Unlike one Southeast Asian city-state’s mass transit system I know about, Tokyo’s train platforms are alive with the sound of music. Andy Raskin’s radio piece on digitized melodies, or hasha, asks, “Can synthesized musical snippets soothe the straphanger breast?” (RealAudio, 3′ 10″).
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Winamp auto-shuffle top-10 playlist this morning
2004
12.18
12.18
- Bird Thongchai: “Khon Mai Mee Faen”
- Tupac Shakur: “Toss It Up”
- Boy George & Culture Beat: “Generations Of Love”
- Ah Beng: “Tanjong Rhu (Busok vs. Sakongsa)”
- D2B: “Zah”
- Eppu Normaali: “Vuonna 85”
- Mega: “Pasti”
- Rolling Stones: “Paint It Black”
- F4: “Ai De Ju Zi”
- Gersang: “Bersama Suara Hati”
Damn, it didn’t give me a chance to showboat my esoterica, like, “Best Wishes To The Brothers And Sisters In Eastern Zone” (2′ 48″, MP3, 2.6MB) by an unknown Khmer Rouge duet, c. 1975–79.
Tags: ah beng, bengRelated posts
“This is Burma, and it will be quite unlike any land you know about”
2004
12.13
12.13
The City Hall of Yangon, Myanmar (Burma), offers advise quite unlike any bureaucracy I know about:
ACCEPT THAT THE BUREAUCRAT IS RIGHT
. . . Dont argue. There is a maxim: The bureaucrat is always right especially when he is wrong. Accept it.OBSERVE REGULATIONS
One course to follow to get out of the way of the bureaucrat is to observe the regulations however irksome or irrational. If you dont know what they mean, ask him. He might be pleased. On the other hand, he might be irritated. You cant win. You see what I mean?
UPDATE 2008-08-05: New permalink. Original link works again (2008-11-05)
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Liberty-loving nations (then and now)
2004
12.09
12.09
“On 30th November 1939 at 06:50 a.m. the Soviet Army attacked Finland on all fronts with infantry, navy and air force, without a declaration of war.” (By Elina Ritala.)
To garner support for Finnish people’s struggle in the Winter War, Finnish Foreign Minister Väinö Tanner made a radio speech (RealAudio, 1′ 51″, from www.sodatkuvina.cjb.net/laulut.htm) to the people of the United States of America on the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) on 3 December 1939.
The following is my transcript of the original broadcast. All mistakes — and punctuation decisions — are entirely mine.
ANNOUNCER:
Hello NBC, here is Finland calling. We are broadcasting a statement by the Finnish Foreign Minister, Mr Väinö Tanner.
FOREIGN MINISTER VÄINÖ TANNER:
At the post to which I have been called, I have to try to the best of my abilities to act in such a manner that Finland — which wishes to carry out works of peace — might as soon as possible see Her relations with the Soviet Union became once again peaceful.
I may repeat here what I said yesterday to certain foreign correspondents: the Finnish government will not refuse to take part in negotiations for the restoration of peace.
Nevertheless, anyone who believes that the Finnish people can be brought by the threat of force — and the terror already launched — to make concessions that will denote in reality the loss of the independence, is mistaken.
We shall defend ourselves against such forcefull methods that we can’t bring ourselves to believe that the civilized Western world will not find some means which are more powerful than its invaluable sympathy.
When these means are found, liberty-loving nations all over the world can be certain that Finland’s independence will be preserved, and that the sphere of liberty will not be threatened by a shrinkage in this corner of the world.
Haven’t I heart this very same phraseology recently on a rather different context? Shame, shame on Bush, Rumsfeld et al.
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Absolutely American
2004
12.09
12.09
Pocket in the front of David Lipsky, Absolutely American: Four Years at West Point (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2003).
What would you do if your recently bought second-hand book would be carring library markings? Here is my solution:
| From: | Kai Vilmi |
|---|---|
| Sent: | Wednesday, December 08, 2004 4:14 PM |
| To: | Caplan, Audra [Library Director, Harford County Public Library] |
| Subject: | Your book in Finland |
Dear Audra,
I recently bought a second-hand volume of David Lipsky’s “Absolutely American: Four Years at West Point” from BookBrothers.net, an online bookseller. When the book arrived today, I was rather perplexed to notice that it carries your stamp and lending pocket as shown on the enclosed image file.
Since the book doesn’t have any indication of being cancelled by your library, I was wondering if this hardcover edition is your property that has somehow been stolen or lost.
Should you wish to investigate this matter, the following are details of my order: Order #[withdrawn] from BookBrothers.net, 9300 Ashton Rd, Philadelphia, PA 19114, (215) 676-8099, www.bookbrothers.net
While doing the Google for your contact information, I did a bit of Internet sightseeing of Harford County, and I must say it looks very charming indeed! One more stop on the itinerary for my next Stateside visit… 
Best Wishes and Seasons Greetings from Oulu, Finland (currently 13°F — brrr)!
— Kai
| From: | Hastler, Mary |
|---|---|
| Sent: | Wednesday, December 08, 2004 4:47 PM |
| To: | Kai Vilmi |
| Subject: | RE: Your book in Finland |
Thank you for letting us know your concern with the volume you purchased second-hand with Harford County Public Library’s markings. We participate in a book rental program called McNaughton through Brodart and those books have a pocket in the front of the book. When we are finished with the book, it is removed from the library collection and returned to Brodart. The Brodart company then discards the book. It sounds from your description that the book you purchased may have been a McNaughton book. We are not missing any copies of that book.
The image file did not come through in your email but if you would like to resend so I can take a look at the stamp and pocket that would be great. Thanks again for taking the time out of your busy schedule to follow up on your concerns and have a wonderful holiday.
Mary Hastler
Public Services Administrator
Harford County Public Library
1221-A Brass Mill Road
Belcamp, MD 21017
410-273-5600