Leave your guns at home, kids.

This past holiday season, my Christmas Wish was for every gun to turn into a Kiss Gun.

Last week was a perfect example of people who would have benefited from my wish:

In Texas, a 15 year old kid brought a pellet gun to school and assaulted another student. According to this New York Times brief, he not only didn't tell anyone it wasn't a "real" gun, but he also pointed it at police officers on the scene. After not complying with the police officers' multiple demands to drop the gun, he was shot twice and killed.

Have a dreary day!

pathetic fallacy

noun

the endowment of nature, inanimate objects, etc., with humantraits and feelings, as in the smiling skies; the angry sea.

My Christmas Wish: A Kiss-Gun

Myth 6. There are no studies linking violent video game play to serious aggression. 

Facts: High levels of violent video game exposure have been linked to delinquency, fighting at school and during free play periods, and violent criminal behavior (e.g., self-reported assault, robbery). (found here)

Spot the difference

One thing I'll always remember from sixth grade was my social studies teacher, Mrs. Diamond. She looked old enough to have witnessed the crossing of the Delaware river and she ran a tight ship. Especially when compared to the cool, new, young math teacher who was closer to my age than to most of her colleagues, Mrs. Diamond scared kids.

Scary Jack o' Lantern!

Check out this Jack o' Lantern I carved at my school's Halloween party.
I Google'd "scary jack o' lantern" and found one I liked and made improvements on it.

Happy Halloween!

I don't teach. I liberate.

"Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it."

  - Michelangelo 

The Duck Hunt Incident

Approximately fifteen years ago I was sitting in my house playing the game "Duck Hunt" on my Nintendo Entertainment System. For those who don't remember, instead of the traditional rectangular controller, Duck Hunt had a special controller that was actually a gun, or the "NES Zapper."

Parenting Awards

Can you think of a word to describe a person who has the following thought process:

When Blogs Attack

Man, I love blogging.

But honestly, if there's one thing I love more than blogging, it's when people blog about me and don't even tell me! Especially when somebody challenges me to do something! How unfair is that?

Recently, on his blog, a scientist named Bruno

The Finger Prince

Teacher John: A "clue" is something that helps the police or a detective solve a case. That's why Sherlock Holmes is always holding a magnifying glass, so he can look for clues. For example, a piece of hair can be a clue. What else might be a clue?

ESL Student: The finger's here (motioning towards the tip of the finger).

Teacher John: That's right! Those are called "fingerprints." Fingerprints can definitely be a clue.

ESL Student: Teacher John, is there a "finger princess?"

EPA: "Idling OK in Moderation"

The EPA recently banned vehicles for idling for over three minutes (story here). After reading this story, I couldn’t help but notice the many absurdities surrounding this new regulation.

The EPA openly admits that “Emissions from motor vehicles are the main source of air contaminants in urban areas and have a severe impact on air quality and public health,” yet at the same time is condoning

Revolution Against Pollution

Dear Idle-Free Taipei supporters-

First of all, for those who haven't heard, Idle-Free Taipei was entered in a Carbon-Reducing contest (held by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Bureau of Energy) and we placed 3rd overall!!! 

Second,

Taiwan Bucket List

I live near Shi Da Night Market in one of those top-floor apartments without a mailbox. Cockroaches the size of my thumb have the run of the place, and a couple buildings block my view of Taipei 101. On summer nights, sweat leaks into my bed linens, and in the winter I wear a scarf to bed. This is Taiwan.

Taipei 101 still wins

Although Taipei 101 has recently lost the title of "Tallest Building in the World" to Burj Dubai (just barely, see graph below), the bamboo-shaped building in Taiwan's capital city still has a few things left to boast about. 

Letter to the Editor

As it appeared in Taipei Times:

‘Idle-free’ is catching on

Two months ago I wrote a letter to this newspaper calling out for people to “support an idle-free Taipei” (Letter, May 17, page 8). I ended the letter with a plea to people out there that not only care, but also are proactive. Fortunately, some people contacted me and helped Idle-Free Taipei grow.

Swim Rage!

[Disclaimer: I swam competitively for almost 15 years, which means I'm used to swimming in a lane with maybe only 5 or 6 other people that swim around the same speed as me. Taiwan is the FIRST place I've ever swum by myself in a public pool during open swim hours.]

Here are some things I've learned about swimming in Taipei, mostly at Daan Sports Center. (Note that these observations have taken place at only 2 pools in Taipei, so please don't misconstrue this as a rant against any group of people.)

Clean Air Promotion

Saturday, July 2
9:00 AM- 2:00 PM
Please join Idle-Free Taipei in this educational promotion event!

Many people are unaware that idling engines cost money! In fact, in the Taipei City area alone, almost $900,000 worth of fuel

Clean Air: You Deserve It!

Imagine this:

You are walking down the street with a friend, and he falls down. Somehow he manages to cut his leg open on a piece of glass, and he is bleeding profusely. You immediately realize he needs to be rushed to a hospital, as the wound can only be closed with stitches. You have three options:

Idling scooters are nutritious??

This is in response to a blog post written by one Michael Fagan (his words in green), who apparently wasn’t a fan of my letter to the editor in the Taipei Times. Although his blog post was peppered with positive feedback about the cause, “The proposition itself is as sensible as it is simple,” he wasn’t satisfied with the language I used in the letter.

I used to word “campaign” to describe the actions I’m taking (which largely consist of a website, Facebook fan page and a Facebook event) towards reaching an Idle-Free Taipei.

Fagan’s interpretation of the word “campaign” stirred up thoughts of a “military metaphor,” as he went on to say that “that’s distinctly uncivil.”

Idle-Free Taipei

If you are a scooter driver, this is a rare opportunity. With the simple turn of a key, you are not only saving yourself money, but you are also taking a step towards a cleaner Taipei.


The next time you are stopped at a traffic light for more than 15 seconds,