竹

This is an incredibly simple but brilliant invention that is still found in Japan. Forget throwing away old pencils because they are too small. Just whack it in one of these pencil holders.



The subject should read 竹 or "take" (bamboo). As previously mentioned, I am currently making a documentary on Mr. Tanaka my bamboo master. I didn't want to showcase too much of his personal work yet so instead I present a photo I took while getting some vision of bamboo this morning in a bamboo grove out Kyoto way. The fallen leaves provided a beautiful natural matress and I wanted to sleep there- unfortunately there were also gangs of giant vampire mosquitoes that wanted nothing more than a quick blood fix. I can promise you that this photo is not in any way doctored. In fact, I haven't even adjusted the colours or levels.

And a Cho Seung-Hui update. Finally google images gives you a picture of him within the first page of results. But I should also point out that his face came as the 17th result. This is after a photo of an infant giving someone the finger, and three bare breasted ladies. I don't know what it tells you, but for me it is my little experiment and I am enjoying this research.