LeToyo comments

Why not just buy them on the Internet? This is a violation of private space and it is sick--some commenters here are not taking it seriously.

The passengers are often the biggest problem. Please have a little etiquette card in each seat pocket, rather than all that advertising.

57 and 60 equals "elderly"?

This is partly due to fear of outsourcing all the extra tasks that develop on the worksite--might mean hiring part-timers incl. minorities and women.

I am tired of this same old question, but there are some good answers here.

Except for those cartoons.

Also doesn't help that some people think it's OK to call women and racial minorities by first names without "san", whereas men are called by last name with title, like the old days in the US. Creates hierarchical thinking.

Hey young ones: I challenge to do any of Madonna's athletic moves. On stage. While singing. Don't forget the high heels.

It's winter. It's cold. Women wear thick tights under their skirts anyway. Big deal.

It's a noble profession inside the classroom for those who take it seriously. Outside, people mistake you for a missionary with nothing else to live for except praising cute eikaiwa gigglers who have no respect for your free time.

Sasha and Malia will be the superstars.

A Korean House or Japan House isn't necessarily a propaganda unit--it depends on the broader concept of education held by a country. Do their leaders want to promote many perspectives across several disciplines, or just brainwash? American Studies in academia is a field where most scholars are very critical of American power.

But I think readers of this column know about the extent of Japan's interest in multidisciplinary scholarship and freedom of speech (and it is not encouraging).

People in a vibe of self-improvement and when they see the gaijin, mistake him/her for a machine that they can work out their eikaiwa on.

The degree to which a foreigner is pressured to practice English depends on that person's degree of match to the stereotypical Eikaiwa sensei: light-skinned, with not too loud of a voice, and not too tall or overweight. People in this category get pressured, yes, even harassed, in situations where they can't escape: work, school, friendship situations. It's tolerable for a year or two and then it drives you crazy. In short, people associate race with language and seek out the vulnerable.

In my home country when a Japanese national speaks flawed English to me, I feel obligated to speak English at that person's level to help that person out. It is irritating when the same favor isn't returned here. But when others do speak Japanese, it feels really friendly and welcoming. The most irritating of all is when you are with someone with an Asian face and the person you are talking to only looks at the other Asian face and refuses to make eye contact or have anything to do with you.

I have had problems with the same generation aggressively stalking me for English lessons. I consider it stalking when they refuse "no" more than 5 times and begin to follow me.

The SDF band played it in a parade. Seriously.

No mention of Ladies First! Nothing worse than being on a crowded elevator in Japan and some middle-aged businessman tries to show off his Westernization by making everyone stop so "ladies" get off first. At least Mary Mitchell is writing from the 21st century.