Bendrix comments

As an Asian, I can't say I'm offended. But it's annoying the app makers lied. Japanese anime characters usually have big exaggerated eyes.

Exactly what I meant. Passive aggressive, holier-than-thou anger towards anyone who dares question it. That's not the spirit of a supposedly good cause. That's just forced charity.

The outcome of this charity drive is good and it was designed effectively, though it does rely on a hefty bit of guilt-tripping and peer pressure. It's like people who are wacky on Halloween but totally buttoned up the rest of the year. Is it genuine? An act to fit in? Do they really wish to be this way all the time but are afraid to be or need a catalyst? Just doing it for the heck of it? Cynicism about this is annoying but so is the sanctimonious treatment of anyone who question it. People should be free to do whatever they want.

Imagine having to walk around all day with tiny strips of adhesive stuck to your eyelids. That sounds kinda uncomfortable.

As long as no fish, fowl or other meats in say a soup or a sauce, they can actually be left out overnight and longer during 3/4 of the year. Eggs are left out all day in super markets desho?

They have to be in a refrigerated case here in my country. About the only place you'll find them left out is at a Farmer's Market, and then you're expected to refrigerated them as soon as you get home.

Eggs have a cuticle which provides a natural barrier to microbes. As long as they're fresh they can be kept at room temperature. Cooked foods should be refrigerated as soon as they've gone below a heated temperature that prevents the growth of bacteria. Most Japanese-style bento kept in the open air would not be acceptable according to US food regulations.

I think another reason they do it is to signal the start and end of their task. In formal situations, I think Japanese like to have clear cut starting and ending points.

Re: Kobuta Chan

A lot of Japanese restaurants in New York have similar situations where the Japanese owners hire young Japanese under the table. Most of these establishments are cash only too for customers - I'm guessing as a way to pay less in taxes. It's infuriating to think of these sleazy older Japanese people exploiting their own countrymen because they can gain their trust. Younger Japanese people should really learn to be a little less naive when overseas - you even have to keep your guard up when dealing with other Nihonjin, which is not to say be scared of everything.

I've also heard some horror stories in New York of resident Japanese taking advantage of younger Japanese people visiting or studying in the city, like an "intern" who did unpaid garment work with the implicit hope of getting some kind of work visa at the end. On her last day, the boss didn't even show up.

A big part of it is the insecurity and inferiority complex Chinese and S Koreans have towards Japan. Japan has been a global economic powerhouse for decades, and Japanese culture is very popular, admired and respected throughout the world.

This is a very simplistic explanation. It's somewhere along the lines of "They're just jealous," which sounds like a schoolyard taunt. Is this really the best you can come up with? Also, why do people always bring up the topic of Japanese restaurants run by Chinese and Koreans? The main reason for that is money, the bottom line. It's kind of a cheap dig, one that relies mostly on implication to get its point across without looking at the real reason for it. I happen to live near a taco restaurant run by Caucasians. Are these people simply insecure and wanting to be Mexican? It's really frustrating that the level of conversation on this topic usually hovers near the level of schoolyard bickering and mudslinging. Come on, you guys, you can do better than this, right?

But the fact is that none talks about the financial aid that Japan has offered to these countries and usually Japan responds quickly to natural calamities like earth quake or flood hit these nations!

A lot of aid also flowed the other way during the Fukushima disaster.

Most of these comments are laying all the blame on "China and South Korea" and absolutely none on Japan. Does that sound right to you guys? I don't think it's an all or none proposition. A lot of Japan's politicians seem to be afflicted with a serious case of megalomania and inability to have very sophisticated thoughts.