How Do I Post a YouTube Link on a Blog?

Good question. (You do not need a YouTube account.)
Look at the first image. To the right you will see the URL link for sending the link to people in emails. Directly under that is the "embed" code which you paste into your post. YouTube has recently added a neat little tool (GUI) for you to select size and the color of the frame around the vid screen. Notice to the right of the embed code area that I have circled, there is a little blue cog wheel icon? Click that and the options for size and color will appear as in the second image here. After you select the color and size, go back to the embed window, left click on the code, select all (ctrl+a) copy it (ctrl+c) then paste it into your blog post (ctrl+v).

Note: While in compose mode in your blog post, you will not see the embedded code...cuz it's embedded...so I recommend typing in edit html mode.

That answers your question, but let me expand upon that info. Default settings do not give you a "wrap around" text effect. To get the thing to blend in with your text nicely when you post a vid link within your text, you will need to add some code. If you are in edit html mode, that will be easy enough. Your embedded text will look like this:

<object width="425" height="264"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YUmUUV0SSwA&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0xe1600f &color2=0xfebd01"> </param> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param>
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YUmUUV0SSwA&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0xe1600f& color2=0xfebd01" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="264"></embed> </object>

Notice I put "true" and width in bold text. In your code, add this bit between "true" and width to make your text wrap around your YouTube video link.

style="margin: 5pt 10px 5px 5pt; float: right;"

Don't leave out the quotes. Float: right to put your vid image on the right of your post, or float: left to get it on the left side. When finished your code will look like this:

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fHtAkM3CYLA&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0xe1600f& color2=0xfebd01"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fHtAkM3CYLA&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0xe1600f& color2=0xfebd01" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" style="margin: 5pt 10px 5px 5pt; float: right;" width="320" height="265"></embed></object>

The Great Artists that Infected my Life

I have always wondered how the mind of great artists work throughout my life. Over time I have found wondering is not the pertinent question?, understanding, appreciation, and knowledge is the real subject. Sometimes it comes easier than other times.

I have looked deeply in to the works from old masters to realists, from surrealists to contemporary art figures, photographic artists and pop-art icons, Native artists, animators, cartoonists, illustration masters, musical artists, The lists go on and on....... (thinking about it)-we are getting DEEP here, you can even consider types of sport to to be "art form". And for that matter, living a day in this world to be comparable to a artistic ballet of sorts, with all the beauty, sadness, good shit and inappreciable bullshit that goes with any fine piece of artwork, which is an art form I am still trying to master. And one day I am finally going to "GET IT"...just like everybody else, a few moments before I die. Anyway....

Some artists I can understand quickly, others more time is necessary, and still others it takes years to come to appreciate the fine nuances of their work.

Being the Omnipotent master of my own space, time and delirium- it is my prerogative and my duty to have my own fucking opinion!, which in "our world" is subjective to time, feelings, circumstance, and the opinions of that angel on my right shoulder and the Devil on my left....uhh...ya?.

Art itself is what, and where you find it. From the fine brush strokes in a high end gallery, to the poofs of paint spray on the side of a train car, all of which I think are such beautiful things!

That being said and moving forward.......

The next installment of Great Artist in the series that infected my life......is.....

The Great C. Jamesson.

He works well with many types of media, skills and perceptions. He is a Genius of epic proportions with a beautiful mind!. Like I believe Amedeo Modigliani did-(and this nude reminds me of in a way),-he understands the love, suffering, joys, and disappointments of a great life-all the while being filled with inner turmoil, delicious selfishness, silly-ness and a conspicuous erection, I'm sure. He has an opinion, a place, and a severe lack of direction like many masters have had but a powerful focus when necessary. He also has a skewed outlet for his fiery and turbulent inner self-(Fantastic!). In my opinion, I think he has never given himself the credit (((I think he deserves)))....I love his works.

Here is a little "bump in the nug" for him.....maybe I will get another piece for my collection out of it someday, luckily he is still alive!!!......If I had known Andy Warhol before he died- I would have given him a selfish pat on the back as well, hoping for selfless generosity. I am happy to call him one of my closest friends. Here are just a few tasty examples of past work I enjoy, check the kitty below it is cool as well..!

Huge List of Borrow Words

Schucks, I had planned to create a new web page just for writing down borrow-words that exist in Japan, but it looks like not only have other speakers of Japanese beat me to it, but there is a very detailed list on Wikipedia that has in part thwarted my idea, but also done my work for me.

GAIRAIGO refers to Japanese vocab that is made up entirely of foreign words. I have been saying for a while that Japanese is going to be half foreign words in another 50 years, and betting that Japanese may only be spoken by linguists and old Japanese people in 100 years. I come to this conclusion because of the massive amount of foreign words that are being imported into the Japanese language on a daily basis. I cannot help but think I am watching the way our own American English was formed.

British English already had plenty of influences, but given that the USA is a country composed almost entirely of immigrants, and not to forget that some indigenous words have found their way into the language, American English just had to expand, and continues expanding, at an alarming rate.

I could have posted this list on my regular blog, but since I want to keep the list up for a while I figured the best way to do that was just start a new blog page. (Besides, I seem to be addicted to composing HTML code). At first I was just going to post the words I knew myself, but after taking the time to craft an entirely new blog I happened upon this list in Wikipedia and just STOLE it outright.

The list is GARGANTUAN so I am just going to give you a link to the post. My blog template art is worth seeing anyway. (Heh!) Composed of a repetition of a lamp I have above my dresser, and a painting of my old cat Ebisu. Enjoy.

gairaiglish.blogspot.com

It Crawls Across Your Arm

Urwerk makes some crazy great watches, that’s for sure. Their latest line speaks to me. Combining a very unique design with some clever alloys, you end up with a watch that looks like nothing else currently on the market.

Featuring four satellites that rotate around a cross, creating a rather stunning effect when the watch changes time. The designers say that the watch has been inspired by the tarantula, which seems to be a bit of a stretch to me.

Amazing models in the line.

Urwerk Tarantula -top

Urwerk Hexagon Black-lower left
Urwerk Titanium Aluminum Nitride -lower center

Urwerk 201 Blackshark-lower right

Bottom line, if you want something that looks very unique, and will definitely make a statement, this may be the watch for you. There doesn't appear to be much pricing information available online, but with the Tarantula model being limited to a run of 60 of each color it’s going to be one of those, “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it” situations I'm sure.

Looking further I have found......

It is rumored to be around 65,000 Swiss Francs, plus tax. which equals about $56,035 USD+Tax. I would figure the Blackshark to be even more expensive?

Watch The Video Here and another Here

Exclusive Motorcycle Lanes (EMLs)...There is a name for my dream?

Well, that last post sure got a lot of attention, so I will move on to another topic that may inspire rapid commentary. Hope so.

I think we should have motorcycle lanes that cars cannot use. I feel especially strongly about this when I think that our bikes will be almost entirely inaudible in the new future, but also for safety reasons. Perhaps it is because I live in a country where motorcycle riders are still considered a nuisance*, but I distinctly feel more in danger of my life riding here in J-pan than ever before. The tailgaters here are incredible, and after a near miss I find myself wishing I was armed with...a rocket launcher to defend myself against them. I don’t like feeling like that, I am out there to gain some peace of mind. Really, I can be going 85mph and a car will ride up my ass so fast, expecting that I will move off that I actually feel I am going to be rammed, and that happens several times, every time I go touring. Then there was that recent event where a car driver actually began attacking me and Mika with his car, but I would prefer not write about that again because I actually wish pain and horror on that person, not a feeling I am proud of. Basically, riding here is not as enjoyable as riding in Washington was just because of the “Hunted” feeling I get. This does make me feel glad that we CAN’T carry guns here, because I think more bikers would get shot, and I already have the urge. Now is a good time to mention that loud pipes would not help my safety in these types of situations one bit.

When younger, either my dad or my brother used to carry ball-bearings in his pocket when riding in case of really violent tailgaters. I wouldn’t try such a thing because someone, including me, could die. You know me, I clearly do not want to shoot or otherwise endanger anybody, I just want to ride. But you can see by my frustration here that I feel much less safe on the road here. Giving up riding shouldn’t be the answer, because I am not the aggressor here. Increasing the amount of highway patrol to a Washington State level would cause regular speeders grief too, and I am not actually against the typical speeder, just the drivers who purposely aggress on others.

I assume that part of the source of this aggression, and why bikes are considered a nuisance, is that Japanese riders totally drive between cars, and it annoys car drivers who have to wait. I will follow bikes past a couple cars to the intersection on a really hot day because it is better than sitting in black under the sun, but I tend to just wait my turn otherwise. If I am part of a large group, in an unfamiliar town (Splendor touring) I follow them between cars, but I hate it. On the highway I really think that this should be dissuaded. Whenever I am with Hiroshi, and the highway traffic gets really slow, he will just go off in between cars. I sometimes use the "motorcycle shoulder" even though that is where all the little rocks and perhaps sharp things are. That is just a term I made up, here in Japan there isn't a "shoulder" per se on the highway, it is usually a motorcycle or even a bicycle sized space between the lane and the wall, and you wouldn’t want to walk along the highway on it. In the city, every couple of kilometers there is a pretty large emergency turnout area (not as common out in the country). Still, I feel safer going between a wall and a car than 2 cars following Hiroshi. That shit really freaks me out. To go back to the aggressive driver point, without a shoulder, and with most Japanese highways being walled in (noise barriers for communities around the highway) there is absolutely nowhere to escape violent drivers except hiding amongst the cars.

I would like a bike-only diamond lane, and I think in Japan that is actually reasonable given the amount of bikes out there. That carpool lane in Seattle would actually be pretty sweet here, so maybe a full-on bike lane would not be necessary. I am willing to try either solution actually. Getting more bikes on the road would help get us either lane too.

* Bikes are not as loved in Japanese vehicular society as in the States because while we have the aging motorcycle “Gangs” they don’t actually cause regularly occurring trouble, whereas bikes here ride between cars every day, even on the highway, scooters not only ride between cars, the riders shut off their engines and coast through the cross-walks and then start up their engines and continue riding on the road again, and Bosozoku still ride in packs revving their engines up high in a droning and raucous repetition at around 3-4am.

Note 2: While looking for pics for this post, I found that London and Malaysia have motorcycle lanes. The London one impresses me quite a bit more given the size of the city.

Electric Motorbikes

Just read a post about the Mission One electric motorcycle (Mission Motors) on "the Kneeslider". Apparently the Mission One goes 150mph, has a 150 mile range, and has 100fp of torque. NO GEARS! I say unto you, "Wtf". If you and me had better jobs, I would suggest we all meet on Fantasy Island and go buy one. More specs and drooly photos are available on the Kneeslider link above.

A little while ago I saw this You Tube video about the world's fastest electric drag bike. Meca Cool. In this vid, Scotty Pollacheck does the 1/4 mile in 7.82sec@168mph. (Just so you know, the fastest top-fuel drag bike record is L. McBride, .25mile in 5.74seconds.)

Many people are concerned about the LACK of sound of an electric bike, or the look. The look does bother me I admit, but not enough to keep riding a gas bike if I had the choice between the two. What people are missing is the point that we are just NOT going to be able to keep riding our gas bikes for much longer, and moreover, we shouldn't even be riding them NOW.

I love motorcycles, but basically whenever we ride or drive a car, we are saying, "I love my gas slurping vehicle more than you Earth. I am more important than you are." That ain't a cool thing to say to our grandma. We need 'Lectric bikes NOW. (Edit: Apparently electric is not very good for the environment EITHER, so...shit.)

As I wrote on that guy's blog, style and sound were really important for me before. But I had ZERO bikes for 5 years, and that really, really sucked. I started riding a brand bike that I would never have ridden before (unless it were very cheap or free) with almost no sound at all, or at least nothing like my straight-piped 74 CB750. BUT! I frickin got over it...mostly. I would RATHER have this or that, but it is a motorcycle and I can go places that I wanna see, and feel the wind and wear leather without looking like I am cruising for bizarre sex. Wind and leather are more important to me than sound or even bike design.

You know I am not pushy about environmental issues, and I am on nobody's bandwagon. But even a goofy, dumb bastard can see that the world’s health and resource drain require us to either stop driving our beloved internal-combustion cars and bikes now, or keep riding them in an ugly world not worth touring through.

Personally, I need them to start being sold, like...today! That way I can keep riding a little longer on my evil gas bike, but be able to find an electric one I can afford in a few years. If we switch now, in about 10 years we will have more interesting variation in style and design to choose from too.

I would rather ride a soundless bike and still be able to ride one than say, view the old roads from a train seat because there ARE no more bikes…that would suck the most.

Retreat or Dodge?

Well gosh, it sounded like a good idea when I thought it. "Screw translation, I'll just go back to working in a motorbike shop." And I have thought it before, but the pay is really bad. But translation is just not bringing in much either... other than hand-wringing frustration. I have registered with over a dozen agencies in the past year, and still end up waiting around for weeks on end with no projects.

A few months ago I was translating company reports, one after the other, detailing how they were going into the red, and a couple of letters telling customers how the company would no longer be able to offer discounts due to the state of the economy. And last week, I got a copy of a memo myself from one of my translation agencies which read, "Due to the harsh economic climate, translators are now asked to be extra careful in checking and editing their own translations, as we will no longer be employing checkers." Meaning that they have canned their checker/editorial staff! I have pretty much decided that my "slow first year" in translation may very well be a "shit second year" too.

So the other day I went to talk to my buddy Shin, over at the Panhead Heaven Saloon here in Kujo about what paint/custom bike shops he might know. Shin reminded me that this may not be the best time to try to get back into the "I have too much money, I think I will blow a couple thousand bucks on my bike" industry. And that is a valid point. The BMW shop I went to last year to adjust my fuel injectors? They just sent us a postcard that said that they have closed. It was a big ass shop, with at least a dozen guys. They went bankrupt and the owner skipped town *. A custom bike shop in Osaka has folded, and one of Japan's best well-known custom shops "Phoenix" in Kyoto is gone now too. Just not a good time for expensive hobbies.

But regardless, I put my name in the works. Shin knows just about anybody who does any business with motorcycles in the area, and should at least get a feel for what places I might at least apply for a job, or which shops have their bosses eye-balling the ledge of the roof.

Now...I wrote this, and Nami just informed me that she is taking a PT job with a Japanese shipping company (like Fed Ex/UPS). She is going to work PT while I keep taking whatever translation jobs come my way. Hmmm...so...so much for my post huh?

The Theory of Time...................?

New York,

Antiquorum Auctioneers in New York City on Oct 16 2008, auctioned a Longines gold watch dating from 1929 that had belonged to Albert Einstein, and was probably given to the famous physicist in Los Angeles in 1931. Albert Einstein, whose discoveries revolutionised our perception of time, frequently wore this sober, elegant timepiece.

The watch was auctioned to an anonymous bidder that purchased the timepiece for the total sum of USD $596,000-- over 2000 times the auction estimate! It has thus become the brand's product that has fetched the highest price ever at auction.

Ahhhh.....the theory of time.

Albert E time = Mucho Cash^squared

Stress Relief.

For relief of stress, I prescribe Robot Jim. I'm not talking about playing a game, rather just blowing shit up. And so follow the link in the image, click on "Cheats" and type in/paste in these words:



ashly - shoot faster
austimus prime - jump higher
sonic - run faster
snowball - unlimited bullets
fo show - all levels, all guns

But perhaps even more ridiculous is Rage 3. An insane stick figure with unlimited power. Again, this ain't about competition, it is about using 10min. to release mind numbing caused by stress that will otherwise waste hours of your day. (Actually I really prescribe working out, but some people are not into that.) Since I am in front of the computer trying to not only figure out what the Japanese writers mean, but am forced to use mock-English words that they have trade-marked, I need to shake the mind up a bit. A punching bag is really good for that. So are pushups. But hey, sometimes shit needs to be blown up by a flaming stick figure.

Faster game play - looney
Unlimited ammunition - bin
All weapons - rackem
Level 20 - adiosturdnuggets
Unlimited rage - prime
Invincibility - trashly

I know my wife loves me... she bought me Vietnamese coffee!

Trung Nguyen, Anh Yew Em. (I love you Trung Nguyen). I love the smell of Vietnamese coffee in the morning. Okay, well...perhaps that sounds like the least PC expression I could use to talk about a coffee from Vietnam, but it was my first thought this morning. No jokes, there is "something about" Vietnamese coffee that makes it smell like no coffee I have ever been around. It has the musky coffee smell to be sure, but there is almost a far-away flowery scent in there too. In fact, I would go so far as to say that it is a romantic scent, beckoning you to it. You know us Seattle folk, very into espresso and any kind of coffee really, but this aromatic stuff is like a gentle embrace for the taste buds and the olfactory glands. It brings a warm feeling into the chest, without any of the sharp bitterness that comes with some coffees...maybe it is love.

Not to worry, I ain't about to start kissing my coffee cup. I will say tho, it has been a while since I drank this particular blend of coffee and it fills me with glee. (heh!) Also, the Vietnamese really do use the preferred method for brewing coffee. It is something like a French press inside, but while the French version is more like a coffee torture device, the Vietnamese method (which I presume is not really from there) is much more laid back. You put the coffee and the hot water inside and the coffee falls into the cup when it feels like it. Being an impatient person, this gives the process nearly a ceremonial feel to it.

Something I learned from my coffee guru, is that espresso beans have more caffeine in the beans than the coffee used in drip machines, but the drip method keeps the coffee in the hot water longer, which brings more of the flavor and caffeine into the cup. So by this logic, I divined that I could make some rocket fuel coffee by putting espresso into a Vietnamese coffee press. That is what I take with me when I go camping. It is strong, and while it doesn't cure the back pain from sleeping on the ground, it does give you an iron-clad coffee high that makes you not care. This is the way to arise when outdoors. High on the serenity of nature and amped on Vietnamese rocket-fuel! So, the scent is wistful and serene, but it awakens the senses, and after you drink it you want to twist the throttle and ride into the sun.

Perhaps Vietnamese coffee is decanted enlightenment?

- Kaze the Magic Coffee Huffer

PS! A kind blogger out there let me know that "the taste is due to the blend of coffee beans. Arabica, Robusta, Excelsa, Catimor" which I had wanted to know for a few years now. ...Not that I was planning to go out and grow my own or anything, though some of you might be giggling right now since I do tend to be a bit of a DIYer. (There was that plan to raise my own sweet grass a while back.)

My best friends

By Request: My Springfield Pocket Watch

This is my watch. If you look at the larger version of the inside image, notice that it reads "19jewels; Illinois Springfield Watch 169; Adjusted 3 positions; 5429015". On the inside of the back cover it reads "Scepter 0130875" along with a very small bit of text and numbers which I assume is someone's Washington serial number to prevent theft. (My brother-in-law writes that number EVERYWHERE. If it were his watch, it would probably be scribed on the OUTSIDE cover!) Would be cool to find out the exact year it was made. Notice the cute little 2 blade, gold plated pocket knife? Even the chain is original. (I have written a longer "story" about my watch HERE.)

Watch Freak! AKA The Budget Collector...

Ok there is something about just about any watch I love. The fine precision movements, the unique history, the looks of an unusual watch. The fact is, I love timepieces so much it hurts. I can't afford most of them I love, but in this post I will give you some insight to collecting timepieces that may help "if only a bit" those that collect on a budget like myself.

If you are currently collecting on a budget, you may have looked at the various prices and Market Reports, as I do with horror!

When collecting on a budget, you need to zero in on an area to collect, be flexible, trust your instincts and be brave. Yes, that sound counter-productive, but it is the best way to develop a great collection.

Specialization (know yourself) --- decide exactly what lures you to purchasing a watch. Is it the overall style? Or is your interest limited to the cases or dials? Is it the quality of the movement? Are you drawn to complicated pieces (moonphase or chronographs, etc)? Do you buy watches to make a statement. Is the statement you want to make reinforced by style or by the name of the producer? Remember that you may have to pay dearly for a top producer, for example a wonderfully designed gold Lord Elgin, will probably cost 1/20th or less of an equivalently designed Patek Philippe. If you only require the style, get the Lord Elgin, if you require the best for personal pleasure or prestige, then you may have to pay for the Patek. ((Though if you are like me you may have to settle for the nice Hamilton or that cool Swatch)) The more you know of yourself and what you want in the wrist watch, the more likely you purchases will continue to call to you for years. This way, you'll avoid the feeling of wasting time and money regarding any watch purchased to fulfill your own desires. You should find that even when you go through a life change, most of the watches that were truly you, will continue to give you the pleasure of their company.

Flexibility -- you should never go shopping with the idea that you are going to buy a specific piece. This can lead to bidding wars online or a feeling of depression if that watch is not available at the show or store or is considerably more than what you are willing to pay. If at a watch show or an auction, look at everything! as this is where you get those great watches that you never considered. This may be difficult if you have decided that your collection will only consist of Patek Philippe chronographs -- then again, that would also mean that your version of a budget is considerably different from mine! The more limited your scope for your collection, the more likely you will go over budget on a specific watch.

Trust your instincts -- If you've taken the time to learn your collection area and understand the need for flexibility, then trust yourself to make solid buying decisions. If you are looking at a cool watch and it calls to you, if the price is reasonable, answer the call and take the watch home. Be Brave --- This does go with "trust your instincts." If your instincts say that this watch epitomizes who you are or makes the type of statement that you want to make, then go for it!, even if you have never heard the maker's name or there is no name listed at all. It is not unusual for fun well-made Swiss watches to be made by that most prolific of all makers, anonymous.

In particular, if you find yourself saying "that's the most unusual watch I've ever seen" and/or "I really like it" but it is a little more than you had planned to spend, spend it. If it is the most unusual piece you've ever seen, it is probably worth it and would be one of those watches that you will always regret if it did not follow you home.

Don't get carried away -- This is more important for wristwatch collectors as there are very few truly unique wristwatches.

So you have to know the next step, which is -- if the watch is priced considerably over what you want to spend (and your figure is realistic), let it pass and save your budget for another watch that calls to you at a reasonable price. However, never buy anything because the price is right --- only buy something that calls to you! -- it does not matter how cheaply you got a piece if you don't wear it, enjoy viewing it, or just feel content with owning it -- you've overspent.

In total, know yourself, know what you want in a watch, do the research and know the value of the types of watches that call to you, and buy those pieces (if reasonable) no matter the maker.

The Great Loris Capirossi ...Still Racing!

This will be the second installment or lo-down if you will, on some of the greatest racers in history...some still racing and some in future postings are not. I feel these racers haven't really got their due or have been overlooked through the annals of time.

Some were overshadowed by Superstars of the sport during their best years, or even by their own Superstar team mates. Some had improperly financed teams but did well despite this. Some have raced well for many years, but just have been overlooked by the lack of popularity of their sacred sports.

In this series of postings I hope to give them just a little bit of the spotlight they so very much deserve.

Loris Capirossi

I have followed Loris Capirossi's career since the early 90's. Though I often root for several riders in the same race, I always root for him in some capacity. I even took his number when I was racing in the early 2000's. He has been a constant in the sport throughout my love for Moto GP and very much deserves mention here.

125cc career

Loris made his World Championship debut at 125cc level, and in his first full season of GP he took his first title aged only seventeen. He finished in the top six on ten occasions, eight of them on the podium, and took wins in Britain, Hungary and Australia. The massed Italian contingent helped him out in the final round, but it was still an impressive achievement, with 182 points scored His second season (1991) was even better, and saw him defend the 125 title fairly comfortably. He was only once off the front row of the grid, and had five pole positions, as well as four fastest laps. From thirteen rounds, he was on the rostrum for twelve, and finished sixth in the other. He came second five times, and was a winner in Australia, Malaysia, and three European venues. Of his 225 points, 200 of them counted, and were plenty enough to help him move up to the 250s. During this second season, Loris Capirosssi and his team were sponsored by AGV Helmets and AGV Sport leathers.

250cc career

Capirossi moved up to 250cc class for the 1992 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season on a year-old bike. He led the championship in both 1993 and 1994 without winning it.

500cc career

The 1995 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was Capirossi's first season in the top-level 500cc championship, aboard a Pileri Honda, often qualifying better than he raced but still taking 6th in the series, before taking a win in 1996 for Wayne Rainey's Yamaha team.

Return to 250cc

Capirossi returned to 250cc championship for 1997, battling his Aprilia team-mate, Tetsuya Harada down to the final race of the 1998 season when the two riders were involved in a controversial incident in Argentina. Harada was leading the race into the final corner of the final lap when Harada's bike was rammed from behind by Capirossi's machine, sending the Japanese rider off the track. Valentino Rossi would pass both riders for the victory. Capirossi recovered to claim second place and the world championship but, Aprilia would release him during the off-season.

MotoGP

Capirossi returned to the 500cc championship for 2000, and has been there through its evolution to today's 800cc four-stroke MotoGP bikes. He won his home race in 2000, and 3 more en route to 3rd overall in 2001. 2002 was a less competitive year, hampered by a wrist injury. He was not given access to Honda's 4-stroke machine in late 2002 when team-mate Alex Barros was, as he was already to leave the team.
In 2003 he joined Ducati, taking their first win at Barcelona and 4th overall, before a slightly disappointing 2004 on a bike with huge straight line speed but a lack of grip. Still, he stayed on the bike more often than team-mate Troy Bayliss, and thus stayed in the team for a 2005 season which saw him become competitive by the end of the year, aided by improving Bridgestone tyres.

Capirossi at the 2005 Malaysian Grand Prix with Ducati (2003-2007).Capirossi and Ducati started the 2006 season with a striking victory and he had a second place in both the French and Italian grand prix, tying for first in Moto GP points with American Nicky Hayden. However, he was caught up in a multiple bike collision at the start at Barcelona, missing the restart and losing championship ground to Hayden. Though he was knocked out in this horrendous looking accident, he did not suffer very serious injuries beyond significant bruising. He returned for the next round, but a run of less competitive results saw him slip to 5th in the standings before the race at Brno. In this race he started 2nd, took the lead at the start, and pulled away from the field for an easy victory. He attributed this to a late setup change the team believe can be applied to the bike at all circuits. He moved up in the championship standings to finish 3rd overall, after taking second at the final race behind stand-in team-mate Troy Bayliss.

2007 was not as strong a season for Capirossi. Immediately following the conclusion of the 2007 USGP race at Laguna Seca, Ducati announced the signing of Marco Melandri and the extension of Casey Stoner's contract for the 2008 and 2009 seasons. This left Capirossi without a firm position on the Marlboro Ducati team; the possibilities were mooted to be a third position on the factory team, or an option to manage a satellite team. Capirossi was not informed of the decision before the story was released to the press, much to his displeasure.
On 16 August 2007, Capirossi announced that he would ride with the Suzuki factory team in 2008 and 2009 seasons, alongside Australian Chris Vermeulen.

Personal life

Married to Ingrid Tence, the couple reside in Monaco. Their first child, a boy named Riccardo, was born on 2 April 2007.
In August 2007, the Italian taxation authority announced that Capirossi is being investigated for suspected tax evasion in relation to an alleged undeclared earnings of €1.3 million (US$1.77 million) in 2002. The authority is already investigating London resident Valentino Rossi. Capirossi's manager Carlo Pernat told the press: "It's absolutely absurd. Loris really lives in Monte Carlo. I don't understand what they can hold against him. He doesn't own anything in Italy.

Loris has always been a Superstar!.....to me.....

Seriously.

How many of you watch BSG? This has been without a doubt, the best show I have ever seen. I am more into Battlestar Galactica than I was into Starblazers as a little kid. You guys aren't glued to the toob?

I watch very little television. Sumo wrestling, a Japanese stand-up comedy show called "Red Carpet" and BSG. The last few shows have been intense, but the past 5 years were all just as compelling. I watched the 2-parter pilot show and years 1-4, all within a few months last year. It only took me a year to watch it all because there was a writer's strike, and the show was off the air for half a year.

A buddy (Nick) told me that the show was awesome...3 years ago. I assumed I would not like it, because "TV is stupid". And actually I didn't like the very first episode I saw, but now I reckon it was because I watched one from the 2nd season without knowing any of the characters. Even the really awful people in the show have some redeeming qualities, and the angels have some evil in em' too. It is very well done, and easy to get "into". Recommend downloading, and watching 1. The pilot episode (2 part miniseries), seasons 1 and 2, the movie "Razor" and then seasons 3 and 4.

If you are a current watcher of BSG, and you want to read my thoughts on what the frak is happening now, and what I think will come to pass in the next few shows, be my guest. But, if you are thinking about watching the entire show from now, then don't read, because it will screw the entire thing up for you. ...no, really.

Let's All... SMOKE!!! Yeah! (cough, gasp)

Oh my my. I just went to the konbini (convenient store) and was checking out, and there was a big ol' "Black Impact" display there at the counter...I just had to start laughing. I often talk to the people behind the counter at my local Family Mart -- cuz they are the only people to talk at in the morning -- and today was no exception. COME ON! A cigarette named "Black Impact"?!

Japanese companies use English for almost every product I can think of, and absolutely nobody ever thinks to check with an English speaker before naming anything. Would you get a tattoo with a Chinese character before checking with someone to make sure it didn't read "pecker-head"? Well, some people are that dumb, but none of you are. So here we have an entire marketing industry that just does not care about correct, they care about the attractiveness of individual words, words that even Japanese people can read.

Black is very "In" right now. Japanese people have just begun to wear all black in their daily fashion. Until just a couple years ago, black suits were only for weddings, funerals and job interviews. Since I have been here, more Japanese men have begun wearing black to work. Women can wear black for formal events, but have also just begun wearing black casually. And so now, black is suddenly "IN". Do you have Coke Zero in the US? The black can? They have been marketing it here like it was the saviour of the beverage industry. I think it's awful, and not worthy of a fine black can. So it is no surprise that cigarette packaging would go black too. But nobody thinks about this shit. Impact of course also means "Impression" and clearly that is what they were attempting to say here, but instead you have "the heavy and negative impact of tar upon your lungs". Awesome.

Black impact is not the funniest by a long shot. HOPE is the best. Why? Yes, Hope is a funny name for a cigarette, but they are 3/4 size, so they are also called, "Short Hope" by the guys who smoke them. Another ironic name for a cigarette is "Infinity". "No, sorry." Peace is not a funny name, but it is still cute. "Before you haul off and smack your kid, smoke a Peace, and calm the fuck down." ...I should be in advertising! By the way, both Hope and Peace come in tiny little boxes, which ads to their harmlessly cute appeal. Below I put a collage of old Peace cigarette boxes from a Japanese blog I bumped into. Awesome packaging. Reminiscent of old matchbox designs. So! Smoke em' if ya got em?