Nob-les Oblige: An Introduction

Nob Akimoto

Nob Akimoto is a policy analyst and part-time dungeon master. When not talking endlessly about matters of public policy, he is a dungeon master on the NWN World of Avlis

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59 Responses

  1. Jonathan says:

    A Longhorn?

    Well, I guess I’ll give you a chance, anyway.Report

  2. Jaybird says:

    Awesome.

    Good to have you here.

     Report

  3. Tim Haggerty says:

    So are you in the game and have one of those cool phones?Report

  4. boegiboe says:

    Did you go to Ohio State for undergrad? Jason and I went there for our Master’s degrees.Report

    • Nob Akimoto in reply to boegiboe says:

      I lived in Columbus for a few years as a kid. My connection to the Buckeyes is entirely of upbringing, my mother did some graduate study there and every autumn was basically an OSU fest.Report

  5. Awesome.  This seems long overdue, and glad you took the plunge.Report

  6. Burt Likko says:

    Welcome, Nob. You’ve been tearing up the comments like nobody’s business, and I am really looking forward to your stuff.

    I had not been informed you had been made a frontpager, or I wouldn’t have stepped on your toes for the Friday Jukebox with the Etta James tribute. Apologies. Of course, more Jukeboxing would surely be welcome…Report

  7. James Hanley says:

    I love the following sports teams: …The Ohio State Buckeyes and the Texas Longhorns.

    All that Chicago crap and the liberalism I could accept, and I know I encouraged you to be more controversial, but this is going too far.  It’s clearly an effort to be deliberately offensive.

    As to postings on international (foreign? do they really still use that non-PC word in Austin?) affairs, there’s literally a wide world of interesting things to post about.  I’d encourage you to pick up on current events, particularly those that might not be making front page news, and give us your best explanation.Report

  8. Patrick Cahalan says:

    I would like to know what international issues Gentlemen here at the League find interesting.

    Jump in and write about what you find most interesting.  We need more foreign affairs stuff, just getting started will likely spur the conversation more.  Welcome!Report

    • Jason Kuznicki in reply to Patrick Cahalan says:

      Agreed, and welcome.  I’m always interested in both just war theory and economic development, if you’re looking for a direction.

       Report

      • Nob Akimoto in reply to Jason Kuznicki says:

        Thanks, Jason.

        Those are definitely things I’d like to touch on.

        One thing I’d like to do is also use my blog posts as a way show what sort of work policy students/wonks are up to these days. I will likely have guest authors with op-eds posts and have them come in for discussion from time to time, particularly people who are good in fields like development and aid.Report

    • Seriously.  This is one subject area about which I have become increasingly fascinated over the years.  I surely have my ideological views in general on the subject, but one thing I’ve learned the last few years is that those views rarely provide much guidance, or really much of interest at all, to say when it comes down to 95% of the nuts and bolts of international relations.  Questions of war and, to a lesser extent, sanctions dominate probably close to 100% of public discussion on international relations, but in reality they make up an almost trivial percentage of actual international relations.

      So I guess that’s my request – I would love to read, learn, and debate about facets of international relations that do not require debating “War! What is it good for?” or “Sanctions?”Report

      • Nob Akimoto in reply to Mark Thompson says:

        Well, if you check above, I’ve started out with something that’s connected to security, but also has to do with some of the more nuts and bolts aspects of actually determining who owns what in the international system.

        I think I’m going to focus on examining the UN Convention Law of the Sea over the next month or so. It’s an area I’ve spent a fair amount of time looking through, and gives us a nice discussion area to talk about the history of maritime governance and the roots of what I would consider the first true “transnational” or “global” system of governance, rather than simply a nation to nation transaction mechanism.Report

    • If I may make some requests: (1) safari tourism was what I originally wanted to study after college; (2) piracy’s impact on world trade was a close second (not the nerdy kind of piracy – swashbucklers! Arrrgh!); (3) how the U.S. treats Brazil like complete shit and no one knows or cares about it (especially as it relates to some of the power politics around the last Olympics selection.)Report

  9. North says:

    Hurrah Nob! Congrats and welcome!!Report

  10. I’m very much looking forward to your posts. Welcome aboard.Report

  11. E.D. Kain says:

    Welcome aboard, Nob.Report

  12. Plinko says:

    Welcome, Nob! I very much look forward to seeing more foreign affairs posts around here, I tend to get lost in all the philosophy stuff around here and some International stuff would be a nice change. I’m so excited I am very willing to give you a pass on your terrible taste in sports teams.Report

    • Plinko in reply to Plinko says:

      (says the Wisconsin native)Report

    • Nob Akimoto in reply to Plinko says:

      Am I right in guessing you’re a Cheesehead, Plinko? If so, my dearest condolences to your recent gutrenching tragedy.

      In addition to international stuff, I’m also hoping to snag a couple science blegs now and then.

      I think in general ecclecticism is my greatest strength, and I tend to have friends who can help me fill in my blanks. Look for many random guests showing up.Report

      • Plinko in reply to Nob Akimoto says:

        Yes, but I’m over it, don’t worry, just giving you a mild heckling as your choice of teams is almost the perfect storm to the stereotypical Wisconsinite – who holds deep resentment toward sports teams from Chicago, Texas and The Ohio State University (in that order).

        For professional reasons I’m very interested in the TPP, so any memos you might choose to write on that subject would be most interesting. What we hear is mostly  vague junk, even though it’s actually very important to the way industry trends will shake out.Report

      • Burt Likko in reply to Nob Akimoto says:

        Plinko’s not the only Cheesehead here still wondering who those guys were that played the Giants this just-past Sunday. They looked a lot like the Green Bay Packers but obviously were not the same people. Uncanny.Report

  13. Chris says:

    Ah, another Austinite.

    Quick question, is the LBJ building the ugliest building ever built, or were there competitors in Soviet Ukraine?Report

  14. Mary says:

    A dungeon masteras sci- fi fantasy geek, and an avid smoker of cigars! I bet you are beating the ladies off with a stick. 😉Report

  15. Murali says:

    Welcome aboard NobReport

  16. James K says:

    Welcome to the club Nob.Report

  17. smarx says:

    Hook’em Horns!

    It’s good to meet another Longhorn.  But, I don’t think I could get along with a Buckeye fan.

    At least there will be some talk about foreign policy… even if I’ll be reading more than contributing.Report

  18. Tod Kelly says:

    “I would like to know what international issues Gentlemen here at the League find interesting.”

    After this past week, my big international issues question is where can I go that has a sunny beach that underdeveloped enough to have no cell phone or wifi reception, but developed enough to have quality mai tais?Report

  19. Katherine says:

    Welcome!  I’m currently doing a masters’ in international affairs with a focus on development and conflict.  I’d be very interested on your ideas on international development (my own are decided anti-Washington Consensus) and potential changes to global multilateral institutions to give a greater role to developing countries.  (The G8 in particular is looking increasingly outdated, with China becoming the world’s largest economy,  Brazil’s economy surpassing Italy’s, and India’s passing Canada’s.  The UN Security Council is at least as bad, the World Bank and IMF even worse.)Report