linalmeemow

Messing with the firmware is VERY DANGEROUS. Try DVD region free first.

Depends where you are. I know the CD is being distro'ed in the UK and the US but I'm not sure where else. We've also got a split lp coming out with Petrograd in the New Year which should get wider distribution as they're more popular than we are! We play power-pop/pop-punk sort of stuff. I think it sounds like J Church/Discount/Jawbreaker though others may disagree. If you use MSN Messenger let me know and I'll send you a couple of tracks...

DVD Region Free is a piece of software that fools your PC into thinking it can play any DVD. Install it and it'll never ask you to change the region code again. You can either buy it, or you can download it for "free" from suprnova.org with a bittorrent client. Specific enough?

Her name is Kaori Yoshida. Her new band is called the Happening. I play the drums for them. Small world, eh?

There is a massive punk scene in Japan. I play drums in a band called the Happening. There's an english review of our album on the J Church website. We're loosely affiliated with the Snuffy Smile label, which deals mainly in Husker Du/Leatherface/Jawbreaker influenced bands but has released everything from the poppest of pop-punk to the hardest hardcore. It's the label that released the first Hi-Standard record and the first Husking Bee record. You can get Snuffy Smile releases at good record stores in Japan (Disk Union and the other indies). I'd recommend albums by I Excuse (l

Install DVD Region Free. You can find it on Suprnova.org. It will fix your problems.

When I went to Hokkaido for a few days last season I was out all day every day, first lift to last. The locals and those doing the whole season thought I was crazy, but living in Tokyo you have to take it while you can get it. I just thought they were soft.

For what it's worth, I wasn't trying to judge you or lecture you for what you did. In my opinion it is a considerably less dangerous drug than alcohol and tobacco and the laws here are fairly draconian in that respect. I was just surprised that a permanent res would put himself in this position. I hope you get off leniently, and have a good season.

The Japanese legal/penal system is badly in need of reform. It's severe and brutal at best. But that said, you tried to smuggle drugs into the country. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING??? You say you have permanent residency in Japan, and obviously have access to a computer - surely you've read stories like your own many times before?

Sunday nights, yes. Drying off in front of the fire while The Good Life or some David Attenborough documentary was on. Now I'm moderately cleaner, though only moderately so.

Undoubtedly the most important DJ in British radio history and the soundtrack to my life since my early teens, John Peel died today. Never met the bloke, but I'm astonishingly gutted.

When I shat myself mid-run at Gala last year (damn ramen!) I was delighted to find they had the robo-lavs at the restaurant...

In Asaka, Saitama-ken. 15 minutes from Ikebukuro, 80 minutes from Yuzawa by shinkansen. Grrreat!

Japanese bands: envy (the greatest band I've ever seen live) I Excuse Worldwide: Los Crudos Born Against The weakerthans Leatherface Check out all my anger!

It was originally called "World in Union" and was sung by Kiri te Kanawa for the RWC in 1991 or 95. It's just as ****ing rubbish now as it was then, and Gala is obsessed with playing it every half hour...

I have Thursday and Friday off, so I think probably not busy! Mind you, it's been a bit busier than when I went last year. However, if you go off to the left side of the resort it's virtually deserted. If you're good, it may not be too challenging but for my amateur arse it's plenty steep enough!

4 days so far, all at Gala (no car, don't like buses!) and conditions have improved every time. Got my first ever taste of powder last week and I'm absolutely hooked, though I haven't got the hang of how to ride it. I keep sinking! Still, I have 4 days in Niseko at the end of the month to work THAT out, if the snow gods are smiling on me!

You can get them pretty easily off suprnova.org or the other torrent sites. The 2nd Christmas special is great. It ties the whole thing up beautifully. I just hope they don't spoil it by making more now.