Sumit’s Seattle Scribblings

For some reason, unlike last year’s tsunami and this year’s North American hurricanes, the earthquake in South Asia is getting very little publicity.  The sad fact is that they are far, far, far behind of what they need in terms of international aid.   I know it’s been an expensive year with the tsunami and Katrina, but please, if you can, try to give something (and try to get your company/organization to match your funds).

Here’s a document detailing what is still needed in terms of aid:

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/KKEE-6HDM3S?OpenDocument

And if you’d like to contribute while experiencing some great food and culture, check out Tasveer’s events for the next week: http://www.tasveer.org/  Tasveer is a group organized around independent south asian films, and this weekend they’re doing a benefit dinner where they’ll be screening a bunch of shorts.   I’m not sure if I’ll be able to go due to a paper deadline, but let me know if you’re thinking about it and I might be inspired to work hard and finish early

I just heard about this from a friend - there’s a group called the World Affairs Council based in Seattle that is all about raising awareness and having discussions about global issues.  It seems like a great organization with an important purpose, as well as a deeply caring and interesting group of people that I’d love to spend more time with.  More information is available at http://www.world-affairs.org/home.html

Once in a while I run across a site that’s trying to increase the going-out energy of this oft-sleepy town, and I greatly appreciate the effort.  Here’s one I just came across today that has an eclectic mix of interesting links, from raves to poetry readings: http://www.exploitseattle.net

Other favorites of mine have been

• http://www.nwtekno.org which covers dance-oriented events (big surprise)
• http://www.bookstore.washington.edu/ , the UW bookstore site, which often has interesting readings posted
• http://www.elliottbaybook.com/ , which also has a lot of local readings and events

Are there other good ones I should add to the list?  Please let me know!

Well everybody is pretty worried about Bird Flu, or H5N1 as the l33t kids call it, and we probably should be.  A 50% mortality rate, no vaccines, and all kinds of other fun facts make the outlook less than pleasant.  But we have to keep our chins up, now, don’t we?  So I’ve decided to make a little FAQ to help people with their Bird Flu questions:

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1.  I’m not a bird.  Should I worry?

Yes, even humans can get the bird flu.   That’s the irony of it. 

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2.  I don’t have sex with birds.  Should I worry?

Yes.  Bird flu is not an STD. 

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3.  I do have sex with birds.  Should I worry?

Yes.  For all kinds of reasons.

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4.  What’s wrong with turning into a bird?  Big bird is pretty cool.

Bird flu does not turn you into a bird.  It turns you into a corpse.  Not cool.

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5.  Will I be able to fly once I get bird flu?

No.

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6.  Doesn’t John Stewart have something funny and lighthearted to say about this?

Yes, but even his take is kind of depressing.  It’s linked from boingboing at http://www.boingboing.net/2005/10/17/daily_show_on_bird_f.html

The BBC will soon be distributing p2p software to allow UK residents to watch broadcast shows within a week of broadcast.  It seems they’ve done a careful job with the DRM/etc. to keep all the content providers happy.  I just wish there was a way to run the client here to watch the broadcasts locally!

I’ve long wished that NPR would have something similar.  Currently, there’s a hodgepodge of podcasts, RealAudio, WMV, and other streams for each program/show on an individual basis.   Having one place where you can get all the material makes it worth paying for (though note the BBC one is free)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/imp/

(Note: I heard about this to gizmodo, so props go out to the gadget people)

I just saw this at Rite-Aid.  I had to have it.   How often does one find an vibrating appliance that straps to your wrist and looks like a small animal?   The box says the purpose is to  "Loosen tight, aching muscles" — yes, I’m sure that’s what it’s for.   Can anyone think of what else it might be good for?

http://www.tsetters.com/catalog/imageFolio.cgi?action=view&link=Health_o_meter/Hand_Held_Massagers&image=HM7513.jpg&img=&tt=

So you’re not interested in the endless minutae of such topics as what I had for dinner?  Well, isn’t that what a blog is for?   

Anyway, I just had to gush about this Boca meatless lasagna.  They’re always talking about it on KUOW (ok, so I listen to too much NPR), but tonight I actually tried it.  I removed it from the heartless ignominy of its microwable tray to the quiet dignity of an off-white plate, dusted it with a fine coating of crushed red pepper, and surrounded it lovingly with fresh asparagus and herb-sprinkled mashed potatoes.    Paired with a glass of Smoking Loon Merlot, it was a lovely meal, as well as being heart healthy and completely slaughterhouse-free (I’m assuming they don’t torture the soybeans before killing them). 

I’m not generally a vegetarian, but when going veg can be this delicious, I can more comfortably accept the inevitable future where meat will be impractical or at least prohibitively expensive.  Ha!  So how’s that for a bit of controversial economic forecasting thrown in with the mindless minutae?

So in my endless wavering about where to move to next, I’ve always been torn over different neighborhoods - west capitol hill, the 15th ave area, pike/pine, belltown, queen anne.  But walking around Fremont today, I realized that every time I go, every time I see the the crowds of people roaming about the lovely little shops, every time I see the friendly faces at the Sunday market, every time my feet kick up a big pile of yellow-gold October leaves - that I really love this place.  Unfortunately, it seems like busing to Microsoft from Fremont will be an epic sort of struggle.

What do others think?  Are there Fremont issues I’m overlooking beyond transportation?  Would you still come visit me if I lived up there in the north

I just saw this (and did it :): if you support NPR (KUOW-Seattle) at the $120 level, you’ll get a free one-year subscription (52 issues) of the Economist.  A one-year subscription on their website is $129, so this is a pretty amazing deal.  Also, a lot of local companies (including Microsoft and Boeing) will match your contribution, and you can set up the match right from the website when you contribute:

https://www.kuow.org/pledge/support_form_2.asp?GiftID=62&Option=&Amount=120