A few weeks ago I planted rice with the 1st and 2nd year students at my Junior High School. The field was about 4 or 5 blocks from the school in a seemingly random area surounded by houses. I am not sure if the field belongs to the school or is privately owned. The students went in 2 goups (1st years, then 2nd) out to the field. Of course, before they went to the field the principle gave a speech (I have learned that speeches will happen before every event) and then a farmer told them the finer points to rice planting. Each group spent about 1 hour planting rice and then cleaning up after. I went with both groups and forgot my sunscreen, I was rewarded with a minor sunburn.

The students each took a small clump of rice plants, which contained about 40-60 small stalks of rice. They would break off about 2-4 stalks to stick into the mud. They kept the plants in nice rows by planting along a string which the teachers moved when the students where done with that row. Most of the girls screamed when getting into the ankle deep mud or whenever they saw an animal crawling threw the muck. Some of the boys started minor mud fights, getting incredibly dirty. Overall it was a hilarious spectackle.

More photos are here. Some videos: Getting Muddy - Planting Rice - Getting Clean

Jake Holmes, an American Folk-Pop singer dating back to the 60's, is sueing Led Zeppelin. Holmes claims to have written Dazed and Confused. In fact, he released the song on his 1967 album. Also in 1967, Holmes played the song when opening for the Yardbirds in Greenwich village. Yardbirds being the group Jimmy Page was in before Zeppelin. Page has always taken credit as the sole songwriter on Dazed.

After a listen, it sounds like Holmes has a rock-solid case but  I can't imagine letting something like this eat at you for 40 years.... and it obviously had. Page commented on Holmes' grousing in a 1990 interview.

10 years and a life spent mostly in alcoholism and bitterness... maybe... I mean we've all been there right? But 40 YEARS!?!

If successfull, the statute of limitations restricts Homes from recovering anything except royalties for the last three years. Still a tidy sum... but probably a scrap of what he could have been due.

A few weeks ago my Junior High School, Hokuyou, had its annual undokai (sports festival). In Japan every Elementary, Junior High, and Senior High school have these once a year, generally during spring or fall. Starting on monday the students begin to prepare for the undokai which is held on a Saturday or Sunday. Everyday the students practice for the various events and clean the schools field where the events takes place. The undokai is a spectator sport for the parents and family of the students. The event takes all day and many families have a picnic at the school.

At my school the students where divided into three teams designated by headbands (pink, purple, and yellow). Each team has a mix of students from 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades (ages 12-14). At the start of the event the principle gave a speech and then the students sang the school song and national anthem. After this the competitions began. The teams mostly competed in various relay races but there was also some tug of war matches and a jump rope competition. I got to participate with some of the other teachers in a relay race and the tug of war, the teachers won both times.

More pictures of Hokuyou Sports Festival.

I also took some videos, check them out: Log Race, Pole Race, and Sand Race.