December 12, 2016

Virtue signal to men: 27 skidoo

Quite a number of decades ago, the first steel-framed skyscraper in New York was the Flatiron Building.  This edifice, which still stands, is located on 23rd Street.  Back in the day, winds whipped across 23rd St., causing insecure footing ...

June 6, 2016

The Forest Boy, his Parents, and the State

A human interest story at the center of the world's attention in early June 2016 concerns the seven-year-old Japanese boy Yamato Tanooka, the misdirected discipline by his parents which resulted in the child spending nearly a week alone lost...

March 8, 2014

Anne Frank and the Sushi Test

Recently several books by Anne Frank were vandalized in libraries in Tokyo.  Japanese authorities vow to bring the culprits to justice.  The Israeli ambassador to Japan rushed to assure the world that Israel assumes that the average Japanes...

August 27, 2013

China reportedly subjected to major computer hacking attack

China is suffering from a serious attack on its computer system. Connections to many websites have been slowed or killed altogether. The source of the attack is unknown at the moment, although it is unlikely a non-Chinese government attack. Accordin...

July 21, 2013

Don't Underestimate North Korea

Earlier this year, there were cyber-attacks on South Korean computers that erased much data, harmed bank records, and silenced the websites of anti-North Korea political groups.  Some speculated that these attacks were planned intrusions of Nort...

April 13, 2013

Korean Cyberwarfare Update: Leaving The Keys In The Car

Korean news source Chosun Ilbo reports that "An official (South Korean) investigation has concluded that North Korea was behind a massive cyber attack that paralyzed the computer networks of broadcasters and banks on March 20." The "fingerprints" (IP...

March 23, 2013

South Korea's Problems Worsen. Could China Be Next?

Earlier this week several banks in South Korea suffered computer crashes which shut down their operations, including their ATM networks. Unsurprisingly, many people jumped to the conclusion that North Korea had authored these attacks as a warning to ...

March 21, 2013

Does North Korea Have Its Own Stuxnet?

On Wednesday, reports of the shutdown of the computer systems, including ATMs, of some major South Korean banks inspired stories of hacking by the North Korean regime. Several banks and other businesses shut down for several hours in South Korea, ...

December 2, 2008

Who wants the terrorists' bodies?

According to the Muslim Council of India, there should be no "final resting place anywhere in sacred Mother India" for the bodies of the terrorists responsible for the events in Mumbai over the past week.This organization justifies its refu...

May 22, 2008

First European Sumo Champion?

A Bulgarian who uses the nom du sumo Kootooshu is within reach of becoming the first European tournament winner in the history of the ancient sport.  To make the story even more interesting, before the Basho, or tournament, presently g...

May 21, 2008

Report of terror violence in China

According to Japanese blogger Masahiro Miyazaki, who blogs under the name 'China Watcher,' there have been two recent terrorist bombings in China which took civilian lives.The first, two weeks ago in Shanghai, killed at least twenty pe...

March 22, 2008

Those Sophisticated Europeans

Hardly had the sheets cooled on the bed momentarily occupied by former New York Governor Elliot Spitzer and his call girl tootsie than people took sides. Many people expressed shock and disapproval. Quite a few others claimed to be amazed that in the...

October 28, 2007

Why Won't Japan Have an Empress?

When American news sources report on the question of the succession of occupants of the mostly-symbolic Japanese throne they tend to frame the issue in feminist terms.   In American news sources, the story is told that the royal family is r...

September 23, 2007

Gorgeous Asashoryu

Unlike pro wrestling in the United States and many other countries (including Japan), the ancient Japanese sport of sumo is steeped in dignity and restraint.When I was a child we couldn't wait to gather around the black and white television to watch ...