"I hate half-assed flakes."

So lately I've been not doing much. Waiting to put a new roof on the house, playing Manhunt, and coming back to Corvallis only for a night only to find out that I'm screwed in the roommate department. If any of you people feel like moving in with me, please don't be shy.

But anyway, I did see a silly little Japanese horror film called Eko Eko Azarak. Here is a review by some guy who liked it way too much. My review would go something like this:
"So this woman's head explodes on the street, and some monks speak in tongues. Then we have a perverted school teacher, an evil school teacher, a kid with a Prince haircut, and an underdeveloped young witch character. Soon the movie become the best comedy of the summer, featuring such knee-slapping scenes as a girl getting killed (somehow) by a toilet, and a kid falling...er, flying down some stairs because his shoelaces are tied together. Haw haw! Throw in a lesbian sex scene and an evil axe, and you have the most accurate portrait of Japanese high school life ever put to film. Parents, grab the kids for some family fun. -BS"


Guess which one's face explodes!

are you a cool cowboy?

behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber

Right now there is a handful of Japanese students wandering about the library's computer area. They are apparently being led on a tour by Shiho, who helped out in my Japanese class for a term. She is a delightfully pale little thing, with long black hair and eyes like Buddha.

...But I'm getting distracted. A few minutes ago I accidentally mistyped the address of The Flying Wheel and was taken to a "mega site of Bible studies". On the homepage I found links like "Jesus desk" and "Satan's voice", and a picture of Israel. I found the link about cults particularly interesting.

Here, see for yourself: http://www.wehatebrett.logspot.com

If you scroll down on the homepage you will find big pink words announcing "THE SOON COMING CLIMAX", followed by a thorough guide to the end of the world and why you should feel bad about it. And if you happen to make it to the bottom of the page, you will be invited to sign their "guestboo".

I just thought I'd share that with you. By the way, what is a winebibber?

"Pop-a-shot basketball at O'Brien's!"

I have some links for you today. First, here is an article about a group in South Africa that stares at criminals as a way of fighting crime.  They just stare, menacingly.  The silliest part is, it's apparently working.  "50 shops and local businesses have re-opened and criminal gangs have moved out of the area."  How is this working??  I figure it's only a matter of time before some genius gang leader realizes that the best way to neutralize the threat of some old geezer glaring at you is to punch him in the face.  Better yet, just give him the "are you lookin' at me?" routine.  Don't they have DeNiro movies in South Africa?  It's called intimidation, people!!

My second link is an essay I found outlining the genius of my favorite commercials ever. Strangely enough, they were Nike commercials, but they were faaan-tastic.


Beware!

the news and the olds.

  I'm back in the Cornvalley. This past weekend has seen much drinking and music playing and good time having and door breaking and La Conga eating and all around good time having. And I got paid $60 last night for something I did months ago. So I guess it's profitable to just hang out here during the summer. 
  I still don't have any adequate recording devices, so yesterday I took a mediocre song of mine on my konpyuter and managed to divide it into two rad songs. I wonder if Hoobastank has ever thought to do that? ...No, I'm pretty sure they never have. I'm pretty sure they suck, too.
  Wildcat was written in a kind of obsolete vernacular. Wildcat. Wild cat...  Scroll down for the Andy birthday creation myth.

Andy creation myth.

Today is Mick Jagger's birthday. But I am not celebrating that. I failed to write about my boy Andy's burthday on the day that the day was a day, so today I will shout out. Andy super day of birth! Thine gods split the heavens and send down an ice cream alcohol cake! 21,000 years ago, the planets aligned and a cosmic force caused the seas of Jupiter to boil! And a man of men doust(?) burst forth from a black hole, much like Jimmy Carter or Ronald McDonald! And he looked like THIS!


Or something liek that. Enjoy 21 things.

 

more stuff.
 
I guess I'll continue with the Japanese theme of yesterday's post (or is it everyday's?) and give you this link to Momus's livejournal. I always read his writings, and I always enjoy them, but these past few days he has been writing about his return to Japan, and his thoughts and feelings of the place are so parallel to mine that I must refer you to them (although he likes tako, and I dislike tako). Reading his posts make me want to go back there even more than usual. I miss it so!
 
In news of me, my summer term of school is over. I got an A- in drawing, which is very kool and the gang. Gender Differences went well I think, and I kicked ass in my presentation with Candace (who was nice enough to comment the other day). Cheers, Can-chan!
 
 

I wanna be a GS dandy.
 

 
Lately I've been reading about a phenomenon known as group sounds, or GS. What is GS, you ask? Well, in the 1960s the Beatles toured that magical land of Japan and left a great impression on the nation's youth. This new interest in western bands like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and The Small Faces led to many young Japanese men starting british-invasionesque rock groups. But since the Japanese have a very difficult time pronouncing "rock and roll", they simply called the bands "group sounds".  And thus, bands such as the Tempters, the Spiders, the Carnabeats, and the Human Beinz(above) were born.  
 
I find it interesting that these bands are almost completely forgotten today. Whereas young westerners are very much in tune with rock bands from yesteryear, most of my Japanese friends don't have any interest in what their parents listened to, even though the GS influence can be seen in modern Japanese bands like Kinmokusei and Teenage Lust (although the latter also give props to a certain Detroit garage band). But I suppose that's just the Japanese way; fake vintage is hipper and cheaper than real vintage. But here at the Flying Wheel, we remember the Carnabeats, and their rad name.
 

camera gargoyle.

I came across this picture on Adi's photo site. It was taken at last month's graduation ceremony. Why do I look so distressed?

my favorite bear.

So I had to give the 4-track back to Chad. You should all know: it's very difficult to record an album when you are borrowing equipment. Anyway, I did get a couple of the stranger songs recorded for my blues album, but it isn't complete yet. I don't know when it will be. Perhaps after I get my own track-recording device in which to plug my devices.

Spider Man 2 is a grand moving picture show. I've seen it twice. So should you.

Natsuki send me a link to the website of my favorite bear. Go and see.

new eblo design.

"What kinda gun is that? A sissy gun?"

That last post is from last week, but I couldn't post it then because Blogger was being a naughty baby.

I went to visit Andy in his habitat, and 'tis a fine habitat. Ashland, the magical land of of unicorns, street musicians and playgrounds. There were cowboy video games and Pictionary. Good times, fun for the whole family!

I'm going home now to finish drawing some boxes. Yes. Boxes.

A line has two sides.

Today I built up the courage to check my grades from last term, and miraculously I passed everything. I think one grade in particular must be a mistake, but God bless it.

Summer classes are happening. Drawing in the morning, psychology in the afternoon time. Tis good good.

You know what? Brian Eno is a genius, and today I am telling you to know that. Here is a picture of him in his prime:


Here is a link to a good website about his zaniness, or just go here for the fun of his his oblique strategies!

new post.

Hey, I just realized that the last post was my 275th post. I'll have to do something special when I get to 300.

In Lebanon. Finals finished. Did pretty bad. Chad graduated. ...In Lebanon. Not doing much. Weather is hot. Summer classes start Monday.

I'll post something else when I have something to post about.


Inside the Cobra recording studio...

momus steals my thunder.

Hey y'all, check this out. Momus recorded a new nonsensical electronic blues song. Cool. ...I mean dammit.

I'll just have plan yet more weirdness.

finals.

Hey everyone, finals are bad! I want you all to break something in honor of finals as traumatic as they are.

By the way, the blues album (working title My Guitar Sings My Troubles) is on indefinite hiatus since I do not have the 4-track or a microphone in my posession at the moment. Any complaints can be emailed to Chad.

Here's a drawing that changes daily.


Yeah, Manet sucks.

maintaining the alligator farm.

I fixed the archives, so now you can go back and read old posts from this eblo. That's what I've been doing. But it's a shame the old templates don't come up anymore. Those retro old days when there was burgundy and dark green and blue...

By the way, here's a link back by popular demand. Behold!

video pic of the week.

Recently I saw the films Elephant and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. Elephant is good. Very well made. It makes you think, but that seemed to be its weakness; the viewer is left to mentally fill in the holes, and there are a lot. I think the theatrical preview (included on the DVD) gave as much information and story as the entire film itself, and that's not saying that the preview was long or informative. But I did see Kyle Warren. Way to go, Kyle- you're in a movie where you probably get shot.

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind is great. I recommend it. Y'all should see it.


Elephant


Confessions of a Dangerous Mind

Oooohh, satellite!

Hey, all you midgets check out Andy's new eblo. It's FRESH. Also, there is a new song on my music page that you should enjoy. More fun with Sesame Street.

Last night I watched Zardoz with Andy and Chad. Quite a movie. The other day we were brainstorming a list of Movies for Us (stupid/genius movies that you must see if you want to be...well, us.) That list went something like this:
Zardoz
Flash Gordon
Bejond the Valley of the Dolls
The Wicker Man
maybe Equinox, and maybe The Dark At the Top of the Stairs

These are movies so bad/confusing/senseless that they are heelarious and worth watching again and again. Check them out from your local library.

fish system: more fun with web translation.

This new blogger design will take some getting used to. In the meantime, let's see what Emi Necozawa has been writing in her web diary:

"How thinking, forgetting the composition of the assignment which the cod sure enough, with special care you do in the house, it attends class."

"When the man where in the underpants your own name have entered with the magic you know each other, whether just a little good impression. (How probably will be?)"

"There being the tomato boiling of the squid in the present menu, you eat. It is tasty? Fish system is tasty after all."

"So when it does, the mummy taking in the mummy. You found with the travelling bag corner of 2 F. Very, you use, the appealing Boston bag of the selfishness."

"Because bean jam ball you are bad, the extent which changed the wallet. Lose 4 time cards at half year and fold, the professional of procedure it became. It is quick, it is quick."

Man, she must lead an interesting life. Thanks, Babelfish!