Hiroshima Photos

This week, I found out I will be moving back to Nagoya from Hiroshima at the end of February. I could have sworn that about three months ago I promised you photos from Hiroshima. But my memory is shit, so who knows.

Anyway, here you go. I'm not much of a photographer, and I haven't taken nearly as many pictures as I should have in such a historic city. Regardless, I've captured some neat stuff the few times I've remembered to take my camera along with me.

Side note: Two of the pictures are from Nagoya, not Hiroshima. They're labeled accordingly.

Keep Your Day Job... And Your Day Look

It looks like Hayden Panettiere can no longer pay me late night visits in my Japanese hotel room.

Hayden Panettiere's dolphin-saving mission last month has led to a warrant for her arrest in Japan, E! News reported.

The media coverage I have heard and read has been somewhat sympathetic or at worst neutral towards Hayden and her activist adventure.

Now I'm not familiar with the details of Japan's laws regarding property ownership. And the article doesn't make clear who, if anyone, owns the waters and shores on which the activism took place. But the purpose of the activism should not determine or influence whether or not a crime was committed.

But Hayden, really... keep your day job. Noble cause or not, you can't save every dolphin in the world. Plus, the full-body wetsuit and salt water-soaked hair just isn't doing it for me.

See for yourself: Before / After

Hiroshima

Sunday night I moved from Nagoya to Hiroshima, so I haven't had much time to post lately. But from what I've been able to see from my few days of exploring, it's a fascinating city. Pictures coming soon.

In the meantime, enjoy some links (...so there's actually a purpose to this post):

* In case you need more proof that Bush has no idea what he's talking about, here he criticizes the Democratic Congress for not passing enough spending bills that do not have tax hikes attached. Because for government, money just grows on trees, don'cha know.

* The judge who sued his dry cleaners for $54 million for losing his trousers will lose his job. And he didn't win a penny to show for it.

* And to answer the title of this article ("Can new Britney Spears album overcome drama?"):
I doubt it.

Indian Marxists to Prosperity: Stay Out

On the front page of the newspaper delivered to my hotel room every morning is an article detailing the influence of the Communist Party of India. About midway through the article:

In a vague bit of saber rattling, [Communist Party leader Prakash] Karat has threatened "serious consequences" if Singh's government advances its negotiations on its nuclear deal with the United States. He sees it as a part of a strategic alliance with the United States, intended to increase American weight in Asia — and he wants none of it.

"We don't want to be another Japan," Karat said. "It's not in our interest."

Emphasis mine. Online version of the full article here.

I'm sure the Indian people will appreciate a leader of one of the (apparently) major political parties saying that he prefers the Indian status quo to the widespread prosperity of Japan.

If someone was to take a worldwide poll asking people whether they would prefer to live in India or Japan, is there any doubt as to what the results would say?

Fine Japanese Women: My Anti-Blog

Yes, I have to borrow Cicero's title format to justify my not blogging for nearly 3 weeks. And to be even more of a cheapass, I'm going to re-enter the blogosphere with a "links" post. Enjoy.

If you're looking for the conservative Australian prime minister seat in the upcoming election, it's probably best to avoid the Manhattan titty-bar scene. I'm just sayin'...

Will a .500 record be good enough to win the NL Central division? If the Cards' are going to take it, that might have to be the case. But seriously, you gotta quit losing to the fuckin' Cubs, Cards!

And this is why I don't have kids, in case you were wondering.

Introducing.... the "Cardinals" tag.

Cigarettes For Cicero And Rob to Hand Out To Drunk Women At The Bar

Sometimes English translations don't work out so well over here. Or the innuendo slips through unnoticed. I don't normally smoke menthols, but I couldn't resist buying this pack when I saw it in the vending machine.