KissMint comments

Some contact info would be nice. I may qualify for refunds on at least two flights.

Guess I'll just have to look into it myself... sigh...

:-)

Pictures here:

http://mainichi.jp/life/fashion/graph/20080909_2/

Tell me which Disney movies you've seen suicides in! Now that's something I'd like to know...

I don't use a dark pencil to "draw" new eyebrows on my face, nor do I wear fake eyelashes or heavy foundations and powders. I use minimal makeup to enhance my features, not create a new face altogether.

One thing I noticed when I moved to Japan was the heavily made-up faces and plucked-out/drawn-back-in eyebrows of women here. No, not all women, but a great majority. And it seems to me that J-women in general wear much heavier make-up than, say, North American and Australian women, which Japanese people (including Japanese guys) themselves have told me.

Just my observation...

Honey, we're all looking for Mr. Right. Every woman for herself...

I wonder what she looks like without makeup and her hair done by professionals.

Probably like most J-women do once they take off their eyebrows, eyelashes, and layers of foundation/powder, etc. -- unrecognizable.

Just the thought/image of her method of suicide makes me queasy. And what a thing to leave for your mother to find.

If she really felt suicide was necessary, how about getting into bed and overdosing on something? At least her mother would find her looking peaceful in a pretty nightgown. Can you imagine the image her mother was presented with finding her hanging from the balcony??

However, people who kill themselves usually can't see beyond their own selfishness.

All couples have disagreements, and break-ups happen all the time. How does it get to murder-suicide? Crazy...

Yes, why only one and all the way down in Kyushu??

Sarge, I read that in Metropolis, too.

But from Continental's own website, it appears the charge is in place:

http://www.continental.com/web/en-us/content/Travel/baggage/checkbag.aspx

I've wondered if the "...de yarou" is designed to make Japanese laugh at the play on the verb "yaru" which can also mean to have sex, right? So even if the picture doesn't really fit, when they read "Yama de yarou" it gives them a chuckle as they imagine doing it outdoors. Or should I just get my mind outta the gutter?

The others in this series have been cleverer than this one, as it doesn't really fit...

Anyway, I love them, too. "Do it at home!//Ie de yarou!" Those were the best!

RE: seats on trains. I don't expect men to give up their seat for me; however, there have been a few occasions where a seat became available and the Japanese man beside me motioned for me to take it. Let me tell you... I hugely appreciated that and after a mild protest or two, I sat down, with many thanks of course.

And to toot my own horn, I regularly give my seat to senior citizens, and have even put my bag on my seat to get up and get the attention of a senior who was a bit of a distance away (I've done this for those obviously in their 70s-80s, those who look a bit wobbly, etc.). I cannot understand how people can see them and not feel the need to give them a seat. It boggles my mind.

Don't mean to be pedantic here (well, yes I do... ;-)

arrest has 2 meanings

to seize OR take into custody by legal authority or warrant

to catch and hold; attract and fix; engage

The second definition is usually used in the sense of arresting one's attention, etc. (thanks dictionary.com). This article clearly is talking about a Citizen's Arrest, which others have alluded to (do they have in Japan??), and which should be clarified, as "arrest" alone is not correct. If you were to grab hold of someone, ex. a small child, they would probably say "Let me go" but would never have the fear of being "arrested" by you.

"KY" is an abbreviation for 空気読めない = kuuki yomenai >>> used to describe people who are rather unperceptive or can't read between the lines/get a correct sense of the atmosphere.

I don't think using KY as above makes sense... or perhaps I'm being KY. (I also thought it was mostly used by J-teens, and additionally find it rather strange that it's being dropped in the middle of an English discussion... I think most English speakers would think it a reference to the jelly... :-)

Back on topic: If they hadn't released any names, the media could only speculate as to who was under suspicion. By confirming it was the two Russians, they played the "guilty until proven innocent" card that is so frequently used here. Oops... maybe I'm being KY again.

Perhaps Kitanoumi is willing to take a bit of heat so that the Russians will be forced out. He gets embarrassed publicly, then makes his apologies, but in the end he's still head of the JSA and the Russians are gone.

Stephen Harper's an idiot. Leave it to him to welcome devastating climate changes.

How many police did it take to bring the "dummy" in ? Sounds like a good joke... someone want to provide the punchline?

Not wanting to contaminate a crime scene is one thing, but how about making sure the "body" actually was a body and not a person who was still alive?

Oh, boo hoo! Perhaps Japanese just need to grow up.

Why would they tell?? Idiots.

You say gullible, I say I've read stupider comments than yours that weren't joking/sarcasm. So apologies for not assuming you are an intelligent being.

Ummm... what's the difference between a cell phone and a mobile phone? I thought they were the same? And a blackberry is a cell phone, too, isn't it? Just a different name and a "regular" keyboard instead of the traditional number pad...

As for cell phone use on planes, I'm really against it. When people chat to other people on planes (in person), they usually do so quietly, from what I've observed. But give a cell phone to most people and they become convinced the rest of the world wants to hear their conversation, too.

In Japan, most people are very considerate re: cell phone use, as that's the culture here. But in North America, most everyone seems to think they're so important that we all must hear about the minutiae of their lives. I think air rage will dramatically increase if cell phone use is allowed on aircraft... unless designated enclosed spaces are created.

Hey TokyoGas, I thought the same. It's a full 2 weeks before Halloween. ??

I think the lifetime ban is too harsh.

He smoked some marijuana, he wasn't selling it as a sideline business. He wasn't getting little kids addicted to crack. Some perspective is in order, I think.

Zen: I think I'm just barely keeping up. Thanks for typing slowly. And I am in Japan.

I think most would agree that this movie has a limited demographic in Japan (and perhaps other countries). Thus the limited cinema release here. But the demographic that it does appeal to, in Japan, has taken quite a liking to it. Which the article touched on. I didn't know that every article that appears on Japan Today has to be on a subject that a large percentage of the population finds interesting. Or maybe because SATC largely appeals to women, then an article about it is "fluff", according to you?

Anyway, who cares if HBO shows are minor here? If there's an article on JT about a TV show I like or want to know more about, I'll read it. Same as others, I suppose. If you're not interested in it, why read it?

And I don't have cable but I still watch my favourite shows (CSI, House, Amazing Race, Dexter, etc.). You don't need cable to see any of those shows, or the ones you mentioned.

Re: The New Zen

SITC was a no-show anyway as it was only broadcast on cable/satelite. So most don't even now about it hence why the movie only shows at "selected" cinemas.

You're joking, right?? I'm surprised no one has called you on this yet.

Most don't even know about it? Which country are you referring to?

And the cable company you're referring to is HBO, perhaps the most successful cable channel around, which has produced a wide variety of ORIGINAL programming that has become hugely popular and won multiple TV industry awards. Examples of some original HBO shows are:

The Sopranos Six Feet Under Curb Your Enthusiasm Deadwood Oz Rome

and, yes, Sex and the City (SATC)

Just because you don't know about SATC or any other HBO show doesn't mean other people don't.

And just FYI: The SATC movie is the top opening romantic comedy of all time, and has grossed over $300 million worldwide so far...

greensatindress: yes, it would've been nice to have a more thorough article. However, you can find the reasons here:

http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00014793.html

No photo? C'mon, he's a handsome guy. Give us women some eye candy, please....

Ok, I'm providing my own:

http://www.imdb.com/media/rm821205760/nm0000131

I'm pretty sure on the news this morning, they said they searched his apartment and found a marijuana pipe...

www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=soc_30&k=2008081800959

So, the police took action after there was nothing they could do. They took NO action!

Love it, Hotginger. Well said! (er.. written).

You put money in, music is played... isn't that usually called a juke box? Sorry, being picky.

I think he's rather sweet.