I found some really good videos on YouTube, but they are all downers. I don't know if it's wise to watch so much sadness and suffering in one go, so I suggest choosing a single theme from the following:

1. Sadistic dolphin killings in Wakayama, Japan
"Each year, the idyllic and peaceful setting of the village of Taiji in southern Japan is shattered by almost unspeakable cruelty as incredible pain and ultimate death is inflicted on defenseless dolphins." I actually had no idea that this was taking place so close to where I lived - it's in Wakayama... If I had known that just a couple years ago...

Dolphin Massacre in Japan
and
Japanese Massacre - Dolphin killing in Taiji Japan

FUCK cultural preservation and FUCK the limpdick Japanese government for not stepping up to these sadistic rednecks - this is just wrong.

2. Thai Brides - A glimpse into the system
"Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends is a television documentary series, in which Louis Theroux gives viewers the chance to get brief glimpses of things they wouldn't normally come into contact with. In most cases this means interviewing people with extreme beliefs of some kind, or just generally belonging to subcultures not known to exist by most or just frowned upon." Louis Theroux is the youngest son of famed travel writer Paul Theroux and this episode exposes some pretty pitiful circumstances and individuals.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6

That said, I'd buy Lake Palmer a beer anytime.

And now I know why - this site isn't commie compliant! China is blocking my domain!

(According to these guys, at least.)

I am deeply, deeply honored. In fact, I think this calls for a tribute:

If the grand tour of Japan proposed on this Nissan page doesn't include a couple of timed laps around the Osaka sotokanjo, it just ain't worth doing. I remember one of the early Japanese car magazines that featured a reader's photo corner where you could send in copies of your speeding tickets - the reader with the highest recorded speed won some sort of prize. Ah, those were the days (before 50+ kmph over speeding tickets cost you your license plus a night in jail).

One of the coolest things about rural Thailand is the prevalence of bladed tool vendors outside of banks and government building selling scythes, spades, hatchets, axes, machetes, and cooking knives of all sizes and types. I went to the tax office with some Japanese teachers last week and as they waited in line inside, I was just outside the window closest to the tax clerks, handling what could basically be desribed as a ghetto battle axe, with a rusty, roughly machined blade welded to a steel pipe that served as a handle. I don't know if the clerks saw me outside in my adolescent dwarf warrior state, but when I went in they let me cut to the front of the line...

This morning I bought a big ghetto cleaver with a big hole cut in the blade to hang it from a nail on the wall, just before I went inside Kasikorn Bank to pay the monthly on my car. The security guard saw me test the blade with my thumb, make the purchase, and stroll into the bank and didn't bat an eye... Which is kind of amazing since if all I had was a nightstick and someone pulled this on me, I'd wail like a beleaguered bitch and surrender my castle:

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Of course, it bears asking if the monster living under the eaves of my house is going to be impressed:

I'm guessing: Not!

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BONUS TOKAY GECKO (Latin: Gekko Gecko @ Linnaeus, 1758) TRIVIA:

• "Tokays are the least lovable of the geckos. They are known for their nasty temperament, cheerfully biting the hand that feeds, cleans or otherwise comes into anything resembling close proximity to them." (link)


• Vietnam vets know Tokay Geckos as "fuck you" lizards (link), due to their mating calls (which last all goddamn night, believe me)

this is the coolest thing i have ever seen. for today, at least.

Old news, but:

"Diamond Age, based on Neal Stephenson's best-selling novel The Diamond Age: Or a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer, is a six-hour miniseries from Clooney and fellow executive producer Grant Heslov of Smokehouse Productions.

When a prominent member of society concludes that the futuristic civilization in which he lives is stifling creativity, he commissions an interactive book for his daughter that serves as a guide through a surreal alternate world. Stephenson will adapt his novel for the miniseries, the first time the Hugo and Nebula award winner has written for TV. "

Clooney, you say? As in, George Clooney? Um, yep.

And to think I was going to call my future daughter Nell...

One of Adam's old posts on Oita Aquarium (link) got farked over the weekend (it's on the front page of the Tech section right now). It seems to have been picked up on a few other blogs as well, which is why I noticed it.

Congrats, dude!

Now if you'd only fix your comments and add the Google Analytics code I've been bugging you with for a year...

I've lived in Asia for over a decade, so I'm used to squat toilets (as opposed to western-style toilets that you sit on). I prefer squat toilets everywhere except for my own bathroom, actually. I know that doctors and health professionals say that you don't "get germs" from other people via toilet seat transfer, but what can I say? They probably live sheltered lives and have never SEEN the disgusting state of nasty public toilet seats - you know, the ones yellowed from age, with huge welts from cigarette burns, cracked in three separate pieces and with stinky bits of shit and god-knows-what stuck to it. You know, the kind that make you feel invaded by germs just by looking at them... Anyway, this post is not about squat vs. western style toilets, because in general, you use what's available at the time (an exception to this would be the few public restrooms that provide BOTH types of toilets, but that's beyond the scope of this post).

One thing I have been wondering about ever since I first came to Thailand is, what are the exact mechanics for wiping your ass when there's no paper, but an open tank of water and a plastic scoop? I mean, I kind of get the drift that Mr. Finger(s) will be touching Mr. Browneye at some point in the procedure, but how the hell is that sanitary if everyone is using the same source of water? Let me state that a bit more concisely: Are my shit crumbs mixing with your shit crumbs? My enquiring mind wanted to know!

Also, what about the spray hose found in some Thai toilets?

And why do I see Thai people coming out of the restroom with large wet spots on their bums? Does this not bother them? (It bothers the hell out of me...)

Well, last night I stumbled upon a thread on the Thaivisa forums that shed some light on this situation: Thai Toilet Etiquette

Go check it out. It may give you an idea of how to wipe your ass if there's no toilet paper in the stall and you've forgotten to take along some tissues (although I can't believe there are actually people taking off their pants and hanging them around their necks in public restrooms!).

We came across a roadside vendor selling cowboy hats at the end of last year, and this one just stood out.

In related news, I found a hidden horse ranch on the dirt road behind our house.

Now all I need is a good set of spurs!

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UPDATE (transcribed from Google Talk session with Adam):

me: oh wait i just realized something
it's not a duck is it

Adam: no
chicken

me: oops
always thought it was a rubber ducky

Adam: nah, dude, its like a chicken in a biscuit

me: godammit
oh well the name stays
this is nam's ducky hat godammit

Adam: cool

Here's another clip of his performance where you can see that he's unaccompanied on stage; it also reveals more about where he is performing and adds insipid French commentary:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3nzAikczEQ

Hadaka Sushi, West Hollywoood

At least cut off your pinky finger, waps!

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(definition: nyotaimori)

The top ten search phrases for this blog, via Google Analytics:

1. naked fat men (corresponding link)


2. fat men naked (same link as above)


3. snow crash movie (corresponding link 1, 2)


4. miami vice theme song (corresponding link)


5. cosmic buddha (too many links to list)


6. food carving (corresponding link 1, 2)


7. fish sausage (corresponding link 1, 2, 3)


8. fragalicious (corresponding link)


9. adam was arrested for (corresponding link)


10. sword tricks (corresponding link)

In addition, here are a few others I found interesting:

• ramen vending machine


• the devil is beating his wife


• i hate disneyland


• drink pee


• too many mcs not enough mics


• gory gory what a helluva way to die


• bald women for buddha


• tobita red light district


• eating a dog recipes


• ping pong handjob


• society of the big buddha


• the 4th cavalry pakistan


• fake giant catfish in pickup truck


• "des moines" tatami beds


• iraq fishing


• dachshund road kill


• j lo interviews


• dequervain's tenosynovitis


• hummingbird moth japan


• how to date a white woman


• buddhist pimp


• why do japan "turn off their headlights" at intersections


• "wakamezake"


• buy pocari sweat monterey park


• french sushi


• name of japanese lint removal


• penguin wrangler job


• dethmor


• "fairbank sykes"


• invention no. 13 in a minor


• la cucina povera


• vintage ladies armpit hairs


• "pet bottle" pronunciation


• what happened to sambo's restaurants


• how to make a basby stop crying


• bukkorosu


• was amelia earhart a spy?


• where to rent an elephant


• photosof indian ladies who shaved their head for god sake


• us ketchup problem in japan


• stankometer

Now, I can pretty mcuh guess which posts each term correspond to, but I'm WAY too lazy to actually find the links. Curious about any of the terms above? Look them up on my search engine.

Someone sent this to me a while ago, I don't remember who (but thanks!).

NZ's colossal squid to be microwaved

Run, don't walk, fish nerds.

SEMON - The breakfast of champions. Extra creamy filling.

CHICKEN SHAKE - According to the package, it is/contains neither. It is, however, a magnificent concept, even more repulsive than the famous meat shake joke.

BIG SHEET - When you get the urge for coprophagy, nothing else will doo. ;)

You mean, if I want to continue enjoying the account that I paid for, I have to sign in with my existing Yahoo! account, fuckyoustupidflickrshitheadsandstoptellingmewhattodo@yahoo.com?

Fucktards. This is not how you treat a charter member (or as you so eloquently put it, "Old Skool Member." Fucktards.) Shit, if you're gonna hold my already-paid-for account hostage, I don't have much of a choice, do I?

Note: This is an update post to What is this tree?.

Click on any of the photos to open an enlarged version in a popup window.

The tree.

The vibrant variation in color is one reason why I call this tree the "super sakura."

Pistil porn.

Note the fig-shaped buds.

I had to cheat in order to get a good frontal shot since the trees are so tall and the blossoms face upwards.

What is this tree?

Info from the youTube page:

"Here's where the samples on some of my favourite Daft Punk tracks came from. It's all legit, paid in full, above board. Still strange to hear, though.
The samples were spotted by http://www.ishkur.com/samples/ and the music was collected by http://palmsout.blogspot.com/2007/02/sample-wednesday-27-daft-punk.html
I just did the video editing."

awesome.

I'll be heading into Bangkok again for a few days... This time for fun.

... are falling from my walls onto my bed and the floor. There are hundreds of them, I'm sure, hatching around our house. I've seen around 30 or so in the past couple of days, slightly more than an inch long and still learning how to walk. Thus, they fall on my bed from the ceiling. I accidentally crushed one with the screen door yesterday and felt really bad about it.

hemidactylus frenatus - the House Gecko, known as "jingjok" in Thailand.

Image borrowed from here.

The thing is, it looks like an iguana. Could it be a false chameleon? A quick Google search shows that opinion is split as to whether iguanas can change colors on the spot or not. Whatever the explanation, this particular lizard changed the upper half of his body bright red when he climbed up this tree, right before my very eyes. I had just parked my car (I park under this tree every day) and remembered that my camera was on the back seat, so the timing was lucky.

I just finished grading for the first semester of classes - whew! It was hard work, much more work than a sweaty gaijin should have to do in 38 degree (C) weather.

Anyway, many of my colleagues aren't finished, so I told them about the "staircase method" of grading that I read about somewhere on the in-tar-webs. This consists of standing at the top of a staircase and throwing a stack of ungraded tests (or papers) down the stairs. The tests on the highest steps get A's, the next highest get B's, and so forth... My Thai colleagues really got off on this idea, maybe even a bit too much...

I must say that I never expected to become a teacher, much less at a university. But here I am. It's been fun so far.

The TF-DVD7100 (or TFDVD7100) was marketed under different brands in different countries, including the PRISM and COBY brands. Depending on the firmware, the following region hack can be performed by either remote or from the main unit's controls.

1. Press SETUP button


2. Press FF button


3. Press FR button


4. Press NEXT CHAPTER button


5. Press PREVIOUS CHAPTER button (a "Language Setting" or similarly labeled code will appear near the top of the screen.)


6. Press the RIGHT ARROW button until code changes to 255


7. Press ENTER button


8. Press SETUP button to finish

//////////

Posted here for posterity.

Wired has original They Might Be Giant "Snacktones" (ringtones) available for free download. Check it out. The track "Friend or Foe" is stuck in my head.

not constantinople

On the road to the next town, these magnificent blossoms are dropping everywhere. Kinda like sakura on steroids.

Hardcore conspiracy theorists, cryptozoologists, and nutty religious people are much alike in one respect: Their very existence often revolves around that in which they need to believe.

Of the three, however, conspiracy theorists are often the most fun to have a conversation with over a few beers. This has been my experience over the years, anyway.

Someone you can count on to sort through the rubble and find you after your life has fallen down around you.

Thank you, Nam.

I love you.

Last year I set up a group on flickr dedicated to my love of jump photography. We currently stand at 116 members, with multiple updates to the photo pool every day (current total 412). This is still a small group by flickr standards, but I'm very happy with how it's turned out. Some very good photographers have joined, and everyone seems to be having a good time.

Come join us if you are interested in jump photography!

"Yes, they are all real drivers licenses. In Virginia you can get a reissued drivers license on the spot if you have lost your license or just want a better photo."

I need to access a full article on Britannica and I heard you can do it by linking from a blog: folk society

Update: It works! An alternative is to bookmark the target article to del.icio.us. Of course, this bears the question as to why Britannica is still based on an archaic paid subscription system, but I'm not complaining. I really need to know about folk societies since I'm doing someone else's homework (ahem!).

Here is the link to Britannica's official policy regarding linkage.

A couple months ago we visited a famous silk shop on the outskirts of a nearby town on behalf of a Japanese buyer. She wanted samples from this area of Thailand because of the Khmer and Laotian influence that provides the Isan region with a special mix of so many things, including silk patterns. Basically, this was one of my biggest fantasy scenarios of all time - shopping for stuff I like, unrestrained, with a huge budget - and we attacked this job with zeal.

We started by having the staff crack open the glass cases containing the good cuts of choicest silk, and buying a sample of each. We then moved on to the (merely) high quality stuff, then the normal quality stuff. Eventually, lost in a sea of conversation between my wife and the shop's owner in a language I still don't understand, I got bored.

I wandered to the back of the shop, where the shopkeeper's mother was sitting perfectly still in a wicker chair and just getting older, and noticed a door that was cracked open just enough to see the goldmine...

Like thumbing through old vinyls...

I conveyed to the old lady that I wanted to enter and she gave the signal OK... I stepped in to find a storage room filled with unsorted silk sheets stacked from floor to ceiling...

I had died and gone to heaven; it was a silk junkie's Nirvana.

I spent an eternity in there...

I was in there so long, my wife urged me to hurry up because she was tired... I had done the impossible!

I had outshopped my wife, shopping for girly stuff!

THE END