Discipline

So this is purportedly by an ALT from Kobe:
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20100831hn.html

A lot of it is true. The sarcastic tone is definitely aimed, though, at a foreign audience who will moan, roll eyes, commiserate, and ultimately do nothing. The flippant tone and seeming disrespect for Japanese custom and culture will allow the most severe critics to disregard the message and instead attack the writer for cultural insensitivity or ethnocentrism. The writer then signs the letter "name withheld," which screams to me that this is an op-ed piece masquerading as an open letter to the Education Minister.

(Also interesting - this person must not be a JET: s/he has been an ALT "for 5 months," i.e., since the beginning of the school year. Teaching JETs arrive in summer and in the middle of an on-going school year. Sadly, no distinction is made, while this could certainly fuel anti-JET sentiment.)

Worst bit: the writer is right about a lot of that. Too bad s/he didn't study rhetoric enough to get past being a sarcastic ass about things.

Grilled chicken nachos

久しぶり

Kubota-San tells me that 鱧 (hamo) - daggertooth pike conger, an eel and relative of unagi and anago, is usually a summer food, boiled until the skin curls and the flesh puffs up, then quenched in ice water. Apparently it's also good as tempura.

Perfect Japanese pour

When you know the manager and ask informed questions, you get free octopus and akagai

Ramune ice with vanilla ice cream

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