Day 2: Wednesday 4th of October (Tokyo)

Set my alarm for 7am. That didn't happen. I was feeling weary and tired and the bed way too comfortable, plus I thought I should try and avoid the peak hour. So much for making the most of my trip I thought, as I dosed off. Eventually, hunger struck me and forced me to get up, so around 9 oclock, I reluctantly rolled out of bed, grabbed a few things, and made my way out into... Tokyo!


Learning my lesson from last night, I found my way to the nearest train station (which was surprisingly hard to find on the map which showed it was just down the road) and made my way from Asakusa to Ginza Station. It shouldn't have surprised me that in Ginza, the urban and metropolitan capital of Japan, was filled with... fashion stores, everywhere! There were upper class French fashion stores on every corner, department stores filling in between, and hordes of neat Japanese people walking around in their stylish designer clothes, punctuated by the occasional group of gaijin gazing around at the sights.


Food was harder to come by than expected, not because for a lack of shops, but because there was too much choice. Following my trust LP, I eventually wiggled my way through the clean and trendy streets and found - Lion Beer Hall. Apparently established in 1899, this place had an unassuming exterior, but an inside that evoked mixed images of European style beer gardens and my junior school camp dining room. As I would find in most all the other cities I would visit, there were faithful representations of the meals I could order on display outside the entrance - I ordered the daily special.


Filling up on the deepfried stuff, and guzzlind down a nice cold beer, a then departed and continued walking and gawking around Ginza. Searched for a while for a non-existant Godzilla statue (according to LP), left then found the Sony Building. An extremely vertically oriented building, this place was less impressive than what it looked. About 8 floors of stuff greeted me, but with only a few gadgets per floor, this place took less than 40 min to walk thru. There were some nice big TV sets that I refused to carry around with me in my backpack.

Found my way to the northwestern part of the Tokyo and into, The Imperial Palace. A totally amazing sight to see - in the middle of one of the busiest suburban densest city in the world stood this gigantic castle, moat, and surrounding grounds. The scale of the grass and neat little trees all in a row was astonding, and I spent a long time wondering around the grounds and the building, reading about the various wars and history of the castle and the city of Tokyo.


Still proceding on foot, I left the grounds and travelled around eastwards, passed the Tokyo Grand Central Station (which was still being rebuilt), lost myself in the growing homeward peak hour human traffic, caught a train, and found my way to - Akihabara! This, from what I had read, was the electronics district of Tokyo, all the latest of the latest would be here. I was greeted by a wave of advertisement, with young people dressed in school uniforms waiting all in the line outside the train station trying to bombard the outgoing with little papers detailling what they could miss out on if they didn't visit this shop or that. Got bombarded

with multicolour neonic lights filling up my entire vision, perused a few humongous multistoried electronic department stores, filled my bag with gadgets and gizmos, and then finally managed to pull myself away. Had dinner at a fast food noodle chain (after not being able to locate few of the recommended restaurants in LP), and then headed for a late night stroll of Ikebukuro.

Went to a big escalator, which wasn't as exciting as I thought it would be, and then found 'Black Sheep'!, a comfy international/Irish pub, drank a few brews, journalled, and watched the few locals wandering in and out. Found my way back with a bit less walking this time, grabbed a few snacks from a convenient store nearby home, and settled down for the night.

Which did I have again?




















The usual

Designer seats
I've effluxed things looking better than this

Fast food

No idea what these were

Day 1: Tuesday 3rd of October (Melb -> Tokyo)

Trip

Leaving with only the clothes I needed, a JR rail pass, some money and things, and a 3-day hotel booking, I made my way to... Tokyo!

Day 1: Tuesday 3rd of October (Melb -> Tokyo)

The journey started of course with a trip to McDonalds at Melbourne airport, before a very long flight direct to Tokyo. No drinkies for me this time, as I wanted to stay awake and be adjusted to the local time once I arrived (plus I didn't particularly want to run to the toilet every half an hour). There was the original plan to map out my next few days' travel around Tokyo on my aeroplane journey using my trusty Lonely Planet guide (henceforth known as LP), but instead ended watching 3 movies on the inflight entertainment system.

Arrived in Tokyo, a bit warmer and mustier than Melbourne. Tried for a while to work out how to get a train into the city, and got on a platform hoping it was the right one. Had my first shot at trying to communicate with the locals, I'm pretty sure my konnichiwa went down quite well. Took a train from Narita to Ueno station, and seeing that it looked close to my hotel in Asakusa on the little LP map, I decided to take a stroll, around to my home for the next 3 days, 10kg backpack in tow.

Already busy on a Tuesday night, I roamed around towards my destination amongst the many stares from passers-by that would be common on my trip, through the old-style lanes of an Old Tokyo in one of the not so modern suburbs, and thoroughly got myself lost. With less people around in Asakusa, it was harder get help, and after what I later realised to be incorrect directions given to me by police, I eventually found my way into a 7-11 store and got the right bearing towards my hotel. After more than 2 hours of aimless wandering around semi-familiar landmarks, dark alleys and old wooden facades, I eventually made my sweaty way into my hotel.



A business style hotel, much like the ones here, except smaller. Had its own ensuite and 2 singles. Overall quite comfortable, but probably could have found cheaper.

Start: Footscray, Melbourne
End: Hotel Skycourt Asakusa, Tokyo

Yennage: about 2400

Stats

I've been wanting to write for a while, but yet haven't had the motivation to. Perhaps it is just that I've been out of practice, and hence have thought that I've forgotten how to phrase words together, or just anticipating it might be hard to do. Anyway, it need to keep up constant writing, or else I might never start up again.

I seem to have lost some of that motivation I originally had during my med block. I was going in, going on ward rounds, doing ward stuff, hangin' with the team, and getting pages and pages of learning issues, that I would go home (i.e. Chi's place) and study for a few hours every night. Now, there just seems to be less to do, less to learn, and I'm unsure of what to study, how to spend my time. Watching surgery is great, but the same sort of things seem to pop up all the time.

What to do?

Anyway, as I think I've previously mentioned, I seemed to have drawn some affinity between games and real life. Many games have a system for categorising and breaking down a person into different aspects - a common one is describing someone in terms of physical attributes and mental attributes. An example of this might be strengh, dexterity, constitution, intelligence, wisdom, charisma. Ideally, it would be best to split up the description of a person into more categories than that - and assumedly the more you used, the closer you'd approximate to what's true in real life.

But in any case, what I was pondering the other day was the difference between Intelligence and Wisdom. The traditional view of intelligence was the ability to work things out or calculate things, whilst wisdom was more along the lines of 'know how' or 'street smarts' or 'awareness of surroundings'. The problem with this was that the distinction was all a bit vague to me - I mean, what is it about the wise man that makes him wise?

A more concrete example came to me when I was thinking about arguing and reasoning. To me, the intelligent person would be able to, from the original assumptions, be able to work out and extrapolate all the conclusions that these entail, and do so relatively quickly, compared to others. In essense, they'd be able to 'compute', manage and manipulate the data easily. On the other hand, my perception of a wise person, is one that would be able to see the big picture, and be able to choose the right assumptions to start off with, and to choose the right path to argue along, without necessarily drawing out all the details of all the conclusions possible. It would basically be keeping things in context, and seeing the bigger picture.

And it seems to me that some people lack this second skill at times, although they have the capability, as demonstrated by their conclusion forming skills. All wisdom requires is a bit thought beforehand, I think. In the context of a discussion one important question that needs to be asked is, "What is my point?", or from another perspective, "How is this point relevant to the discussion". It really iritates me when people either argue tangentially, where they lose sight of the idea in discussion by making non-relevant statements; bring about evidence that isn't linked to the conclusion that they are drawing; or when they choose to employ an argument against a point, while at the same time using that point to support their own conclusion.

Though this all sounds a bit vague, I think the main thing is people need to keep track of what it is they want to say, and then only say stuff that is pertinent to the topic. This would ensure a lot less time is spend with unneccessary clarifications and misunderstandings.

morsel

It starts off insidiously.

First a small bite, a tantalising taste - I savour the spicy richness, the crisp texture resounds in my head. My taste buds buzz with delight.

I pause and wait, comtemplating the experience, absentmindedly reflecting back on the experience that has just passed as I go on with other things I was doing previously. Time passes.

The last threads of flavours die out, and slowly, my attention once again becomes focussed on the little bowl on my table. I stop doing what I'm doing, and delicately pick out my next target within the pile. This time the sharp tanginess is expected, but the burst of flavour is just as pleasing as before. I munch away, and the sensations gradually fade out as they chase the remnants running down my throat. Time passes.

This time, subconscious thoughts penetrate through my mind, popping up here and there, wondering about when the next might be. I am confused as I am distracted away from my task at hand. I look around the room, searching for what might be bothering me - my gaze once again rests on the little white dish. I grab the most perfect of the lot - little specks of colour speckling across the regular rounded shape - and quickly gobble it down. The flavour hits the palate, and I am sated.

The flavour is disappearing, but there is still a lingering question on my tongue. I frown. Attention wanders between the books and the bowl. There is a quick but intense inner struggle, me watching on the sidelines, not knowing what the outcome will be. But of course, I do know. My hand reaches out, and grabs whatever it can. This time I get the same hit, but it is somehow different. My tongue searches for what it is after, but yet can't quite locate. The flavour has built up, with this new assault combined with the remnants of the previous one, yet it is somehow not enough.

I quickly combine a pile easy enough to fit into my mouth now, and gobble it. I pass the contents around my mouth, searching longingly for the climax to hit, yet it is not quite there nor the same. The bitter saltiness is starting to creep up upon my palate, as the initial vestiges of the fine spiciness dwindle down to nothing. My books are forgotton about.

I lick my fingers now, searching longingly for the elusive target that may have accidentally been stuck there. They lack the overwhelming saltiness, but yet don't satiate me entirely. My handfuls grow by the second, as more and more are needed to keep my mind at peace. The white ceramic bowl is soon empty.

Soon, bowl after bowl is filled and emptied soon after the contents leave there resting place, and my physiological dependence and tolerance grows. There is no more pleasure in this endeavour - it is just keeping whatever stimulation on my tongue going for as long as possible. I am scared of letting the feeling go away. Brine overwhelms my fingers, and my senses - I can smell nothing but the ooze of the flavour hanging around the gritty ends of my teeth now. I feel I can go no further.

But the package is still not finished, a small group of left-overs sitting at the bottom. Though not wanting to continue the onslaught to my senses, reason finally succumbs; physiological dependence finally gives way to psychological dependence, and the rest are ungratiously spilled out on the used and dirty bowl and licked up clean.

And then, just like that, it is finished. There is no more. I am exhausted. Brief thoughts of grabbing a new lot cross my mind, but are duly shut out. I am nauseated. And then I think how lucky it is that there was an endpoint to all of this, that I was able to stop.

The complete stages of addiction, over a bag of chips.

Theory Evaluation

From the history, philosophy and sociology of science, there are at least four fundamental categories of criteria by which theories are judged:
(1) logical criteria
(2) empirical criteria
(3) sociological criteria
(4) historical criteria.

(1) Logical criteria:
(a) a simple, unifying idea that postulates nothing unnecessary
(b) logically consistent internally
(c) logically falsifiable
(d) clearly limited by explicitly stated boundary conditions so that it is clear whether or not any particular data are or are not relevant to the verification of falsification of the theory.

(2) Empirical criteria:
(a) be empirically testable itself or lead to predictions or retrodictions that are testable
(b) actually make verified predictions and/or retrodictions
(c) concern reproducible results
(d) provide criteria for the interpretation of data as facts, artifacts, anomalies, or as irrelevant.

(3) Sociological criteria:
(a) resolve recognised problems, paradoxes, and/or anomalies irresolvable on the basis of preexisting scientific theories
(b) pose a new set of scientific problems upon which scientists may work
(c) posit a "paradigm" or problem-solving model by which these new problems may be expected to be resolved
(d) provide definitions of concepts or operations beneficial to the problem-solving abilities of other scientists

(4) Historical criteria:
(a) meet or surpass all of the criteria set by its predecessors or demonstrate that any abandoned criteria are artifactual
(b) be able to accrue the epistemological status acquired by previous theories through their history of testing (i.e. be able to explain all of the data gathered under previous relevant theories in terms either of fact or artifact, without anomalies
(c) be consistent with all preexisting ancillary theories that already have established scientific validity.

(From: On Defining a Scientific Theory)

Metablog

Why do I blog?

I've been wondering for a while. I don't think that I particularly blog for exactly the same reasons as other people do...

I don't I particularly type for others to see. It's purpose is not really for others to see, and for me, I don't think that essentially it should make much difference what others think of me. Ideally, it should just be my own feelings that are produced, and it shouldn't matter what others judge me by, as I should have integrity, and just go by what I evaluate to be best. In other words, I shouldn't have to cave in to peer pressure and discard my own beliefs, even if the majority think I might be mistaken, and I have some evidence to support my beliefs. On the other hand, I can see that being human is being in a part of a social group... that we are not islands and that especially in this modern world, that we rely more and more upon others to survive. It is the fact that we as humans are social animals that necissitates us interacting with others to go on with our everyday existence.

I find that I may have ideas that I get during the day. But when it come to the evening, when I have time to record them, I seem to forget what I had though about. Recently, I've taken to jotting down ideas during the day, and now I've been able to record some of the things that pass through my mind. This, is in fact, one of the reasons, i think, that I blog. I feel that there are many ideas that I get that may in fact be useful (for the future), but that I more often that not forget every day. The idea of blogging therefore captures some of the soon-to-be-forgotten ideas and makes sure that they are on file that I may browse back on them in the future, and perhaps expand on them.

Perhaps another minor reason is that I can practice my typing. I seem to be getting through an aweful lot of words doing this.

I think one reason that I blog that perhaps is not followed up upon is the discussion of ideas. I find it especially interesting when people comment and discuss ideas that have been raised, and that new views on ideas are raised, and perhaps can be discussed. The only problem I find is that people often as not don't follow up on discussions, and I find that what would otherwise be interesing threads, end up dying.

Cruisology

I read an article about people, and their associations. It was much along the lines of a few conversations i've had with friends about judging people. The particular example in case was Wagner, and how he was associated with the Nazis. I must admit that I haven't really been well read into history and what actually happen in his case. But from what I heard, the story goes that in the past Wagner (who was a german?) was rather liked by the Nazis, and it was often played by them. Later on after the war, the Jewish community (which had been persecuted by the Nazis during the war) came to shun and reject the music of Wagner, because it had been supported by the people that had suppressed them.

Now, I don't know the exact history of Wagner, nor the circumstance around it. But, supposing that Wagner had composed some pieces independently with his own focus, and the German regime had taken it on board - then I can't see that there's anything inherently wrong about the music. Although I might be antagonistic against the regime, it logically shouldn't bias my opinion on the music that they supported. But then, comes the question, what happens if Wagner's music was inspired by the Nazi's, and what they stood for? Would that mean that it might be immoral to support the music as well? Or what happens if he never declared that the regime was the inspiration for his music, but that it was originally based upon this? What should the stance be?

In modern terms, this dilemma has arrived at my doorstep through the movie 'War of the Worlds'. On one hand, it sort of seems like a half-decent action movie (though i've heard from friends it's pretty shit anyway), that I might have been willing to see. On the other hand, Tom Cruise has been publicly supporting Scientology and rejecting medicine and psychiatry, which I have witnessed firsthand its effectiveness and logicality. So, should I be boycotting his movie, based upon his belief? Should I change my opinion of his acting based upon what he believes as a person? Am I supporting his belief by indirectly paying for his work for doing a movie that I may enjoy artistally? I still think that I shouldn't see his movie, but I not sure whether this is based on rationality, or just that I don't like scientology, and think its stupid, even though this may not have a sway upon movie acting.

But as yet I still haven't seen his movie.