Owner: Eye of Modok URL:http://modok.us Join Date: Sat, 19 Aug 2006 11:21:25 -0500 Rating:1 Site Description: Modok, aka Benjamin Taylor, explores life in Beijing, China, politics, renewable energy, sustainable living, parenthood, qi gong, music, and the nature of the multiverse. Site statistics:Click here
Yangtze River Cruise through the Three Gorges 0000-00-00 00:00:00 My folks just left after an intensely packed trip to China. One of the first things we did was go on a cruise down the Yangtze River
from Chongqing (Chung King) to Yichang. It was great! The cruise ship was past it's prime but it still managed ... Read more:Cruise
, Three
Ah, the good old days… fresh air… cows at the airport 0000-00-00 00:00:00 The final destination of our Yangtze River cruise was the city of Yichang, a fairly small city, by Chinese standards, though the third largest city in Hubei. The airport
was way out of town and the surroundings were quite rural. The airport itself was a cookie cutter version ... Read more:fresh
My ideal form of governance 0000-00-00 00:00:00 I've given a lot of thought about governance
and what form would be most fair and equitable. Of course, short of a major calamity or worldwide revolution against the growing global empire spearheaded by the US and it's children organizations such as the WTO and IMF that feed the ... Read more:ideal
Confessions of an Economic Hitman - I couldn't put it down!! 0000-00-00 00:00:00 I just finished a great book, Confessions of an EconomicHitman
by John Perkins. While it is certainly not news to me that the US government generally acts at the behest of an uberpowerful oligarchy who calls the shots, it is another thing entirely to hear it straight from ...
Wading through traffic 0000-00-00 00:00:00 *Disclaimer: Modok would never encourage anyone to break the law. Well… OK, in this post, I describe my attempts at assimilation into Chinese culture, including some behaviour which might not be viewed as "law-abiding" I wouldn't recommend anyone try this on their own, unless they have the ... Read more:traffic
Renewable Energy and Coffee - how can you go wrong?! 0000-00-00 00:00:00 NewWind Energy
reports about a New York coffee provider, Monkey Joe Roasting Company (my kind of coffee provider - single bean micro-roasting- yum!) that has achieved their goal of utilizing 100% renewable energy.
Technorati Tags: renewable energy, coffee Read more:Renewable
, Coffee
, Renewable Energy
Autumn comes to Beijing 0000-00-00 00:00:00 It's hard to get used to the idea that it really is getting cool. A lot of people have been complaining that its cold, but to my Ohio winter-hardened self, it is immensely invigorating. The sun is warm and soft, but the breeze is cool. Except when ... Read more:Autumn
, comes
, Beijing
Nuclear power is NOT the answer 0000-00-00 00:00:00 nuclear power
life cycle costs
Yes, folks, global warming is happening. When one looks at similar warming effects occuring on other planets in our solar system, and at the recent increase in solar activity, it shouldn't be surprising that things start to warm up. Total mass extinction is a ... Read more:Nuclear
, answer
, Nuclear power
Now THAT's a lantern! 0000-00-00 00:00:00 We've just finished a week long break (except for me because I was busy with assignments) for the Chinese National Day celebration. One of the highlights of the week was visiting Longtan (Dragon) park for the Lantern Festival. I must admit, I've never seen lanterns like these! ...
Behold! The Sea Itself! 0000-00-00 00:00:00 Another great concert for the International Festival Chorus at the Forbidden City Concert Hall. Last night we performed "A Sea Symphony" by Vaughan Williams, with words by Walt Whitman. It was a challenging piece for sure, and alas, we failed at perfection. However, we seemed to have ... Read more:Behold
, Itself
Hybrid Cars - HyView 0000-00-00 00:00:00 Hybrid Cars have always been cool. Now they are getting to be simply amazing. I dream of the day when all of the cars within the city limits are powered by batteries or fuel cells. If you can zip around in style, all the better! There ... Read more:Hybrid
, Hybrid Cars
When the word "Organic" becomes meaningless 0000-00-00 00:00:00 Most people I meet don't have to wait long to hear my vision of city rooftops covered in gardens providing food for the building's residences, or even better, an ecovillage that grows it's own organic food and is completely self-sustaining and self-reliant. It's a little easier to grow gardens ... Read more:Organic
, meaningless
Ancient Chinese sound loop torture 0000-00-00 00:00:00 The other day at a restaurant, I was pleasantly surprised to hear an old favorite, "My Sharona" by the Knack, at a restaurant. As that song contains what I consider to be a definite contender for all-time top ten guitar solos, it was great to hear it after so ... Read more:Chinese
, Ancient
Happy Halloween 2006! 0000-00-00 00:00:00 What a great Halloween
this year! The weather was much warmer than last year and everyone had a great time.
Ellie really wanted to be a jellicle cat and I believe that Salomae delivered, working from materials at hand and the purchase of a red wig bargained down to 30RMB. ... Read more:Happy
, Happy Halloween
Let's hear it for Green Rooftops! 0000-00-00 00:00:00 As part of Beijing's preparation for a "Blue Sky Olympics" the Green
Rooftop project is actually one of the least costly measures being taken to reduce pollution in the city, yet offers some truly tangible benefits. Similar projects are in place in most major cities in the world, and ...
Indoctrucation 0000-00-00 00:00:00 After a few months, I can say that my kids are doing very well in the Chinese school system. My older daughter Blysse had a few years of international school, but had to stay at her Oma's (grandma's) house Mon - Thur as the school was right downtown next ...
Vertical Axis Wind Turbines bring wind power to urban areas 0000-00-00 00:00:00 UK-based Quiet Revolution have done some great work with Vertical
Axis Wind Turbines
(VAWT) that can be used in urban situations where the wind is not likely to come from one steady direction, but rather from all over the place. Unlike traditional pinwheel-like wind turbines, a VAWT can utilize ... Read more:power
, areas
, Wind Turbines
Blocked again!! 0000-00-00 00:00:00 Sigh!
The one thing that may end up forcing me out of China is the Great Firewall of China. Once again, Wikipedia is blocked after nearly a whole month of relatively unfettered access. What's worse, my blog is again also blocked. This I really don't get as my ... Read more:Blocked
Sold Out!! IFC performs Handel Messiah 0000-00-00 00:00:00 Wow, what a night! This year's performance of Messiah
sold out nearly a week before the concert, a first for the International Festival Chorus. We even sold out all of the boxes for the first time in the history of the Forbidden City Concert Hall. ... Read more:Handel
Winter snowstorms… Bring it on!! 0000-00-00 00:00:00 This year, I really want to make it up to Harbin. The ice festival there has been luring me for years, but I can never find anyone willing to go with me. All I ever hear about is how it gets to minus 20 degrees C and your ...
Vertical Axis Wind Turbines bring wind power to urban areas 0000-00-00 00:00:00 UK-based Quiet Revolution have done some great work with Vertical
Axis Wind Turbines
(VAWT) that can be used in urban situations where the wind is not likely to come from one steady direction, but rather from all over the place. Unlike traditional pinwheel-like wind turbines, a VAWT can utilize ... Read more:power
, areas
, Wind Turbines
Blocked again!! 0000-00-00 00:00:00 Sigh!
The one thing that may end up forcing me out of China is the Great Firewall of China. Once again, Wikipedia is blocked after nearly a whole month of relatively unfettered access. What's worse, my blog is again also blocked. This I really don't get as my ... Read more:Blocked
Sold Out!! IFC performs Handel Messiah 0000-00-00 00:00:00 Wow, what a night! This year's performance of Messiah
sold out nearly a week before the concert, a first for the International Festival Chorus. We even sold out all of the boxes for the first time in the history of the Forbidden City Concert Hall. ... Read more:Handel
Winter snowstorms… Bring it on!! 0000-00-00 00:00:00 This year, I really want to make it up to Harbin. The ice festival there has been luring me for years, but I can never find anyone willing to go with me. All I ever hear about is how it gets to minus 20 degrees C and your ...
The Eye in the Moat 0000-00-00 00:00:00 I'm filling in for a friend as editor of Metropolis magazine in Beijing while he's away. The job has some perks, not the least of which is getting to see my words in print! Best of all is the walk along the canal from SOHO Newtown at Dawanglu ...
Death by Caffeine 0000-00-00 00:00:00 A delightfully morbid site to make your Boxing Day bright… How many cups of coffee would it take to kill you? I know that on days I make an extra dose of my favorite french press coffee, I really feel a buzz that can even keep me up all ... Read more:Caffeine
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