The Sydney Morning Herald reports: Thousands of Japanese have been swindled in a scam in which they were sold Australian and British sheep and told they were poodles. Flocks of sheep were imported to Japan and then sold by a company called Poodles as Pets, marketed as fashionable accessories, available at $1,600 each. That is a snip compared to a real poodle which retails for twice that much in Japan. The scam was uncovered when Japanese moviestar Maiko Kawamaki went on a talk-show and wondered why her new pet would not bark or eat dog food. She was crestfallen when told it was a sheep. Then hundreds of other women got in touch with police to say they feared their new "poodle" was also a sheep. One couple said they became suspicious when they took their "dog" to have its claws trimmed and were told it had hooves. Japanese police believe there could be 2,000 people affected by the scam, which operated in Sapporo and capitalised on the fact that sheep are rare in Japan, so many do not know what they look like.
Dan shared this little tidbit with me and I thought I would spread the smiles. I do not by any means believe that the Japanese are this gullible and suspect this is an urban legand in the making. But it was funny!
Dan and I headed to the big town of Langley WA on Whidbey Island to see "Pan's Labrynth". If you are at all squimish do not go see this movie. It is a bit gory to say the least. It is also not the most uplifting movie one would ever choose to see. It is however, very well done and compelling and on the whole I liked it a lot. Dan had all sorts of ways that he would "Americanize" it but then Dan likes colorized versions of classic black and white movies!! I apologize for him since he wont!
For those of you who do not know what "Pan's Labrynth" is about here is the synopsis: As the movie opens in 1944 Spain, 12-year-old Ofelia (superb Spanish actress Ivana Baquero) travels with her very pregnant mother, Carmen (Adriana Gil), to the countryside estate of Ofelia's new stepfather, the fascist Capt. Vidal (Sergi Lopez).When Ofelia gets to the estate of her new stepfather she discovers that Captain Vidal does not have any interest in her or any true love for Carmen. He is only interested in his son (the baby that Carmen is carrying).Carmen in the meantime is having a horrible pregnancy and it is making her extremely ill. Ofelia in an attempt to deal with the horrible situation she finds herself in discovers a fantasy world into which she can escape. These fantasies are doosies let me tell you... Nasty, cleaver, and just downright awful characters inhabit them!!
The step father is trying very hard to eliminate the Republican resistance to Franco's regime. In the meantime we discover that members of the step fathers staff are aiding the resistance. The movie allows us to become involved in these characters as well as Ofelia and by moving between these characters allows a full vision of this time in history.
The hardest thing about this story was the reference to fairtales and folk lore that i have long since forgotten. You know what it is like when you kind of remember something and it sits back there and tickles your brain? Well, that is where i was last night..
Perhaps that is simply because I am an adult and unable to imagine a fairy tale kingdom any more.
I give this movie a rating of 2shots!!
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