school work here in Japan. I was fortunate to meet last week an anthropology student from Brazil who knows a professor in the Kansai area doing Nikkei-related research. I can certainly use some professional advice on my research here. I'm looking forward to making contacts with and visiting more scholars in the region. I'm also looking forward to presenting my paper at a couple research workshops in Nagoya this and next year. The organizers of the workshops are expecting me to make presentations in English, but hopefully, by next year, my Japanese will improve enough to be able to insist that I give a talk in Japanese.

evening by the sea

2007-10-12T17:37:00.000-07:00

tajiri cho

2007-10-10T06:52:00.000-07:00

new home

2007-10-06T04:59:00.000-07:00

my room in the Japan Foundation Kansai Center

festival

2007-10-06T04:52:00.000-07:00

2007-10-06T03:53:00.001-07:00

Since this morning my computer has refused to cooperate with me. My biggest fear is the possibility of losing my files, including research notes, papers, and photos. The problem is that after I turn on the computer and as soon as the Windows starts the computer locks up and I have no way of accessing any of my folders. I`m afraid I`ll have to spend a lot of time in this computer lab until I find a way to repair my laptop. And of course, this had to happen while I`m overseas and can`t benefit from the warranty I purchased back in the U.S.

Some photos from today`s Tajiri Town autumn festival:

2007-10-05T02:08:00.001-07:00

Insa-dong, Seoul

more pictures from korea

2007-10-05T02:05:00.000-07:00

Insa-dong, Seoul

2007-10-05T01:52:00.000-07:00

The adjustment to life in Japan is going smoothly. The Japan Foundation center is an excellent place and thus far has met my expectation.

Some photos from Seoul:

2007-09-28T21:29:00.000-07:00

So far I haven't done much in Korea, except eating, relaxing, and watching TV. I did go out to Seoul and spent a few hours bar hopping with a friend a couple days ago. Life hasn't been this good for me for a long time. The only unpleasant experience in Korea so far has been the ferocious attacks by mosquitoes at night. I haven't been able to sleep much because of these goddamn insects.

It's Saturday here (Friday night in the States), and for me, one of many Saturdays this fall without college football. No one cares about that sport here, obviously, and I can only check game results and rankings online. I am well pleased with South Florida's victory over West Virginia, the number five team in the country before Friday. Upsets like this, and the one involving Michigan earlier in the season, of course, prove that no team is unstoppable. It seems more and more reasonable now to expect USC and LSU, the two best teams in the country, to lose at least a game this season. Wisconsin's schedule also appears much tougher now, with the surprisingly solid Michigan State team this week, two difficult road games against Penn State and Ohio State, and the crucial home game against Michigan, which has finally begun to play like a powerhouse that it's supposed to be.

Next time I log on I shall post some photos I took in Korea. So far, I really don't have anything interesting to write about.

greetings from korea

2007-09-26T00:06:00.000-07:00

I'm writing from an internet cafe in Incheon, South Korea. I arrived in this country at 5:30 this morning. Since then I tried to beat jet lag by watching numerous TV programs and chatting with my grandma, and am now sitting here in a busy "PC room" full of amateur computer gamers. I seem to be the only one checking email and blogging. Today is the last day of the Chuseok (literally "Autumn Evening," the Korean harvest festival) holidays. That perhaps explains why this place is so crowded. School boys from the neighborhood, who have the misfortune of having to go back to classrooms tomorrow, are well represented here. I'll spend a week in various places in the Seoul metropolitan area before flying out to Japan. I'll most likely spend the rest of today watching more TV (something I don't do in the States, except when Wisconsin football games are on). Maybe I'll finally check out some Korean soap operas, which are enormously popular throughout East Asia and beyond. More from Korea in the near future....

back in l.a.

2007-09-17T22:06:00.000-07:00

So, the final road trip of Summer 2007 turned out to be a drive down PCH from Santa Cruz to LA. I took it slow and easy, and stopped at Splash Cafe in Pismo Beach for late lunch. The place is famous for its fish and chips and clam chowder. If you ever find yourself in Pismo Beach you should give it a try. Prepare to stand for a while in a loooong line of locals and tourists until it's your turn to order. The line can get as long as what you normally see at Pink's at Melrose and La Brea in Los Angeles, if you've ever been to or driven by the best hot dog stand in the U.S.

The next few days will be busy, as I have to have obligatory lunches or dinners with some acquaintances and take care of some last minute businesses before flying out to Seoul. I was hoping to have some time to relax and read Stuart Mandel's Bowls, Polls, and Tattered Souls, a new book about college football, but I think I'll probably read it on the plane. I just found this interesting book written by a professor of comparative religion in the bookcase here in my parents' place in LA. I think I'll skim through this book while attempting to get some sleep.

BTW, on Saturday I caught a few minutes of USC-Nebraska on TV while packing my stuff in Santa Cruz and was awestruck by the speed and talent of USC's defensive front. And what's scary is that Nebraska wasn't actually bad. It's just that this USC team was too dominating that it made the opposing players look worse than they actually were. And Michigan finally won! Now the question gets to be, can Notre Dame win one game this year? This team has played like a bad high school junior varsity team so far. I think even Duke, which finally won a game since 2005 on Saturday, would give the Irish a hard time, possibly whipping them.

2007-09-10T20:09:00.000-07:00

I'm sure the love calculator prank has all but annihilated my readership, meaning now I can focus my attention on the interest of this blog's lone reader, me. By the way, if you are a victim/survivor of the prank read my explanation and apology from the last post.

Back to my interest, that is, college football (again). I didn't watch any game on Saturday because I was working all day. But I periodically checked the live scoreboards on ESPN.com, CNNSI.com, etc. Wisconsin avoided a big upset and kept their national title hope alive. That's all that mattered on Saturday, although I was a bit disappointed and amused by Michigan's second straight loss.

I found this incredible story about Randy Shannon, the new head coach of the University of Miami football team. Here's a guy who would never fall for a prank like love calculator.

I'll probably have some time after this week to finally write something about my take on college football in the South.

I ordered Stewart Mandel's book Bowls, Polls, and Tattered Souls: Tackling the Chaos and Controversy That Reign over College Football. This will be a nice book to read on the plane to Asia and perhaps the last summer reading for me this year. Speaking of the flight to Asia, I'm leaving Santa Cruz in less than a week. No college football in Asia. At least I can still check scores online....

love calculator

2007-09-10T15:05:00.001-07:00

Okay, so this love calculator thing was a prank (I took it off my blog), as some of you have found out. Normally, I wouldn't post something remarkably stupid like this (other than my stupid college football stories and other idle thoughts) on my blog. But I did and it was a stupid thing to do.

If you have fallen victim to this prank, rest assured that I did not read the list of names you typed in. You're thinking, "yeah, right, a-hole." But it's true. I only get an email notification when someone types something in the boxes, but no details on what's typed in those boxes. They don't email me the information directly. In order to read your entries I need to go to crushcalculator.com and log into my account and click on a bunch of links, which I don't have time to do. I never planned to actually read the names because that wasn't the purpose of this prank. The account is closed as of today without me ever reading its contents.

I never intended to pry on your personal life or secret. I am not particularly interested in finding out other people's love interests. Honestly, I don't have time for that. So, your secret is safe. If you don't believe me, that's fine. My reputation has already been tarnished by my own stupidity and indecency, at least to some of you. And I deserve this.

One of the lessons I've learned through all this is that no matter how insignificant I think my blog is (seriously, I didn't think people would know about and visit my blog. the people I know who visit my blog regularly are only handful. this blog exists primarily for me to jot down any insignificant thought that pops up in my head whenever I can afford to, so I've always thought the primary readership consists of just me), it is in public domain and anybody can read what I post and be affected by it in some ways. And this time I am afraid that it has offended and hurt some people.

As some of you demanded, I offer my sincere and heartfelt apology (I'm really serious). And I can only promise that I won't do such a stupid thing. I never meant to hurt any of you.

That's all.

sports fandom

2007-09-06T22:22:00.000-07:00

Okay, a couple weeks ago I revealed my decision about 10 years ago to attend a college football game to cheer on my university's team right after learning of a good friend's death. I was convinced then and am now that the reason for my going to the game instead of sitting in my dorm room being sad and solemn was not because of my obsession with college football. Every fall since 1996 I've followed college football news, game results, and rankings related to the University of Wisconsin football team. This has been one my favorite hobbies, but certainly not an obsession. Since 1996 I've watched--live or on TV--a total of only about a dozen Wisconsin football games (the team has played at least 11 games each year during that span) because I normally don't have time to watch football games. This year alone I've watched almost 10 movies. I think the fact that I have time to go watch movies but don't have time to watch my favorite team's games on TV can serve as a good indication that I'm not obsessed with college football. Each Saturday evening or Sunday afternoon in the fall I check the game score on the internet and read a post-game news article. And on Monday I check the sports page to see where Wisconsin is ranked in AP and Coaches' Polls. All this takes about 5 to 10 minutes. And I hardly watch other teams' games. I am obsessed with reading a good book or taking a good nap, but not with college football.

So, what's the point of this rambling on about my not being obsessed with college football? I started out this post wanting to write something about sports, sports fans' obsession with the quality of the games and their teams, regionalism, and rivalries. But alas, I'm out of time again. Need to get back to work. More on this topic later....

season kicks off

2007-09-01T17:06:00.000-07:00

Appalachian State 34, Michigan 32 at the Big House.

Wow, what a great upset. As expected, commentators and reporters alike have repeatedly suggested after the game that this will go down in recent history (and even all time) as college football's biggest upset. And SI's Stewart Mandel had this to say on his blog:

"As humiliating as the BCS bowl blowouts were for the Big Ten last January, this loss is on another level entirely. Even if the Wolverines manage to win their next 11 games and somehow rise all the way to the top two, should they even be allowed a spot in the BCS title game? Only if it’s to rematch by-then three-time I-AA champ Appalachian State. In fact, it would actually behoove the Big Ten for Michigan to be exposed as an all-out fraud very soon (Oregon comes to town next week), because if this team is truly the class of the conference, that’s not exactly a strong testimonial. One could very easily argue we are witnessing the fabled league’s all-time low point."

This upset is no doubt a huge deal. The winningest team in history who's ranked fifth in Division IA and a perennial national title contender loses to a lower division team. But this Appalachian State team is not an ordinary IAA team. They won the past two IAA national championships and is preseason number 1. They've played good IA teams the past few years consistently well. And I bet they will easily compete with or whip a number of BCS teams. I just don't think this loss should be considered an embarrassment to Michigan like the way it is described in the media. If Michigan does end up at the end of the season being no. 2, of course they have the right to play in the national championship game (although this seems an unlikely scenario at the moment). Teams play 12-plus games a season and this was just one loss. And they lost to a very good team for sure. I'm really not shocked to learn of this upset in Ann Arbor today. I am surprised, but definitely not shocked. Appalachian State is a real deal.

Wisconsin started off the season well today against Washington State. After a slow start mainly due to surprisingly sluggish defensive effort, the Badgers bounced back and new quarterback Tyler Donovan played impressively. I like the fact that Donovan is a mobile QB and can throw on the run. With Michigan's loss, Wisconsin is a clear favorite to win Big Ten.

The weekend's biggest match, Cal vs. Tennessee, is on TV now. I kept promising myself throughout the week not to watch college games today (with the exception of the Wisconsin game, of course), but I have a feeling I'll end up watching Cal-Tennessee in its entirety. I think it's okay to give myself a break this time. It's still summer and I almost never watch TV except a few Wisconsin games a year. Cal's DeSean Jackson just made a great catch. I'm getting back to watching the game.

science and race

2007-08-29T12:26:00.001-07:00

Here's one of the worst examples of bad science. A Guardian blog reports that two Italian scientists have published an article about their discovery of shared "attitudes and characteristics" between Down people and "Orientals," such as both group's appreciation for having several dishes on the table, their appetite for foods rich in MSG, and their tendency to rest themselves in the "squatting position" while waiting for the bus, etc. What an amazing discovery. Even Madison Grant and Lothrop Stoddard would laugh in their graves at this ultimate nonsense. And this article was published in an academic journal! Whatever possessed the editor to go ahead and select this garbage for publication. I'm sure it was neither intelligence nor common sense.

the word i hate the most

2007-08-23T22:20:00.000-07:00

authentic.

Nothing/nobody is and ever will be. My culture, identity, habits, taste, and traits are never authentic. I never want them to be and I certainly have no claim to authenticity. I think people's obsession with and commitment to authenticity and realness goes to ridiculous lengths. What exactly is "authentic" Chinese, Italian, Peruvian, Greek, Thai, or Mexican food? What makes someone an "authentic" anything? I don't have a problem with the usage of the term "authentic" as a part of a marketing catchphrase as much as I have with people's use of the term to test or claim the loyalty, purity, or quality of someone's identity or a cultural product.

More on authenticity in the near future..... I need to get back to work.

10 days to season opener

2007-08-22T16:36:00.000-07:00

Whoa. Check out this 59-year-old man who made Division III college footall team. The oldest man ever to be on a college football team roster may see some playing time this season. The guy has a grandkid and is a member of AARP!

I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of the college football season. In 10 days, Wisconsin Badgers will host Washington State for their season opener at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison. This year the expectation is high, as Wisconsin returns the bulk of its stellar defensive unit from last year. A number of pre-season publications have listed the Badgers as one of the top 5 to top 10 teams, as high as number 3. The offensive side of the game will also be exciting to watch. From the line to the backfield to the receiving corps, the Wisconsin offense looks well balanced. The only major question has been the starting QB position. And today the answer came from head coach Bret Bielema, who announced that 5th-year senior Tyler Donovan will start against Washington State.

A few days ago I read an interesting take by an ESPN columnist on the college football craze in the South, comparing the region's economic, social, and emotional ties to the game with those on the West Coast:

"The quality of life in the South is dependent upon good college football. Local economies, race relations and collective psychological health all would suffer without it. Sweet tea would not be as sweet. Fried chicken would not be as crispy. Country songs would be even sadder.

"If SEC football were mediocre, the South might as well be back in Reconstruction.

"On the West Coast, good college football is no more important to the commonweal than comfortable sandals and affordable microbrewed beer. It's a nice perk, but it falls far below vital.

"At least 10 SEC schools are crazily committed to football success. In the Pac-10, USC might be it. A few others care, but they stop well short of obsession."

Here's the rest of Pat Forde's article on ESPN.com. As an occasional visitor to college football discussion boards on the web, I know that the SEC (Southeastern Conference) fans are especially impassioned about the quality of their league and its teams. They swarm the message boards in support and defense of the SEC football, tirelessly arguing that the SEC is the best conference and the champion of the SEC should automatically play in the national championship game or even be crowned the national champion. What would these people do without college football?

I understand to some extent the Southern college football fans' dedication to the game. I, too, am a fan of college football and have been since setting my foot on the University of Wisconsin campus as a freshman in 1996. Actually, I had become a die-hard Wisconsin football fan upon getting the admission letter from the University's Registrar's Office several months before I officially became a UW student. I was a season ticket holder in my sophomore year. And in my junior year I was among the students who traveled to Pasadena to watch Wisconsin's Ron Dayne running all over UCLA at the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. One Saturday morning in my sophomore year as I was getting ready to leave my dorm to attend a home game against Michigan, I received a phone call from home and learned that one of my friends from high school had past away. After hanging up the phone I proceeded to go watch the game at Camp Randall and mourned my friend's death after returning from the stadium. What was I to do? Give up my ticket to the Michigan game? My justification for going to the game instead of observing a time of prayer and reflection was that if I had been the one who had died and a friend of mine had had a plan to attend his team's most important game of the season that day, I would have wanted him to go to the game and enjoy it instead of starting to mourn for me right away. A few hours of delay would've meant no harm or disrespect. For a student who loves football and whose university has a major Division IA football program, the experience at a home game on Saturday is priceless. I enjoyed the Michigan game that afternoon, although Wisconsin lost, and after coming back from the game had enough time to mourn the passing of a good friend. Even if I hadn't gone to the game out of respect for my friend and her family, I think my mind would've been distracted by the thought of the missed game. I might even have watched the game on TV while trying to reflect upon the life and death of my friend. You might think I'm a selfish, immature, and insensitive son of a bitch for choosing a football game over a (dead) friend. Maybe I was a selfish, immature, and insensitive son of a bitch that day. But ten years later I still think going to the game was the right decision. It was something very important to me back then. It could've been something other than a football game. It could've been a job interview, an important meeting, a wedding, a family vacation, or any other type of important occasion that could've legitimately delayed the commencement of mourning for a few hours. If I had a ticket to a football game today and learned of a death of a friend, I probably wouldn't go to the game. But on that day when I was a student season ticket holder living on campus, the game was an important and special occasion and I believe my friend in heaven would've understood it and forgiven me for having an experience of a lifetime of standing in the student section in Camp Randall Stadium watching a college football home game.

So, that was then. The point is that I know college football is important to many people, including me. But I also have other far more important things to attend to in my life. I might sound like I'm contradicting myself, having just described my going to a game in spite of a friend's death. However, as I explained, and I believe, the circumstance was exceptional. Today I would certainly behave differently, having moved on from a young college student season ticket holder to a person whose life has become busier, more hectic, and more complicated. And going to a home game back then as a student was a much bigger deal than going to a game now as an alum, although I still would enjoy it very much. The point is I don't have enough commitment to college football to devote my time to filling online discussion boards with messages advocating the supremacy of Wisconsin football or the Big Ten Conference like my life depending on it. I'm sad when Wisconsin loses a game, but not devastated. And I get over the sadness very quickly, in a matter of a few minutes or even seconds, and move onto living my life. Even on that Saturday when I went to the Michigan game upon hearing the death of my friend, I got over the sadness after Wisconsin's loss pretty quickly, and after exiting the stadium the game no longer affected me. I imagine such a devastating home loss would affect the pride and emotions of average college football fans in the SEC world more severely, because life depends on college football in the South more heavily than it does anywhere else in the country. Now I understand, SEC fans, why you do the crazy and silly things you do to remind us that your conference is the best always and forever. Your conference certainly has the most devoted fans. But I still think the Big Ten football is sometimes better.

california coast

2007-08-19T16:04:00.001-07:00

off pch

2007-08-19T15:52:00.000-07:00

off pch

2007-08-19T15:43:00.001-07:00

california coast

2007-08-19T15:36:00.001-07:00

california coast

2007-08-19T15:27:00.001-07:00

Drove my folks down Highway 1. Stopped by Monterey, Pebble Beach along 17 Mile Drive, and Big Sur. This probably marked the last road trip of the summer for me, the last one before leaving for Asia anyway.

back to california

2007-08-06T19:01:00.001-07:00

Stopped at Yreka, one of the northernmost towns in California to lunch at a Chinese restaurant.

portland

2007-08-06T18:55:00.001-07:00

Rose Garden

portland

2007-08-06T18:50:00.000-07:00

Powell's City of Books, book lovers' heaven....

portland

2007-08-06T18:43:00.000-07:00

Old Chinatown

portland

2007-08-06T18:37:00.001-07:00

Riverfront Park and Japanese American Historical Plaza

portland

2007-08-06T18:34:00.001-07:00

Pioneer Courthouse Square

portland

2007-08-06T18:25:00.001-07:00

oregon

2007-08-06T18:22:00.000-07:00

next destination: portland

driving on the state line

2007-08-05T17:26:00.000-07:00

tule lake today

2007-08-05T17:12:00.001-07:00

And today there are new barracks that house migrant families, mostly farm workers and their family members.

tule lake

2007-08-05T17:07:00.001-07:00

The stockade is where the jail houses were located. Remaining barracks are now used as houses by local residents. A portion of the camp site is now occupied by a State Transportation Dept. maintenance station.

2007-08-05T16:42:00.001-07:00

Maps and directions turned out to be of little help, but Newell is such a desolate place that it wasn't all that hard to locate a few remaining barracks of the Segregation Center. Tule Lake Relocation Center in 1943 became a Segregation Center, the only one out of the ten WRA Relocation Centers, designated to house the so called "disloyals," including many of the incarcerated Japanese and Japanese Americans from Tule Lake and other camps who answered "no" to loyalty questionaire. The stone and concrete monument erected by California Department of Parks and Recreation and Japanese American Citizens League's Northern California-Western Nevada District Council in 1979 stands on the side of CA-139 and adjacent to the notorious stockade.

to tule lake

2007-08-05T16:36:00.001-07:00

My original plan to visit Newell in NE California in July had been impeded by a call to jury duty. This time, though, I made sure to stop at the site of Tule Lake Segregation Center.

2007-08-05T16:32:00.001-07:00

Weed, CA and Mt. Shasta.

Took a three-day road trip way up to the boondocks in northern California and Portland, Oregon. Stopped by a number of interesting places, including a town called Weed.

2007-07-17T21:17:00.000-07:00

After running some errands in the afternoon I had a bit of time to kill, so I went into Wilshire Plaza Hotel, formerly Radisson Wilshire Plaza Hotel, across the street from my parents' place at Wilshire and Normandie. I wanted to install myself in one of the comfortable chairs in the hotel's quiet and pleasantly air-conditioned lobby and read Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita. This was my first visit to the hotel since 2004 when I had quit my job there as a banquet bartender and left for grad school. Behind the Starbucks coffee bar at the corner of the lobby was E, a former co-worker. I greeted him, ordered a cup of coffee, and asked how things were at the hotel and if some of the managers and employees were still working, etc. Things weren't quite the same, according to E, especially since the ownership change a couple years ago. It was disheartening--no, devastating--to learn that the new owners had swiftly deunionized the employees and stripped them of their benefits. E also informed me that he and his co-workers were now paid minimum wage, instead of the "living" wage protected by the union. While I swallowed the news with bitter silence E handed me my Grande Coffee and smiled, "It's hard, Miguel. But we gotta make a living, you know. There's nothing we can do."

After wishing him good luck I went out to the patio, sat down, and opened The Master and Margarita. But I found myself unable to read. I was consumed by anger, bitter rage, but most all, incredible sadness. It hurt to know that the lives of the good people I had worked with had been terrorized by pernicious and the most reprehensively idiotic business tactics. It truly hurt: these people were my family. They were my Pilipino uncles, Salvadorian father, Mexican brothers, and Korean aunt. For about 4 years I had been a member of the hotel's unionized multiethnic workforce and UNITE HERE (formerly HERE, Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union) Local 11. It's not exaggeration to me to think the union had allowed us to be truly co-workers, that is, people who work together. Instead of competing or being compelled to cheat each other to get better shifts, promotion, extra hours, etc. we delighted in helping each other and performed our duties with utmost pride and professionalism, because we were confident that seniority and merit ensured our rewards; that we were in the fight together to make sure our employer respects our basic entitlements to safe and reasonable working environments, sick days, health insurance, and vacations. We worked and fought together not because someone had told us to, but because we wanted to and because it was the best way we had come to know to make a living. This was the best way R, our senior banquet server, knew to give his daughter her dream quinsenera. This was the best way JQ, who treated me like a son, knew to send his daughter to college. This was the best way I knew to pay the rent, buy a car and my favorite books, pay back college loans, make my daily trips to museums and libraries, and conduct my first oral history research before grad school. More importantly, this was how I lived and understood working-class culture and consciousness before reading E. P. Thompson..... I couldn't sit there and read Bulgakov. I had to get out of there, so I finished my Grande Coffee and headed home....

Last month I was saddened to learn of another defeat, this time suffered by the 500,000 daily bus riders in Los Angeles and the coalition of community organizations led by BRU (Bus Riders Union/Sindicato de Pasajeros/버스 승객 조합, Bus Seunggaek Johap, of which I am a proud member). The MTA Board got enough votes to increase bus fares and the hike went into effect this month. This morning I had planned to purchase a day pass, until I remembered that the fare had increased from $3 to $5. I drove to the bank, parked the car, and walked most of the day before arriving at the hotel.... Okay, so, what of the fare hike? BTW, I can't help feeling a little bit disturbed when I hear people, especially the ones who claim they're from LA, say, either jokingly, half-jokingly, or seriously, "Everyone drives in LA" or "You can't go anywhere in LA without a car." But then, of course, most people I know who say they're "from LA" aren't from LA at all. They're from Thousand Oaks, Orange County, the "Inland Empire," and other such places that are NOT parts of Los Angeles. In their suburban thinking, my friends who claim to be from LA often fail to consider thousands of real Angelinos and others who don't have a car, can't afford to purchase and maintain a car, can't drive for various reasons, or don't want to drive for lots of good reasons. Most of these people (about a half million in LA County everyday) rely on the MTA bus system to move around the city and the county. I'm sure a lot of people who claim to be from LA have seen city buses with passengers, but why do they so casually dismiss the existence of people who don't or can't drive by saying things like "Everybody drives everywhere?" Why am I making a big deal out of this, anyway? It's just a generalized statement about one of the common perceptions of the city. People make lots of generalizations. But what's wrong with this generalization? I'm considering the following. It just so happens that nearly 90 percent of us bus riders are Latinos, Blacks, and Asian Americans. About half of the bus riders live below poverty level and more than half of the bus riders are women. In short, we're the same marginalized ones who haven't counted for a long time in this country. So, I guess there's some truth in "Everyone drives in LA" because, well, a typical bus rider does't fit the profile of the usual "everyone," the white, middle-class kind. The bus fare hike is but an example of so many types (almost all types I have faced and am aware of) of economic injustice and corporate terrorism that are unambiguously racist. But I think as long as "Everyone drives everywhere in LA" remains an ever more casual, careless, and common assumption (and thus expectation) that keeps transit riders marginalized, invisible, and long forgotten, issues like the MTA fare hike that damage the lives of so many won't matter much to those "from LA" who drive a lot.

Red Cliff

2007-07-09T21:55:00.000-07:00

Having made his name in Hollywood by doing some annoyingly stupid rip-offs of his own Hong Kong flicks, John Woo has finally decided to move on to making a movie that's worth watching. "Red Cliff," based on a few chapters from Luo Guanzhong's classic novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, is in production and will be released in Asia in 2008. As an avid reader and fan of The Three Kingdoms, I am eagerly awaiting the completion and release of the film about the epic naval war. Thank you, Mr. Woo, for finally trying something new and daring. We were about sick and tired of your movies about guys doing flips while firing their pistols.

quincy 4

2007-06-24T22:02:00.000-07:00

Okay, so three of the "Quincy 4" were found guilty last Friday. If you haven't heard of the story of the Quincy 4, check out MySpace.com/thequincy4. Now, I've been sick and tired of hearing and witnessing stuff like this everyday for the most of my racially profiled life. I'm about convinced that too many decent people who join the police force are eventually made to become insensitive, ignorant, hateful, violent, ruthess, and often murdering bastards. Obviously, the police training programs have miserably failed them and us, who pay for those programs.

2007-06-24T14:54:00.000-07:00

i'm too busy doing nothing and thinking about useless things these days to update this blog.
and i've kind of gotten into the whole facebook thing lately.
and i'm always in transition, so i'm busy....

polynesians beat columbus by a century

2007-06-22T22:04:00.000-07:00

I knew it. Polynesians were in the Americas well before Columbus and the murderers from Europe who followed his path later. And the islanders brought chickens with them.

national townhall on hate crimes

2007-06-19T22:09:00.000-07:00

It's been 25 years since Vincent Chin's death sparked the country's awareness of racist hate crimes. Have things gotten better? I'm attending the National Townhall on Hate Crimes in San Francisco in honor of Vincent Chin on June 27 to find out what people think. If you're in the Bay Area, you should go, too.

nra black list

2007-06-18T22:11:00.000-07:00

I'm on the National Rifle Association's Black List!

joined the facebook cult

2007-06-11T14:10:00.000-07:00

i finally joined the grad student network at facebook.com.
what a great way to procrastinate.

ngger wetbck ch*nk

2007-06-10T22:13:00.000-07:00

N*GGER WETB*CK CH*NK. This is a funny and daring show taking on stereotypes and racism.

yokozuna

2007-05-28T13:18:00.001-07:00

Maru sent me this cool photo of Asashoryu the Grand Champion.

5.18

2007-05-12T20:40:00.000-07:00

Here's an incredibly powerful poem written by a high school student in Seoul. Man, did it move me to tears. This poem was the winner at this year's writing contest to commemorate the 27th anniversary of the 1980 Kwangju Democratization Movement. Sorry, you'll have to read this in Korean or move onto someone else's blog. It'd cost me too much time and too many brain cells to translate this poem into English.

그 날

나가 자전거 끌고잉 출근허고 있었시야

근 디 갑재기 어떤 놈이 떡 하니 뒤에 올라 타블더라고. 난 뉘요 혔더니, 고 어린 놈이 같이 좀 갑시다 허잖어. 가잔께 갔재. 가다본께 누가 뒤에서 자꾸 부르는 거 같어. 그랴서 멈췄재. 근디 내 뒤에 고놈이 갑시다 갑시다 그라데. 아까부텀 머리에 피도 안 마른 놈이 어른한티 말을 놓는거이 우째 생겨먹은 놈인가 볼라고 뒤엘 봤시야. 근디 눈물 반 콧물 반 된 고놈 얼굴보담도 저짝에 총구녕이 먼저 뵈데.

총 구녕이 점점 가까이와. 아따 지금 생각혀도...... 그땐 참말 오줌 지릴 뻔 했시야. 그때 나가 떤건지 나 옷자락 붙든 고놈이 떤건지 암튼 겁나 떨려불데. 고놈이 목이 다 쇠갔고 갑시다 갑시다 그라는데잉 발이 안떨어져브냐. 총구녕이 날 쿡 찔러. 무슨 관계요? 하는디 말이 안나와. 근디 내 뒤에 고놈이 얼굴이 허어애 갔고서는 우리 사촌 형님이오 허드랑께. 아깐 떨어지도 않던 나 입에서 아니오 요 말이 떡 나오데.

고놈은 총구녕이 델꼬가고, 난 뒤도 안돌아보고 허벌나게 달렸쟤. 심장이 쿵쾅쿵쾅 허더라고. 저 짝 언덕까정 달려 가 그쟈서 뒤를 본께 아까 고놈이 교복을 입고있데. 어린놈이.....

그라고 보내놓고 나가 테레비도 안보고야, 라디오도 안틀었시야. 근디 맨날 매칠이 지나도 누가 자꼬 뒤에서 갑시다 갑시다 해브냐.

아직꺼정 고놈 뒷모습이 그라고 아른거린다잉......

it wasn't you, koreans. it was 'oldboy'

2007-04-22T00:22:00.000-07:00

There have been numerous amazing, thoughtful, and appalling public and private reactions from Koreans to the news of the horrendous massacre at Virgina Tech. Here's a good one. The ROK Ambassador to the U.S. suggested a few days ago that his compatriots in the States stage a 32-day--32 fuckin' days!--fasting and prayer marathon to express their sincere condolences for the deaths of 32 victims at the hands of a Korean American student. I think the only person who should pray and fast for 32 days is Mr. Ambassador. 32 days of hunger and meditation will give him a chance to repent his stupidity and think about how to make better and more sensible diplomatic proposals.

And here's the Philadelphia Inquirer's response to the barrage of apologies and public expressions of self-reproach from Korea: Letter to South Korea--A Lesson in Your Apology.

it was oldboy

2007-04-19T23:13:00.000-07:00

The tragedy at Virginia Tech has ignited renewed political debates on guns and violence in America's culture war between gun enthusiasts and gun control advocates. Some of you know my politics on gun-related issues, so I won't get into it. But, according to this story, the guy who killed 32 people at VT had gone through a court-ordered mental health evaluation two years ago, which concluded that he was "an imminent danger to self and others." Yet, the State of Virginia still allowed him to purchase firarms which he used to murder fellow students.

Earlier today, ABCNews.com ran a story with a photo of the VT shooter holding a hammer in his hands like a baseball player holding a bat waiting to hit a fastball (one of the photos he had sent NBC along with video clips). Inserted in the bottom left corner of this photo by a ABCNews.com graphic artist was a still photo of the main character in the South Korean movie Oldboy wielding a hammer. ABCNews.com wondered if this Korean movie about a guy taking violent revenge with a hammer, bare fists, and other assortment of weapons for being locked up in a private prison for fifteen years had any influence on Seung Hui Cho's murderous thoughts and behaviors. The site claimed that the two photos bore a striking resemblance. That's the explanation for this odd and colossally stupid combination of two photos? Of course, it had to be a Korean movie, of all movies about vengeance, violence, death, hammers, and guns. The link to the photo and the story has been taken off the website. But let me tell you. Cho's photo bears no resemblance to that of Choi Min Sik, the lead actor in Oldboy. There's a hammer in each photo. That's about it. Somebody working at ABCNews.com thought s/he was being pretty clever by finding a still cut from a Korean movie about vengeance and trying to make a connection to the VT killer, well, because the killer was a Korean American. The murderer in the old Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie strikes a guy with a hammer. Would this movie have had any influence on Cho? Probably not, because it's Texan, not Korean, right? I don't know. Maybe Cho had seen Oldboy and been inspired by it. He must have seen it, because he was a Korean American, man, like every psychotic French American murderer has tried to imitate a killer in a French movie.

Okay, I found a link to yet another article speculating a connection between Oldboy and Cho.

spring quarter

2007-04-19T22:35:00.000-07:00

Today I submitted to the Dean of Grad School the list of my qualifying exam (QE) committee members. In 6 weeks I'll either pass my QE and become a Ph.D. candidate or fail miserably and start looking for a job. I most likely won't fail, but if I screw up and do fail, I'll move to the east coast and open up a shoeshine stand of my own. I'll sing and tell stories while shining shoes. I think I'm becoming more and more serious about this option (not). For some reason, I'm not as deathly stressed out or nervous as a typical grad student preparing for a QE is said to be, although I'm often having dreams about it or related themes. Having supportive faculty members on my committee who care about my health and well being in addition to my intellectual progress definitely helps. Like Prof. G, my outside field examiner, told me yesterday, they're not trying to test my anxiety. He also told me to eat and sleep well.

Assuming that I'll pass the exam, I'll spend at least 8 months in Japan in the next academic year to participate in an intensive language program and to conduct my dissertation research. I've been lucky enough to get a generous grant from Japan Foundation that will allow me to stay in Osaka for free. Fortunately, I'll arrive there just after the brutally hot and humid Kansai summer. I may even be able to visit Korea, and if I'm really lucky, China again.

the way

2007-03-14T17:16:00.000-07:00

After searching for a good translation of Laozi's Daodejing, I've realized that there are about 100 different English translations of the work. Of course, this is a very difficult text to translate into another language (it's probably difficult enough to translate it into modern Chinese). After reading a few Korean translations, though, I feel that D. C. Lau's 1963 translation of the introductory chapter into English is the most satisfactory, at least to me.

"The way that can be spoken of
Is not the constant way;
The name that can be named
Is not the constant name.
The nameless was the beginning of heaven and earth;
The named was the mother of the myriad creatures.
Hence always rid yourself of desires in order to observe its secrets;
But always allow yourself to have desires in order to observe its manifestations.
These two are the same
But diverge in name as they issue forth.
Being the same they are called mysteries,
Mystery upon mystery —
The gateway of the manifold secrets."

aparc conference 2/24/07

2007-03-01T01:59:00.000-08:00

Keynote Speaker Prof. Lok C. D. Siu

The second Asia-Pacific-Americas Research Cluster Graduate Student Conference was a great success. As a co-organizer I was relieved to know that we were able to keep the cluster's good track record going. And I'm thrilled we're done for the year.

Grad student panelists in action:

2 grad students on break

2007-02-15T23:53:00.000-08:00

An astronomy grad student and a history grad student taking a break:

b-day

2007-02-01T23:42:00.000-08:00

A bunch of grad students got together in my place for a rare break to celebrate the birthdays of Haitao the housemate, Yajun the cohort, and me.

pfl arrives

2007-01-18T01:23:00.000-08:00

Move over, WWE, UFC, and K-1. Here comes PFL, the Pillow Fight League. Yes, pillow fight is developing into a spectator sport, well, at least in Toronto. And it's coming to New York. All contenders are women and they are no teenagers in pajamas. They seem like serious fighters. And not all of them are young blondes in bikinis like mud wrestlers. Okay, maybe I'm too intrigued by this new version of the so-called contained violence (or, is it entertainment?).

Toward the end of the "Republicanization" of the U.S. military?

2007-01-05T02:47:00.000-08:00

Okay, obviously, this photo has nothing to do with the U.S. Armed Forces or the Republican Party. I took this picture in Solvang, CA on New Year's Day 2007. For some reason Solvang seems to attract some of the most interesting and rare looking dogs. If you happen to be there pay attention to its canine population. I guarantee you'll run into a few incredible looking ones.

And here's another potentially disheartening news for those on the Right: the military is becoming less Republican. Only a couple months ago they lost Congressional majority, and now they're about to lose what has been a GOP stronghold. I say, right on. Man, it's about time we had a bipartisan army. See today's op-ed piece in LA Times about the dwindling number of servicemen who consider themselves Republicans.

Football, History, and World in Transition

do-it-yourself athletic scholarship

great african american coaches snubbed yet again

joe pa will coach next year

back

great performance at rutgers stadium

season kicks off

daily show special olympics update

how much does michael phelps eat?

chinese gymnasts

summer course

dog off the menu during olympics

moved

open letter to barack obama

keep your laptop at home

wisc checks in at no. 12

christ in japan

oshima

oshima

yamaguchi

looking forward to the football season

kobe matsuri

evening by the sea

panel discussion

ise

dolphine island

academic life in japan

back in santa cruz

online at last

true origin of hip hop

freaks of the beat - drop music video

no turkey

kyoto--kinkakuji

kyoto--kiyomizudera2

kyoto--kiyomizudera

kelly tsai: "by-standing: the beginning of an american lifetime"

and dead again

it's alive!

blues

Buddy Guy - Sweet Home Chicago

violet kazue de cristoforo

evening2

evening by the sea

tajiri cho

new home

festival

more pictures from korea

greetings from korea

back in l.a.

love calculator

sports fandom

season kicks off

science and race

the word i hate the most

10 days to season opener

california coast

off pch

off pch

california coast

california coast

back to california

portland

portland

portland

portland

portland

portland

oregon

driving on the state line

tule lake today

tule lake

to tule lake

Red Cliff

quincy 4

polynesians beat columbus by a century

national townhall on hate crimes

nra black list

joined the facebook cult

n*gger wetb*ck ch*nk

yokozuna

ngger wetbck ch*nk