I did it! I passed the level one rank in judo! Next stop black belt!

Found this at school today. Fantastic, yes?

The Illuminati Game

I've been reading hippie psychedelic mystical conspiracy fiction...namely the Illuminatus! trilogy. Got me thinking in strange ways and wikipedia-ing...and we all know what happens when you combine wikipedia and mountains of free time....synchronicity!

Check this out! Illuminati conspiracy alternative indie hiphop!
http://www.myspace.com/7lesoteric

Also here....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El-P

All came from this article, which I never thought would lead to Hip Hop....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weishaupt

They LIVE! Alert Rowdy Roddy Piper!
-Hail Eris!


And on further reflection, I'd have to recommend, on the strength of their samples and their beats...7L/Esoteric. Fatty and geeky and grok. Rule.

Good and Bad

News. I've got both. The trip to Shodoshima was lovely. K's grandparents were very glad to see us...her grandmother is especially spry at the age of 80-something...still working the orchards and running the hills. We stayed at a nice hot spring resort, had a mediocre 'french' dining experience, and an interesting, if odiferous, visit to the monkey park. Mission Accomplished.

Today, however, I sup at the trough of failure. I went to take my practical driving test, the final hurdle on the way to a provisional learner's permit. I failed. Badly. Didn't even get to complete the test. Why? Overshot the stopline at the only stopsign on the freaking course. Completely my own fault...which makes the defeat all the more galling. Having been a licensed driver for 14 years simply adds vinegar upon the salt on my wounds. Gotta go back next Wednesday and try again. Never EVER let your driver's license expire.

SMALL BEANS BIG BOAT

We are off to visit the mother-in-laws old home town and to visit K's grandparents.

They live on a little island only accessable by sea.. .so we are on the ferry. Its a beautiful day for a cruise...the Inland Sea is smooth as glass. The crossing takes about 90 minutes...or about two beers. We are about halfway there.

The name of the island is Shodoshima, which translates to Small Bean Island. Theres not much there except olives, oranges, monkeys, and old folks. We plan on seeing all of the above.

Fifth time is a charm I guess...I finally passed the first Japanese drivers license test.
It took me a week and cost 150 bucks, but I DID IT!

Next is the road test, which aint gonna be no fun either...then I get my learners permit. yay.

I might actually have a real license by Labor Day...if Im lucky.

Just took the preliminary drivers license test. True false tests are much harder when you don't understand the questions...

Bush baby...

I've been reading about the Bush administration and its unbelievably horrible record of stripping away consumer protections, shifting the tax burden to middle and low income people, raping environmental law, ruining American prestige abroad, and generally being bad people.

I, of course, had made up my mind about Bush a long time ago and was saddened but not surprised to read the litany of depravity, wanton malfeasance, and greed
that constitutes his presidency. I kept seeing references to his "fanatically loyal" followers tho, and I got to thinking.

The anti-Bush community is large and becoming more and more vocal on the internet and on TV. His popularity and approval rankings are in the toilet and have been for some time. Yet he still manages to get some things done, he still has support. Where does this support come from? I googled "support our president" and found some eye opening (for me) stuff.

Pray for the President is more or less exactly what the name says, a perfect indicator of Bush's popularity among America's traditional Christian voters.

More politically oriented is Free Republic (an), a site dedicated to "grass-roots conservatism"...interesting look at the other side of the fence...

Curious how these folks are still behind Bush, after all his conservatism is a thin veneer concealing good old fashioned meanness and avarice and a basic lack of the "compassion" he tries to lay claim to. As for the religious right...well, as long as they are in the upper tax brackets they should be happy enough, but most rural churchgoing folks I know aren't really in a position to take advantage of the myriad tax dodges for millionaires Bush rammed through Congress...

Zowie!

K and I have been bandying about the notion of buying a house...she really wants to settle in, but I keep balking at how much homes cost here and the fact that they are like cars...once bought they depreciate immediately.

I related to her that in the US, homes are considered investments...built to last and usually worth more when it comes time to sell than when you bought it. Then I saw this. Funny thing is, we used to live just down the street from that house...25 years ago...
All of a sudden, Japanese real estate ain't looking so bad.

Caption Contest Anyone?

Came across this picture posted in the hall of the hotle we stayed at in Nagano last weekend. I can't love it any more than I possible do right now...but I do wonder what exactly is going on ...

I'd love to hear what you folks out there think the folks in there are saying....