This one i'd loove to see it happen

The last time there were those sanctimonious people calling for Dan Brown's "Da Vinci Code" to be banned in bookstores in the Philippines and it might have gone over the top with some book burning episodes.

Now that Joni Mitchell's album "Shine" is out, and it's been reported that she "never minced words... as Mitchell takes a nice swipe at the Catholic Church by name" in her latest CD, released on Starbucks' Hear Records.

Let's see whose going to call for arms to boycott Starbucks in Pinas!
Place your bets!

What you don't know won't hurt you

The recent airplane crash in Phuket was of course covered in detail online and it led me to several YouTube clips about something I have experienced, those bloody crosswind landings! Didn't know how the landing actually looked like, all I felt was that wobbly feeling as the plane touched down, and hoped that the wings don't scrape the tarmac, and we don't slip and spin, etc, but these video clips show it all, dang!

Here's a nice one, I just love the reactions in the background!

Language learning

Here's something interesting for language learners, check out this language learning site, lang-8 founded by Yang Yang Xi, Chinese by birth but he grew up in Japan. More about him and the site in this Japan Times article of Sep. 18.

Land of the Rising Life Expectancy Rate

The first person I meet on my way to work is an old person - "old" in Japan means he/she must be around 80. She is a sprightly woman who greets me with a smile that would make one's day. My Nihonggo level is of a 4 year-old (minus the drooling), and I try to keep up with her, in addition to having to speak louder if she's not wearing her hearing aid. We usually meet in the elevator on our way down, so any neighbor who might have missed the car must have seen us through the window, as me shouting down a poor old lady. Kyou wa ii tenki desu ne?... EH?!...KYOU WA, II TENKI DESU NE?! ... SOOO DESU NE!

By next month, the number of centenarians in Japan will be at around 30,000. In 50 years, the total population will be at 90 million, a 30% drop from the current population! Japanese might be listed on the endangered species list in 100 years unless the birthrate improves to a sustainable level; or the government may open the floodgates to thousands of Pinays and Pinoys who are expert at breeding.
BRING 'EM ON!

I saw a TV program about old people and how are they coping here as services and institutions here are in dire need of an overhaul. It has been reported that the current national health insurance and pension systems were developed to meet post-war issues. That is why all the worms are coming out of the woodwork and giving a lot of people a hard time, especially retirees.

Anyway, back to the TV program, there's this couple living by themselves, the husband is 91 and the wife 84 and bedridden. It is amazing to see them live their life together, the stronger caring for the weak. Perhaps a caregiver drops by periodically but most of the time they are by themselves. Factor in the harsh weather conditions like wintertime and one can imagine how challenging life is for them.

There are so many stories about old people here, some are truly amazing like 90 year olds skiing down some mountain in the Swiss alps or a grandma still hangliding at an age where you'd think more of hot water bottles and creaking bones.

This morning, I missed "obaachan" but I saw a big group of old people in shining white uniform, getting ready for their game of gateball. What a great way to enjoy life, with your peers!

Living here in Japan is changing my way of perceiving life at an old age.

Hammer of the Gods

Fantastic! Led Zeppelin will reunite in a one-off show in November. I remember getting a sort of "high" that is without drugs,(really!) just by listening to their music in my teens. My first contact with Led Zep was through my cousins, they had these records they'd play many times over and I would just get blown away by the music which turned out to be from Led Zepp's Physical Graffiti and Led Zeppelin IV albums.

Wow, I am so glad these dudes are still alive and rocking in my adult life! I've posted music from their BBC Sessions @ Multiply.

cassette tape skeleton

Hmm, why haven't I thought of this one? Featured on designboom, a full skeleton modeled from casette tape casings by Brian Dettmer. Mas gusto ko ito kesa yung ginawa ni Damien Hirst na diamond-encrusted skull.

I remember having 2 large suitcases full of cassette tapes of music from the 70s to the early 90s, and I just chucked them somewhere, suwerte ng naka-pulot nun! So what's next, Darth Vader in vinyl?

Kyut ne?

A toy to add to your listahan ng pamasko at pasalubong, this is "TolNe", a 35mm toy camera by Takara Tomy. It will be out by Nov. 2007, in Japan. According to Tokyo Mango (dahil di ko mabasa lahat yung nasa Japanese website), this camera comes with several fancy filters to create special effects. Y3990.

“Kagadanan sa Banwaan ning mga Engkanto (Death in the Land of Encantos)” - Paano ba ito panoorin?

“Kagadanan sa Banwaan ning mga Engkanto (Death in the Land of Encantos)” by Lavrente Indico Diaz won the Golden Lion Special Mention award in the Horizons (Orizzonti) Documentary section of the Venice Film Festival. Now that's a LOT of chichiriya and pangtulak and trips to the toilet!

I would like to experience watching this movie; by the way, is there a special term for movies that go beyond 4 hours, I know what you call the ones that run for 3 to 4 hours, "Titanic" and "Lord of the RIngs".

So, tell me, paano ba ito panonoorin?

Laptop Battle Tokyo

Otaku know how to turn this mother out! Kaya lang this is scheduled on hump day, kakainis! That means I will either miss the last train (at midnight) and the climax, OR I can go home bitin but not having to take a cab, that will surely cost me an easy 50US$. Wag na lang!




See more otaku represent!
http://www.laptopbattle.org/videos.php

Up dharma Down

PINOY!


http://www.myspace.com/updharmadown


ANG GALING!

Frank Caliendo

This guy is HILARIOUS!

The Metamorphosis

Naughty or Nice

My tshirt design proposal for the MHF (www.margaritaholmes.com forums) anniversary party on Nov. 30, 2007.

Legs, legs, legs mo ay nakaka-...

Natapos rin ang summer dito! Malamig na ang simoy ng hangin, talgang swak sa swak sa "BER" months! Miss ko tuloy ang Manila.

Isang summer episode ito, nakasakay ako sa tren pauwi na galing sa opisina, inaantok ako nun kaya pa-iglip-iglip ako nang tumambad itong pangitain sa harap ko. LEGS, a pair of the longest legs I have ever seen, so long that I did not want to look up to see who owns it. They might belong to a huge hand holding on to a strap.

Beer for your inner-dog

Walang biro... check out this site.