Thuderstorms.

They are powerful here.

Swine Flu a'la Japan

This is just bullshit. People are being quarantined, travellers harassed and unnecessary precautions taken. This flu, H1N1, is similar in strength and deadly-ness to the flu that travels the globe each year. No matter what the government says, this is not about saving lives. This is about the pork industry. This is about keeping the flu out of farms so that Japanese people don't stop eating pork. Imagine, if you will, the scene... A pig farm is found to have infected pigs. This would require the culling of an entire farms worth of swine. Hundreds, if not thousands, of pigs killed, piled up and then buried. This image, not unlike those from the Avian flu pandemic, would cripple the pork industry in Japan.

Why the government can't bring itself to be honest about this is beyond me. It is all couched in the language, "These precautions are to protect you and your family."

Hogwash indeed.

Personal Space

I am getting used to not having any. Something about how people use the space that is available though, bugs the shit out of me. People here tend to stand in clusters. This is contrary to back in the States where, given limited space, people will organize themselves in such a way that everyone is as far away from everyone else as is possible. It is as if the people all had a negative charge, like electrons, and were incapable of getting too close to anyone else unless the density dictated otherwise. Not so here. Instead it is if the center of any given space is higher than the edges and the people are small ball bearings. Everyone tends to gravitate towards the walls of the train cars, restaurants, coffeeshops, and such even if it means that you are standing on a stranger's toes.

Had I been wearing sandals this evening, I would surely have a cast on my foot. It's just the way things go.

LOST

That was some fucked up shit. Seriously.

The Hallway Ghost.

There is a ghost that lives in my hallway. It seems strange but after three years of living in this apartment, I am sure that something is up. Usually, it is barely noticeable. Sometimes I see it out of the corner of my eye when I am up late. It (she, I guess) is just there for a moment, then when I look she disappears. Then other times, when I am in the bathroom there is an ever so faint scratching at the door. It used to freak me the fuck out, but I am used to it now. But recently, it has taken on a new habit.

Farting.

Seriously. I came home tonight, and there was a lingering fart smell in the hallway. As if someone who had some hardcore Mexican food for lunch cut one and then jumped out the window. It is a localized smell, independent of ventilation or other such things. It is just there, suspended, in the doorway to the kitchen. I sniffed around for possible sources (a stinky pipe, backflow, etc.) and have found nothing. So I have taken to asking it for a more reasonable stink, ammonia, burning plastic, or maybe something less offensive. It seems to work. Tonight, the fart smell turned to a kind of moldy bread/pine smell.

Better than nothing I guess, but as far as a roommate goes, this ghost stinks.

Crisis Averted.

There is a new machine now. It has littler cans of Pepsi, but more choices of milk based soda. We will see if they go with mexican food soon enough.

Also, classes went well today and the weather was really nice. Hot, but not humid. I'm sure that soon enough I will be cursing the sky, but for now I get to enjoy the outdoors.

What the Fuck?!??

They took away my vending machine. I can hardly believe it, but now it is gone and with it goes my access to Pepsi that doesn't have lemon in it.

Sadness.