Tyler, the Portly Politico on Chinese Spy Balloon: “My sentiments precisely. The balloon flew over my town, and my reaction was amusement, not fear. I figure the ChiComs…” Feb 6, 11:05
Kyoto In Winter
Winter solitude–
In a world of one color
The sound of wind.
— Matsuo Bashō, , “Winter solitude”
Tags: Beauty | Haiku | Japan | Matsuo Bashō | Peace | Poetry | Snow | Winter
Kyoto In Winter
Kuchisabishii
Kuchisabishii. It’s a Japanese term which literally means “lonely mouth,” and is used to describe when you’re not hungry, but you eat anyway because your mouth is lonely. It rather poetically sums up boredom or stress induced eating, i.e., the munchies.
I find this interesting – beyond how cool the word is in and of itself – because most of us in the West tend to think of the Japanese as being very reserved and unemotional – true Stoics even – and yet, their language is filled with words that describe many emotions and emotive actions. That, going by the mainstream thoughts among linguists, indicates quite the opposite.
Tags: Eating | Japan | Japanese | Language & Idiom | Society
Introducing The Daomaki
And now, introducing Japan’s newest sushi sensation, the Daomaki (or Dōmaki in Go-on/Wa-on speech). After all, the Dao encompasses everything. 😉
Tags: Dao | Food | Food & Drink | Humor | Japan | Maki | Sushi
Biden's Moronic Profiteering
When what passes for this Administration finally got around to making a statement about the murder of former Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, It was selfish, vile, and nothing but Biden’s moronic profiteering off of the murder in an attempt to bolster Democrats in the upcoming elections.
I am stunned, outraged, and deeply saddened by the news that my friend Abe Shinzo, former Prime Minister of Japan, was shot and killed while campaigning. This is a tragedy for Japan and for all who knew him. I had the privilege to work closely with Prime Minister Abe. As Vice President, I visited him in Tokyo and welcomed him to Washington. He was a champion of the Alliance between our nations and the friendship between our people. The longest serving Japanese Prime Minister, his vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific will endure. Above all, he cared deeply about the Japanese people and dedicated his life to their service. Even at the moment he was attacked, he was engaged in the work of democracy. While there are many details that we do not yet know, we know that violent attacks are never acceptable and that gun violence always leaves a deep scar on the communities that are affected by it. The United States stands with Japan in this moment of grief. I send my deepest condolences to his family.
— Joe “Brandon” Biden
OK, to be fair, there’s a vanishingly small chance that Biden was involved in the crafting of this statement, much less having written it. It was cogent, rational, and in complete sentences. One does, however, have to hope he reviewed it and approved of it before it was use.
But, really!?! A, from all accounts, pretty great man and statesman just got assassinated and you’re going to instantly spin it into “gun violence” and a reflection of the Democrats’ domestic issue with an armed populace? That is just callous profiteering and moronically so to boot.
All I can personally say and all I think should have been said, is Kono tabi wa goshuushousama de gozaimasu. Sazo ochikara-otoshi no koto to zonjimasu.
Tags: America | Assassination | Japan | Murder | Politics | Profiteering | Shinzo Abe
