More Wacky Japanese Stuff

[lumberjim]

The worst part would be lugging all the bottles of soda around with you all day.

[ZenGum]

Originally Posted by lumberjim

The worst part would be lugging all the bottles of soda around with you all day.

And the ice to keep them cool.
And the change.

[paddlegal]

Originally Posted by lumberjim

The worst part would be lugging all the bottles of soda around with you all day.

A great big ole Arkansas Haw!

[ZenGum]

This friendly little mouse, with the blue condom on its head, is Pi-po-chan, the mascot of the Tokyo Police force. Piiiiii-pohhhhh is the sound Japanese police sirens make, and "chan" is a familiar version of "san". So the name translates roughly as "Wee-wah-sweetie".
Yes, the cops in a city of 32 million keep order with a mouse. RESPECT MAH AUTHORITAH!!!

[Mockingbird]

That inspires fear in the heart of evil doers!

One thing that's kind of struck me as telling in Japan is the drug law. Speed and other 'uppers' carry a much lower sentence compared to marijuana use. I don't think they care what you do as long as you're nice and productive.

Shame, though. The one time I went to visit I remember telling my friends that if there was one place in the world that needed weed, it had to be Japan. It's crazy, the one connection I was able to find was a known member of the Yakuza and he charged about $500 US for an ounce. (!!!) Those folks just don't like chilling out.

[ZenGum]

Indeed, the "zero-tolerance" idea has never caught on here. Funnily, a lot of the young posers aspire to the image of the drug culture but don't actually do (can't get, possibly) drugs. There are plenty of wannabes with dope-leaf jewelry or T-shirts, but who've never smoked in their lives.
Similarly when the ecstasy set in the west were all going on the dance floor with bottles of evian, the Tokyo set were going dancing with their evian bottles... without having drugs.
Drugs are available here, if you look hard enough, but I am not risking the law here. In South Australia, possession for personal use = on the spot fine, pay at the post office, no record. Here, the cops can hold you for 21 days on suspicion without bail or a lawyer, and any conviction would cost me my job, apartment, and visa, plus probable prison time. I'll pass, thanks.

[Mockingbird]

Originally Posted by ZenGum

Indeed, the "zero-tolerance" idea has never caught on here. Funnily, a lot of the young posers aspire to the image of the drug culture but don't actually do (can't get, possibly) drugs. There are plenty of wannabes with dope-leaf jewelry or T-shirts, but who've never smoked in their lives.
Similarly when the ecstasy set in the west were all going on the dance floor with bottles of evian, the Tokyo set were going dancing with their evian bottles... without having drugs.
Drugs are available here, if you look hard enough, but I am not risking the law here. In South Australia, possession for personal use = on the spot fine, pay at the post office, no record. Here, the cops can hold you for 21 days on suspicion without bail or a lawyer, and any conviction would cost me my job, apartment, and visa, plus probable prison time. I'll pass, thanks.

Yeah, it was risky but I was in country for ... similar activities. Did you ever read that blog about the guy that was detained for 21 days in Japan? I'll try to find it, it was an interesting look at the Japanese prison system.