We should really confuse any terrorists in Tokyo. Whenever Trump or some other “dignitary” comes, garbage cans should be installed on every train platform, every train station and on every corner.

Happy Mookie Wilson Game 6 ‘86 WS to all who celebrate.

But the honor of “Defender of the Faith” was bestowed on Henry VIII by a Pope (another Leo, no less) while the King was still in the Roman Church. So Charles III was not offsides, really.

First concert I ever went to was KISS at Madison Square Garden. Maybe 1977? A sophomore in high school. Wasn’t a fan but friend had tickets. A lot of fun. RIP Ace Frehley. Hope you’re back in the New York Groove.

Always nice to see local service providers getting into the Halloween spirit.

Bill Buckner exhales tonight. (Even though it was Game 6 & not a series deciding game. And the NY football Giants beat the Iggles the same night. Maybe there is justice in this world.

So Sapporo Brewery takes advantage of the computer hack carried out by the Russians against Asahi to mock Asahi by introducing a beer called “Extra Think”?! Brilliant (but the beer itself is ma ma).

@mulboyne.bsky.social How much blue tarp would be needed to display 45 tons of rice?

Surprised to get a STEP warning just now from US State Dept advising US citizens "to remain vigilant, maintain heightened situational awareness, & practice good personal security measures" due to the Oct 7 Hamas attacks anniversary. Thought it should be with respect travel to & in the United States.

Watching the 2025 World Athletics Championships at Tokyo and am struck by the diverse background of the athletes, not just on Team Japan but Italy, Germany, Spain, Australia, UK and many others. And of course Team USA. And it’s treated by everyone as a matter of course. Maybe there is hope.

Summer not officially over for a week or so, but when there’s forgotten sunglasses on the beach (& earlier I passed a lost beach locker key), summer really is done.

Off of Yuigahama Beach, facing Sagami Bay while out with Daisy on her late afternoon walk.

It’s still hard to process this. It was my daughter’s first day of school at her “big” school. Dropped her off, took pictures. On the Broadway bus downtown, met a former colleague. Then his wife called & send a plane had crashed into the WTC.

Governor Koike and TMG, are you listening?

It is pretty astounding that the PM of Japan said during televised questioning in parliament that Trump “is not a normal person who plays by the rules, but someone who changes them." I wonder if this will get back to the US president. Or if he'd even take this as something of a compliment.

Will Team USA be invited to the White House?

Not gonna lie, each time I see BLS I think of the NYC radio station and the great voice of the announcer saying the call letters in the 1970s.

Got an email from a concert ticket co. about an upcoming Japan tour. Don’t think its algorithm is working properly (or I hope it isn’t).

On of the best Japan related jokes of all time, nearly impossible to top.

So if you want a blue bottle with an English neck label, that’s an extra ¥200 license fee to Ohtani’s employer.

I understand the State Dep’t has other issues to tend to today, but sending an “alert” at 4:45 pm local time on the date of a warning for that date is not very useful. DOGE must have improved their communication software.

Give up your weapons voluntarily? End up like Ghaddafi Strike a deal to avoid nukes for sanctions relief? End up like Iran Hard for a lot of leaders to look at Putin and KJU and not figure out the difference

Five Supreme Court justices made this ruling. The only dissent was from Justice Mitsuko Miyagawa, the sole woman among the five, who said it was irrational to exclude the legal sex industry from COVID relief payments. www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...

Just in case any of you need the Japanese translation. 🤣 Credit: NHK News あさいち Morning News

Excellent 🧵

A report in the Axios Raleigh newsletter has Lawson as the most popular baby boy’s name in 2024 in North Carolina. Surprisingly, neither FamiMa nor Daily Yamazaki made the list, though.

Today I learned there’s a Russian ship named GENJI, which has been sanctioned by HM Government. search-uk-sanctions-list.service.gov.uk/designations...

Not sure if this Manga Manners coin locker also meant to serve as a bingo card for foreign visitors— “Welcome to Japan! Slurping noodles is polite!!”

This statement about the transphobic Supreme Court ruling by the UK's Crab Museum (yes a museum about crabs) is better than 99% of the statements I've seen on the topic www.crabmuseum.org/visit 🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀

First I read of Pope Francis' passing, and then of Bobby of JG Melon's. www.grubstreet.com/article/bobb... RIP to two very good men.

Old North Church in Boston last night on the 250th anniversary of Paul Revere's ride.

It's worth reading the entire 7-page 4th Circuit ruling rejecting Trump's appeal in the Abrego Garcia case. I've never read anything quite like it. It's an elegy to the end of the country as they've and we've known it. It rues "all that might have been." storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

In this world, shipmates, sin that pays its way can travel freely, and without a passport

We cannot remain silent while these policies attempt to strip people of their humanity and dignity and reverse course on our nation’s journey towards a more just and equitable future. www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/04/04/m...

“The Japanese American National Museum says Trump admin may withhold as much as $2 million approved by the Biden admin.” “Facing pressure to scrub its website of diversity and inclusion references, a JANM leader says the museum will ‘scrub nothing.’” www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

NHK on the tariffs on uninhabited islands:

Paul Weiss: We are pathetic. Skadden: Hold our beer.

By request 😇

Didn't have "foreigners are using up all the onsen water" on my tourism grumbles bingo card. mainichi.jp/english/arti...

Welcome to Japan! Former Met Michael Conforto hits a HR against Giants in exhibition at Tokyo Dome.

This letter appeared in the Bloomsburg PA Press Enterprise this morning. I am assured the writer is who he purports to be, an Air Force veteran.

It seems that Trump, Musk, Vance, Miller, et al. think that they are buffered from suffering and death, and so they are willing to bring them on to affect those they loathe politically, even if they also strike their supporters. This is hard-heartedness, callousness, sociopathology.

With his permission, I'm sharing Dean Treanor's response to Ed Martin's letter:

My nieces are sweet if not from Nice.

Elon Musk posted a photo of Japanese cherry blossoms and received a Japanese language community note pointing out it was taken without permission from the Instagram page of a Japanese photographer. This is the second time that Musk has posted photos from the same user without permission or credit.

@powderbum75.bsky.social You need to get your bunny some wheels (& some ducks)

If you’re running a Hot Cocktail Festival, would think only minimal “proof”reading is needed.

Today in Asakusa.

So TV Asaji’s Morning Show just played Musk’s “German” salute (as they described it) a few times, including in slo-motion. Even they recognized it for what it was.