Message from Charles: "Hello everyone! I will have an exhibition at Cafe Absinthe (Kita-Horie, Osaka) with my recent works for September 3rd to September 30th. The opening night is September 10th, at 19h, with live music by Kyoto sound artist K_Kalna from 20h, and sitar by Tadao Ishihama from 20h30. Be sure to visit both of these artists's websites. You can also find some of my recent paintings on my blog. Hope you can come and enjoy this art and music event." -Charles-Eric Billard. Cafe Absinthe, Moriwaki Bldg 1F, 1-16-18 Kitahorie, Nishi-ku, Osaka. Telephone : (06) 6534-6635. Open : 11:30-2:00 Mon, Wed-Sat / 15:00-24:00 Sun. Posted by Rob.

Here's an old cell phone video Alex shot while we were cycling back from Maishima Sports Island (I think that's when it was) sometime in the summer of 2005. You may have already seen it if you subscribe to the Beb & Alex Show or if you keep up with Bike Club Osaka's forums.

Posted by Rob.

Tags: NFTOS, JR Loop Line, Alex Brooke, Beb and Alex Show, Bike Club Osaka, Maishima Sports Island, Osaka Dome, cell phone, video, Rob a.k.a. El Gringo, Osaka, Japan, bicycle, cycling, mobile

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Been so busy lately, I almost forgot to post something about tonight's Flo Union @ The Pink Cow. Flo Union is a monthly event which features DJs, live performances, tormented poets, etc. I'll be providing the sonic wallpaper. The event starts at 7:30, but I'll be there to set up a bit earlier, maybe about an hour before things kick off. 8月27æ—¥ (日曜日) 19:30~? 毎月様々ã?ªåˆ†é‡Žã?®ã‚¢ãƒ¼ãƒ†ã‚£ã‚¹ãƒˆé?”ã?«ç™ºè¡¨ã?¨ãƒ?ットワーキングã?®å ´ã‚’æ??ä¾›ã?™ã‚‹ã‚¤ãƒ™ãƒ³ãƒˆã€‚ 発表ã?™ã‚‹ã‚‚良ã?—ã€?見ã?«æ?¥ã?¦å?‹é?”を作るã?®ã‚‚良ã?—。ショートフィルムã€?音楽ã€?è©©ã€?写真ã€? アートã€?何ã?§ã‚‚ OK ã?§ã?™ã€‚ Click here for Flo Union's mixi or here for a map. Posted by Rob.

Alex, Makiko, Patrick and Rob wind up an evening on the town. I'll be DJing at Flo-Union @ The Pink Cow on Sunday Evening from 7:00. Expect live music, live painting and other performances. More details later--no, just listen to the podcast. Posted by Rob.

If you want to discuss NFTOS related stuff, promote a new project, or just show how OTAKU (nerdy) you are, I've created a NFTOS group on MySpace. Of course, we still have the forums on mixi (in Japanese and English) and MSN Groups. Check them out!

Posted by Rob.

p.s. The lastest NFTOS forum created is on facebook.com

The other day I came across this bizzare English exercise workout video for women afraid of being mugged while on holiday in some scary foreign country that seems to be some kind of mishmash between the States and Australia. (Note the mugger's and the cop's accents) Anyway, I simply couldn't get that damn tune out of my head and neither will you with this mega remix. Listen again and again until you end up rocking back and forth on a chair obsessively chanting "take anything you want"
Posted by Alex.

Flying Koala (creator of the wonderful banner art at the top of the page) is back from her North American trip and will soon be off to Cairo, Egypt! Read all about her new travels in English and Korean, see some great travel photos and check out her intriguing artwork too! Posted by Rob.

(In progress) Here are our pride and joy, our claims to fame, as of 10 August 2006. Not all great, but then again, some of these have helped pay for the gadgets that make them possible and have gotten us quite a bit of free food and drinks to boot. 1. The undisputed ALT Rap video. 2. Alex & Rob's excellent bicycle adventure: Loop Line #1. 3. ALT Rap Improv with live drums! 4. Nabe Party at David M's. 5. Loop Line #2. 6. Loop Line #4. 7. J-League soccer: Frontale vs Cerezo. 8. How to Pick Up Girls. 9. 24 Hours in Nakatsu. 10. Don't Panic Danyk & crew @ Tin's Hall. 11. Postcard from Tokyo. 12. Who is Rob?. 13. What's Your Favorite Word in Japanese? 14. Watching the World Cup at Bar Grain. 15. Loop Line #3. 16. Panorama. 17. Postcard from China. 18. News From The Tub #1. 19. Discobeans. 20. Icitte les Oeufs... 21. Postcard from Fiji. 22. Cafe Barbes. 23. Prologue. 24. Alex & Rob's Talk Show #1. 25. Quest's ALT Re-Rap mp3. 26. Makiko's Jikoshoukai. 27. New From The Tub #2 feat. Alex. 28. El Gringo's Bossa Lounge @ Cafe Absinthe. 29. La Terrazza @ Cafe Pangea. 30. I Like Meat. 31. Flo-Union @ The Pink Cow. 32. Alex's Soapmonster Song. 33. Quest's Shinbashi Station. 34. Charles's artwork Collective Memory as filmed by Rob. 35. Trenchparrots' Irrepressible Urges of Spring. 36. Talk Show #4: The Summit. 37. Nakatsu Music Project. 38. Talk Show #3. 39. Postcard from China by Charles. 40. Trash Talk with Beb about the environment (in Japanese) from her podcast BEB! GOODY! GOODY!. Posted by Rob.

This is a summer festival in Osaka which always draws huge crowds. There's a parade, food tents along the Ogawa, river barge floats and fireworks which all take place near Tenmangu Shrine. I enjoyed the festival so much, I even wrote a haiku about it awhile back: ����や / �ん�ん��り / �����。Here's more specific info about the event. Video by Alex. Posted by Rob.

Take Anything You Want! (There's probably nothing you'd be interested in though...) More details and links coming soon. Posted by Rob.

Here are the lowest of the low, as of 10 August 2006. NOT all bad, but then again, some of these are NOT what we want to be remembered for when we're dead: 41. Mundo Popular 2 @ L'Institut. 42. Prapatang Kitchen #1. 43. Walking Home from Murphy's Pub (discontinued to protect the guilty). 44. ALT Rap mp3. 45. A Chat with DJ Wes. 46. Talk Show #2: World Cup. 47. Panic Living #1. 48. Alex's Orange Princess (an ode to DJ Sachiko). 49. Trenchparrots' Nuthin' to Say. 50. Meeting at Ebisu Stn. to Eat Meat. 51. Will Spin's JR Loop Line Song. 52. Quest's All The Little Things. 53. Trenchparrot's My Ex-Girlfriend Walks In. 54. Greetings from Wakayama. 55. Tsuchifumazu Art Show. 56. Happy Birthday to Rob from Hans. 57. Trenchparrots' Footprints. 58. "Cafe Velo" visits Cafe Amanto. 59. Smoldering Door's Wroclaw Panache. 60. Fiesta Mexicana at Umeda Sky Bldg. 61. ALT Rap Vocals Only - Please sample & mix! 62. Panic Living #2: Business as Usual. 63. Prapatang Kitchen #2. 64. Talk Show #6: 馬鹿外人! 65. Hans discusses dragonflies while watching Sweden vs Germany in World Cup 2006. 66. Hans with horns on Cinco de Mayo. 67. Sushi Party at David R's. 68. Hans looks for Ptarmigan in Colorado. 69. Anonymous Indian Techie Remix. 70. Limelight Circus Live @ L'Institut. 71. Quest's song Nebra-ska. 72. Alex's song I Wanna Tell You. 73. Alex Wins 2006 Tour de France. 74. Panic Living #3. 75. Alex's One Man Ramble from Nakatsu. 76. Talk Show #5. 77. Anonymous Indian Techie Sample. 78. Alex & Neil Talk Brazil. 79. Talk Show #7: Straight from the Heart. 80. Talk Show #8: The Governor. Posted by Rob.

Alex just e-mailed me with this late-breaking news: "it's official, learn japanese is more popular than tiki bar! or less unpopular... " (He's referring to Libsyn's Hott100 rankings). Yet another classic case of the "is the glass half empty or is the glass half full?" scenario. In the podcasting business (in my case it's strictly volunteer work), one must never second-guess oneself! Or re-type a blog post, or self-sensor, because by the time the work hits iTunes it's already been compromised 1000 times. Go with your gut! But that's a tangent I just went on, one which I will probably go right ahead and edit later. The real story here is that TikiBar TV (and of course French Maid TV) were our podcast heros, the ones we aspired to be when we were first getting started, way back in 2005. TikiBar TV started out as a really great show (watch episodes 1-9, those were the best) which has kind of lost the plot lately, especially in the last two space girl episodes. Alex on the other hand, has consistently turned out appalling Japanese language learning shows, occaisionally spiked with a few of my annoying oyaji-gag jokes, and saved only by the SEXY voice and native Japanese skills of BEB. Amen. Rock on Beb and Alex! And I hope that some of your HALO rubs off and has an EFFECT on NFTOS, because that's what this podcast is all about! No pun intended, well, OK, maybe there were a few. 寒���む�。Posted by Rob.

Alex, Dan and Rob discuss a wide range of topics. Guest intro by the Governor of California. I really think this guy should be President of the United States of America. If you think Clinton and Bush have been easy targets to poke fun at, just imagine what it could be like with King Arnie in the White House! The possibilities are endless... A few minor laws may have to be rewritten, but I wholeheartedly endorse this man for the job. Posted by Rob.

Gayle Wheatley is a multi-talented artist who I met in Osaka while we were both on JET Program. I had the opportunity to do two group art shows with her during that time. She's created some really interesting interactive websites which have included a varitey of art, graphic art and photography. Here's message from Gayle: "Hi There! The long anticipated re-design of GayleWheatley.com is finally complete!! Version 5.0 features a fully-updated portfolio with tons of new paintings, illustrations, and design samples. Have a look around...comments & impressions are always welcome! Enjoy, Gayle." Posted by Rob.

Alex, Dan (a.k.a. MC Suspek) and Rob talk about the age old topic of whether or not it's easy for "foreign guys to pick up girls in Japan" as a continuation of a thread Dan posted on Bike Club Osaka. Dan tells us about life in Miami. And, for some reason or another, my mic had a BIG ECHO--sorry about that. Check out the Argyle Pimpin' video we talked about on YouTube. Artwork by Rob: "Home is Where the Heart Is." Posted by Rob.

After Floyd Landis's disqualification set off a domino effect eliminating the other 138 finishers and all professional and amateur cyclists ever registered, the Tour de France title has been handed to an Englishman for the first time in the race's history. Alex Brooke, who was not even in France this summer, will be crossing the chunnel to pick up the trophy as soon as he is knighted at a tea and biscuits ceremony at Buckingham Palace hosted by Queen Elizabeth II and attended by Tony Blair, Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Mick Jagger, David and Victoria Beckham and Ali G. The British Empire, usually known for inventing sports only to be defeated in them by their subjects in the colonies, finally has a new hero. Tim Henman was unavailable for comment.

This report posted by Rob.

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My friend Amy (Silver Lucy Design) is doing another event. Sometime, before too long, we're going to get her over here to Japan for some fashion shows in Tokyo and Osaka. Posted by Rob.

Here's some news FOR the other side. "Thanks to Rob and Alex at newsfromtheotherside.com for their recent support. Ivor Cutler reads The Dong with the Luminous Nose, I read some of my poems and one of Russell Edson's. Comedy from Chris Morris' Blue Jam and Music from Syd Barret (RIP) and John Hayden (News from the Other Side.)" From Patrick in Osaka.

Beb, Alex & Rob got mentioned in a JapanZine article, just a blurb in an article about podcasting, but we got mentioned nonetheless! The podcast was Alex's baby i日本語 / Learn Japanese, and if you are still reading at this point, you can follow this link to the article here. Posted by Rob.

This is part one of the Mundo Popular 2 evening at La Brasserie de l'Institut Franco-Japonais. The DJ portion, actually part two, was posted first. Posted by Rob.