Snowbugs

Yukimushi translates to "Snow Bug or Snow fly" in Japanese. They are a type of white aphid which on close inspection are not beautiful, at all.. In fall they fly around and their white colour is a striking reminder of the coming winter.

Many people say that the first snows of winter will arrive 2 weeks after the first Yukimushi are seen. I saw some this past weekend but I don't believe it will snow for another month, at least.

Justin

The Sexiest Woman in Japan

This story is from Metropolis Magazine http://www.metropolis.co.jp/

I think Aya sugimoto is an important figure for Japanese society.

Please enjoy,

Jus

Aya Sugimoto’s name is synonymous with all things sensual. Since her ground-shaking 2003 divorce, in which she famously (and very publicly) left a “sexless” marriage, Sugimoto has become a flag-bearer for women’s rights — particularly when those rights involve sex and relationships. Her sensational views are backed up by edgy performances in film and on stage, and she lends support to causes ranging from animal rights to female independence. Sugimoto’s new project promises more of the same: an adaptation, using the sensual Argentinean dance form tango, of the true story of Sada Abe, the notorious Meiji-era prostitute who asphyxiated and castrated her lover.
Finding a connection between dance and the carnal passions of a failed geisha may seem a stretch, but in an interview at her office in Setagaya, Sugimoto displays the confidence that has become her trademark. “The passion of tango can be easily linked with the passions of Sada,” the 40-year-old says from her perch on a sofa. “But it is the passion of a Japanese woman that can’t be expressed by an Argentinean dancer. So I realized it could only be performed by me.”
Such a provocative statement is typical of the woman who almost singlehandedly brought the issue of sexual dissatisfaction into the national consciousness, and who has continued to challenge audiences through forms as diverse as film, dance and literature. “I’ve been frustrated for a long time that Japanese society is so feudalistic and conservative to art and eroticism,” she says, “so I’ve always wanted to devote myself to overcoming that.”
By all accounts, she has come a long way to achieving that goal. After enduring what she terms a “strict” upbringing in Kyoto, Sugimoto began modeling kimonos at age 15, and her career took off in earnest when she took up singing at the urging of her management company. A string of No. 1 singles followed; their titles, like “Boys” (1988) and “Gorgeous” (1990), hinted at the erotic cast her career would take.
In a pattern that she would repeat again and again, Sugimoto soon sought out new challenges. “When I began writing my own songs, the lyrics were quite erotic,” she says. “I realized I wanted to dig into eroticism more deeply, so I started writing sensual novels.” As an author, her published works include “The Rules of Supreme Pleasure,” “Immoral” and the book-length 2004 essay, “Orgasm Life.”’Sexless divorce’ became catchphrase
By the mid-2000s, Sugimoto set her sights on becoming a film actress, but before getting the chance, her marriage of 10 years to musician Toshinori Numata fell apart. The ensuing media storm — the term “sexless divorce” which she used to describe the situation, became a catchphrase — won her equal parts notoriety and respect.
“I thought that saying the word ‘sexless’ openly would help Japanese women start living freely and making choices for themselves,” she says. “They are still so conservative and feel guilty expressing their real feelings. Even if a woman wants to end her marriage because it is sexless, she has to fear being misunderstood or accused of not being patient enough.”
With the trauma of her divorce behind her, Sugimoto then took the biggest risk her career, accepting the lead role in a remake of Masaru Konuma’s 1974 film “Hana to Hebi” (“Flower and Snake”). In the 2004 version, she plays a businessman’s wife who is sold into sexual slavery at the behest of a yakuza boss. The film required Sugimoto to spend 70% of her screen time unclothed and indulging in masochistic acts.
“At first glance, you would think the main character was treated with indignity because she’s tied up,” she says. “But you can turn it around and see that many men were working hard for her, almost as if they are worshipping her. I don’t believe that masochists are ruled by sadists.”
By now, Sugimoto has become that rarest of sex symbols, one who is esteemed by men and women alike. She dispenses advice on sexual health and relationships on the TV Tokyo talk show “Yearnings of a Goddess” and, more playfully, has served as a spokeswoman for Bust Up Drops, a dietary supplement said to increase a woman’s breast size. In 2006, Sugimoto was selected as the fourth sexiest woman in Asia by Playboy magazine — which is ironic, as the voters were the same Japanese men she terms “cowards” for not doing enough to satisfy their women.
Further wanting to test her limits, Sugimoto came closest to crossing the line from erotic art to straight-up pornography in the TV show “Shimokita Glory Days,” a manga-inspired comedy-drama that aired in 2006. She appeared opposite several AV stars, including the most famous proponent of the adult film genre, Sola Aoi. Not that she was ashamed of the work. “Society can’t consist only of ‘high-quality’ elements, and that’s also true for visual eroticism as well,” she says.Happy to see young women expressing themselves
Although Sugimoto’s public persona may be intimidating in a culture that prefers anonymity to candor, it’s interesting to learn that she shares many of the same views as other Japanese women. The difference is that she’s more prone to speak her mind—and is rarely without an opinion. Discussing the recent craze for ero-kawaii (“erotic-cute”) fashion, she says she’s happy that young women are expressing themselves.
“It would be difficult to wear clothes like that if it were not accompanied by a new kind of spirit,” she explains. “When I wore the same types of sexy clothes in the ’80s and ’90s, it caused a stir.”
Thanks in part to this new spirit of erotic openness that she herself helped to create, Sugimoto isn’t surprised at the eager reception of the American TV show and movie “Sex and the City.” Yet her own feelings about its impact are ambivalent. Though she attended the Japan premiere, where she mingled with such stars as Jason Lewis, she’s dismayed that so much attention is focused on inanities like the stars’ fashion.
“I’ve noticed that the most popular character in Japan was Samantha,” she says, referring to the show’s sex-obsessed vixen. “I feel Japanese women want to live strongly, freely and powerfully like her. But when you seek freedom, you also need to be ready to assume responsibility. That might still take some time.”
It’s precisely this immaturity, Sugimoto believes, that causes Japanese women to score low in international rankings of sexual satisfaction, most famously the annual Durex Global Sexual Wellbeing Survey. But she’s adamant that blame lies on both sides of the bed. “There are some men who say, ‘I don’t bring sex into the home, I just do it with other women away from home.’ We shouldn’t allow them to say something like that! Japanese women allow men too much — we need to show more effort and energy.”
Sugimoto herself is waging a one-woman crusade to urge men to change their mentality, which she playfully dubs the “Latinize Japan Project.” “Japanese men have been put under a spell by society, and they are cowards. It would be wonderful if they were able to adopt the charms foreign men have,” she says.
As she enters an age where many “idols” tone down their activities, Sugimoto remains as busy as ever. The upcoming performance of “Tango Nostalgia” is an outgrowth of her appearances on “Uri Nari Geinojin Shako Dansu-bu,” a kind of Japanese version of “Dancing with the Stars” in which she and her partner, comedian Kiyotaka Nanbara, consistently ranked highly. As she enters her fifth decade, Sugimoto also takes inspiration from 69-year-old Italian singer Milva (“She’s still sexy and cute”) and 50-year-old Madonna.
“I’ve become stronger with age — strength that comes from peace of mind and emotional stability,” she says. “I feel my senses have been refined. What being ‘sexy’ or ‘erotic’ comes down to is having a profound ability to be attuned and sensitized to life and your surroundings.”
Even when speaking informally, Sugimoto’s words carry a weight of experience, and no topic is too taboo. Discussing her onscreen lesbian and bondage scenes, she extols the virtues of sexual experimentation. “As I become more mature, I think the most important thing is to know what you really want. If you like it, you don’t need to hide it. The only way you’ll never get satisfaction is if you don’t know what you really want.”
Whether she herself will ever again find satisfaction with a life partner remains to be seen. Sugimoto admits to a fear of marriage as an institution, and has recently said that she’d never marry again. “It is more important to know if we really need to be with each other than believe in the system itself and take the relationship for granted. We can’t build a good relationship if we don’t appreciate our daily life,” she says.
As Sugimoto graciously leads us out of Office Aya, walking tall, elegant and proud, her courteousness hints at the compassionate woman behind the tenacious, spirited persona. A Latin spirit always needs real love to fuel the fire.
Aya Sugimoto stars in “Tango Nostalgia” Nov 21-24 at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel.

Asian Superheroes

I found this intersting story today on http://www.japantoday.com/.

Asian superheroes come to rescue of region's film industry
BUSAN, South Korea —
Asian filmmakers who have watched in envy as U.S. superheroes have won billions at the international box office are determined not to let Hollywood have everything its own way.
At this week’s 13th Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF), a buzz has been building about a Korean production that looks set to take on Batman, Iron Man and Spider-Man at their own game.
On the sidelines of the festival, industry insiders have been rallying support for Asia’s own brand of superhero.
The $12 million “Jeon Woo Chi” has been the talk of the festival with its producer Lee Eugene calling it the “most anticipated project in Korea.”
Featuring Korean superstars Gang Dong-won, Lim Soo-jung and Kim Yun-seok, it follows a time-traveling Taoist magician and his fight against a band of nasty goblins.
Lee hopes the film will take on Hollywood’s blockbusters when it is released next summer and its anticipated four-month shooting schedule is one of the longest in Korean film history.
“It’s going to be very different from a Hollywood clear-cut ‘good’ superhero,” Lee told reporters. “Jeon Woo Chi is a rascal and quite mischievous.”
The film is certainly up against the odds when it comes to box office figures, as Hollywood’s current trend of plundering America’s comic book back catalogue is reaping huge rewards.
The latest edition of the Batman franchise, “The Dark Knight,” earned more than $460 million in foreign ticket sales alone, while “Iron Man” with $253 million, and “Spider-Man 3” with $554 million, also enjoyed massive paydays from the international market.
To Asia’s embattled local film industries, hit hard both by poor box office returns and dwindling production numbers, these are figures beyond the wildest of dreams.
But that doesn’t mean Asian filmmakers are not going to put up a fight.
PIFF has this year included a Superheroes in Asia section featuring 11 regional films from the past half century, which have been enthusiastically received.
“In Japan, we have had our own heroes such as Ultraman since the 1960s,” said Japanese film producer Shozo Ichiyama.
“The important factor is you have to make your heroes different from the United States’ ones. That’s why one of our Japanese heroes, Gekko Kamen (a masked Japanese avenger on a motorcycle), has a motto ‘Don’t kill him, forgive him.’ It is different from the American mindset.”
In recent times, local box office heroes such as India’s time-traveling Krrish and Malaysia’s Cicakman, part man, part lizard, part legend—both featured in Busan—have managed to stand up to the Hollywood challenge.
Veteran Philippine film critic Edward Cabagnot says history has shown that smart Asian filmmakers have been able to look to the West and learn.
“We love our heroes in Asia,” he says. “In the Philippines for example we have taken what America has given us and made it local. That’s why a character such as our Darna, who has been around since the 1950s, is basically Wonder Woman but with local characteristics. Like Philippine society itself, her stories are a mix of Catholic guilt with Hollywood glamour.”
Perhaps the only film region in the world to keep Hollywood’s heroes at bay has been India, where “Spider-Man 3” failed to make the box office top 20, pulling in just $380,000.
“The reasons for this are simple,” said critic Meenakshi Shedde. “Indian cinema already has a sense of the fantastic, so the audience is not impressed with Hollywood heroes.
“Just take a look at what your average Bollywood hero does during the course of a film—he can fight, sing, dance and basically do anything he wants. So nothing American cinema does really surprises or impresses us.”
Just why we seem to love superheroes so much was another matter up for debate in Busan.
Joo Youshin, who lectures in cinema theory at Yongsan University in Seoul, believes the success of the Hollywood heroes reflects universal human desires.
“They speak to us about the contradictions we feel in society everywhere,” she says. “And sometimes they reflect our psyche too.”
But Cabagnot has a simpler explanation. “Sometimes we just like them because they are sexy,” he says.
“In Asia, of course we can copy this. It is how we can be successful. And no one has the copyright on sexy. Not even Hollywood.”

OK, listen! Sarah Palin is NUTS! Or really stupid. I'm not sure which.

I found this story today. I almost couldn't believe it.

The LA Times reports:

Soon after Sarah Palin was elected mayor of the foothill town of Wasilla, Alaska, she startled a local music teacher by insisting in casual conversation that men and dinosaurs coexisted on an Earth created 6,000 years ago -- about 65 million years after scientists say most dinosaurs became extinct -- the teacher said.

Palin told him that "dinosaurs and humans walked the Earth at the same time," Munger said. When he asked her about prehistoric fossils and tracks dating back millions of years, Palin said "she had seen pictures of human footprints inside the tracks," recalled Munger, who teaches music at the University of Alaska in Anchorage and has regularly criticized Palin in recent years on his liberal political blog, called Progressive Alaska.

The idea of a "young Earth" -- that God created the Earth about 6,000 years ago, and dinosaurs and humans coexisted early on -- is a popular strain of creationism.

Though in her race for governor she called for faith-based "intelligent design" to be taught along with evolution in Alaska's schools, Gov. Palin has not sought to require it, state educators say.

In a widely-circulated interview, Hollywood star Matt Damon said of Palin, "I need to know if she really thinks that dinosaurs were here 4000 years ago. I want to know that, I really do. Because she's gonna have the nuclear codes."

Drugs in Sumo. But What About the Steroids?

BY CB Liddell

In their 2005 book “Freakonomics,” Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner found that sumo was fixed. The proof was in the fact that wrestlers going into the final day of a tournament with a 7-7 record, and therefore needing to win their final bout to maintain their rank, were victorious 80% of the time against wrestlers who were already safe with 8-6 records.
Levitt and Dubner also found that the “winning” wrestler also tended to repay the favor at the next tournament, losing 60% of the matches against the same opponent. Although not hard evidence, this kind of statistical analysis can often be consistent enough to point an accusing finger at a sport that has come under an increasingly negative spotlight in recent months.
The latest blow to the tattered image of sumo comes from the recent expulsions of three foreign-born sumo wrestlers for marijuana use. While such a small sample may be statistically irrelevant in a “Freakonomics” sense, it nevertheless points to some of the chronic double standards, dishonesty and disregard for athlete health that has come to characterize this sport.
Since drug testing was finally introduced this year — after promises to bring it in 2003 were reneged on — only these three rikishi have been banned in a sport where use of harmful substances is suspected to be widespread. The fact that all three just happen to be foreigners is surely not coincidental.
Last year sumo faced its worst scandal in recent memory when a young trainee was battered to death in an apparent act of hazing. But while the circumstances of this case were tragic and newsworthy, the truth is that sumo has been causing a lot of low-key death and physical destruction for much longer. Just look at the numerous examples of retired wrestlers in poor health. Recently, the former golden boy of sumo, 36-year-old Takanohana, made an appearance on TV. I hadn’t seen him since his yokozuna glory days, and was shocked to notice what he has become — his movements were stiff and unnatural, and his voice sounded weak and reedy.
Not only is the life expectancy of sumo wrestlers 10 years less than the average population, they also suffer higher incidences of kidney and liver problems. Wrestlers are also subject to hormonal imbalances, signaled by serious weight problems and voice changes. While much of this may be the result of the unusual diet and harsh training, many of the same symptoms are also present in steroid abusers.
This brings us back to the reason that drug testing was finally introduced this year. Back in 2003, the head of the Japan Sumo Association proposed that all wrestlers be screened for drugs during their medical check-ups in February and October. The issue came up because politicians had begun criticizing the sport’s growing dependency on steroids, which led to vastly increased weights and injuries.
One of the driving forces for increased steroid use may have been the need for Japanese wrestlers to “bulk up” to face waves of tough competition from abroad, first from Hawaii, then Mongolia and now Eastern Europe. How ironic, then, that when drug screening was introduced, the tests were not aimed at steroid users but instead at marijuana smokers. Marijuana is a comparatively mild and harmless drug, especially in light of the serious long-term health problems faced by most sumo wrestlers.
If the Japan Sumo Association had been serious about eradicating drug use, it would have started testing for steroids first. But this would have ruffled the feathers of the big sumo stables and, depending on how widespread the problem, brought chaos to the sport. Much better, therefore, to make an example of a few foreigners while turning a blind eye to the real trouble.
The scapegoating of the three Russian wrestlers clearly stems from the sport’s dominant culture, which combines elements of xenophobia with religious chauvinism. Not only is sumo tied up with the remnants of the imperialistic Shinto cult that was defeated in the war, it also promotes insulting attitudes to women, whom it excludes from the dohyo as “spiritually unclean.” In short, the sumo world is a closed cabalistic entity, hidebound with arcane traditions, and highly suspicious of change, of foreigners or any kind of transparency. That’s the reason why this otherwise exciting sport continues its slow and steady decline.
If sumo is to have a real future, it must break with the past and shed the arcane culture that once nourished it but now stifles it. An international ruling body should be established, with standards, rules and procedures that meet global standards. Judo and karate have done this; why not sumo?

This commentary originally appeared in Metropolis magazine (http://www.metropolis.co.jp/)

By Vanessa Barford BBC News

Ricky Gervais is the first to admit that his teeth are neither white nor straight - and Americans mistakenly think he wears bad false teeth for comedic purposes. Why the dental divide?
British teeth are not like American teeth.
Hollywood smiles are pearly white paragons of straightness. British teeth might be described as having character.

These are my real teeth. You think I'd wear them all the time if they weren't real?
Ricky Gervais' reply to interviewer remarking on his 'false teeth'
So much character, in fact, that Ricky Gervais says one US journalist complimented him on being prepared to wear unflattering false teeth for his role as an English dentist in his latest film, Ghost Town. Only he didn't.
"He was horrified that I could have such horrible real teeth. It's like the biggest difference between the Brits and the Americans, they are obsessed with perfect teeth," says Gervais.
Unlike many British stars hoping to make it big across the Atlantic, Gervais hasn't bought himself a Hollywood Smile.
But what is it about the bright white and perfectly straight teeth of Los Angeles that Americans love - and expect of their public figures?"Americans have the idea uniformity is equivalent to looking good. The British character is more free-spirited, more radical," says Professor Liz Kay, dean of the Peninsula Dental School in Exeter and Plymouth.
She says Americans aspire to a row of teeth which are absolutely even and white.
Whiter than white, it transpires. Teeth naturally vary in colour and the palette can tend closer to cream than white.

"US teeth are sometimes whiter than it is physically possible to get in nature - there is a new reality out there. The most extreme tooth bleaching is terrifying, it looks like it's painted with gloss paint and has altered what people perceive as normal," says Professor Jimmy Steele, of the School of Dental Science at Newcastle University.
The British traditionally prefer "nice natural smiles - natural in colour", he says, and have had a more functional view of teeth and dentistry, whereas Americans have always seen teeth more aesthetically, hence the rise of the artificial smile in show business and pop culture.
Cue jibes such as The Bumper Book of British Smiles which cajoles Lisa Simpson into having a brace, and Mike Myers' mockery of buck-toothed Brits in Austin Powers. Conversely, in the UK the snide remarks are saved for those who have had obvious work done, such as Simon Cowell or glamour model Jodie Marsh.
When it was widely reported that Martin Amis had secured a book advance in 1995 to help "do his teeth" - which the author denied - he was lampooned by critics. And more recently there has been much speculation over whether Gordon Brown has had a smile makeover.
Until now it has been considered rather un-British to go for an upgrade, says Professor Steele.

He now performs cosmetic dentistry on a wide spectrum of patients, from an 82-year-old woman with overlapping teeth who finally wanted to "do something for herself", to a 17-year-old worried that fluoride had given her mottled teeth that were whiter than normal.
But the main difference is that Brits tend to go for more conservative treatments.
"Dental tools can do an awful lot of damage if used inappropriately. Crowns can mean a perfectly good tooth has to be cut down, which can weaken the tooth or damage nerves in the long run," he says.

While it is starting to be more common to see braces on adults, most people opt for quicker solutions, says Martin Fallowfield, a cosmetic dentist and executive board member of the British Dentist Association.

"Quite often teeth whitening is a 40th or 50th birthday present," he says, a procedure that can be done in a dentist's chair in two hours for about £650. A more intensive "smile makeover" - perhaps involving veneers, crowns and reconstruction work - can take months and cost anything from £2,000 to £10,000.
Dentistry in the UK is a £5bn market, and Mr Fallowfield expects this to rise to £15bn within 10 years, largely fuelled by private cosmetic dentistry. While NHS dentists are in short supply in parts of the country, the number of dentists registered with the General Dental Council is up from 31,029 in 2000 to 35,419 in 2007.
On average, cosmetic procedures account for a third of a dentist's income from non-NHS work, according to research by the British Dental Association.
Among Mr Fallowfield's patients is Jenny Horton, 36, who has had four crowns redone, six new ones added and her lower teeth whitened after she had a baby.

"The first thing I notice on people is their smile," she says. "I wanted a confidence boost - I was putting my hand over my mouth before, now I can smile. And the compliments have come flooding in: people haven't noticed my teeth, but say I look well."
But Brits haven't embraced the full Hollywood makeover - yet.
"Americans don't mind this unnaturally white look. It's a new phenomenon, like buying a Rolls Royce and telling the world. They are wearing a smile as a badge," says Mr Fallowfield.
Nor do aspiring actors and actresses need to get a new and very expensive set of pearly-whites, says Sylvia Young, of the eponymous theatre school. "A trip to the orthodontist can be a good idea, to get the teeth straightened if need be."
As for the likes of Ricky Gervais, it makes sense to stick to his guns, says Mr Fallowfield.
"A lot of people in his place would have had their teeth fixed in this day and age. But for comedians, it's good to look unique."

Free drinks if you remove your underwear? NOPE!

I just found this interesting story. It's Sunday morning, and I'm bored.

According to Australian authorities, a bar located in St. Kilda, Australia, was ordered to terminate its promotion that allowed women to receive free drinks if they removed their underwear.
The Melbourne Herald-Sun reported that the event, dubbed "No Undie Sundie*", was scheduled for Sunday, but the director of licensing for the Australian state of Victoria, Sue Maclellan, forced Saint Hotel to stop its promotion due to the fact that it could support irresponsible drinking. The director of licensing ordered the bar to cancel the event shortly after meeting the licensee of the pub.
It is worth mentioning that the advertisement said women, who remove their underpants at the bar, would get $40 in free drinks or 4 of the pub's cocktails.
Activists criticized the event for being dangerous and sexist.
"It sends a very bad message, and it is one made very explicit. The Saint is really pushing the barriers," outlined Carolyn Worth, spokeswoman for the Melbourne Center Against Sexual Assault.

What do you think?

Justin

* Undie = underwear

*Sundie = Sunday