Trance and spreadsheets

A match made in your cerebral cortex.

Intensity of experience

I think that's why my trip to China seemed to go by in a flash. 10 days does not seem like too short a length of time, but the long work hours I had to pull, the late-night social activities with clients and colleagues and the overwhelming explosion of sensory input that I had to take in all make it feel as though I just left.

I can probably claim to be the only person I know to have gone to China and not have visited the Great Wall. I used the short space of personal time I was able to free up over my second weekend to visit Matt, his family, and his new fiance in Xi'an, the old capital during the Tang Dynasty. Well worth it. Aside from finally having an opportunity to meet Linnea, and to personally congratulate her and her husband-to-be soon after the proposal, Xi'an also provided me the opportunity to experience a more rural, less industrialized China than I saw in my visits to Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen. The terracotta warriors, despite being attacked by an even larger army of tourists, were nonetheless an impressive sight. Xi'an also had a feeling to it that implied it was more the way China used to be.

Friends and tourist attractions aside, Chinese culture was wonderful to take in. One of the most surreal and alien experiences during my trip I enjoyed with Matt, Linnea and Hilary in a bar in Xi'an. After lounging upstairs and absorbing the older dance hits that pulsed from the speakers overhead, we all joined a dancing group fo what could only have been moms, or at least 40+ year-old Chinese women out for a night on the town. Aside from being thrilled, or at least bemused, to have the only foreigners in the bar join in dancing with their circle, they also sang out their own accompaniment to the dance melody in operatic form. Matt danced in their midst wearing his $2 Mao cap purchased from street vendors in Beijing, which only foreigners seem to appreciate. Bizarre, perhaps, but memorable, undoubtedly.

With winged feet

I make no excuses for my failure to blog in such a long time; it is totally unforgiveable, and for that, I am sorry.

Back to business.

I am leaving to China tomorrow. It will be my first time there, and the fact that I will get to see the country, let alone make my first business deal in the world's premier rising economy, is incredibly exciting. Fingers crossed, I will also have time to do something cultural, and perhaps hit upon some of the polished stepping stones of the tourist track. Bizarrely, I found out about this deal only 2 days ago, and will be in Beijing at around the same time as Matt, who I will have the fortune to see only a couple of days after he does something pretty major (details to be disclosed at a later date - return to my blog in suspenseful anticipation!)

Unfortunately, what was shaping up to be the best holiday fo my life, is no longer going to take place. I was to spend a week and a half in Hawaii with Whan and Reid, misbehaving and, when too tired to misbehave, doing absolutely nothing. Obvioulsy, it's impossible to be in China and Hawaii at the same time, so there you have it. Sorry bros. On the flipside, I might still be able to catch Whan in Seoul, and of course Reid will be more accessible once he moves to LA in his new office.

And I'm tired. By all indications, I have impressed everyone with my performance here. That has involved a great deal of work, and Hawaii was going to be a cherished opportunity to replenish my energies before entering once again into the fray. Without that, I only hope that deal cycles will cool down a little as the summer progresses and I'll get some breathing room. Yes, that would be nice.

In any case, it's nice to be escaping from DC as the summer heats up. Although, apparently the pollution in China's major cities is eye-opening. Guess I'll have to wait and see.

I feel like a spy

Today I just got my UN Laissez-Passer. Basically, it's a UN Passport, which is pretty damn cool, if you ask a UN-loving nerd like myself.

Because I don't have my driver's license these days (it's in the mail), I have been carrying a passport around with for ID purposes. Because I like keeping my passports in the same place, (and because it feels wrong to choose between Irish and Canadian), I have had both in my right pocket for quite some time. Well, now I have 3. It might not be the minimum of five that you usually get a glimpse of in the clandestine briefcase in the movies, but I still feel pretty spyish.

Ah, hockey

This is, without a doubt, the single greatest television program ever created.

I just got back from a brief trip home to Calgary, with the primary purpose of renewing my lost G-4 visa, but with the added bonus of being able to surprise my mom and see my family again. I had forgotten what it was like to be able to turn on the boob tube and have instantly displayed in front of you the hockey game of the moment (particularly if the playoffs are on.) There are some things simply irreplacable when you are not at home. I don't think it's possible for me to find a Flames game anywhere south of the border, no matter how hard I try. This makes me sad.

Tonight the Flames take on the Ducks in what I hope will be their series-winning match against Anaheim. Iginla was in great form when I watched the game on the 29th, and Kiprusoff is nothing short of a wall. Here's hoping they win tonight. Depending on how CFA study goes, I might try to listen in on the radio. Go Flames Go!

Interestingly, the Oilers are set for a huge upset against Detroit, and if they make it tonight they'll likely be playing Calgary in the next round as the teams would be the top and bottom seeds of the Western Conference teams. It would be great to have a playoff series between those two. Anyone within 100 miles of me care?

Octuple espresso

That's what I just ordered. I really don't think the human body can withstand that amount of caffeine, but I am toying with the idea of drinking it regardless. It would definitely be a first for me. I don't really need it, it has just been one of those spacy days where I struggle to form a coherent sentence in conversation, but for some reason have no problem writing my emails. I just grabbed lunch in the IFC cafeteria with Emma, and she admits had she not known me better, she probably would not have been able to understand what I've been saying. Maybe an octuple espresso is the answer.

Moving on from randomness, a happy Easter to all of my undoubtedly disappointed readers who have been without a post for almost a month now. My apologies. It is (almost) all entirely to blame on work, where multiple exciting projects have recently come onto my radar, and which are providing me with a great deal of stimulating, if exhausting work. Those insidious taxes are also partly to blame; I am attempting to finalize my return this afternoon. Then, hopefully, I will have a relatively relaxing weekend; a bbq planned for tonight, a party and mass (do-able?) on Saturday, and then a Passover morning celebration on Sunday. To end it all, Jin and I will hopefully have an intimate dinner on Sunday night before she heads off to Paris for business.

Motley Assortment

No real topic, just a post. I am horrendously sick, rendering my mornings intolerable and my workday exhausting. Thankfully my current deals have been a lot less intense than a month ago, and I can leave the office in enough time to get sleep and try to heal. Unfortunately, part of the reason for the drop in intensity is that two of my potential travel opportunities - one to Thailand, the other to DRC, have probably fallen through - although in all honesty you can never make the call either way until you're on the plane. On the plus side, I am now working on a Russian media deal that will likely give me a chance to see Moscow for the first time in the near future.

Apparently, a lot of travelling is on the horizon. Jin (who has been fantastic at making me feel better despite my rotten physical condition - thanks babe!) and I are planning a trip to Canada, probably Montreal and/or Kingston, to get my visa reissued and hopefully visit my brother, who became the first family member outside of my parents to visit me on the east coast since I started living here. Reid and I are aiming for some kind of mega holiday in the early summer, not sure where yet. And I also want to work in seeing Mehal in Seattle, potentially convincing him to climb Rainier with me. Beyond the summer and any other business trips, I also need to make my way out to Vancouver for Matt's wedding. Wedding? Yes, his wedding. You know you're getting old when your friends start proposing. But you still have to call me bro - let's try to catch each other this week. I'll also probably try to visit Whan in Syracuse at some point - he came down a week ago and we had a blast in DC, although unfortunately he could only stay for one night.

The other important thing to mention is that I (finally) got a bike! It's a pretty sweet mountain bike, and although it set me back a bit, I have no doubt it's worth it. It makes getting around the city so much faster, and once it warms up a bit more I expect to hit a lot of the trails around here on weekends. Jin and I are aiming to do the Mount Vernon trail on Saturday. My quads are probably really out of shape - the last time I did any serious mountain biking was back on Javan volcanoes in my scouting days - so I am probably in for a sore time, no matter how small the hills out here might be!

Rogue State

US foreign policy would be funny, if it wasn't so frightening. The complete disrespect that the Bush administration has had for international law, the sovereignty of other peoples and the Universal Declaration of human rights is beyond belief. Appropriately, I am currently reading Rogue States by Noam Chomsky. Although Chomsky's incessantly militant rhetoric can prove a bit extreme after 200 pages, his point stands and is proven by history and current affairs; America, since its inception and virtually without exception, has used force to impose its will on other nations and maintain the World Order as it sees fit. Ironically, domestic public perception somehow clings to the image of America as a purveyor of peace and protector of human rights, while its own record remains abominable and its military actions internationally continue to blatantly offend the respect for humanity that even some present-day dictators find extreme. As much as I disagree with Mr. Bush's foreign policy adjectives, I cannot blame him alone for this practice; America's historical accomplishments in toppling democratically elected leaders and supplying brutal regimes with military hardware has been a constant, bipartisan initiative that Carter embraced as enthusiastically as Bush.

Shoeshine

Shoeshine
Originally uploaded by Sacurus!.

I haven't posted in a while...been busy. In any case, I finally found some time to sign up to this Flickr thing, put some of my photos on the web, and potentially start building a database of cool pics. This is one of the shoeshine guys in Mexico City.

My ID for Flickr is Sacurus - I assume all of you will be able to access my pictures publicly. Unfortunately, the 20MB upload limit per month is quite limiting...although it does force you to pick and choose your best photos. Has anyone signed up for the premium Flickr service? Thoughts?

EHMs

I wanted to post something up here about Confessions of an Economic Hitman by John Perkins. It's a book I recently read by stealing time in between work over the weekend, and I found it an interesting introspective from someone who worked in a career aligned with my own. The author basically describes the new form of global empire, and how, as he believes, people working in private industry and development finance contribute to the subjugation and virtual enslavement of impoverished people in the third world. Specifically, Economic Hitmen (EHMs) are supposed to sell exorbitant loans to third world countries, which they know the countries will never be able to afford to pay, and then persaude them to use the funds in construction projects that are undertaken by American and Western firms, thus tying to country to the West's political agenda while creating business for its own companies and entrepreneurs. Ironically, in the culture of globalization, most of the people implementing this foreign policy are unaware that they are doing so, as they have been indoctrinated into the mindset of the North American corporatocracy.

At first glance, the summary of this story makes it out to be another piece of leftist extremism flying in the face of modern economics. But Perkins, who spent much of his life working for the system, and who describes himself as one of the few "EHMs" consciously aware of the "master plan", paints a very real and vivid account of his own experiences working in the third world, which I found very real and, more frighteningly, very compatible with both my life in Indonesia and also my working experience. Of course, the World Bank is named as one of the principal organisations contributing to this new form of empire (what self respecting left-of-center account of global economics could do without some Bank-bashing?)

I am leaving my own personal judgment on the truth and profundity of what Perkins wrote in limbo, as I feel I need time to digest it, and to examine counter arguments. Definitely worth a read though.

Priceless

3 Starbucks "venti" coffees: $5.88
1 Packet Aspirin: $4.29

Occassionally glimpsing sunlight through the shaded windows of my office building while whithering into a baggy-eyed pale skinned pseudo-human: priceless.

Technology awesome and cruel

Right now I'm at home. I called in sick today with a horrible flu, probably a result of not getting enough sleep during my brother's visit, and also doing pretty much nothing apart from work. However, lying in my bed doesn't mean I can't do my job - I'm currently pushing through a disbursement for an important project that I have been working on for a couple of weeks. This morning I have published 2 documents to IFC's internal server, held a couple of conference calls, and discussed/summarized the legal issues surrounding IFC's disbursment. Amazing what you can do with a cell, laptop and a wireless connection.

Kind of sucks though too, right? Gone are the days when "sick day" meant you actually got to sleep and recover.

Bracing for the weekend

My brother is coming to DC. Both of us were blessed (cursed?) with the same Irish genes, so I'm envisioning a rather ridiculous level of alcohol consumption. That, added to the fact that Jin can outdrink me, means that the three of us at a bar can only end in irrevocable liver damage. And probably severe memory loss as well. Ah, beer...

In all seriousness, it will actually be good to have an opportunity to do some touristy stuff in DC, as I haven't really done any myself since moving here. Hopefully I'll finally get to see the Smithsonian, and Eoin and I will also head up to NYC at some point as Eoin's never been there. It's been a while since I made the pilgrimage to the UN headquarters (yes, I know, lame that standing outside the HQ is my favourite thing to do in NYC, but I can dream, can't I?)

Mobile development

Yes, mobile phones have an enormous impact on economic development. Why is this still news though? There is a horrendous public misperception on the uses and economic benefits associated with mobile phone use, especially with regards to the poorest segments of (all) societies. It has been remarkably difficult for the telecommunications industry, as well as the media in general, to relay this truth to public opinion. Part of the problem is that, while organizations like the BBC report justly on the benefits accrued from deploying mobile networks in developing countries, the relevant policy makers (read: governments and the UN umbrella) fail to highlight this issue - they would rather use a conference like WSIS to fight over control of the internet.

Friendster: krap

I joined Friendster a couple of months ago to be able to comment on a friend's blog (damn you Taylor) and couldn't even comment after taking forever to confirm that I was leaving every section of my profile blank. Now, mysteriously, after giving no information about myself and not putting up a picture, I have been contacted twice, both times by skimpily-clad women (one a model, the other a "lonely gal looking for a man") employing what my delicate sensibilities would consider a far-too-familiar tone, and somehow discerning that I was a "good-looking guy". I must say, despite the friendliness of these women, I think they may be poor judges of character (links to their friends' website seemed to suggest inappropriate material) but don't worry, I will invite them to the next cocktail party I hold and try to introduce them to some more polite washingtonian circles.

Yes, I am aware that it would probably have taken less effort to unsubscribe than to rant, but I felt the need to make a public appeal to stop people subscribing to that horrible website, if anything because their blog layout is so dysfunctional. Oh, and the name sucks.

Convergence

This is the new buzz-word for what is happening to technology right now, and it's affecting the developing world in a big way. Gone are the days of categorizing technologies (and IFC investment projects) according to which segment of ICT they belong to - everything is coming together. And it's happening faster than anyone could have predicted. Even more surprisingly, the developing world is one of the incubators for this technological revolution, but first, what exactly is convergence?

10 years ago, a telecommunications project was exactly that - investing in a company that provided voice phone services over fixed-line networks to last-mile consumers. At the same time, cable networks and alternative technologies (DTH satellite, MMDS) provided video services to consumers. More recently began the laying-out of broadband networks to provide data transmission services. Then, mobile phones happened, and at the same time was born the realization that many of these networks could be used to transmit the types of data that others were exclusively providing. What does this mean?

It means there are no boundaries. Today, a cable network can be used not only to provide video, but also voice and data transmission services. Using VOIP (voice over IP) broadband networks can now offer voice transmission that rivals the quality and beats the price of traditional telecom offerings. Mobile phones now provide video and internet access as well as voice connectivity. Everything is converging. In the ICT industry, there are exciting opportunities for companies that are able to implement a converged platform - this is called a triple or quadruple play. A triple play includes wireline phone service, video and data (internet/broadband). Quadruple would include mobile. There is even talk of the emerging quintuple play, where mobile video is also offered. This technological convergence is revolutionizing the market, changing the stakes of the game and forcing telecom operators, cable providers, mobile companies and internet service providers to offer competitive packages across the board that meet the complete communication needs of every customer.

Obviously, this competition benefits developing nations, where fixed-line incumbents can no longer rest on their laurels and are forced to offer these services to the masses at the lowest possible price. But countries with under-developed ICT networks are poised to take even greater advantage of convergence than their developed counterparts, as they have the opportunity to technologically leapfrog and design networks with converged offerings in mind. It happened with mobile, and is now going to happen with everything else - the first quintuple play is far more likely to happen in Asia than in the US.

Ola!

Ola from Mexico...After another chaotic week at work, I stumbled out of the office at 3pm, made it to Dulles, survived 3hrs of check-in and security procedures (note: Dulles is, quite possibly, the worst airport in the world) and collapsed on the plane before arriving in Mexico City. I paid a horrendous amount for a taxi to the central square (Zocalo) to avoid being robbed/mugged, and then passed out again.

I awoke to the sounds of football cheers as the Zocalo filled with spectators for Saturday's morning league match, and went out to explore. Believing that no plan is often the best, I walked around for a while, unknowingly meandering through what is apparently one of the most dangerous areas of the Distrito Federales - but the market was alive, and I felt as though I were at the beating heart of the beastly city. I saw colonial cathedrals, ruins of the original Mexica, ate tortas and jugos, and vegetables covered with chili (the Mexicans put it on everything). Fortunately I have not yet contracted Montezuma's revenge, but it's quite possible I have eaten dog.

On Sunday, I met up with a friend of Jin's (Jenny) and we went to the pyramids together. Crowded, but definitely worth the visit. It's something of a unique experience to be struggling your way to the top of an ancient monument to forgotten gods, and to be stuck in a traffic jam while peddlers advertise their wares with shrill shouts and whistles that create an eerie cacophony of noise that echoes throughout the temple complex. At the top of the Temple of the Moon, I wrote a message to Jin as Jenny opened the present she had sent along with me. I miss her. We left the pyramid complex happy with what we had seen, but tired from the hiking and the dusty, dirty air of Mexico. Too tired for cerveza, we said our goodbyes at the bus station and I made my way to the W Hotel.

Where I am now. The holiday is over, and I am getting ready for my first business meeting, and taking a break to drink some coffee and reflect. I feel out of place - everything around me is at a level of sophistication to which I am completely unaccustomed. I think I can hack it until I return to DC. I'll try my best.

Conservative victory a victory for Canada

The Conservative victory in Canada last night is more than the regular shuffling of governments that we expect in a parliamentary democracy; it was Canadians finally waking up and refusing to support what had become a corrupt political regime guilty of corruption en masse and promoting, in one of my favourite media phrases from 2005, a "culture of entitlement". I think a fair number of my friends would be surprised to know I was supporting a conservative victory, as I am liberal with respect to social issues, and the Conservative Party of Canada has its own fair share of bible-bashing gun-toting morons like, say, the Republican Party in the US. And I think we all know how I feel about Bush and his election/re-election.

But the Canadian electoral race was different. Unfortunately, Canada's parliamentary democracy lacks a separation of executive and legislative powers, which I feel was probably one of the main reasons the Liberal party felt they could (and did) steal money from Canadians for over a decade. There are times to vote according to your belief in the social and economic platform of a party, and there are times when a government getting away with ridiculousness needs to be brought to account. That's what happened last night.

On a global scale, the victory is more ominous. The conservative shift is happening everywhere; not just in Western-style democracies but also in places like Egypt (the Muslim Brotherhood) and Iran (Mahmoud Ahmadinejad). Obviously this does not bode well for the state of world affairs; polarization and isolation are the most likely outcome.

Oh Canada

My home and native land, wake up and vote the liberals out of office. I'll be watching the election tonight with fellow Canadians at a pub in downtown DC, which will hopefully be serving some real Canadian beer (if I can't get my hands on a Molson, I will be sorely disappointed with the organizers and their patriotism - if we can't drink good beer while watching the farce that is Canadian politics [we're all really liberal anyway], then what kind of national identity do we really have?)

Simply an update

I have been remiss in posting frequently enough since the beginning of the new year, and much of that is because of how busy I have been. Moving into the new digs, the new courses I have started, an upcoming business development trip for my group to Mexico (I'll be gone on Friday), and the fact that work really just has been incredibly busy.

I don't know if things are going to slow down much over the next couple of months either. A business trip always means, of course, a great deal of work afterwords. My brother will hopefully be coming down to DC soon to visit me, and I'm also trying to swing getting a week off in the near future to go visit Reid (potentially with Whan) in sunny, but isolated Hawaii (we'll get there eventually bro, don't worry).

And I have met such a large number of amazing and interesting people in DC that I just don't have as much time to spend with them as I would like. It's a shame, because the enthusiastic, young, and in some cases still-idealistic (like myself) people I have met here have provided me with intense and exploratory debate that could fuel some very cool posts. I'll try harder.

Most importantly, though, I must mention Jin. I've never met anyone like her, nor felt the way I do about her. She's incredible, and I'm looking forward to the journey that we can go on together.

A night

My head light, and wandering, wondering, feeling alive like I never have before. I'm intensely aware of everything around me; the cold black lamposts marking our movement down the street, the warm glow of light that bathes the shadowy maisons around us in an aura of yellowred. Yet she is there, next to me, powerfully present and intoxicating. I can't look; I can't let go. I move forward with a driving impulse that requires nothing but the instinctual desire that already overwhelms me.

Sensation; a drop. Wet. Awakening and fantastic. Was it ever like this? Another. And then everywhere.

The patter of our shoes as we walk quickly down the sidewalk echoes faintly in the white noise of the fall, enveloping us in liquid warmth at the heart of winter. We can't flee; or don't want to? We slow, stop, turn. She is there, smiling, emanating everything I want her to be, and is. I stare into her eyes, blissfully lost as tears from the sky drop down her smooth cheek, and suspend themselves on her eyelids, and wave over the curve of her lips. Under the lamp, light dances with shadows across her visage, and casts rainbows in the beads that cling to her, clinging as I am. We're holding each other. Our lips touch.

2006

The unchanging nature of the passage of time never seems to mitigate the surprise I feel when a new year dawns. 2006? That seems awfully high. In any case, the year has started out very well for me. Over the last 4 months my life has gone through many changes, and as is expected I cannot help but be introspective at (albeit artificial) turning points such as this. However, the beginning of the new year also marks a very real turning point for me, in a number of ways. I am finally becoming comfortable with my new job; my relationships with family and friends have stabilized after a period of adjustment with this new phase of my life; I have just moved into a new apartment. 2006 promises to be very different from the year that proceeded it. Regular readers will forgive me for a soppy and sentimental rant.

There are, as always, things we must leave behind. Most importantly, this includes my family and friends who know they are the most important parts of my life, and believe, as do I, that any distance and time separating us will only make our reuniting all the more special. This makes the future look brighter. There are other reasons I expect 2006 to be exciting; in addition to taking on more responsibility as an Investment Analyst, I will be preparing for the CFA in June, taking Arabic lessons starting next week, and learning a new instrument (in addition to playing the violin and two guitars that I managed to drag back from Canada.) Finally, I am excited about the new friends I have made in DC, and am thankful for everything I have here in the present.

Sorry about that, won't happen again for another year. Updates on the holidays, travel disasters and fun times to follow.