Wednesday February 15, 2012

smartacus's past comments

  • 1

    smartacus

    My complaint is that every time a snack or drink appears that I like, it disappears from t he shelves after about two weeks.

    Posted in: Snack Nation: Japan's obsession with weird and wonderful delights

  • 1

    smartacus

    It's the toppings which I find bizarre in Japan, But having said that, there are some superb pizzerias. I like Pizza Strada in Azubujuban and I don't mind Salvatore Cumo's pizzas, also. Domino's isn't bad on occasion.

    Posted in: In general, what do you think of the quality of pizzas in Japan? And what do you think is the secret to making a great pizza?

  • -1

    smartacus

    I feel sorry for the officer. My cousin used to be a cop and he told me that everytime he went up to someone in a car after pulling it over for speeding or whatever, no matter how minor, he had to be prepared for the driver or passenger to pull a gun on him. His wife always wondered if he would come home alive every night.

    Posted in: Virginia Tech gunman kills officer; later found dead

  • 0

    smartacus

    Actually, in their own way, I think Japanese are very religious. Look how often a Buddhist priest is called in to offer prayers -- when work starts on a new building, when a long-serving machine is discontinued or decommissioned, before a baseball team starts spring training and so on.

    Posted in: How religious do you think Japanese people are?

  • 4

    smartacus

    This seems to be a uniquely American problem, though I did read this week that Montreal removed all nativity scenes from public places after Muslim groups complained.

    This reminds me of a Jewish colleague in my office a few years go. He objected when we put a Christmas tree up in the office. He insisted that a Hanukkah wreath be put up. When anyone wished him a merry Christmas, he would actually tell them he was Jewish and that he didn't observe Christmas and added that it would have been nice if people wished him happy Hanukkah.

    I never could understand that mentality. Very few Japanese would even know what and when Hanukkah is. Also, wishing someone merry Christmas is just like saying good morning, so I couldn't see why he would be offended.

    He calmed down a bit in succeeding years and continued to ask that a star not be put on top of the Christmas tree.

    It's a weird world we are living in.

    Posted in: Christmas tree or holiday tree?

  • 3

    smartacus

    I love walking along these canals on a Sunday afternoon. You can discover a lot of nice cafes and eateries.

    Posted in: Meguro by night

  • 4

    Brainiac

    I don't think good manners ever go out of date.

    Posted in: Do you think that a man giving up his seat on a bus or train to a woman, holding a door open for her or holding her chair as she sits down are outmoded?

  • 4

    smartacus

    So far, the style seems to be mainly shorts with black tights and boots - which I am not complaining about. I wish foreign women would try that style.

    Posted in: What do you think of Japanese women's fashions so far this fall-winter season?

  • 3

    Brainiac

    I wonder what causes a person to do this. What is going through his mind? Does he live in a fantasy world in which the children are somehow perceived as a threat to his existence?

    Are there any psychiatrists out there among JT's readers who can explain this type of crime? I''d be interested to know.

    Posted in: 8-yr-old girl stabbed by man while walking home from school in Matsudo

  • 5

    smartacus

    NeverSubmit

    So do you mean that if you lived in this area, you wouldn't want to know if there is a slasher on the loose?

    Posted in: 8-yr-old girl stabbed by man while walking home from school in Matsudo

  • 1

    smartacus

    This prince is in a hurry to be emperor and then his son can follow him. Crown Prince Naruhito stands in his way, though.

    Posted in: Prince Akishino says there needs to be discussion on retirement age for emperor

  • 0

    Brainiac

    Hashimoto has been sounding very autocratic recently. I think his true colors veer toward dictatorship.

    Posted in: Central gov't to keep eye on Hashimoto's reforms for Osaka

  • 5

    smartacus

    750,000 yen is a lot of cash for a cake store to have. What sort of cakes are they selling?

    Posted in: 64-year-old man in blond wig nabbed for robbing cake store

  • 6

    Brainiac

    I don't know why there are so many readers mocking the Japanese for enjoying KFC on Christmas eve.

    There is no such thing as a "real Xmas." No country or culture can claim that the way they celebrate Christmas is the "right" way. For Japanese people, enjoying KFC at home with their family on Christmas Eve is every bit as enjoyable as the way any of us spend Christmas either here or in our home countries.

    Posted in: The KFC-Christmas connection in Japan

  • -4

    smartacus

    I think there will be more enclaves of ethnic, religious and lower income groups. The wealthy suburbs will be separated from the rest by security mechanisms. Infrastructure will be inadequate. Unfortunately, I can't imagine anything other than gloom, but I won't be around to see it.

    Posted in: What do you think cities of the future will look like, say, in the year 2050?

  • 1

    smartacus

    My girlfriend's family have had KFC for Christmas eve dinner for as long as I can remember. I don't think they have ever tried turkey.

    Posted in: The KFC-Christmas connection in Japan

  • 1

    smartacus

    Yubaru

    There are many people who may have been interested in the mayoral election and less interested in the governor vote, since it seems the mayor of Osaka has more power than the governor. Also, bear in mind that the gubernatorial election is for all of Osaka Prefecture, not just Osaka city, so many people who voted for governor were doing so in separate locations.

    Article Unavailable

  • 3

    Brainiac

    I voted for the Beatles. Whether they are a rock band or rock 'n' roll band, I don't know. Anyway, I think Lennon and McCartney were two of the greatest songwriters of the 20th century, and the group certainly had a huge social influence. Some of their albums (Sgt Pepper's) were ground-breaking.

    What I find interesting is that all the bands above and other top ones as well, such as The Who, came out of the 1960s and early 1970s, in an era before there were music videos. I think the 1960s will go down in history as being one of the richest periods musically.

    Where are the hard-hitting rock bands of the 1990s and 2000s?

    Posted in: Who gets your vote for the greatest rock band of all time?

  • 0

    smartacus

    I can't imagine what theater would show it (or why anyone would want to see it). Probably, it will go straight to DVD,

    Posted in: Book by killer of British woman to become film

  • 2

    smartacus

    Actually Becky has done quite a lot to help Tohoku since May, attending many fund-raising events. I remember one event in Yoyogi Park, she helped raise money to look after displaced pets in the disaster zone.

    tokoykawasaki, as usual, you are wrong. It's not a PR stunt. I've met Becky on many occasions and she is a warm-hearted individual. Her offer to help Tohoku, like Sachiko Kobayashi and other artists, is quite genuine, I can assure you.

    Give her the benefit of the doubt and do not be so cynical.

    Posted in: Becky promises to keep helping Tohoku

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