Is it really prudent to enforce traffic with mimes in the “Ciudad de Uzi?” (Via BoingBoing)

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 found another great archive of posts from Iraq by one of our soldiers (now back home): Citizen Frank: The War Book

To the Big Ho: I agree that neither Ben Gay nor Tiger Balm is good for the “Nardic Sack” in winter, but there’s no need to have it sent from the states; they sell it in Namdaemun (see center area of pic). Update: Which is not to say it’s particularly good at other times of the year or anything.

A blogger killing her mother may seem like a fairly unremarkable event, in the wider scope of things. Posting about it on her blog, however, is a significant variation.

Just out of curiousity, how much of the 1000MB have you used? (thanks to Osaka bill and Tom for my accounts; if there is possibly anybody left in the free world who still needs an invite, let me know)

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…

Apparently, in New Zealand it isn’t a crime to pickle kittens. Does the willful ill-treatment law only apply for dogs?

Dolphins Protect New Zealand Swimmers from Shark The only thing that could make this story any better is if Gen got photos of it.

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,…