Pictures from my offshore assignment:
From an email at work:
Sep 30, 2009
Sep 29, 2009
Dead Prophet To Be Resurrected In Borneo
Borneo - Police interrupted a ceremony intended to revive the (currently dead) prophet of the Benevolent Missionary Association. His necromancer followers chanted incantations over his body in a 13 month long ritual to bring him back to life. The chanting was reported to be held in the dead of the night, traditionally a time associated with the undead.
The prayers were led by twin sisters, who sat by his body in the faith's headquarters: the walls of which were covered in sacred words in Chinese. His body was wrapped, presumably to mummify the divine messenger. His followers, however, departed form the orthodox mummy wrappings of cloth and opted for plastic instead.It was learned that he ordered his followers not to bury him upon death, but rather await for his imminent return to the world of the living. The police, as of yet, have no countermeasures in place when he awakens in the morgue.
Via: The Star
Sep 26, 2009
Through the Eyes of Highton-Ridley
The Embassy of Lands From Afar officially recommends the work of Mark Highton Ridley.
Mark sees his world through mesmerizing shades of black and white in his photographs.
This post is my entry to his monthly prize draw, which is open to all blog and site owners.
Read More......
Mark sees his world through mesmerizing shades of black and white in his photographs.
This post is my entry to his monthly prize draw, which is open to all blog and site owners.
Sep 21, 2009
Rote Learning and Asia
Rote learning, the staple diet in Japanese education, employs learning by repetition (which thus focuses on memorization rather than the understanding of a subject). This technique is broadly used in educational foundations such as phonics in reading, multiplication tables and basic formulas in science.
For some material, rote learning is the only way to learn it in a timely manner; for example, when learning to read and write Japanese kanji (漢字), which one has to do from young in Japan's education system. However, one could also argue that learning where the kanji characters came from helps one to grasp the concept and therefore memorize it.
This method of study is widely practiced in schools across Japan, as well as in its fellow Asian nations India, Pakistan, China and Singapore, some admired for their high test scores on an international level.
Rote learning is useful in passing exams for certain subjects. Someone with good memorization techniques can pass a test without any real understanding of the subject, particularly in objective tests (which require students to select the correct response from several alternatives).
However, derogatory terms like regurgitation, cramming or mugging associated with rote learning does not come without the weight of truth. Rote learning eschews comprehension, and is ineffective in mastering a subject at an advanced level or one which requires understanding over fact memorization. One who engages in rote learning may give the wrong impression of having understood what they have written or said.
Personal Observations
I was educated in Asia but pursued a tertiary education in England, which afforded me a glimpse of both worlds. In general, students from Asia tend to fare better in calculation based subjects compared the their Western counterparts. The opposite is true, with Western students having an advantage in more comprehension based topics.
The mentality cultivated by rote learning carries on form the classroom to the workplace in Asia, where employees are more likely to follow instructions from their superiors to the letter even though there may be more efficient methods of doing something; as compared to their Western counterparts.
The Beginnings of Formal Education in Japan
Formal education in Japan began in the 6th century, adopted from the Chinese education system. Buddhist and Confucian teachings, science, calligraphy, divination and literature were taught at the courts of Asuka, Nara and Heian.
This entry is a submission to the September Japan Blog Matsuri, hosted by Alt Directory.
Read More......
For some material, rote learning is the only way to learn it in a timely manner; for example, when learning to read and write Japanese kanji (漢字), which one has to do from young in Japan's education system. However, one could also argue that learning where the kanji characters came from helps one to grasp the concept and therefore memorize it.
This method of study is widely practiced in schools across Japan, as well as in its fellow Asian nations India, Pakistan, China and Singapore, some admired for their high test scores on an international level.
Rote learning is useful in passing exams for certain subjects. Someone with good memorization techniques can pass a test without any real understanding of the subject, particularly in objective tests (which require students to select the correct response from several alternatives).
However, derogatory terms like regurgitation, cramming or mugging associated with rote learning does not come without the weight of truth. Rote learning eschews comprehension, and is ineffective in mastering a subject at an advanced level or one which requires understanding over fact memorization. One who engages in rote learning may give the wrong impression of having understood what they have written or said.
Personal ObservationsI was educated in Asia but pursued a tertiary education in England, which afforded me a glimpse of both worlds. In general, students from Asia tend to fare better in calculation based subjects compared the their Western counterparts. The opposite is true, with Western students having an advantage in more comprehension based topics.
The mentality cultivated by rote learning carries on form the classroom to the workplace in Asia, where employees are more likely to follow instructions from their superiors to the letter even though there may be more efficient methods of doing something; as compared to their Western counterparts.
The Beginnings of Formal Education in JapanFormal education in Japan began in the 6th century, adopted from the Chinese education system. Buddhist and Confucian teachings, science, calligraphy, divination and literature were taught at the courts of Asuka, Nara and Heian.
This entry is a submission to the September Japan Blog Matsuri, hosted by Alt Directory.
Sep 20, 2009
Eid ul-Fitr
Eid ul-Fitr (عيد الفطر) is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity", while Fitr means "to break the fast"; and so the holiday symbolizes the breaking of the fasting period.
In Malaysia, it is known as Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Celebration Day of Fasting).
Credits for the photo goes to Daneyla, my travel partner back in 2006.
Sep 18, 2009
Fanservice
Fan service (ファンサービス), service cut (サービスカット) or service (サービス), are sexual elements in anime and manga that are unnecessary to the storyline. Shower scenes, for example, constitute a universal fetish:
Fanservice is designed to amuse or excite the audience with sexually-derived content. Schoolgirls are a common object of fanservice:
Underwear, specifically pantsu (panties) is an all-time favorite. Upskirt schoolgirls are all the rage. Other uses have also been found for pantsu.
When such content fits within the storyline, it would not usually be considered fan service, but excessive content is usually considered gratuitous regardless of its justification.
Screenshots were taken from Hatsukoi Limited (初恋限定) anime. Watch it here.
Read More......
Fanservice is designed to amuse or excite the audience with sexually-derived content. Schoolgirls are a common object of fanservice:
Underwear, specifically pantsu (panties) is an all-time favorite. Upskirt schoolgirls are all the rage. Other uses have also been found for pantsu.
Verbal cues are also used:
Locker rooms are pressure cookers of desire:
When such content fits within the storyline, it would not usually be considered fan service, but excessive content is usually considered gratuitous regardless of its justification.
Screenshots were taken from Hatsukoi Limited (初恋限定) anime. Watch it here.
Sep 15, 2009
Mannahatta
A metropolis of the world today, New York City is a global leader in commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment. As host of the United Nations headquarters, it is also an important center for international affairs.
Manhattan is one of the five boroughs of New York City, located primarily on Manhattan Island at the mouth of the Hudson River. However, 400 years ago it was a very different place.
The name Manhattan derives from the word Manna-hata or "island of many hills" from the language of the Lenape Indians, the original people of the area. And there was not a skyscraper in sight in the year 1609 when Henry Hudson first sighted the island.
Case in point - Soho in 1609:
Turn back the clock on Manhattan here.
Something for the road:
Read More......
Manhattan is one of the five boroughs of New York City, located primarily on Manhattan Island at the mouth of the Hudson River. However, 400 years ago it was a very different place.
The name Manhattan derives from the word Manna-hata or "island of many hills" from the language of the Lenape Indians, the original people of the area. And there was not a skyscraper in sight in the year 1609 when Henry Hudson first sighted the island.
Case in point - Soho in 1609:
Turn back the clock on Manhattan here.
Something for the road:
Sep 12, 2009
Sep 9, 2009
Harajuku
Harajuku's fashionistas, many of whom look like they have just emerged from an anime or manga, carefully craft their styles with everything from toys to skulls.
Harajuku (原宿) which literally translates to "meadow lodging" in Japanese, is the common name for the area around Harajuku Station in Tokyo, Japan. Harajuku is a fashion capital of the world renowned for unique street fashion.
Every Sunday, young people are in Harajuku dressed in a variety of styles: the fashion rarely conforms to one specific style and are usually a mesh of many. Harajuku street style is promoted in Japanese and international publications such as Kera, Gothic & Lolita Bible, and Fruits.
However, it's difficult to sum up Harajuku fashion as it covers everything from the Lolita and decora - to gothic, punk, rock and club styles - to cosplay. The different styles, instinctively, attract different personalities.
"Asian countries such as South Korea and China tend to go for 'gal'-kei, which is often seen at Shibuya's 109, or at the Shibuya Girls Collection" says Tetsuya Hineno of the Japan Fashion Association. On the other hand, European nations have an affinity for Gothic and other related fashions found in Harajuku.
The term "Harajuku Girls" has been used by English-language media to describe teenagers dressed in any fashion style who are in the area of Harajuku. This fashion infuses multiple looks and styles to create a unique form of dress.
One style, Kawaii, came to fame in the 1990’s. Kawaii became a popular phrase that meant something was cute or pretty. Kawaii was a form of resistance in that the style and culture associated with it were not seen as attractive by an older generation. This idea of Kawaii was a distinct youth culture separate from the traditional one in existence.
The cyber-punk look takes its influence from gothic fashion and incorporates neon and metallic colors. However, it isn't as popular as it was in the 1990s.
Lolita Fashion was created in Osaka. It is a play on Victorian era princess fashions and ripped gauzed gothic fashion. By wearing and promoting these styles performers allowed the fashions to flourish because fans were eager to replicate their idols. It was even featured in movies such as Kamikaze Girls (known in Japan as Shimotsuma Monogatari (下妻物語)) in which Kyoko Fukada (深田 恭子) plays a girl of the Lolita tribe, who ends up working for Baby, The Stars Shine Bright (株式会社 ベイビー、ザ スターズ シャイン ブライト) boutique chain.
Punk style in Harajuku is more of a fashion than a statement. Its fashion mainly consists of dark colors, plaid, chains, and zippers. Punk style is also one of the more gender-neutral fashions in Harajuku.
Cosplay is more of a costume-based style. A cosplay enthusiast will usually dress as a fictional or iconic character from a band, game, movie, anime, or manga.
Lands Abroad and Controversy
The Harajuku Girls are four Japanese backup dancers featured in stage shows and music videos for Gwen Stefani during her solo pop/dance-record phase. The women also act as an entourage at Stefani's public appearances. The Harajuku Girls are Maya Chino ("Love"), Jenifer Kita ("Angel"), Rino "Razalan" Nakasone ("Music") and Mayuko Kitayama ("Baby"). The group's name and attire mirrors the fashion associated with Harajuku. The stage names of the women are derived from Stefani's Love. Angel. Music. Baby. brand.
Asian-American entertainer Margaret Cho launched criticism of Stefani and the group for reinforcing negative stereotypes of Asian women. In an interview in the January/February 2006 edition of Blender magazine, Margaret calls Stefani's Harajuku Girls a "minstrel show" that reinforces ethnic stereotypes of Asian women.
Nakasone has responded that Stefani was inspired by the Japanese fashion culture and felt honored to have been in the group.
Harajuku Today
Prominent ideas have sprung forth from Harajuku and incorporated themselves into other fashions throughout the world. Naturally, Harajuku is a huge shopping district that houses luxury western designers like Louis Vuitton, Harajuku native designers, and affordable shops catering to youths.
The area has two main shopping streets, Omotesandō and Takeshita Street (Takeshita-dōri).
The latter caters to youth fashions and has many small stores selling Gothic Lolita, visual kei, rockabilly, hip-hop, and punk outfits, in addition to fast food outlets and other frivolities.
Omotesandō has recently seen a rise in openings of up-scale fashion shops such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Prada. The avenue is sometimes referred to as "Tokyo's Champs-Élysées".
The area known as Ura-Hara caters to a mostly male population interested in a hip-hop, graffiti, and skater fashion and culture. Brands such as A Bathing Ape and Undercover have shops in the area. Ura-Hara is seen as the opposite of Harajuku in that it’s more hidden and reserved.
Harajuku Then
Harajuku traces its root back to the end of World War II. U.S. soldiers and their families began to occupy the area known as Harajuku. It became an area where curious young people flocked to experience a different culture.
In 1958, Central Apartments were built in the area and were quickly occupied by fashion designers, models, and photographers. In 1964, when the Summer Olympics came to Tokyo the Harajuku area was further developed, and the idea of “Harajuku” slowly began to take a more concrete shape.
After the Olympics the people who hung out in the area, referred to as the Harajuku-zoku, or the Harajuku tribe, began to develop a distinct culture and style unique to different groups. From this distinct style grew a fashion mecca and a gathering ground for like-minded youths.
Tourism
The popularity of styles among foreigners has led to the Harujuku Jingumae Shotenkai merchants organizing guided fashion tours, while Japan's Foreign MInistry has named three fashionistas as the "ambassadors of kawaii" to promote Japan's fashion overseas.
The fashion of the Harajuku area has been described as being seen as a hobby, rather than a fashion or lifestyle.
This article contains content from The Daily Yomiuri.
Read More......
Harajuku (原宿) which literally translates to "meadow lodging" in Japanese, is the common name for the area around Harajuku Station in Tokyo, Japan. Harajuku is a fashion capital of the world renowned for unique street fashion.Every Sunday, young people are in Harajuku dressed in a variety of styles: the fashion rarely conforms to one specific style and are usually a mesh of many. Harajuku street style is promoted in Japanese and international publications such as Kera, Gothic & Lolita Bible, and Fruits.
However, it's difficult to sum up Harajuku fashion as it covers everything from the Lolita and decora - to gothic, punk, rock and club styles - to cosplay. The different styles, instinctively, attract different personalities.
"Asian countries such as South Korea and China tend to go for 'gal'-kei, which is often seen at Shibuya's 109, or at the Shibuya Girls Collection" says Tetsuya Hineno of the Japan Fashion Association. On the other hand, European nations have an affinity for Gothic and other related fashions found in Harajuku.
The term "Harajuku Girls" has been used by English-language media to describe teenagers dressed in any fashion style who are in the area of Harajuku. This fashion infuses multiple looks and styles to create a unique form of dress.
The cyber-punk look takes its influence from gothic fashion and incorporates neon and metallic colors. However, it isn't as popular as it was in the 1990s.
Lolita Fashion was created in Osaka. It is a play on Victorian era princess fashions and ripped gauzed gothic fashion. By wearing and promoting these styles performers allowed the fashions to flourish because fans were eager to replicate their idols. It was even featured in movies such as Kamikaze Girls (known in Japan as Shimotsuma Monogatari (下妻物語)) in which Kyoko Fukada (深田 恭子) plays a girl of the Lolita tribe, who ends up working for Baby, The Stars Shine Bright (株式会社 ベイビー、ザ スターズ シャイン ブライト) boutique chain.
Punk style in Harajuku is more of a fashion than a statement. Its fashion mainly consists of dark colors, plaid, chains, and zippers. Punk style is also one of the more gender-neutral fashions in Harajuku.
Cosplay is more of a costume-based style. A cosplay enthusiast will usually dress as a fictional or iconic character from a band, game, movie, anime, or manga.
Lands Abroad and Controversy
The Harajuku Girls are four Japanese backup dancers featured in stage shows and music videos for Gwen Stefani during her solo pop/dance-record phase. The women also act as an entourage at Stefani's public appearances. The Harajuku Girls are Maya Chino ("Love"), Jenifer Kita ("Angel"), Rino "Razalan" Nakasone ("Music") and Mayuko Kitayama ("Baby"). The group's name and attire mirrors the fashion associated with Harajuku. The stage names of the women are derived from Stefani's Love. Angel. Music. Baby. brand.Asian-American entertainer Margaret Cho launched criticism of Stefani and the group for reinforcing negative stereotypes of Asian women. In an interview in the January/February 2006 edition of Blender magazine, Margaret calls Stefani's Harajuku Girls a "minstrel show" that reinforces ethnic stereotypes of Asian women.
Nakasone has responded that Stefani was inspired by the Japanese fashion culture and felt honored to have been in the group.
Harajuku Today
Prominent ideas have sprung forth from Harajuku and incorporated themselves into other fashions throughout the world. Naturally, Harajuku is a huge shopping district that houses luxury western designers like Louis Vuitton, Harajuku native designers, and affordable shops catering to youths.
The area has two main shopping streets, Omotesandō and Takeshita Street (Takeshita-dōri).
The latter caters to youth fashions and has many small stores selling Gothic Lolita, visual kei, rockabilly, hip-hop, and punk outfits, in addition to fast food outlets and other frivolities.
Omotesandō has recently seen a rise in openings of up-scale fashion shops such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Prada. The avenue is sometimes referred to as "Tokyo's Champs-Élysées".
The area known as Ura-Hara caters to a mostly male population interested in a hip-hop, graffiti, and skater fashion and culture. Brands such as A Bathing Ape and Undercover have shops in the area. Ura-Hara is seen as the opposite of Harajuku in that it’s more hidden and reserved.
Harajuku Then
Harajuku traces its root back to the end of World War II. U.S. soldiers and their families began to occupy the area known as Harajuku. It became an area where curious young people flocked to experience a different culture.
In 1958, Central Apartments were built in the area and were quickly occupied by fashion designers, models, and photographers. In 1964, when the Summer Olympics came to Tokyo the Harajuku area was further developed, and the idea of “Harajuku” slowly began to take a more concrete shape.
After the Olympics the people who hung out in the area, referred to as the Harajuku-zoku, or the Harajuku tribe, began to develop a distinct culture and style unique to different groups. From this distinct style grew a fashion mecca and a gathering ground for like-minded youths.
Tourism
The popularity of styles among foreigners has led to the Harujuku Jingumae Shotenkai merchants organizing guided fashion tours, while Japan's Foreign MInistry has named three fashionistas as the "ambassadors of kawaii" to promote Japan's fashion overseas.
The fashion of the Harajuku area has been described as being seen as a hobby, rather than a fashion or lifestyle.
This article contains content from The Daily Yomiuri.
Sep 6, 2009
This Week
This week began with the day of my country's liberation:
...52 years ago.
followed by an unexpectedly relaxing week at work, only four days of work out in.
On Friday, I started re-reading an old novel series about Pharaoh Ramses II by Christian Jacq
Read More......
...52 years ago.
followed by an unexpectedly relaxing week at work, only four days of work out in.
On Friday, I started re-reading an old novel series about Pharaoh Ramses II by Christian Jacq
Today (Sunday), the week ended with
A prawn treat:
and omochi for dessert:
Sep 5, 2009
Voyeurism
A voyeur is someone who derives pleasure from watching the (usually considered) private acts of others. Such gratification can be attributed to the opportunity to see what that which is not meant to be seen.
Attention to this fetish was raised by Kohei Yoshiyuki (吉行耕平), a Japanese photographer who attracted much attention in 1979 with his exhibition "Kōen" (公園, Park) at the Komai Gallery, Tokyo.
Yoshiyuki and a companion were walking through Chuo Park in Tokyo one night when they encountered a man and woman having sex on the ground. Just as surprising, they saw two other men near the couple, intently watching.
Yoshiyuki was fascinated by the voyeurism and decided to document it. He learned of two other parks in Tokyo where lovers and voyeurs gathered. "My intention was to capture what happened in the parks, so I was not a real ‘voyeur’ like them," he said in an interview. "But I think, in a way, the act of taking photographs itself is voyeuristic somehow. So I may be a voyeur, because I am a photographer."See Yoshiyuki photos here.
Sep 3, 2009
Woman To Be Spanked In Public
Malaysia - A woman is sentenced to be caned in public for consuming alcohol. She was caught drinking beer by the Malaysian Anti-Heretic Inquisition in a hotel.
The part-time model will be the first Malaysian woman to be caned under Syariah laws applicable to Muslims. However, she stated that she respected the law banning alcohol for Muslims and was determined to go through with the punishment – six smacks of the cane.
She will be kneeling, and struck on her bottom with a small thin cane using moderate force.
Via: The Star
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