metal_dog5, we discuss, yes?

That will be all.

tags: tv

...and I'm like, ( Oh, hey, earthquake. )

Aside from slight to moderate damage to a bunch of federal buildings and some metro line in the suburbs, I think everything is okay. Here's hoping they don't discover we're on some heretofore unknown fault line.

That will be all.

tags: homeland central, weather

Wait, was I worried about potentially not passing it?

Because I shouldn't have been. :-D

That will be all.

tags: ftw, korean

I kicked off today by reading in the WaPo that Homeland Central has the highest per capita ratio of pedestrian and biker deaths of any major U.S. city. The article continued by saying that the majority of these deaths took place at intersections, because D.C.'s motherfucking batshit drivers have a tendency to speed through turns without checking to make sure that no one is in the crosswalk. This makes sense. I would need a Hindu deity number of hands to count on my fingers the amount of times some batshit motherfucker in an SUV has nearly plowed over me as I try to cross the street with the light. The article recommended that D.C.'s motherfucking batshit drivers not attempt to complete their turns until pedestrians have cleared the crosswalks. This struck me as an eminently reasonable suggestion.

I mention this because, having dropped off Landmom at the front door of the clinic where she was going for a check up today, I needed to make a left turn onto the side street where the facility's parking garage was located. The light turned green with no oncoming traffic in sight. I began turning, making sure to give the pedestrian in the crosswalk ample time to finish crossing and feeling quite content about my attention to safety--I am a defensive driver! I will not become another statistic in this city's vehicular homicide rate!--when a burst of police sirens startled both the pedestrian and me. He stopped in his tracks, allowing me to turn and get out of the way of the police vehicle roaring down the street...

...which followed me onto the side street and pulled me over. The officer got out of his car. I rolled down the window, frantically wondering if my break lights were out, if my turn signals were out, or if my tags were expired.

Turns out it was none of those things. The officer had pulled me over to reprimand me for yielding the right of way to the pedestrian in the crosswalk. "He had enough time to stop and let you through," I was told.

Again: Highest per capita ratio of pedestrian deaths in the nation.

That will be all.

tags: asshattery, homeland central

...and as of 12:18 am here it appears that #1 reactor at Fukushima I is possibly starting to melt down. They haven't been able to get enough water through the cooling system and the rods are starting to melt and produce something called cesimium, which is apparently a VERY BAD THING judging by the amount of shouting I can hear in the background at the newsroom.

ETA: A later bulletin stresses that the melting rod(s) has been contained and that there is no cause for alarm. Still....

...about "unacceptable" and "racist" comments made to "university students" by a the Japan Bureau Chief that Okinawans were "masters of extortion (ゆすりの名人)," I said, "I bet that happened at the good ol' alma mater." ( Nailed it. )

That will be all.

music: 大雨の音 tags: grad school, japan, politics

...and ( little substance. )

Come on, Gaga, admit it: You're just pissed you didn't think of it first.

That will be all.

tags: archive, asshattery, music

...about how Village Vanguard will no longer stock "books, manga, or goods with strong antisocial elements such as excessive depictions of sexuality, or murder or suicide."

Which I guess is good, but honestly I've encountered far more excessive depictions of the above in bona fide bookstores, and in much greater quantity. My main impression of Village Vanguard (where I shopped frequently over the course of five years/two prefectures) was that they were like Spencer Gifts without the slime of Spencer Gifts. Did I stumble upon the only two G-rated VV's in Japan?

That will be all.

tags: archive, japan

My reading these days pretty much consists of newspapers, academic journals, and white papers. It's really cut into the time I have for actual books. Anyway, here is ( what I have been reading recently. )

That will be all.

tags: books, reading, twib

Featuring ( two more volumes of Transmetropolitan. )

That will be all.

music: hirayasu takashi - koza renka tags: books, reading, twib