sweet but sad

...for the hopelessly romantic.

Lovesick swan falls in love with swan paddle boat

BERLIN (Reuters) - A swan has fallen in love with a plastic swan-shaped paddle boat on a pond in the German town of Muenster and has spent the past three weeks flirting with the vessel five times its size, a sailing instructor said Friday.

Peter Overschmidt, who operates a sailing school and rents the two-seat paddle boat on the Aasee pond, said the black swan with a bright red beak has not left the white swan boat's side since it flew in one day in early May. (link)

Jacko in town

Michael Jackson makes visit to Tokyo orphanage

I don't want to poke fun of Jacko anymore but there are so many things wrong with the above news headline, him close to kids without parents besides not exactly a soothing face to look at. He's in Tokyo for the Legend Award presented to him on Saturday.

horse sashimi

Japan is unique in ways so elusive you constantly come across things that leave you speechless. Eating raw meat is one of those things, first fish, chicken, and then there is horse, bear, etc, etc.

It's called "bashimi" or "basashi". Some say it's really tasty. It says "low fat, low calories" on the front of the fridge. Maybe those on diet will consider it. I, on the other hand, will pass.

(there seems to be a bug in blogger's pic uploader, pics get posted sideway)

no more analogue TV

Only 1 in 3 people (in Japan) aware analogue TV broadcasts will discontinue in 2011

Only one in three people know that analogue television broadcasting will discontinue in July 2011, according to a survey conducted by the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry.

Analogue television sets will no longer be able to receive digital television radio waves from July 25, 2011, unless a tuner is attached. To avoid confusion before and after the stop of analogue broadcasting, the ministry, broadcasters and the electric appliances industry have stepped up their public relations activities.

"The figure rose from last year, but it's still too low. Even if people know the timing of the discontinuation of such broadcasts, it doesn't necessarily encourage them to buy new digital TV sets. Therefore, the figure needs to be further raised," said a broadcast official. (more)

Buy a new TV set or prepare to live without one.

life without the net

The Internet was removed from me for an entire week. I thought it'd be a good experiment since it's become such an integral part of my daily life. I am so addicted. Evidently the Earth still rotates and orbits around the sun.

I'd watched 10 movies and eight documentaries during the week for something to keep me from wanting to connect, to endure going through withdrawal-like symptoms.

Has Sony lost it?

PlayStation3 at E3 '06 is not what you can call a success, marketing- or innovation-wise. I think Sony might have reached a point where it's really turning into another Microsoft. Being on top doesn't mean you can make do with a small upgrade alongside a large advertising budget. The audiences aren't fools, not anymore. The consumers are so well-informed they know more than some of your executives, at least more in touch with reality. Being humble won't hurt either, Sony. Let's see how this goose that lays gold eggs gets slaughtered.

But of course, if the PS3 does run Linux and homebrew apps in its final retail form, there may just be enough lifeline to go on.

PlayStation 3 out in November, at 2 price points
PlayStation 3 – Not Optimal, Says John Carmack.
Impressions, good and bad, of game systems
E3 2006: Now Sony says buy a Wii!
Sony PlayStation 3 – Not Expensive, But Powerful, Says Sony.

the best E3 source:
e3buzz.com

got pics...

to show but amid alcoholism I lost my camera phone, along with numbers and a memory card loaded with memories.