Torn and frayed in Manila

New Orleans : "Less weeping, more sweeping"

Salon has also an excellent column from a guy who stayed on in the French Quarter, whose forthright and practical approach to the disaster is in marked contrast to government inaction and generalized self-pity. And anyone who sticks around in such times to rescue cats is OK by me.

eggbaconchipsandbeans

I just came across this temple to British cafe culture and it's sure made me peckish. I like a man with some enthusiasm. I've never really thought much about sugar dispensers (left), but you know I think he's got something. "Simple condiment display. And isn't that the best sugar dispenser? I can't be doing with those spouty ones. They don't give you enough control."

Asia Blog Awards 2004

Even if you don't vote, the Asia Blog Awards are worth scanning for links to new and interesting blogs. If you like torn and frayed, then of course a vote would be much appreciated.

The award was set up by Simon, an Australian blogger living in Hong Kong. Frisco Dude -- whose own very good blog is included under "foreign blogs" -- gives his comments on the nominations, including a nice plug for torn and frayed, here. Thanks, Dude!

Everyday matters: one of my favourite blogs

Of all the online journals I've looked at since starting my own "infernal blog", Danny Gregory’s is one of the best. It’s listed in the right-hand column, but I’m going to promote him here too because if you’ve never visited the site, now is a good time:

I am off on an extended cross-country trip…In the interim, I thought I would do what most sitcoms do and leave you with reruns. Below is a list of the thirty or so favorite essays among the couple of hundred that I have written since starting this infernal blog last year. If you are an irregular or newly arrived reader, you may find something amusing among these dusty thoughts.

It does take a bit of time to savour Danny’s beautiful pen and ink drawings and his inspiring essays, but I think you’re gonna enjoy it. (And that sure looks like my apartment block in the drawing above.)

Save Mike Rowe!

Corporations are even more humourless than human beings it appears:

Like any good fledgling businessperson, Mike Rowe knew he needed a catchy name for his website design company. Being possessed of a sense of humour and the cheekiness of a typical 17 year old and given his name, what better than to register his Internet domain name as mikerowesoft.com?

Having first tried to harass Mike Rowe into giving up the domain name, Microsoft is now threatening legal action. That’s pretty pathetic.

An "almost perfect corruption story"

Bandwallas, by Naina Kanodia
(from the Taj Magazine)

D: A couple of years ago our landlord came home and said, 'I need five lakhs (Rs. 500,000).' He is a government official. He has several houses and a number of office properties, which he rents out. I said, 'Why do you need it?' He said, 'My corruption trial is coming up, and the judge says he'll acquit me if I pay him.'

From "under the firestar", an excellent blog from Tamil Nadu. Readers from Manila will find much they can identify with in Nancy Gandhi's wry observations. Take this, on the difference between the streetlife in developing and developed worlds.

Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of people here. When I have infrequently visited America, it has looked like a film set: brightly lighted, unnaturally clean, and empty. Where is everybody?

Geisha Asobi Blog

"Geisha asobi blog" is link site which is introduce funny, crazy and interesting site. We have many crazy sites in my country, Japan, I pick up some interesting sites for people don't understand Japanese.

Geisha Asobi Blog shows that, despite their reputation, most Japanese are just ordinary, decent people like you and me.

You've just got to admire the dedication of the compiler of this site for tirelessly scouring the web to compile such a valuable record of "only in Japan". It is a just a fascinating and unique site -- the world would be poorer without it. And, let's be honest, you couldn't say that about every website.

Take Kuniko's room, one of the sites featured. As far as I can understand it, Kuniko's thing is to dress up as a doll for hours on end on her own. Now I've never thought of doing that but you know what -- the way she tells it it doesn't sound half bad. I've certainly spent worse evenings than the one she describes below. Well, I think I have.

Recently, I had been Kuniko doll for eight hours or more. So I had a tube in my mouth to drink something. Imagine that there is a tube from the inside of a moveless doll and when you insert the end of the tube into a glass of juice, the juice start to run thru the tube. That is a terrified story, isn't it?
BTW, I tried by myself to stay still in front of a large mirror to gaze upon myself. Please guess how long I could stay there. Indeed, I hade been in front of the mirror more than one hour. While then I had been lightly excited (of course, sexally) constantly, so I have been very very happy. I would like to share this happiness to someone.

And here she is: