Author: Milan

In the spring of 2005, I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in International Relations and a general focus in the area of environmental politics. In the fall of 2005, I began reading for an M.Phil in IR at Wadham College, Oxford. Outside school, I am very interested in photography, writing, and the outdoors. I am writing this blog to keep in touch with friends and family around the world, provide a more personal view of graduate student life in Oxford, and pass on some lessons I've learned here.

Officer and gentleman

While it is common knowledge that the Oxford Union is able to pull in some really amazing speakers, one in September is unusually notable. On the 29th, at 1:30pm, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf will be speaking and taking questions.

Anyone with a Bod card can attend for free, regardless of whether you are a Union member. Since this person is the president of one of the world’s more important countries, it is probably well worth attending. Since he is the important world leader who is probably most likely to be assassinated, heavy coats and bags will not be allowed inside the hall.

Yet another one bites the dust

Back in mid-March, the third iPod that I owned began to fail. It was already the replacement for the replacement of the original one, which I purchased in October 2004. The device is the 20GB version of the fourth generation ‘Click Wheel’ iPod. I have rarely done anything wiser than buying the three year extended warranty. Now, the replacement that I got for the third iPod has itself failed: another toasted hard drive, ticking away and unable to be read or written to properly. Not even the program that is meant to restore it to factory settings will work. I suppose anything with moving parts is bound to fail sooner rather than later, but this is getting absurd. The fact that when they replace an iPod, they send you a refurbished one may explain why the failure rate on replacements is so high. Ironically, if the reliability of this iPod had been higher, I would probably be strongly considering buying a new one by now; since it has been so problematic, I am holding off and investigating other options.

People have frequently pointed out that my gadgets tend to fail surprisingly often. In response, I can offer some justifications:

I have more gadgets than most people.
In some cases, I have more finicky gadgets than other people.
The gadgets I have, I use very often.
The environments in which I live are wet.
I am generally aware of exactly how the gadgets I use should work, and it catches my attention immediately when they do not do so.
When I find a fault, I will almost always have it corrected – especially if the gear is under warranty.

While that does explain the frequency of dispatches, somewhat, it remains infuriating to live amidst a stream of little plastic boxes moving towards me and then away again by courier. As long as I have the real essentials: a computer, internet access, and a camera, I cannot really complain.

PS. My parents’ house is surrounded by weird wireless networks. At various times, we though they were coming from our own router, so we named and configured them all. Now there are always at least a couple of networks that look like they are ours, but where we cannot access the configuration page due to a password change. Why would people re-take the networks we accidentally configured, but then keep our esoteric names for them?

Rather calmer day

Following the party, an early morning, a good walk in Capilano Canyon with Kate, and a frantic rush to the bus station to help her catch her ferry, I am pretty exhausted. This evening has been practically the only unscheduled time I have had since arriving. Tomorrow, it is back to the pattern of meeting people and zipping across the city. Naturally, seeing Kate was especially good, as I have not seen her for a period that we approximated to be four years. I very much hope that the coming year will involve rather more communication than the previous one.

I have Ireland photos to edit and upload, books to finish, and much else to do besides. Also, my iPod (is it the fourth or the fifth replacement I have had through the extended warranty) seems to have a failing hard drive, while my camera is now prone to memory card reading errors. I am going to slog away at all that for a while, then go to bed early. After all, I am meeting both Caity Sackeroff and Jennifer Schofield tomorrow.

[Update: 7:05pm] The Ireland photos are now up on Facebook. I am adding them to the blog posts written during the trip, as well, with Photo.net to follow.

[Update: 7:45pm] I have added photos to the major blog posts written in Ireland. They are all linked on this page.

[Update: 10:30pm] The best photos from Ireland are now on Photo.net.

[Update: 11:00pm] My best shots from Cabin Fever II are now on Photo.net.

Inter-Oxford party

Many thanks to those who attended the party, bringing good food, drink, and – in Drew’s case – enough musical instruments to keep us all entertained and my parents bereft of sleep well into the morning. He and Tristan jamming on the guitar and mandolin made for an interesting spectacle at two in the morning.

Not a lot of people have stuck around for the promised pancake breakfast, and fewer seem keen on hiking during this drizzling day while not well armed with well slept brains. That said, the possibility of spending a bit more time with Kate after such a long absence has an appeal that stacks up well against that of marching up Crown Mountain.

At least one or two photos from the party will doubtless find their way online, once I find an hour or so to spend with Photoshop. Since I have my prints and scans from Ireland back, as well, they should appear online in the next few days also.

PhD discussions

Having just had to walk home from downtown – across the Lions Gate Bridge – after missing the last bus, I am not in the mood to write a great deal. As such, the great bulk of today’s happenings will go undocumented.

Perhaps the most distinct thing to arise from my conversations with former profs at UBC is the need to cultivate an additional pair of references at Oxford, aside from Andrew Hurrell. According to advice from Peter Dauvergne, using references from my first degree would be viewed with suspicion in an application to doctoral programs. I don’t really think anyone aside from Dr. Hurrell is familiar enough with my first year of work to serve as a reference, so I will need to make sure that whoever teaches my optional subjects next year gets to know me and my work well enough to do so. Apparently, name recognition relating to a letter from someone like Henry Shue could be a big advantage for US schools – perhaps enough to make me reconsider the choice to take international law and the developing world as options, while he is teaching his reading-intensive version of normative theory.

Both Kathy Baylis and Peter Dauvergne strongly endorsed MIT, Columbia, and Berkeley for a doctorate, on the basis of my interests. As such, and on the basis of much prior contemplation, that trio constitutes my set of top choices at the moment.

The need to have {a solid proposal} and {excellent references} and {very good grades} and {a solid score on the GRE} and {a plausible supervisor at the school to which you apply} is collectively a daunting set of requirements. Indeed, I left my meeting with Dr. Dauvergne feeling quite menaced by the whole process.

Radio communication

I have long found it surprising, and a bit unsettling, to think how many different overlapping radio signals there are surrounding and traversing us at all times. There are all the AM and FM radio stations, cell phones on different frequencies, communications from satellites, broadcast television, military and police radio frequencies, and miscellanous other signals such as aircraft transponders.

Most of that bandwidth is very inefficiently allocated, as with analog phones. Because frequencies have dedicated purposes that are not always being employed, there is a lot of bandwidth that is allocated but unused at any one time. The clever thing about more advanced systems like Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) cellular phones is that they can use dynamically allocated frequency, and thus scale bandwidth according to need.

If we could do the same with some the the excellent bandwidth given over to television or military purposes, large scale wireless internet could come about rather more quickly and easily. Wireless internet, such as it exists now (the 802.1x standards) are located in a really undesirable part of the radio spectrum – hence problems with range and interference. As in so many other cases, the stumbling block is more regulatory than technological.

Sunday hike adjustment

Because of problems securing both cars and drivers, there is a good chance that the hike on Sunday – following the party at my place on Saturday – will not actually be to Petgill Lake. It’s too far, and I cannot be sure that rides will be available.

The (very good) fallback is to catch the bus up to the Grouse Mountain parking lot, then take the British Columbia Mountaineering Club (BCMC) trail up to the top, since the Grind is closed. From there, we would progress to the majestic view that exists off the top of Crown Mountain.

If you care to provide a vehicle or a driver, speak now. If you are mortally opposed to Crown Mountain as a possibility (it is a bit strenuous, but the view is great), this is likewise the moment to air your grievances.

Blog posts written while very tired are strange

Often, the mark of a good day – and especially a good night – is that you expect it to take several months to really wander through your brain. I am referring to those circumstances that cause a person to profoundly question essential bases of belief. Now, it is almost never the case that such questioning leads to a real personal reversal; by this point, essential beliefs are deeply established. Rather, those nights that seem as though they could contain the possibility for self redefinition are those that hold the dual power of either upsetting the existing balance, or reminding you that the pivot upon which it lies is more stable than you might have dared to hope before.

Much less cryptically, allow me to offer my sincere endorsement to Guu – a Japanese tapas restaurant to which I was led by Nick. As always, his taste did not disappoint. It is not often that one can simply order all the menu items, then discuss them with friends. Such discussion has nothing to do with personal reflection, and everything to do with the sublime chemistry in which all organic beings are embedded. Getting a medical degree seems almost worthwhile, just to understand it better. Of course, I could never stand the terror of such constant reminders of how delicate, infectable, and mortal we all are.

PS. Tzp xufx zv ndd djdu fv tl xhp uvmhah – P bmvr rycy egyi ls aavuy tiwhz. Poeg K uye enqd ys xsx nekpuil ttsd fy Vidmvd, swlczr yiavsy ewtfrfo esiswkrauk glmfziccis rfq qffjvgehlemreg qvwp hrsktidh wl ybsekzy wjmavwz – Z qcx ktnul pcevqiaj tssyl mq wyhfpj rn eabq uik. (CR: Somno)

Frantic vacations are best

Things here are starting to feel as though they have the weight of urgency behind them. After an excellent day with Alison, I am looking forward to tomorrow’s busy schedule, the party Saturday, and the probability of frantic rushing next week. I would much rather spend my time with friends – even if hurriedly – than languishing relaxedly alone.

Those who want to do something with me next week, take note. I leave on Saturday and am already committed to a growing number of activities. There are so many people who I want to see but, in the end, preference is always likely to be given to those who are able to make plans a good way in advance.

I must be off to have one dinner with my family, then another with Nick, Neal, and Lauren.

Whose God is their belly?

Many people made fun of me for being so intent on my return to Vancouver on the basis of culinary considerations: specifically the high quality and low price of food at Vancouver restaurants. My lunch with Alison today, following the Vancouver International Film Festival screening we attended, would have convinced them otherwise.

At Honjin Sushi on Lonsdale – a listed objective of mine – we each had tuna and salmon sashima, prawns, prawn and vegetable tempura, miso soup, salad, a tuna roll, and green tea. It was an extensive and delicious collection of foodstuffs, served in a good environment. All together, with tip, the bill was less than twelve Pounds.

With one week left in Vancouver, a number of other restaurants are in my sights. Gyoza King was dealt with by Sarah and I, just as Sasha W and I enjoyed the vegetarian Indian food at Yogi’s. I am having lunch at One More Sushi with Meghan Mathieson tomorrow, then dinner at India Gate with Victoria. On Monday, I am going to Tropika with Jennifer Schofield, and I am to have yet more sushi with Astrid at some point next week. Yet further plans may emerge.

PS. The post title is a reference to a category on Tony’s blog.