How stupid is Hamas?

Pretty freakin' freakin'stupid

Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, whose Hamas-led government negotiated the cease-fire with its militant wing, blamed Israel: "We made great efforts at keeping the truce and there was a positive Palestinian position, but unfortunately this position was met by expanding the aggression and escalating it against the Palestinian people," he said. "It's not a Palestinian problem, it is an Israeli problem."

..."The cease-fire has been over for a long time, and Israel is responsible for that," the spokesman, Abu Obeida, told the Voice of Palestine radio station. "We are ready to kidnap more and more, and kill more and more of your soldiers."

It's really quite sad. We sympathize with average Palestinian citizens, and believe that some of Israel's policies, particularly the wall, the bulldozing of complete neighborhoods, and the illegal use of clusterbombs are abhorrent. It's been said before, but bears repeating: if the Palestinian leadership accepted Israel's existence and lobbied for its own state by adopting nonviolent means after anti-colonialist, civil rights champions like Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and even Martin Luther King Jr, they'd receive their own country, maybe even East Jerusalem and the pre-1967 borders. But the thing is they don't have leadership.

No one who represents them has both the pragmatism to move away from the banner of jihad and towards reality (you, Hamas) or the strength and solidarity to actually get a deal done (you Mahmoud Abbas, Arafat's successor.)

So Hamas will probably carry on its war and get maybe 10-15 Israelis killed, Israel will retaliate, getting 80 militants killed (and civilian "collateral damage") and the world will look on, thinking "those damn crazy middle-easterners." It will take years for the blood of the Holy Land to ever be cleansed, and for the people there to live the way God intended-in peace and compassion with one another.

It's a freaking shame, too.

Kimono Bet Postmortem

Dice-K didn't pitch very well, but for the entire series Joe Torre managed his pitchers about as well as Alberto Gonzales runs the Department of Justice, and now we will be getting our geisha on this week.

Yankees AA call-up Chase Wright struggled with his control for the entire game, giving up four consecutive home runs to erase an early 3-0 Yanks lead. The Yanks still had the oppurtunity to win again with a one-run lead in the seventh. But after a solid relief appearance by Andy Pettite in the sixth, Torre called on middle relief man Scott Proctor to face Sox slugger Manny Ramirez, who has hit three homeruns off Proctor in his career. Proctor gave up three consective hits, incuding a three-run homer by thirdbasemen Mike Lowell, which gave the Sox a two-run lead. With a man on third, the Yanks threatened to tie in the eigth, but an amazing catch by Sox rookie Dustin Pedroia sealed the game.

We're disappointed by the outcome of last night. Yet, since the Yankees held tough against Boston's best in a series where the Yanks were playing about 2/3 at their potential due to injuries, we are hardly feeling devastated. The Yanks can hit Curt Schilling, Josh Beckett, and Dice-K. We'll meditate to that when we don the kimono.

We're really trying to dislike this guy, but...

... We just can't. Daisuke Matsuzaka looks so friendly and lovable, like a teddy bear. And everyone in the media seems to talk about how great he is. If we met him, we'd want to buy him dinner at a Japanese-Italian fusion restaurant and ask him about striking out Ichiro. In a few hours, our sentiments might change. His pitching performance will determine if we will don a kimono at school, and whether the Yankees will be swept by Boston.

As we mentioned earlier, standing between us and certain humiliation is a Mr. Chase Wright; so we are pretty confident! No, really. That wasn't complete sarcasm. Okay, it was.

Yet, our outlook for the rest of the season is about as positive as one can be in this situation. This weekend the Yankees weakest pitching (save for Andy Pettite, of course) just happened to match up with Boston's best. Still the Yankees were positioned to win on Friday with a 6-2 lead in the eighth until Boston rallied. Yesterday, they kept it close when minor leaguer Jeff Karstens faced "ace" Josh Beckett, losing 7-5. Keeping in mind major contributors Hideki Matsui, Johnny Damon, and Jorge Posada all missed the game, I would say what we learned the Yanks can match up with Boston's best. With a healthy lineup, they'll find more success. Though Johnny Damon returns, that might not help us today. But we'll be spending the day making chili and visiting cousins over assorted cold beverages made in Ireland. So we'll probably still be pretty happy.

John McCain is the Pauly Shore of War-Comedy

So what do you do when you are a major Presidential candidate at a time when America is in a war with Iraq that hasn't gone exactly as planned, and you are asked a question about the potential for war with its biggest neighbor, Iran? We hope your answer would not be breaking out to song, replacing the Beach Boy's hit "Barbara Ann" with the words "Bomb Iran."

Senator McCain's campaign claims it was a joke, made in good fun. And that anyone who is bothered by the Senator's remarks should get over it.

We like to think we have a sense of humor. But given the unfathomably paranoid way the Iranians view the world, the animosity in the history of US-Iranian relations, and the need greater diplomatic initiatives in the region if the US ever leaves Iraq, the remarks from a serious presidential candidate are very hard to forgive, whatever the context. The mullahs in Iran will definitely make sure "Bomb Iran" is taken literally. And this will make finding agreements on the few things we should agree on, mainly Iraq being stable, even harder than before.

We are not sure what McCain was thinking, because this can't help him catch Rudy Giuliani in the polls. But we do know that with MC Rove finally found an opening act, and the RNC might have to put out a "Greatest Hits" album. We just hope that the word "hits" isn't meant literally.

Going, Going, GONG!

As you can see, the Yanks swept their home series against the Cleveland Indians. They are now set to play three games at Fenway Park. It is April, but we are pretty excited for this series.

We think we have the edge in Pettite vs. Schilling and for Saturday we will keep the image of Josh Beckett walking in runs during last year's Boston Massacre II, but the game we're really looking forward to is Sunday when Daisuke Matsuzaka debuts against the Yankees.

You see we bet our buddy Joe that if Dice-K beats the Yankees in his first start, for a full day at our high school, we'll wear a silky robe that Japanese-American kindergarten girls wear on Girl's Day. Obviously, when we made this bet, we weren't expecting that minor league call up Chase Wright would be our starter. Really, we weren't. But Wright did have a solid debut this week against the Indians and a lot of that had to do with the good movement he gets with his two different curveballs. On his pitching, Wright says, "I see myself as a left-handed Tim Hudson. He gets after it when he's on the mound, which is like me. He's a bulldog, which actually was my nickname in high school, because I go right after batters."

From the way the Yanks have been hitting lately, we're still think its entirely possible Dice-K's Yanks debut will be folly. And we DO have a "bulldog" on our side. At least that is what we keep telling ourself.

NOTE: And we like our title. What say you?

Mos Def @ Pipeline Cafe

We'll admit, we were a bit skeptical about paying $46 to go see Mos Def at Pipeline Cafe this Friday. But after enjoying what just might have been the best concert of our admittedly empty concert life (we've only seen the Strokes and Kanye West,) we're pretty sure it was worth it.

Mos Def came on the stage at about 9 o'clock. After waiting in the front row for several hours, it felt like God himself beamed down to grace us with his presence, except God wore a really colorful hoodie, baggie board shorts, a ti leaf lei and has starred in multiple hit movies like "The Italian Job" or "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" and released several acclaimed albums like "Black on Both Sides" and "Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star."

What made Mos really special was his versatility, smooth carefree demeanor, and a genuine ability to connect with the audience. Mos can go from a fun, shake-your-ass club hit like "Ms. Fat Booty," to the physchedelic yet undoubtedly hip-hop jam "Umi Says", to the keen, socially concious ballad like "Modern Marvel," which tastefully samples Marvin Gaye's classic "What's Going On?" He even played Black Star hit "Definition," doing the part of partner and our second favorite rapper Talib Kweli.

In between songs, he'd joke and display a genuine affability. When a girl threw flowers onto the stage, he set them up on the turntables and sarcastically cracked about how gangster that made him. Yet, my favorite part was after the end of "What's Going On," he spoke about proof of God lays in our music. Yet, Mos displayed a taste of nuance and humor, saying "science can explain a lot of things, but after a certain point, science needs to sit its ass down!"

The show lasted for nearly two hours and it seemed that no one--even Mos and his DJs--wanted the show to end. In fact, we think we saw him argue with the venue manager to play a few extra songs. With that sort of enthusiasm, how could one be disappointed? We certainly weren't. In fact, we think we found the one man who could bring down MC Rove (see below.)

UPDATE: We received a picture from a concert companion. We would give them proper credit and acknowledge them by name, if our English teacher allowed us to name real people from our school.

We sold our soul for fantasy baseball dorkness...

Thanks to Barry Bonds 736th and 737th homeruns, our fantasy team did pretty well yesterday. We don't mean to brag. In fact we even feel a little bit guilty. If it wasn't for fantasy baseball, we'd probably would be the guys that do things like this...

But late in our fantasy draft, we needed more home runs and RBIs and decided to roll the dice with a without a doubt hall-of-famer. So now we gleefully root for Bonds in his quest for 756 home runs, even if many people consider it to be the biggest sham in baseball history. We are nerdy and we have no morals, but it's been pretty easy since for the last several years we've rooted for this man

"I" am retiring

Blogging in Composition class has been sort of a disappointment. I liked the original idea of everyone posting their thoughts, experiences, people reading them, commenting, and creating a real forum of discussion. And in theory it can still work. But so far no one really seems to read each others blog (or at least they don't show it) and there seems to be little incentive to take the effort to write a good post.

However, looking at the bright side, the lack of an actual audience gives me the oppurtunity to do something I have always dreamed of: rip off Deadspin editor, my favorite blogger Will Leitch. Will writes for a sports-themed gossip blog that specializes in its humor, all while posting in the plural, first person form. We've always wanted to try it. We feel it lends a fun, humorous quality to blogging without any pretension. And since our only reader is our English teacher, we feel like we can get away with it without any scorn or retribution.

So I won't be blogging, but WE will from time to time when an idea burns our noggin, like Michael Vick and a case of the herpes.

Trust Me, There Won't Be Beef Between 50 Cent & This Guy

When things get dreary in the White House and President Bush's legacy appears destined for doom, naturally, Karl Rove finds song and dance to be his outlet.

Rove has the charisma of a 5th grader that just got pushed out onto the dance floor and is in the company of girls for the first time. But I think by the end he really gota hang of it.

Though, I must admit, Karl's high-pitched scream at the end came off as a sign of weakness that other rappers might try to expoit.

But I am not sure if he'll be challenged to a rap battle any time soon. I mean, Karl has torn apart CIA agents!

NYY: Injury rattles Chien Ming Wang

I hate reading pre-season Major League Baseball predictions. They are rarely accurate because over the course of a 162 games there is always something that will change things. Or in the case of the New York Yankees and their number one starter, Chien Ming Wang, there is something that changes things BEFORE the season starts.

Wang, who won nineteen games last year and finished with a 3.63 ERA, will miss most of April due to a hamstring injury.

During Spring Training, it would be ludicrous to assert that this somehow threatens the Yanks season, yet it will have an impact in the pennant race if Boston or Toronto show considerable improvement and the pennant race is close.

Consider this. The Yankees and Red Sox play two three-game series in April and one three-game series in May. That means half of their head-to-head match ups will occur potentially with their number one starter either injured, or in the beginning of his season. Wang struggled in his first several starts last year.

To me, that means a lot, and not just because I might have to wear a kimono.

The Yankees will have to replace their number one, most reliable starter with either minor leaguers Jeff Karstens or Darell Rasner, two guys that would be five-starters in the majors . For those that don't know, the fifth slot of a five-man rotation is usually filled by a team's worst starting pitcher.That means the Yankees will have three guys that scouts project as "number five" guys with either Karstens/Rasner, injury plagued Carl "Heart of Glass" Pavano, and unknown Japanese import Kei Igawa beginning the season.

Last year, the Yankees battled through injuries when star outfielders Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield missed most of the year. In fact, for a stretch in early June, when leaders like Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada got injured, centerfielder Johnny Damon reported bone chips in his foot, and young phenom Robinson Cano went down with a hammy injury--there was a joke among Yankees fans that 2006 might be the "Year of the Injury."

Yet, the Yankees defied the expectations of fans and pundits to win the AL East. So although there is no question that they are at a disadvantage as of now, I wouldn't rule anything out. Predictions can be dirty things.

UPDATE: The Heart of Glass looks to start Opening Day against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Discount what I just said and shoot me.

Some things you might find at the CIA

During my NYLF-Defense, Intelligence, and Diplomacy conference, I visited the CIA headquarters in Northern Virginia. I found some very interesting things:

Scented Candles

Shot Glasses

Russian Dolls

These are all the things stashed away in the place where America's most vital intelligence matters lies. To be more precise, this is what you can find in the wonderfully bizarre, random CIA gift store. It also happens to be just about the only place the CIA actually let us visit. In case you didn't know, the CIA happens to be strict and secretive.

On our bus ride to CIA headquarters in Northern Virginia, we learned the CIA checked everyone's background two weeks in advance of our visit. We weren't allowed to bring any electronic devices on the bus (That is right, my Ipod is a national security threat) and the first thing that happened when we arrived was a complete search of the vehicle with bomb-sniffing canines.

As strict and secretive the CIA is, everything else was pretty normal. I didn't find James Bond, but I did see a lot of forty-year old men that looked balding and grey, perfectly suitable for a Viagra or Cialis commercial.

An analyst spoke to us about working for a CIA, describing its perks, follies, and the various misconceptions about working there. She was a young hispanic girl, several years out of grad school and she seemed very down to Earth. She traveled abroad, but never as undercover case officer. In fact, instead of traveling or participating in any life threatening activities, the bulk of her job consisted of reading, thinking critically, and then writing. She and the rest of her colleagues work very hard, explaining the seemingly random selection of things at the CIA gift store. CIA employees don't get out much so the gift shop serves as the one-stop place for all their needs.

Its too bad I learned that those needs aren't necessarily mine.

Little Five Points, ATL

I have yet to really talk about my trip so far. That ends today. Meet Atlanta's Little Five Points.



In the quaint, conservative South, where a church seems to occupy every single block, Little Five Points is the quirky sanctuary for the weird, the eccentric, the misfit.

In a row of single storied shop fronts, cafes, and tatoo parlors, punks, rastas, hip hoppers, goths, and bums unite.

Need a bong, a LRG hoodie like Kanye, vintage jeans, or the latest mixtape of local bands or rappers?

You can find all four of those things here.

I bought a vintage Lacoste windbreaker for about 35 dollars. Its bright green, so until I find something matching, I have my reservations about wearing it. I suppose I only really bought it to flirt with the girl who worked there. She bore a captivating resemblence to Erykah Badu, complete with the afro. We talked about visiting Emory and she told me about going to Florida State. I left feeling bad for not liking Emory. At least if I go back to Georgetown, I will be able to blend in with the locals.

Addressing the Walter Reed Scandal

This week President Bush announced a new commission to investigate the appaling treatment of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. The commission will be joint headed by former Veteran and Senator Bob Dole and Donna Shalala from the Clinton administration.

Thats nice, of course, but if the President hopes to get to the bottom of this national travesty, perhaps he could save some energy and take a look into the mirror.

The VA and military hopitals have always been underfunded, yet these problems were accelerated by a war that has created over 15,000 and counting life-long injuries. Because Bush, Rumsfeld, and Cheney always expected it to be quick and easy, the administration had no comprehensive plan to tend to the massive increase of injured soldiers that their war created. Instead, the task was out-sourced to private companies, concerned for profit rather quality.



Recent reports from the Washington Post suggest the administration's preference for contracting work to IAP Worldwide Service contributed to the decline in service. From January 2006 to January 2007, the number of facilities management workers at Walter Reed declined from 180 to 100. IAP has extensive connections to the Bush administration and (gasp) Halliburton. Former Treasury Secretary John Snow chairs the managment firm that owns IAP.

But enough finger pointing, we have one of the greatest embarassments in our nation's history staring us in the face. Democrats and Republicans alike need to address this moral challenge. Democrats in Congress plan to propose a $3.5 billion increase in Veterans funding in an upcoming war funding bill. Considering we spend have spent about $426.8 billion in Iraq, I find that number to be figure to be embarassingly small.

And problems of care transcend Walter Reed. Army hospitals across the country face similiar conditions. The VA's record is indeed far worse due to even greater neglect from Congress and the President in the Federal Budget.

Any efforts to improve conditions must be big and sweeping. They must represent the same magnitude of will and dedication that our brave servicemen and women have showed overseas. The VA's budget must increase tenfold and Bush's tax cuts ought to end to pay for this. Congressional oversight of the VA and DoD hospitals must ensure reform. It is a matter of national priorities. For too long, uniformed service men and women have payed the sole cost for Iraq and Afghanistan. If that doesn't change soon, America's moral integrity will cease to exist.

The Kimono Bet

Last winter, the Boston Red Sox payed about $100 million to get Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. Scouts regard Matsuzaka as a legitimate major league starter with ace potential, meaning the signing seems reasonable for a team that finished in third place last year largely due to bad pitching.

Of course, the seething passion, intensity, and hubris of Red Sox fans make the expectations for "Dice-K" to be anything but reasonable. My good buddy Joe believes Matsuzaka will not only pitch amazingly, his leadership will greatly improve a rotation that ranked in the bottom of the AL in ERA. Joe is not alone. Matsuzaka will beat the Yanks and compete for a Cy Young, according to some other friends.



As a result of Joe's expectations and my Yankee loyalties, we have made a bet for Matsuzaka's first game against the Yanks. If Matsuzaka beats the Yanks, I will wear a kimono to school. It sounds humiliating, but I am a senior; everyone's opinions are unimportant. Oh, and silk feels really really good!

A Tale of Two Presidents, Pakistan, and the beginning of baseball

To look at Al Gore and George W. Bush now, nearly seven years after the crazy election, adds a fascinating dimension to a tale of two Presidents. Hurricane Katrina and the Iraqi misadventure leave Bush floundering in a sea of mediocrity and shame. History will not remember Bush very fondly. At the same time, Al Gore has enjoyed critical and popular acclaim as an Oscar and Nobel prize winner. Many people believe, myself included, that Al Gore still is a legitimate presidential candidate.

Yet locking back over the last seven years, to what extent would Al Gore's reaction to events like Katrina or 9/11 been better than Bush, if better at all?

All we can do us bring our bias to the table and speculate.

Certainly, I think the US would be a better place with Gore, but that is not saying much when the alternative is Bush's America. There are real problems in this country that transcend a single man like Bush, like education, the affordability of healthcare, and poverty. My point is I think Gore's America would be only mildly better.

Whatever your opinion, it is clear that Gore has enjoyed a more succesful life since 2000. Perhaps he really did come out on top.

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From rouge provinces in Pakistan, both Al Qaeda and the Taliban pose an unacceptable threat to world stability. Yet, the US and international forces lack the ability to go on the offensive. Pakistani officials have repeatedly threatened against foreign intervention into their borders.

Pakistan is a critical ally. President Musharraf is a man the United States supports for very important reasons. Musharaff posseses nuclear weapons, is not an Islamic fundamentalist, and did play a critical role in the initial invasion of Afghanistan. We like Musharaff because we don't like any of the alternatives, therefore we must be somewhat supportive of him.

That being said, The United States should be able to act against Al Qaeda under any circumstance, including through missions in Pakistan.

The Pakistani government has no real control over the regions where terrorists find shelter. Operations there wouldn't be a threat to the Pakistani government so much as it would be sweeping the bacteria that seeks to do great harm.

I consider myself an internationalist. I never supported the war in Iraq and believe that foreign nations and other international institutions should be respected and cooperated with in most cases. But sometimes acting alone is necessary, this seems like one of them.
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I saw my first baseball game of 2007 yesterday. A spring training game between the Atlanta Braves and the Pittsburgh Pirates on ESPN. I am an American League guy, therefore I don't pay much attention to most NL teams during the regular season. But seeing baseball--however meaningless it might have been--I couldn't help myself from feeling a joyous rush of happiness, the kind one gets when they get a new car, tell a good joke, or see an old friend for the first time after a long departure. I follow football and basketball, but they don't come close to baseball. Thank God baseball is back!

Flying "Home"

I returned from Washington/Atlanta yesterday, and I will reflect on some of my individual experiences later, including my visit to the CIA headquarters. But an important matter hit me miles above the Pacific Ocean that needs to be addressed now.

I fly to the mainland at least once or twice every year and yesterday was the first time in my life where I have flown back and realized there is very little left here in Hawaii for me. Instead of flying home and looking forward to my room, my favorite chair in the living room, and the bright beaches and lush rainforests, I felt as if the flight and my arrival in Honolulu was merely temporary.

In little more than a month or two, I will already be planning my permanent departure from the place that, for better and worse, I lived the first eighteen years of my life.

Leaving will be a bittersweet experience. Honestly, I have always believed that lending the word "paradise" to describe Hawaii is inacurrate. I value my experiences growing up here, attending Punahou, participating in Little League baseball, tossing a football around on the beach. Yet, I never have felt completely welcome or accepted in Hawaii. Perhaps this is a result of my own insecurity. Being known as the redhead, the pale boy, the haole, I always felt aleinated, an outcast trapped among rows of surfboards, rice bowl hair cuts, bright floral printed boardshorts, and the sound of ukuleles.

That flower lei my grandparents put on me after graduating Queen Emma Pre School must have suffocated something in me.

Despite my issues with Hawaii, I will miss some things, particularly my family: the aroma of my mother's lasagna and how she shreiks if you don't come to dinner on time, the way my dad curls up in his favorite chair to watch Dallas Cowboys games, my sisters loud voice singing a long to John Mayer, and the sparkling smile of my little brother's face whenever he finds out the New York Yankees win.

Yet, when one turns 18, they can't live like they are eight. It is time to leave Hawaii, the swamps and sunshine of Kailua, the familiar blocks of Wanaao Road and turn it in for something dramatically different. Even my reluctant parents know that. I will be living a lot closer to the real world in a few months.

The trip to DC/ATL solidified my belief that leaving is not merely a change that is necessary, but rather an oppurtunity to improve and grow. Certainly, I want to go to school in Washington DC. Spending a week there alone, I already feel like I have a head start in adjusting. Hopefully, I will be afforded the oppurtunity to spend more time there very soon.

The world awaits and it is a hell of a lot bigger, more diverse, more sophisticated than a rock in the Pacific Ocean. Sorry if that disappoints you.

US ought to recognize the new Palestinian government

The greatest accomplishments always rest on one's willingess to take immense risks by making decisions that make us uncomfortable. If Secretary of State Rice is truly serious about taking steps to build a lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement, she will do precisely that by recognizing the the coalition unity government of Palestine, brokered by "US ally" Saudi Arabia.

The agreement by the two rival Palestinian factions of Fatah (moderates led by Mahmoud Abbas, Arafat's elected succesor) and Hamas (radical Islamists, lambasted by the West, but popular in Palestine due to its appearance as a non-corrupt entity) should have been considered good news for anyone hoping to resume any sort of dialogue for peace. Yet, the US and Israel have threatened to refuse recognition of the Palestinian government until Hamas directly states Israel's right to exist and denounces violence.

Perhaps these threats are mere rhetoric designed to continue pressure. Nevertheless, I believe it would be a mistake for the US to refuse the new Palestinian government for several reasons.

Although the Hamas-Fatah agreement stopped short of explicit recognition, it implied something similar with the pledge to "respect" past international agreements. I know that may not satisfy Israelis in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem, but it is unrealistic to expect Palestinians to put down their weapons in one day. For many Palestinians, peace and recognition of Israel will be a process--a long and ardous one where small steps are taken. Yet these small steps must yield some results in the form of US acceptance if they are to bear fruit rather than disillusionment. This was a critical moment in Palestinian politics and was widely lauded by average citizens in the West Bank and Gaza. For America to shun this truth has the potential to move Palestinians ever closer to the fringes of violence and destruction.

The agreement represented an important event in the region's politics. Saudi Arabian King Prince Abdullah personally led negotiations in Mecca, Islam's holiest city. In this context, it is important in its implications in US-Saudi relations and beyond. If America aspires to limit Iranian interests in the region, supporting a Sunni-led dialogue and helping it become succesful has the potential to undermine Shiite Iran, which considers Middle East peace a danger to its regional ambitions.

The bottom line is if Americans are truly searching to build a foundation for peace, a series of risks must be taken. Sure those risks may make us feel uncomfortable, but I believe the potential benefits can make it worth it. The current gridlock of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations has done little to boost American interests in the Middle East.

My dinner

Nothing beats the taste of beef braised and lathered in a crimson sauce of red wine, carrots, onions, and spices. Its warm, delicate and tender slivers of tissue just seem to make soul feel replenished after a long day. For our trip in DC, my mom and I made a pact to eat at the ethnic restaurants of the Adams Morgan district, trying new tastes that we'd never get here in Hawaii. But the tastes we share and consume at home always linger in our conciousness, beckoning us back for more. My dinner tonight will keep feeling me warm next week, even when its below freezing.