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Nippon Scam
Nippon Ham, meat packager and owner of the baseball team the Nippon Ham Fighters, is in the news this week for scamming the government. They bought 5 tons of cheap, imported beef and passed it off as domestic during the mad cow beef buyback program. So what’s their penalty? They’ve announced that the founder/chairman &…
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Confirmations
I should have made this phone call weeks ago. Maybe even months ago. But I’m loathe to make it at all. I’m scheduled for my annual thyroid biopsy in mid-September. Yuck. Last year a few weeks before the biopsy, I had a ultrasound scan and bloodwork done. But this time, I don’t have appointments for…
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Hosting a FOAF
There’s a stranger sleeping on my living room floor. Mike Lee went the same school as one of our friends. He was passing through Tokyo and needed a place to stay. Our living room seemed the logical choice. It’s good to meet and host people you don’t know but who have some sort of connection…
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Delayed daytrip
For several months, I’ve been hoping to get out of town to take a walk in the woods. On Friday night, Tod asked me to pick a good trip from our Day Walks Near Tokyo book. I was delighted. We’d go on Sunday. But yesterday morning the edge of a typhoon tormented us with rain,…
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Square watermelon
We found the holy grail of watermelons. Of course, I didn’t have my camera… Since reading about square watermelons last summer, we’ve been keeping an eye out at all the fancy fruit mongers. Last night, we finally found one–at the supermarket down the street. It was about 30 cm on a side with rounded corners.…
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Japanese TV is silly
Japanese TV is silly. This afternoon I watched as two young male TV talents met the lovely spokeswoman for the upcoming Pan Pacific Swimming Championship. They challenged her to a high-stakes Jenga game. If she lost, she had to go out on a date with one of the guys. To add to the hilarity, each…
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Flourless chocolate cake
I have 12 servings of an extremely rich, flourless chocolate cake sitting in my fridge. MJ will take it home with her this morning (it’s the remainder of her birthday cake) but not before I scarf down a slice along with some nice strong coffee. I’m already anticipating the sugar-caffeine rush. I’m feeling a bit…
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Obon approaches
Obon holidays are upon us and the city is emptying out. Everyone’s going back to their hometowns, vacationing overseas, or at least not going to work. Businesses and restaurants are closed. Yesterday’s trains were virtually empty; I got a seat on 3 out of 4 I rode. I should try to find a festival with…
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Hanabi
Last night, Tod & I (and the UBS staff outing) had arena seats for the Jingu Hanabi Taikai. In addition to two spectacular 25 minute firework displays, there were concerts featuring famous musicians we don’t know but the 30-something crowd went wild, so I guess we should have. Then again, the crowd were also excited…
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US Immigration
I am not sure what to think about America’s changing immigration policies. Beginning next month, aliens entering from “high risk” countries are to be fingerprinted at their port of entry. If they remain in the US longer than 30 days, they must register at an INS office and check in annually. Here in Japan, all…
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