The STAGE48 post dump

Damn, you are bringing back memories for me, back when I used to run International Wota. Pata is an interesting dude, I met him a couple of times back when AKB came to NY and LA. I always got a kick out of his posts about Sugaya Risako

I'm trying to recall the other blog you are referring to. Could it possibly have been Mini Moni Mania, which was run by Kirarin Snow (K). I don't know if I would call that blog philosophical per se, but K used to write some pretty interesting and "off the beatin' path" posts, being that they're a mathematical wizard. I used to see K around the Bay Area, and we're friends on Facebook.

There's another blog I'm thinking of that you may be referring to, and the blogger was also a writer on IW, but I can't recall his name, or his blog EDIT: The name of that blog was True Life Seek, written by Broomhead

I was researching this stuff on my old blog 'Idolgasm' https://idolgasm.typepad.com/blog/

 

A comedic history of the Toto Washlet (with lots of hole references), but first, the first commercial.


if the video does not show watch the video here


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

Story about travel reopening in Japan, specifically Tokyo.

After nearly three years of heavy pandemic restrictions, Japan reopened its borders to independent foreign travelers on Oct. 11. Still, tourists need to prove they’ve had at least three vaccinations or provide a negative coronavirus test result within 72 hours of departure to enter the country.

Pre-pandemic, Tokyo’s reputation as a safe, clean travel destination dense with modern and ancient culture drew tens of millions of tourists a year. The border closure as the pandemic took hold in early 2020 signaled a difficult time ahead for Japan’s many tourism-reliant industries. However, there was a palpable sigh of relief from residents and businesses who felt strained to keep up with the ever-growing crowds of tourists. For some, the period of closed borders was a welcome break to take stock and implement new strategies for when tourism recommenced.

Now that the tourism floodgates are open, Tokyo hospitality workers and business owners are bracing for another wave of foreign travelers eager to rediscover what was once one of the top destinations in the world.



A shot from down the street from the theater.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2022/11/11/japan-travel-open-restrictions-tourism/

 

Japan is not immune from world wide trends.

"The October nationwide consumer price index, which looks at the price movements of goods and services consumed at home, rose 3.6% from last year, excluding fresh food. This is the largest increase in history in nearly 40 years."

https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/207194?display=1

 

Japan topples Germany, the World Cup’s latest fallen favorite.


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

Nostalgia Time

I used to live in Little Tokyo in LA on San Pedro St, just half a block from Weller Court, which is on Astronaut Ellison S Onizuka St. I shopped at Marukai for groceries and Kinokuniya Bookstore for gifts. Asuka, of WWE, flew into Burbank Airport (the air scenes at the beginning remind me of returning from the Bay Area on Southwest) on her way to a WWE show and visited my old stomping grounds. I also would shop at Japanese Village Plaza across the street, which she visited after her Shabu Shabu dinner. You can see her walk by the Yamazaki Bakery where I would buy buns and other baked goods.


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

The former President of the PRC Jiang Zemin died on November 30, and it is having a major impact on my life. Not that I especially care about him, but the Party has ordered a period of mourning and told entertainment companies not to release any new programs. There hasn't been a single update in the last three days for any of the Chinese dramas I have been watching, and I am devastated.

I guess I will have to stick with American football for now.

 

You mean Nijntje a.k.a. Miffy
In Japanese the name officially is ナインチェ・プラウス (which includes Nijntje's family naam 'Pluis')
You can hear them switch between Nijntje and Miffy (although they tend to use Miffy more(

btw, 'konijn' means rabbit and 'tje' is a diminutive, so 'konijntje' means little rabbit .... (so for a Japanese person it would seem 'konijntje' means little little rabbit as 子 (ko) means little as well, 子兎)

'pluis' is fluff ... Nijntje is a a fluffy little rabbit

 

Twitter has just announced it's no longer allowed to mention other social media sites.



Most (ex)AKB members I follow on twitter have at least their instagram in their profiles, pretty sure their usage will drop off if they are nog longer allowed to link, and to be honest, the member accounts are the only reason I'm on twitter anyway.
(and it's a total mess the last few weeks ... I would not open my twitter at work as the algorithm seems to think I'm only there for the gravure .... :/ )

It's frankly an insane rule as instagram is a completely different beast from Twitter, but if you want to make Instagram grow, this the the way to do it ;D

 

I just checked a few that I follow. Paruru, Yuko, Acchan, Yuihan, and Mako don't link to Instagram, but Haruu and Churi do (but haven't been taken down yet).

Team 8 still up with links among the few I follow:

Sato Akari, Hidayaa, Hattori Yuna, Yurina, and Yokochan

P.S. Be sure to vote that Musk should step-down.

 

and Elon Musk has revoked the ban after criticism
he then did a poll wether he should step down as CEO (because he'll be probably forced to step down regardless or maybe he's just delusional and think he's doing a great job)
58% told him to buzz off