Page 1 of Tom Aaron's writing

1. Surgical Masks, Swine Flu, Hay Fever, Cosmetics and Japan A visitor to Japan during the SARS epidemic may have seen the sea of masks in Japan and thought that the Japanese were being very careful to protect themselves against SARS. Some of them were. Today, you can see another sea of masks in Japan.... (posted by Tom 3 years 23 days ago.)

2. Chinese Characters and Japanese Writing After a brutal day at the office I was looking forward to having a drink in peace. Opening the door, I heard Fred's voice booming. I abandoned all hope for a nice quiet drink. Somebody had incorrectly referred to Japanese people writing Chinese... (posted by Tom 3 years 50 days ago.)

3. Westerners can't speak Japanese, Korean, or Chinese Tiring of work and needing a break, I went out for a drink the other night just to find Fred discoursing as only Fred can. Fresh and wide awake in spite of his recent flight back from America, he was holding court on language choices, ethnicity... (posted by Tom 3 years 57 days ago.)

4. Japanese Language Abuse: What Is the Iki? Out in a bar in Yokohama, I was having a drink with Fred. Fred said he was discoursing, but I think he was moaning. I learned this term from Fred as he says this instead of complaining. Fred probably picked up this Briticism, or perhaps even a... (posted by Tom 3 years 79 days ago.)

5. Butcher Kills Japanese Exchange Student On October 17, 1992, Yoshihiro Hattori, a Japanese exchange student studying in Louisiana, drove with his homestay brother to a Halloween party. They went to the wrong home, that of Rodney and Bonnie Peairs. Rodney Peairs, a supermarket butcher... (posted by Tom 3 years 96 days ago.)