jgraves

Quote: Originally posted by me jane: Hmm, looking like I'm going to have to have a c-section because the baby was breech when I went to the hosp yesterday. Me Jane, you should try seeing a moxabustion (shinkyu) specialist. This may seem hard to believe, but there are respectable scientific studies proving that moxa burned over a tsubo on the left small toe (I think) actually unbreeches babies about 65% of the time, though nobody can explain why. I would also DEFINITELY get a second and even third opinion. Seems like almost everyone I know who has had a baby in the past few

Californians could shut up about water shortages if they just passed a law requiring Japanese style tank-sinks. Ok, maybe a bit overgeneralized, but Spud's point about self-righteousness is spot on. Japan "caught up to" the West way back when by importing all the best that other nations had to offer. I can think of about fifty simple things that Westerners could import from Japan alone now (like toilet tank-sinks) that would vastly improve it in terms of environmental conservation, convenience, efficiency, etc.

It's a wonderful life is inspirational if you're going through a mid-life crisis, I suppose, but I certainly don't take inspiration from it. Come to think of it, I wonder how many in the AFI are Christians. . . Jimmy Stewart being touched by an angel on Christmas and being reborn is the basic plot, isn't it? Wonder if Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, etc find it all that inspiring? TJO, I was actually going to say Rocky also (but then again I'm from Philly, so I might be a little biased)

People who use those small wheelie suitcases as their everyday purse or briefcase.

Peoples' names and Place names are notorious for having multiple (and often anti-intuitive) readings. There are huge dictionaries dedicated to both (see one of the many "jinmei jiten" for people and "chimei jiten" for places)

Quote: Originally posted by eskimobasecamp: as military you are an instrument of larger powers - beyond your control, and you have little moral decision making ability in the grander scheme of things To you (and me), that may be a bad thing, but I know a few for whom that is precisely the reason they joined. No thinking, just doing. There is a great deal of freedom in that. Also, being in a fire fight must be five times the adrenaline rush of skiing a huge line. No shortage of adrenaline junkies out there. And don't forget military schools.

Quote: Originally posted by veronica: Tohoku bum, did you not get some fun "Objection!!!"-like things going on then? Not once in three trials. The judge did ask the prosecutor if there was anything in the case file he would like him to pay particular attention to in sentencing. The judge then asked the defense lawyer if there was anything in the case file he would like to dispute or to have him consider. Then the defendant basically had the opportunity to apologize to the judge. Then it was over. No dramatics. Farquah, sorry to hear about that friend of yours. Unfortunately, that'

Quote: Originally posted by misorano: . . . didn't the Hawaiians have to become Japanese Citizens to become Yokozuna? (Same with Santos and Ramos for Soccer) I thought it was the other way around. I thought you needed to be a top-level athelete or star in order to obtain Japanese citizenship.

One potential problem here with downhill mountain biking is that so many resorts have drainage/anti-erosion troughs switching back the entire length of most slopes. Seems like an easily fixed hurdle, though. Lots of resorts are trying summer stuff: golf, paragliding, massive inflatable balls with an inner chamber into which you climb and roll down the ski slope. . . From informal conversations I have had with people involved, none done much good. FT. I don't think Arai is any farther or more inconvenient from Tokyo than Aizu is, but i could be wrong. In Aizu's case, there ar

Is it me, or has there been an explosion of non-Japanese sumo wrestlers in the past two years or so?

Most airports have massage parlors now, too. I would HIGHLY recommend the pre-flight massage. Never realized how stressed and tight I get before flying until I got a pre-flight massage and flew unstressed for the first time.

Infuriating news indeed. Arai sounded like one of the better resorts. I don't criticise Japan very often, but there are just far too many crappy and mediocre ski resort zombies here diverting valuable skiers from (and making survival all that much more difficult for) the better, more viable resorts. IMO, anomalous snowfalls and energy shocks just laid bare a much more serious problem with Japan's ski industry. I am somewhat sympathetic to the arguments for propping the crappy and mediocre resorts up, but some of those just need to be allowed to die a proper death to avoid a trage

Where is Studio Ghibli? I thought it was out near Kichijoji. As lovely as Asakusa is, its not going to be very convenient. For Ghibli, I'd look for a ryokan (or love hotel) closer to Ikebukuro/Shinjuku. There are tons, all over Tokyo. What you mean by "central Tokyo" anyway? Geographic center? Tokyo station? the tocho in shinjuku? The cultual center of Tokyo (museums, tea houses, etc)? The central area(s) for Tokyo's night life?

runbunny, Just tell the guy that you get hot being around Japanese men. To heighten the effect, wink and lick your lips while saying it.

Japan's court system was basically patterned on Italy's if memory serves, so its bound to look and function a lot different from what most of us are used to. Actually sat in on a few trials at Yokohama district court a few years back. A drug dealer, an attempted murder, and a drug smuggler. The three cases from start to finish were like that. Back then, the proceedings themselves were basically a very formal, choreographed presentation of a case folder which the judge then took to the back room, read, and basically decided his verdict and sentencing based on behind the scenes. The lawy

Actually, sort of. Spinning the hard drive takes a lot of juice and eats up the battery quickly, so to minimize this, ipod generates a random playlist, spins the disk once to save those (think about 20) songs to its memory chip, then when it nears the end of playing those twenty songs, does it again for the next 20 or so. The shuffle function gives you the longest playtime per battery charge. v- thats the reason you can go forward and back- the songs are still in its memory chip.

I think its trying to send you to a kyabakura, bushy.

Saw the best name for a convenience store the other day in Ueno. It was just a picture of a "thumbs up" with the kanji for alcohol under it. Inspired by the artist formerly named Prince, no doubt. I'd post a picture, but I'm still trying to figure out how.

Just yesterday, I bought something costing 499 yen with a 500 yen coin. When the cashier gave me my 1 yen in change, she said "o-tashikame kudasai" I thought that was one of the stupidest things I have heard in a long time.

Quote: Originally posted by ShinyDiscoBall: Do you take the same view with all large companies? You might end up just drinking water. To my knowledge, there's no other company here, big or small, to whom non-customers are legally obligated to give money. But you're right, there's no shortage of unjustified business trips in Japan, or in any other country for that matter. I support public broadcasting in my own country, but that's because its got some of the best shows on tv and because paymnet is on a by-donation basis. With NHK, the shows suck AND payment is required by law.

I'm curious. How many fork out that 2000 yen a month for television programming you never watch? I did for a while until that NHK producer got busted for hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of unjustified "business trips" a few months back. . . . but now, the diet is making it a legal obligation to pay, backing that obligation up with the threat of fine and imprisonment beginning next year.

Hello Newman!

I love the guy (dad?) just working in the background!

Quote: Originally posted by misorano: There use to be a breastpia not to far from where we used to live. There is a breastpia near where I live. Its called Roppongi.