Damn, Lady, Rock On

ozarque posted a link to a blog charmingly titled "Granny Gets a Vibrator". I suspect most of my female friends are going to turn out at least as cool as this lady. (Hell, I hope I turn out as cool as this lady . . . )

Chocolate and Movies About Tax Collectors . . .

-Last night at the Diesel, ricevermicelli was talking about an instance of corporate malfeasance in Japan, and reminded me of a movie I think she'd like. I couldn't remember the name then, but managed to track it down today: Marusa no Onna/A Taxing Woman. (The Japanese title actually translates to, more or less, "A Woman of the Tokyo Regional Taxation Bureau," sans pun.)

-The heroine is a member of Marusa, which resembles a secret strike force that happens to work for the Japanese IRS. Tax evasion in Japan is a high art, and Marusa conduct undercover operations, followed by SWAT-style tactical assaults, to get the evidence needed to prosecute. The movie isn't brilliant, but it's very entertaining, particularly if you have an interest in tax law. (E.g., before she's promoted to the strike force, we see the heroine explaining to a grocery store owner that he still needs to pay taxes on food he takes for his family's consumption, because it still counts as a sale even if no money changes hands, "But I'll be generous, and only value it at wholesale prices." Call me demented for finding this interesting, but . . . )

-From the director of Tampopo, if that helps.