Yipes. If this happened in America, we'd surely see riots in the streets. Here's what Japan is doing to "trim the fat":
Citizens between the ages of 40 and 74 are having their tummy stats jotted down. Too big? You might pay.
"To reach its goals of shrinking the overweight population by 10 percent over the next four years and 25 percent over the next seven years, the government will impose financial penalties on companies and local governments that fail to meet specific targets," the Times article states.
The state-prescribed limit for male waists is 33.5 inches. For women? 35.4 inches.
Harsh? Possibly. Effective? Exponentially. What better way to sock obesity in the jaw than by slapping its gatekeeper in the wallet?
What do you think?
Read more here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/world/asia/13fat.html?_r=1&em&ex=1213502400&en=c6f2623fbee96495&ei=5087%0A&oref=slogin
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
MMA femme fatales
People make fun of me, but I don't care. I like the new version of Mixed Martial Arts, which just concluded a network television broadcast that was watched by millions.Some organizations put on a good show, hiding animalistic savagery in a rules-driven sport.
I agree that the EliteXC show CBS aired weeks ago was garbage. But the sport itself is entirely different. It's moody, generally action-packed and exciting.
The rules have also changed over the years. It has evolved from the bare-fisted, "nothing's illegal" bloodsport from the first few years to the media-friendly phenomenon we know today. Now that's progress.
And some of the female fighters are as dangerous as
they are attractive. True femme fatales.
(Credit goes to "Boogie Nights" enthusiast Jon Jimison for the general blog template.)
And just to show you that these ladies are more than pretty faces:
An obligatory fight video:
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Calling all drummers! (6/4)
I've made a huge mistake. A few months ago, I let go of my Pearl Export Series 5-piece set for a sum of a few hundred bucks.
Shameful, I know. In fact, it's borderline humiliating.
But at the time of sale, I had no need for 'em. I was at college and they were sitting, gathering dust, in a spare room.
Now, since I'm back on the playing field, I need a quick fix on some shells and cymbals. I'm in desperate need here, friends.
I'm looking to buy a used set before I commit to a new one from musiciansfriend.com. The cheaper, the better. Doesn't matter if it's a name brand.
So if you have one sitting around, let me know. Same goes for cymbals. Don't make me beg on a Wednesday.
Shameful, I know. In fact, it's borderline humiliating.
But at the time of sale, I had no need for 'em. I was at college and they were sitting, gathering dust, in a spare room.
Now, since I'm back on the playing field, I need a quick fix on some shells and cymbals. I'm in desperate need here, friends.
I'm looking to buy a used set before I commit to a new one from musiciansfriend.com. The cheaper, the better. Doesn't matter if it's a name brand.
So if you have one sitting around, let me know. Same goes for cymbals. Don't make me beg on a Wednesday.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Jon Arbuckle is a paranoid schizophrenic.
According to "Garfield" canon, Jon Arbuckle, the comic's lonely, lovable bachelor, cannot communicate with or actually understand what is said by his slobbenly orange cat.
That being so, when the majority of "Garfield" comics are taken out of context, the lonely, lovable bachelor suddenly becomes a paranoid, bipolar, schizophrenic loser.
Instead of a pen-and-paper abomination created solely for our disdain by tremendously unfunny artist Jim Davis, the long-running comic magically becomes a post-modern look through one man's eyes at the desperation and hardship of everyday life.
First, we look at what "Garfield" would be like without the cat entirely.
Exhibit A:
And now, let's take a look at what Jon would actually look like if he conversed with his pet cat whom he never understands.
Exhibit B:
I do think the worst part about these comics is the fact that "Garfield" finally becomes humorous again.
It's a shame that it comes at the cost of one man's sanity. Godspeed, Jon Arbuckle. Godspeed.
That being so, when the majority of "Garfield" comics are taken out of context, the lonely, lovable bachelor suddenly becomes a paranoid, bipolar, schizophrenic loser.
Instead of a pen-and-paper abomination created solely for our disdain by tremendously unfunny artist Jim Davis, the long-running comic magically becomes a post-modern look through one man's eyes at the desperation and hardship of everyday life.
First, we look at what "Garfield" would be like without the cat entirely.
Exhibit A:
And now, let's take a look at what Jon would actually look like if he conversed with his pet cat whom he never understands.
Exhibit B:
I do think the worst part about these comics is the fact that "Garfield" finally becomes humorous again.
It's a shame that it comes at the cost of one man's sanity. Godspeed, Jon Arbuckle. Godspeed.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Kimbo Slice overrated, man threatened with arrest for wearing Transformers shirt and more (6/2)
A few things I'd like to touch on.
It was rigged ...
Kimbo Slice, the former pitfighter turned MMA "sensation" (the term is used loosely here, folks), fought Saturday against James "Megapunk" Thompson during EliteXC's PRIMETIME event on CBS.
Gotta admit -- Kimbo, who was 2-0 going into the fight, is going to get destroyed when he actually faces decent competition.
Why?
The guy's a brawler. A hack. He belongs on the street, not in a ring. He's not classically trained in anything other than what it takes to survive.
But it's not just about his lack of professional training. He's got no stamina and no command over a ground game.
Kimbo took about 30 elbows to the head in the second round. One of the key rules of MMA is that if you aren't defending yourself, the fight's over. It's not about favoritism; it's about keeping fighters safe.
Not so Saturday. Kimbo, unresponsive, took 'em -- he could barely stand as the round came to a close.
Did upper management let the fight go on to make sure EliteXC's new golden boy didn't lose on national TV? Probable.
But it doesn't stop there.
In case you didn't see the fight, Thompson came into the event with one heck of a cauliflower ear. Kimbo ruptured the festering boil in round three, leading up to a few punches and abrupt ref stoppage.
I'll concede that Thompson took some damage, but the ref must've got the cue from his bosses to call the fight when he did. Pathetic. Even the announcers were on his case.
Thompson has dropped seven of his last nine fights.
Man threatened with arrest for wearing Transformers shirt
Post 9-11, America has gone into desperation mode when it comes to security.
Despite flying still being the safest form of travel, you'd think by all the rules, regulations and stigmas surrounding it that you're surely going to perish by the time the in-flight movie's credits roll.
As for airport security, I can kinda understand issues with a briefcase-toting man wearing a trenchcoat who seems hesitant to walk through metal detectors.
But what about a 30-year-old wearing a Transformers t-shirt? In Britain?
According to London Lite, a security guard threatened to arrest Brad Jayakody, an IT consultant, because of his "offensive" t-shirt, which featured a 40-foot-tall cartoon robot holding a gun.
A spokesman for Heathrow operator BAA told London Lite, "If a T-shirt had a rude word or a bomb on it, for example, a passenger may be asked to remove it."
I'll remember that next time I wear my Tom & Jerry merchandise. I wonder if British airlines have issues with mallets and anvils?
It was rigged ...
Kimbo Slice, the former pitfighter turned MMA "sensation" (the term is used loosely here, folks), fought Saturday against James "Megapunk" Thompson during EliteXC's PRIMETIME event on CBS.Gotta admit -- Kimbo, who was 2-0 going into the fight, is going to get destroyed when he actually faces decent competition.
Why?
The guy's a brawler. A hack. He belongs on the street, not in a ring. He's not classically trained in anything other than what it takes to survive.
But it's not just about his lack of professional training. He's got no stamina and no command over a ground game.
Kimbo took about 30 elbows to the head in the second round. One of the key rules of MMA is that if you aren't defending yourself, the fight's over. It's not about favoritism; it's about keeping fighters safe.
Not so Saturday. Kimbo, unresponsive, took 'em -- he could barely stand as the round came to a close.
Did upper management let the fight go on to make sure EliteXC's new golden boy didn't lose on national TV? Probable.
But it doesn't stop there.
In case you didn't see the fight, Thompson came into the event with one heck of a cauliflower ear. Kimbo ruptured the festering boil in round three, leading up to a few punches and abrupt ref stoppage.
I'll concede that Thompson took some damage, but the ref must've got the cue from his bosses to call the fight when he did. Pathetic. Even the announcers were on his case.
Thompson has dropped seven of his last nine fights.
Man threatened with arrest for wearing Transformers shirt
Post 9-11, America has gone into desperation mode when it comes to security.
Despite flying still being the safest form of travel, you'd think by all the rules, regulations and stigmas surrounding it that you're surely going to perish by the time the in-flight movie's credits roll.
As for airport security, I can kinda understand issues with a briefcase-toting man wearing a trenchcoat who seems hesitant to walk through metal detectors.
But what about a 30-year-old wearing a Transformers t-shirt? In Britain?
According to London Lite, a security guard threatened to arrest Brad Jayakody, an IT consultant, because of his "offensive" t-shirt, which featured a 40-foot-tall cartoon robot holding a gun.A spokesman for Heathrow operator BAA told London Lite, "If a T-shirt had a rude word or a bomb on it, for example, a passenger may be asked to remove it."
I'll remember that next time I wear my Tom & Jerry merchandise. I wonder if British airlines have issues with mallets and anvils?
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