Random

~ Coming in May -- Narnia II -- "Prince Caspian" -- Great Trailer

~ Japan's Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba says the United States estimate of some ¥70 million (US$630,744) per house for US Marines to be relocated from Okinawa to Guam is "extravagant." -- Link

The poor defense minister is misreading the figures. The $630,744 per house is really $630,744 per door (and hardware) as purchased through the US military procurement process. :-)

~ Australians believe the American hamburger and US slang are infringing on their culture and they are "not at all pleased" about it, according to a survey released Monday. -- Link

Cheryl and I are tapping into our bank of frequent flier miles and will be going to Australia for two weeks after Christmas. But no worries, mates, while we're hanging out with you banana benders we'll try to keep the slang to a minimum and we'll not be looking for a McOz every time we go out to eat.

Actually, I'm suggesting these days that it's not really American culture which is being exported around the world but a globalized third culture that transcends boundaries. Some of it has roots in American pop culture but it has fused with so many other influences that it is getting harder and harder to identify it as exclusively American. Even Americans aren't particularly fond of everything which gets attributed to them.

~ "Christians Protest Removal of 'Christmas' in Holiday Advertising" -- Link

The retailers are damned if they commercialize Christmas and damned if don't. Can you see why people have a hard time taking us seriously on so many issues?

~ I'm a little slow and so I just figured out that Stella has a blog! Stella is a 2007 PIBC BA grad, originally from Yap, who is working as our library trainee. She was a great student and now she is an outstanding part of our Guam campus team. -- Link