Thing 1. Nikon has finally dropped details on the D90. Pretty ho-hum upgrade to the D80. Bigger sensor, live view, anti-dust vibration on the CCD. But the big new feature this time around is 24FPS video recording. I think this feature is great for two reasons. One is that it sets up this feature to be distributed throughout Nikon’s product range, making the transition from cheap consumer digi-cams to Dslr’s that much easier for people who’ve grown to love the convenience of taking simple movies. Second, it will allow people like me who’ve missed out on grabbing little moments here and there because all we’ve had is our Dslr. Plus taking movies with sweet lenses will be…sweet. ‘N stuff.
The downside will be whatever format they choose to compress it with will probably blow. Though being able to shoot 720p is nice. Also, audio. How are they gonna handle that?
Anyways since I can’t embed any of their demo videos, here’s a link to their page.
Things 2. This may be the first non crazy cat-lady cat-lady in existence.
As for Baltimore, my apartment is wonderful and seeing my friends again has been great. My new job is challenging in a good way and doesn’t make me want to commit sepukku by 9:30am like the last one.
It’s very challenging for me to keep blogging while I’m moving in and out of things in life. I need to stay on top of it.
From A year well spent. Thanks to the Japanese government and all my friends I made along the way.
I’ve been back for about a week and a half now so not having a blog update was getting a little ridiculous. I keep waiting for photos of my last days in Tokyo and Yamanashi to just appear, color corrected and compressed, to show up like lightly wrapped gifts into my flickr account. But reality is a cold harsh mistress, and I have to do all the dirty work myself.
My last weeks in Japan were spent in a way that I’m satisfied with. Sure it was a crazy mad dash the last few days, and sure I totally forgot to visit my ramen lady one last time. Which of course means certain death should I ever visit Tsuru again…
But what I am satisfied with is how I soaked up everything without trying to hold on to hard. I watched the sun go down around the mountains behind my apartment. I walked the alleys of Koenji and listened to the hustle flow around me. And then I got on a plane and went home. As long as it remains a goal to return and live there again, I’m ok with leaving when and how I did.
Speaking of the “how” I feel like the luckiest traveler in the world for the way I got home last Monday. Originally I would’ve had to fly direct to Washington D.C. then Atlanta and then finally Milwaukee for two reasons. The first is the the Japanese government would only reimburse flights to your original point of departure which for me was D.C. Second, There aren’t direct flights between Milwaukee and D.C. so a layover in Atlanta is required. All this bullshit would’ve led to a travel time of 21 hours from Japan to home. That is, if it weren’t for the standard airline policy of overselling flights.
The announcement came over the loudspeaker, “If anyone here would be willing to fly through Chicago (to D.C.), with an upgrade to business class, please come forward.” I thought for about 5 seconds before I jumped to my feet to find a flight attendant. This poor Japanese woman working at the United stand ran back and forth with my passport and flight information, eventually sho-ing me off the plane and back to the chairs. Amidst the commotion I asked if I could have my destination changed from D.C. to Milwaukee. The same woman gave me a frustrated look, took my paperwork, and disappeared for another 15 minutes before returning with a buisness class ticket to Chicago and a puddle jumper to Milwaukee.
Today saw the release of the first ever footage from inside Guantanamo bay: a rather innocuous but still haunting interrogation of a 16 year old Canadian boy.
Interrogator: You know I’m not a doctor but I think you’re getting good medical care.
Boy: No I’m not, you’re not here. (Sobbing) I lost my eyes. I lost my feet - everything.
Interrogator: No you still have your eyes and your feet are still at the ends of your legs.
Way to got team ‘Merica, I feel safer already.
Also the first episode of Generation Killpremiered this weekend making its way onto Joox.net which is apparently some sort of pirate analog to Hulu. I would join you in asking “why” if it weren’t for the fact that if you try and access Hulu outside the U.S. (or nearly any other streaming video site besides YouTube) you get the digital middle finger. Generation Kill is based almost directly, with many passages of dialog kept entirely intact, from Evan Wright’s book of the same name. It’s headed by Ed Burns and David Simon, the same television geniuses who created The Wire.The first episode was good. We’ll see how episode 2 goes.
Mr. President, it could not be clearer that this program broke the law, and this President broke the law. Not only that, but this administration affirmatively misled Congress and the American people about it for years before it finally became public. So if we are going to go back and discuss these issues that I thought had long since been put to rest, let’s cover the full history. Full AudioFull Text
That’s a quote from my state senator, Russ Feingold, beginning his 22 minute smackdown of the freshly passed FISA (foreign intelligence surveillance act) that gives retroactive immunity to telecommunication companies who knowingly and willfully began giving the governement wiretapping access to american citizens before9/11. Russ has always been there fighting for the right thing to do, for regular Americans and for freedoms we all take for granted.
Bush and Co have been pushing for this hard for nearly a year because once investigators descend down the rabbit hole of the wiretapping program, it’s going to stop squarely at their administration. In fact almost all currently proceeding cases involving illegal wiretapping in this context have been thrown out because of various state secrets provisions that the Bush administration has thrown at them. One of the last remaining lawsuits, detailed here, will probably be thrown out now that FISA passed.
Listening to Russ give the speech I’ve quoted above I can hear the anger and incredulousness in his voice. It’s the same exasperation I would expect of any politician with half a conscience. But it passed through the senate with 69 Yea’s to 28 Nay’s. You know what’s worse than watching as the worst presidency in the history of the United States getting away with committing over 30 felonies over a 7 year period? Feeling like a complete naive fool for thinking the democratic presidential canidate was actually different. That he would actually stand up for what’s right, what’s patriotic, and hopefully, what’s American. But he didn’t.
Mauerpower is my blog and alternative outlet from www.jacobmauer.net. I currently live and work in Tsuru, Japan where I teach English. On the side I work on electronics projects, take photos, tinker with my websites, think about starting a band, herd cats, and investigate the possibility of life on the inner ear.
