Fight

We have just emerged from the mother of all battles more than a little scarred but as always are the better for it – have almost been inspired to write a paper on the pragmatics of intercultural communication (but i wont cos I’m too lazy and still haven’t finished my diss.) Anyway all happiness and light now; Bowie on shuffle in itunes, a beaker of Yebisu in hand and the thought that I have to go and teach my academic writing course tomorrow.

Miyazaki ignores gays

Saturday, Sept. 23, 2006

Reference to gays cut from rights ordinance
MIYAZAKI (Kyodo) The municipal assembly of Miyakonojo, Miyazaki Prefecture, decided Friday to exclude sexual minorities, including homosexuals, from its ordinance on human rights protection.

The 2004 ordinance stipulated that the city respects the human rights of every person “regardless of gender or sexual orientation,” but the assembly approved the new ordinance after deleting the passage on sexual minorities.

It is rare to see a passage referring to homosexuals in local government ordinances on human rights protection.

A city official said removing the passage does not change the overall meaning of the ordinance.

Some assembly members and human rights activists said it would lead to ignoring the human rights of minorities and their existence.

The Japan Times
(C) All rights reserved

Surprise, surprise…

The Wind

Stepped out and was nearly blown off my feet! Back inside now listening to the GO! Team (a belated thanks to Zak) and pretending to write my final chapter. Pu asleep but ready to cook a couple of huge steaks for dinner tonight.

Scott Walker’s latest

Its hard going but sure it will be rewarding in the long run. He was certainly prophetic when he sang the sun ain’t gonna shine anymore! With songs on ‘The Drift’ about Clara Petacci, charging Cossacks and Elvis’ still-born twin brother Jesse, you know you won’t be sipping G & Ts by the pool.

Swearing in Japan – you can!

Great article yesterday by Roger Pulvers in the Japan Times about swearing in Japanese, the gist being that while most people claim that you can’t swear in Japanese, you actually can and risk as much offense as you would in English. It’s strange but what he translates quite innoculously in English as something like “go to hell (kutabatte shimae)”, when said to Pu, he was quite shocked and told me never to repeat it again and, considering he has one of the dirtiest mouths in English of all the nihonjin I know, is quite something.

Anyway here is a link to the article and a brief list of offensive words and phrases to use on your Japanese loved (or hated) one. To all our Japanese readers (although I know that equals about 3), I would be interested to conduct our first Yokohamarama poll and find out which you consider to be the most offensive of the lot, akin to the ‘c’ word in English and perhaps add some more if you felt like venting a bit of anger on this blog.

sassato usero = get lost

acchi-ni ike = Leave me be, will ya

kutabatte shimae = go to hell!

damare= shut your face!

doke = get outta my way

onegai dakara, shine = Do me a favor and die!

more next week…

Johnny’s last

Yes I know its been out for a while but have finally got round to getting American V: a hundred highways. The man had actually passed on two years before it was finally completed and was dying while most of it was being recorded,

“Some days his voice was weak and he sounded like he was panting, trying to get enough air. Other days his voice boomed with power and gravity.”(Rick Rubin)

Have only listened to it once but am happy to say that it seems a fitting testament in its sadness and finality (unless more lost recordings from the sessions are unearthed…)

二日酔い

Buのことを悪く書いたしりからなんなんですが、昨夜久しぶりに友達が集結したので朝まで飲みました。すごい二日酔いです。後悔です。楽しかったのでいいんですが、自分の体を労らないと可哀想に思うほど痛めつけたみたいです。アルコールを分解するためだけに肝臓を使ってしまったにも関わらず、うまく処理もできなかったみたいな。。。お酒は雰囲気を楽しんだり気分を明るくしたりするためにとるべきであって、こんな飲み方はもうできません。

しかも昨夜は友達の家でBBQの後、なんと私だけが最終電車に乗り遅れてしまい、皆の反対を押し切って一人歩いて帰ったのです。ちょうど一時間かかりました。そのせいで酔いがまわったのでしょうか？とにかくアホな行為です。

飲みに行くのが好きな人

俗に言うゲイバーでチープな飲み物に高い値段で飲むのが好きな人、それがBuです。相変わらずです。既に友達と、もしくは私と食事等で飲んで結構酔ってるのに、他は疲れて眠たいのにその後一人で飲みに行きたがるのです。そして朝方凄い酒臭い体で帰ってきます。いい加減にしてほしいですね。私ももう少し若い時はそんな楽しみ方もありました。疲れます。そういう動物をつき合うのは。Pu

My favorite things

For a philistine like myself, I thought that as I was now playing jazz bass, I should educate myself on how to play jazz sax !?, hence the trip to disc union to get hip with Coltrane this afternoon. Have been playing it ever since and will never go back to listening to Julie Andrews again (although Johnny Hartman did do a good version too). Fantastic, mind blowing stuff!

Marigny Neuf Pinot-Noir

Back on the red again and have just polished off this tasty noir from the Loire. Beautifully silky texture with a hint of spice. Available from Enoteca as usual.