Faxion Faux Pas?

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1. Shirt tucked into pants without belt.

2. White roundneck undershirt visible behind collar of button-down polo.

3. Slacks and rubber shoes sneakers.

I was raised with the idea that the above combinations were non-negotiable fashion no-no’s, and I’ve avoided these modes of dress since high school. Since my arrival in the US, however, I’ve seen more than my share of men who dress like this on a daily basis with neither admonishment nor indignity. Have I been missing out on the joys of geek chic?

First Day at Work

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Well, my first day of work is done, and I’m a bit frustrated at the difficulty I’m having at picking up PHP. I need some opportunity to put these principles into practice. Perhaps a computer at home would not be amiss… (And thanks to Aaron for the tips and links.)

I’ve converted my blogspot page to a “mobile journal.” Actually it’s just an excuse to use AIM BloggerBot, with a Tag-Board thrown in for fun.

Nice and warm today

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Nice day today: high 80’s, bright sun, fresh breeze. I wish my rollerblades weren’t broken. Maybe today I’ll take the Metro down to Ballston and check out the in-line skates at Ski Chalet. (Closest place I can find that has any. City Bikes in Adams Morgan stopped selling blades, and Red Eye Sports in Georgetown has closed for good.)

Inq7 “Mobile” ;)

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I often get irritated at the length of time it takes for the PDI news site to load, owing mostly to Flash banner ads, a graphics-heavy layout, and slow servers. Fortunately, they have a Wireless Section, which, while aimed at SMS/PDA devices, will work just as well on any browser. Bookmark it for quicker access to Inq7 content, with a simple linear layout that loads quickly from just about anywhere.

Bob Thompson on the Sims

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“When I asked Wright about it, he gave me a funny look and asked if I’d watched prime-time television recently. I hadn’t. He’s right. A night of channel-surfing, with an emphasis on the offerings on Fox, made The Sims look like … Henry James.”

Guys and Digital Dolls. Excellent and holistic article, if somewhat out-of-date, by Bob Thompson of Washington Post Magazine: about The Sims, popular culture, Henry James, and the sexes. But mostly about The Sims.

ALA Doctypes

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Make sure you have the right doctype at the top of your code, so the latest browsers display your pages the way they’re meant to be.

Venezuela = Philippines

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Current events in Venezuela approximate my idea of a worst-case scenario in Manila: Pro-Erap anti-government riots getting out of hand and leading to a possible transfer of power — or a military junta.

The question is whether the change in leadership would culminate in a reinstatement of Erap — or one of his political cronies — as head of a new government (an unlikely scenario, which will only result in more violence). Or would the military appoint someone, or rally behind another public figure with popular appeal?

Ransom for the Burnhams

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So much for Washington’s no-ransom policy. I’m praying for the freedom of those missionaries, of course, but ransom is not the way to do it. It’s precisely because Libya paid ransom for the last batch of hostages that these extremist bandits were able to kidnap new ones.

If money is paid to the Abu Sayyaff, and the American troops currently there do not immediately exterminate them, there will only be more terror and chaos in the Philippines.

Not to say that chaos isn’t the norm. Hay buhay. Parang life.