Ape

Hello again,
I (read that as we) have a problem. In this country some science teachers are being forced to teach ID. If you have no idea what this is learn. It is “Intelligent Design”. They…the teachers of your children…are being forced by government, ours, yours, to teach a theory in science class. The best these people can do is teach what we know to be fact and then broach ID and then explain the difference between theory, ID, and fact, evolution.
What do I know…raised a Catholic and all that goes with it. We all came from Adam and Eve. We know there was an Eve…she lived in Africa about 1 million years ago…so there was an Adam…or two or three. Oh, and those of you who are counting…we are talking way before the biblical couple.
Facts are facts…theory is fiction until proved otherwise. Got a problem with this? Don’t burden your children with it. We don’t need anymore dumb, stupid bastards in this country. Stupid parents are enough…and you know who you are. If, by chance, you are wondering I voted for Clinton and think the current Bush is an idiot. Does that make me better than some people? YES!
Don’t like what I say…go away. Feel you might be better than me…feel what you like. Like the idea of ID…like I said above…just because you’re a stupid bastard don’t condemn your children to be like you. The rest of the world is moving forward, give your kids a chance.

Later……ape

The Kids

Relationships…what is up with that? I talked to my sister today…very smart girl. Me, searching for a beer and a woman, and them, Pete and Andy, our brothers. What we have here is four siblings…me, her and them.
One is married to a sane woman, the other is married to the bitch from hell.

We, my sister and brothers, are friends…have been, will be. This will not change.
We get along. We talk. Above all we are our own best friends. Tim, Andy, Eva¸ Pete…this will not change. I could not ask for better. These people are my life…brothers and a sister…they are my people.

Wallpaper

Here are a couple of wallpapers I designed. These are wide screen images (1260x800). They are free to use on your personal machine. They may not be redistributed in any form. They belong to me.
Enjoy...later

Going Home

Narita Airport 3:30 pm Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Hello from Japan for the last time…at least until next time. I’ll be getting on my flight for Houston in about an hour. This whole journey from Sasebo started yesterday, Tuesday, morning around 11:30. I took a taxi to the Sasebo Central Bus Station and caught the bus to Nagasaki Airport. From there I flew to Tokyo International Airport, Haneda. From Haneda I caught the bus to Narita. Last night I spent the night at the Narita View Hotel. The whole journey took about 7 to 8 hours…lot of time just waiting around. Now I’m waiting again. The flight to Houston on Continental Airlines will take about 11 ½ hours. That’s a long time to go without a smoke…time to quit.

Houston, Texas 5:55 pm Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Back in Houston…long flight…long day will post more later.

Sasebo at Night

Here are a couple of pictures of Sasebo from last night. The first is sushi to be. The second is a look down a street...later

Katsuren Castle and the Haunted Hotel

As I had mentioned in an earlier post I started this whole Japan odyssey on Okinawa in September. The thing that struck me as odd in Okinawa is the whole fascination with ghosts and ghost stories.
I think this has to do with the Japanese and not just the people on Okinawa. However, there seemed to be a lot of stories of ghosts and hauntings on Okinawa.
Back in September I met a couple at Kadena AB, Melissa and Jorge. They took me to see Katsuren Castle ruins. The castle dates from the13th century. Nearby is the never completed skeleton of a very large hotel/resort.
Jorge and his buddies play some kind of war games with pellet guns at the hotel so he knows his way around pretty good. He’s also heard a lot about the history of its construction…or attempted construction.

The story goes that a businessman from Naha started the construction in or around 1975. During the construction some of the workers quit after learning they were building on “sacred” ground (there are a few shrines and tombs around the grounds of the hotel). Construction continued and was finally stopped after workers started dying in strange accidents.The story continues with the businessman going insane then finally dying. The story is unclear if the Naha businessman started off insane or went insane later.

The whole arrangement of the structure is odd. Some say there weren’t any real blueprints to follow during construction. This is easy to believe. Some hallways lead off to nowhere and when climbing some of the stairways you need to be careful not to bump your head.

If you dare, climbing to the top offers a great view. Looking towards the west you see the East China Sea and east the Pacific. Okinawa is fairly narrow here.

The place is a bit spooky even in the middle of the afternoon. I’m told many Okinawans won’t go near the place. Personally, I wouldn’t go there at night.

The first picture is of graffiti on one of the walls…as before I have no idea what it says. Second is a shot of part of the hotel complete with a huge banana spider (these spiders are everywhere). Last is a picture of a shrine along a walk next to the hotel.

I’m searching for more information on this hotel. If I find anything I’ll be posting an update…later.

Death and Death Lights

I found something interesting on my way from Atsugi to Yokota…actually the woman driving me there told me about them. There’s a little shop on Chicken Farm Road that sells cigarettes and various other things. There I bought some cigarettes called Death and Death Lights…truth in advertising taken to the extreme (as you can see from the packaging). I doubt this sort of thing would go over very well with the American cigarette manufacturers. I have no idea where these are made…can’t read Japanese. I have tried to quit smoking a couple of times…I think I’ll be trying harder to quit. This has nothing to do with Death and Death Lights, however, it does make a strong case for quitting.

For those of you who have never been to Japan you can buy cigarettes and beer from vending machines on the street. I can’t see something like this working in the States. The machines would be robbed as soon as they were put on the street…of course, there are other reasons it wouldn’t happen.

I almost forgot. For those of you who prefer death to leave a bad taste in your mouth you can purchase Death Menthols.

Enough of this. I need a new topic…later.

Yokosuka

Yokosuka
This is a small street not too far from the bases main gate. It's lined with small bars and shops...real popular with the sailors at night.

Good morning from Japan

Good morning from Japan. I just started my day…with coffee. I’ll be going across the street to a base café where they have free wifi so I can post this. I’ll start shooting at about 11 am today…not a very busy schedule. I’m hoping all the kids will be happy this morning. Some days you get the kids from hell…or wherever the little brats come from.
I’ve looking at my schedule for the day and I’ll have time to do exciting stuff like do my laundry. Living out of a suit case for 2 months can be a real pain. The base lodges I’ve been staying at are, for the most part, nice. I’m going to need maid service when I get home…getting spoiled.
Getting around Japan hasn’t been too difficult. I do a lot of walking, of course. Taxis, trains, busses and planes…I’m wondering if I’ll remember how to drive when I get home. I’m getting accustomed to them driving on the “wrong” side of the road.
This whole odyssey started in Okinawa. The water around the island is beautiful, clear and blue. The beaches are white sand…makes a pretty picture. Okinawa is a coral island surrounded by reefs. I hear this makes for some of the best diving in the world. I may need to learn myself when I go back. I’ll need to schedule some time off there…just a few days. The whole island is small. I’m told you can’t really get lost…and you can’t. When I was there it was hot and humid. It’s sub-tropical. The island has giant fruit bats…watching them fly is strange. It’s also home to Habus…very poisonous snakes. I’ve heard there are three different habus and one non-poisonous snake. Of course, if I saw a snake on Okinawa I’d move away fast, they’re all aggressive. The Okinawans…for whatever reason…have found a use for these snakes. They ferment them in sake, habu sake. It is a jar or bottle of sake with a snake in it. This sounds strange, and it is, but it is pretty good. When you see it you need to try it…right?

This is enough rambling for now. I’ll post this and see what is happening in the world…later.

Sasebo

Here are some pictures from my past couple of days in Sasebo. The first is of the Ginza, a shopping arcade here. The second is of Sasebo from my window...tourist stuff.

I'll post more later...

Last week in Japan

I've just spent the last two moths in Japan and am looking forward to going home...Houston, Texas.
I'm a photographer for Portraits International and I've been taking family portraits at various bases here. I'm currently at Sasebo AB. This is the last one for me until sometime next year.
I'll be home for Thanksgiving and I'll get to see my boys, Travis and Chase.

I just started this blog so I'm real new to this. It'll be interesting to see if I have enough things to say to keep doing this. I still have no clue as to what direction this will take in the future...or for now.

I guess this will be all for now. I'm just taking a break.