Category: Society & Culture

If you have ever had an accident with a cab in Japan, chances are you have been screwed. The reason? Cab companies often rely on mafia-controlled insurance vendors to do their negotiations. I won’t hear any bullshit about this, either – if you don’t believe me, try getting rear-ended by a taxi and see who ends up with the short end of the stick. I know a guy whose parked car was totalled by a speeding cab in Kyoto – he didn’t like how the insurance companies settled things (he ended up receiving around 100,000 yen [around a grand] toward the purchase of a new car) so he took the cab company to court. He ended up dropping the case after having his new car burned, dead animals stuffed in his mailbox, and being threatened on the phone and finally, in person, by scarfaced thugs in black suits. Of course, the police were a big help through all of this and he had to pay a princely sum for repair of the parking lot and the mailbox, etc. The kicker, though, is that the cab company apparently sent him a pretty book of coupons for free rides after he dropped the case.
Ouch.
Needless to say, said acquaintance left Japan long ago. I dropped an e-mail to him last week and apparently he’s having kinda-related problems in China now. Some people never learn (j/k dude!).
For all of you with experience in Japan, I’d like you to think about something:
How many times have you seen a cab pulled over by the cops in Japan?
In my decade of living here, I have never seen this once, and believe me, I’ve seen cabs do some pretty egregious shit. That tells me something. Yes, it does. All repeat after me: I bewieve it’s a conspiwacy!
And don’t give me that “cabbies need a special driver’s license to operate” crap, I’ve seen truckers with the same licenses pulled over (albeit this is fairly rare, too); I’ve even seen a daiko unten car (a driving service that takes you and your car home – handy when you’ve had some drinks and don’t want to pay the minimum $3,000 fine for DUI) get tagged for following the lead car and running a stop sign (daiko unten drivers also have a “special” license).
BTW, I am sympathetic to the cabbies themselves – they have a hard job and some of them do it with a special kind of passion that can change the outcome of an entire visit to other cities. I’m just sick of their criminal masters and the free passes they get from the cops. If there is any justice in the world, I will see a taxi getting a ticket from cops right in the middle of a red light district where the cops were turning hookers and mama-sans out into the street, sometime before I leave Japan.

To the old lady who decided to suddenly step out in front of traffic without looking first this morning: My parking brake saved your life, but I believe you may need to change those Depends.
This is not the first time my parking brake saved me from a collision, but I hope it’s the last; the narrow streets of Japan call for this maneuver and I truly believe it should be taught in driving school, although the brunt of the natives have a hard time even remembering which is the “go forward” pedal, so…

Apparently this IS a forbidden subject since I got a dozen e-mails and exactly 0 comments on the post itself. Latitudes and Nichi Nichi linked to the post (thanks guys!) and the comments there were similar to some of the mail I received, and very insightful – they made me realize that I didn’t explain my motive behind posting as well as I could have.
Also, I guess that I didn’t clearly distinguish between a reason behind the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor and a justification of it (and to reader Warrin’ G: I dig your handle, but am still unconviced of the government’s intentional role in delaying the receipt of the Japanese Declaration of War, hence “creating” a sneak attack). Let me make this clear: I care much less about the historical reason than I do the current day justification of it.
The Japanese wanted to cripple the Pacific Fleet because it was positioned to attack their interests (including oil supply)? Fine. I can agree with that without researching it much because it makes sense. But to use this argument in the way I heard it, as a justification, is a joke. Here is an approximation of the conversation I had yesterday:
Coworker: “The US is bad for starting wars all over the world.”
Me: “O-tay”
Coworker: “There are many bad men like Saddam Hussein in the world.”
Me: “Yup”
Coworker: “But the US chose to single out Iraq. Iraq cannot defend itself against the US military! Also, preemption is a dishonorable strategy.”
Me: “Who the fuck are you to be talking about honorable strategies? Remember Pearl Harbor?”
Coworker: “No that’s different, the USA forced us to attack by cutting off our oil!”
Me: “MmmHmmmm” (turns away and fires up MT)
It makes me sick to think that this guy actually thinks that there was no alternative to the ultimate “sneaky Jap” move (I use this abhorrent term to make a point – is this not where the term originated?), and like I said, I’ve heard this exact same sentiment from other people as well. I sincerely hope this is not what they are taught in school, and now I’ve garnered enough interest to dig a little deeper… I have a friend that used to run a cram school for junior high school students, so he should be a good starting point.
Then again, even if I find the words, “OUR PROUD NATION WAS A VICTIM OF THE WAR. THE END.” printed in the schoolbooks, what will I have proved? That the Japanese have again changed history and are generally unapologetic about WWII?
Real groundbreaker there, eh?

I swear to God this came up in conversation again today and I realized I probably never wrote about it here, so:
I’m not sure what the hell kids are being taught in school today, but it seems to me that the average Japanese person in their 20’s or above is of the opinion that the Japanese were forced to attack the US during WWII. Specifically, that the attack on Pearl Harbor was (perhaps) a ratbastardshitty thing to do, but the Americans forced their hand by cutting off the flow of oil.
The first time I heard this was from a close friend at my university, and I remember my jaw literally dropping. And I remember thinking, if that’s what they think now, I can see why they needed nuclear persuasion back then.
Even though it’s not funny in absolute terms, I sometimes wish there was an equivalent weapon to use on the Japanese educational system. Because to hear from a friend that the cowardly sneak attack on Pearl Harbor is somehow, to this day, justified in the minds of the perpetrators (as in, our modern-day allies) is a big slap in the face.
Then again, a popular excuse for Japanese not being able to pronounce English very well is that their “tongues are too short,” so maybe I shouldn’t take anything too seriously.

If you are in Japan during a major disaster and need a place to evacuate, do not blindly follow the people in front of you – they are just as lost and clueless as the people in front of them. Follow the homeless, they know the best places to go. Today they are sprawled all over the massage chairs on display at Jusco, our local department store.

Even more news from our future host country this week:
Follow the Leader: Israel and Thailand set an example by arming teachers.
Thailand has followed Israel’s lead by allowing school teachers in the troubled southern areas to pack guns at school. I think this is a great idea – who better to keep our children safe at school than their teachers? When I was young, my dad went to a lecture by Mel Tappan (he recorded it on cassette and I think it’s still in the garage somewhere), and brought back a paperback copy of Survival Guns. I believe that book addressed the issue of school shootings and teachers who packed firearms being the solution to “looney gunmen with AK-47” scenarios (but it might have been a different book; it was a long time ago). A lot of what I know about guns I learned from reading that book from end to end perhaps three or four times overall. My dad was obviously influenced a lot by him as well, as can be seen by the contents of our gun safe at home. I guess I speak of this fondly now mostly because here in Japan, guns are just a fading memory (except for airsoft of course). I now basically go shooting only during visits back home, or on trips to foreign countries.
I wasn’t aware that Thailand was so strict regarding firearms. I’ve been to gun ranges there (and admittedly got gouged with those heinous ammo prices – then again, for being able to try out an Anaconda, a SPAS-12, and an M-16A2, it was worth it), and my girlfriend’s dad apparently has several pieces in the bedroom for home defense. One time he apparently scared the shit out of a guy searching for lizards (to eat!) in the middle of the night. The guy was using a flashlight and when Nam’s dad saw the beam flash by his window, he opened it, pointed a gat at the guy and yelled “who the fuck are you!” The guy went home lizardless and perhaps in need of new shorts. (Now that’s my kind of father-in-law.)
Nam’s brother is going to some military academy in Bangkok as a continuation of his time spent in military training, so perhaps he can get me some range time once in a while. If worst comes to worst, I can get my cordite fix at a pay range somewhere in the vicinity. Whatever happens, I’ll have more of a chance then than I do now, that’s for sure. And that’s a good thing.
Since the last time I read Survival Guns, things sure have gotten fucked up for gun owners back home… I remember being shocked on a trip home a few years back because of the 10-round capacity limit for spare mags. That there’s some stupid shit. I heard that this eventually caused a shortage in supply for the hi-cap mags used for the US military’s M-9 Beretta – troops manually stretching out magazine springs or using ten-rounders because there were no good replacements available. That’s unforgivable in my mind.
How I ended up writing about all this gun shit, I have no idea. I think it must have been building up inside for the past ten years in kamikaze-turned-pacifist land. My term here is almost up, so I’m looking forward to being able to hold something more reassuring than my Spyderco when things go bump in the night (although edged weapons are perhaps more suitable in case of ninja attack).
//
This post was a product of my inner gun nut.
*Props to James Rummel for posting about the National review article.

As a wannabe chef, I might have thought about making a submission to the Carnival of the Recipes #3, a showcase for recipes from all around the blogosphere, but got pretty miffed when I saw the introduction at the top of the page:

This week, we have a lot of great recipes to choose from. I am adding a rule, though – The Carnival of the Recipes will not link to any recipes involving household pets or horses, I don?t care if you live in France or Korea!

I really do not want to offend the author of the page or start any shit, but I’m sorry – that’s sounds racist as hell.
I can understand people being uncomfortable with what is eaten in other countries. Perhaps your tastes different from, say, the Marmot’s. But to specifically name countries (okay, specifically Korea – I don’t give a fuck what anyone says about France anymore and yes that’s my own prejudice speaking) kinda puts people off I think – well, then again the author says she “doesn’t care” so maybe I’m raising this issue for naught… I guess I care. It sounds too much like a dismissal of foreign food and culture. That’s kind of ironic since the author claims that she loves that they “are getting recipes from people all over the world.” So we can pretty much define “their” worldview as excluding cultures that eat horses or animals that Americans consider “pets” (a challenge in itself – I’ve had friends back in the states with pet cows, chickens, fish, sheep, and pigs, among other “acceptable edibles”). I find this a shame, because I really would have liked to share a recipe in the Carnival forum.
Note: If the author ever reads this post (and why should she; I’m a proud fucking nobody!), please do not construe this as a personal attack. I think I know what you were saying; it wasn’t a big “fuck you” to the rest of the world but rather a statement of what you are comfortable with, and I can accept that. I just needed to point out that it sounded kind of harsh from my current station overseas.
UPDATE: Check the comments. I feel really bad about writing this post now, but it would be wrong to take it down. I thought about this for a while, then I replied to Beth and John by e-mail and apologized. My recipe is for humble pie, but I’ll be damned if I can make it the same way twice… The only constant is swallowing your pride first.

A most important question was asked in the comments of an older post today:
Does kimchi come in packets? As in, single-serving condiment-sized packets? And, if not, why not? (I suspect that a “single serving” of kimchi varies too greatly from person to person.)
Readers, especially those from the land of stinky fermented vegetables (no, not France – wrong veggies!), please help. I want to hear how the local Mc Donalds has started serving up double cheeseburgers w/kimchi like the way I described in the post linked to above.

Now we start with the real hurt; time to break out the industrial strength can of Smear. I predict a scandal with drugs, hookers, or some such felony will break soon. Some possible headlines:
Jenna and Barbara Sic Secret Service on Gay Rapper! As a Joke! While Stoned!
Teresa Heinz: Godmother of John Walker Lindh Urged Him to Fight
Curious George to Michael J: I’ll Watch Bubbles While You’re Gone, Baby
Kerry, “Just a Cool Guy,” Sucked Glass Dick with D12 Backstage, Says Eminem.
First Lady Owns Stock in Dutch Wife Co, Ltd.!
OK, this is obviously a work in progress, but you get what I mean. At some point, it stops being a choice between two candidates and becomes a shit-slinging contest… In the end, nobody emerges clean.

Lest anyone forget, we are at war:
One Enemy K.I.A.
It’s easy to forget the bigger picture when you get caught up in the bullshit pushed by mass media. Regarding the coming elections, the war is by far the most important issue in my mind. That said, we now return to our regularly scheduled broadcast.