Would You Like Some Whale With That Sir?

鯨ベーコン＝くじらベーコン＝KUJIRA　BACON＝whale bacon)

If i am to be completely honest, while i keep up with what's going on in the world, I am not particularly political. Every so often, there are things that make me go 'WHAT?!' or 'That's f-ing unfair!!', but that's about as far as i get. Maybe that's apathetic, but that's me.

So, today is a bit of a rare posting, in that i want to write about something that's been bugging me for while.

Every year, Japan does some whaling for 'research' purposes & causes a whole lot of upset in various circles - mainly environmental groups, but lately governments (I think Australia has been voicing some degree of protest) have been getting involved. I'm not going to get into the whole whaling debate because i don't know the details & history of it all.
What has been interesting though is hearing the western (BBC/CNN/Times) perspective & Japanese media views. The foreign media have been interviewing a lot of the activists involved (mostly Greenpeace) and saying how they have successfully disrupted Japan's catch of Minke whales (apparently, the catch was only about 60% of what Japan were hoping for).
Japanese media, on the other hand, have been reporting about the pesky foreigners who have been harassing them and their important scientific research.

And here we get the part that bugs me.
Japan keeps reiterating the fact that it is SCIENTIFIC research.

Then how the hell does it end up in my local supermarket?
Am i going to scientifically buy it? Then scientifically eat it?
I recently took the above photo in my local Tokyu supermarket. Not a speciality shop or anything. Just a local supermarket in Kawasaki.
Don't know about you, but to me it just seems damn wrong.

If you want to know more on the whole whaling issue; here are some links:

The Institute of Cetacean Research - the Japanese whale 'researchers'
The International Whaling Commission - the group who decide how many whales are caught each year & who can catch them
Greenpeace - their anti-whaling campaign

Took me a while to get going on Saturday, but i am *so* glad i did.

The German & i made our way up to Inokashira koen to hang with Martine & friends for hanami.

Was a great day with trannies, beer, hoops, beer, water pistols, beer, terminator voice overs, beer and lots & lots of smiles.

I never regret going up to Martine's end of the world. Just wish it were closer (although on the grand scale of things, i guess it really isn't that far...)

Thanks Martine for organising us all! ♥

::PSYSALIA GIG::

Short notice but...

[Adventures In Sinland]

Been wondering what to write for the past week or so.

Was kind of waiting for some inspiration with the cherry blossoms, but then the rain came and washed them all away (kind of like insy winsy spider, but pinker).

So i kept waiting.

Then The German told me it was about time that i updated my blog, because all my friends had updated theirs. (yup, he's reading your blogs too. And mine. Which is why i only write nice things about him...you want the truth? Email me.)

So, i have succumbed to peer pressure and am writing an entry. About bugger all.

Nah. I did do something interesting. And i have some fun things coming up on the April horizon.

Last Saturday, The German and i had a club night. A proper club night.
By 'proper', i mean a club that had a DJ; a famous DJ; from Berlin; Ellen Allien.
Not a club that claims to be cool; plays crap pop/R&B; and is basically a meat market with music.

I had a fun night. Have to confess that i am not a huge techno fan, but i don't really hate it either (unlike Pantera, which The German has recently rediscovered, much to my dismay – nothing like a blast of Pantera on a Sunday morning to give you a splitting headache all day...)

But, yeah, we had a cool night. Got last train down to Shibuya, wandered around Love Hotel Hill looking for womb (kind of ironic that there's a club named womb in the midst of all those love hotels – or maybe that's just my sick imagination) And then we were there.

4 floors of people & music & bars.

And what a weird mix of people. Poncy people. Cool people. Poncy cool people. People on the pull. People there for the music. People there for their partner and not really having a fun time. Wasted people. Happy people. Tired people. And mostly smiley people. Was great for people watching.

And best off all, i managed to stay awake ALL NIGHT. I was awake until first train & was even awake ON the train home.
We did decide, though, that Shibuya has a distinct lack of breakfast places. Wondering around Shibuya at 5am, our only option was fast food chain shops, when what we craved was a big breakfast fry-up. With coffee or tea. Ended up at Maccy Ds. Cold frieds & a plastic burger. Yum.

Yup, it was a fun night. Don't think i want to do it every weekend (too old; not enough stamina) but definitely want to do it again sometime.

And events on the horizon? Hanami. P³gig. Nagoya (but that's work). Izu. April looks to be a fun month.