This isn`t normal? I hear bangs, much like falling pots and pans if light flashes... And, it goes the other way around. If I hear a very loud sound, I see a bright flash. It`s most annoying at night and something wakes me up or happens while I`m trying to get to sleep - which was it? Flash of light from the window? Something falling in the kitchen?
Drives me crazy.
When I`m fully awake, I can tell which is "real".

We have cats that know when we`re getting home.
I figure they hear the car from quite a distance away.

We have a movement sensor light in the foyer, and it is always on when I am close enough to see it. Which means that the cats haven`t just been hanging out there for all that long, as it automatically turns off after about 5 minutes if you don`t hit a switch to keep it on. They don`t really like that area to begin with and I never see them there except when we come home.

My guess is that they somehow pick up on the engine sound as I approach.

The interesting thing is, they`re NEVER waiting when I have someone unfamiliar with me. They hate strangers. If I enter with someone else, they`re always ready to bolt, growling at the end of the hall. The light isn`t on, so they were never by the door.

An unfamiliar voice or footsteps is an easy explanation for the growling and running, but not for why they knew while I was still in the car down the street.

I`ve always found that even if I`m not particularly interested in converting - all of the JWs who come to my door are very nice people.
While I don`t have have any plans to take part in their religion, I do find it inspiring in a way that they dedicate part of their lives to something they so strongly believe in. Back when I was in high school, I simply could not believe that they were really the mission work because they wanted too - but rather that they must have been forced in to it by parents, etc. Then I befriended a JW guy, and found that he really did believe from the depths of his heart everything he was preaching.

I was a bit jealous. I wish I could have that much faith in something. Even after it was absolutely clear that I wasn`t interested at all, he would stop by as a friend, leaving religion out of the conversation (unless asked by someone).

I`m still always very nice to those who come by these days (yes, they even come around in Japan). While they have no chance of converting me, I feel they deserve my respect. A good person is a good person in my book, just as a bad is a bad.

Plus, they always give me home made cookies.

This reminds me of the day I was in the drug store, and an old man came in and asked the pharmacist for "Placebo". He told a story of how his daughter gave him some, and it made him feel so much better, and how it was great that there was a medication that not only helped but that didn`t interact with any of the other medications he was taking... But he couldn`t find it on the shelf.

I had to stick around and see what happened. The pharmacist consulted another, and they gave him something in the end... And laughed a bit after he left, commenting on the power of the human mind over the body.

#16 -
I thought that the stupidity of the statement had more to do with the fact that you don`t need x-rays to have seen what a skull looks like, rather than the "invented" wording.

I can *hear* wi-fi. Or rather the sound any of the routers I`ve encountered emit when on. (Not just plugged in - only when the wi-fi is turned on.)

I can also hear my cell phone when it is sending a signal.

I highly doubt it`s the actual signal I`m hearing - more likely some other bit of the electronics... but it is still very annoying. Back when we were on ADSL and the best connection was from the outlet in the corner of the bedroom, I would have to turn the router off in order to get any sleep. The shrill electronic tones and buzzing would keep me awake.

Of course my husband can`t hear a thing.

That said - I highly doubt this is an actual case of people becoming ill as a direct result of the signal. I`d guess it`s more of a phobia or anxiety disorder.

Ah, how I wish I had been allowed to actually make use of the wonderful chemistry set I received as a child. (Early 90s)
It was a real set, 60 chemicals in the base set, and an additional 40 in an "Even more experiments!" add-on set.

I was never allowed to do anything other than read the manuals and experiment lists, look at the bottles, and dream.
I received it as a gift from my grandparents, who were parents in the 50s and 60s. Just after receiving it, living situations changed and my mother decided she suddenly wanted to have me live with her....

And the set was dangerous. It required supervision, and she was too busy for that. After all, it might involve some real parenting. I was a serious child, and took those warnings about supervision and the like at face value. I was too scared to just secretly pull it out on my own.

Somewhere along the line, it disappeared. I can only wonder how my life would have been changed had I actually been able to use the thing.

This book sounds wonderful. I may have to pick it up to make up for that lost childhood opportunity.

#3 - You may indeed be able to unlock and get out in less than 30 seconds... But what about the time you spend *finding* your bike, getting your keys out, unwedging it from between the other bikes, etc? Not to even mention the sheer horror of hunting down that one of those last open spots in the morning when you REALLY need to hurry. We`re talking about 9400 spots here.

Waiting in line for a few minutes doesn`t seem so bad in comparison.

Holy crap. I use butter a LOT (bread, cookies, etc) and thought this was only a problem at my local store. They stopped stocking anything other than single use butter packets...

I had better go out and raid their dwindling stock before it`s all gone.

Is it just me, or does the way he is sitting look REALLY uncomfortable? Because I could not maintain that position for any length of time - not to mention it looks like it would be virtually impossible to type if you were in a chair and not perched on the edge of some designer ledge.

Although I found the remix flat out creepy...
I actually really sympathize with the way the girl in the middle acts. That is me under heavy stress. That weird frozen smile, that weird pathetic laugh.
There is a video somewhere of me when my son was in the hospital with less than a week of projected life left where I look frightfully similar. Inappropriate smiling, giggling, and zombi-like speaking is one of the ways people can show major stress. To me she looks like her world was just ripped apart, and she feels like curling up and dying.

I never thought about it, but maybe everyone found me creepy too.

Marijuana is one of those things that I would never choose to do myself, but I could really care less if others are using responsibly.

I grew up with a pot smoking mother, who also used various other drugs on occasion.

I can`t recall how I was told that it was a secret thing, but I knew so from a very young age - prior to receiving any sort of drug "education" in school. It was something you didn`t tell people, end of story. In fact, I don`t think anyone ever made a big deal out of it so it wasn`t something I gave much thought to.

Either way, I can`t really say I approve of it. My mother is a dysfunctional addict, which certainly doesn`t help. She may not be physically addicted, but she is mentally - to the point of putting her habit above any decent parenting. As an adult I can feel sorry for her, but as a child it was awful to be left taking care of siblings for a day and a half because she was out "partying", or down in the basement for the entire day with friends and a bong. Or being kept out of school to run up to a dealer`s door to buy a bag because she looked suspicious doing so.

I flip-flopped for a few years between thinking "It`s just a plant, no worse than any legal substance." and that it should be eradicated from the earth. Now I really don`t care all that much. If you can do it responsibly, I couldn`t care less. But if that is the sole focus of your life, please wake up and take a look around.

It may not be life threatening, but it certainly can ruin your life. Just like alcohol.

I feel very lucky that I am happy in my life without using any mood enhancing substances - legal or illegal.

And yet another mistaken assumption made about Japan.

Most stone carvers (whose main source of income is usually gravestones) also, on the side, carve "art" pieces. Some of these pieces act as advertising for the shop, and are occasionally picked up as garden decorations, etc. Almost every gravestone shop (or rather, stone carver, as that`s what they usually call themselves) in Japan sells these sort of pieces along with grave stones.

These ARE NOT used for graves. You will see them quite often in the grounds of kindergartens, in small parks, in apartment play areas, etc.

Pit bulls are EVIL!!!

Now that I`ve gotten that out of the way...

I know that a lot of it comes down to proper training, etc. But the fact is different dogs have different tendencies. Pit bulls are known to be violent, which is why they`re so popular with a lot of idiots to begin with. Some smaller dogs are a lot more prone to biting, but it`s sort of like comparing a pocket knife to an axe. One is going to hurt a lot more.

There should be some sort of requirement for owners of larger, potentially lethal dogs to have at the very least taken a course on how to properly maintain and control them. Even better if there is a test that can prevent the worst of the bunch from owning one.
It`s just not fair to the rest of the population when idiots can not train their dogs. Irritating when it`s a cocker spaniel nipping at your feet... But potentially fatal when it`s a pit bull chomping on your throat.

When I was in 1st grade, walking home from school with my grandmother, I was attacked by a pit bull. I wasn`t doing *anything* to the dog. It came flying through a glass storm door. I didn`t even know it was there until the glass shattered and it was on top of me. A bunch of people attacked it, and got it off of me. The owner was actually an acquaintance of my family, and their daughter was a classmate. It wasn`t some idiot who had no clue. But still, the thing leapt through plate glass to have a go at my throat.
So, yeah, I don`t like pit bulls very much.

In reply to the "men doing this at comparable rates" comment;

This is the same as men using makeup. Men who are at the forefront often do use a bit discreetly - just as those who are in the forefront will do their eyelids. It isn`t confined to women. There are kits for men on sale all over the place.

The bigger issue is that women are expected to put effort into their appearance, while it is more acceptable for men to just be as-is. This isn`t Japanese culture - it`s just as true in the US from my experience.

"This is a joke, right?

One of my friends has a full epicanthic fold and he is the handsome man I have ever seen. If he weren't already mated...and I trust him, too."

It`s not a joke.
I`m not talking about the epicanthic fold. That is *different* from the eyelid crease this video is about.
My husband is extremely attractive, in my opinion. He has an epicanthic fold, and only one eyelid crease. However, he *doesn`t* look half asleep. Having one eyelid crease does not equal looking like your eyes are half shut. However, if you do look half asleep, gluing your eyelids so that they crease in a specific spot can be a remedy if you don`t want the risks of surgery.

Are there women doing it just to conform to the current image of beauty? Of course. But that doesn`t mean that there is nothing more to it.

Most of the people I know who do this do it for more mundane reasons. Not to look like they`re not Japanese. Nor is it necessarily a women`s thing, though more women do it than men.

It`s quite simple. Often, when your eyes have a single fold it means the eyelid is puffy. Puffy eyelids make it hard to open your eyes wide. You end up looking like you`re half asleep most of the time, even when you`ve opened your eyes to their full extent.

Imagine a job interview situation. As the double fold is NOT at all rare in the regular Japanese population, chances are you`ll be up against others with mostly natural folds. Who do you think is going to look like a better option? The bright eyed, alert (in appearance) candidates, or the one that looks like they`re half asleep who you can`t really tell if they`re looking at you or not?
Who do you think will look more trustworthy? Who would you choose as a possible mate?

Making this into a "all for beauty!" thing is just too simplistic. It`s thought of more as correcting a cosmetic flaw. Epicanthic folds, which are what is really "Asian" in appearance, aren`t thought of as a flaw. They`re not going to put you at a disadvantage in life - looking half asleep will.

Plus, that isn`t superglue. It`s an organic adhesive.

There is only one big question I`d like to ask a transsexual... And thankfully it wasn`t on the list. Though I still can`t imagine asking it randomly the first time I met someone.

Since there seem to be some people in the know here who might be inclined to answer, I`ll toss it up. It applies rather privately to my life, so be nice.

As a parent, what would be a good way of letting your child know that you`d be accepting of their transsexualism?
If my son (who we`ve been told due to medical issues has a much higher than average chance of really being a daughter) doesn`t identify with his genetic gender... I don`t want him to feel that I wouldn`t be supportive. On the other hand, I don`t really want to go around saying "If you`re a girl, it`s ok!"

The first thought that comes to mind when I`m told that someone is transsexual is that it must have been pretty awful to be stuck in a body that didn`t reflect their true gender. I am pretty sure that I was aware of my gender from quite a young age, and I imagine it`s no different even when gender isn`t the same as genetics... I would like to minimize the pain/frustrations if that is the case with my son. I never gave it much thought as I`m genetically female to begin with, but I have to wonder how early a child knows it`s gender.

Just random rambling, but if anyone wants to give some advice, I`d be thankful.

Takuan (75);
Security measures don`t bother me so much. In a (my) perfect world, security would be efficient, effective, and the end result would be to feel safer. The only people who should feel threatened should be those who have something to worry about - innocent parties should not be intimidated. The TSA seems to threaten everyone. Instead of being efficient or effective, it`s main tactic seems to be intimidation. It`s nothing but a waste of time and resources. It manages to fail at all three.
And in the end, despite searching us multiple times, they somehow managed to totally miss my purse. I had a wine utility knife thing that I had forgotten about in there. A knife.
It`s almost funny.

Shiron (79); My son`s name begins with Mo. That was apparently enough. His name is about as uncommon as it comes. Didn`t make a speck of difference.

Teresa (80); I don`t particularly mind the story being spread about... However, since it happened I have been told that the policies related to separating children from their parents have changed. From what I understand, the child has to remain with the parent at all times now. So technically, what happened to me should not be able to occur in the current system. Of course, that`s assuming they follow the "rules", which I don`t really trust them to do.

------------------------

I don`t really mind security measures. Back before 9/11 and the TSA, I frequently flew to the US, and was occasionally selected for a more in depth search. I never felt threatened, and the inspectors were friendly while being thorough. Sure, it was a pain to have them go through my bags from top to bottom, but it wasn`t an *attack* on me. We`d laugh, and once when I was carrying a bunch of handmade gifts from my grandmother-in-law, the man even complimented them and asked how they were made.
I knew that as I was innocent, there was nothing for me to be afraid of. Now, innocent or not, it feels like if they want to find something... They will. That is NOT a good feeling.

Takuan;

At least the Japanese measures are polite and I certainly don`t feel threatened by them. I can`t say I`m *happy* about the changes of course...

But still, if Japan can manage to get me in the country with less hassle, it`s a lot better than the US. I`m a US citizen, and Japan treating me better says a lot in my book. No hassle is best, but it would take a LOT to make the system worse than what I experienced on our US trip.

While the measures are a pain, it really feels expected - being as almost every other country out there is doing something similar. I would like them to be a bit less strict when it comes to those with valid long term visas though.

I think far too many people are directing their energies at complaining about how they are treated in technically foreign countries (I say technically because I have lived here since I was a legal child, so it`s a bit of a stretch to call it "foreign") when they should really be complaining about how they are treated in their home country. But for some reason, the US is excused, while they throw fits about an extra few minutes passing through immigration in Japan.

Takuan; I`m unmistakably white. My son is half Japanese, but barely looks it. We live in Japan.

Teresa; It was the Chicago O'Hare airport, October of 2005. I have made up my mind that I will never visit the US as long as these silly "security" measures are in effect, and I`m definitely not worried that they`re going to come track me down about it. If they feel a burning desire to look up my name and stick me on the list for talking about what happened, they really have way too much time on their hands.
I know that my story has discouraged quite a few friends of ours from visiting the US, as if something like that happens to an actual citizen (in my case, at least. My son only has Japanese citizenship.) who knows what could happen to a non-citizen.

I end up feeling like I would be safer under the umbrella of another country`s citizenship though.

I posted this elsewhere, but will post it again here. This happened a bit over 2 years ago, but I think it`s still valid, as it was the TSA.

-On a trip to the US, where I am a citizen - I was
fingerprinted, photographed, had my baby strip searched in the middle of the airport, and left unattended, suitcase broken open because they were too lazy to open the clasp, had things inside my suitcase broken open and pierced to "check contents" and then tossed back in to leak on everything else, and then almost detained because my baby was naked (from the strip search!?!?) and posing a health hazard - which made us so late that we missed the flight...

This was apparently all because I looked suspicious when telling my mother in law to meet me by such-and-such on the other side of immigration, and because it seems there is someone on the no-fly list who shares the same first three letters of their name with that of my son. We (my son and I) were pulled aside first and I was told that he was on the no-fly list... I pointed out that he was 1, and it was doubtful that the list was referring to him.

They took my son away from me, strip searched him (held up by his hands) and left him on the floor (naked) on the other side of glass when they finished.
Then they moved on to searching and interrogating me. I was asked what I was doing traveling with someone on the list, why I had talked to a non-US citizen on the way to immigration, and was told point blank that my son had no rights at this point, and that he would most likely have to be detained.

I cried. I begged them to just let us go home! He`s a baby. He can`t possibly be on the list.

Apparently they consider this resisting. I was told to shut up, did I want to be "detained" too? After about 15 minutes, they decided that my son didn`t pose a threat, and they plopped him (still naked) *outside* their little TSA booth - on the floor, in a busy airport. I could see him from inside, but wasn`t allowed to go get him. I`m guessing that they weren`t allowed to take him out of my sight. They never told me anything. I was terrified someone would just pick him up and run.

I was scared to death that they`d never let me go home. After about an hour - possibly more as it was long enough that we completely missed our flight - they just let us go. A woman came and finally rehashed our search after getting my son from outside the booth (once you`ve been out there they have to check again, apparently.) She was nice, apologized for the inconvenience, etc. She was the only person there who didn`t have their name tag conveniently turned around backward or tucked into a pocket, covered by a sticker, etc.

When we were finally released from the booth, I was stopped immediately by another presumably non-TSA security guard and told my son posed a health hazard by being naked, and that I needed to get clothes on him NOW or come with him to the office. I don`t think I`ve ever dressed my son so quickly.

We missed our flight though and ended up staying overnight. I can`t tell you how scared I was going through the checkpoint the next day - but while they did pull us aside, they only did the typical wand check, and we passed through without a hitch. Different TSA people, totally different experience.

I have been asked multiple times why I just didn`t complain a bunch and inform them of our rights, blah blah blah.
When they`ve got your baby on the other side of glass, and are telling you that they might not let him leave the country with you.... You don`t want to risk anything. Nothing is worth losing my family.

I only seriously thought about complaining once we were home and safe, but I only had the name of the one single nice person. And as time passed, I figured that as long as it had been since the event itself, it was a waste of time.

We run an open wireless network - but it`s a bit different from the situations talked about here. Our router is an older, but very nice model. It doesn`t natively support wireless. We use a separate wireless router. It`s not technically part of our household network, as we don`t really use wireless for anything other than game consoles. They don`t require access to our file server, etc. And if someone feels the desire to hijack our online gaming, good for them.

We have a 100Mbps (although we only get about half of that in reality) connection with the wireless limited to 8Mbps which is more than fast enough for any valid uses. We definitely never feel any slow-down as a result of someone using our connection. As it`s used mainly by kids in our building, we call it "room-101 free wireless". We occasionally are thanked, and have even gotten a note put into our post by a thankful person who needed to look up a map to get to their sister`s wedding.

I doubt I would continue it though if it was included in our household network. I like keeping our file server open and on 24/7, which would have to change if our networks situations changed. (Not that we have anything particularly sensitive on it.)

I have a feeling this sort of thing happens MUCH more often than the news picks up.
My 1 year old son was considered suspicious, strip-searched, and taken away from me.... Apparently because his name "greatly resembled" that of a known threat - not to mention it was also suspicious that I am a US citizen and he was not. Why he fell under more suspicion than me (an adult) is a complete mystery.

They eventually gave him back, after I literally broke down crying, and we got out of the country... ASAP. But not before they threatened to put me on the no-fly list for "resisting", as apparently, arguing that a tiny medically needy 1 year old could not possibly be hatching a terrorist scheme.

It was such a horrifying and traumatic experience that I will NEVER visit the US again. Family will just have to come over here to visit me. For all I know, they could have stuck me on their list, and I could end up trapped there. Nope, nothing is worth the risk of being cut off from my family.

Come on people. Hyakuen is the way to say "100 yen". Hyakkin is the word for a 100-yen shop. Just because you don`t personally know the word does not mean it`s wrong. Hyakkin is correct.

I`ve only seen these really recommended for use with premature infants. You can`t really hold them if they`re in an incubator. The doctors often recommend finding something that provides some sensation of being held that will give the baby comfort of some sort. Having it smell like a parent when everything else smells of hospital is certainly a bonus.

For a normal infant, at home, it makes no sense to me and is just creepy. For a baby in the hospital, I can sort of see it having it`s use. Less stress can mean survival for a preemie. But at home - just hold the baby.

Seriously, those who took part in this and got out of hand are those at fault. It's not a matter of being uptight.

They were blocking normal use of a public system. I heard they were even blocking people from getting on the train if they didn't think they "looked good" - in other words, pulling cute girls on and kicking men out. There was destruction of property involved, and it was just general chaos.

They weren't partying in someone's house, or in a restaurant. They were on THE TRAIN. Sure, it's not uncommon for someone to be drunk on their way home. And there is even the occasional loud obnoxious old man. But not a whole train FULL of them, blocking the proper function of the train. What is the point of a train if people can't use it for transportation?

Anyone who thinks that Japan is out of line for being disgusted with this really needs to have a reality check. You honestly wouldn't mind if a bunch of people from outside your culture (doesn't matter what culture. The whole culture thing is only an issue to make the point that it isn't something you would be familiar with enough to join in or think was "cool". I know full well there are tons of people who will say "I'd join in!" if it's something they *are* familiar with) took over your only mode of transportation, and started tearing it up, harassing you, and getting violent?

Personally, I'm disgusted by the whole thing. Japan isn't a personal playground. I'd be fuming too if I was trying to get home and had to deal with this crap.