Like us, if you were in Japan, you were probably worried and confused about the origins of the above creature. Do not fret, as we have solved the badger mystery! The creature behind those cute, yet creepy statues is called Tanuki (Japanese "raccoon-dog").
Tanuki is a dog, eats a similar diet to a raccoon (Japanese garbage, I guess), climbs trees, doesn't bark, and is the only dog that hibernates. Secretive and non-aggressive it prefers to scream or play dead rather than fight. The Tanuki is reputed to be a master of disguise and “shapeshifting", according to the Japanese. And he also supports ear cleaning, in our newly-acquired bathroom version.
Often found greeting guests to Japanese restaurants,,Tanuki statues have a number of important features as shown below:
1) a bamboo hat that protects against trouble, as well as the sun
2) big eyes to help make good decisions - who knew?
3) a sake bottle representing virtue - I knew sake alcohol was virtuous
4) a big tail that provides steadiness and strength
5) over-sized ‘endowments’ that symbolize financial luck - or, perhaps, an infection?
6) a promissory note that represents trust - yet I'm skeptical
7) a big belly that symbolizes bold decisiveness - lest you think it was from the sake
8) a friendly smile - in this case, oddly puckered
So next time you go to your favourite Japanese noodle restaurant, keep your eye out for a Tanuki.
The vegetable of the week is, well, this one. I did not succeed in identifying it or figuring out how to eat it, but it tasted like a raw zucchini.
The fruit of the week is the purple dragonfruit. This is one I know about: it's what happens when a kiwi, a watermelon, and a beet combine.
The flamboyant beer mascot of the week is Kirin, the fluffy lion/dragon monster. Did you know that Kirin beer, along with other Asian brews, have rice in them? Yes, Laura in Singapore is also educational.
The cute animal of the week is Cusstard, one of Singapore's adorable yet tough gutter kittens. We tried to feed him milk and he nearly attacked us. I guess he's more into chocolate and cigarettes.
The shocking exposé of the week is Heather, Alex and Barry engaging in violent sport! And liking it! Poor little plastic duckies.
And then Barry burnt his face out by trying to out-macho a minuscule hot pepper.
This Laura's first "failed state" visit, to Myanmar (Burma). Along with Utah and Long Island, this falls into the category of "Places I may not have seen if work hadn't sent me". Anyway, this is the Shwedagon Pagoda, where all things glitter.
This is the hundred meter stupa, surrounded by all kinds of Buddhas. Below, some examples sporting the latest fashions.
This picture shows some of Buddha's lesser known deity friends, who provide support.
Families, couples, everyone hangs out here.
This child demonstrates the proper praying position.
Last weekend, Singapore's downtown streets were replaced with a glowing race track.
Inside the track, flat pointy cars drive around really fast a lot of times. They are kept inside a cage so they don't escape. For entertainment, I became a moderate fan of Timo Glock, who surprisingly came in third (this may be him):
When the cars go rogue and crash, the disciplinary car comes out to shame them. Below is what the spectator sees.
Here I am demonstrating my moderate enjoyment, as well as the view that $100 tickets get you.
You can get a better view by wearing a special uniform and keeping your hands above your head, but we did not know this in advance.
And here is Barbican, non-alcoholic malt beverage, for those who were looking for carb calories emptier than beer's. Available in a mini-bar in your favourite middle eastern hotel.
Now that you believe me, I'll tell you about some other features of Dubai, Middle East for beginners. First, it has all the stores in the world in it, in huge malls to shelter you from reality:
And many tall shiny buildings, which are unfortunately not all completed.
Here are some Canadian things you can find in Dubai: 4 different Canadian coffee chains, maple syrup by the litre, and even the lesser known desert 
It is the Taoist Hungry Ghost festival again, a month when the gates of the netherworld open to release upon us all sorts of spirits. Loud street performances please the ghosts, and food is offered and prayers, money and other things are burned all over the place to appease them, like so:
I find, that the more I learn about this festival, the less I understand. For example, how do you differentiate between food to feed the hungry neglected ghosts versus the money directed at your own 
The hungriest ghosts are those whose families have forgotten to pay 
Next, a scatterbrained notebook. 
Sometimes Engrish states the obvious. And yet it's deep, man.
I love cat too, but I'm not sure about all the flowing.
The bag below was thought to be the lesser-known Engrish from India, featuring Fizzy Moon. Turns out 
Finally, let me introduce to you, for the first time: Flench!
