On 23 July 2006, La Brasserie de l'Institut Franco-Japonais hosted a world music event featuring live music by Limelight Circus, Beakers Duo, and DJs from the Samba Nova and Taiyo Record posses. It was, well, see for yourself! The live music portion will be edited and posted before long. This post was by Rob.

Here's something new from Hayden a.k.a. Quest: "County of Lancaster. City of Lincoln. State of Nebra-ska. Reggae from a 100 watt white boy in the heartland. Aw shucks mama." -Quest

Here's some music for you by me Alex Brooke. I recorded this last year on my Mac connected to some other whistles and bells. Interestingly enough I posted this on the Podsafe music network and it got used on the podcast Des Grenouilles dans la Vallee in the video "Moto, boulot, Cupertino". It's done by a French guy working at Apple in California and the video shows his daily commute to work. Pretty cool stuff. Hope you enjoy it. You can check out more of my music HERE...

This time Alex is on the hot chocolate high and Rob is having his post caffeine crash. Big shout out to Tekumi, the peeps at "I Can't Read Japanese" (a.k.a. 馬鹿外人) on mixi and the other know who you are. Featured music is by me Alex Brooke entitled "Tales from Prapatang". Prapatang, say it loud and say it proud. (Rob here, I just realized that when I get back from my bike ride, I won't have any space left on my iRiver to sit back and record my satisfaction with my ride and the sudden change for the better in the weather. Makiko also took some video on Sunday night, so I won't have space on the memory card either. I guess it's time to get to work and edit some audio & video!) Posted by Alex and Rob.

Alex and Rob talk about stuff. Rob, I think you can do a way better write up than me! Cheers, Alex. Here in Prapatangland we go about our daily business of writing reports (about English lessons taught) and wonder what it would be like to be in another line of work--not that we don't like our jobs. At lunch today, I saw various foreign Tokyoites of various ethnicities and it just made me wonder what they all do. Something to make your headspin? Posted by Alex and Rob.

Here's the first podcast show by Osaka resident Patrick Widdess who plays great tunes and reads his witty poems, including two of my favorites "How to Catch an Octopus" and "The Smell of Cubes." Posted by Rob.

Here's a link to a new Halo Effect and Scott Adams collaboration called My Love. Halo Effect is the musical incarnation of Peter Morris who created an e-flyer for my Chove Chuva event back in April. If you like this song, you can check out his slightly darker side on haloeffect.us, or on his MySpace homepage, and if you want to dig even farther back, try the Deus Ex Machina archives. Posted by Rob.

"I took the liberty of editing a slice of the up coming loop line five. Here we see Rob perform the ALT rap al fresco next to Osaka Jo Koen station with a drummer we met on the tour de loop. Anyway, this is just a preview of what's to come in the next loop line installment. I'm sure Rob will be putting these up on Revver, Youtube etc...won't you Rob?" -Alex. Yeah, and on MySpace too! Don't forget, partial credit for the lyrics go to John Sanders. Posted by Rob.

@ La Brasserie de l'Institut. ７月２３日�日曜日�16:00~21:30. Live Performance: Tokyo Limelight Circus (accoustic, swing, traditional, jive), Beakers Duo (folkloric accoustic pop). DJs: Yoshihiro Narita (NRT/Samba Nova), Shota Inaba (Rip Curl Recordings/Impartmaint), Yukari Nakahashi (Ahora Corporation), Toshihiro Sasaki (Intoxicate/nmnl), Shigeki Sekine (Drink 'Em All), El Gringo, Ryosuke Itoh(Taiyo Record). Info: 03 3235 8825, info@taiyorecord.com, http://www.institut.jp. NO COVER CHARGE.

Just got back from a jog. What's happening in Kagurazaka? I don't know. I was indoors all day, after having been away for a week, and there was a lot I had to get done. Once on the streets of Tokyo, however, a lot of sights and smells that had become ordinary were noticeable again. On the internet front, seanbedlam is losing it over on YouTube. I think that programs like 'Tube, just like anything on the internet, can be a blessing and/or a curse. What do you think about YouTube/Revver/MySpace? Elsewhere, rumors are ciraculating that the English poet Patrick Widdess has a podcast. I haven't come across it yet, but I've seen some of his photos online. We'll be talking to DJ Wes soon. Apparently, he's gotten himself a computer and internet. We're going to get him on Skype and then get him addicted to podcasting too! Tomorrow, I'll be DJ'ing at Loop Line Cafe in Sendagaya as a warm-up for the main course, Sunday's event at the Institut Franco-Japonais in Ichigaya. I Should be at Loop Line between 12-6 p.m. More will be posted on all the above soon! Your comments, audio and visual responses welcome! Posted by Rob.

Just watched Nathan Miller's episode 170 of Bicycle Sidewalk, and I would say it's a must for lovers of eclectic music. The video is short and sweet. Episode 168 is a bit longer shows a tatoo artist at work!

12 July, Downtown Tokyo, workin' for the man, I came across a demonstration by tunnel workers demanding compensation for their (work related?) health problems. Today, it actually made front page of the Japan Times (English newspaper). 13 July, while walking home from the station after work, I melted into the asphalt as a light summer rain pitter-pattered and failed to cool.

Posted by Rob.

Tags: NFTOS, Panic Living, Business as usual, Tokyo, Kasumigaseki, demonstration, work, job, teaching, government, Hibiya Park, rain, �京, 日本

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By a friend of Charles Billard, who wishes to remain nameless. Posted by Rob.

My good friend and Uber techboy Neil Roodyn talked to me about his trip to Brazil, armed guards, 28 star hotels, Chile and Oz. Check out his own podcast here. Posted by Alex.

This sample was just begging to be remixed. Sorry Mr Technician on the phone over in India, but you are now part of the wonders of the internet. This sample was recorded by a friend of Charles Billard's who has chosen to remain nameless. Charles wrote, "what do you think? Is it worth a special section-- Indian Technicians--on your site?" Nah, but we'll put this sample, and the subsequent remix in the "music" section of our podcasts. Stay tuned for the remix! Posted by Rob.

Brought to you from the Nakatsu penthouse studios by the banks of the Yodo river in Osaka, I talk about a bit of this and that. This was inspired by Rob's solo podcast. Hopefully we will be doing more of these in the future.

Posted by Alex.

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Alex is busy today, so it's just me on the couch on my veranda. The sun shines, wind blows, birds chirp, cars pass...

Posted by Rob.

Tags: NFTOS, Panic Living, solo podcast, Tokyo, Japan, Kim Jong-il, World Cup, Hidetoshi Nakata, David Millar, EPO, doping ban, Italy, France, football, Tour de France, Brazil, alien, �京, 日本

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Well, that was not a pretty ending. And who would've predicted a final without Germany or Brazil? I must say my own predictions took a dive after the first round (usually they hold at a steady 60-80% throughout the tournament). Expect to hear more saucy headlines about weather or not Italy will be allowed to host Euro 2012 (depending on how sordid the gossip is regarding the Italian league's homegrown matchfixing scandal), and will there be anything that resembles professional sport in Spain once "Operación Puerto" runs its course (cyclists, soccer players and others implicated). Meanwhile, over here in Japan, the World Cup long forgotten, Nakata Hidetoshi has announced his retirement from footie, the Japanese "Self-Defense Forces" are withdrawing troops from Iraq and Kim Jong "The Il One" is launching missles into the Sea of Japan (or the East Sea, depending on your geographic sensibilities) for purely peaceful reasons... Think of it as their way of celebrating "4th of July" with expensive fireworks. Much is being made of these missle tests here, but let's face it, if any of them had touched Japanese or American soil, I probably wouldn't be writing this sort of blog entry today now would I? Well, I imagine Alex and I will be podcasting these topics and more soon. Anyone else wanna join us? We can ring you up, or include your mp3 recording in our next podcast. Posted by Rob.

What's happening in Osaka and Tokyo this weekend with the NFTOS crew? Alex and Rob chat about DJ events, the latest 関西�会 (Kansai no kai) in Ebisu*, art show parties, the Loop Line Cafe-Bar in Sendagaya, World Cup watching, the Italian football scandal and "Operación Puerto," which will keep many top professional cyclistis out of this year's Tour de France (starting tomorrow in Strasbourg, France). Attention all Tour de France teams: If you need a rider, I'm clean and I'll ride! Posted by Rob.