Amazing leap forward in toilet stall technology

I came across a wonderful invention in the New Otani Hotel in Tokyo a couple of days ago. This is a significant advance in civilization - so I'm surprised I hadn't heard of it earlier. It's a sliding bathroom stall door that eliminates the need to stand on top of the toilet so you can open the stall door inwards without falling back onto the toilet or straddling it. Of course the new technology requires instructions. Note that the diagram includes instructions on both how to close the door AND on how to reverse the process and open it. I'm proud to say I had it figured out by step 2.

Now if they can just figure out a way to raise the toilet paper dispenser to a level that doesn't require you to stand on your head to unroll it.

Yo-Yo Ma in Yokosuka

Last Thursday I had the good fortune to go see Yo-Yo Ma perform at Yokosuka City's concert hall. I had first seen him perform at the Hollywood Bowl many years ago when I lived in LA and had just watched him perform as part of the Goat Rodeo Sessions band on the Colbert Report a few days ago. He always seems like such a nice guy - not at all full of himself. And so versatile! From classical to blue grass and beyond.

Watching him from 40 feet away in Yokosuka I could see the emotion in his face. He was working so hard I could imagine that after an hour of such intense effort he must be drained. Even sitting down playing his cello he was straining every muscle. And he was, as I expected, very gracious to all of the other unhighlighted musicians in the orchestra. He repeatedly called the audiences attention to their efforts, asking them to bow as he pointed them out. If you ever get a chance to see him in person - you won't regret it.