Japanese Self Defence Force

Well, today was a rather unusual day... I suddenly decided to go for a drive to a Japanese Self Defence Force base, just for fun, and to see the jets. Anyway, when I got near the base I checked my car-navi and turned down a really narrow dirt track that seemed to run up to the perimeter fence. (Didn't have permission to go inside of course. And after today, I guess I'll never be allowed inside) Parked the car in amongst the trees near the fence, hopped out with the camera, and waited for something to happen...

Something happened...

I was there for only a couple of minutes when a truck pulled up with two guys who I assume were military police. Behind that another truck with military dudes in the back. (Oh, one of them may have been a girl, I'm not sure; obviously I was more concerned with the police-types). Anyway, the two guys walked up to their side of the fence, started questioning me. They were VERY polite and friendly, but wanted to see some ID. Then they got on the phone and another
police-type turned up, this one with a camera! So they took my photo (they actually asked if it was ok, so I guess I could have refused, but I didn't want to push my luck), and another photo of my ID. So I took their pix as well. Then they wanted a pix of my car, but I said no... don't ask why, I really don't know why I refused. Anyway, they seemed pretty sad.


One of them was spending a lot of time on the phone, but not within earshot... maybe he was asking his boss if he could strap me to a bomb... although they really were very kind. They even remarked on how good my car looked. I mean, they asked me lots of casual questions, but within the casual questions there were many serious questions... I think their interrogation techniques are extremely good.

After that, they sent me on my merry way (all up I think it took about 20 or 30 minutes, maybe), and I stumbled across a proper road near another section of the fence, BUT this area was full of people watching the jets, and it was very open (no trees); so I guess it was ok to stop there.
I was sitting in the car for about 5 minutes, when I saw the truck with the police dudes driving along the fence line... oh crap... but they sped past... waving and grinning madly at me!! Couldn't believe it!
Later in the day I noticed a car that was an unusual blue colour following me... I pulled over and let it pass, and snapped a photo. When I got home and checked the pix on the pc we found by it's number plate that it was a military vehicle... am I being watched???

Those crazy Japanese chimps

Why have they made it so difficult to upload a larger number of images? I'm sure there is at least ONE person who would love to see some of the pix I've taken. That`s what I choose to believe.

Anyway, this is a pedestrian bridge over a local highway. Unless they had a fire truck, and blocked traffic, they had to have painted this while hanging from the railing or something. I don't know. Does it matter? What I'd like to know is what the hell is the message??

Just did a search on Google for AI1...
http://www.pri.kyoto-u.ac.jp/ai/gallery/gallerye.htm
"The drawings by chimpanzees" Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University. Maybe some of their chimps escaped and are running around town with cans of paint. Cool! They can't spell, but I'm impressed with their English ability! I'll attempt to keep you posted.

Mystery shopping

Hmmm... Well, today I wanted to get myself some tooth whitener (why? Because the voices in my head told me to, ok?). Anyway, my level of kanji being what it is, I'm not 100% sure exactly what I've bought. I mean it could be denture glue for all I know. And even more worrying is the fact that I don't have a clue how to use this stuff. Just as well we have Babel Fish Translation...

This “[howaitoningujieru]”, without damaging the tooth, melting, you take the soiling which comes in contact with the tooth with washing removal component PEG combination.

Pretty cool hey!

The tooth is made white, [yani] of the tooth is taken, there is an effect such that prevents the carious tooth, prevents the composure of the dental calculus.

Now, I'm probably going to appear even more stupid than I already look, but I had to look up some of those words. Apparently calculus or tartar refers to hardened plaque on the teeth. And carious is to do with decay. So there you have it, I learnt something new. Until I forget it. Still doesn't help me to actually use this stuff though does it. And I'm not sure if I want my [yani] to be taken from my teeth either.

Now what??

Well, I seem to have finally created a blob of a blog. Got nothing to say for the moment, and who can blame me... I mean I had to really stretch my imagination to think of a title, username, password, and all the other paraphernalia (thanks for the spell checker) that comes with opening a new account.