Month: January 2013

Why, Why Manti?

This auto-tune masterpiece is currently my favorite song. I love the desperation of Katie Couric to generate attention, Manti’s childishness, and his dad’s rhyming bass. Pure genius.

Please don’t dance, says Tokyo to its residents and visitors

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Starting last summer, Tokyo police have cracked down on the dangerous custom of bars allowing patrons to dance. Citing an obscure law from 1948, the police have put on notice all the dance clubs in Nichome, and presumably smaller straight dance clubs. The original ordinance insists that dancing leads to prostitution. Whereas Japan has no shortage of real prostitutes and media simulations, allowing people to dance would be far too dangerous, disreputable, and contaminating. Oh, Japan, wake up. We’re in the 21st century!

Sun never sets on sacred Japan

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Is this my future? At least us oldies and wierdos visiting the Emperor for his new year’s declaration don’t need to be bothered by “normal” families and young people.

Alas, this is the end of the Imperial Palace visit series when my ostensible purpose was to listen to the Emperor’s address and admire the princesses. Mostly, I watched the police and felt communion with the assorted freaks and foreigners in attendance.

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