If I were a Starfleet Capitan...

If I were a Starfleet capitan, I would deal with intruders by beaming them into space.

Once the other team dropped their shields to board, I would have all the engineers use all the the transporters on the ship to lock on to the crew of the attacking ship and beam the intruders into space. I could probably program the computer to do it.

You can call it the JP Maneuver.

It isn't quite cricket, no, and at probably more suited to space pirates than Starflleet. Of course, if I valued humanoid life, I could beam everyone straight into the brig.

Ha ha, a Starship with a Filipino capitan. That would be a blast. I'd issue a standing order to manually the crew to turn off lights when they leave the room. Also, alien races would let me get away with more stuff because Filipinos are the model minority.

Who am I kidding. I would miss Seattle too much.

Four Day Weekend!

Don't you love how Bill Donohue of the Catholic League has declared himself defender of all Catholics in the face of witty Asian American kids who satirize the priest/sex abuse scandal? I don't. Shut your greasy, racist mouth, Bill Donohue, and try to understand yesterday's Gospel. Every time you say "gook" you shame yourself, and you shame us Catholics you were never asked to defend. Jackass. (Thanks, Angry Asian Man).

On Saturday I helped 小猪 move into her new place. Then afterwards, I went with 安暾 to Pan Africa Cafe for some lovely Ethiopian food. We ordered Lamb Tibs and the Sample Platter (stewed chicken, chicken tibs, potatoes, green lentils, red lentils, and greens) all served on injera. Delicious! I had a very clovey tea with sugar, as well.

Afterwards, we went down to Bottega Italiana for gelati; 安暾 had stracciatella/nocciola, and I had gianduia/pistacchio. Yum.

I had originally planned to go to a basketball game with la 浅, but when she didn't answer her phone, I called 安暾 for dinner. Of course they were sitting next to each other, watching a basketball game on tv. So I apologized to la 浅 and told her I was too exhausted, and that I wanted African food. She was cool, but I felt like a jerk. She didn't answer the phone! Oh well.

So then yesterday I helped out the Newman Center choir; they wanted to sing some spirituals, so I taught them some spirituals. Afterwards, we all went to Hing Loon; fourteen of us pushed a small table for 4 together with a big round banquet table and cracked jokes. It was fun. 恭贺新禧, everyone!

Today the construction guys showed up... on Presidents' Day! The carpet is now shampooed, so all that is left is for me to put the room back together. Once the carpet dries, of course. They also did the hallway.

And now, I am going to watch the BSG that I missed yesterday. And THEN I will work on my Hangzhou application. First things first.

Free Association

I was just watching Battlestar Galactica, including the secret scene over at scifi.com, and I just thought I'd post a picture of Lt. Watada.

That's right.

I'll connect the dots later if the spirit moves me, since it's so late, and I need to go to bed. Feel free to connect the dots if you like.

I'm allowed to be a little vague in my own blog.

Sigh. I think I have morning prayer tomorrow.

I dare you not to puke.

It's Friday night, and I'm exhausted. Just a few quick words before I brush my teeth, climb into bed, and read either the next few chapters of A Sudden Country, or maybe go over a chapter in my Chinese textbook....

First of all, how do people not see the scathing political commentary going on at Battlestar Galactica? Last week's episode was totally Abu Ghraib in space. And guess what, there will be Saddam Hussein on Trial in space before the end of the season.

Second, I got a fat load of hits the other day, when Seattlest posted a link to my weird dream.

I heard something crazy on the radio today, that today Washington Governor Gregoire enacted a law to keep protests from interfering with funerals. Apparently, there's a group of people from Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas that travels the country picketing military funerals, claiming that God is killing troops in Iraq to punish American acceptance of homosexuality.

How many ways are these people stupid? What could possibly be accomplished by protesting at funerals? And what kind of god do they worship that needs to kill people in order to change cultural mores? Doesn't the creator of heaven and earth have a more direct means of affecting change?

Ok, finally, the principal sent us this video as a thank you to the faculty during Catholic Schools Week. When you start to gag, please note the slide number, and post it in the comments. I gagged at slide number one. But I have a low tolerance for this kind of stuff. Still, I dare you not to puke.

Hey, a TV show about what's wrong with America.

Here's a short summary of all the messages brought to you by Battlestar Galactica:

Genocide = bad (A Measure of Salvation)
Secret Tribunals = bad (Collaborators)
Military Occupation = bad (Occupation)
Torture Interrogation = bad (Taking a Break...)
Election Fraud = bad (Lay Down Your Burdens 2)
Trying to make women have babies they don't want = bad (The Farm)

Star Trek, Oysters, Apple Pie à la mode

I am sitting on my couch, eating Ben & Jerry's American Pie ice cream and watching an episode of Voyager. It's very important nowadays to be conversant in trekese. Thanks, Angry Asian Man.

Finals week is over now, so for the next few days my life is about grading. But for now, I'm going to relax. I've been busting my hump lately preparing for a big retreat next week, and getting exams ready... and I'm tired. So tonight, I'm not doing nothing.

When I got home, there were contractors in my house, trying to figure out my leak situation. They had sent two colors of water down in separate sections, to try to find the source of the leak, and apparently the green colored water leaked into my basement, suggesting that the leak is to the left of the drain pipe. The bad news is, they still don't know where the water is entering from, and they said they that some of the test water is still standing out there. They left me the shop vac just in case some more green water came in.

I think this weekend I will invite my cowsins over and buy a couple dozen oysters. I've grown up eating oysters from Puget Sound, and I'm starting to realize I don't eat them enough. And I'm pretty sure we have the best oysters. It's so odd to me that a) so many people don't know how to appreciate, much less shuck, an oyster, and b) that they're so expensive. Dickens once wrote that poverty and oysters always seem to go together. Well, I like oysters, so I hope the relationship between poverty and oysters is not causal either way.

American Pie ice cream is delicious, by the way. It's like ice cream à la mode!

Wind Day Report

Woke up this morning at 6:30, still no power. One new message on the cell phone: No school today. Sweet.

I texted H to see what her situation was; her power stayed on. I got bored by myself without electricity, so I went to Ballard market and bought eggs, sausage patties, pita, oj. Went to H's place, she cooked breakfast. Yum!

Caught up on email, etc. Found out that Simbang Gabi Mass was canceled, or at best postponed. In either case, the church is closed for business tonight. Boo! Come on, it's the first night of Hanukkah... you know, the miracle of lights? Hmph. We may be going to someone's house, since a lot the food is ready to go, seems a shame to waste it...

Took a nap on H's couch. Woke up around 11, putzed around, made my way home.

Got home at noon; the clocks were blinking 2:30, so I'm assuming power came back on at 10:30 am. Stopped at Safeway for some chicken, chocolate, and emergency candles. The best kind of emergency candles, I think, are the Mexican novena candles, because they are cheap, bright, long lasting, and encased in a jar for safety. They used to be 99 cents, but today they were $1.49.

For lunch we had cous cous with peas, chicken tenderloins with green peppers stewed in some senegalaise peanut sauce in my freezer from the Soirée Sénégalaise. It was delicious, of course, with pita. I also brought over the cheese plate from my fridge, and some mini cheesecake squares from my freezer.

Then what happened? Surfed the net for a while, watched some Futurama, blogged. Blogging.

Tonight; no Simbang Gabi. Gotta stop by work to pick up my Christmas loot (a jar of jam, a pouch of salmon chowder concentrate, various other gifts-for-teacher). Faculty bowling is at 8:55, which is the way we market 9:00 pm, nowadays. I will miss Battlestar Galactica, but I will download it tomorrow and watch it on my laptop.

May the force be with you, or whatever.

Culturally flavored ambush comedy

Well, we brown people have always wondered when we get to be on tv. You'd think that after the success of the Cosby Show in the 80s, we wouldn't have had to wait 20 years until we got George López, but we already know that the white american viewing public is fearful.

Sure, there's "er" which I watched 10 years ago because of the multicultural reality it portrayed. And there has been the occasional black sidekick, asian girlfriend, or latino drug runner, or middle eastern deli owner that proved to everyone how progressive Hollywood is. And don't forget the futuretopias of the Star Trek universe, where white people worked hand in hand with black people who were either black klingons or black vulcans or blind black people with a banana clip on their face; or a latina klingon; or the native american stereotype. Or best of all, the asian american (human!) ensign from San Francisco who sit at the feet of his busty white Captain-ess.

But now.

But now Borat has introduced culturally flavored ambush comedy, in which a comedian, who gives himself license to be a fool by pretending to be an ignorant foreigner, tests the real life reactions of real life white americans. Because really, even 20 years after Cosby, it's still all about the white people.

So don't get excited about the Papdits on CBS, because it's not about being brown in America. "er" is still your best bet.

120/80? It's gotta be a mistake

I went into my doctor's appointment today to get a referral to get my bite fixed. They took my blood pressure, and it came back 120/80. Are you kidding?

I peed in a cup and gave the lab some blood before going to 老四川饭店 Lao Sichuan Fandian. I ordered 四川牛肉 "sichuan style beef", and of course 蚂蚁上树 "ants on the tree." My goodness, that food is good. I found the picture of 蚂蚁上树 on Google images; but rest assured, the one I brought home in Styrofoam looks and tastes way better than the one in the picture.

The best part of the whole sichuan experience is the pepper, which is so hot, it's numbing. I swear it's a narcotic.

So I made it through the week, through the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Next week I have quite a week scheduled, but spiritually speaking, I'm already on Christmas break. Tomorrow, the fireplace gets fixed. Sunday is the faculty Christmas fiesta. On Tuesday we're all Mexican; Mass on Thursday, Christmas assembly on Friday. Then I have a few days to myself, before my parents get here.

I'm thinking about going to Ikea right now to get a shoe rack. As long as I'm back in time for Battlestar Galactica tonight. The show is good, you all. Part of the entertainment for me, though, is to read Jacob's really smart recaps on television without pity.

Really, I'm trying to motivate myself into driving to Ikea, because tomorrow it will be packed. But really, all I want to do is sit on my couch, enjoy my central heating, and concentrate on the slow burn of the numbing peppers from my sichuan dinner.

I remember when I used to use this blog to tell stories. Oh well.

Ah, Battlestar Galactica

They could have called this one "the case for emotional distance."

I know Starbuck is a woman now, but there was something about this episode in the denial, the longing, the sadness, the secrets, the wilderness, and the music that reminded me of Brokeback Mountain, which I loved of course, but I still never want to see it again.

I am sick of Starbuck and her taunting, and whiny Lee. I liked them both better when they were too busy being competent to dwell on the crapulesence of their personal lives. Lee falls short of being a tragic figure; his neediness detracts from his likability.

So what did we learn? Papa has to remain emotionally distant to ensure the survival of humanity, that's how he justifies it. Lee got fat to punish himself for his sins and the torch he still carries. Dualla is going to drop him like a hot rock, and no one will feel bad for him. Kara insists on sabotaging all happiness that's anywhere near her, she is pathologically cruel.

The string music is nice to listen to, but it doesn't make me like the characters as much as it wants to.

Next week's episode is a food crisis, everyone might have to go back to solving problems and being competent. Yi-uh! Maybe there will even be Cylons!

Viral Video

I got a link to this video via email, and I just find it charming.

First of all, because in high school, I was a big George Michael fan, and that song came out right around when I graduated from Tumwater High School, home of the mighty Thunderbirds.

Second, because I think republican big wigs tripped all over their evil plans, and I'm feeling pretty smug.

And the final reason I find this video charming is because I have rhythm, and the editing is timed perfectly with the music. It's a big deal to me.
_____

So last week's episode of Battlestar Galactica was about biological weapons, genocide, torture, and what it is to be human.

I've been reading a fan based website, where the consensus was "kill 'em all!" I politely disagree, and I know it's science fiction, but I'm a little startled to see how easily some of the commenters are ready to accept biological weapons and potential genocide. Yikes.

I thought I was the only one, but the recapper at Television Without Pity expressed it better; being human is a choice.

Worst Scene/Best Scene

The YouTube movie doesn't want to embed, so here's the link if you want to watch the scenes in question. You'll see the previouslies, the worst scene, the next scene, the credits, and the best scene.

The Worst Scene: On the Pegasus, between Lee and Dee. They both feel bad about Galactica's suicide mission to New Caprica, but their orders are to take the fleet and go. In the end, they force themselves through some cheesy dialog about how they're gonna carry out their orders.

The Next Scene: Anders confronts Tigh about his wife's collaboration with the Cylons.

The Best Scene: Ellen comes clean. She totally knew. Too bad we didn't get the last second of the scene, where he lays her body down and cries over it.

Adama Maneuver

Clip from Battlestar Galactica Season 3 Episode 4 "Exodus Part II" Where the galactica jumps into New Caprica's atmosphere to deploy Vipers

Goodbye, New Caprica

Spoilers make it better.

Oh, I love this show. Today the cavalry shows up. Plenty of atmospheric and high orbit action. Crazy digital photography with digital effects.

Just like in the original series, the Pegasus shows up and goes down in a blaze of glory. And Baltar goes off with the toasters... by your command.

I like when Ellen Tigh takes the cup. Deep. Good scene. And the baptism of sorts for Jaime Escalante. And how there is never satisfaction for Tigh and Starbuck. Apollo and wife are kind of gross to watch with their marriage of equals in a command structure, but yes, I get it.

Xena and the baby are going to be a trip. How did they all know immediately who the baby was?

Sigh. I love the post-apocalypse. The next episode is going to be ugly. I'm going to miss it next week; work.

Fat Apollo

Went to the store, bought some tomatoes and mozzarella, some corn for 59 cents an ear.

I know at least one of my readers will be interested in how they make Apollo fat. Also, I have a friend in China who hasn't seen the webisodes, he says they're only available to IP addresses in the US. Yikes. How do you get around that?

life? art?

Millitary occupation. Puppet government. Insurgency. Suicide bombers. New police forces trained by the Occupation. Abuse and torture of detainees. Curfews. Brutal crackdowns.

I'm talking about Battlestar Galactica, of course. But they might as well call it Bagdad in space.

I'm not sure how long it will be until the humans are on the run again, but the portrayal of the desperation of an occupied people seems like courageous tv right now. But then again, Republicans are not watching this show.

Reminds me of V, remember, from 1983? They changed Nazis into space lizards and had them attack LA. Ah, good times. Btw, it looks like there is a miniseries in the works.

BSG: Where have you been, people!

Hey! This is the internet age!

When SciFi puts out a 4 minute webisode of Battlestar Galactica, why do I have to find out about it though surfing? Egh! There are already SIX webisodes available! Are you kidding?

How did I find it? NBC promised I could watch an episode of Studio 60, which I missed tonight, at NBC.com. Well, the second episode is not available. That's when I saw the BSG stuff.

I can't BELIEVE you people. We are supposed to look out for each other! Hmph!

BSG's season 3 debuts October 6th.

And no, I'm NOT ashamed of watching sci-fi and I DON'T CARE if you think acronyms are nerdy.