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Gagging on Gloxinia
The top 10 new colors, according to the Pantone Color Institute. (via)
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Hidden Costs
As I blogged a few weeks ago, my faithful refrigerator suddenly died, and I have since been experimenting on living without one. You see, a dead refrigerator, TV, A/C, or washing machine has become a major pain in the ass to get rid of in Japan. Since last March or so, new legislation prohibits us putting out such major appliances on Big Trash day. There isn’t even a junkyard or recycle center we can dump such items off at (in my city, at least). The main thing preventing me from getting a new refrigerator was, in fact, figuring out what to do with the old one. As it turns out,…
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Brandon Lee, Eat Your Heart Out
I am: What Is Your Animal Personality? brought to you by Quizilla
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Magical Beaches, Whole Roast Chicken, and a Girl Named Magnum
As time passes and the memories of the vacation I just came back from slowly fade away, it gets harder and harder to write about it. Well, there’s nothing like paper pushing to stifle one’s creativity, as I always say. Still, I have a few more thoughts and photos to share on the matter, so I shall push on… In a previous post, I wrote about mucking about in the temple ruins at Buri Ram. We finished there early in the afternoon and had lunch with Nam’s family at a nearby outdoor restaurant. It was pretty hot and I was in meltdown mode after running around like an idiot in…
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Dumb? Retarded? You, too, can become an Immigration Officer!
I picked up Nam at Kansai Airport after work on Friday and she told me of her plight coming through immigration. Apparently trying to crack down on the number of overseas students completing doctoral studies at Japanese universities, Immigration decided to single her out for questioning. Considering the number of drug smugglers and Thai nationals about to enter Japan as sex slaves on tourist visas, on the same flight, it is remarkable that Immigration can single out one of the few with legit credentials, like Nam. Even more amazing is the intelligence of the questions asked: Immigration Officer (leafing though Nam’s passport): I see that your student visa has expired……
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Random Cattlecar
This is a fairly common sight on the dusty roads of the Thai countryside: Men riding on the top or other exposed areas of a vehicle often wear full bank robber hoods to block the sun; the heat underneath is apparently preferable to the killer rays of the midday sun (I can attest to the discomfort caused by prolonged exposure). Another shot: It’s hard to tell how the cows feel about it all. Maybe it beats grazing in some hot ass ditch on the side of the road; who knows?
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Required (Geek) Reading
Forgive the unimaginative title of this article and just be sure to read the whole thing: How a Bookmaker and a Whiz Kid Took On an Extortionist – and Won DDoS – It’s like a valley full of bandits and their armed slave captives wildly firing small arms at heavily armored airship transports passing above, but today is Friday the 13th and not Crappy Analogy Day, so I will quit now while I’m ahead.
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Warning Signs
Here’s a couple of interesting signs I found on the trip: This is actually the best “slippery when wet” warning illustration I have ever seen. Seen outside a public restroom at a highway rest stop on the way to Mahasarakham. Likewise, this is the best “Caution: Falling Durian” illustration I’ve ever seen. I came upon this sign in the middle of the jungle at the backside of a roadside fruit stand/cafe. Awesome.
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Balance of Powers
To offset previous linkage to the Dark Darth Side, I hereby offer the musings of a certain L. Skywalker: I Miss Biggs
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Even better than “scientific purposes”
It would logically follow that residents of Chiba Prefecture can look forward to cheap all-you-can-eat yakiniku this weekend.
