Newley.com: Weblog

I won't be posting for the next few days. I'm wrapping things up here in DC and will be heading back down to Beaufort, SC on Thursday. I'll be there until Monday, when I'm off to Oregon, to visit my Dad, and then to Seattle, where I'll meet up with Jill A. before heading to Taiwan on March 9th. But fret not, dear readers: I'll post something this weekend before departing for points West.

...is an article worth reading. My favorite is Leonard's summation:

If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it. Or, if proper usage gets in the way, it may have to go. I can't allow what we learned in English composition to disrupt the sound and rhythm of the narrative. It's my attempt to remain invisible, not distract the reader from the story with obvious writing. (Joseph Conrad said something about words getting in the way of what you want to say.)

...is Gillette CEO James M. Kilts's reflections on a new strategy for a five-blade razor. Hilarious.

Jordan M writes:

Newley - have you heard about this? Movieoke? CNN
just did a story on it, so I looked it up online and found this article from Feb.13:

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyID=4354663

The concept isn't that new (Rocky Horror Picture Show is basically the same thing), but that story on
CNN was pretty damn funny. One girl loves to re-enact the scenes from Flashdance...

Heh. I love it.

MediaChest.com: "Borrow items from friends instead of renting; Meet new friends that like the same books, cds, dvds, and games that you like; Start building your own shared collection of media; Keep track of what you own; Make lists of stuff you want; Coordinate activities with friends."

I remember reading something a while back about the affiliations that bind us: when you like someone, what it really means is that you like what they like. If you saw someone walking down the street wearing a tee shirt bearing the name of your favorite band, you'd probably like that person. Likewise if you saw someone on a bus reading a book by your favorite writer.

Here's another idea to add to my list of silly business ideas: a cookbook about eggs. Only eggs--not omelettes, not souffles, not quiches. Just eggs. Fried eggs, scrambled eggs, soft boiled eggs, you name it.

It'd include all sorts of techniques: thoughts on what to add to scambled eggs (I prefer half and half and salt and pepper and sometimes even cream cheese), frying tactics (I like to use a lid for a slightly heat-sealed yolk without the danger of a flip-n-break, a maneuver Mike F. introduced me to), reflections on various cooking implements, etc.

UPDATE (5 minutes later, after consulting Amazon.com): The book exists. It's called "The Totally Eggs Cookbook." My hopes are dashed. (This reminds m e of the time I realized that my idea for a toaster oven cookbook had already been realized by someone else.) Back to the drawing board...

Here're some more info on Taiwan, which I'll soon be calling home:

News
--BBC: "Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian has pledged not to declare independence from China if he is re-elected.
His decision to call a referendum on security issues and whether or not talks should be restarted with Beijing has angered the mainland.
...
China regards Taiwan as a breakaway province which should be reunited with the rest of the country."

--Taipei Times: "The original James Bond, veteran actor Sean Connery, is rumored to be coming to Taiwan to join the '228 Hand-in-Hand Rally' slated to take place on Feb. 28 as a symbol of determination and unity of the people of Taiwan in protecting Taiwan from China's missile threats, the organizer of the event said yesterday."

--Here's an in-depth look at the upcoming referendum.

Weblogs
"being berta liao" and "a better tomorrow" are two excellent Taiwan Weblogs I'd add to my earlier list.

This cracks me up. In reading the comments to this post on Reason's Hit & Run, I noticed that someone wrote something and signed it "Gordon Shumway." Gordon Shumway, in case you'd forgotten, is ALF's official name.

From now on, when I don't feel like explaining or spelling out my real name (reservations, etc.), I'm gonna refer to myself as Gordon. Gordon Shumway.

Just so you know.

As Linus Pauling said, "The best way to have a good idea is to have a lot of ideas."

Because I think they're ridiculous and funny and get a kick out of talking about 'em, here're some business concepts that occasionally flit in and out of my head like manic little hummingbirds. Some of these may--Got help their proprietors--actually already be developed or in development, but I haven't come across 'em yet.

Idea #1: Frequent Flier Program Signer-Upper Company
I read a few weeks ago about this company--you send 'em your CDs and pay 'em to turn your discs into digital tunes if you don't have the skill or the time to do so yourself. And that made me think: what do I have forever lurking on my "to do" list that I just can't seem to get around to? Signing up for all the airlines' frequent flier programs! I mean ALL of 'em. Can't I just pay someone a nominal fee to do that for me?

Idea #2: Rent-a-Dog
Love dogs but don't own one? Wish you could have a pooch to hang out with occasionally on the weekends and go to parks and stuff? Go see Rent-a-Dog! (If only the URL rent-a-dog.com weren't being used in jest by a German record label! Oh, and this company appears to really offer such rentals. And of course you can rent dogs in Japan.)

Idea #3: Recliner with a Fridge in its Base
Enough said. Fridge would be for storing beer, snacks, etc. Was this really on a "Seinfeld" episode?

Idea #4: SleepTV
Why not a channel made for sleeping? It'd include a variety of low-volume, low-light programming: women's tennis, seniors' golf tournaments, symphony orchestras, beach and nature scenes, etc. Some people can't sleep without the TV on. This channel'd be for them. (Note: advertising would be a problem.)

Idea #5: "The Gym" Reality TV Show
Hey: lots of interesting drama takes place in a health club. Relationships blossom or fester, people get in shape or fall off the wagon and get fat. "The Gym" is already a British documentary series. Why not a reality series? (Credit goes to Sheila B. for the orginal thought--I've merely run with it.)

Got some venture cap burnin' a hole in your pocket? Email me and let's talk turkey.

QUITO, Ecuador (AP): "Riot police firing tear gas clashed with hundreds of Indian protesters Tuesday, leaving at least 17 people injured in the second day of demonstrations demanding more roads and better education for isolated Andean communities..."

I've been saying it for a while--and Latin American commentator Al Giordano has been saying it for even longer: Ecuadorian president Lucio Gutierrez's days may well be numbered.

Lucio's a populist who got elected because he told the country's poor indigenous voters that he'd help 'em out. He hasn't. They're mad. And now there're some new developments from Quito:

The Financial Times's Andy Webb-Vidal is reporting the start of what could turn into a Bolivia-esque mess: an indefinite strike:

Ecuador's powerful indigenous movement on Monday began what it said could be an indefinite strike and series of nationwide street protests against President Lucio Gutiérrez (pictured), increasing tensions in the Andean country.

Co naie, the umbrella indigenous confederation, at the weekend called on hundreds of thousands of members and associated peasant groups to block main roads across Ecuador in protest at the unpopular president's economic policies.

It's too soon to know if the protests'll gain traction, though. We'll have to wait and see. This isn't the first time I've predicted Lucio's demise, of course; I thought a campaign contribution scandal back in November would be the beginning of the end.

--I saw The Autumn Defense, headed by Wilco bassist John Stirratt, at Iota last night. The music was good. And Iota, as always, is such an excellent little venue.

--BBC: "Inmates at a prison in Ecuador have taken more than 100 people hostage to press their demands for speedier trials and better living conditions."

--Jesus H. Christ. A-Rod's going to the Yankees.

--Is this 1) a legitimate news report, or 2) a synopsis of a new Stephen King screenplay:

Seven dead at kite-flying festival

From correspondents in Lahore

February 16, 2004

SEVEN people were killed and more than 100 injured in Pakistan during the annual kite flying festival marking the arrival of spring, officials said today.

An 18-month-old girl's throat was cut by a stray kite string while she was travelling with her parents on a motorbike, witnesses said, adding that she died on the spot.

Three people were electrocuted when metal wires they were using to fly or catch stray kites fell on live electric lines, and two people fell from roofs, hospital officials said.

A 12-year-old boy died while trying to catch a stray kite when he was hit by a car on a main road, police said.

More than 100 people had been reported injured since last night in various kite-related accidents, medical workers said.

...which covers two violent attacks on high-profile leaders, illegal roses, frustrated oil companies, and aging soccer star Rene Higuita's debut at latitude zero, is over at Southern Exposure.

Oh, and from the Small World News department: Miguel Centellas, who also writes for Southern Exposure and maintains an excellent blog from Bolivia, ran into my brother Mechum in La Paz last weekend. What're the chances?

I'm back and I'm blogging, baby. Aren't you glad?

Here's what I've been up to since I last posted: Jill A. was here in DC visting me and Lindsey L. last week. Then Jill and I went down to my adopted hometown of Beaufort, South Carolina, last weekend. Among other things, we ate and we ate and we ate some more.

My favorite meal was at Duke's BBQ, a fine establishment that whips up what is hands-down the best southern food I've ever tasted. Duke's features home-made pork rhinds and gizzards and hash and rice, and all the utensils are plastic and everything else is styrofoam. The clientele is not petite: at 6'3" and 200 pounds, I am not exaggerating when I tell you that I am within the lower 10th percentile of the collective Body Mass Index of Duke's clientele. Including--no, especially--the ladies. (There is nary a belt in sight at Duke's. It's all elastic waistbands all the time.)

My step dad, Mike B., had a funny conversation when we were standing in line for the buffet. He ran into an old friend of his; the guy informed Mike that he and some of his buddies had been "Spam hunting" a few days earlier. What in the hell is spam hunting? Get a bunch of guys together, he said, tie cans of Spam to a tree, and pick 'em off with shotguns. (I imagine that the consumption of several cases of inexpensive domestic lager is also part of the game.) For a finale, these guys blew up a refrigerator with dynamite. Welcome to life in Beaufort, SC, ladies and gentleman.