#23 - Actually, English isn't required. A foreign language is required, and most schools choose English, but a slim minority have Korean, Chinese, French, Spanish, etc...

#26 - How odd, the local konbini, and I'm living kinda inaka, recently changed ATMs and the new one allows my CC. If anything, my sense living here is that the CC culture is [slowly] expanding.

#32 - Lotsa 140lb soaking wet folks in the military. Even in the Marines, where I served.

Actually, here in Japan, those generally stand for the TYPE of drunk you are [happy drunk, angry drunk, sad drunk, etc.]

At enkai's it's a frequent question - "What type of drunk are you?" I know some folks with little statues of the drunk types in their house.

I got a pic of another pink Hello Kitty Honda "in the wild" last November - pic here - http://relaxedfocus.blogspot.com/2007/11/adventures-in-japanese-english-double.html

Sadly, there were no phallic symbols painted on that one... so you win.

Clearly, my guy was secure enough in his manhood to ride the pink demon without overcompensating.

I love Japan.

Sure, you laugh, but I'd try it! It might work. Can't be much worse than gravity/inversion boots.

Why must they crush all my dreams?

Now I have a reason to hate the French...

What's the "grand and glorious future"?

To quote [slightly out of context] John Rogers from Kung Fu Monkey on 4GM - "Nobody gets Rich, Everybody Gets Paid."

Gets my vote, uncreative soul that I am.

http://kfmonkey.blogspot.com/2007/01/4gm-nobody-gets-rich-everybody-gets.html

That is just eight kinds of crazy/awesome.

Sustainability and an efficient use of resources is, of course, a good thing.

But I've always found this argument - "wouldn't it make more sense anyway, she asks, to donate her $225 to the Trust rather than spend that amount on a handbag made from candy wrappers "headed for landfill"?" - incredibly fallacious and bogus.

Yes, of course... and we should all wear, only, perhaps, sack cloth and eat a fine rice gruel. Everything else would best be focused back on the environment and the poor.

But that's nonsense, because our monkey gene ensures we all like the shiny, cool toys [Boing Boing GADGETS, after all] and the choice isn't "Can I buy something neat?" or "Can I do some good?" it's "Can I buy something cool [I would've bought anyways] and still do some good at the same time?"