The first Carlin piece I saw was “flying on the airplane” in which he challenged some conventional use of words, which, if you think about it, doesn’t really make much sense. Examples include “pre-boarding process”, “non-stop flight”, “check the vicinity of your seating area for any personal properties you might have brought on-board”, etc. A language teacher myself, I was much inspired thereby and did discover that our daily communications were often overwhelmed by hackneyed clichés and true meanings often were lost in the process.
Many comedians do such routines in which they challenge conventional wisdom, but nobody has been more direct, poignant, and precise than Carlin. He never hesitated in spitting out the naked truth about religion, ugly facts in politics, shameless abuse of language, capricious trends in society, and the list goes on. Walking away from lucrative contracts doing clean, safe and brownnosing Vegas shows, Carlin reinvented himself, or went back to his true roots. His life long anti-establishment motif is utterly absent in the cautious Seinfeld or the hilarious Williams, yet the influence is apparent in the neurotic Black and the slightly gay Maher. He could fire more rapidly than the obnoxious Miller yet still sound more eloquent than the witty Letterman. Carlin was really among the very few who were able to stun, challenge and entertain his audience at the same time.
Carlin, thank you for all the grievances and complaints. I will miss you...
Monday, June 23, 2008
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Sunday, June 08, 2008
My First Hebrew Lesson
I met with Chen for some Hebrew lesson this evening. It was totally a Donna Chang situation, because her name wasn’t really Chen, but חן. There wasn’t any English equivalent. Anyway, getting through the alphabet was challenging, since there were many exceptions to the rule. At the end, I tried to say something coherent:
אני אהוב את סין
Was it?
אני אהוב את סין
Was it?
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Une Nouvelle Chine
À 14.28 le 19 Mai, 6 jours après le tremblement de terre ravageur à Szechuan, toute la Chine avait un moment de silence pendant 3 minutes, une coutume chinoise réservée seulemment pour un chef d'état. C’était la première fois pour les sinistrés dans l’histoire de la Chine.
Il y a un tremblement de terre plus dommageable qui a tué plus de 250,000 personnes en 1976. À ce moment-la, la Chine a refusé toute l’aide un tout le média aux pays étrangères, comme le gouvernement de la Birmanie cette année. Maintenant, au contraire, le sauvetage des “goons and thugs” est arrivé beaucoup plutôt que l’Air Force One qui est seulement descendue aux 17,000 pieds au-dessus du Mississippi 4 jours après Katrina et jamais fait atterrir dans la région dévastée.
J’ai quitté la Chine il y 14 ans et le pays a changé de façon significative depuis. Un ne voit pas seulement les gratte-ciel flambants neufs, voitures et restaurants fantaisies, Louis Vuitton et Chanel ominprésent, mais également une entièrement nouvelle génération qui est folle de l’idéologie et philosophie de l’ouest et, en même temps, de l’idée qui la Chine est l’un des plus grands pays au monde.
La Chine rouge a commis beaucoup de fautes dans le passé, mais depuis les années 80 la Chine s’a dégagé de son âge des ténèbres et embrassé le monde. Elle continue à épouser bonnes pratiques telles que l’économie de marché, le fair-play, la protection de la propriété intellectuelle, etc. Le changement le plus important est la transition du centre de l’attention sur l’état en les citoyens. Les sociétés essayent de concevoir merchandises plus humaines; le gouvernement modifie ses routines pour mieux service; les talk shows prospèrent en parlant des vies des personnes ordinaries. Le centre du sauvetage après le tremblement de terre à Szechuan est de sauver les rescapés à tout prix.
Si vous envisagez de saisir une torche d’un athelet amputé encore à l'avenir, regardez ce film :
Il y a un tremblement de terre plus dommageable qui a tué plus de 250,000 personnes en 1976. À ce moment-la, la Chine a refusé toute l’aide un tout le média aux pays étrangères, comme le gouvernement de la Birmanie cette année. Maintenant, au contraire, le sauvetage des “goons and thugs” est arrivé beaucoup plutôt que l’Air Force One qui est seulement descendue aux 17,000 pieds au-dessus du Mississippi 4 jours après Katrina et jamais fait atterrir dans la région dévastée.
J’ai quitté la Chine il y 14 ans et le pays a changé de façon significative depuis. Un ne voit pas seulement les gratte-ciel flambants neufs, voitures et restaurants fantaisies, Louis Vuitton et Chanel ominprésent, mais également une entièrement nouvelle génération qui est folle de l’idéologie et philosophie de l’ouest et, en même temps, de l’idée qui la Chine est l’un des plus grands pays au monde.
La Chine rouge a commis beaucoup de fautes dans le passé, mais depuis les années 80 la Chine s’a dégagé de son âge des ténèbres et embrassé le monde. Elle continue à épouser bonnes pratiques telles que l’économie de marché, le fair-play, la protection de la propriété intellectuelle, etc. Le changement le plus important est la transition du centre de l’attention sur l’état en les citoyens. Les sociétés essayent de concevoir merchandises plus humaines; le gouvernement modifie ses routines pour mieux service; les talk shows prospèrent en parlant des vies des personnes ordinaries. Le centre du sauvetage après le tremblement de terre à Szechuan est de sauver les rescapés à tout prix.
Si vous envisagez de saisir une torche d’un athelet amputé encore à l'avenir, regardez ce film :
Monday, May 19, 2008
4.1 MET: The Beautiful Nile
Almost all civilizations started by rivers: the great Tigris and Euphrates, the mighty Yellow River, the mythical Indus River, and of course, the most magnificent Nile.
My hotel room in Luxor was just at the riverfront and I woke up to one of the most beautiful scenes in the morning. The Nile in brilliant dark Periwinkle blue was sprinkled with dawn sunlight; fleets of feluccas parked along the riverbank with proudly erect masts coated in gold; so were the dwellings reflecting the shining golden sunlight. A few hot-air balloons were flying some thrilled early birds over the Theban Necropolis and the Nile.
When the sun was high, more colors came out and vied for my attention. Bright white felucca sails stretched fully in confidence. The rich jungle green outlined the waterfront with a backdrop of sand hill in creamy café au lait.
At dusk, the sun graced the river again with its magnificent golden color, and the sky precipitated from pale blue to a real beautiful dark sapphire. The palm trees turned rusty green and their trunks subdued orange red.
I took a sunset felucca ride in Aswan. The winter tropical breeze was mild and pleasant, propelling the boat at a leisurely speed. Cruising the Nile was simply astonishing, even not in a basket or along with the logs carrying rocks for the pyramids. I think it’s something everyone should do once in his or her lifetime.
My hotel room in Luxor was just at the riverfront and I woke up to one of the most beautiful scenes in the morning. The Nile in brilliant dark Periwinkle blue was sprinkled with dawn sunlight; fleets of feluccas parked along the riverbank with proudly erect masts coated in gold; so were the dwellings reflecting the shining golden sunlight. A few hot-air balloons were flying some thrilled early birds over the Theban Necropolis and the Nile.
When the sun was high, more colors came out and vied for my attention. Bright white felucca sails stretched fully in confidence. The rich jungle green outlined the waterfront with a backdrop of sand hill in creamy café au lait.
At dusk, the sun graced the river again with its magnificent golden color, and the sky precipitated from pale blue to a real beautiful dark sapphire. The palm trees turned rusty green and their trunks subdued orange red.
I took a sunset felucca ride in Aswan. The winter tropical breeze was mild and pleasant, propelling the boat at a leisurely speed. Cruising the Nile was simply astonishing, even not in a basket or along with the logs carrying rocks for the pyramids. I think it’s something everyone should do once in his or her lifetime.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
4.1 MET: En Train to Luxor, Part Two
On the train to Luxor, there was a German family sitting behind me, parents with two boys who just loved the Rock-paper-scissors game. The funny thing is that when one boy played with his brother, he used German: Schere, Stein, Papier, while using French, pierre, papier, ciseaux, when he played with the dad. The dad, from Köln, said that French speaking boy lived in Belgium for a while, which accounted for his familiarity with the language.
Later, I commented on the grand Kölner Dom, but the dad was somehow bitter about it. He complained about the Allied bombing during the war which practically razed the city saving the cathedral. He considered the city was at its best in the 80's when artists flourished, but now most of them had moved on to Berlin. Even my Muslim seatmate picked up a sense of bitterness. Luckily the train was approaching the destination, and the conversation was saved by the horn.
Later, I commented on the grand Kölner Dom, but the dad was somehow bitter about it. He complained about the Allied bombing during the war which practically razed the city saving the cathedral. He considered the city was at its best in the 80's when artists flourished, but now most of them had moved on to Berlin. Even my Muslim seatmate picked up a sense of bitterness. Luckily the train was approaching the destination, and the conversation was saved by the horn.
4.1 MET: En Train to Luxor, Part One
I took an overnight train to Luxor. I boarded the train in late evening at the Ramses station in central Cairo, and the train stopped briefly at Giza Station 30 minutes later. An attractive young Muslim lady got in and seated herself next to me. The First Class cabin I was in had seating like the business class on a plane. I was pretty beat after a long day, so fell asleep quickly after Giza.
The train ride was smooth and pleasant. I didn’t wake up until we were about an hour away from Luxor. My seatmate also woke up, and we began socializing.
Originally from Haram, or Giza, she was an endocrinologist working in Sinai. Still a medical degree candidate, she was traveling to Luxor for a medical conference after stopping by Cairo to see her folks. Her father was a diplomat but had already passed away, and her mom was a physician herself. Since her childhood, she had already traveled to most of the Arab world.
Intrigued by her background, I asked her about her experience as a Muslim studying western medicine. She said that the US and European communities had advanced researches in medicine. Although she disagreed with western family values and foreign policies, one of the Egyptian ways was to adopt good things. Western medicine was a good thing. She had no problem studying it and had been to the US for medical conferences. That reminded me that the American fast food chain stores were ubiquitous in Cairo. The Egyptians may oppose America’s junk policy, but certainly enjoy its junk food.
Feeling emboldened by her frankness and friendliness, I ventured an aggressive question: “Would you go if you were invited to an important conference on endocrinology in Tel Aviv?” Daughter to a diplomat, she said she would go to Belgium where the endocrinological research was most advanced. “Seriously”, she continued, “ I have to think about it if it’s in Israel”. In her opinion, the appearance of reconciliation between Egypt and Israel remained at a diplomatic and business level, and as for the public, there was still palpable tensions. Regular Egyptians still had problems with the state of Israel.
I noticed my seatmate covered her hair as many Muslim women I saw in Egypt, so asked her about this Islamic practice. She informed me that according to the Qu’ran, a woman needed to cover her hair, neck, and arms. If someone dressed up like a beekeeper, it was more a local and sect tradition, but was certainly not required by the Scriptures.
Asking about my itinerary, she commented that although most people visiting Egypt wanted to see the ruins from ancient time, to her, an Egyptian, those legendary structures meant little as they were merely an evidence of pharaohs’ self grandeurs, and they had little to do with an average Egyptian, then or now. She appreciated more about the Islamic teaching about caring the people around you. Preaching or now, she sounded sincere.
Obnoxiously persistent, I asked her about another Islamic practice: praying. When I was visiting the pyramids, I sat on a hill overlooking them and the modern city of Cairo waiting for sunset. Then the call for the sunset praying went on from probably thousands of high volume speakers all across Cairo. To me, it would be inconceivable for doctors to simply stop surgeries or soldiers to drop their weapons. She responded that she just prayed in her seat. She supposed that praying was not just a physical activity. If one could stop and pray, that’d be nice, but if one couldn’t, she thought, it was also fine as long as pray took place in one’s heart. The act of praying was independent from the actual behavior.
Then she smile and said, she just prayed that I would have a safe trip in Egypt.
The train ride was smooth and pleasant. I didn’t wake up until we were about an hour away from Luxor. My seatmate also woke up, and we began socializing.
Originally from Haram, or Giza, she was an endocrinologist working in Sinai. Still a medical degree candidate, she was traveling to Luxor for a medical conference after stopping by Cairo to see her folks. Her father was a diplomat but had already passed away, and her mom was a physician herself. Since her childhood, she had already traveled to most of the Arab world.
Intrigued by her background, I asked her about her experience as a Muslim studying western medicine. She said that the US and European communities had advanced researches in medicine. Although she disagreed with western family values and foreign policies, one of the Egyptian ways was to adopt good things. Western medicine was a good thing. She had no problem studying it and had been to the US for medical conferences. That reminded me that the American fast food chain stores were ubiquitous in Cairo. The Egyptians may oppose America’s junk policy, but certainly enjoy its junk food.
Feeling emboldened by her frankness and friendliness, I ventured an aggressive question: “Would you go if you were invited to an important conference on endocrinology in Tel Aviv?” Daughter to a diplomat, she said she would go to Belgium where the endocrinological research was most advanced. “Seriously”, she continued, “ I have to think about it if it’s in Israel”. In her opinion, the appearance of reconciliation between Egypt and Israel remained at a diplomatic and business level, and as for the public, there was still palpable tensions. Regular Egyptians still had problems with the state of Israel.
I noticed my seatmate covered her hair as many Muslim women I saw in Egypt, so asked her about this Islamic practice. She informed me that according to the Qu’ran, a woman needed to cover her hair, neck, and arms. If someone dressed up like a beekeeper, it was more a local and sect tradition, but was certainly not required by the Scriptures.
Asking about my itinerary, she commented that although most people visiting Egypt wanted to see the ruins from ancient time, to her, an Egyptian, those legendary structures meant little as they were merely an evidence of pharaohs’ self grandeurs, and they had little to do with an average Egyptian, then or now. She appreciated more about the Islamic teaching about caring the people around you. Preaching or now, she sounded sincere.
Obnoxiously persistent, I asked her about another Islamic practice: praying. When I was visiting the pyramids, I sat on a hill overlooking them and the modern city of Cairo waiting for sunset. Then the call for the sunset praying went on from probably thousands of high volume speakers all across Cairo. To me, it would be inconceivable for doctors to simply stop surgeries or soldiers to drop their weapons. She responded that she just prayed in her seat. She supposed that praying was not just a physical activity. If one could stop and pray, that’d be nice, but if one couldn’t, she thought, it was also fine as long as pray took place in one’s heart. The act of praying was independent from the actual behavior.
Then she smile and said, she just prayed that I would have a safe trip in Egypt.
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