Evan's in the Big Boy Bed

Ok now for non-politics...

Another sign of a sad day: Our little Evan has now been sleeping in a big boy twin bed. We were just talking earlier this weekend about transitioning him from the toddler bed (crib with one side off) to the bed. Evan must've overheard us talking while in his sleep, because the next evening he just wanted to sleep in the big bed, and has not gone back to the little bed since. Bev says she's going to cry. I think it's the pregnancy emotions talking. Picture to follow (*hint hint, bev*).


Evan looks to little in such a big bed!
Almost 2 weeks and Evan's hasn't fallen out of bed yet! But he has only slept a full night in his bed without coming over to our room in the middle of the night. Any ideas?

The Whole Taiwan Thing

So, I'm not going to say whether I'm for or against Taiwan joining the UN, because I really don't have an opinion one way or another, and even if I did have an opinion, I'm not going to disclose it (so there). I did make an observation during my last trip to Taiwan and was a little disturbed by it. Those of you who have been through Taipei probably have noticed that the Chiang Kai Shek International Airport is now named Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. Minor detail? Yes. But think about the resources, both human and monetary, that had to go into changing this minor thing. Hold on, let me detail:

Chiang Kai-Shek, for those who care (well, those who care already know), is associated with the Nationalist Party (Kuomintang, KMT, or pan-Blue). Local Taoyuan County officials, pan-Green (Democratic Progressive Party/DPP), and mainland Chinese media, who either resent the Nationalist occupation of Taiwan (DPP) back in the day or don't recognize Taiwan as separate (PRC), refer to the airport as Taoyuan International Airport. So the Executive Yuan of Ah-bian's administration got together and officially approved the name Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on September 6, 2006. The KMT and its allies held a one-vote majority in the Legislative Yuan, decried the change, and proposed "Taiwan Taoyuan Chiang Kai-Shek International Airport" instead. In the end, the pan-Green party won and all the signs have changed.

Back when it was being built in 1979, it was planned as "Taoyuan International Airport".

Well, glad that's all taken care of. Let's talk about some more pressing issues now, maybe? Like dealing with corruption, etc etc, in the government? Sheesh.

Well get this, though -- Terminal 1 was designed based on the main Terminal of Dulles International Airport. Who knew?? I knew they copy video games, software, movies, but who thought they'd be copying airports?!

Fukuda: Well, he ain't no Richard Gere

So the newly appointed Prime Minister for Japan, Yasuo Fukuda, breaks the younger-aged PM trend, but maybe that's what Japan has been looking for: after scandals and waning party popularity, Fukuda and the LDP are going to revert to the old way of doing things, evident in his selections for the cabinet -- "heads of internal party factions that supported him in the race". Fukuda will be good because he "is by temperament an arbiter between conflicting views and interests", which, for the party, it will be good to have someone pick up the pieces and rebuild...but he is "not a bold initiator like Mr. Koizumi".

I was hoping for a Koizumi comeback. Not for anything other than his looks. He's the slickest PM I've ever seen. The lion-mane hair is amazing--I hope when I am in my 50s I can grow that hair.

Never thought the day would come...

No!!!!!!!!!!!!
I guess there's no reason to go to Canada anymore...such a sad day. :(

Falling asleep on the job

 

Last of the Seattle pics uploaded

Seattle Aug 07

Ok I finally added the last of the pics from my Seattle trip to the slideshow. I know, its really late. oh well. I tacked the pics of Canada and the beach picnic to the end of the slide show.

Whirlwind expedition with Hideaki

Japan Part 2

Beijing Pics

Beijing