chewbakayaro comments

Bring back that crucified Santa that urban legend claims once graced the holiday decorations in Japan.

I'd ask the Pres to go surfing with me so that the Secret Service would force the other Shonan surfers - especially the ones with bad attitudes - to keep 500 meters away. We could talk about how we could bring world peace by taking over the world.

Seriously, I would talk to him about education and the lessons (good and bad) to be learned from how it's done in Japan. The only way for Americans to lift themselves out of their quagmire of poverty, crime, and drugs is to give everyone a decent education and provide decent role models.

19 is considered a minor in Japan? Geeez!

I like her sly smile. I've yet to hear her English, though - might help motivate my students.

Tahoochi, point well made. So unless absolutely necessary, parents, spare us from having to endure one of the most head-splitting sounds known to humanity: a baby wailing. (Of course when/if I have my own kid, I'll ignore everything I've just typed.)

It would be nice if the Japanese (the French, the Americans, etc.) wouldn't mind learning a few of the local phrases to show respect to the people hosting you and hoping to get your money.

Yes, I expect parents with babies and brats to not fly. Nor take the train, at least not ride in the carriage I'm in. They should only be allowed to drive, bike, or walk to reach their vacation destination.

Also, no babies and brats in restaurants, at least not the ones I eat in. Parents - learn to cook. Your kids will be healthier and I'll be happier.

Trust me, in a setting where it's hard for people to escape, when you approach with a baby in your arms, customers, passengers, flight attendants, waiters, whoever, is thinking, "Oh no!"

As I've written before, the U.S. should bring all of their troops home and let these countries fend for themselves, especially where American troops are seen as a nuisance. If protection is needed, then write a letter to the U.N. We all know how well their sanctions work at bringing about world peace.

She looks like a salad with a big nose.

He looks like the parquet floor of the Fleet Center (a.k.a. The Boston Garden). Basketball fans, you know what I'm talking about.

Still, this country (and world) could use a few more smiley faces.

"You don't watch a lot of baseball do you?"

Nah, baseball garners the same kind of interest in me as that funny little European game where they kick a ball around and don't use their hands.

But Ichiro is rather uptight. That's why he's not really popular in that un-uptight of areas: Kansai.

Perfect example of distraction marketing. No wonder the environment is going down the tubes.

Yankees = the most expensive team money can buy.

Congrats to Matsui. He seems like a stand-up guy who knows how to relax and enjoy the game, unlike that uptight, robotic Ichiro.

Thank goodness Japan is such a safety country that even a warmonger like W can be greeted with some modicum of civility. He probably can't appear in public again in the U.S. without being spat at. What's the equivalent in Japan of tossing your shoe at his noggin (as some brave soul did in the Middle East)?

Hostessing is just a step above prostitution. The fact these men would pay for getting their ego stroked is something that still strikes me as bizarre, until I think that a lot of wallet-chasers in the States do the same thing when dating celebs or bankers, but less bluntly. And don't get me started on the eikaiwa and private "English teachers"...How much bull-crap do they have to dish out to keep the students interested and paying 4000 yen/hour.

And the whole thing about hostesses not sleeping with their customers...puhleeeeze! If these girls are in it for the money, then there are certainly a few more things they are willing to do to pad their retirements - which should be around 40 given the damage onslaughts of smoke and booze brings on.

I guess whether or not these girls get your juices flowing depends on whether or not you live in Japan. Living here for 10 years has kind of jaded me, so seeing a hot bod, short skirts, and yes, summers at the beach, is kind of ho hum. My advice to you horn-dogs, move to Japan and be these women's gaijin god.

I ate at the 3-star Joel Roebuchon's Atelier in Roppongi Hills, and it was one of the least satisfying meals I've ever had. The highlight was the bread.

I say there should be Michelin guide for ramen - the most satisfying meal in Japan. Seriously, my mouth is salivating, my heart is palpitating, and my blood pressure is through the roof just thinking about all that fatty, salty goodness.

Not any different than what you would see on a Shonan beach in the summer. Bodies are soooo average. Honestly, you guys commenting sound like a bunch of horny teenagers who've never seen a girl wearing underwear...or maybe you actually haven't. Gimme a girl with little more shape and sex appeal.

60 looks like, "Duh, why am I here again?"

Only 300 fans? No match for that Harry Potter lookalike Yon-sama. He usually pulls, like, 1000 or so obachans at Narita.

I'm not a big fan of the divas and their wagamama attitudes, but props to Mariah for lasting this long in the music biz. She's definitely got a set of pipes, so I hope she belts out something on Music Station that'll show these copycat Japanese "singers" how it's done.

Free willies! Wonder what would have happened if they were female streakers instead.

Go to Vietnam and have your suits tailor made there, at half the price.

Aya seems to be the picture of the day every other day - probably the hardest working woman in showbiz.

I have the same series of expressions on my face when I'm sitting on the toilet. Seriously, a dose of steroids and melanoma with that beefcake perhaps?

How old are you, JasUK?

I wouldn't care if their fans were prepubescents coming of age; every generation has to have their own version of the Spice Girls or New Kids on the Block. But this AK-47 group seems to hold some kind of weekly event outside of Yokohama Blitz on the weekends, and the fans lining up outside the arena for this are an indication of a major reason why the Japanese birthrate is down - repressed geeks and pervs well, well beyond puberty.

All she has to do is as they do in Hollywood and Bollywood - sleep around with a few of the industry folks. She'll be back on the big screen in no time.

I saw her at the beach once several years filming a drama - cute as heck, I thought. Then she got all diva-ish - including some pretty wild hair, clothes, and make-up - so then I turned my attention to Kuroki Meisa - gorgeous as heck, I thought. No doubt the Yamato casters were reading my mind when they decided to replace Erika with Meisa.

By the way, Battleship Yamato was an old cartoon from back in the 80s that hooked me like Melrose Place did for the young 1990s crowd. A movie version would be a pretty sweet ride.