Dandy 90210 Manhattan

Form

2009-06-23T05:09:00.013-04:00

This will be a stream of consciouness on this topic. But I have been incubating this thought all day and I need to be rid of it :().

Blackberry, etal: 1) Do not be a worker ant and pull it out while one is walking across the street. It's what desperate worker ants do; 2) Do not pull it out when one is having a conversation. It's rude! and des classe; 3) Do not check it every 5 mins. (every half an hour OK), unless, one's livelihood depends on it like a thread. How sad.

Bathroom Break: Do not say, "I have to go pee." Just say, "Excuse me" and leave and come back.

Jokes: Never laugh at one's own joke(s). It's too self congratulatory and middle class.

Clothes: Always get them tailored. Tidy up.

Shoes: Never wear something that takes more than 5 mins. to break it in. In Summer, never wear flip flops unless one is on sand or near a body of water (preferablly, near the Meditteranean) and NEVER on concrete (OK: heels, flats, espadrilles, sandles). For the gentleman, shoe trees at home always, and never purchase a sole that is thicker than half an inch. One is driven, not walked.

Shirts: For gentlemen: Always collared and never a pocket. One does not take notes, others take notes.

Watches: Never quartz. It's cheating. Must always be Swiss crafted. Blancpain, Vacheron, Breugeut.

Date(s): Gentleman: Always pay the whole thing even when one knows that it's a loss from the beginning. Ladies: Gesture to pay.

Drinks: Ladies: Keep up with the gentleman. And if the gentleman, per chance, blacksout before you do (happened to me twice in 3 yrs.), discreetly, offer him another drink or narcotics.

Taxi: Gentleman always opens the door and never lets the lady walk more than 4 blocks.

Bring it on!

One's Nature

2009-05-28T15:13:00.011-04:00

Is it possible to change one's nature, and if so, how much of it? On one side of the argument, Nietzsche proclaims the philosophy of "becoming" i.e. one should and can always and continually try to improve upon one's flaws and shortcomings until one becomes an "ubermensche" (i.e. super man). Flaws and imperfections, he says is like a mountain that beckons to be climbed and conquered and he says that this can and must be done. On the other hand, Galen Strawson, a modern British philosopher posits that, basically, we are who we are and fundamentally, we can't really change who we are just as Hydrogen can not simply mutate into Carbon. In fact, Strawson extends his argument further and proclaims that there is no free will because, in effect, we do what we do based on who we are and that our actions are fated to be borne out of our nature. He further extends his argument by saying that once free will (personal choice) is expunged from life's equation, concepts like morality and ethics, in the absence of free will, no longer exists or applies to our actions.

For example, much to Strawson's chagrin, Hitler's behavior was not immoral or unethical. Since Hitler by nature (or natural proclivities), according to Strawson, was who he was. Others, with a more humane and compassionate proclivities can claim him to have been a monster. But to Hitler, he was not making any immoral decisions. Because he was acting out of his nature. This reminds me of the parable of the scorpion and the frog. One day, a scorpion wanted to cross the river to get to the otherside. A conviently placed frog offered to be a good samritan and take him to the otherside as long as he wasn't going to be stung. The scorpion gratefully accepted Mr. Frog's offer. But half way across the river, Mr. Frog felt a sharp pain, a sting! in his back and said, "why did you sting me? Now, we are both going to drown!" The scorpion replied, "I'm sorry! But it's my nature!"

Personally, I see truth in both positions. Per Nietzsche, I can see how one can change for the better, as long as the person wants/wills it and has the discipline to change. But I wonder how much of this is theoretical vs. practical? Strawson would argue that if a person, by nature, has the capacity, the will, and the discipline to change, by nature, they can. But if a person, by nature, is incapable of fundamental changes, the best that that person can do is to make adjustments since one can not mutate one's nature. For example, a constant procrastinator will most likely remain a constant procratinator. So, I see validity in both arguments; but with one exception... a catalyst.

I believe that behaviors, the symptom of one's nature, can be modified with guidance or by situation (most effectively, involuntarily). I can think of two examples from the top of my head: 1) a spendthrift person who has always been spendthrift (a carefree spender) may go through an excruciating time in their life where they lose their job, their house, their access to credit, etc. and after having gone through that hellish experience, decides to never have that happen again (re: Scarlet O'Hara: "As long I live, I will never go hungry again!" as she clenches Tara's soil), and once they are back on their feet, begin to moderate their spending, their view of life (e.g. realize that life is full of unexpected, good and bad surprises and rainy days), and begins to save and become, gladly, more mindful of their level and magnitude of consumption i.e. becomes a level headed person. 2) a libertine who has lived always with a devil may care attitude who squanders his or her life in the sole pursuit of pleasure, once diagnosed with a terminal disease, bedridden, and the priest on the way, who somehow escapes death and gets a new lease on life, will most likely and gladly, begin to appreciate the preciousness of life and would think twice before squandering his life away again in meaningless pursuits. Suddenly, he would want to hold onto life as long as he can. Eats healthier, exercises, tends to his relationships with friends and family, and looks forward, gladly, to a more meaningful, productive, and long life.

In conclusion, I think that the vast majority of people really can't change (some do of course (like those people who lose 10s of lbs. because they are fed up with being obese). But the exceptions do not make it a rule) either because they lack the will or the sustained discipline. But I also, unequivocablly, believe that people can change, dramatically and gladly, if their situation forces them to change. Net net, change is hard when it's voluntary. But it is easier, if it's involuntary. Albeit one may have to go through hell and back. Actually, perhaps, voluntary change is in the end, less painful?!

But this whole thing about. "Hey, it's America! You can be whatever you want to be. Just decide and work hard to get there with positive thinking, no excuses, and a bounce in your steps!" I buy it (the optimism, "yes, we can!") and simultaneously, I don't buy it (human nature is very difficult, I dare say, nearly impossible to overcome without a catalyst).

In the end, I admire people who can change for the better voluntarily. It's a hero's journey and it's what indeed does separate the wheat from the chaff.

Why not me?

iPhone 2009

2009-04-22T09:04:00.002-04:00

iKnow :) that I havent posted a blog in awhile. But that's probably because: 1) I havent really had anything I thought worth saying; 2) I've been spending more time on Facebook as an outlet; and 3) I go through phases from compulsive to abandonement.

Anyway, the iPhone. I think I'm going to get it when the new version comes out in June. The 3 main reasons that I didn't get it so far are: 1) Everyone has it and I hate jumping into something everyone has/does. It's sheepish; 2) I thought, at least to me, that it's bulky and slightly too heavy; and 3) I have been with Verizon for almost 15 years now and it's hard to sever that tie. It's one of the longest 'relationships' that I have had. Btw, I don't think that I own or have anything in my apt. that old.

BUT the more and more that I see some of my friends use the iPhone, the more I want it. The convenience of it all is winning me over. 1) Surfing the internet is as easy as surfing on a PC (bloggin from it will be just as easy too); 2) One can jump to Facebook and post things in seconds; 3) there are fantastic apps. like Shazaam (e.g. if one is at a bar or a lounge and wants to know what they're playing at the moment, one just clicks on the Shazaam app. and within a minute, the app. tells you what song it is and you can just download it from the iTunes store if one wants it. Instant gratification! It's so American in that way.) and there are games, guides (e.g. Zagat), tip calculator, etc. that are either free or at most $5.99.

I still like my phone with a qwerty keyboard since 95% of the time I text vs. actually talking and a physical qwerty is convenient. Nevertheless, the overall convenience of the iPhone seems to me now pressing and insurmountable.

So, when the new iPhone comes out in June, I am most likely going to get on the bandwagon. I can't wait!

BOLERO-RAVEL

2009-04-08T07:40:00.001-04:00

One of my favorites. So sensual.

On Gay Marriage

2009-04-07T17:19:00.004-04:00

First off, let me say that I am a 'straight' guy. But I am all for gay marriage. I didn't always think this way. In fact, up to a couple of years ago, my thinking was that same sex unions should only be called civil unions with all the rights of a marriage. But without granting the word 'marriage.' The word 'marriage' I concluded then has a sacred connotation, and thus, the institution of marriage with the sacrement of the church should only apply to a hetrosexual union on the basis of religious tradition which has lasted for close to 2,000 years.

But then I thought: 1) nowhere in the Bible does it say that people of the same sex can not be married; 2) the Bible, which is supposedly inspired by God, was nevertheless, written by men, who are by nature flawed and subjective and there's also the histrocity aspect of the Bible, that is, what they wrote depended alot on the times in which they wrote and the prevailing mores of those times just as slavery was the norm in Roman times and the same in America in the 17th and 18th century; 3) the Bill of Rights, clearly states that we have inalienable rights among which are, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The ban on gay marriage violates the latter two rights.

So, I reversed my opinion on the entire matter. All people: gay, straight, handicapped, ethinicities, etc. are all human, and therefore, the inalienable rights apply to all.

I still believe that marriage is sacred. It is a solemn oath and duty once the bond/the covenant is made. But I don't believe that the principles and the sentiments of and for the sacred comes from the Church alone. In fact, the Church, in many ways is a flawed institution, not all but many. People interpret the Bible as they deem right. Thus, we have the diaspora of denominations and offsprouts within the denominations. Why should their interpretation of the Bible trump any other human interpretation of morality.

People should rise above religion and instead behave compassionately, empathetically, sympathetically, rationally, and spiritually.

Kepler, Corpernicus, and Galilleo were all excommunicated by the Church because they observed and said that the earth rotates around the sun vs. the other way around. The Church, based on one verse from the Book of Joshua stoodfast to the view that the sun rotated around the Earth and thus any other view was considered heresy. Then in the 20th century, the Church apologized for its error.

The one and only thing I like about the Bible is the love that Jesus extended to all people (except for the hypocrites like the Pharisses and the Seducces whose egos eclipsed compassion).

So, cheers! to Iowa and Vermont for choosing love and reason over hate and dogma.

Lily Allen - Not Fair

2009-04-07T13:54:00.001-04:00

Cute video.

Ode To Manhattan

2009-04-03T05:44:00.006-04:00

As much as I complain and bitch about Manhattan and how many low lives that I find here at any moment, I must forfeit my complaints from time to time.

It is true that I am sure that 98% of the people that I see and have encountered here are peasants with accompanying low forehead and flip flops and all, I don't think that there is another city on this planet, that in absolute terms (#s), that has as many interesting and diverse group of people.

Other than S.F., New Orleans, Chicago, London, Paris, Honolulu, Sydney, Barcelona, Montreal, Monte Carlo, and Hong Kong, I can't imagine living anywhere else. Nowhere else (I would think) has the same level of energy, diversity, and modernity.

In Manhattan, there is nothing that one can not have. Food, shopping, clubs, lounges, hotels, people, culture, and possibilties.

It's true that if one does enough of it, it does become a routine and routines can become boring. But we Manhattanites have the choice to not participate amidst all of the choices at any given day and night. What other cities (besides the aforementioned) can one say this about? Manhattan ranks on top.

S.F. would be the closest to this. Plus it has the better weather and better access to nature. Kudos to S.F. But may the gods bless Manhattan. My Salome; my sweet toxic love.

Chinese Dandy

2009-03-14T00:37:00.002-04:00

This is from the NY Times, an excerpt from an article concerning bribery in China. Thought it was amusing.
----------------------
With the public increasingly aware of government corruption, there has been talk of creating a national register to track the family assets of all government officials, in the hopes of weeding out bribe-taking relatives.

The problem is that officials in China appear to be addicted to European luxury brands.

In January, a land confiscation official in the southwestern city of Chongqing was sentenced to 13 years in prison for accepting kickbacks. The government confiscated 200 pairs of luxury shoes, 100 luxury suits and a luxury car.

At his sentencing in January, the official, Ding Meng, expressed no remorse about his expensive tastes.

He even scolded the prosecutor for her poor taste in fashion. “You’re a woman and you don’t even wear better luxury shoes than me,” he sniped. “Maybe you can spend $25 and buy a tube of shoe cream.”

Why I am glad that I am not a woman

2009-03-03T11:16:00.017-05:00

Men hunt, gather, sleep, fuck, and eat. It's been so for 50,000 years. With women, it's alot more complicated.

First off, there's menstruation. From 13 to 45+ (an entire generation), women bleed for a week every month. How annoying and inconvenient! To add insult to injury, they get cramps and bloat. Once my ex-gf, had such severe cramps that I almost ended up calling an ambulance because she was in such pain. It was really shocking. To further add to the injury, as if that isn't enough, the hormonal impact on their emotions is equally taxing to them. It's basically a week of toruture every month. (Fortunately, there are now birth control pills that alleviate this situation. But not all women are or will be on it.)

Secondly, a woman's worth in society is primarily based on their outer beauty. It shouldn't be. But in general, it is. This observation of social dynamics is not a prescription but a description. Outer beauty is, however, perishable and has a very short shelf life. And I think that women, instinctively understand this primitive but realialistic condition. This is why they worry so much about how much they weigh and demand perfect high and lowlights for their hair. A proper shampoo and conditioner are a must also.

Third, the biological clock. Women have them; men don't. Without a single exception, women who I have known start to act alittle differently starting around the age of 28. They become obsessed with marriage around this time. Is this a generalization? Yes, in general, from my experience, this is the case. Are generalizations bad? Yes, if they are without merit or evidence. But as cliches contain kernels of truth, generalizations are not always bad because they are generalizations as long as there is some truth to the generalization. So, women feel the press of time more than guys. The only pressure that guys have about time is regarding death. But this happens only after a man is about 50 whereas for women, the fear of time catching up to them occurs at 28. They start thinking, "Oh my god, I'm almost 30 and I'm going to be an old maid!" It's a near death experience.

Many women nowadays, distract themselves from this fear by focusing on their career. But that only delays the fear until they are around 34-35 when they too (as VP of Marketing, etc) realize that love, marriage, and children are more meaningful than the rat race. They obtain status and have people working for them and have arrived at power. But then, they, quite rightly realize, that all of that is meaningless compared to being a loving (and beloved) wife and mother. Tick toc tick toc tick toc... the meter is running.

Now, even when one gets married, there's a fairly significant chance that they'll get screwed over. The more powerful (in looks, status, or money) the man who she marries, the more options that the man has in every sphere of life. The divorce rate is about 40%. So, if a woman happens to be one of the 40%, that's a bad scenario. She is no longer 25 and because she has been busy raising kids, her resume is 15 yrs. old. Very difficult to get back in the workforce and it's a completely different lifestyle from changing diapers and watching daytime soap operas and going shopping vs. 9 hrs. of work and dealing with corporate politics. Fck!

[There are some women who are 'successful' no matter what (e.g. Oprah, Martha Stewart, JK Rowling, Condoliza Rice, etc.) But exceptions do not make it a rule.]

I'm glad that I'm not a woman. We have to work our asses off like a mule at times. But the alternative, that is, being a woman, is much harder.

I adore women and my life is richer because I'm with them and they with me. They appreciate and notice details, care more about others' feelings, are more responsible than guys, and just as intelligent or more so than guys are because they have a higher sense of intuition. But damn, it's tough to be a woman especially in the 21st century. More opportunities now, yes, but biology stays the same.

The meter keeps running.

[On a positive note though more women than ever before can have and are having a more fulfilling life and can have it all-- a first rate education, a job or a business that engages them, a wonderful husband and a great family.]

$28.3 Million Chair

2009-02-27T10:01:00.003-05:00

Oh, totally worth every penny. NOT. FYI- It's from the YSL estate auction by Christie's last week.

Perniciousness of Religion

2009-02-26T13:17:00.014-05:00

I'm gonna stick to Christianity alone for this one. But all religions except Buddhism and it's derivatives (e.g. Taoism, Zen), to me, are pernicious (i.e. dangerous).

Firstly, what is the core dogma of religion? Faith. What is faith? It's the suspension of reason and it's stead, belief becomes fact. What happens when belief triumphs over reason? Well, for one thing, you get appx. 700 years of the Dark Ages when human progress actually stopped and people went back to the stone age and later, people who said that the Earth rotated around the Sun were burned at the stakes or excommunicated. You also get the Taliban who will not allow girls to goto schools and behead those who are infidels. [You also get George W.]

Second, this whole Christianity business is NOT new. Horus, an Egyptian god (centuries before Christ), was born in Dec. via virgin birth, had 12 disciples, had his trials in the desert, died and was resurrected on the 3rd day. The same for Mithra, a god (a derivative of Sol) that the Romans worshipped right before Jesus came on the scene. It goes on and on. Btw, none of the New Testament gospels (aka God-spells) were written by an actual eyewitness and all of the gospels are different from eachother. The earliest one having been written roughy 30 years after the death of Jesus, and the rest, about a hundred years after. Continuing on... Why do we have bunnies for Easter? It's because the Persians celebrated the Goddess of fertility named Ishtar and the bunnies represent the fertile return of Spring during their Spring festivals. It goes on and on. I once took Graeco-Roman religion class at college and the professor kept saying, "during the Jesus movement..." so and so happened. I was offended by his description of the only son of god. But then after a few years of my own personal study and research, I realized that he was right. This whole resurrection and salvation business came long before and many many times before Jesus.

Third, can anyone in their right mind believe in a talking snake, putting on all of the animals on a boat before God wiped out the human race?, a man inside a big fish, bringing down the walls of a fortress by blowing on bugles, etc. What's the difference between these stories vs. mother goose, jack and the beanstalk, and Santa Clause.

Forth, many of our founding fathers thought that religion was pernicious as well. Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, etc. all considered religion to be dangerous institution that stunted the minds of men. They even wrote about it. Heck, even George Washington, when he was sworn in laid his hands on the Masonic Bible vs. the King James Version.

I heard the most shocking survey recently that most Americans (about half) do not believe in evolution because God created Adam and Eve, not monkeys that became human. We were one of the very few industrialized nations that has such high percentage of people who reject a scientific fact such as evolution.

Fifth, there is no concept of the original sin in the Bible (anywhere). It was created by the Catholic church to scare people into joining the church so that they can have more people to control and to collect more revenues for their pompous institutions including for their wardrobes, palaces, ceremonies, lifestyles, etc. Btw, the Pope, there's nothing in the Bible that requires a Pope. Peter was 'the rock,' the foundation for the movement (per the Book of Acts). But that's it. The ten commandments: the first 3-4 commandments are to love the Biblical god and no one else, "for I am a jealous God." What a jealous God? I don't get it.

Anyway, I understand why people need to believe in a God. It makes life simpler for them (they don't have to think. The Church can think FOR them). Plus, afterall, is this life all that we have? Surely, there must be something beyond this life! Something more sublime, meaningful, and just! So, it's comforting as well.

So, a Jew, 2000 years ago comes to Earth on a suicide mission and dies for our sins so that we can goto heaven if we believe in him (and no one else) and if we are 'born again' through Baptism. Hmmm. Well, I was Baptised twice. So, I guess I'm good. My name is on the list when the door guy up on the pearly gate (I think his name is Jesus or Michael? Don't know who'll be working the door that nite) asks me, "You on the list?" I can say, "Yup. Frederick Kwon. I RSVPd twice!" Response: "Yes, I see your name. Come right in." I'll ask, "How is it in there?" He'll say, "It's awesome! You get to pray and sing to the Almighty all day and nite forever. Believe me, the whole virgin pussy thing that the Muslims get at their place... way over-rated."

P.S. Now, don't get me wrong. I don't discount the slim possibility of a deity of some sort or conscious energy that organizes life and death and the Physics of 'sin' (i.e. one's bad deeds eventually come due for payment and bites one on the ass) and I don't believe that everything is coincidence, afterall, the universe is so vast (actually, infinite) and at the same time, so infinitesmal, that there has to be some room for, dare I say, even 'intelligent design.' Moreover, I do love what Jesus stood for, that is, compassion and love, and I especially like the Surmon on the Mound. But all the rest of it... the fish stories (i.e. Jonah, multiplying fish and bread for the masses), Armageddon, talking snake, a god who makes a bet with satan and makes his follower suffer through murder of all his children, gives him boils then says, "hey kimosabe, we're chill now, OK?" (Book of Job), etc. etc.

... please.

The Golden Calf

2009-02-15T17:15:00.001-05:00

Damien Hirst. $18.6 million in 2008. I think that it's brilliant.

Botox Baby

2009-02-09T18:07:00.002-05:00

Just do it!

Amazon Speed

2009-02-01T15:00:00.004-05:00

Forgot to blog this earlier. A few days ago, I purchased a couple of items from Amazon. And being pound foolish but pennywise, I of course picked the Free Shipping option with delivery window of 5-9 days which from my experience has been actually about 4-5 days from order to delivery. Well, this time, the sucker arrived the very next day. I was amazed when my doorman said, "Fred, you have a package." I said, "Really? I'm not expecting any packages today." Then he pulls out a box with an Amazon logo. I said, "This can't be. I ordered something mid-afternoon yesterday and I didn't do next day shipping." I was puzzled.

I opened the box when I got upto my apt. and lo behold, it's the stuff I ordered less than 24 hrs. ago! So, I checked the receipt to see if I accidentally pressed the wrong delivery option. Nope. Free delivery.

I couldn't believe it. Cheers to Amazon. I'm glad that I've purchased from Amazon since the year of their inception. What a wonderful American company.

The Strange Case of Mr. Y

2009-01-31T19:30:00.012-05:00

For the past 3 weeks, I had befriended someone who I had known for years on the party circuit. I would see Mr. Y once so often, on and off at various events and parties. But we had never hungout outside of those activities. But then on New Year's Eve, I ended up at the SubMercer and saw him and we struck up an interesting conversation and we started hanging out.

So, once a week since then, we've texted and went out to some events. He's in his mid to late 30s, tall, almost handsome, a good talker, but not a good dresser. I liked his interesting and insightful observations of people and nite life in NY. I agreed with most of everything he said and our conversations were very engaging and well paced. I thought to myself, do I have a new friend here? Afterall, we thought alot alike and he was drama free.

He invited me to events every week since New Year's Day and would even call me up every few days and we would chat on the phone. Chatting on the phone is very rare for me. 98% of the time, I like to simply text. But our conversations were so interesting and since he too was a night owl, I was fine with it. Now you maybe wondering, is he gay? Afterall, I'm quite the catch in that community. Asia boy. But no, he is definitely straight. We would often talk about the girls that he is dating or trying to date. He would even send me emails with their pictures so that we can grade them from 1 to 10. [Note: They were all Asian and 6s. He thought they were 8s. I plead illiteracy when it came to Asian girls.]

Anyway, after 3 weeks of this and increasing amicability and comfort level, I thought OK, this guy may be a new friend. Then something strange and fckd up happened on Thursday.

He invited me to a TV industry party (he's not in that industry) at Greenhouse. I really didnt feel like going. 1) I've been there now 4 times in the past month and the novelty was wearing off and 2) It was between 8-10. Way before midnight. So, evenafter I got ready, I told him, "I'm ready. But I don't know if I want to go." He just texted back and said, "Hot party. Come now." At this point, I've known the guy long enough to know that we have similar tastes and we've been to all the spots in Manhattan, so we know whats good or shit. So I went down to Greenhouse.

As I was arriving, he called me and said, "There's a huge line outside. Just goto the side door and say that you're with _____. I'm on the VIP list and I told the guestlist girl that you were coming. So, just by pass the regular line. I'm on the VIP list." He actually used the word VIP several times during the 3 min. convo. I thought that was kindda strange. It was like someone saying I went to Harvard. Harvard. Harvard. Harvard. Did I mention that I went to Harvard?

Anyway, I get inside and I find him. He's with an FOB Korean girl who I had seen once before. Mildly attractive. But not my cup of tea. We exchange pleasantries. Then later on at the bar, he asks me, "Hey Fred, can you give me $10, so I can buy her a drink? They have a $50 minimum on credit cards." This is after, the previous time when we were there and he asked me for $40 which he promised to payback the next time he saw me. Fortunately, the FOB decided to stick to tap water. So, we hungout there for about an hour. The crowd was shitty. Not the regular Greenhouse crowd. It was very bridge and tunnel. So, we decided to go to RDV early.

RDV is the latest tough door and I had only gone to it once before (last week) with Barbie. As we approached the door, he says, "Stand back a few paces. Let me and the girl break the ice." So, I figured, fine. One does have to be strategic when one is not yet a regular. He was there twice before. So neither of us were regulars yet. It takes about 3-4 visits within a span of a month in general to become a regular. Then when we were all finally at the door, he asks the doorguy the strangest thing, "Is the bartender working?" Jordan looks at him and says, "Now, that's a wierd question. No. We're not open yet. We'll be opening at 11. What's the bartender's name?" Mr. Y says, "I dont know." I whisper in his ear, "Nicholas." I knew because I make it a habit to get the bartenders' names when I first visit a place just in case I need to use it before I become a regular. Then Mr. Y says to Jordan, "You remember me dont you?" and Jordan says, "No." Anyway, we all get in despite the awkward moment. But the fckn place is not even opened for another 15 mins. So we walkout and tell the other door guy that we''ll be back. Then we end up going to the Gansvoort Hotel rooftop for what I thought would be for 20 mins. before we headed back to RDV.

Then out of the blue, he asks me while staring at the SoHo House, "Are you a member of the SoHo House?" I said "No. I had the opportunity to be one of the Charter members because I know one of Charter members who wanted me to join 6 yrs. ago. But I wasn't sure how it would be so I passed on it." Which was the truth. Then he says, "Norwood. That's a better one. You should join that." I said, maybe. Personally, I would only want to be a member of the Metropolitan Club (they go pheasant hunting and have lots of black tie events and is really high level vs. these new commers like the SoHo House or Norwood), NYAC, or the University Club. All are old school clubs unlike these new kids on the block.

Then here's the shocker, Mr. Y says, "Well, you're not adding any value here." I was flabbergasted. Say what? I just brushed it off thinking he's just joking. Then the FOB girl, he's "date," who can barely speak English tells him, not knowing what he just said to me, "I go home now. Have to finish homework. Test tomorrow." Mr. Y soon departs with her. Leaving me alone for RDV without apologizing for his comment nor for his unscheduled penis-driven departure. I thought it was an assholish move. But, I figured fck it. He wants to get laid. Fine. Fortunately, I had 2 girls soon to join me who were good enough for RDV.

When I get to RDV 20 mins. later, I get a text from him. "Hey, this girl. I don't think it'll work out. She's too traditional." I text back, "Who knows. Probably." Then 15 mins. later I get another text, "I'm at Southside. I just walked right in. It's pretty good here." Southside, FYI, is the only tough door that I've heard of that I haven't been to yet so I was interested in what he had to say about it.

To make this already long story short now, when I asked him what kind of people were there, he says, "I've already told you. Don't waste my time by making me repeat myself." So, I reread one his previous texts. Embedded in one of them were two words, "Rich Hipsters." So, that was that. I thought. Then the ugly head of a "God-complex" reared itself from Mr. Y. He kept going on about me not staying pace with him and wasting his time etc. This went on for 30 mins. while I was waiting for the girls to show up at RDV. I was besides myself. How does it go from a budding friendship into pure unadultrated insults in a nanosecond? He even went as far to say, "I'm working now so I cant give you therapy unless you pay me $150/hr." and started calling me names. Btw, he wasn't even drunk. He only drank 1 open bar vodka and rest of the 2 hrs. he just drank water.

Needless to say, my final message to him was, "Good luck turd." I havent spoke to him since. I was hurt for a day or so then became angry and disgusted. I concluded that even if he were to apologize profusely or give a good reason why he said all of those things, I can never be friends with someone so narcisstic and volatile. I deleted his number from my phone. Crazies are a dime a dozen in this city, I don't need to have one in my life. Been there, done that.

P.S. It's surreal though how a person seems so harmless and nice on the surface. But deep inside, there's a demon just waiting to eat the flesh of others when the cage opens. It's disgusting and sad. Turd.

Gauche or Rive Gauche?

2009-01-28T12:46:00.005-05:00

Hopefully, this will be one of my last comments, if not the last comment, about facebook. As you know I joined FB last Thursday after 3 years of resisting MySpace and Facebook. I resisted because everyone was on it. But, now, I joined it because everyone (save Pierce) is on it. Makes sense, no? It's a nice, passive way to have a window into the lives of my nonblogging friends. I still find it, as I expected, a plebian and sophomoric site. It's basically for kids. Very puerile. But I didn't want to be out of touch or feel like a Luddite. As Jason Bateman in American Psycho said, "I want to fit in." So, there you go.

Anyway, I've been on it about 3 times a day :(). It's still a new toy for me and I like playing with it. I plan to ease off on it by this weekend when the novelty wears off as all new novelties wear off on me (except, exceptional new friends).

So, yesterday, I sent an email request via FB to a gal pal of mine who I know fairly well and have a good friendly relationship with (I see her at least twice a week) to change her profile picture. Because 1) she looked like some biker chick and 2) when displayed on my 'friends' thumbnails, only her ass shows up. I suggested that she update her picture that more appropriately reflects her age and elegance. And I emailed her via FB vs. posting it on her wall which can be viewed by the public. I was discreet and I also thought that it was a reasonable corrective request.

What's the response I get? "Freddy, I've been meaning to. But How dare you?! Perhaps, Facebook is not a good thing for you to have." Note: She, nevertheless, changed her picture profile. I was shocked. I thought, hmmm, was I being an ass? Was my tone assholish? So, I reviewed the message that I sent. It said, "_____, can you change your profile picture? You are more elegant than what is reflected on your profile pic. You look like a biker chick." Well, perhaps, I should have left off the biker chick part. But overall, I thought that the message was reasonable and innocuous.

So, I was alittle bit hurt. To those who know me, I'm actually one of the nicest guys there is. I have a big heart and I even sometimes cry when I watch CNN and see the people in Africa sucking on rock for dinner.

Pursuant to her response, I sent her 2 emails to apologize and to let her know that I meant no insult or harm and promised to be more nice. But in return, that she grow a tougher skin.

Personally, as I've stated (blogged) earlier, a few months ago, I welcome constructive criticisms as long as they are reasonable, true, nonmalicious, and nonselfish. For I feel that I am a better me when someone, especially, those who I have known and know me pretty well take the time to correct me. Because I know that they are correcting me out of love. But it appears that some people can't handle any corrections.

Frankly, sometimes I correct my friends when it's appropriate, when a flaw emerges, to see how they handle criticism. It's a test in a way. It gives me a glimpse into their character, their core, so to speak. It's a test of character. I don't want to be around weak people. I like people with healthy ego, self esteem, and vitality.

Case in point, Barbie has corrected me as a friend on a few occassions when I misspelled things, etc. Very minor stuff. But I welcomed it. Conversely, a year ago, when she gained a few pounds (which is rare) and I didn't say anything until she lost it, she told me, "Freddy, I want you to tell me when I gained weight." Now, obviously, I'm not (never) gonna go there :). But I liked her openness and her inner strength for saying that. That showed me character.

I want to be a nice guy all of the time. But I don't want to be a nice guy all of the time. So help me god.

[P.S. All is well that ends well. She emailed me back after reading my follow up emails and apologied for her over reaction. Apparently, one of her friends yesterday was picking on her about something and when she woke up this morning and saw my message, it was just bad timing. So, she is open to suggestions/corrections. Cool.]

Facebook II

2009-01-27T12:23:00.003-05:00

After a few days on Facebook, I kindda like it. I've been going on it everyday. Many people that I know are on it and the ones that I want to connect with are now connected to and me to them and some post comments everyday and I get an automatic feed of their comments as soon as I go into Facebook. It's a nice, passive way to keep up with friends. Unlike asmallworld, it actually has some utility.

Here's a bit of a mystery though. There are people that I have lost touch with that I forgot and those that I have managed to successfully not be in touch with who have invited me as a friend. Some, I have accepted and some I have not. How did they know that I joined Facebook? How were they alerted that I joined Facebook? Since I can't imagine them searching for my name coincidentally as soon as I joined Facebook.

Btw, in 2000, there were at least a handful of these social networking sites. TheGlobe.com and Sixdegrees.com being the most recognized ones back then. But after the internet bust (aka version 1.0), they all closed shop. Same thing with YouTube. I in fact interviewed for a company called iClips.com which did, back then, what YouTube does now. It's interesting that those companies failed while these carbon copies of those endeavors 6 years later are multimillion, multibillion dollar companies.

Facebook

2009-01-22T16:32:00.015-05:00

I finally buckled and joined today. The reason, good and bad, is that everyone is on it. I really don't get Facebook though. Albeit, I'm gonna give it a fair trial and see for sure what I really think in a month or so. Their MO (modus operandi) is about staying connected to people you know, knew or just met. I get that part (especially, the fact that they want to cash in on that). But, for me, there's a reason why I haven't stayed in touch with some people. There are alot of people that I don't want to stay in touch with (new or old). The people who I want to stay in touch with, I stay in touch by phone, text, email, blog or in person. So, having these 5 channels of communication are sufficient for me. Call me traditional or orthodox if you must. I'm good with that.

I have very few friends despite being quite social, sociable, and charming. I like to pick and have small number of people who are significant to my life. I guess though, for many, that quantity can be a quality in itself. It's good for their self esteem that they know so many people and put them on Facebook as a certification of their popularity. But I don't consider someone I just met at a club, lounge or a bar who wants to connect and connect with as friends unless they are instantly exceptional either by their beauty, mind, or personality.

I prefer to designate people as friends after I get to know them for awhile. If we're consitently on the same page and have good times (drama free and fun), they are my friends.

My friends are those who I can speak with who can finish my sentence in mid sentence because we are from the same litter and they know exactly what page, paragraph, and sentence I'm on.

People choose their careers, books, wine, friends, foods, spare time, etc. carefully because time is precious. How much more so then that one should choose one's freinds even more carefully.

I don't get people who have more than 10 (max. 20) friends on Facebook (or in life). Most to all Facebookers have 200+ friends. BUT then again, perhaps, Facebook is a book of faces, a scrapbook of people one knows or met. This, to me, is meaningless, like keeping a scrapbook of receipts. But it maybe meaningul to others. The one other utility or value that I see is that, unlike me and a handful of my friends who blog, Facebook is the only way that they 'publish' anything (thoughts, events, etc.). So, Facebook does give me a window into those people who I enjoy who do not blog.

[Needless to say, that now that I'm on Facebook. My presence there will probably be non-existent. Only time will tell.]

Stop It

2009-01-20T07:45:00.011-05:00

Ran into this on Amazon while I was searching for a book that I lost (probably pilfered by my ex. She never read. But she loved my books. I think it made her feel smart by just having them, especially, without my permission.) called "Leisure: The Basis of Culture" by Josef Pieper that I wanted to repurchase if it's still in print (note: not available on Kindle. So, I have to go 'old school' and actually have to pay tax and wait 5 days for delivery vs. 1 min. tax-free 'whispernet' download).

Sandisk 4GB Secure Digital SD HC Memory Card (SDSDB-4096)
Other products by SanDisk
Amazon.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
List Price: $99.99
Price: $6.59
You Save: $93.40 (93%)

Get outta here. What? Really? 93% off. Nah. For real? Fckn A. That's less than a cost of pack of cigarettes. That's 3+ hrs. of videos at 10 megapixels or about 20,000 pix.

What next? The orgasmatron for dollar ninety nine in the bargain bin at K-mart?

We LOVE you Barack

2009-01-20T05:53:00.001-05:00

MLK Jr. Day

2009-01-19T23:17:00.008-05:00

I remember that a few years ago, I was taking the subway downtown and was standing in front of two girls in their 20s who were sitting in front of me who were having a conversation. I couldn't help overhearing them and one of them said, "I have Martin Luther day off tomorrow." and the conversation kept going and moved on. I was laughing inside. Martin Luther? Why, that was about 5 centuries ago (1500s). He was the father of the Reformation who penned 101 protests against the Catholic church who posted it on the door of a cathedral in Germany. She's getting a day off for Martin Luther? That's phenomenal!

I know that she meant Martin Luther King Jr. Nevertheless, I was just amazed by her major slip and on top of that her friend didn't even correct her. They just swam through the rest of the conversation. Blind leading the blind.

It's amazing how so many people don't know basic history. I once quizzed someone, "when did we send a man to the moon?" and she said, "sometime in the late 1800s."

Last week, I was outside Mercury bar having a smoke and talking with one of the regulars and he mentioned that he was going to Greece for 3 months for a vacation. I said, "Nice! What cities and islands?" He rambled some off then stopped and said, "all of them." I said, "cool." Then this girl who was listening to us asked, "where is Greece?" Unfckn believable. I wanted to say, "It's next to the moon. Please do not breed!"

Kid's Names

2009-01-19T08:17:00.005-05:00

I have reduced it to the 2. Boy and Girl.

Abigail and Jasper.

After thinking, Alexandra, Alexander, Bartholomew, Cornelius, Candice, Davide, Mortimer, Phineas, Nick, Idaho, Virgine, Max, Twila, Luke, Mark, Matthew, John, Achilles, Wolfgang, Genghis (Genghis Kwon, get it?:), Kublai, and Daisy.

New Winter Olympic Sport-- Plane Ditching

2009-01-18T05:13:00.011-05:00

Requirements: One commercial/passenger dual engine aircraft; either Boeing or Airbus. At least 155 passengers in all including, staff, patrons, and infants. Must have at least 3 infants and 5 elderly people.

Method: Bird, birds, or flock of birds: alive, sucked into the engines at no more than 10,000 ft. altitude. Both engines must explode in midair. Land on river adjacent to a city with no less than 8 million inhabitants. 5 mins. maximum time alotted for the exercise.

Difficulty: Increases with: 1) number of passengers above 155, especially infants and drag queens; 2) # of casualties (zero is better than 100 casualties. Hey, it's the Olympics, a family show); 3) # of people who throw their red cross blankets off before they are recovered by a ferry who say, "I'm going to Disneyworld!"

Point System: Maximum 10 pts. Just like in Gymnastics.

Feeling Wilde

2009-01-17T22:18:00.015-05:00

I was in a mood for some of Wilde's epigrams and observations and plucked a few that I liked from Wikipedia. I know that my dear readers do not approve of me having outsourced content landing on my blog. But from time to time, I feel that like posting pictures and youtube videos, it serves a purpose and it's often easier than being original. Many of these, I did or do know by heart. But some, I'd never seen. Then there are a few I inserted from memory that were not in Wiki.

Let's start with this, I think it's an appropriate intro. (It's not an epigram. Probably a fragment from a short story). "Over the piano was printed a notice: Please do not shoot the pianist. He is doing his best." :).

Here's the day's batch. Not in any order nor categorized (nor in quotes):

Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative.

No proper gentleman ever has the slightest idea what the balance of his bank account is.

Hard work is simply the refuge of people who have nothing whatever to do.

We are born in an age when only the dull are treated seriously.

As long as war is regarded as wicked, it will always have its fascination. When it is looked upon as vulgar, it will cease to be popular.

I can resist everything except temptation.

Education is an admirable thing. But it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.

In old days books were written by men of letters and read by the public. Nowadays books are written by the public and read by nobody.

Those whom the gods love grow young.

Youth is wasted on the young.

To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance.

Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes to live.

Kelvil: May I ask, Lord Illingworth, if you regard the House of Lords as a better institution than the House of Commons?
Lord Illingworth: A much better institution of course. We in the House of Lords are never in touch with public opinion. That makes us a civilised body.

I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.

The only thing that one can believe is the incredible.

If I am occasionally a little over-dressed, I make up for it by always being immensely over-educated.

I love talking about nothing, father. It is the only thing I know anything about.
Lord Goring, Act I

Fashion is what one wears oneself. What is unfashionable is what other people wear.
Lord Goring, Act III
The only possible society is oneself.
Lord Goring, Act III
To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.
Lord Goring, Act III

Lord Robert: Ms. Cheveley, how do you manage to look so young all of the time?
Ms. Chevely: By making it a rule to only surround myself with charming people like you.

Lord Robert: May I introduce to you my dearest friend, Lord Goring. The idlest man in London.

[Note: I have asked a few friends of mine to introduce me in such a manner to new people. I believe that, for me, it's the most complimentary salutation and introduction befitting a dandy.]

[Note2: Once I was hanging out with my then friend and supremest dandy, Ike Ude, publisher of aRude: Index of Style magazine, an artist, an aesthete, etc. on Sunday, all day, talking fashion, philosophy, science, and the arts (we're quite well read), and he got a phone call around 10pm by some woman who asked him, what he's been upto all day. He said, "Something quite radical my dear. Absolutely nothing." I smiled. Then I remembered one of Wildes quotes (not listed above.) "It takes character to endure the rigours of indolence" and another, "Industry is ugly."]

I feel that people are too scheduled and busy these days and have become drones and automatons. Simply put, less butterflies and too many bees and worker ants in God's good garden. It's a bit disheartening. Albeit, I must admit that there is value to industry, discipline, focus, and results. But effort should be deployed to proper ends: income (from a profession that one finds joy or bliss in or a talent that can be monetized), adventure (new places, people, experiences), and self-cultivation (of the mind, body, and soul).

Lagerfeld On...

2009-01-15T20:25:00.003-05:00

the global recession and it's impact on Chanel (per NY Times article, 'In the Lap of Luxury, Paris Squirms', 1/14/09). I luv his fantastic bravado. He is a resolute dandy through and through (last paragraph of the article below.)
-----------

And for Mr. Lagerfeld, cutting back his own spending at Chanel is not part of his “new modesty” strategy. He said he is not being forced by the private company’s owners to bend or adapt because of financial constraints. “We have no budget, we do what we want and throwing money out the window brings money back in through the front door,” he said. “The bottom line is that I don’t deal with the bottom line. The luxury in my life is I never have to think about it.”

Sartorial

2009-01-15T07:46:00.025-05:00

The reasons why I've always been sartorial (and introspective while I emanate):

1) My grandmother: She was my grandfather's (on my mom's side) concubine #3 of 6. Old school. I don't know since I've never asked whether or not she was educated. But she always had a sense of class, decorum, style, wisedom, and real estate to be monetized. She was/is quite elegant. Not a cat on a hot tin roof or rouged. She reminds me of Queen Elizabeth. Very soft spoken, flawless complexion, classy, rive gauche. I remember that when I was 7, she told me, "We love you. No matter what, just become a good human being." I did't know what she meant then. But I know now... be yourself and treat others the way you want to be treated. The golden rule. How divine and classy is that?! Anway, when I was a kid, a toddler. She always bought me the best clothes. Always high level, jackets, pants, shirts, sweaters, and cardigans and always great colors. Blood red, sometimes Crimson, navy blue, royal blue, or Emperor yellow. I started to learn the noble colors and fit and it has stayed with me to this day (I hope) and I shall stick with it;

2) My girlfriend in college: Her dad was the head of the Asia Bank and she did alot of 'candy' :) (she was a great bad worldy influence) and was always dressed to kill (skirt, stockings (with garters), and heels (perfect ankles)). I had a 1.9 GPA that year and was put on academic probation that year. But after 3 yrs., caught up, and graduated on the Dean's list with 3.6 GPA. But no Phi Beta Kappa. Fck it. Who cares. Ended up doing M&A at Merril. Almost got Goldman. But that's another story). I was the concubine #1 in that relationship. She always (except maybe twice) came back home to me. She made me into her image. Brought me up to date. Bought me a ton of threads so that we would be the most impressive couple this side of the pond and we were;

3) Tom Dineen: My dearest friend. He got me into ascots (Turnbull & Asser of course) and single malt scotch when we got out of college and before he went to study at Oxford. He always had a tweed jacket on for every class and his vocabulary was/is second to none. There were no nuances left unbare. One of the most refined fellow and friend I know. We were roomates for a year and as he saw me blasting Depeche Mode watching TV, he said, "Fred! Why don't you put your brain to use and read a book!" That was supreme advise and I read everything from Emerson to Theosophy and the Occult (an ancient science that was not part of the curicculum at Columbia. It was an enforced additive to my education on top of Homer, Plato, Nietszche, Schopenhauer, Heidegger, etc. that I had (and had to) read in college.);

4) Peacock: I was watching a National Geographic segment on birds once (many several years ago) and saw a peacock. More specifically, a male peacock. The female peacocks had no color. Most of them were either white or grey. But the male peacocks were donned with the most precious colors (in order to attract the females.) Then I thought. Hey, these are just birds. Pretty low down in the food chain. I'm on top of the food chain! and I will not allow these birds out do me in the area of beauty. I decided to be evenmore elegant;

5) The Great Gatsby: I only saw the movie. Never read the book. For shame. But the movie enthralled me. Most specifically, when Daisy Buchanan visits Gatsby in his house (mansion) and goes to his bedroom and Gatsby opens up his armoire and starts displaying his shirts and starts throwing them up in the air until the entire bedroom was covered with his shirts. "My man in London, sends me the swatches every season." Then Daisy grabs one of the shirts in the air and starts to weep and says, "These are the most beautiful shirts that I have ever seen." All the colors of the rainbow and beyond. Sorbet. The very next day, I went to Ascot Chang's where Bush I got his shirts made. Got my self measured and put 7 shirts on order (with detacheable collars). My French blue, Egg yolk (Imperial Mandarin) yellow, salmon pink, mint green, eggshell white, etc. all arrived. But it was hard to find a shop that had collar studs. Went to Bergdorf, Barneys, Saks, Paul Stuart. None of them had a single collar stud. The only place that kept the ancient accessory was... J.Press. J.Press only had 4 locations: Cambridge (Harvard), New Haven (Yale), New York (Columbia), D.C. They skipped Princeton for some reason. I wish that they hadn't.

Anyway, to make the long story short (otherwise, I can pen an entire novella on the topic and bore people to tears), that's the abridged history of my sartorial influence. It's good to trace back the genealogy. It's comforting to know and write down how I got here and whence I derived my aesthetics. It's like a personal archaeological dig. Strata 1,2,3 etc. Move aside Indiana Jones :).

Now. I'm gonna do a little blurb on watches since I'm on the topic of sartorial. "A watch should not only tell time. But who you are." I saw this once in an ad in the British GQ and it stuck with me. My belief was/is as follows... watches per age range: in a gentleman's 20's- a Rolex (to kick things off); then in one's 30's- a Patek Phillipe (a proper marriage watch. The woman gets the 3 carat Tiffany's emerald cut and the gentleman in exchange gets the Patek. Not to mention, the mother of his offspring); 40s-- a Blancpain; 50s- a Vacheron; then 60 til grave- a Breguet.

Sartorial to the end. From cradle to grave. A gentleman.

[P.S. Clothes alone do not make the man (any asshole can buy a Brioni or a D&G :). It only gets him half way there. To be a gentleman, I believe, one must be a Caesar with a heart of Christ. In other words, money alone doest not make a gentleman. But style AND character... a divine native (or cultivated) constitution. Actually, it has alot to do with breeding and upbringing.]

Good Morning America

2009-01-12T07:37:00.002-05:00

NorthFace Facebook Pumas

2009-01-07T16:15:00.010-05:00

A decent Winter jacket brand, a popular social site, great sneakers. Everyone has one or is on one though. So why would I ever want to own one of these or be on one of these like everyone? Why would I ever want to be everyone? I have never been and will never be everyone. I can't and won't do it. By definition, and in effect then, I am an iconoclast, and resolutely, me. Oh, silly ME :).

[I'm not a Luddite though. I do have a cellphone and I blog.]

Dressing Up

2009-01-07T15:44:00.006-05:00

I really don't get people who don't dress up when they go out. I'm talking, for the gentleman, a jacket and trousers, and for women, dress and heels (Yes. Even in the dead of Winter. Get an overcoat that falls to the shin! Unless there is a blizzard. At which point, tights and boots shall suffice. And gentlemen, under these conditions you MUST hail a cab while she is indoors. So that the lady is never under the harsh elements for more than 5 seconds. She is precious from head to toe.) Is that too much to ask for? All that I see most of the times are t-shirt, a hoodie, and jeans jeans jeans.

Now, I must admit that often times I wear jeans too. They look fine and are quite rugged and comfortable. And alot more now than ever before, I've accepted women wearing jeans if they have a nice figure. But all of this aside, why do the vast majority of the people dress so down and shabby?!

To me, dressing up shows creativity, style, and individuality and often one's socioeconomic status. It's a signaling mechanism that tells people what tribe you are from and with.

On a practical level, it also widnens one's choice of venues as well. You dress like crap, you will end up sauntering in crappy joints. The tough doors will never allow you in unless you are a model. Well, what's so great about those tough doors? They're pretentious! Well, what's wrong with tough doors? They often (not always) filter out the loud amateurs and that's a pleasant thing.

I love dive bars much as the next guy or gal and one can go dressed as one pleases. T-shirt and jeans. Fine. Whatever.

But if you get bored of the dive bar and the mediocre bar and the mediocre lounge/club. It sure is nice to have the option and the possibility to move upstream to a higher level, less common, less mediocre places.

So, in general, I like to be with people who dress up to go out whenever we go out. Because then the sky's the limit and choices abound. It's like being able to play the entire orchestra from percussion to wind to strings vs. being stuck in one section of the orchestra.

[Live chromatically not monotone.]

Btw, when I go out, I'm dressed up 99% of the time (jacket, trousers, chelsea boots, and sometimes ascots), not only for the practical reasons aforementioned. But I feel that I owe it to myself to treat myself with the highest respect with my god given gift of taste and style and to look presentable to others, and most importantly, to myself.

Also, because most people dress like shit, I feel that I have no choice but to not join in on that zombiehood. I will remain civilized, cognizant, human, individual and vital and fight off the 'free-range humans' (as Hannibal Lechter so correctly described most people) every step of my life. Sometimes, i wish I were a cannibal. So I can eat them as Hannibal did... free range humans in their shirt and jeans.

Music Appreciation

2009-01-04T14:23:00.014-05:00

That's what the class was called at my alma mater. At Columbia, all Freshmen had to take the 'Core Curriculum.' It was composed of 2 semesters of Literature Humanities (from Homer's Illiad to Doestoevsky's Brothers Karazmov), 2 semesters of Contemporary Civilization (from Plato's Republic to Sartre's Existenstialism), 1 semester of Art History (from cave paintings and Palenque to Warhol), and 1 semester of Music Appreciation (from Gregorian chants to Weber). It was the best education that anyone could ask for or prescribe. The scales fell off my eyes and I became a civilized human being. Thank you Columbia! The football team never won a single game while I was there for 4 yrs. (Except the last homecoming game against Princeton. Thank you Princeton!). The quality of education was second to none. The only schools that were harder to get into than Columbia back then was Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, and CalTech. [Damn. If the SAT weren't so fckn early in the morning. 9am for a 3 hr. test. Come on. That's farmer Bob hours! My mother had to drag me out of my bed that morning too as she did for all of my teen years. "Mom, just 2 more minutes. I'm getting up!"] Now, only Harvard, Princeton, and CalTech are more 'selective.' None of them had or have the 'Core.' They're softcore porn :).

Anyway, this morning, for some insane reason and twist of soul, I woke up craving for some classical music. Mozart's Requiem came to mind and I played it on my iTunes, speakers full blast.. Lacrimosa. Shamefully, Mozart was the only classical music that I had on my iTunes. I ripped it from a CD that I had a few years ago. All of my classical music were bought on CDs and they are in storage now (about 30 CDs). It's a shame. Because from time to time, the only music that can placate my soul is classical music. It fortifies me and makes me feel civilized again.

Music appreciation was a 8:30am class. Every Tuesday and Thursday from 8:30am to 9:50am. It was divine. I looked forward to going to that class eventhough it was so early in the morning. I would walk in there with my notebook (back then notebook computers weren't invented yet :()) and I would plop it down on the desk and close my eyes. Students slowly started droning into class while the music was piping through the small classroom with a east-facing window as the sun broke in. We had a great professor. I lucked out. He never made us memorize dates and we never had a test or essays, just 3 quizzes. The key to getting an 'A' in that class was showing real appreciation for the music... meaning.. sincerely kissing the professor's ass. He was a great guy. I got an 'A'. Mostly because, I really did appreciate the music.

So, this morning, after I listened to my Mozart, I went onto the iTunes store and started digging for more classical music to download on my iTunes. To my satisfaction, all of my classical music inventory in my mind came back to me. I was thinking and browsing, Strauss, Schumann, Lizst, Bartok, Ravel, Debussy, Beethoven, Chopin, Schoenberg, Bach, Grieg, Barber, Holst, etc. etc.

I'm so glad that I was and am educated in the Humanities and my loving parents foot the whole bill. Back then it was appx. $38K a year. Now it's appx. $58K a year. Wowaweeewa. Sex explosion :()!

You know... when I hear nowadays about how America needs to have more math and science in schools, I roll my eyes. Fine. Do it. But the Indians and the Chinese out number us and those drones will always outnumber us in that area. Sure, do it. Why not. But for me, I think that our strength is in creativity. Think Apple. We need the worker ants... the engineering nerds to put the circuits together and do the plumbing. But at the end of the day, what wins is the humanities... our humanity stamped on the circuits. The rest of the world will catch up (most have already) and surpass on tech things. But who can surpass us in music, movies, love, and freedom?! (except the Italians, the Spaniards, and maybe, the French.) The real stuff that life is made of and the stuff that people all over the world aspire to.

I hate to say it because it sounds so American. But America is the greatest nation on earth. That's why so many outsiders come here to live and/or visit. We're not perfect by any means. (e.g. I think that the Americans work too hard and too many of them think only of money, position, and status). But compared to rest of the world, this is where it all happens and can happen.

Btw, when I say 'America,' I mean Manhattan. It's ridiculous. But I really can't imagine people in America living outside of Manhattan or San Fran (maybe L.A.). Note: New Jersey is NOT America. They're outsiders to me as well. So loud and dumb.

Back to the iTunes store :).

12:30PM

2009-01-01T18:57:00.003-05:00

Got home at 12:30 this afternoon. I guess I must have had an OK NYE afterall :).

That's the interesting thing about Manhattan. If you have lived here long enough, there's no need to plan. Things either happen or don't.

Happy 2009 to all of my lovelies. It will be a great year!

New Year's Eve

2008-12-31T09:14:00.009-05:00

I am not feeling it this year. I don't feel the urge to do the routine tonight. None of my friends have any plans that I know of either, and for sure, none of them nor I, are going to shellout $250 for one of those mega parties. I don't think that I have gone to a megaparty in years. The long lines at the coatcheck line. The long lines to get a drink. The height of this, on a positive note was when Tao first opened several years ago and I was able to snag a spot in the upper VIP room overlooking everyone below. The upper VIP room is not known to most people who goto Tao even now. It's a private room, about 500 sq. feet with it's own bathroom and food area. Back then there were only 20 people allowed up there for the NYE party. 20 people on top and about 1,000 people below. I walked up and down to mingle with the commoners in my Vivien Westwood ('VW') Indigo velvet jacket and VW ultra-high collar (Eduardian looking) shirt then walk back up to the room for champagne and food whenever I wanted and there was absolutely no line in the upper room. I forgot how I got the ticket. But that was really fun. Nothing since, in terms of megaparties, have ever come close to that serene but fun experience.

Last year was really fun too. My friend Shoky had a place in a new condo in middle of Times Square (46th and Broadway) that overlooked the ball drop. It was a private party and about a 100 people showed up... which is a good amount. Not small but not unmanageable. Then we hit (crashed) 4-5 other parties in the building, moving from one apartment to another with constant flow of champagne and catered food. [FYI- the least expensive apartment in that building started at $1.2 mil. for a small 1 bdrm. So, people there had money and lived accordingly. Most people there of course don't live there all year round. It's just another place for them.] That was really really fun.

Tonite though, I have no idea what I will be doing. I'm sure that when 10:30pm rolls around, I'll start to get antsy and call people to see what they are up to. I checked the asmallworld event section. But it's all the same crap. Party at Marquee, Cain, Ciprianis, Mansion, etc. BORING. Honestly, I just feel like walking around Tribecca and hitting random free bars. I kindda want to be the invisible man tonight visiting and voyeuring different sites and people and vicariously enjoying their youthful exuberance. But then again, it's supposed to be 19 degrees by midnight tonight. Hmmm.

Life, in some ways, was much more enjoyable when I knew less. Nowadays, it's hard to get excited about alot of things (except for beautiful women and sexy legs). Been there done that psychosis. But I don't want to lose my sense of wonderment and joy. I can't. I won't!

Chanel

2008-12-26T18:20:00.001-05:00

The most expensive commercial ever made. Millions of dollars. Came out a couple of years ago. I still like it.

What? A Recession? Wake me up when it's over...

2008-12-19T14:50:00.000-05:00

Sundry Deliveries

2008-12-18T11:24:00.012-05:00

I have ordered 4 six packs of beer (Heinekins!) and packs of cigarettes at 5am or 7am from a deli before for after partying. Mostly, when I'm with friends and strangers. But sometimes, when I'm afterpeeing by myself. That's one of the greatest things about living in Manhattan. As long as you have money, friends, life, and a deli, the music never stops. You can literally party non-stop forever. 25/7/365.

I wish that I had a 3 bedroom, 3,000 sq. ft. apt. with a good view. I would party all night until 3 pm and have my friends party all night with me and sleep over and go out downtown for a 'sunset brunch' at 6pm and do the hoe down all over again. Fantastic meaningless fun!

Right now, I wish had some kim bop delivered to me. It's a futomaki (i.e. rice, mock crab, yellow sweet radish, and minced meat wrapped in seaweed, like a california roll but bigger and extra more dilish). I used to have it at picnics with my family. It's a great snack. Scooby snack. "Grow up Fred!" ... "No, NEVER! and fuck everybody."

I don't feel like or want to walk 4 avenues (each avenue is equivalent to 3 blocks. 20 blocks equal a mile) to get my kim bop. It's 6 sliced rolls for $5. Cheap.

But I don't have the number. I guess I can google it. But I'm pretty sure that they don't deliver. It's like a Korean 7/11 and 7/11s don't deliver.

I would get 2 packs of kim bop and pay extra $5s for delivery (would go up to $30s extra if they pressed. I would actually respect that level of blatant thievery).

I want to live in a world, a city, where anything can be delivered within half an hour and automatically charged to my credit card. Food, cigs., alcohol, Osetra caviar from Iran (Imperial grade), guns and ammunition, clothes, escorts (sex), a blowjob, a fuck, and whateverelse I want WHENEVER I feel like it (e.g. sometimes, I want to have a puppy that I can pet and play with for like 3 hrs.). I probably can (except the rent-a-pup, in Manhattan but I need the numbers in my cellphone.

Oh mighty Google, please put this functionality in 'Google Labs'! Please have your outsourced Indian programmers figure out my lifestyle algorithm and prepopulate and autopush the contact list on my cellphone!

I can't believe that we still live in mideval conditions. ATMs and Advil are insufficient. I demand the now, now.

DURAN DURAN - THE CHAUFFEUR

2008-12-17T10:38:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite music videos of all time. Quite fetish. Delish. Long legs and stockings. An opiate.

Remembrance of Things Past

2008-12-16T02:43:00.015-05:00

I pretty much grew up in the late 80s in Manhattan and now hangout with people who were born in the 80s and I'm sure that these people (many of my new friends) will soon be hanging out with people who were born in the 2000s. My, how time doest fly.

It's somewhat shocking to think that I knew a world and survived in a world before: laptops, cellphones, emails, internet, CDs and DVDs, digital cameras, NetFlix, FedEx, Amazon, Google, and when, Columbia, my alma mater was an all boys college just a few years before I matriculated. For that matter, I remember the time when I couldn't, speak or read, not a sigle word of English. I was born in S. Korea. Back in the day, when LG was not LG but 'Lucky Goldstar' at home before they became a global brand and just initials that launches a new cellphone every other week.

I remember that not long ago, about 12 yrs. ago, when Amazon first launched, I made my first internet purchase-- the Complete Works of Marquis De Sade. I remember when I used to walk into a video store and getting a membership card and going there with my girlfriends... some of whom I stayed in the store for half an hour or more because we couldn't agree on a rental and some that we walked out in 5 mins. because it was a healthy and loving relationship and we always agreed on a movie. I remember switching from vinyl records to CDs when I went to Tower Records or a new store called the Virgin MegaStore in Times Square to buy CDs. I also remember Times Square when it had rows and rows of porn shops, pre-Disney takeover, when it was dangerous to walk in Times Square after dark. I remember when there was nothing in the Meat Packing district save some random dive bars and transvesties walked the streets in high heels (before Manolo Blahniks became vogue) looking for a hook up and cars with tinted glasses would drive by and stop and roll down their windows for the hook up.

I remember going to The Bank, an industrial-gothic club with 3 floors where every Thursday and Saturdays, I would go and mingle with kids with make up and Mohawk hair or with resident vampires. [Closed: 6 yrs. ago.] I remember pre-bottle service NYC when if you looked good or dressed well or interestingly, you got past the velvet rope. Palladium, The Saint, Area, The Tunnel, Redzone, and Club USA come to mind. You didn't have to know the owner(s) or get a bottle (I still don't). But it's not the same. Now, you have to befriend the doormen and become a regular. The choices of venues are limited too because EVERYBODY is out and everybody wants to get in. Back then, if you were cool or looked cool, the doormen just knew.

I remember taking the subway in my Hermes tie and wide, padded shoulder Italian suit going into Merrill Lynch for my investment banking job straight out of college. There were people with Sony Walkman vs. iPods. The rain was acid and the streets dirty. Manhattan was not for the faint of heart. Now, it's one of the safest cities in the world.

I remember when my modern, post-war, studio apt. across from Lincoln Center was $1,200 a month and there were no Starbucks anywhere. I remember too when I used to go to sleep before midnight on weeknights.

I have become a vampire. I've seen generations come and go in Manhattan and will put your severed head on a pike too. There is nothing new under the sun or the moon.

Bush in Iraq

2008-12-15T09:04:00.005-05:00

As I watched the Jets play and beat Buffalo. Yeah! There was a news clip that showed President Bush at a news conference in Iraq when a Iraqi reporter threw his shoes at him. Bush kept his smile and dodged both shoes quite effortless. I was shocked then laughed.

But with all due respect, I was alittle annoyed about the incident. As much as I have hated the Bush years, 8 long ones, and as much as I think that he's probably one of the worst Presidents we have ever had since Hoover, he's still our goddam President and we have spent more than enough of our treasure and blood on that country. Show some fckn respect!

I was for going into Iraq and I'm glad that we are there. I loathed the execution of the occupation. But I was for and still am for 'behavior modification' in that backward region. I would love to see our Marines go into Tehran now. But it's unlikely. Too bad.

My country is the greatest country in the world. We've made mistakes. Nevertheless, we saved alot of lives and have brought and maintained freedom around the world, from WWII, Korean Conflict, sans Vietnam, to bringing down the wall in Berlin, Kosovo, HIV aid in Africa, Tsunami relief in Thailand and ridding Afghanistan of the Taliban. No other country has done so much good, net net, than the U.S.

We are still the shining city on the hill that everyone looks up to and wants to come to. I am proud to be an American. I'm glad that Bush is on his way out and I voted for Obama. But that shoe throwing thing, that was a no no. Very disrepectful.

I would have much preferred a pie in his face. A traditional protest vs. turbinhead, ungrateful, asshole protest. A people/nation should know when they are defeated. Japan after WWII is a good example... an honorable and a worthy adversary who show respect to their conqueror.

Greenhouse

2008-12-12T17:23:00.004-05:00

Barack Obama driving me and the Mercury girls to Greenhouse. Double click on the bottom image. That's really Barack! (not)

Hello Kitty Toaster

2008-12-11T17:45:00.002-05:00

I think that it's ingenious and each toast comes out with a Hello Kitty face. $15 on Amazon. I'll have to remember to get it next year when I move into my new place.

My New Jacket and Camera-- Arrived Today

2008-12-10T21:07:00.010-05:00

The red ski jacket and the small camera (see pix in previous blogs) arrived today. I was very excited and I still am. I ordered the camera on Thrs. and the jacket on Saturday and because of the low prices, I shelled out a few bucks more for expedited shipping which I hardly ever do. But under certain circumstances, I think that it's worth it as long as the extra $s for the expedited shipping does not exceed $10s. So, I got both in less than a week.

First, I opened the jacket package. I was expecting a box. But it just came in a plastic bag. The camera came in a box. I thought that the plastic bag for the jacket made sense. Although I didn't like it in a plastic bag. It looked like something that dropped off from a fruit truck. Kindda shabby.

Anyway, I opened the bag and got my jacket out and tried it on. Again, this is the first time that I ordered clothing online. I have mixed feelings about whether or not I will do that again. The jacket looks fine. But not as good as I had hoped or expected. I'm a slender guy. So, I like my clothes to have a tight, tailored look. Actually, tighter the better. I used to think and bought a size bigger so that I look bigger but in actuality, a proper fit looks much better than a bigger fit. I'm a 38 jacket. So, I used to buy 38 or 40 then get alterations. But now a days, if I can find it, I prefer a 36. Americans in general dress too loosely or boxy and it looks very low class. Think Italian or even European in general. They are never baggy or loose. The Italians (specifically, men), the Spaniards, and the French dress appropriately and it shows. The clothes look well proportioned and the lines are refined. A very elegant lot.

Back to my jacket. The fit is not pleasing to me. Had I tried it in a store, I may have actually passed on it. It's not tight on me. I'm not talking, tight, as in, constricting circulation or breathing. But tight as in the way it looks on me. It's alittle roomy and the sleeves are about a half an inch too long. This part, I can manage, as I expect to be wearing gloves so the cuff will be squeezed up to where they should be. But the shoulders seem alittle to squarish. I had hoped for a gentle slope and the waist is too straight. Thus, not giving any hint of a silouette. One of the things that I liked about my previous ski jacket was that the waist was pinched and could be further pinched with an internal draw-cord so that the jacket can have a silouette. I like soft shoulders, tight waist and a small flare below the waistline for my jackets. Most of my jackets and even my suits have an A-line silouette and it gives them/me an elegant look. Think Daniel Craig on the poster of Quantum of Solace with his suit and the semi-automatic rifle.

So, that's the bad part. Net, net, the fit is acceptable. But not what I had in mind. [FYI- the picture online was abit deceptive... duh.] The good part is that the jacket is extremely soft and literally feather weight. It's soft as a woman's breast on a baby's bottom (remarkable) and light as air. I'll have to walk around in it when the temperature goes back down to the 30s or below to see how warm it is. Net net, for $107 for a 800 fill goose down jacket, I still got a good deal. But I'll probably think twice before I order apparel online in the future. What I will probably do in the future is to go to a boutique or a department store and try the clothes on first for size and fit-- then look for it online.

The camera, on the other hand, is perfect. It's literally the size of a credit card and half as thick as a pack of cigarettes and it weighs a touch more than a pack of cigarettes. This was exactly what I had hoped for. Small and light. Beyond any other camera that I had ever had or seen. 21st century portability. [note: Casio Exilim EX-S10 with auto-YouTube upload function.]

I took some pictures and also took some video clips. The pictures are sharp and clean. The colors are great too. Video is not the best but very acceptable. I'm sure that the videos will be more than acceptable under outdoor conditions. With the 4GB SD card that I got for $14 with the purchase. There's room for 600+ 10 megapixel quality pictures or 1.5 hours of video recording capacity. That's plenty. I will probably never have more than 200 pix in my camera (will download it into my computer everso often that the SD card should not be holding more pix than that) and as for videos, I will probably not take any clips that are longer than 5 mins. So, practically speaking, I would be off loading those too into my computer in half an hour to an hour batches. I will now start carrying the camera/camcorder with me everywhere I go. It weighs exactly as light as my cellphone. So, it'll be like carrying around 2 cellphones. Both are very light.

I wish that I had my camera on Monday nite. There were several hot girls at the Greenhouse and a couple of the girls that I went with had very short mini skirts and they eventually got really wasted and told me the day after that they blacked out after 2am. We were still hanging out until 4am. I'm sure I could have made them do things that would have been quite naughty. One is a new transplant from Florida and the other from Texas. The former, I'm pretty sure was not wearing underwear. Hey, it's hot! down there ;)

Girls Take Alot of Pictures

2008-12-09T17:21:00.018-05:00

[Btw, I call females who are younger than 35 who do not have children, girls. Girls become women, in my mind, when they have children even if they are 17. Mothers are women. Non-mothers are girls. My personal definition.]

Last night, monday night, I was invited to a birthday party and went to a new club called "Greenhouse." It's been opened for a month or two and I've heard about it and have been meaning to go. But didn't get a chance to go until last night. It had mixed reviews and I wanted to rate it myself. [I give it 7 out of 10. But I'm sure it's probably, 4 out of 10 on weekends. Bungalow last year was a 9. Now, a 6.]

It's on Varick and VanDamm. It's a smallish place (appx. 4,000 sqr. ft.) The walls are covered with ivy and the ceilings have glass tubes like giant upside down cocktail stirrers hanging down and there are green lasers shooting out of the pillars everso often. I wasn't impressed when I first walked in around midnight. But as I got alittle more acclimated and the scenesters started trickling in, it got better. Monday nights usually have a better crowd. These are mostly non-bridge and tunnel people and they generally have better style than the suburban Vinnies and Lisas. The best part was when they had some MCs with wireless mikes up on a small stage on the end of the lounge singing rap. Every third word was a 'f' word. I found that quite amusing. Very ghetto.

Anyway, I was with 6 girls and another guy and 3 of the girls had cameras. So, every 30 seconds, the flashes went off. I don't know exactly why but girls really really love taking pictures and I'm kind of glad that they do.

I love taking pictures too and have had numerous cameras for that purpose. But I hardly ever took my camera out when I went out. I usually take the new camera out the first two weeks of the purchase. But after that, I tend to just leave it at home. So, in effect, it becomes useless.

Even when I had a fairly small Sony camera, after the first two weeks, I stopped taking it out because it was just another bulge in my pocket and I like to travel light. In addition, I don't think that I like putting a stop to the flow of social interaction by stopping to have people pose for a picture. When I'm out, my eyes and brain is the camera and the camcorder.

Nevertheless, I wouldn't mind making it a habit to take a camera with me wherever I go. Even if I'm going to drop off dry cleaning. I think that it's nice to have visual memory of the memories.

Girls are really good with that. Most of them love taking pictures when they are out and looking back on those memories. It's one of the many reasons that I adore women. They are very sentimental creatures.

Btw, from time to time, there are women who don't like getting their pictures taken. They are too embarrassed about their own image. I do not like those women. I love the women who love getting their pictures taken and making silly, fun, or glamorous poses. It shows that they have a sense of play. I really like playful girls. They make my life more enjoyable.

My new camera is on its way. A 4 oz. camera with video capture and auto-YouTube upload function. I can't wait to carry it with me all of the time. It better be decent under low light conditions because 90% of the visuals will be taken during indoor activities. We'll see. I'll have to make it a habit this time around to carry it with me all of the time. It'll take discipline on my part and I'm quite willing to discipline myself in that area. I may get a business card holder like leather carrying case for the camera and instead of my wallet, I'll just take my cellphone and the camera with the soft case (and 1 credit card and cash in the case pocket) with me whenever I go out. Be very Warhol.

May also buy this Polaroid portable printer (below) and carry that as well. Instant prints in under a minute. The ink is embedded in the paper. The thermal heater in the equipment brings out the picture. Ain't it ingenious?! Very James Bond. Polaroid paper is $4 for a set of 10 paper. It also has a peel off sticky in the back so it's very easy to create a scrapbook. $4 for 10 sheets... I think that's pretty good. Afterall, it's a price of a cup of Starbucks coffee that lasts 10 mins. while the memories can last for years.

Just as this blog is to serve me as a vessel of my life memories and thoughts, I need a visual vessel. Another divine vessel.

I want to see my friends and places that I've been to whenever I want. For example, I only have 2 pictures of Barbie in my cellphone and NO pictures of my dear friends Shane, James, Darrin, Ryan, Summer, Sarah, Maggie, Stephanie, etc. (nor, worst of all, my parents and grandmother!) anywhere. That's got to stop. I want to see the people that I adore when I want even when they are not around me.

Polaroid PoGo

2008-12-09T06:46:00.001-05:00

Mama Mia. No ink required. Wireless. $99.

New Ski Jacket

2008-12-06T09:22:00.009-05:00

God, I'm so happy with this find! As I wrote previously a few blogs ago, I needed a new ski jacket or a parka. Because I have a feeling that Manhattan this Winter will be very cold. We've been spared the harsh harsh Winter for the past 2-3 yrs. here and I feel that we're due for a big one. Stretches of sub-zero, artic conditions. So, whether or not I go skiing this season, a new ski jacket is a must have. My cashemere overcoat and my YSL Winter jacket will not suffice. Eventhough, the former is cashemere and it keeps me warm most of the time, under really cold weather and winds, it's not warm enough. And my YSL, it keeps me warm even in cold days and nights, it's just too formal. It's a 'going out' downtown type jacket. Too formal and stylish. So, I needed a more casual everyday jacket that I can do errands or go out in; a versatile, all purpose, Winter jacket.

I wanted a longer jacket that came down to my thighs and that reduced me to parkas. I scoured the web for parkas on: Saks, Barneys, Bergdorf, Bloomies, and even, Macy's. But all of the parkas looked exactly the same. Exactly. Except for one, Ralph Lauren Matterhorn reversible parka. That was the only one that looked elegant and not boxy or blue-collar, ride on the subway and go to work look. But the damn thing just won't go on sale. It's been flat priced at $695 for the past two weeks on all of the aforementioned sites. Not even Black Friday sales nudged the price down.

Well, per chance, I remembered Eddie Bauer. I remembered that they are known for their outdoors wear, especially for their warm sweaters and jackets. So, I checked it out. To my amazement, there was one parka that looked decent and it was only $250. It looked similar to other parkas but slightly more elegant although it was not as good looking as the Ralph Lauren Matterhorn parka. What really impressed me was that Eddie Bauer, it turns out, invented the parka and their marquee product is the parka. It's parkas are known for it's high quality-- down filled with Northern Europen Geese, which apparently is the highest quality down that's on the market today. Most other parkas are filled with duck down or man-made fabrics. None of the jackets or parkas that I saw had real goose down, never mind, Northern European goose.

So, I thought about it and decided to sleep on it for few days. Warmth warmth warmth. That's criteria #1 followed closely by looks looks looks this Winter.

But after some deep thinking, I encountered one critical problem with this parka. Too warm! The thing was rated to be warm even at the 20 below-to zero range and since it would fall to my mid thigh, I could see myself sweating inside of it for more than half of the Winter unless I just wear a shirt underneathe it. But when I go out (anywhere), I always wear a jacket underneathe. That's just my style and habit. So, no go. Can't do.

Then I found the above treasure on their website. 800 fill. [FYI-- The highest fill is usually 700, normal fill usually range from 500-600. So, 800 is almost never heard of even in the highest quality comforters.] The parka is 700 fill. So the 800 fill is actually supposed to be warmer. But the jacket is shorter than the parka, giving it more breathing room (i.e. ventilation) below the waist. Plus it's really light, and like a sleeping bag, it can be crunched into a small sack (an added benefit to my closet as it's squeezed in between my fully pregnant wardrobe).

The story gets better. The jacket was priced at a fantastic price of $149 plus tax and shipping which came out to $179 all in. Not great. Not a steal. But not bad either. Just for kicks though, before I bought it online, I decided to google 'coupon promo code Eddie Bauer' Since, I saw on some TV programs, the morning shows specifically, that online promos and coupons were all the rage this year given the economy. So I typed it into google and bam! Eddie Bauer promo code for 30% off and free shipping that expires on 12/24. It was on a site called 'Coupondork.' I could not believe it. This promo was nowhere to be found on Eddie Bauer's website. So, I wanted to see if this was for real.

I went back to Eddie Bauer site, picked the jacket, color, and size and proceeded to the checkout. On the second page of the check out before I entered my credit card #, there was a section for promo codes. So, I put it in. The screen refreshed and the box on the right that had the former $179 total became $114! and that's after I added an additional $6 shipping for 3 day express shipping. So, I instantly saved $65on the spot and because the product price was decreased, so did the tax. So, my new Winter ski jacket is arriving in 3 days for $114!!! That's a far cry from the $695 Ralph Lauren parka and the $1,200 Bogner jacket that I've been pining after for the past 2-3 weeks. Btw, $114, that's one night out in Manhattan... and I didn't go out last night. So, in my mind and in effect, I kindda got my new jacket for free! An expense neutral move. Suave ;).

I'm gonna be so happy with this jacket, I can't wait! The other color choices were royal blue and black. The royal blue looked alittle too 70s, Three's Company. So, no. The black... I have so much black in my closet, I need some eye candy when I look in the closet. The 'deep red' was the best color. Not an ordinary red which can be banal. But this red, it reminds me of Aspen (yeah, maybe alittle retro; but, Aspen still). It's a more aristocratic red. I really like it. [Now, when it arrives. It better not look like sleeping bag red, and if it does, god forbid, I'll just think, Aspen Aspen Aspen. FYI- This is my first clothing purchase on the internet.]

Woo hoo! for Eddie Bauer and CouponDork! $114 for a fantastic looking, high-end 800 fill! goose down, Winter jacket.

On a side note, when I go home for Christmas, my dad should/will no longer ask me if the jacket that I'm wearing is warm enough (which he does on occassion) because this one looks alittle puffy and warm. But if he does, I can proudly tell him about the 800 fill Northern European Goose down and what a bargain it was. I'm soooo excited. Good job Von Kwon.

New Toy

2008-12-05T15:54:00.008-05:00

I pulled the trigger on this today. It should be arriving in a few days. Hopefully, before next Friday when I'm going to a Christmas party at my old friend Scott and his boyfriend's place in Chelsea. Alan, Scott's boyfriend is like Martha Stewart on entertaining. He always has the best food and the campiest displays and we sing Christmas carols in their living room with a bunch of people while he plays the piano next to a blue-lit Christmas tree.

Anyway, this is my, probably, 10th digital camera over the past 10 yrs. I currently have one, a Leica Digi-Lux3 with a fantastic tan carrying case (Camera $500; Case $400 from eBay) that I got a couple of yrs. ago. But I've found out that I hardly take it anywhere with me because it's too big to be pocketable. It's not an SLR nor SLR size. But still, I have to strap it around me vs. putting it in my pocket.

Incidentally, I wasn't really looking for a new camera eventhough I don't carry my Leica around as much as I should. I was actually looking into the Flip Mino HD. It's a camcorder the size of a cellphone. I liked the idea of making short clips with it. Afterall, I have a camera, why not try a different medium? It's $220; records and plays 720p HD, small, and auto-loads to YouTube with it's internal, pop out USB port. The Flip is simple. Only has a record, play, stop, ff&rw buttons and no moving parts. The video is stored in it's 4GB internal SD flash memory for 1 hr. of recording. It's the kind of toy and a tool that Andy Warhol would have loved to carry around everywhere.

So, I researched and the research lead me to other similar camcorders. All pocketable with flash memory based recording. I looked at the Kodak Zi6, RCA EZ300, and the Creative Zen Vod. They were pretty much all comparable. Then I saw all of their sample videos and reviews on YouTube and I wasn't impressed. Technically, they could all do HD video but the videos didn't look HD at all. They were all very average. So, the technology has a couple of more years to go I think before it can rival the larger, non-pocketable camcorders. I was disappointed.

But then I thought, well, I still have Christmas parties and places that I'll be going to where I would like to capture the images and especially, when I go home for Christmas. My grandmother is 82 and my parents are 67 and I don't have a single picture or video of them over the past 5 yrs. (for shame!). I don't know how long they will be around for and if someday they expire and I don't have a picture or video of them from recent times, I think that I would be very very sad. So, I resolved to get something.

The best option, based on continued research, was this camera. I happened to stumble upon it at Hammacher Schlemmer site. It showed this picture and proclaimed it to be the world's smallest and thinnest 10 megapixel camera. It raised my curiosity and I read on. Smallest, thinnest, credit card sized, takes pictures...and video. Well, most digital cameras over the past 2 yrs. do take both pictures and video and the 10 megapixel count did not impressive me either. I know that more megapixels does not necessarily (and in most cases) make the picture quality better. But what I did like was the size, confirmed by it's 4 ounce weight (that's lighter than many cellphones and pocket cameras) and the rave and consistently great reviews on Amazon and camera review sites such as DPreview and Stevesreviews.

To make the long story short. After 2 days of online research, there were a few other things I liked about this camera that made me pull the trigger. 1) It has a standalone RECORD button on the back. So if I want to go from taking pics to taking video, I simply have to press that button to start and press again to stop to record VIDEO instead of having to dig into the on-screen menu and go through options to pick video recording in order to switch from picture taking to video making. So, in fact, with this 'camera' pictures and videos are both a one button process. Snap!; 2)the quality of the videos and sound seemed just as good or slightly better than the Flip and it's rivals; 3) It has the auto-YouTube load function as well; 4) it has a SD slot unlike the Flip. So, 4GB of SD flash memory will give me nearly 1.5 hrs. of video recording capabilities and 5) finally, it's both a camera for pictures and a video recorder!

Done. I can't wait until it arrives.

Now, there were 4 color choices: Black, Red, Blue, and Stainless Steel. I decided to get the stainless steel one. It looks great in the picture above. Looks very modern and retro. It kindda has the same exterior look as the Chrysler Building. My favorite building in Manhattan and I've had so many cameras in different colors that I want to go back to the non-colored version again. Btw, Hammacher is selling it for $250 on it's website. Fck that! I always use 'pricegrabber' Asia boy here saw the Exilim logo (which I knew was Casio) on the picture and found the exact model somewhere else. It's the Casio Exilim EX-S10... 'S' for slim (not all Casio Exilims are slim). I'm getting it for $189 a (i.e. net, $80 savings, with free shipping and no tax)! It's a steal.

[Lastly, I did also consider another option. The new Samsung Omni phone. It's a cellphone, a 5 megapixel camera, and it also does video recording. $199 phone upgrade after Verizon contract extension. I would have gotten it. But the video and sound quality was so bad that I decided to wait on the next version which will probably come out in six months or so. Asia boy, quite comprehensive with research :]

Gosh. I sure do get excited about new toys. Only if I can get excited about everything else in my life to this degree... life would be perfect.

Lots of Interesting News Today on CNN

2008-12-05T15:01:00.006-05:00

1) OJ is going to jail on the 13th anniversary of the Bronco chase. He is going to jail for at least 9-15 years for armed robbery and kidnapping in Las Vegas;
2) Monthly job report came out. appx. 533,000 jobs lost in November. It's the highest number of unemployment claims filed (for 1 month) since the labor department's bureau started keeping records of it. The bureau is 124 yrs. old. The unemployment rate of 6.7% is the highest since 1974 (in about 25 yrs.) ;
3) Second day of the hearings on the bailout for the Detroit automakers GM, Ford, and Chrysler. Yesterday, they testified at the Senate. Today, it's the House. They are asking for a total of $34 billion vs. $25 billion, 2 weeks ago. I will blog more about this later. Complicated issue. Personally, I think that we need to help here for a variety of reasons;
4) 3 Guys dressed in drag, robbed Harry Winston's in Paris and took $150 mil. of jewels;
5) Planned parenthood in Indianna is giving away $25 gift certificates for services and products in their clinics.

It's an interesting news day.

Enya-- Marble Halls

2008-12-03T17:34:00.001-05:00

Yazoo - Nobody's diary

2008-12-03T15:16:00.001-05:00

Beautiful song. Beautiful voice. Silly video.

Electribe 101 - Tell me when the fever ended

2008-12-03T15:05:00.001-05:00

Disco ball. Full contact bass (the kind that they used to have at Twilo that pounded your body). Clear speakers. Penetrating vocal. Loud. Dark. Opium. Key Light. Ecstasy.

The "Peek"

2008-12-02T13:06:00.004-05:00

$99 one time equipment cost. $20/mo. srvc. charge. Unlimited text and email. No phone service. Hmmmm.

LV: OMG

2008-12-02T06:19:00.002-05:00

Epicurus on Happiness 1 of 3

2008-12-02T05:39:00.001-05:00

Types for Love

2008-12-02T03:49:00.025-05:00

It's so interesting. Funny and sad and predictable that I think that we all have our types. The types that we want to be intimate with.

For example, I know alot of white guys who only like asian women eventhough alot of pretty white women swoon over them. [Mind you they wouldn't kick out a hot, lean Russian girl out of bed either. Conversely, I'm a 'yellow' guy who only like white women.] But they highly prefer and are aroused by asian women in almost all cases. Then there are women who will only date tall guys or someone who has a tatoo or is really muscular or really nerdy. Types can be very very specific and exclusive-- almost microscopic. But diverse as the biosphere.

Then there are girls who will only date WASPY guys who have the Hamptons lifestyle or Martha's Vineyard lifestyle. Then there are girls who only like black guys who like hip hop (quite the opposite of the former). And guys who only like girls with big boobs or is voluptuous.

It's wierd that we all have a mental map, an irrevocable blueprint of what works and doesn't work for one's arousal.

But this is actually according to nature and it's natural.

With certain species of birds, the female only goes for the male with the yellowest feathers or the purplest. Once I saw a National Geographic documentary where a certain species of birds were higher in rank if they were more purple and the males who were more purple got all the gals. The lower ranking males got what they could.(This motif and variations thereof recurs throughout the animal kingdom-- from primates to moles). Then, the scientist picked up one of the low ranking males and colored him more purple. Within an hour or two, he was the top bird in the barn. For real! In fact, just by him becoming more sought after after the ink, his testerone went up doublefolds.

So, all of this love thing is quite interesting. Unlike school, where you study hard and do all of your homework then that refelects (usually) on the test results and grades... a direct correlation between effort and results; with love, it has nothing to do with how hard one tries. It's pretty much pre-determined. What? Nothing is pre-determined! Effort and will leads to results! Don't be such a pessimist!

Actually, no. With love, it's all about being at the right place at the right time, next to the right person. Think about it.

Some girls only like other girls. Some guys only like other guys. (Actually, even within that subset there are subsets. Once I was hanging out at a downtown Thai restaurant and this Thai guy hit on me. He said, "I'm what you call a sticky rice." I smiled. So cute. I said, "I'm sorry. Me no sticky and not rice. Banana." :)). Similar in the hetrosexual world. No amount of effort will change who is your love type. It's chemistry through the eyes. The periodic table. Some elements merge/compound immediately. Some elements compound rarely.

Blessed are those who are lucky to be at the right place at the right time with the right type (and that type luvs your type.) This applies to all (from the beautiful to the damned). All else is less than zero.

Winter Jacket 2

2008-11-23T02:57:00.021-05:00

I kind of like this modest jacket as well. Only $300. Different style obviously. More sedate (teething on boring but not quite), understated and gentlemanly and I also like the fact that it's longer for fuller coverage. In a twisted way though, it makes me think of what a rapist may wear in early Winter. It's kindda ghoulish. Like in the movie, "Scream."

What I can do is to look for an insignia patch (to give it alittle bit of the touch of the jacket below), preferablly, a black Alexander McQueen-esque skull (important though that the skull looks ancient and/or elegant, not cartooney nor costumey) and have it patched on in the front (on the right breast) by my dry cleaner for $5. I think that that alone can make the jacket look $500 more expensive if it naturally blends in with the jacket as if it were designed that way. Unique designs cost more. So, why not add my own design element to it vs. someone else doing it and me paying them extra for it.

Winter Jacket

2008-11-23T01:38:00.014-05:00

I think that this Winter will be a harsh one. Since the past two Winters have been fairly mild, I think we'll pay for it this year.

I already started wearing my cashemere overcoat and I remembered that it kept me pretty warm last year (with my scarf and gloves). But the past two days, I've worn it and I was still cold. Maybe my body still has to get acclimated to the cold.

In any case, I know that I'll need a ski jacket. That's the only thing that will break the wind and keep me warm. I had a real nice one by 'Descente' that I wore for years. It was navy blue, 3/4 length, and had a cool gold logo on one arm (3 arrows pointing down) and the other arm had a gold stitching that said "Techno-Dri" It was classy yet modern. Now, I can't find it. I may have thrown it out by accident or have it at my parent's place. But, even if I find it, I feel like I need a new one. A costume change.

So, I've been surfing the Paragon Sports site for a new one. That's where I got my Descente one and I like the store. It's fairly close by and has a decent selection of ski jackets. This year though, the Descente ones look very average. I like the Monclers', the shiney bubble jackets. But I think that they're overpriced for what it is and too short.

The one I really like is the one shown above. It's a Bogner. I really like the military style details. It reminds me of what a young Nazi officer would have worn on a Winter vacation in Gstaad. I love the detailing. The two zippers straight down the front, very symmetrical, the horizontal arm stripes that balance the vertical zippers, and the insignia in the front that punctuates the military accent of the jacket. It's modern and classy and abit edgy without going silly. It's a precise jacket. Only problem: $1,300. That's Bergdorf price and right now I won't do Bergdorf price.

Tonight, for about 20 mins., I fantasized (immersed) about somehow shoplifting it. But, it's alittle too big to stuff it anywhere... unless.. perhaps, I go and put it on and walk around with it on for an hour (after I somehow get the magnet off) so that the employees and security see me for an hour shopping and think that I had it on when I came in. I would be wearing my ascot as a camaflauge. Surely, no one who wears an ascot shoplifts?! Then buy a hat or something and walk out. [Hey, btw, how about changing the price tag?!... well, I thought about that for a split second. But that's alittle too low brow for me. That's what poor people do at places like Macy's. That's actual theivery vs. earning a prize. I'm too well educated to steal. I prefer to 'take' that which I deserve with my chin up.] I want. I want. I need. I need.

[Btw, in the past, I have fantasized about robbing MOMA, Frick, or the Met. It would involve bombing a power station and blowing up their internal power generators as well-- simultaneously. It would also involve a stolen ambulance and a submarine in the Hudson for transport (and perhaps, laughing gas too). An entire swathe of Manhattan would be blacked out for a few hours. We're talking about National Guard deployment in Manhattan. Top of my list: Vermeers and Cezannes. That's it. Nothing else. Can't get too greedy. Smash and grab. Joker level.]

Africa has no idea that people in Manhattan are suffering as well! Psychological suffering is just as painful as physical suffering. To me, vanity (and beauty) is not an option; it's a matter of survival like the need for water, food and shelter.

Damn

2008-11-22T12:29:00.007-05:00

That was a trick question! Said, 'in' not 'about'!!

FYI- This is not my application. Just found it on the web. Thought it was hilarious and worth archiving here on my blog.

Dow Jones at 7,600

2008-11-21T10:44:00.009-05:00

Club Fatigue

2008-11-15T07:33:00.006-05:00

From time to time, I have club fatigue. Actually, it's more like lounge fatigue as I have not recurred at clubs in many months. This time around, it feels like I have a semi-permanent club/lounge fatigue.

#1. There hasn't been an interesting place to go to since last year save one, Bijouix. #2. Last Summer/Fall was a spectacular year for hanging out after midnight and going to after parties. New and exclusive places opened up in full last year. Beatrice, Gold Bar, the Box, Pink Elephant, and I gained a regular title at Bungalow, and from time to time, I hungout at the Rose Bar or Kiss n Fly. It was great. The whole thing. #3. Barbie and I hung out, for sure, almost every Weds. or Thrs. It was like clockwork. Coo Coo for Coco Puffs crazy. #4, Places were new and exciting and Barbie made those places even better. We were an oasis and a paradise, a team.

This year, all that is different. #1. There aren't any new and exciting places (save Bijouix and Apotheke)(to my knowledege and my knowledge in this domain is usually pretty good and up to date). Right, I haven't been to the Rose Club at the refurbished Plaza Hotel. But I wasn't and am not too interested in it anyway. It seems cookie cutter chic. But I may try it anyway at some point. #2. The point is that, at the cost of sounding snootie, I must say that having gone to the most exclusive and fun places numerous times (including the SubMercer redux), I am bored of the routine and the texture. Pierce, yeah, I know you will suggest the opera (the Met). "Grow up Fred! There's more to life and leisure than those over troddened and banal lounges!" I know. But I'm not gonna go to the opera by myself and I have no one worthwhile to take. Right now, I have like 5 pretty girl friends but no girlfriend. I think that I've turned asexual. Ideally, I would definitely go to the Met and my old haunting ground, the Carlyle or the St. Regis if and when I have a girlfriend. To me, these sanctuaries are a domain of romance not an island of solitary reprieve. That's just me. #3. Barbie has other priorities this year. a) Interning at Chanel. A very plumb job which she loves and people there love her. It's important and is important to her future. So, she has been very responsible with that 9-5 gig. and I completely respect that and encourage it. b) I hope that I'm not being presumptuous here. But she really loves her boyfriend (and their love has grown) and things are getting more serious on that front it seems. I met him once and I kindda liked him. But as i find out more about how normal and successful he is, my respect for him has risen. I also think that Barbie has arrived at the same club/lounge fatigue as I have. "The ultimate velvet rope is love."-- Von Kwon.

This club/lounge fatigue has been punctuated and has become quite acute and obvious this week. Barbie's friend Alexzandra (with her friend) is here visiting NY from Sweden. They are gorgeous. We (Barbie, Bunny (my nickname for Alexzandra) all hungout last year when she was here and it was a blast. This year, she arrived on Weds. and I was supposed to hangout with her on Thrs. and I looked forward to it when Barbie told me about it on Monday. But I ended up hanging out early at Mercury and I totally missed it. Blacked out by 11 pm. Started out at 4pm. Apparently, my deli guy said today that I stopped by for cigarrettes and I was really drunk. I don't remember that at all. Subconciously then and quite consciously now, I understand why this fatigue. I knew it but now it's real and visible as the sun. the club fatigue. Tired of it.

Now, being the restless dandy that I am (it's in my DNA. Damn!), I'm sure that there is hope for my club/lounge resurrection if and when a new, worthwhile place opens up. But gosh, I'm bored of all of the places that I've been to.

I have become a resident at Mercury... one of the most non-exclusive, most average place that anyone can think of. And a Saturday nite regular at the Pyramid in alphabet city where they play 80s music and industrial, where most people either have tattoos or body piercing. I go there in my Hermes or Turnbull&Asser ascot. Great music and a working dry ice machine.

Seasons change.

2008-11-07T19:05:00.001-05:00

I Heart Kindle

2008-11-04T16:25:00.010-05:00

I got my Kindle delivered last week and I love it. I think that everyone who reads should own one.

I hesitated on the purchase for abit because there were rumors of a new one coming out for Christmas. But Amazon spokesperson and the CEO himself said no and I believed it. Plus, I wanted the original one anyway. I adore originals. They are clunky and have kinks. They are not perfect but they are the first attempt at something new. They will be museum pieces. I know that a few years from now, people will have a better model with all the kinks worked out and more slick. But it will be more sanitary. The original NYC subway car had a carpet and a chandelier. There was humanity in it (beauty and imperfections). The new cars became tin cans with wheels (no chandelier). Same with planes but with wings (no more baby Steinways on board en route to and from Vegas.) There's something endearing about a progenitor. The first of its kind.

What I like about my Kindle:
1) It's snow white. It something that looks like it was chipped off one of the spaceships in 2001: Space Oddysey. It looks very futuristic;
2) Countering the space form though is the screen that looks like an etchasketch. It's grey and kindda ugly. It has no backlight either. It's beauty meets the beast. I like that. Put it another way, it's like Napoleon and Josephine;
3) Once you start reading, one does indeed disappear into the book. The digital ink is crisp and it sucks you right into the reading. It's absorbing;
4) I love turning the pages. You just click on one of the sidebar buttons and within a second, a new page appears. So cool. None of that old page turning by hand stuff;
5) Most books can be bought for less than $3.50. In fact, most books (except the new best sellers) are less than a dollar. New books are mostly $9.99. No delivery charge and no taxes;
6) Books are wirelessly delivered to the Kindle in your hand in less than a minute. I downloaded Tristam Shandy (and Middlemarch) in less than a minute;
7) There is no wireless monthly charge ever. The wireless is included in the purchase price for life;
8) You can sample the book before you buy it or not. The first chapter can be had for free with a click of a button. Downloads wirelessly in less than 10 seconds;
9) You can look up a definition with 2 clicks right then and there while you read. You can highlight and archive the clippings and print them out later or email them;
10) Kindle is exactly the size of a DVD case and weighs in perfectly at 10 ounces. It fits perfectly in my jacket like a softcover book. But I can carry an entire library. It's good to go.

Now, not all books are available yet on the Kindle. But I already have downloaded enough great books (10 in all) and pages (probably 5,000+ pages) that by the time I get through them all, many many more books should be available on Kindle. As for the books that I enjoyed, I plan to buy a hard copy for my library. So that I can see them and share with friends.

I enjoy my Kindle more than my iPod Nano. Wow.

Btw, got it for $309 vs. $359 based on a Oprah promo. that lasted one week. Prior to that I tried Craigslist for 2 weeks and none showed up and tried eBay too. Kindles on eBay were going for more than $359. Idiots.

Obama Bin Biden

2008-11-04T15:40:00.006-05:00

Just kiddn. He better win today. Otherwise, not only are we fckd but the entire country and the world.

John McCain is truly John McSame. He will continue the failed policies of trickle down economics and American Imperialism leaving nation building afar while our nation (our own house) crumbles.

I pulled the trigger on the Kindle and I am half way through Thomas Friedman's latest book called 'Hot, flat, and crowded.' It's an amazing book. I dare say that the insights and the writing overall in the book matches the great books that I've read. It's up there with Nietzsche, Schpenhaeur, Emerson, and Socrates... for real. I dare say that it's a seminal piece of work on par with Darwin's 'Origin of Species.' It's that revelatory. I initially hesitated on getting the book because I figured it'll just tell me what I already know... that global warming is bad and that we need an alternative to coal and petrol. But the depth and the breadth of Friedman's insights go far beyond a bumper sticker motto. He connects all the dots and gives unassailable amount of facts and insights as to why it is an immediate and the most profound issue of our time. Believe me, I'm a hard guy to impress. I stand on the shoulders of giants. My vistas are quite high. This book is another giant.

Fact: Global population is now at 6.4 billion and by 2050, the population will be 9 billion and every 10 yrs. or so, an American sized (280 mil.) middle class will pop out of that growth consuming resources and excreting carbon on a biblical (exponential!) scale. Think Moore's Law not Newton.

Global warming is no longer a tree hugger issue. It's an issue of survival or extinction and the amount of work and sacrifice that will be required so that our carbon emmissions doesn't kill the planet (and us with it) is astronomical. Forget about the meteor that hit in the Yucatan that killed the dinosaurs. We have a carbon meteor that will implode in 50 yrs. that we are gestating and if we don't control it now on a global scale, one day, Frankenstein WILL walk off the table.

John McCain doesn't get it. He's old school. A tweaker. Obama gets it. Obama better win. Even today, America is the only country in the world that can lead the world. The Danes, the Spaniards, the German, the Brazilians, and the French, they all have better alternative energy technology (to date) than the U.S. But their progress has not made a dent in consumer behavior on a worldwide scale. Only the U.S. has the history of innovation that the rest of the world follows (excldg. the Islamic world.)

America is still the shining city on the hill that the rest of the world looks up to. For the past 8 yrs., we've become dim and the petro dollars have put wind in the sails of our enemies: Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia. Talk about killing 3 birds with one stone. If we can right our situation with Obama at the helm, we will win back leverage, respect, and the planet. Innovate, baby, innovate! We have to.

Retard

2008-10-25T06:03:00.001-04:00

Fruit fly research as much as research done on mice have been the cornerstone of basic genetic research over the century. This is high school Biology class 101.

Then again, of course, she is also skeptical about man's contribution to global warming. But she does want to fix the problem... without knowing the cause of the problem.

I bet she also believes that all of the animals did in fact (i.e. literally) fit into Noah's Ark.

Fckn retard.

iTunes

2008-10-18T08:03:00.023-04:00

Why is it that everytime I go to iTunes to listen to some of the music that I bought, there's always a new 'upgrade' option awaiting me (Version 8.01 now-- yes, 100th decimal point) and I have to click 'no' ? Can't they release a new upgrade, then batch them up every 6 months vs. an upgrade every fckn day that some outsourced Indian software developer in the Subcontinent who couldn't get laid comes home drunk to his $30 (= 100 million rupies)/month modern apt. with a cup of Starbucks masturbates a new line of code?

0 to 60 mph in 3.3 secs.

2008-10-13T22:45:00.003-04:00

Perfection on wheels. Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

My God, Gossip Girl is So Delicious...

2008-10-13T20:54:00.007-04:00

Just finished watching it on CW channel. I watched most of the first season and missed a few this season. But still great. Will have to get the Season DVDs next year.

Beautiful cast, exquisite outfits ranging from very preppie to hipster, great trashy storyline. They had a girl fight scene on this episode. Reminded me of Dynasty. Very cool. This season, they are filming it on Columbia campus but calling it Yale. I guess Columbia (my alma mater) is not WASPy enough. True. I think that the only WASP Ivy left is probably Dartmouth, and maybe, Yale.

Chuck, the evil character was wearing an outfit like what I usually wear in the Fall: Thomas Pink dress shirt, Turnbull & Asser ascot, an Emporio Armani jacket, J. Lindbergh skinny trousers and Gucci chelsea boots for the Fall. Albeit, the character has a real trust fund, so everything he wore was probably a notch and a stich above: I'm guessing, Charvet shirt (heavy pastel pink), Hermes ascot (navy with paisley patterns) (I have 2), Brioni brown corduroy jacket, Hermes trousers (brick red) and John Lobb Tudor boots (tan bucksuede). Perfet. Only thing missing was round black frame art history professor glasses (which I have..from Robert Marc) for the full Italio-Ingles Medicci meets New England (dare I say, Byronic) affectation.

The Kindle-- by Amazon

2008-10-13T14:41:00.012-04:00

I'm seriously considering buying it this month. It's an e-reader and it's been out for a year now. I first considered buying it last year. But I thought, "Fred, you already have books that you've bought that you've not read. Why buy it? Plus, books look nice on a bookshelf. You can stare at them as an aesthetic medidation piece when not reading and also, when people are over, they can look at the bookshelf and browse through them too. Physical books are a personal library and vanity piece."

But then, I recently realized that all I do is stare at the books and once in awhile take it to my sofa and read a few pages and it sits on my sofa. I also realized that I do a lot more reading now on my computer than I do actual books.

I have become very accustomed to writing on my computer and reading on my computer. I read a lot of news and blogs on the computer and I think that my reading speed actually is faster on the computer screen. I glide through the reading and retain the information. The computer screen now is like an ice skating rink for me as a reading platform. I'm faster in it.

Another trivial and probably a very farsical point is that I don't like the strain of keeping the pages open with my thumbs and index finger. It's work and after every 3 minutes my fingers hurt and I have to shift my fingers. To take this example even further, once I had a DVD that I rented from NetFlix on my sofa that I planned to watch. But as I clicked through my Movies on Demand list on my cable, I saw the same movie on the list and I was seriously considering watching it through cable ($4.95) because I didn't want to get off my sofa,open the envelope that the DVD came in and actually put the DVD in the DVD tray vs. just pressing a button 3 times on my cable remote in my Pompei lounge mode :(). I don't like to make effort unless it's for money, love, or knowledge.

OK. Now, the thing is that the Kindle costs $359 and here are the Pros. and the Cons.:

Pros:
1) As I mentioned, I think that I read faster and am even more prone to read on a screen (because it's easier for me now). My behavior has been modified over the past several years. Half or more of my visual intakes and processing is and has become, through a screen whether it be a computer or my flat screen HD TV. It's very comfortable;
2) Ergonomics: the digital ink (currently only black & white) looks pleasing to the eye; it has page marking, highlighting and underlining capabilities, and it's easy to turn the page forward or backward with a simple press of a large side button on either side and I can just hold the thing without any strains to my :) fingers;
3) Dictionary is embedded in the software. So I can lookup a definition with a click of a button. FYI-- When I was a serious reader, I used to have The Little Oxford English Dictionary next to me while I read. So that I can also learn new words while I read. I looked up every word that I didn't know right there and then. It was great. That was, to me, worth the effort. Knowledge!;
4) Font sizes can be adjusted. So when I feel fatigued, I can increase the size of the font, and that'll make me feel like I'm reading faster :);
5) I can download a new book from the Amazon store within less than a minute and the first chapter preview is free. There is no connection or monthly charge for the wireless access. It's included in the purchase price once (and forever). So you don't need a computer with it ever and there is NO shipping charge or wait time to get new books;
6) The electronic version of the books are cheaper than other versions due to the fact that publishers and amazon can bypass inventory or distribution costs. Most new hardcover books that retail for $25+ are only $9.99 (and comes with free set of Ginzu knives ;);
7) I can subscribe to various newspapers and periodicals if I so choose to and they are downloaded wirelessly every morning (or once a month if it's a periodical) while you sleep. Welcome to the 21st century!;
8) Kindle has long battery life (no need to recharge for at least a week) and can carry hundreds of books in it's paperback size footprint. So, if I want to stop reading one book and move onto a different genre/book, it automatically saves where I left off and returns me to where I was as I bounce from book to book. I'm one of those readers, when I read, depending on my moood that day or week, I switch from reading fiction to non-fiction and vis-a-verse. [Nomadic intellect or A.D.S.?];
9) I think that it looks kindda cool. Hospital white, paperback sized, qwerty keyboard with scroll wheels and it IS a revolutionary device. I can see it becoming a museum piece like the first iPod. Heirloom quality I think [just like the contents of my closet. Btw, I knew a guy who inherited a lot of his Bijon suits from his dad. Fckn sweet.]

Cons:
1) The price. $359 is not cheap. I'm gonna try to get one off Craigslist for cheaper. I tried eBay already. It's selling there for $360+. [I'm pennywise, poundfoolish-- jacket $600? Zegna? "That's a steal!" "What? these fish sticks are $1.99 for a dozen? Fck you hermano! :)] [FYI-- There's been conflicting rumors and reports that a new version may show up this month for the new Christmas season and may cost less as Amazon continues to penetrate the market, moving on from early adopters who are fine with paying premiums to more mass market consumers who are more price conscious. I hope that happens.];
2) Book selections are still somewhat limited. Not all Publishers have signed on. So things like the Loeb Classics and Penguin Classics which I adore are not yet available via Kindle. Amazon currently has 180,000 Kindle editions of traditional stock;
3) Similar to having to replace vinyl with CDs and DVDs with HD DVDs or Blu Ray nowadays, I may have to buy books that I may already have in an electronic version. That's optional. Btw, Kindle saves all of your books on their servers. So even if the Kindle breaks (it's sturdy though per the reviews) or is lost or stolen, your library is safe;
4) No color. Just black and white for now. The technology is not there yet. But is scheduled to be in 2 yrs. Doesn't matter to me though. It's just reading not porn (where I insist on color and HD quality.)

I think that the Pros. outweigh the Cons. and given how my visual intake behavior has changed over the past few years and it definitely has, I think that I will read again with this new platform. I miss reading books. Books seem to get deeper into me and lasts longer than film or video and I want/need that.

Btw, the name, Kindle, was inspired by the concept and myth of Fire given to us by Promethus (credit: to Pierce for correcting me on my first post. It was not Vulcan as I thought Jeff Bezos said in a Charlie Rose interview.)

Corrections

2008-10-12T10:30:00.009-04:00

I enjoy it, as a learning experience, when people from time to time, correct my facts, grammar, pronunciation, usage of vocabulary, or even, fashion. Through it all, now, the corrections have become rarer and rarer for me. Thanks to previous corrections.

As long as they dont correct me out of self righteousness or maliciousness and convey it in a diplomatic way, I feel like I'm better off knowing more than I did moments before. I THANK them!

But there are many people who find it offensive to be corrected in anyway. Through their embarrassment and lack of self esteem, they interpret corrections as mere attacks, no matter what. [note: I dont like people who are always criticizing others either. That's the flip side of the coin.]

I try to stay away from people like that. I find them weak.

A healthy ego and a strong mind should be able to handle any corrections or constructive criticisms. [and also, not to criticize all of the time.]

This also translates into one of my favorite aphorisms (from LaRochefocauld)-- "The weak can NOT be sincere." The 'weak' are always trying to hide their shortcomings. Actually, they never admit to nor, do they ever, confront their shortcomings. They are stuck and stagnant and they like it that way.

Hmmm... btw, how many times did the Sun rotate around the Earth today? Anybody?

Basic Knowledge of History

2008-10-11T15:57:00.013-04:00

To my mild surprise and disappointment, I confirmed that most people are ignorant of the most basic historical facts.

I was hanging out at Mercury last night, an early nite. [I left before the throngs beached themselves there.] One of my new favorite bartender Parker was there and he and I started on a conversation and ended up listing the American Presidents (separately) because the topic veered to American History.

I said to him that out of the 43 Presidents (including two termers) and excluding two termers, probably 38?, I can probably only list 20 of them. So, he and I jotted them down. Took about 15-20 mins.

I was able to, to my surprise, list 27 and he 22. I thought that anything more than 20 is pretty good relative to most people. Honestly, most of the 19th century after Andrew Jackson and after Lincoln was a blank in my mind.

We then decided to continue our line of conversation and decided to draw up some basic American History question and test it out on the staff there. Here's the list that we came up with. 8 questions. Again, basic, not esoteric and in terms of dates (years), we would allow a plus or minus 6 yrs.

1) Who were the 3 Axis powers in WWII?
2) When was the Civil War?
3) How many years did the American Revolutionary War last?
4) When was WWI?
5) How many countries sent a man to space? [Not entirely American History but close enough.]
6) Who was our 2nd President?
7) What were the 2 places that the Atomic bombs were dropped in WWII?
8) How many times does the Earth rotate around the Sun every year? [OK. I threw in a Science question].

I thought that these were indeed very basic questions that anybody who graduated from High School should know. But no one there except Parker and Darrin, the manager (who came close) got all of the answers right. Some of the (wrong) answers given:

1) Russia
2) Late 1700s
3) 1776
4) Late 1800s
5) Two
6) Thomas Jefferson
7) There were two?
8) Earth rotates around the Sun 4 times a year; Sun rotates around the Earth and Earth rotates around Mercury.

[I would actually like to ask these questions to Sarah Palin. I'm sure that there would be some great Tina Fey moments from it.]

In any case, even for me, I didnt know the answers to some of these questions after college. But I knew that I should know them. Not because it effects my life in any direct way. But because basic questions should be known by all educated people and that we are better decision makers by knowing facts, contexts, and outcomes from the past. These reference points dont dictate but can guide our decision making. So that we know the pitfalls and the hazards of actions that went before us vs. simply using 'common sense' in a vacuum.

This experiment just confirmed my belief that all opinions do NOT have equal weight and some opinions are actually better than others.

Nowadays, everyone thinks that their opinions matter just as much as anyone else's. But no. If you do not till and cultivate the soil from which your views sprout from, the fruits of those views can not be as ripe and fully formed as the ones based on curiosity, knowledge, and insights. Can anyone disagree with this?

FYI-- I naturally lose respect for people who do not have a basic knowledge of History and Science. [Of course, I suspect, that if one doesnt know the basics of History and Science, the rest, like Literauture, Art, Economics, Architecture, etc. would be quite a stretch. Their lack of curiosity is, to me, an indicator of potential fallacies in their opinions and to a certain degree, their lack of curiosity seems shameful. Think George W.]

However, this doesn't necessarily mean that curiosity makes me smarter either. But it does mean that I am more curious about some basic facts and pursuit of knowledge in general. It also doesnt mean that I dont enjoy being around people who I like (like the Mercury staff). But it does mean that our conversations will have limits. In the end though, I'd rather be with people who are fun and good hearted people than Jeopardy geeks who are boring or cold intellectuals who have no hearts.

But again (I'm going in circles here... sure, why not), the people I enjoy the most are the curious ones with a big heart.

Love the Minidresses (in the middle)

2008-10-03T17:16:00.003-04:00

Designer: HUSSEIN CHALAYAN

My Haircare Woman on the VP Debate

2008-10-03T15:09:00.010-04:00

I just got my haircut. I love my haircutter. She's a beautiful mid-40s Greek woman. She's been cutting my hair to perfection every month for the past 8 years. I used to have one who did a great job as well but she was a big talker and she would take close to half an hour to cut my hair while she spoke on and on about some meaningless issues. I felt like I gave her money to give her therapy. The results were good. But it just took too god damn long. With Eva, my current haircutter, she does a better job and cuts my hair in 5- 10 mins. and she's a hot cougar. Very slender with a new boob job. I also like the fact that from time to time, she would take breaks from cutting my hair to answer her cellphone to talk to her friends. I find that kinnda funny and adorable. She's European afterall and she has that laid back European style. She reminds me of being at Mykonos where I had one of the most fun and relaxing vacations ever.

I've never ever had a problem with her except once when a few years ago, I brought my girlfriend at the time to wait behind us while she cut my hair. I introduced my gf to her and they quickly exchanged superficial greetings. Then Eva butchered my hair. My girlfriend was hot. Slim, blonde, blue eyes, beautiful face and young. So, Eva, took it out on my hair that day. My hair looked like a wet rat (short, spikey, uneven)and I swear I saw some small empty patches on the back when she showed me the hand mirror to examine the 360. I was alittle upset. But I also thought that it was kind of funny too. [I digressed.]

Anyway today, I asked her if she watched the VP debate last nite. She said yes. So, I said, "What did you think?" She said, "Nobody's going to vote for a black man." I was stunned but didn't show it. I wanted to play along and see where this is going. So, I said, "That's interesting. So you don't think we're ready for a black President yet hey? So maybe in a hundred years?" She said, "No, never." Mind you, there were other people (all women) next to me getting their hair done. But fortunately, the blow dryers were all going. So they drowned out much of Eva's comments. I continued to play along, "Well, if he does get elected, he'll probably get assasinated. So he won't be around for long." She replied, "I know. That's what my husband says too." Btw, let me point out that Eva is not a stupid woman. She's just not PC. Brutally honest. She's been in Manhattan for over 20 years and she and I agree on many things and she calls spade a spade. I really like that about her and her sense of style is impeccable. She looks great in one of her thousands of D&G and Cavalli outfits. A very good eye. That implies some un subpar judgement in my book.

I continued. "Did you like Palin?" She said,"Yes, she's cute. Did you see her wink? She's so cute." "Yeah, I did. She is cute." Then she says, "But she's against abortion." She follows up and says, "That's wrong. Women have the right to choose." I said, "Yeah, I know." Then she asks, "Both of them (Palin and Obama) are against gay marriage right?" I said, "Yes, but they will let the States decide." She says, "Oh." Then I asked her, "So, you're voting for Palin-McCain?" Given her previous comment on Barack, I knew she would say "yes."

She said, "No, she is against abortion. That's wrong." I say, "You're voting for Obama???" She said, "Yes."

I was dumbfounded! But I loved her logic. Quite circuitous. I found it adorable. I love European women. [Note: Some Americans, very rarely though, have European sensibilities and I love them too. But they are rare. Like a four leaf clover.]

Diplomacy

2008-09-30T20:40:00.011-04:00

Pursuant to my 'Degenrate' blog, I have (I think) resolved the situation.

A few days ago, I was taking a nap and heard yet again the doggy park keychain fetch situation outside my door. My god. I had so many violent, textbook American Psycho fantasies (so many robust permutations and variety that I literally giggled several times at my own ingenious poison thoughts under the blanket) that I felt like writing another blog just to sweat the toxins out of my brain and also to leave some poison morsels for posterity to read and review. Then I had a frightening thought in my mind... what if I keep these thoughts baking in my mind, and one day, I just sleep walk and wake up with blood on my hands and their body parts in the freezer! What then?!!

After thinking about the frightening possibility (remote but not entirely impossible)... I dared not go back to sleep without resolving the situation. Afterall, I do have very violent fantasies but I would never actually do it. That would be psychotic. I may be twisted but not psychotic!

So, on my way out to run some errands that evening, I discussed the issue (the facts not the fantasies) with my doorman/concierge guy and I decided then and there, what I was thinking in parallel as a rational person, that I write a gentle letter to the degenerate (aka my neighbor).

I wrote: "Dear Neighbor: I would really appreciate it if you can exercise your dog outside and not in the hallway. It's up to you. But if you don't, please do not use keychain or metallic item to play fetch. It is very loud. Perhaps, you can use a plastic ball or something that is not metallic or as loud? I would appreciate it. Thank you."

Short, sweet, and straight to the point. I showed it to my concierge desk guy and he gave me the apt. building stationery envelope that I put the little memo into. He told me that if that doesn't work, he will get the dog and go up to the rooftop and throw it 29 stories down. I said, "OK."

Well, since the day after I dropped off that memo, the doggie park continues outside my door. But I only hear a rubber ball. No more keychains. It's been 3 days now without the loud metallic sound going off every 5 seconds for 30 mins. every 4 hrs.

Thank the gods. Diplomacy worked!

I can imagine though, in a parallel universe (the existence of which is now a consensus among most theoretical physicists), their body parts would be in a clear ziplock bag in my freezer as I write this blog.

Diplomacy worked. I'm relieved.

Palin CBS Interview-- Foreign Policy/Russia

2008-09-27T12:01:00.001-04:00

My God.

Something that I would never say...

2008-09-25T06:27:00.013-04:00

"Hey, gal, lose 15 lbs.!" That's not gentlemanly.

But I met a gal pal at my bar earlier tonight and she's trying out for a TV station as a sports reporter. Everything apparently went well. But she said that they said that she needs to lose 10 lbs. She took it like a Champ though.

Anyway, my jaw dropped. Because it was so true and they actually told her the truth. As a friend, even if she were 100 lbs. overweight, I would not have said anything. At worst, I would have said, "You look healthy!"

The truth of the matter is that there are some fairly absolute standards especially for overweight women. I feel bad for them sometimes. Because alot of them actually dont eat that much. But their genes and metabolism milks every fat out of those calories and put it on their ass, thighs, or abdomen.

I'm known and pride myself in being honest. "Nah, that scarf doesnt work with that outfit." "Sorry, those shoes are not sexy." etc. But when it comes to telling gals their weight, I skip it entirely.

So it's nice to know that there are some places and people who can tell them exactly the truth.

Hey, me, I need to gain 20 lbs. and workout and develop some muscles. I'll take it like a champ too. I think though that it's easier to gain weight than to lose it. Once I worked out for 3 weeks straight and I looked like Bruce Lee... Enter the Dragon.. tight and atheletic like a gay porn star. So I know that my body is quite malleable. 6 months max.

I feel bad for women though. Hard to loose the weight off the ass once the ass grows. That's why I'll never date a woman with a big ass. After childbirth, she will be a Sasquatch. Fck that.

I can never love a fat ass woman-- even if she wins the Nobel Prize.

Lehman and Lethe-- A River Runs Through It

2008-09-16T06:02:00.029-04:00

"My accountants tell me how much I have. But they can never tell me how much is enough."-- Seneca (the Younger, 1st century A.D.)

Hubris, avarice, vanity, and Empire.

Burn baby burn.

Drexel Burnham Lambert, SunTrust, LTCM, Baring Securities, Enron, Bear, Lehman. (19 centuries later.)

We will never learn. Lethe, river of forgetfullness.

Humans... so easily forget the past.

May Rome burn while Nero fiddles [note: figurative, not actual] and smiles.

Tis our lot; that's why a life unexamined is a tragedy and a comedy.

Estelle - American Boy... Kanye West (Video)

2008-09-16T05:31:00.001-04:00

Estelle and this video is very ghetto and it's been out for a few months. But I love this song. Perfect blend of hip hop and harmony. Great success.

How I Feel - Most of the Week

2008-09-10T06:51:00.006-04:00

Hey. Nah. Hmmm. [In clockwise order from the bottom right.]

Degenerate

2008-09-05T12:38:00.005-04:00

I have this girl who lives across the floor from my apt. She's a degenerate. An Asian gal around 30 yrs. old. I see her from time to time in the elevator or waiting for the elevator. She looks like shit. She never wears make up and always wears basketball shorts or sweats and flip flops. She's the type of girl that looks like she never showers and doesn't care to. She also recently got a small dog. It's a size of a skinny cat and very hyperactive. It's a kindda dog that I can pick up and chuck across the street like a nerf football. Very annoying dog.

Anyway, in the past 2 months, she has decided to make the hallway into her own doggy park and play fetch. She comes out of her hole every few hours and they play fetch. Initially, when I saw this by accident as I was catching the elevator, she had a little pink ball which made minimal noise. But now, she has some kind of key chain or metallic thing that she throws and it makes alot of noise. It's very annoying.

I want to open my door, grab the mutt and step on it like a cockroach and watch it's internal organs spray on the walls then after she finishes watching it, I want to take out a Rambo sized hunting michete and sever her head off (OJ style) and throw it down the trash chute down the hall and on the way back from the trash chute to my apt. make hand stamps on the wall with the blood and sign it with my index finger 'Gucci' then come back inside and blast "Barracuda" by Heart while I wash my hands in the sink and watch the bloodwater swirl down the sinkhole like a twister.

Is that bad?

Borat Does a Campaign

2008-09-05T00:43:00.001-04:00

The Aryan Party

2008-09-03T05:43:00.012-04:00

I saw the Republican Party Convention tonight and couldn't help but notice that it was all White. I saw one black person and one pacific islander. Does that reflect the composition of this country?

Now obviously, non-whites were not banned from the convention. But it does seem to infer that the non-whites are not inspired or attracted to the RNC. "If you are non-White, then you're guests (an unwelcomed one) here and this land is NOT your land and goddamit, no more handouts to you people."

One of the strengths of America I think is it's diversity. Isn't it? Net net? Despite the tensions that diversity sometimes brings?

Watching the Rep. convention tonight was like jumping in a time ship and going back to pre-Civil War days or watching the Hitler documentary, "Triumph of the Will."

I thought then, hey, this is a genuine Ku Klux Klan rally (fck American Idol, this is the real McCoy.) Kids, go get the popcorn! They're gonna burn niggers, chinks, spics, and queers and finish off with a Golden Calf ceremony. Hurry kids!

Remember... Alaska is close to Russia

2008-09-02T10:50:00.001-04:00

So Palin knows world affairs

Play it again, Sam

2008-08-30T01:20:00.001-04:00

2008 Campaign- Democrats

2008-08-26T00:28:00.006-04:00

I think that if the Democrats really want to win the Presidential election this year, they better get more passionate and angry and yes, attack the Bush/Cheney years and the McSame years to come. For god sake, Bush has a 27% approval rating for a reason.

I'm worried about Obama's professorial tone. He needs to get more personal and use the mantra: McSame, Bush McCain ticket, etc. Use fear and anger and sprinkle it with hope, not the other way around. Fear and anger motivates the masses. It works.

John Kerry had the same frckn problem. Too nice, cerebral and just reactive.

Presidential election is a not high stakes game of cards played by well meaning gentleman around a table. It never was. It's a gladitorial sport where people (should) bleed, lose limbs, and die. The Dems. have to step up. The Republicans know what game this is far better.

I remember the Oscar winning movie, 'Network' where at one point the news anchor goes insane and tells people from his newscast to go to their windows, open it, and shout: "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!!!" and people did. It was a wonderful scene and I think that alot of people these days feel the same way.

The Dems. have to provoke a revolution not just stoically convince people to arrive there through logic. The Democrats (Obama) need to go reptilian! Bipartisanship later.

The Talented Mr. O'Biden

2008-08-23T13:55:00.008-04:00

I'm so happy that Obama picked Biden as his running mate.

I have always been a BIG fan of Joseph Biden. Many of you may not know this but I'm a pretty hardcore political junkie and I used to watch C-Span religiously (for hours) on important hearings like the Judicial Committee hearings when it came to Supreme Court justices and the Foreign Relations Committee on Iraq (first and the second one). So, I've seen Biden intensely for the past 20 years or so and he never seized to impress me with his oration, personality, and common sense as the leader of these two very important committees.

However, I didn't know until recently that he came from a poor background nor that he got elected as a Senator at the age of 29! and that his wife and daughter were killed in a car accident. In recent months, I saw him speak about it and how hard that was and how his faith was tested and how he thought about killing himself many times. But he came out stronger. I love people who had been through hardships and come out on top. Triumph over hardships and sufferings. It's heroic. [McCain did too obiviously. But his policies are too similar to Bush's.]

Biden was FOR the second Iraq war (as I was after 9/11; "kill your enemies before they stand up to kill you."-- Old Testamentesque) But he was also one of the first along with his colleagues who I also admire: Luger and Hagel, to come down hard on Rumsfeld and the Cheney administration on the horrific and heineous execution of the war.

You all will have to see him speak to understand what I am talking about. Biden has a first class mind, has a down to earth way of saying things, and his judgement is crystal. He also knows foreign affairs inside out.

I also have to give credit to Obama for being so wise to pick Biden. Biden is a Deleware senator. Deleware only has 3 electoral votes. So Deleware is not what Obama is after. But a trustworthy and wise Statesman who can help him think through complex issues and govern. Biden is the anti-Cheney.

Now we have the perfect team, the Messiah and his John the Baptist. Thank the gods.

Pros and Cons of Having a Girl Friend

2008-08-23T03:40:00.006-04:00

The Cons first :):

CON:
1) Doing stuff that I dont want to do (like Brunch at Noon or Rollerblading in the park);
2) Paying for everything;
3) Limiting my independence.

PRO:
1) Memories (creating and sharing them);
2) Snuggling in bed;
3) Doing things that I'm too lazy to do on my own but want to do (like, driving up to Maine and hiking, biking, whitewater rafting, going skiing together, going to flea markets and thrift stores, shopping together, cooking for her and her cooking for me, dinner parties, dressing up for Halloween together, movie nights, going to plays, operas, concerts, and cabarets with her, doing craft things like Martha Stewart type projects, dancing in the living room (cheek to cheek) to a Gershwin tune)
4) Romance (with kisses and caresses)

I'm a lone wolf. I'm comfortable with it. But I need to get out of my comfort zone. She has to be attractive, slender, fun, fashionable, smart, silly, responsible, and have nice legs and feet (high arches and look great in heels). I wont settle but I'm willing to give in :).

I want to be in love. Love is worth the hurt.

New Olympic Sports

2008-08-20T12:02:00.019-04:00

I think that the following should also be Olympic sports events: billiards, thumb wrestling, arm wrestling, hop scotch, hot dog eating, rock paper and scissors, kite fighting, juggling, poker, pole dancing, pebble skipping, fishing, hunting, sky diving, speed reading, speed text messaging, ballroom dancing, beer pong, quarters, and tic tac toe.

These are all competitive sports that require tremendous amount of discipline, dedication, and training to be the best. And like most of the traditional Olympic sports (excluding Equestrian such as Dressage), it requires the athelete to stand while sporting (note: excluding poker and tic tac toe).

Gold

2008-08-19T08:02:00.003-04:00

Shawn Johnson. Balance Beam Gold. So adorable. Cute as a button. USA! (sans Bush).

Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan

2008-08-19T06:39:00.001-04:00

Lovely. Sigh...

Flattery

2008-08-18T13:02:00.018-04:00

will get you everywhere.

I love flattery. Most people do. It's how it's done that some people do not like.- La Rochefocauld. But when it comes to the category of "You look great!" it doesn't matter how its done. People like people who like them and the easiest way to show it is by saying you look great!

"How do you look so great all of the time?" "By making it a habit to be around perfectly charming people like you!" [Paraphrasing Wilde's 'An Ideal Husband']

I also say, "I congratulate you on your fantastic taste."

I've had many compliments from men and women in the past. "I love your outfit." "I love your shoes." "Are you in fashion?" "Are you a photographer?" "You're the best looking guy here." The last one here was from last week. As soon as I walked into Bungalow and went to the somewhat crowded bar for a drink after slicing through the dance area, a girl said this to me and although she wasn't my type, I chatted with her and got her a martnini. Cheers and bravo.

I like to think and often say that my only affirmation is me. But from time to time, it's great to be flattered.

On the other hand, anti-flattery, is awful. "Have you lost weight?" "You're so skinny." "You look tired." First off, I'm a dandy. I'm supposed to be thin. It keeps my closet in full bloom and it permits me to wear a full spectrum of fashion from preppie to punk rock. All visuals are at my disposal. Secondly, "Yeah, tired of looking at and watching your mouth move."

Btw, I don't say "How are you?" to my friends. Instead, I greet my guy friends, "Hi handsome. What would you like to drink?" and to my gals, I say, "You look gorgeous. So good to see you. Champagne, wine?" :)!

Then we start our night with a smile and another beautiful night is born. Aurora Borealis.

"Gossip Girl Here"

2008-08-17T12:47:00.003-04:00

I was a big fan of Melrose Place way back when. Now Gossip Girl and Lipstick Jungle.

This ad is right outside of my apartment building. I like it. Very 'Cruel Intentions' 'Dangerous Liasons' Tres Serpentine.

Lovely Girl

2008-08-17T12:38:00.002-04:00

Nice oufit.

Obama vs. McCain

2008-08-17T06:07:00.024-04:00

McCain kicked Obama's ass in the CNN interview. I may vote for McCain.

You would have had to seen what I saw (all 2 hrs.) to know what I'm talking about. I was a (hardcore) Obama guy (change, youth, democrat... as far away as George Bush as possible. NO MORE Cowboy Bush!) until this interview. McCain is no Bush.

Obama is smarter but McCain is WISER! Wisdom wins (for me). I was extremely surprised how it went. I was biased towards (i.e. FOR..) Obama to begin with. [He's a genius and an alumnus of my alma mater too, afterall.]

I cant believe it myself. Let's see how the pending debates pan out.

But wow, McCain was incredible tonight. Sincerity, honor, and wisdom vs. Obama's tight logical rhetoric. Kindda like Kirk vs. Spock... for the Captain's seat.

Anyway, just get Bush (and Chaney) out! The worst "President" that we have ever had. Ever.

Katy Perry - Ur So Gay

2008-08-16T00:09:00.001-04:00

I'm in love with Katy.

Bunny's New Kitty- So Cute!

2008-08-14T21:45:00.003-04:00

Bronzino- Portrait of a Young Man

2008-08-14T06:19:00.002-04:00

Beautiful, standard example of Mannerist art. One of my favorites at the Met.

Ivan Albright- Picture of Dorian Gray

2008-08-14T06:07:00.003-04:00

"In me, are Heaven and Hell."-- Oscar Wilde

Charles Bell

2008-08-13T13:59:00.002-04:00

Mexicans

2008-08-13T09:29:00.026-04:00

Hola and fck u too mi hermano!

This city needs Mexicans because without this voluntary slave class (note: NOT a prescription but a description, i.e. a fact; slave wages and slave responsibilities--i feel bad for them and their current station sometimes), no one else will do their job (i.e. delivering food, cleaning the tables, selling cheap flowers, etc). But god, many of them are frckn dense. What's worse is that their ancestors built the Mayan Pyramids, Palenque, and Macchu Pichu (Peruvian... same thing). How great the fall! It's a shame. Montezuma must be rolling in his grave.

I was hungry in the morning and was in a mood for a hot dog. I wanted to go to Gray's Papayas or Nathan's on 14th St. But figured that the $12 round trip in a cab wasn't worth it. So, I decided on 2nd Ave. Deli (on 33rd and 3rd Ave.) which is 3 blocks from me.

It's where I get my $16 pastrami sandwich. Despite the price, which is double the regular kosher deli prices, I simply love their pastrami. So, I get it once a week anyway. Afterall, I don't do Daniel or Nobu every week so hey.

I asked for a hot dog with everything on it (naturally, $4, fckn rip off prices. Even the hot dog in Loew's movie theater is cheaper. Note: I'm what you call pound foolish, penny wise. Jacket $1,000? What a bargain! Hot dog $4? Fck u! :) and a quarter pound of chopped liver to go (for breakfast). Next thing I see as I peer through the glass counter is this 4'11" Mexican boy heaping a hay full of sauerkraut. I said to him. "Please, not so much." So, he shaves it off completely. No sauerkraut. Then after that I peer again, ketchup. The entire hot dog was completely drenched in ketchup. So, I screamed.. "too much!"

I was thinking to myself. First off, why are these Mexicans so fckn stupid. Second, why are they so fckn short?! I mean, I'm not a tall guy. I'm average Korean size 5'8"[I'm Short]. But I think a man should be no shorter than 5'5"... in my opinion. Otherwise, one is not human species but a dwarf species.

Anyway, this guy couldn't even make a hot dog! Then of course, I heard him whisper something "chino" to his Mexican buddy next to him. Probably some slander. I try not to complain with low level people because they can NEVER take a criticism or a correction because they take it personally vs. oh, the customer is saying something to me and I need to be more attentive.

Again, how did these people build the fckn pyramids?! [Btw, I climbed Chichen Itza a few years ago and I tried to squeeze my credit card through one of the 10 ton block crevices and it wouldn't fit. That's how precisely engineered it was!] What the hell happened to these people?!

Michel Montaigne

2008-08-12T05:41:00.001-04:00

I shall not repent.

Garbo

2008-08-11T07:06:00.002-04:00

My Ninotchka. She set too high a bar for me to endure today.

Pyramid Girl

2008-08-11T06:21:00.018-04:00

Met an interesting cute girl at my hang out on Saturday nite. Pyramid Club on 6th and A. I'm usually the only guy without a tatoo there. [Btw, one of my fantasy is to take a gal who can handle it from Bemelman's (6-8pm), The Met Opera (8-10pm), Buddakan (10- Midnight), Bijouix (Midnite to 1am), Pyramid (1am-2:30am), then Bungalow (2:30am-4:30am)].

Anyway, I saw this girl pull up to the bar next to me and I noticed her shirt. It was like a guy's shirt, with burgundy pencil stripe and a Nehru (almost, Member's Only collar) and I said hi to her and told her I like her shirt (said it was Diesel) and she told me that she likes my shirt too (I was wearing a grey Agnes B. with Hitler youth black stripes and black collar.I only wear it when I go to the Pyramid Club. 80s/Industrial music-- Fascist couture thing.) So, we talked for like 15 mins. (had a good rap going) and she ordered 3 Heineikens and I said, "btw, I'm Fred. What's your name?" I happen to ask while she was picking up the 3 bottles from the bar. The next thing I saw was her reaching out her right hand to shake my hand while she was saying "Niiiiii..cole."

As I awkwardly and formally reached out to meet her right hand, she staggered and in slow motion (time warp!) timbered backward with 2 Heinekens on her left hand and the 3rd one ALMOST nestled in her left armpit to the floor! She was out for the count. Apparently, she was drunk :(). Too bad. She was a cute brunette with green eyes. Damn!

Her friends carried her (horizontal) out of the Pyramid Club. Damn.