Welcome to today. The war in Iraq goes on... and on - just in case you forgot.
This website keeps an account of the casualties - just in case your media source is not telling you what's going on.
Moral of the story - keep searching, keep reading, keep weighing against what the mainstream media keep telling you.
Keep thinking - and keep smiling (it really makes the bastards worried!)
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Today's useless innovation
A mouse that counts how many left and right clicks you... errmmm... click. Whoop-dee-doo!
Got 20 minutes?
The title of this article says it all, "Why Is Tom Cruise Such A Dick?"
Probably one of the best written criticisms of Mr. Cruise I've come across and why 2005 will be eventually seen as the turning point in his career - and the only way for him now is down.
Probably one of the best written criticisms of Mr. Cruise I've come across and why 2005 will be eventually seen as the turning point in his career - and the only way for him now is down.
Friday, January 27, 2006
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
TNT for dinner
Ah. I get to have dinner alone. The poor wife is feeling poorly so she said to fix dinner myself tonight. Since she was feeling bad, and I didn't want to, so I figured something hot and spicy might keep the bugs out of my system - or at least kill any that had got in. I had a packet of Green Curry Paste and there was chicken in the fridge, so yeah, heck, why not?
I didn't have the other ingredients suggested on the back (where can you get sweet basil and kaffirlime leaves around here anyway!?) so I substituted by usuing the leftover sun-dried tomato from last night as well as onion and garlic. I figured the sweetness of the tomato and onion might go some way to neutralising the fire of the chilli.
Boy, was I wrong! After my tastebuds had performed a quantum shift to a parallel universe and I downed some milk, I was able to finish off the curry, but it took me a good 30 minutes to recover afterwards! It was delicious, but I felt like I'd gone for a run! I'm out of practice with proper spicy food, methinks.
The thing is, the recipe on the back of the packet said to add extra chilli!
Not good.
Anyway, I also polished off the bottle of wine I opened last night - a very nice Penfold's Muscat (Vintage 1997) that I hadn't got around to opening previously. It was OK last night, but after a day in the fridge the flavours had developed nicely. It was quite sweet and fruity, but with a hint of acidity that really made it quite a tasty drop. I might have to pick up another the next time I'm back home.
Enough food. Back to the cynicism.
I didn't have the other ingredients suggested on the back (where can you get sweet basil and kaffirlime leaves around here anyway!?) so I substituted by usuing the leftover sun-dried tomato from last night as well as onion and garlic. I figured the sweetness of the tomato and onion might go some way to neutralising the fire of the chilli.
Boy, was I wrong! After my tastebuds had performed a quantum shift to a parallel universe and I downed some milk, I was able to finish off the curry, but it took me a good 30 minutes to recover afterwards! It was delicious, but I felt like I'd gone for a run! I'm out of practice with proper spicy food, methinks.
The thing is, the recipe on the back of the packet said to add extra chilli!
Not good.
Anyway, I also polished off the bottle of wine I opened last night - a very nice Penfold's Muscat (Vintage 1997) that I hadn't got around to opening previously. It was OK last night, but after a day in the fridge the flavours had developed nicely. It was quite sweet and fruity, but with a hint of acidity that really made it quite a tasty drop. I might have to pick up another the next time I'm back home.
Enough food. Back to the cynicism.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Aaaawwwww.... isn't that cute!? (and a bit scary)
Today's cute story, brought to you by Tokyo's Mutsugoro Okoku zoo. A Japanese rat snake and its lunch, a hamster named "Gohan" (Japanese for 'meal') are now best friends and hang out together in the same cage.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Good piece
... on one of the guys who makes the plastic food you always see in the windows of restaurants in Japan.
I always wanted to buy some for souvenirs, but now I know how much they cost.... I think I'll be going back to the 100 yen shops!!
I always wanted to buy some for souvenirs, but now I know how much they cost.... I think I'll be going back to the 100 yen shops!!
Just another normal day in Japan
A high flying executive arrested for manipulating the stockmarket.
TV network busted over staging news stories.
Drunk teacher caught molesting a woman on a train (bonus points for being three common events in the one story; a) drunk worker, b) teacher, c) molesting a woman on the train).
Government worker trying to film up the skirt of a high school girl (two in one bonus)
Just another day....
Too tired. Worked through my break to cover a sick teacher. Also had my Kakogawa business class this morning as well as my manic kids class this afternoon.
I've had a beer. The day is done.
TV network busted over staging news stories.
Drunk teacher caught molesting a woman on a train (bonus points for being three common events in the one story; a) drunk worker, b) teacher, c) molesting a woman on the train).
Government worker trying to film up the skirt of a high school girl (two in one bonus)
Just another day....
Too tired. Worked through my break to cover a sick teacher. Also had my Kakogawa business class this morning as well as my manic kids class this afternoon.
I've had a beer. The day is done.
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Today's stupid criminal
Yay Japan!
Another idiot who should've attemtped thought before embarking on a (short) life of crime!
His crime? Spreading nails on a driving course!
Why? Because he failed his test three times!
How old is this man? 33!
How did they catch him? He mailed a letter to the driving course, saying he was going to spread nails on the course, and they got his prints from the letter!!
Yay Moron! Go rot in a cell for a few years. Maybe the culture growing in the corner will find its way into your empty cranium, ferment and mutate into something resembling a brain!
Another idiot who should've attemtped thought before embarking on a (short) life of crime!
His crime? Spreading nails on a driving course!
Why? Because he failed his test three times!
How old is this man? 33!
How did they catch him? He mailed a letter to the driving course, saying he was going to spread nails on the course, and they got his prints from the letter!!
Yay Moron! Go rot in a cell for a few years. Maybe the culture growing in the corner will find its way into your empty cranium, ferment and mutate into something resembling a brain!
Friday, January 20, 2006
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Welcome to the Infant Nation
One thing you'll notice once you've been in Japan for a while is just how extraordinarily infantile, juvenile and immature things are - especially the people and the way they are treated.
This may become one of the 'themes' of this website, I fear.
It's amazing how much people are mollicoddled in their daily lives in Japan. For example, when you want to get on a train, there's a voice on the PA telling you that there is a train coming into the station, to watch out for the said train, to stand behind the yellow line, not to push once the doors are open, and so on. Once you've reached your destination there's another voice, this time from the conductor, who tells you not once but at least twice which station it is you're coming to, to not leave anything behind, like bags, umbrellas, shopping, children, and so on. It is really something.
I won't even start on the culture, like the horrid pop music, the style of humour seen on TV, as well as the way women are treated ("Wow, she's got big breasts! Hee hee!" "Yes, I do. It's my 'charm point'. Do you want me to bend over while wearing this bikini?" "Oh yes please! Hee hee hee hee!" - Sheesh....), but I guess it has something to do with today's link and story.
The childishness extends to crime. Criminals in Japan are often quite pathetic with the reasons they commit crimes, as well as the execution. They often lash out like children - striking blindly and often with horrific violence, only realising afterwards what damage they have done. It's also amazing how many of them confess straight away. (But when you understand the techniques used by the police to extract confessions, maybe that doesn't seem like such a bad idea....) Today's story is an excellent example.
The first sentence says it all, really. "A 27-year-old unemployed man has been arrested for setting fire to a futon in his home after getting angry with his mother for refusing to buy him dolls"
Dolls? 27 year-old man? This is what this nation is coming to, boys and girls.
He did do the right thing though, after his house burned down, he went straight to the police and turned himself in. Good boy, now go to prison for the rest of your life, you loony!
The next example may well be posted... tomorrow?
Stay tuned.
This may become one of the 'themes' of this website, I fear.
It's amazing how much people are mollicoddled in their daily lives in Japan. For example, when you want to get on a train, there's a voice on the PA telling you that there is a train coming into the station, to watch out for the said train, to stand behind the yellow line, not to push once the doors are open, and so on. Once you've reached your destination there's another voice, this time from the conductor, who tells you not once but at least twice which station it is you're coming to, to not leave anything behind, like bags, umbrellas, shopping, children, and so on. It is really something.
I won't even start on the culture, like the horrid pop music, the style of humour seen on TV, as well as the way women are treated ("Wow, she's got big breasts! Hee hee!" "Yes, I do. It's my 'charm point'. Do you want me to bend over while wearing this bikini?" "Oh yes please! Hee hee hee hee!" - Sheesh....), but I guess it has something to do with today's link and story.
The childishness extends to crime. Criminals in Japan are often quite pathetic with the reasons they commit crimes, as well as the execution. They often lash out like children - striking blindly and often with horrific violence, only realising afterwards what damage they have done. It's also amazing how many of them confess straight away. (But when you understand the techniques used by the police to extract confessions, maybe that doesn't seem like such a bad idea....) Today's story is an excellent example.
The first sentence says it all, really. "A 27-year-old unemployed man has been arrested for setting fire to a futon in his home after getting angry with his mother for refusing to buy him dolls"
Dolls? 27 year-old man? This is what this nation is coming to, boys and girls.
He did do the right thing though, after his house burned down, he went straight to the police and turned himself in. Good boy, now go to prison for the rest of your life, you loony!
The next example may well be posted... tomorrow?
Stay tuned.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Not that it matters...
Run for the hills. Run for your life.
It's all over. Forget about the future. The world is doomed. Don't have children. Just try to survive, because that's all there is left.
Today's message of hope and optimism is brought to you by James Lovelock.
We'll be moving to Hokkaido soon!!
It's all over. Forget about the future. The world is doomed. Don't have children. Just try to survive, because that's all there is left.
Today's message of hope and optimism is brought to you by James Lovelock.
We'll be moving to Hokkaido soon!!
Waiting for number three
Things often happen in threes - often called The Law Of Threes.
Today's is an interesting one. In consecutive articles in The Australian, two women have been elected to become their countries' leaders. In Liberia, and Chile.
Waiting for the third, unless you count Germany!
You might also want to check out this site, which is a summary of the history of female leaders of countries throughout modern political history. I make the current count 12 if you include, Germany, Liberia and Chile.
Today's is an interesting one. In consecutive articles in The Australian, two women have been elected to become their countries' leaders. In Liberia, and Chile.
Waiting for the third, unless you count Germany!
You might also want to check out this site, which is a summary of the history of female leaders of countries throughout modern political history. I make the current count 12 if you include, Germany, Liberia and Chile.
Fun for everyone
Here's a good list of conspiracy theories - something I find alternatively fascinating, amusing and scary....
"Intelligent Design"
The controversy rages.
It's something I'm interested, given my background and upbringing.
For those who don't know, I was raised scientific, but spent most of my teen years and twenties in the church. I managed to emerge from that with a strong moral sense, but still a firm supporter of evolution.
The whole idea of a scientific theory based on 'self-evident truth', as the proponents of 'intelligent design' put forward, to me is a load of bunkum, bullshit and beligerent disregard for rational thought. How can you test and measure something which is 'self-evident'? It would be funny if it wasn't true.
I thought this recent article was a good summary of the battle on one of the front lines, Kentucky. Please read, and then read more.
You may also want to check out the wonderful parody of the controversy - The Flying Spaghetti Monster.
It's something I'm interested, given my background and upbringing.
For those who don't know, I was raised scientific, but spent most of my teen years and twenties in the church. I managed to emerge from that with a strong moral sense, but still a firm supporter of evolution.
The whole idea of a scientific theory based on 'self-evident truth', as the proponents of 'intelligent design' put forward, to me is a load of bunkum, bullshit and beligerent disregard for rational thought. How can you test and measure something which is 'self-evident'? It would be funny if it wasn't true.
I thought this recent article was a good summary of the battle on one of the front lines, Kentucky. Please read, and then read more.
You may also want to check out the wonderful parody of the controversy - The Flying Spaghetti Monster.
Friday, January 13, 2006
I believe this is what started the whole 'W' = double craze. This spunky little duo are part of the Hello Project - basically a production line of all girl pop groups in Japan. These two are (apparent) singers and dancers whose music is saccharine beyond belief. It's more like a parody of pop music to me... but don't underestimate their impact on the language!
Recent developments in Japlish
Welcome to Japanese 101. English is well known for its ability to cannibalize other laguages, including Japanese, to create new words. Take 'tycoon' for example. In English it means a maverick entreprenuer - a person who has taken risks in business and made a fortune, quickly. It comes from the Japanese 'taikun' - meaning a general in the military.
Well, this brings us to today's post, which is brought to you by the letter 'W'.
It seems everywhere you go in Japan recently you see posters, advertisements and other things with the letter 'W' prominently displayed. It Japlish, it means 'double' - often with the katakana ダブルユー (pron. daburuyuu) or ダブル (pron. daburu) included somewhere in the text. I've seen it used to mean 'double chance' (Wチャンス), for example.
I believe the first instance of this use of language was with the Hello Project group of this very name . Of course, science has shown us that if you want to change any culture quickly, all you have to do is make something popular to teenage girls. The same is true of language. These girls are (apparently) very popular with young girls (and men who can't get dates, but we won't go into that right now) so their songs, styles and use of language have often quickly moved into the mainstream. This group appeared about half-way through last year (at least in my observations of Japanese TV) so it hasn't taken long for this use of 'W' to pop up in many places. I've included a couple of examples above, but there would be many more.
Well, this brings us to today's post, which is brought to you by the letter 'W'.
It seems everywhere you go in Japan recently you see posters, advertisements and other things with the letter 'W' prominently displayed. It Japlish, it means 'double' - often with the katakana ダブルユー (pron. daburuyuu) or ダブル (pron. daburu) included somewhere in the text. I've seen it used to mean 'double chance' (Wチャンス), for example.
I believe the first instance of this use of language was with the Hello Project group of this very name . Of course, science has shown us that if you want to change any culture quickly, all you have to do is make something popular to teenage girls. The same is true of language. These girls are (apparently) very popular with young girls (and men who can't get dates, but we won't go into that right now) so their songs, styles and use of language have often quickly moved into the mainstream. This group appeared about half-way through last year (at least in my observations of Japanese TV) so it hasn't taken long for this use of 'W' to pop up in many places. I've included a couple of examples above, but there would be many more.
Saturday, January 07, 2006
Well, my Mum and brother made some impact on their visit to Japan last year. They were part of the 7,450,000 souls who visited over the 2005 year.
It's a big improvement on the past, but still al ong way short of the 10 million per year the Japanese government are aiming for. The socks are being pulled up - just not quite there yet!
It's a big improvement on the past, but still al ong way short of the 10 million per year the Japanese government are aiming for. The socks are being pulled up - just not quite there yet!
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Japan and traffic safety
Well, it looks as though Japan has had one of its best years on record for traffic safety, witht he national road death toll below 7000 for the first time in nearly fifty years! I am a little surprised, but glad to hear the news.
Why surprised? Despite the fact that there are (apparently) laws, no matter where you go in Japan there are people flagrantly breaking them. Not wearing seat belts is my pet hate. Sometimes it seems like nearly 1 in 3 drivers - and a lot of passengers too - aren't wearing any kind of protection while in their cars. I can't tell you how many times I've watched reports about fatal crashes on the news and there's been a tell-tale hole in the front windscreen.
Not only are drivers and passengers not wearing belts, but the kids too - especially children - are in the backseats, or on their parents' laps while not wearing anything to stop them from dying. That really gets my goat. It's a form of child abuse, in my opinion.
I have a friend who was nearly knocked off his motorbike by some moron woman driving her 4WD while talking on her mobile phone and looking the wrong way. I suspect most of us who ride bikes have simialr stories to tell. I'm glad to say (while frantically touching anything made of wood) that I haven't yet.
I'm planning to go for a ride later, so wish me luck!
Why surprised? Despite the fact that there are (apparently) laws, no matter where you go in Japan there are people flagrantly breaking them. Not wearing seat belts is my pet hate. Sometimes it seems like nearly 1 in 3 drivers - and a lot of passengers too - aren't wearing any kind of protection while in their cars. I can't tell you how many times I've watched reports about fatal crashes on the news and there's been a tell-tale hole in the front windscreen.
Not only are drivers and passengers not wearing belts, but the kids too - especially children - are in the backseats, or on their parents' laps while not wearing anything to stop them from dying. That really gets my goat. It's a form of child abuse, in my opinion.
I have a friend who was nearly knocked off his motorbike by some moron woman driving her 4WD while talking on her mobile phone and looking the wrong way. I suspect most of us who ride bikes have simialr stories to tell. I'm glad to say (while frantically touching anything made of wood) that I haven't yet.
I'm planning to go for a ride later, so wish me luck!
Aah, yes...
Well, break time is nearly over. Just two more days until work starts again. It's been weird, but fun to have six days off in a row with the wife with nothing to do. Some very interesting conversations!
Anyway...
Happy Birthday Bro. Hope it's a good one!
Anyway...
Happy Birthday Bro. Hope it's a good one!
Sunday, January 01, 2006
From the 'Scary, But True' department comes this tasty tidbit. In the U.S., elementary school students are being given this test, in English classes, without any explanation or context within what they are currently studying. What are they testing exactly? Are they testing at all? The 'correct' answers are on the right.
Merry New Year!
And it was the White (men's) Team in a crushing win this year!
I'm sure there's heaps on the Net about Kouhaku, so you should do a search. If you're Googling something NOW, you have no life. I'm going back to the telly and to snuggle on the sofa with a hot cuppa and the wife.
Byee!
I'm sure there's heaps on the Net about Kouhaku, so you should do a search. If you're Googling something NOW, you have no life. I'm going back to the telly and to snuggle on the sofa with a hot cuppa and the wife.
Byee!
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