Earthsea: “Not-so-uppity” version

From a young age, I always found solace in science fiction and fantasy writing. I read The Hobbit for the first time in 4th grade, and never looked back. So it’s very disappointing to hear the disappointment created when the Sci-Fi channel decided to do a TV adaptation of Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea books:
A Whitewashed Earthsea
The punchline in that article, in my opinion, was their choice of Danny Glover. I guess it just as easily could have been Morgan Freeman or Denzel, but still… My fervent hope is that the Narnia movies, at least, treat the original books with a bit more respect.
Ursula K. Le Guin. I give her props for voicing her displeasure in such a way, and damn, isn’t that the coolest-sounding name ever (I still think so twenty years after seeing it for the first time.)?

Exploring Uranus

It will be no surprise for anybody who has ever visited a Japanese hospital to find out that doctors really are sick fucks:

Now, after a year of apologizing for a necessary exam I think I?ve lost all shame in it. In fact, there are times when a rectal is really necessary and if I could stick my finger up the patient?s ass without even saying ?hello? I probably would.
Now, I say things like ?flip over, WE have to do a rectal examination? (As if he?s participating or maybe he gets to give me one afterwards). Or even better yet (snotty English accent) ?Oh intern, we need a rectal exam on Ms. D, would you kindly skooch on over there and do it??
I?ve found, strangely enough, that I usually connect much better with the patients whose assholes I explored. In a way, it brings us together. In a really sick, kind of demented way.
Rectals are also a great way to punish patients. At least the really annoying ones or those that try to take advantage of us. I?ve lied to patients before and spent an extra long few seconds checking out a prostate. Really checking it out. You now know why this blog is anonymous right?

Go read out the whole post:
What an Asshole

Japan Bloggers News

So was anyone else completely blown away by the message from Nick Denton to the mailing list? I’m very interested in seeing who will be chosen… Will it be one of the seasoned self-promoters who have seemingly sold all of our e-mail addresses to spammers and profess a genuine interest in Japan? Or someone who has already explored such topics as “gadgets, hentai, cars, and computer games?”
Either way, it should be exciting to see somebody I’ve at least heard of here writing on a more professional level, whatever that entails. I mention that because all of the Japan Bloggers I am familiar with are blogging strictly for the kicks, as far as I know. Not that there’s anything wrong with that; it’s what keeps the interesting blogs worth writing (and hence reading).