DJ_Fuzz comments

Aki's waist is so slim she could use a Cheerio as a belt!!!

Insane.

How people can get up in the morning knowing that the train ride is going to be like this, I just can't imagine. (as a Shizuoka-ite)

On a related note, I see at least 7 groping incidents just waiting to happen. (maybe that's exactly how the groper gets 'up' in the morning?)

Nessie, once again, you win.

I think the caption SHOULD read:

"Actress Aya Ueto, 24, who is the image character for everything sold in Japan except for those items for which a member of SMAP is the image character. . . ."

kujiranikusuki-san brings up an interesting, and not completely unrelated, point. (although the moderator will probably tell us to "get back on topic people")

The freedom of speech elemenet is important, but in Japan there is a serious lack of respect for peace & quiet. Buses with never-ending recorded messages. Shinkansen and train conductor announcements which repeat the same information that the automated recording just finished spewing. Retail shops with constant and overly loud music/announcements/jingles.(Grocery stores and electronics shops being amongst the worst offenders. . .)

". . .questionable, evasive and deceptive legal tactics when sued." ". . .hidden the existence of tests that would be harmful to its legal position" ". . .claimed key material was difficult to get" ". . . withheld potentially damaging documents" ". . .dragging it out as long as possible”

As if the same couldn't be said for all those morally upright tobacco companies and pharmaceutical companies?

This is a witch hunt that would make ole McCarthy himself proud. Not saying that Toyota is completely innocent; just saying that what they are in fact guilty of is of being a 'company'. Please refer to http://www.thecorporation.com/

But hey, at least it takes America's mind off its 'own' (ie GM, Ford) pathetic auto industry. (oops, well there is the small fact that Toyota is a major employer in America and that a large percentage of their U.S. sold cars are made in America. Oh well.)

In the article, the co-worker is surprised because Maiko-chan didn't wear high-heels, didn't wear much make-up, didn't seem to care for accessories, wore grey suits everyday and mainly just attended to visitors.

The woman worked in a municipal office (city hall?) in Oita, for crissakes. If she had done anything OTHER than what is listed above, she would have been hammered down like any other nail that sticks up! (ESPECIALLY as a civil servant!)

These same naive salarymen would be surprised by how many of the 地味 (by day) office-ladies around them are working in the 'water-business' at night.

Someone tell that woman on the left that Pat Benatar wants her silver leggings back!

Couldn't agree with Branded more. If the average viewer can spot several mistakes (I saw at least 3) in Mao's performance, how does she deserve to get the silver? Rochette desrved silver and Miki-T bronze. (Sorry, I didn't see Mirai-chan.)

The judging (point-scoring system) in figure skating has gotten much better over the past few years, but it is like saying the referees in WWF wrestling have lately been quite reasonable.

Kim whooped everyone, fair and square. Flawless, expressive, elegant. She basically put on a clinic.

This 'comedy' group would have troubles being less funny.

"I know what would be reeeallly funny: let's through confetti in the air every time we make a 'joke' "

Yeah, that's reeeaallly funny guys.

The group is as disposable as the guitars they are promoting.

Go back to hosting t.v. programs for infants wankers.

I hope you are correct, Maria-san.

I also have no doubt that this was a well-planned (and veiled) compromise by the organizers to appease all sides. Very Japanese situation management. (I'm not saying "very bad", only "very Japanese")

"We will allow it in the festival." (so the public,foreign press, and the film-makers can't complain)

"The film will not be included in the competition portion." (which means it has no chance to gain extra publicity by winning, so other film-makers will not complain)

"Unfortunately it is too late to include it in the pamphplets or PR material and the scheduling hasn't even been decided." (which means in fact it will only be seen by a small percentage of those who would otherwise see it, so our sponsors and the government can't complain about negative fall-out)

"We can't tell you how we came to the decision." (so the people who were against this decision in our organization will not lose face or complain)

Very well handled indeed.

In the end, showing the film is better than not showing the film, so I guess we should be satisfied. (?)

This is one of those rare heartwarming stories where not a single person involved could be worth our pathos.

Oshio: a washed up nobody (at 31) who does nothing while someone next to him is dying. Married, but alone with naked hostess in apartment.

A-san: no angel herself. worked in kyabakura, child out of wedlock, married and divorced, hostess

"her only goal was to open her own club in Ginza some day."

That's like all the waiters in L.A. who are someday gonna be scriptwriters or Hollywood stars.

B-san: frequents kyabakura, married and divorced due to extra-marital affair(s)

Hate to throw stones, but this is like a tragic comedy.

Hugh Jackman? Great actor. Very smart guy. Always seems nice, genuine, and personable.

He brings 'metro sexual' to a whole different level; more like 'shinkansen sexual'.

Full props due to him.

Wolverine? No. The Prestige? Yes.

And don't even start me talking about Naomi Cougarshima.

On another Sunday afternoon, Nori-P left her home with her son. The husband was absent. Around 7 p.m., she came out again and returned an hour later. The husband was not seen throughout the day.<<<

Wow, sure sign of a pending divorce! (In which case, 80% of the households I know of are heading for divorce.)

In the caption for the photo, shouldn't there be sarcasm-laced quotation marks around "stars" ?

Nurse13, Thank you for the clarification. I whole-heartedly agree with you that those types of facilities should be taking every possible measure to ensure that the people in their care remain IN their care. (ie. the residents aren't able to leave unchecked, etc.)

That is, of course, what those facilities are for.

Unfortunately, those facilities ARE NOT designed or managed with the intention of preventing the intrusion of a gun-wielding mad-man. Nor can or should they be.

It is a pretty sad day when we are contemplating the necessity of setting up some kind of security perimeter around a facility which provides a sanctuary for the most senior and relatively defenseless members of our society.

What's next, armed guards and metal detectors at day-care centres, libraries, hospitals, kindergartens, etc?

Please understand, Nurse13, I am not taking issue with your stance. I am taking issue with the fact that a society has digressed to the point that someone actually needs to even consider a stance such as yours.

The much wiser, classier, and more succinct Cleo has summed it up correctly. (please see above)

Nurse13,

I'm sorry, I have to ask this, but:

Are you being sarcastic?

How does she get from the set of American Idol to Omotesando so quickly? Especially in THOSE shoes!?!?

I mean, I saw her just last night judging America's best and brightest on Fox with Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell.

I gotta go take a cold shower.

Even compared to the normal tripe that one finds in the Entertainment section of Japan Today (or any other news source), this is really scraping the bottom of the barrel!

'News' indeed.

This place is a museum. And the Hard Rock Cafe is free public-access "food-viewing" center.

"Japan Allround Music cited increases in rent and other factors as reasons for the decision to close down"

It seems they forgot to mention "And also, we are selling merchandise from artists that haven't mattered for approximately 35 years. So really, it's a wonder we've lasted this long."

Prague,

Now you've gone and done it! You're gonna overload the server with all the "Japan in a Nutshell/Foreigner Philosophy 101" crap you are about to be drowned in!

Enjoy!