papasmurfinjapan said...

papasmurfinjapan at 05:32 PM JST - 3rd March

Just give the sensitive half-Japanese folk out there the chance to refer to themselves as "doubles", and that should make everyone happy. As for me, I don't take offense when my son is called "haafu", because that is what he is - half Japanese.

How he will react to it…

Posted in Half and haafu at 05:32 PM JST - 3rd March
papasmurfinjapan at 02:31 PM JST - 26th February

cheese rolling in the UK

Yes, that should be banned too. It encourages bad health.

I'm all for dwarf tossing though.

Moderator: Back on topic please.

Posted in Mud festival at 02:31 PM JST - 26th February
papasmurfinjapan at 11:14 AM JST - 26th February

There's other matsuri that have a much higher risk of injury (although admittedly not of babies)

And that is where the objections arise. I'm all for jumping around in mud half naked, or pushing and shoving other half-naked men to grab a piece of wood, or being chased by bulls,…

Posted in Mud festival at 11:14 AM JST - 26th February
papasmurfinjapan at 10:24 AM JST - 26th February

I'm all for upholding tradition, but when it jeopardises the safety of a forced (and probably in many cases, fairly reluctant) participant, I have to question whether it is a ritual worthy of continuation.

I suppose one consolation is, at least the kids aren't stripped naked as well.

Posted in Mud festival at 10:24 AM JST - 26th February
papasmurfinjapan at 08:54 AM JST - 22nd February
Some tips when considering Jetstar and their competitors
- As scoobydoo mentions, Qantas (and JAL) code share with Jetstar, so even if you pay extra for the Qantas or JAL brand, you will be getting a Jetstar flight. It's much more economical to just book with Jetstar and order the…
Posted in Jetstar raises profile at 08:54 AM JST - 22nd February
papasmurfinjapan at 10:57 AM JST - 20th February

Pay the extra and use a more service oriented airline such as KAL, Asiana, Cathay or even JAL

Er, perhaps you don't understand the concept of budget airlines. The whole point of them is to cut costs by providing a no-frills service. If it is service you are after, look…

Posted in Jetstar raises profile at 10:57 AM JST - 20th February
papasmurfinjapan at 08:45 AM JST - 18th February

Well it's just as scandalous that politicians, celebrities and countless other people who have no financial worries whatsoever are entitled to this handout as well.

Posted in Yakuza eligible for gov't Y12,000 handout at 08:45 AM JST - 18th February
papasmurfinjapan at 08:41 AM JST - 18th February

They'd be much better off letting Aso and his cronies continue digging their own graves. Nothing the DPJ says is going to make Aso any less popular than he already is.

Ozawa should be spending the majority of his time convincing the public that his party actually has policies that…

Posted in Opposition parties withdraw censure motion against Nakagawa at 08:41 AM JST - 18th February
papasmurfinjapan at 01:19 PM JST - 9th February

Pioneer have, for many years, been the cream of the crop in the plasma TV industry. Their "kuro" plasmas are considered the industry benchmark against which everything else is compared. Their DVD players also consistently rank as the best quality/value for money.

Their troubles started over a few years ago…

Posted in Pioneer eyes withdrawing from flat-screen TV business at 01:19 PM JST - 9th February
papasmurfinjapan at 09:31 AM JST - 8th February

I am no fan of J-pop, but it is no worse than the music industries of many other Asian countries. And to presume that the UK or US music scenes are any more talent-driven is selective thinking.

What is the purpose of comparing dead music legends to modern J-pop? Hendrix,…

Posted in J-pop industry taking the music out of music business at 09:31 AM JST - 8th February