I don't normally do this....

So, the Military Commission Act was passed.

If you are an American, please do your part to research the repeal of habeas corpus for "unlawful combatants" and decide if you think it is a threat to our fundamental rights of freedom.

I think it is. Do a google news search and decide for yourself.

Meanwhile, to emphasize my biased opinion, look at this.

Jay-Z 1st Live in Seoul

For the last four years that I've lived in Seoul, I've lamented the fact that we don't get very many good concerts coming through, but for some reason this year has been an exception.

Metallica came in August and last night we went to see Jay-Z. It was an incredible concert and we had an amazing time!

Hova and Memphis Bleak blazed through about 30 Jay-Z tracks, all of which were incredible. He played all of his hits and even surprised me with some songs that I wasn't expecting to hear. The crowd was quite a mix of GIs, English teachers and Koreans of all shapes and sizes. The thing that always strikes me at concerts like this is just how many people know the lyrics to songs. Try to have a conversation with these same people and you'll be met with blank stares, but sing along to Jigga Who? Jigga What? and it's like a Coca-cola commercial. I guess rap really can save the world.....

Here's a photo.

Love,
jc

Tokyo

So, this Chuseok break finds me once again in the gentle burgh of Tokyo. This being my second trip, I fully expected things to be more sedate, familiar and overall less auspicious.

HOWEVER....

I've decided that Tokyo is in fact the coolest place in the world. After many discussions with my friend Marshall, who is traveling with me, I've come to realize that there are reallly only two cities in the world, New York and Tokyo. Everywhere I go in this city, I'm reminded of just how cool it is. The people are awesome, the city is gorgeous and for being the largest city in the world, everything seems to flow flawlessly.

Yesterday I had one of the best days of my life. Marshall was off looking at schools, so I had some time to spare. I spent three or four hours in the Shinjuku neighborhood. Shinjuku is one of the hippest places in the world, and as such there is a lot to do there. But I went with the solitary purpose of checking out a used CD store.

Now, for me, looking at used CDs is one of the perverse pleasures in the world. I've subjected too many of my friends to seemingly endless forays into bins of used CDs looking for the rare treasures that can only be found after someone else deems them as worthless. "Are you almost done?" they invariably ask. Their bored looks and plaintive sighs often drag me from my work, and I've been forced to abort my perusing too many times to count (If only to save them the agony of waiting).

So this trip to Shinjuku was a rare treat. Alone, I ventured off of the subway from a station that facilitates literally millions of commuters per day in search of Disc Union. Choosing streets at random, guided by the prospect of used CD heaven, I amazingly found what I believed to be Disc Union. Upon entering however, I quickly realized that this store only sold used soul CDs. A period of brief, hand-gesture rich communication revealed the sweetest of victories that I've since experienced while living abroad - Disc Union was not a used CD store, but a collection of SEVEN used CD stores scattered around Shinjuku, each specializing in a different genre. The crown jewel in the Disc Union crown is a seven-floor multi-genre store.

Leaving the soul store, I was aglow with the prospect that I would spend the next several hours scouring the racks looking for just the right CDs.

It was a good day.

Love,
jc