Thursday, November 25, 2010

Chicago city at night

Chicago Nightlife & Entertainment:Chicago city at night

From its earliest frontier days, Chicago has had some of the best nightlife in the US. "Sweet Home Chicago", birthplace of Muddy Waters' urban blues, as well as R&B's Chess Records, is still going strong, inspiring the energetic dance beat of 1980s house music as well as the groundbreaking jazz of the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Nightclubs aplenty are all over town, especially along Halsted Street, Lincoln Avenue and Clark Street on the North Side. Uptown, at the intersection of North Broadway and Lawrence, is a bit down-at-the-heel, but has half a dozen good venues. The best gay clubs congregate in the Lincoln Park area. Highbrow pursuits are also well provided for: Chicago's classical music, dance and theater are world-class.


Chicago city at night
Chicago city at night

For what's-on information, Chicagoans pick up the excellent free newspaper The Reader (copies comes out Thursday afternoon and are usually all gone by Saturday). The weekly New City and the gay and lesbian Windy City Times are good sources as well. Full listings also appear in the Friday issues of the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune, and Chicago magazine has useful arts and restaurant listings. The Gramaphone Ltd record store at 2663 N Clark St (tel 773/472-3683) is the best place for details of one-shot dance nights.


Chicago city at night

Chicago city at night

Chicago city at night

Chicago Nightlife & Entertainment:Chicago city at night

From its earliest frontier days, Chicago has had some of the best nightlife in the US. "Sweet Home Chicago", birthplace of Muddy Waters' urban blues, as well as R&B's Chess Records, is still going strong, inspiring the energetic dance beat of 1980s house music as well as the groundbreaking jazz of the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Nightclubs aplenty are all over town, especially along Halsted Street, Lincoln Avenue and Clark Street on the North Side. Uptown, at the intersection of North Broadway and Lawrence, is a bit down-at-the-heel, but has half a dozen good venues. The best gay clubs congregate in the Lincoln Park area. Highbrow pursuits are also well provided for: Chicago's classical music, dance and theater are world-class.


Chicago city at night
Chicago city at night

For what's-on information, Chicagoans pick up the excellent free newspaper The Reader (copies comes out Thursday afternoon and are usually all gone by Saturday). The weekly New City and the gay and lesbian Windy City Times are good sources as well. Full listings also appear in the Friday issues of the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune, and Chicago magazine has useful arts and restaurant listings. The Gramaphone Ltd record store at 2663 N Clark St (tel 773/472-3683) is the best place for details of one-shot dance nights.


Chicago city at night

Chicago city at night

Friday, November 12, 2010

Japanese economy for a long time

’ve been fighting the urge to write a giant missive about the Japanese economy for a long time, but it’s finally come to a head. There are many reasons I don’t write pieces like this:

1) They take a long time, and I’m a busy guy running a company
2) I can’t bother responding to critics (see #1)
3) Internal CScout disagreements about economics
4) Bright and cheery is good for business!
5) I don’t want to have a heart attack

It’s been well-documented that the Old Grey Lady is…well…old, grey, and behind the times, and shows no sign of being willing to retire to the nursing home anytime soon. The NYT is constantly on the case, discovering things in Japan that everyone has known about for years: QR Codes, internet cafes, and even complete bullshit like Japanese people dressing like vending machines.

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I’ve never met Martin Fackler (though I have had the pleasure of drunkenly arguing economics with NYT reporter (and LSE grad) Hiroko Tabuchi) and I’m sure he’s very intelligent and amiable. However, his latest piece on Japan entitled Japan Goes from Dynamic to Disheartened is a perfect representation of everything that’s wrong with reporting on Japan, economics, and general consumer trends all wrapped into one. More annoying is getting the story emailed to me by twenty different people just to show how fucked Japan is and, thus, how screwed I am.

It is undeniable that Japanese consumer culture has changed quite a bit since the good old days of bubble and boom, but I would argue that it’s a GOOD thing this is finally happening. Japan might just be on the way to the correction it’s needed for twenty years.

Being more interested in the philosophies underpinning political and economic thought (rather than “politics” and “economics”), my most difficult goal is in defining terms. After all, without defining our terms it’s useless to even begin such discussions without them devolving into nonsensical Ham Sandwich Fallacy (of four terms) squabbles:

Major premise: Nothing is better than eternal happiness.
Minor premise: A ham sandwich is better than nothing.
Conclusion: A ham sandwich is better than eternal happiness.

This may be a simplified example, but without defining the meaning of “nothing”, we can argue all day using the same vocabulary, but never truly understanding one another.

In the case of discussing Japan’s economic situation, we first need to define the meanings of “inflation” and “deflation”. Contrary to what you may have heard, neither term means rising or falling prices, but rather an expansion or contraction of the monetary supply which may or may not lead to price fluctuations. After all, computers and mobile phones have continually gotten cheaper over the last decade, but one would hardly attribute that to deflation. Lower prices, such as those Japan is experiencing, can be a consequence of deflation, but not always!

Back in the days when people carried gold coins for money, inflation was achieved through literal debasement of the currency. People would shake the coins in a bag, or shave off bits and pieces around the edges, in order to get tiny pieces of gold to turn into new coins. Thus, the ridged edges of coins were created to combat this (these days it’s just ornamental). This meant that the value of each coin became less, and prices would go up as a result. These days, in the same manner, central banks around the world create new money, but instead of shaving the coins they just add a couple of decimal points to a spreadsheet somewhere.

With all of the complaining about deflation and prices that are “too low”, I have to wonder, “Who are they too low for?”. God forbid that the rest of us living with budgets and expenses get to spend a little less on our beef bowls.

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Yes, Japanese consumers are saving more, but they’ve always been good savers. In fact, it’s a testament to the will of the Japanese people that they still save at all since they haven’t earned anything in interest for years! Rather than bemoaning the newfound frugality of Japanese youth, we should be celebrating it. Savings are a GOOD thing, just as having a currency that’s worth something is ultimately beneficial to an economy. An economy, I might add, that has to import nearly 50% of its food. Why on earth would we want a devalued yen? Sure, Sony can sell more televisions and cars to Americans who can’t afford them anyway, but the rest of us have to eat. Falling prices allow for falling wages as well, thus keeping companies profitable and the rest of the economy employed.

fast route to Japan

Japan offers a safe adventure


Did you know that the most direct route from Europe to Japan and other important Asian destinations is via Helsinki? Finnair flies to three destinations in Japan, 11 destinations across Asia, and more than 40 European cities- adding up to more than 400 routes. In addition to fast and diverse connections, Finnair offers a modern, environmentally sound fleet and excellent service. Visit viahelsinki.com to compare travel times and distances, download our top tips for Japan (pdf), or book your flights at finnair.com.

A must-see destination

Enjoyable and easy to get around, Japan is a destination that you simply must experience. Thanks to the current euro exchange rate, it is also surprisingly inexpensive. Head for the land of the rising sun and samurais - to feast on sushi and sashimi, bathe in mineral springs, find designer bargains and sing in neon-lit karaoke clubs. On your journey, you will discover a unique blend of ancient cultural traditions and ultramodern lifestyle.

In Japan, each season offers something unique, from cherry blossoms in the spring to the crisp air of the autumn.

VISITING IN THE JAPANESE HOME


The Japanese will expect that you will be from another culture, but keeping these tips in mind will help the visit go more smoothly. The host family will want to "spoil" you, basically. They will want to have thought of your every need. If they realize you need something not already provided by them, they will be disappointed. Its best to graciously make do with what is provided and be thankful. If anything inconveniences your host, be apologetic. Before entering the house, you will leave your shoes where the others have left them outside the door. Then you will wear slippers provided or just your socks. Before entering a room with tatami mats on the floor(likely to be the main, multi-purpose room), its important to remove your slippers so as not to damage the mats.
For more information, see:
Customs in the Home.

A room at a Ryokan, a Japanese inn. Notice the tatami mats on the floor.


Golden Pavillion

Things to see and do

Unlike most cities, Tokyo is not a city littered with interesting or ancient architecture. Having been almost completely rebuilt after the heavy damage sustained during the Second World War the skyline is dominated by modern hi-rise skyscrapers. While in the suburbs some tradition clings on by its fingertips, certainly central Tokyo can be described as nothing short of a modern metropolis. Most visitors spend a lot of there time in the Ginza shopping district which contains boutiques, shops and galleries of all kinds. Its fashionable status does make Ginza somewhat expensive so unless you want to blow your whole trip's budget in one day it is best to take it easy here. Some of Japans finest museums and galleries are located around the Ueno-Koen park including the Tokyo National Museum and the National Science Museum.

After experiencing the new Japan in Tokyo there is no better place to discover a taste of old Japan than Kyoto. The city boasts literally hundreds of temples, shrines and gardens and was even the nations capital for over a thousand years. Although even here, modern buildings have started to encroach on the tiled roves and pebbled gardens of the temples there is still plenty left to see. There are a number of suberb temples including the Kinkaku-ji temple and the Sanjunsangen temple which houses 1001 statues of Kannon the Buddhist goddess of mercy. Also worth a look is the Imperial Palace in central Kyoto and the Himeji-jo Castle located just outside the city itself.

Those with a penchant for modern history often visit Nagasaki, the city decimated by the second nuclear bomb dropped on Japan during Worl War Two. The city has now been rebuilt as a prosperous example of Japanese urban life but its grisly past is recorded in the A-bomb museum situated at Urakami, the centre of the explosion. Also of interest in the city is the Fukusai-ji Zen Temple, Glover Garden and the Hypocentre Park which has a monument to mark the exact centre of the blast which decimated Nagaski.

Travel

When travelling in the mainland of Japan, it is dubious if the distances warrant air travel, however when travelling throughout the Islands it does become a viable possibility. Several airlines offer domestic flights throughout Japan and its islands including Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airlines and Japan Air Systems. Tickets can be bought from hotel operators, or at the airports from both airline counters and automatic ticketing machines in the larger airports.

Japan Railways Group is the rail operator throughout Japan. The service is one of the best in the world with some of the most hi-tech trains in existence. Many travellers will be familiar with the famous "bullet trains" which reach speeds in excess of 300km/h, which serve the busiest lines on the Japanese network with some routes offering as many as six trains per hour. Other lines run limited express, express or local services, generally each type of train ryokanries a different supplement with a further supplement being charged for travel in the first class "green" ryokans, seats on which must usually be reserved in advance. Tickets can be bought from stations, most commonly from automated vending machines. For some short distance, local trains, this is the only way to obtain a ticket.

A "Japan Rail Pass" is available, which is usually purchased through Japan Airlines or a hotel operator which is only available to foreign hotel ists. This pass allows unlimited travel on Japan Rail trains, buses and ferries. Passes start from £150 for a 7 day pass and are without a doubt one of the most economical ways to get around in Japan.

Bus travel is highly developed in Japan, but in most cities has been superseded by the underground metro system for local travel, similarly the rail network has mostly replaced the inter-city bus network. Services do still exist in appreciable numbers but the fare system are confusing and almost always highly automated so for most travellers it is wisest to just stick to the train.

Taxis are plentiful but they can be veery expensive, especially at night but if you are travelling in a group and can share the cost they could be a good transport option.

Accommodation

hostel, guesthouses in Japan are sub-divided between Western and Japanese style hostel, guesthouses. While the Western style hostel, guesthouses are much the same as those found in Western Europe the Japanese style ones are a unique experience. On arrival guests are given kimonos and rooms are decked out in traditional Japanese style complete with paper sliding doors and Japanese bathtubs. These Japanese style hostel, guesthouses are known as "ryokan and the Japan Ryokan Association can be contacted for more information. For general information on all kinds of hostel, guesthouses the Japan hostel, guesthouse Association can provide further information.

There are over 400 youth hostels in Japan which are regulated by Japan Youth Hostels Inc. In general guests must be a member of the International Youth Hostel Association although guest passes can be obtained from Japan Youth Hostels Inc's headquarters in Tokyo or from some hotel operators.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Nabataean capital in Petra, Jordan

Tombs were carved from the top down.
(Note the started tomb on the right.
Would have been the largest in this area.)

tombs were often similar

but each with an inscription
(warnings not to desecrate)

and often intricate designs over the entrance

some secreted in a ravine
(like in Petra)

a famous one in a large standing rock

or inside a curve in the rock

Mount Uhud pictures

My local neighbourhood. New buildings being built. Most people live in apartment buildings. You can see Mount Uhud in the background.

Long view shot of Uhud. The archers mountain is on the right and where the shuhuda (martyrs) are buried is on the left.

Archers mountain.

Archers mountain on the right hand side.

Closeup of the archers mountain.

People at the bottom of the archers mountain infront of Shuhuda Uhud. Behind the blue signs and the wall is the graves of the martyrs of the Battle of Uhud including Hamza radi allahu anhu.

A mosque next to Uhud.

Shuhuda Uhud.

This is a photo from the top of the archers mountain. The graves are inside those walls that you can see in the middle.

I took this photo from the top of the archers mountain of Medina so you can get a general view of it

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Another photo from the top of the archers mountain. If you look in the distance on the left hand side, you can see the minarets of the Prophet’s mosque. I was really surprised how close the Battle of Uhud happened.

An obligatory shot of a mountain since I love them so much!

Sunset in Medina