So that's what Gaijin think of Japan.

[GuyJean]

Man, what is it with Americans? I'm so ashamed; It seems we're overly educated and assholes, or ignorant fucks and assholes. What's happened to my home?

Maybe it's just the assholes screaming their opinions and being heard

Johny Depp is right.

GJ

[Big Booger]

Cheryl still has some monster hoots.


And his leopard print shirt was really hip. LMAO. I told my wife that I wouldn't be caught dead in a T-shirt like that.

[kamome]

Johny Depp is right.

GJ

Johnny Depp was right to pack up and move to France? Well, I guess that's better than living in the US. (Couldn't hurt that he's married to a gorgeous model and living on the beach).

But the seriously disenchanted American packs up and moves to Japan.

[GuyJean]

Johnny Depp was right to pack up and move to France? Well, I guess that's better than living in the US.

I wasn't talking about moving to France]"America is dumb, it's like a dumb puppy that has big teeth that can bite and hurt you, aggressive," he said.

"My daughter is four, my boy is one. I'd like them to see America as a toy, a broken toy. Investigate it a little, check it out, get this feeling and then get out,"[/quote]

One of my history teachers in middle school compared the US to an emotional teenager. One good thing about it; a lot of growth occurs during the teen years. Along with the pain.

I guess I'm getting more frustrated with the lack of sound leadership from our 'leaders'.. It's ironic that 19 terrorists can bring the world together, but it only takes one Texan to tear it apart.

I know that's not a 100% true, but the US had the support of the world after September 11th.. What happened?

I'm tired.. Need beer and sleep.

In Depp Shit.. (whoops):
_________________________

http://us.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/Movies/09/05/depp.misquoted.reut/index.html

"I am an American. I love my country and have great hopes for it," Depp said in a statement. "It is for this reason that I speak candidly and sometimes critically about it. I have benefited greatly from the freedom that exists in my country and for this I am eternally grateful."

The magazine quoted the actor as saying: "America is...like a dumb puppy that has big teeth that can bite and hurt you, aggressive."

Explaining his comments a day later, Depp said he had been using a metaphor that was taken "radically out of context," adding, "There was no anti-American sentiment."

"What I was saying was that, compared to Europe, America is a very young country and we are still growing as a nation. My deepest apologies to those who were offended, affected, or hurt by this insanely twisted deformation of my words and intent."

(as agent spanks ass)

GJ

[GuyJean]

Whoopsy.. Double post.. Mind as well not waste it..



Got Milk?

GJ

[cstaylor]

Now that we've spun out on a tangent about rich Americans shooting off their mouths as they move abroad... I remember making a statement a few months back about the American right and the American left as compared to a 10-year old and a 13-year old. Yes, in comparison to the right, the left looks smart, but when viewed alone... he's quite the teenager with the adolescent wit and argument skills.

"America is dumb, it's like a dumb puppy that has big teeth that can bite and hurt you, aggressive," he said.

"My daughter is four, my boy is one. I'd like them to see America as a toy, a broken toy. Investigate it a little, check it out, get this feeling and then get out,"

Now, comparing an entire country to a young puppy is extreme. Is he talking about leadership? Education? Is he talking about the system of government, the one that looks suspiciously like the E.U.? Yes, Montesquieu (a Frenchman) conceived the idea of separation of powers within the government, but it was America that put it in practice.

For everything that Bush has done, you can summarize the European opposition's argument into: "Damn, he sounds stupid when he rubs two phrases together". Like Bush, Clinton bombed some countries without U.N. approval, but he was capable of verbally defending himself and his administration's position. Somehow I don't think "Bring'm on" translates very well into French or German.

[Alcazar]

But isn't it typical of people like Johnny Depp to do a thing like this? Belonging to a privileged elite, removed from reality in a life of luxury, what would he know about how the real world operates?

The man is surrounded by fawning sycophants and smug leftists who think that 'they know better' and are even conceited enough to believe that they have a monopoly on the intellectual discourse. They are lulled into a false sense of security, which is great. Then they are shocked when the Right demonstrates the intellectual paucity of the Left, and kicks the Left's butt, again and again.

Then people like Depp get indignant, spit the dummy and say 'Fine, I'm leaving, I didn't really like this place so much anyway', or words to that effect.

It just makes him look like a sore loser, who can find gratification for his utopian views amongst the 'post history'Europeans.........

[jim katta]

well, I'm neither rich, part of the elite, or married to a hot model, but I have to agree with johnny depp.

But the seriously disenchanted American packs up and moves to Japan.

amen brother. see ya soon.

[GuyJean]

[den4]

reminds me of that Kome Kome Club tune: Funk Fujiyama:

Watashi wa nihon hajimete desu
Ginza tottemo san desu good!
Japeen no lady josei minna utamaro desu!
Yoshiwara tottemo san desu good!

A'ha a'ha sora wo koete a'ha a'ha umi wo koete
A'ha a'ha oka wo koete ikeba gaijin
Gatchoo getchoomen

Eebibadi samurai sushi geisha! "Everybody samurai sushi geisha"
Biyuuteihoo fujiyama ha! ha! ha!
Konichiwa sayonara kore ikura!
Kamikaze harakiri ha! ha! ha!

Kakejiku suki deth miso suupu
Kyamera wa daijobu san desu good!
Ocha sake hiroshima nara kyoto
Disco ja gyaru ni moten deth guutto!

A'ha a'ha niji wo koete a'ha a'ha yoru wo koete
A'ha a'ha Jisa wo koete bokete nebokete getchoomen

[kamome]

reminds me of that Kome Kome Club tune: Funk Fujiyama:

Watashi wa nihon hajimete desu
Ginza tottemo san desu good!
Japeen no lady josei minna utamaro desu!
Yoshiwara tottemo san desu good!

A'ha a'ha sora wo koete a'ha a'ha umi wo koete
A'ha a'ha oka wo koete ikeba gaijin
Gatchoo getchoomen

Eebibadi samurai sushi geisha! "Everybody samurai sushi geisha"
Biyuuteihoo fujiyama ha! ha! ha!
Konichiwa sayonara kore ikura!
Kamikaze harakiri ha! ha! ha!

Kakejiku suki deth miso suupu
Kyamera wa daijobu san desu good!
Ocha sake hiroshima nara kyoto
Disco ja gyaru ni moten deth guutto!

A'ha a'ha niji wo koete a'ha a'ha yoru wo koete
A'ha a'ha Jisa wo koete bokete nebokete getchoomen

Uh, interesting lyrics...somewhat belittling of gaijin, but it does apply to the goober who made that website.

Guyjean: You're right, Depp definitely makes sense. Did you see his interview in GQ? (Yes, I admit to reading GQ on occasion).

[maxdacat]

If you keep trawling through Bruce's whistlestop tour he goes on to say:

"Several Japanese businessmen heading to the airport individually pose for a photo with my wife. This strikes me as odd until I realize that they merely want to capture the experience of having seen a stunningly beautiful Caucasian woman during their travels in Japan—which, for all its people, is a very lonely place."

what a dick!

[Steve Bildermann]

This will, indeed, illuminate the current level of the general international intelligence quotient that we have now achieved in our 'homeland'. Its a pretty funny video, but at the same time, quite sad to say the least.

Nice one Rob.

Obviously a set-up but I fell off my chair laffing.

I wonder how the UK folks would do (after all Linda Blair's brother is PM)

[Caustic Saint]

Is This The Reason Bush Is Our President?

This will, indeed, illuminate the current level of the general international intelligence quotient that we have now achieved in our 'homeland'. Its a pretty funny video, but at the same time, quite sad to say the least.

Well, now we know who that 40% was that believed Saddam was the cause of the 9/11 attacks.

[Video-Link Japan]

Well, now we know who that 40% was that believed Saddam was the cause of the 9/11 attacks.

I thought it was more like 7 out of 10.. and Bush had to choke out recently they don't have any proof and he didn't know why so many people thought Iraq was involved in 911.. might have had something to do with his State of the Union Address tho. ?!?!?

Luis at xpat.org always has some interesting posts about the current 'Mess in the U.S' good rants unless you are a waaay right of center kinda person...

[Caustic Saint]

Well, now we know who that 40% was that believed Saddam was the cause of the 9/11 attacks.

I thought it was more like 7 out of 10.. and Bush had to choke out recently they don't have any proof and he didn't know why so many people thought Iraq was involved in 911.. might have had something to do with his State of the Union Address tho. ?!?!?

Did it get that high? The last figure I saw (several months ago) was 40%. 70% wouldn't surprise me though.

[cstaylor]

Steve - I don't think it was a setup. I'm sure there were plenty of people that got the right answers, they just didn't use that footage... similar to Karakuri Terebi's "Japanese Please" show.

[AssKissinger]

I'm an American and I know they don't have to look very far to find people that stupid. I was drinking with some people once in the states and I started to realize how dumb they were so I decided to quiz them a bit on basic geography. They collectively, three of them in total one with a four year degree, couldn't tell me if Korea is a city or if China is an island. The really scary thing is when they start giving statistics. Like one was that a high percentage of college students in Texas couldn't find Mexico on the map! In college I studied about political debates and they figured out the most important part of the debate is when the candidates shake hands because people are always more impressed with the taller one.

[Big Booger]

Remind me to wear cowboy boots at my next political debate.

That or stand on a step if the other candidate is taller than me.

[kamome]

The video on Pongi's website is exactly like Jay Leno's gag on the Tonight Show, where he goes out and asks random people simple political questions like "Who was the most recent President before Bush?" (common answer to such questions: duh, I don't know), then follow that up with a question about throw-away pop culture: "Who won the Super Bowl this year?" (almost always answered correctly).

It's funny until you take a step back and think about it. Then, you realize it's tragic.

[Taro Toporific]

... follow that up with a question about throw-away pop culture: "Who won the Super Bowl this year?" (almost always answered correctly).
It's funny until you take a step back and think about it. Then, you realize it's tragic.

Duh, what's the Super Bowel?

(Yikes, I've been here too long.)

[kamome]

Which reminds me: has anyone seen Michael Moore's movie, "Bowling for Columbine?" There's a scene where Moore interviews one of the McNichols brothers (they were part of the plot, successfully executed, to blow up a federal office building in Oklahoma). Moore asks him why he sleeps with a gun under his pillow. The guy says (paraphrasing here), "because it's my American right and duty to keep a firearm in case the government turns tyranical and we have to fight to maintain our liberty."

Then Moore asks, "Well why don't you fight the government the way Gandhi did? He used peaceful means to kick the British out of India. Why do you need to have a gun?"

And McNichols says, "Sorry, I'm just not familiar with that. Who's Gandhi?"

Tragic.

[Steve Bildermann]

Along those lines - quick - turn to the nearest Japanese person and ask them the current Emperor's full name?

[GomiGirl]

Sure it is really easy to find a heap of ignorant people and splice it together in a video.. but I will have to jump to the defence of my american friends who, without exception, are intelligent, articulate and pollitically aware.. while they may not all share the same politics, they are at least comfortable with their viewpoints and can validate their positions.

But then most of these people have travelled or have lived abroad. This seems to make a difference whatever the nationality.

[cstaylor]

Along those lines - quick - turn to the nearest Japanese person and ask them the current Emperor's full name?

That reminds me... does the royal family have a last name? AFAIK, Heisei Tenno is Akihito.

[maraboutslim]

It's not proper to call the emperor Heisei Tenno. That would only be proper after he dies! While still living, he is to be refered to as simply "tenno heika" or "kinjo tenno".

It would certainly be improper to refer to an emperor by his name (while dead or alive) and so it is perfectly logical for Japanese to not know the name of the emperor.

-Slim

[rmpfreeman]

Don't be so uptight, the question is not about titles or 'logic' The same could be said of the Mountbatten family (nee windsor)

Everybody in Japan has two names as written in their family register even Tenno Heika.

I asked about 20 people at a party last night and nobody knew but a few said they 'should' know but they didn't. It was quite a subject of comversation. Kinda shook things up.

[maraboutslim]

It's not about being uptight. It's just that in Japanese, no one would refer to the tenno heika as Akihito nor his father as Hirohito. You will not read that in a newspaper or see it in a school book.

So how do you expect the average Japanese to know the "name" that the west uses for their emperor? As far as the Japanese are concerned, they do know his name and it is simply tenno heika. Your problem is that you want a western answer for the question instead of the perfectly legitmate Japanese answer to your question (that the tenno is just the tenno).

While Michiko-sama and Masako-sama are often refered to that way in the tabloids (after all, they are commoners), I'm pretty sure that the crown prince is also only refered to by title and not by his "name".

Right?

-Slim

[tidbits]

Receive the below private message out of the blue, I didn't know what was he talking about at first, only to found out is related to here (that was 3 years ago topic, hamarikyuteien, please at least attach a link with your message next time, or why not bring it up in the thread again)

Message:


I just noticed these pathetic criticisms of my Japan travelogue Web site, some three years after a group of bitter, uneducated people posted them.

Your statement that my etymology of "orphan" as "child" + "melon" is incorrect because "it isn't child--the line is slanted."

It's a downright pity that, as elementary as my knowledge may be, your ignorance of your own language could fill numerous books.

OF COURSE IT'S THE SAME CHARACTER (CHILD)!!! IT'S SLANTED BECAUSE THE RADICAL IS WRITTEN IN A STREAMLINED FORM!! I SUPPOSE YOU'D TELL ME THAT THE WATER IN KIYO ISN'T THE SAME AS IN MIZU BECAUSE IT LOOKS DIFFERENT!

You should treat yourself to a primer on the structure of the Japanese language. There, you'll encounter a Chinese king named K'ang-hsi who was the first valiant scholar to endeavor to taxonomize the entire spectrum of characters according to a small (~ 217) set of determinatives ("radicals"). Child "with the stroke slanted" is a radical. Child is child is child, whether it's next to a watermelon or clutched to a woman's breast or on the signage identifying a men's room.

Christ, your ignorance is JUST SHOCKING!

[AssKissinger]

Tina I think that guy may be trolling us all. He must know you're a real live China-woman!