Hey there,
Some news stories you might have missed from around the globe. Will start local and radiate outwards.
I loved this story about a Taipei taxi driver that was so pissed about getting speeding tickets from the roadside traffic cameras that he came back in the middle of the night with a pack of post-its and covered up the camera lenses. The surveillance footage of him using a stick to affix the post-it to the camera is hilarious. Article states that defacing official property could have landed him in jail for 5 years, but he expressed appropriate remorse and was sentenced to two months, which could be reduced to a hefty fine. I have no love for the local taxi drivers for many reasons, but have absolute respect for this guy. It may not be in your town yet, but this is a great example about how the proliferation of surveillance cams is not only gonna make us safer from crime, but will end all manner of hi-jinks.
Next is a great example of how petty and to what lengths the Chinese will go to keep their thumb on any expression of Taiwanese autonomy. At the International Food Fair day at some Hungarian University, the Chinese embassy complained about a booth that was to sell food from here under a banner of Taiwan Cuisine, and the organizers made them take it down. We could get into the geopolitics of nationalism and identity and how the Chinese are not the only ones that are sensitive about stuff like this, but a great example as to how any perceived slight, no matter how remote or small, is attacked every time. You know they have to be worried when Taiwan is always cited as having positive attributes, like being ranked the 17th richest nation with respects to division of wealth (China 74 out of 191), and being ranked by Gallup as the chillest nation on Earth in terms of stress and negative experiences (sorry Chad).
Couldn't pass up sharing this story, (with accompanying video) from the Philippines. President and Strongman Duterte was giving some speech and a giant cockroach climbs up his sleeve. A guard comes over to knock it off unsuccessfully and it moves down the front of his shirt. He then knocks it to the ground, crushes it with his shoe and declares "It's a liberal for sure." I know he is all for indiscriminate killing of perceived enemies to the State, but the guy is a damn good improviser.
Finally, news from Norway. This one is a personal tale of caution. Seems a dude had a knee injury and he bought a plastic stool to put in his shower so he could wash himself properly without slipping. A great idea and one I have been considering for a while as mine hurt often and it will help when it comes time to wash my feet. This guy went to IKEA and found one, but it had a bunch of little holes in it as chairs will do. The problem arose as the holes were just the right size for his balls to slip through and get caught. It took a while for him to dislodge his "nutter" but the cold water caused shrinkage and he was able to free himself. This is Norway so there was no lawsuit and his notation to IKEA and their response were good natured. He now puts a washcloth over the seat to prevent a repeat performance.
Sorry for the cop out post this week, but there is not much in personal news worthy to share and have not had the free time to spend on this space. Baseball practises are 5 days a week and whenever Betty is in town, she keeps me busy. Busy with not only the usual tasks of attending to her every need, but she has been on a travel planning kick and that means I am researching things to do. It is a glorious task so am not complaining in the least, but she has gone a bit crazy is booking 10 months out. A bit of a humblebrag here, but get this for an itinerary. Our summer States romp starts in one month and Babydoll and I are gonna do a road trip from Atlanta to DC to see friends and family, but also see a mess of schools. We then go to SF to hang with my mom, and then Betty and I are going to sneak off to Chicago for 5 days as it is close to our 25th Anniversary, so we are doing that before we end with a couple weeks in Seattle. Before we settled on Chicago, Betty considered doing a road trip for us from Mt Rushmore to Seattle, but after our arguments about driving during the last two road trips, really every road trip ever, I swore that I would not do another one unless she was bound and gagged in the trunk of the car.
After we get back to TW, we will be in Bali for Thanksgiving, then Europe for Christmas break (current plan is Bulgaria/Romania but have not locked in yet). Next, we are going to Oman for Chinese New Year (apparently, road tripping in Oman is the thing to do and they are OK with tying up women and putting them in the trunk there...gag optional but recommended) and finally a 10 day Spring break trip combining New Caledonia and Melbourne, Australia. Sick, right?
Alrighty then...
Some news stories you might have missed from around the globe. Will start local and radiate outwards.
I loved this story about a Taipei taxi driver that was so pissed about getting speeding tickets from the roadside traffic cameras that he came back in the middle of the night with a pack of post-its and covered up the camera lenses. The surveillance footage of him using a stick to affix the post-it to the camera is hilarious. Article states that defacing official property could have landed him in jail for 5 years, but he expressed appropriate remorse and was sentenced to two months, which could be reduced to a hefty fine. I have no love for the local taxi drivers for many reasons, but have absolute respect for this guy. It may not be in your town yet, but this is a great example about how the proliferation of surveillance cams is not only gonna make us safer from crime, but will end all manner of hi-jinks.
Next is a great example of how petty and to what lengths the Chinese will go to keep their thumb on any expression of Taiwanese autonomy. At the International Food Fair day at some Hungarian University, the Chinese embassy complained about a booth that was to sell food from here under a banner of Taiwan Cuisine, and the organizers made them take it down. We could get into the geopolitics of nationalism and identity and how the Chinese are not the only ones that are sensitive about stuff like this, but a great example as to how any perceived slight, no matter how remote or small, is attacked every time. You know they have to be worried when Taiwan is always cited as having positive attributes, like being ranked the 17th richest nation with respects to division of wealth (China 74 out of 191), and being ranked by Gallup as the chillest nation on Earth in terms of stress and negative experiences (sorry Chad).
Couldn't pass up sharing this story, (with accompanying video) from the Philippines. President and Strongman Duterte was giving some speech and a giant cockroach climbs up his sleeve. A guard comes over to knock it off unsuccessfully and it moves down the front of his shirt. He then knocks it to the ground, crushes it with his shoe and declares "It's a liberal for sure." I know he is all for indiscriminate killing of perceived enemies to the State, but the guy is a damn good improviser.
Finally, news from Norway. This one is a personal tale of caution. Seems a dude had a knee injury and he bought a plastic stool to put in his shower so he could wash himself properly without slipping. A great idea and one I have been considering for a while as mine hurt often and it will help when it comes time to wash my feet. This guy went to IKEA and found one, but it had a bunch of little holes in it as chairs will do. The problem arose as the holes were just the right size for his balls to slip through and get caught. It took a while for him to dislodge his "nutter" but the cold water caused shrinkage and he was able to free himself. This is Norway so there was no lawsuit and his notation to IKEA and their response were good natured. He now puts a washcloth over the seat to prevent a repeat performance.
Sorry for the cop out post this week, but there is not much in personal news worthy to share and have not had the free time to spend on this space. Baseball practises are 5 days a week and whenever Betty is in town, she keeps me busy. Busy with not only the usual tasks of attending to her every need, but she has been on a travel planning kick and that means I am researching things to do. It is a glorious task so am not complaining in the least, but she has gone a bit crazy is booking 10 months out. A bit of a humblebrag here, but get this for an itinerary. Our summer States romp starts in one month and Babydoll and I are gonna do a road trip from Atlanta to DC to see friends and family, but also see a mess of schools. We then go to SF to hang with my mom, and then Betty and I are going to sneak off to Chicago for 5 days as it is close to our 25th Anniversary, so we are doing that before we end with a couple weeks in Seattle. Before we settled on Chicago, Betty considered doing a road trip for us from Mt Rushmore to Seattle, but after our arguments about driving during the last two road trips, really every road trip ever, I swore that I would not do another one unless she was bound and gagged in the trunk of the car.
After we get back to TW, we will be in Bali for Thanksgiving, then Europe for Christmas break (current plan is Bulgaria/Romania but have not locked in yet). Next, we are going to Oman for Chinese New Year (apparently, road tripping in Oman is the thing to do and they are OK with tying up women and putting them in the trunk there...gag optional but recommended) and finally a 10 day Spring break trip combining New Caledonia and Melbourne, Australia. Sick, right?
Alrighty then...
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