Japanese Men Refusing to Leave their Rooms

Off Topic
361

[quote]orion wrote:

[quote]Chushin wrote:

[quote]orion wrote:

[quote]Chushin wrote:

[quote]Gambit_Lost wrote:

[quote]LoRez wrote:

With Japan, there’s a part of me that’s afraid I’d just get sucked in and just generally lose touch with American culture. But at the same time not really fit in with Japan… and then basically feel out of place everywhere.

Of course I somewhat feel this way already.

Is that a legitimate concern?[/quote]

Yes. That said, with Skype and better communications in general, things are getting better all the time.

After my first stint over there, coming back was quite the shock. I recall landing in Detroit for a layover and finding the first “American style diner” to grab something to eat. My waitress was a 250+ pound, rude, black woman who sat on my table as she took my order.

I was home!!![/quote]

You should have felt the culture shock going back after living here when then were no: fax machines / cell phones / bilingual broadcasts / computers / Skype services.

That’s back when Japan was a foreign country.

(Cue Cortes joke about how old I am.)

But seriously, you kids have no idea just how different it used to be here as compared to the West.[/quote]

I think the problem is now that they actually still have fax machines. [/quote]

One in every home![/quote]

Scanners, PDFs, no dice?[/quote]

Man, as technologically advanced as this country is, it would blow your mind how backward, primitive and completely tuned out most people are to what is available to them. We’ve only just now started to be able to use credit cards at most major stores or find an ATM open past 6pm.

362

[quote]Cortes wrote:

[quote]orion wrote:

[quote]Chushin wrote:

[quote]orion wrote:

[quote]Chushin wrote:

[quote]Gambit_Lost wrote:

[quote]LoRez wrote:

With Japan, there’s a part of me that’s afraid I’d just get sucked in and just generally lose touch with American culture. But at the same time not really fit in with Japan… and then basically feel out of place everywhere.

Of course I somewhat feel this way already.

Is that a legitimate concern?[/quote]

Yes. That said, with Skype and better communications in general, things are getting better all the time.

After my first stint over there, coming back was quite the shock. I recall landing in Detroit for a layover and finding the first “American style diner” to grab something to eat. My waitress was a 250+ pound, rude, black woman who sat on my table as she took my order.

I was home!!![/quote]

You should have felt the culture shock going back after living here when then were no: fax machines / cell phones / bilingual broadcasts / computers / Skype services.

That’s back when Japan was a foreign country.

(Cue Cortes joke about how old I am.)

But seriously, you kids have no idea just how different it used to be here as compared to the West.[/quote]

I think the problem is now that they actually still have fax machines. [/quote]

One in every home![/quote]

Scanners, PDFs, no dice?[/quote]

Man, as technologically advanced as this country is, it would blow your mind how backward, primitive and completely tuned out most people are to what is available to them. We’ve only just now started to be able to use credit cards at most major stores or find an ATM open past 6pm.

[/quote]

You dont know my mother.

She is like a mini Japan.

363

[quote]Cortes wrote:

[quote]spar4tee wrote:

[quote]Gambit_Lost wrote:

[quote]farmerson12 wrote:
What are some laws in Japan that would make Americans or any Westerners for that matter, say “wtf”?[/quote]

You can pretty much drink anywhere: in the park, on the train, walking home from the train station. And people do.

The laws regarding multi-national marriage child abduction are WTF type stuff (like when a Japanese woman marries a Canadian and then “steals” the kids and moves back to Japan)

[/quote]
I remember hearing about that. I’ve also seen stories where parents just flat out abandon the kids. I saw a movie based on that. It was really good. I wish I could remember what it’s called.[/quote]

It’s called Dare Mo Shiranai, or Nobody Knows. I hate that movie with every iota of my being. The only movie I possibly hate more than that one is Event Horizon, and it’s a tough call.

Is it technically good? Yeah.

But watching such a disgusting story with absolutely no redemptive elements, that just leaves the viewer with nothing but sadness and despair and pointlessness and emptiness, is just beyond my ability. [/quote]

This intrigues me, you not a fan of tragic pessimism in film? I’m always drawn to pessimistic elements, I think I even prefer meaningful tragedies over happy endings, even if the happy ending comes about respectably. I enjoy the idea of the children’s courage, and their resilience in the face of inevitable struggle. For all it’s pessimism, I like that there’s a glimmer of hope in the children and their intent to continue onwards despite the blows they’ve been dealt. Something about it seems incredibly authentic for all it’s woes and heartaches, I appreciate that a lot.

May sound strange that I’ve just said I’m drawn to the pessimism and described my appreciation for the optimism, I guess silver linings are what do me in.

Also, with you on Event Horizon. But there’s something special about Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2 for me. I’m sure off the top of my head there are ones I loathe more, possibly Showgirls, but I saw Superbabies again recently and I want to punch whoever decided to direct that square in the eyes.

364

[quote]Big Kahuna wrote:

[quote]Chushin wrote:

[quote]Big Kahuna wrote:

[quote]Chushin wrote:

[quote]therajraj wrote:

[quote]Gambit_Lost wrote:

[quote]farmerson12 wrote:
What are some laws in Japan that would make Americans or any Westerners for that matter, say “wtf”?[/quote]

You can pretty much drink anywhere: in the park, on the train, walking home from the train station. And people do.

The laws regarding multi-national marriage child abduction are WTF type stuff (like when a Japanese woman marries a Canadian and then “steals” the kids and moves back to Japan)

[/quote]

All pubic hair must be blurred in pornography.[/quote]

Wrong.

Or at least it depends on what you call “pornography.”[/quote]

Somehow, I’m actually intrigued enough about the borderline that constitutes censorship and legal passes, please expand.[/quote]

I often do when watchng the porn. (Yuk, yuk, yuk)

Nothing illegal any more about pubic hair – it shown aplenty. But showing genitalia is still a no-no. In practice, that means photos can be untouched, but video needs to be blurred so organs can be seen.[/quote]

Sophisticated humour he says!

Does that mean that non-censored full-shot hardcore genital porn (as opposed to non-genital hardcore porn, of course) is normally violating some basic legal subtext, or are there exceptions dependent on other factors?[/quote]

Only applies to human organs. A man’s penis must be blurred. A dog’s? Not at all!

The direct reason that so much weird fetish porn like the bukkake and tentacle genres, to name a VERY few, came from Japan was as a manner of circumventing the dumb restrictions that had been placed upon straight genital sex.

Japanese porn is a perfect, living example of the Law of Unintended Consequences.

365

[quote]Varqanir wrote:

[quote]Chushin wrote:

You should have felt the culture shock going back after living here when then were no: fax machines / cell phones / bilingual broadcasts / computers / Skype services.

That’s back when Japan was a foreign country.

(Cue Cortes joke about how old I am.)

But seriously, you kids have no idea just how different it used to be here as compared to the West.[/quote]

I first went to Japan in 1989. I remember.

At the time the university thought it was going to have trouble finding a host family for me, because I had long hair, and many Japanese were somewhat conservative about such things. I ended up staying with a family in Onomachi, a little suburb of Ichikawa in Chiba prefecture.

My first real “foreign country” moment was when I was running up a flight of steps from the Main Street to the residential area, and I happened upon a large group of junior high school students. Whatever they were noisily discussing at the time was instantly engulfed in a shocked silence, and they all just stared at me as I passed. I heard one girl utter in awe, as if she could scarcely believe it herself, “me ga aoi!” (his eyes are blue!). Over the next two decades I found that the blueness of my eyes had a similar effect on adult women as well, but that’s another story. [/quote]

My brother is 6’4", blonde haired, blue eyes, with the whitest of white skin and decent looking. And he can just rake in the women while he’s here.

366

[quote]Cortes wrote:

If you speak English and North Korea doesn’t drop a nuke on a major city, you’ll always have a job and never have a problem achieving legal residency status. [/quote]

The only major city North Korea has any chance of dropping a nuke on is Seoul, and that’s only if it falls out of the truck by mistake.

Don’t forget that in order to receive a certificate of eligibility for most skilled labor visas in Japan, a university degree and college transcripts are often required.

367

[quote]orion wrote:

[quote]Cortes wrote:

[quote]orion wrote:

[quote]Chushin wrote:

[quote]orion wrote:

[quote]Chushin wrote:

[quote]Gambit_Lost wrote:

[quote]LoRez wrote:

With Japan, there’s a part of me that’s afraid I’d just get sucked in and just generally lose touch with American culture. But at the same time not really fit in with Japan… and then basically feel out of place everywhere.

Of course I somewhat feel this way already.

Is that a legitimate concern?[/quote]

Yes. That said, with Skype and better communications in general, things are getting better all the time.

After my first stint over there, coming back was quite the shock. I recall landing in Detroit for a layover and finding the first “American style diner” to grab something to eat. My waitress was a 250+ pound, rude, black woman who sat on my table as she took my order.

I was home!!![/quote]

You should have felt the culture shock going back after living here when then were no: fax machines / cell phones / bilingual broadcasts / computers / Skype services.

That’s back when Japan was a foreign country.

(Cue Cortes joke about how old I am.)

But seriously, you kids have no idea just how different it used to be here as compared to the West.[/quote]

I think the problem is now that they actually still have fax machines. [/quote]

One in every home![/quote]

Scanners, PDFs, no dice?[/quote]

Man, as technologically advanced as this country is, it would blow your mind how backward, primitive and completely tuned out most people are to what is available to them. We’ve only just now started to be able to use credit cards at most major stores or find an ATM open past 6pm.

[/quote]

You dont know my mother.

She is like a mini Japan.

[/quote]

Haha! Literally lolling.

368

[quote]Cortes wrote:

[quote]Big Kahuna wrote:

[quote]Chushin wrote:

[quote]Big Kahuna wrote:

[quote]Chushin wrote:

[quote]therajraj wrote:

[quote]Gambit_Lost wrote:

[quote]farmerson12 wrote:
What are some laws in Japan that would make Americans or any Westerners for that matter, say “wtf”?[/quote]

You can pretty much drink anywhere: in the park, on the train, walking home from the train station. And people do.

The laws regarding multi-national marriage child abduction are WTF type stuff (like when a Japanese woman marries a Canadian and then “steals” the kids and moves back to Japan)

[/quote]

All pubic hair must be blurred in pornography.[/quote]

Wrong.

Or at least it depends on what you call “pornography.”[/quote]

Somehow, I’m actually intrigued enough about the borderline that constitutes censorship and legal passes, please expand.[/quote]

I often do when watchng the porn. (Yuk, yuk, yuk)

Nothing illegal any more about pubic hair – it shown aplenty. But showing genitalia is still a no-no. In practice, that means photos can be untouched, but video needs to be blurred so organs can be seen.[/quote]

Sophisticated humour he says!

Does that mean that non-censored full-shot hardcore genital porn (as opposed to non-genital hardcore porn, of course) is normally violating some basic legal subtext, or are there exceptions dependent on other factors?[/quote]

Only applies to human organs. A man’s penis must be blurred. A dog’s? Not at all!

The direct reason that so much weird fetish porn like the bukkake and tentacle genres, to name a VERY few, came from Japan was as a manner of circumventing the dumb restrictions that had been placed upon straight genital sex.

Japanese porn is a perfect, living example of the Law of Unintended Consequences.
[/quote]

Reading this post and your first animal draw being a dog makes me really appreciate that they opted against dog porn in the long run. I’m sure there are decency laws that forbid that, ones that octopuses apparently aren’t covered by.

369

[quote]Big Kahuna wrote:

[quote]Cortes wrote:

[quote]spar4tee wrote:

[quote]Gambit_Lost wrote:

[quote]farmerson12 wrote:
What are some laws in Japan that would make Americans or any Westerners for that matter, say “wtf”?[/quote]

You can pretty much drink anywhere: in the park, on the train, walking home from the train station. And people do.

The laws regarding multi-national marriage child abduction are WTF type stuff (like when a Japanese woman marries a Canadian and then “steals” the kids and moves back to Japan)

[/quote]
I remember hearing about that. I’ve also seen stories where parents just flat out abandon the kids. I saw a movie based on that. It was really good. I wish I could remember what it’s called.[/quote]

It’s called Dare Mo Shiranai, or Nobody Knows. I hate that movie with every iota of my being. The only movie I possibly hate more than that one is Event Horizon, and it’s a tough call.

Is it technically good? Yeah.

But watching such a disgusting story with absolutely no redemptive elements, that just leaves the viewer with nothing but sadness and despair and pointlessness and emptiness, is just beyond my ability. [/quote]

This intrigues me, you not a fan of tragic pessimism in film? I’m always drawn to pessimistic elements, I think I even prefer meaningful tragedies over happy endings, even if the happy ending comes about respectably. I enjoy the idea of the children’s courage, and their resilience in the face of inevitable struggle. For all it’s pessimism, I like that there’s a glimmer of hope in the children and their intent to continue onwards despite the blows they’ve been dealt. Something about it seems incredibly authentic for all it’s woes and heartaches, I appreciate that a lot.

May sound strange that I’ve just said I’m drawn to the pessimism and described my appreciation for the optimism, I guess silver linings are what do me in.

Also, with you on Event Horizon. But there’s something special about Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2 for me. I’m sure off the top of my head there are ones I loathe more, possibly Showgirls, but I saw Superbabies again recently and I want to punch whoever decided to direct that square in the eyes.[/quote]

No, I don’t appreciate the French Existentialist JP Sartre/Francis Bacon school of filmmaking. I don’t mind a meaningful tragedy, I just did not find any sort of meaning, none, within this film.

They killed the little girl. The cutest, sweetest one. Then buried her in a field. Fuck that sort of pessimism and fuck the spoilers I’m throwing around. I wish someone had warned me before I watched it.

370

[quote]A few days ago, Big Kahuna wrote:

Promise me you won’t make any mention of Showgirls. Please, for the love of science.[/quote]

However,

[quote]Just now, Big Kahuna wrote:

Showgirls[/quote]

Fucking hypocrite.

:slight_smile:

371

[quote]Varqanir wrote:

[quote]Cortes wrote:

If you speak English and North Korea doesn’t drop a nuke on a major city, you’ll always have a job and never have a problem achieving legal residency status. [/quote]

The only major city North Korea has any chance of dropping a nuke on is Seoul, and that’s only if it falls out of the truck by mistake.

Don’t forget that in order to receive a certificate of eligibility for most skilled labor visas in Japan, a university degree and college transcripts are often required. [/quote]

I’m saying this as an employer: Then demand for native speakers of English in this country is so great that a high school degree and a bit of savvy are all any citizen of the US, Canada, UK, OZ, NZ or SA need to easily get a job here.

Easily.

And you don’t even need the savvy if you are decent looking.

372

Cortes, what did you think of Hotaru no Haka?

373

[quote]Big Kahuna wrote:

[quote]Cortes wrote:

[quote]Big Kahuna wrote:

[quote]Chushin wrote:

[quote]Big Kahuna wrote:

[quote]Chushin wrote:

[quote]therajraj wrote:

[quote]Gambit_Lost wrote:

[quote]farmerson12 wrote:
What are some laws in Japan that would make Americans or any Westerners for that matter, say “wtf”?[/quote]

You can pretty much drink anywhere: in the park, on the train, walking home from the train station. And people do.

The laws regarding multi-national marriage child abduction are WTF type stuff (like when a Japanese woman marries a Canadian and then “steals” the kids and moves back to Japan)

[/quote]

All pubic hair must be blurred in pornography.[/quote]

Wrong.

Or at least it depends on what you call “pornography.”[/quote]

Somehow, I’m actually intrigued enough about the borderline that constitutes censorship and legal passes, please expand.[/quote]

I often do when watchng the porn. (Yuk, yuk, yuk)

Nothing illegal any more about pubic hair – it shown aplenty. But showing genitalia is still a no-no. In practice, that means photos can be untouched, but video needs to be blurred so organs can be seen.[/quote]

Sophisticated humour he says!

Does that mean that non-censored full-shot hardcore genital porn (as opposed to non-genital hardcore porn, of course) is normally violating some basic legal subtext, or are there exceptions dependent on other factors?[/quote]

Only applies to human organs. A man’s penis must be blurred. A dog’s? Not at all!

The direct reason that so much weird fetish porn like the bukkake and tentacle genres, to name a VERY few, came from Japan was as a manner of circumventing the dumb restrictions that had been placed upon straight genital sex.

Japanese porn is a perfect, living example of the Law of Unintended Consequences.
[/quote]

Reading this post and your first animal draw being a dog makes me really appreciate that they opted against dog porn in the long run. I’m sure there are decency laws that forbid that, ones that octopuses apparently aren’t covered by.[/quote]

Uh, dog porn is a huge industry here. You guys just don’t see it because it is illegal in your countries.

374

[quote]Cortes wrote:

I’m saying this as an employer: Then demand for native speakers of English in this country is so great that a high school degree and a bit of savvy are all any citizen of the US, Canada, UK, OZ, NZ or SA need to easily get a job here.

Easily.

And you don’t even need the savvy if you are decent looking. [/quote]

Huh.

Might be time to brush off the old passport.

375

[quote]Cortes wrote:

[quote]Varqanir wrote:

[quote]Chushin wrote:

You should have felt the culture shock going back after living here when then were no: fax machines / cell phones / bilingual broadcasts / computers / Skype services.

That’s back when Japan was a foreign country.

(Cue Cortes joke about how old I am.)

But seriously, you kids have no idea just how different it used to be here as compared to the West.[/quote]

I first went to Japan in 1989. I remember.

At the time the university thought it was going to have trouble finding a host family for me, because I had long hair, and many Japanese were somewhat conservative about such things. I ended up staying with a family in Onomachi, a little suburb of Ichikawa in Chiba prefecture.

My first real “foreign country” moment was when I was running up a flight of steps from the Main Street to the residential area, and I happened upon a large group of junior high school students. Whatever they were noisily discussing at the time was instantly engulfed in a shocked silence, and they all just stared at me as I passed. I heard one girl utter in awe, as if she could scarcely believe it herself, “me ga aoi!” (his eyes are blue!). Over the next two decades I found that the blueness of my eyes had a similar effect on adult women as well, but that’s another story. [/quote]

My brother is 6’4", blonde haired, blue eyes, with the whitest of white skin and decent looking. And he can just rake in the women while he’s here.

[/quote]
eyes that are blue I do not have

376

[quote]Varqanir wrote:

[quote]A few days ago, Big Kahuna wrote:

Promise me you won’t make any mention of Showgirls. Please, for the love of science.[/quote]

However,

[quote]Just now, Big Kahuna wrote:

Showgirls[/quote]

Fucking hypocrite.

:slight_smile:

[/quote]

Had a feeling that would come back to bite me, bloody movie already follows me about like the plague* and I’m doing myself no favours. Sometimes I have to see it again, just to get all the hate out.

*Don’t even think about referencing the geographical limitations and national death counts of the plague to discredit my metaphor in case it technically makes no sense, you erudite scoundrel!

377

[quote]Varqanir wrote:
Cortes, what did you think of Hotaru no Haka?[/quote]

I actually have not seen it. And now I’m intrigued but not sure that I will want to.

Again, I have NO problem with tragic movies. Many of my favorite movies are the kind where the protagonist dies. I am no fan of kids and animals dying, though, unless there’s a damned good reason for it.

I thought Black Rain was well directed, but finally a piece of anti-bomb propaganda, and is another “masterpiece” I would never watch again.

Every good character in Hara-kiri, on the other hand, dies, while the main antagonists remain alive and the others die offscreen. It, however, is one of the greatest movies I’ve ever seen (and I’ve seen a lot of movies!).

378

[quote]Varqanir wrote:

[quote]Cortes wrote:

I’m saying this as an employer: Then demand for native speakers of English in this country is so great that a high school degree and a bit of savvy are all any citizen of the US, Canada, UK, OZ, NZ or SA need to easily get a job here.

Easily.

And you don’t even need the savvy if you are decent looking. [/quote]

Huh.

Might be time to brush off the old passport.
[/quote]

Need a job?

Not joking.

Still waiting for you to get back to me on that email I sent you. I sent it to the address Chushin gave me, your yahoo acct.

379

[quote]spar4tee wrote:

[quote]Cortes wrote:

[quote]Varqanir wrote:

[quote]Chushin wrote:

You should have felt the culture shock going back after living here when then were no: fax machines / cell phones / bilingual broadcasts / computers / Skype services.

That’s back when Japan was a foreign country.

(Cue Cortes joke about how old I am.)

But seriously, you kids have no idea just how different it used to be here as compared to the West.[/quote]

I first went to Japan in 1989. I remember.

At the time the university thought it was going to have trouble finding a host family for me, because I had long hair, and many Japanese were somewhat conservative about such things. I ended up staying with a family in Onomachi, a little suburb of Ichikawa in Chiba prefecture.

My first real “foreign country” moment was when I was running up a flight of steps from the Main Street to the residential area, and I happened upon a large group of junior high school students. Whatever they were noisily discussing at the time was instantly engulfed in a shocked silence, and they all just stared at me as I passed. I heard one girl utter in awe, as if she could scarcely believe it herself, “me ga aoi!” (his eyes are blue!). Over the next two decades I found that the blueness of my eyes had a similar effect on adult women as well, but that’s another story. [/quote]

My brother is 6’4", blonde haired, blue eyes, with the whitest of white skin and decent looking. And he can just rake in the women while he’s here.

[/quote]
eyes that are blue I do not have[/quote]

I did TOTALLY okay with brown eyes and dark brown hair.

380

Then again, I’m extremely charming. (^_^)b