The first map shows all of the US states where corporal punishment is still legal and used in schools. The darker the color, the more common it is used. Map 2 is the famous McCain/ Obama by state map. Red states are McCain states. Florida had a Bush governer and corporal punishment, despite it being blue.

Real conversation: Erik: "So, you are saying republicans believe in beating children." Ed:"No, people who voted for McCain were beaten as children."

Sadly, the van lost first, third and fifth gears. It was hard starting in second and then only being able to shift to fourth. So, it was replaced. Behold the new ride!

We popped off the top and went to the beach. It was good. For all the folks stuck in the rain and snow back home, Sue and I did get to at least stroll through the ocean on this December day!

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Obama won. Everyone celebrated. Bush gave up long ago. Change is for the better.

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I am sick and tired of my country being ruled and ruined by rednecks.

"Something-D-O-O economics?" America is done. Toast. The government renegged on it's mission of being of for and by the people. It has been for the corporations for far too long.

Harold Meyerson of the Washington Post says: "It's not just investment banks that have fallen by the wayside in the recent carnage; it's the ideology of unregulated capitalism -- of Reaganism." If only Al Gore won the election! (oh, wait, HE DID!)

So now, China is a capitalist powerhouse that masquerades as socialism. In the US? The banks have to be run by the US government because of their rampant unscrupulous greed.

Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post: "we're in the eighth year of the Bush administration; adult supervision left the building long ago." How true. How true.

Note to all fans of McCain/ Palin: They are supported by the same machine that forced Bush/ Cheney on us. And, noting of course, I don't think McCain is incompetant (like Bush) or all that evil (like Cheney), only he would have been better eight years ago. Now he's too old, infirm and insane.

As the American Empire fades away, I only hope my services as an English teacher in Asia will still be lucrative.

Progress on the house

About a year ago, Sue and I bought the most bizarre little house on a mountain near the ocean.

The previous owner used it as a youth hostel. She embedded seashells in cheap stucko all over the front of it. The floor in the bathroom was made of stones jutting out of a bed of concrete-- to give that beach feeling, I guess. It was ugly.

It took us a year. We worked in secrecy. I still have three more walls to paint and the fence in the front is not finished, but, as you will see, the little blue house is now the gorgeous yellow and orange house.

Besides the house we have had other excitement.

My Seattle friends, David and Sarah, in the midst of a whirlwind world-wide jaunt stopped on my litte island for some wishy-wishy-fishy-fishy hot pot and a hike through Taroko Gorge. I love getting to show Taiwan to friends from home for several reasons.

1) I've been here a long time. I miss everyone. It's VERY expensive for me to come home every year, so I really appreciate and enjoy visits from vacationing friends.

2) I get to see all of the stuff that made me stay here so long again through the eyes of a first-timer. How fondly I remember the first time I sensed the fine scent of stinky tofu and I asked, "What died?" And, after being corrected, I said, "Oh, you mean people actually eat that stuff?" David and Sarah had the same reaction and the memories flooded back.

3) It was just plain good to catch up, damn it. If I don't look happy to see you when you get off the plane, maybe this one doesn't apply. It was a blast to have Sarah and Dave stay with us. See more about their journey on David's blog.

The band has had great success with our bizarre blend of video, electronica and rubber chickens.

This well focused picture is of our recent show at the beach, We offended the owner of the bar and scared away most of the diners, however we still claim this as a raging success.

Definitions are all in their definers, eh?

See some videos >>

We also had a recent television gig. I thought it was a great idea.

They paid us. I could use the DVD of the show to get more gigs.

Erik thought that appearing on a low-budget American Idol rip-off could only lead to embarrassment and eventual estrangement from the very public that we want to buy our CD's. Erik was right.

Such is life!