Love for Bruiser

We all know Bruiser loves Japan and the wackiness that ensues there. To honor him, I found this lovely Hello Kitty bento box. Yes, it's real, made from cucumbers, rice, and other savory treats. So, next time you're in Japan, I hope you find this special box.

For more info on this precious piece of passion, pop over here.

Maybe Eddie Vedder had a stroke...

...because a stroke-induced slur is the only plausible explaination for the inscrutibility of the song "Yellow Ledbetter."

Judge for yourself.

Just because this site has been quiet lately...

Here's a little something funny. And timely, given the upcoming Kanye-50 Cent album release showdown.

The Billy Blanks method of diplomacy???

I don't know who thought this was a good idea, but they should be fired.

As his contribution to the talent show that traditionally closes the annual meeting of ASEAN member countries, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso helmed an elaborate parody of Billy's Boot Camp, the workout videos hawked by Billy Blanks on infomercials across the globe. Check out the video HERE.

You gotta feel sorry for the unfortunate bureaucrats who were likely forced upon threat of demotion to serve as the supporting cast for this mess. Government salaries aren't good enough to justify this kind of abuse.

Then again, at least Japan performed its own show. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte just hired a bunch of Filipino singers to belt out a few showtunes. Heck, if he was just gonna hire someone and was already in Manila, he should have given these guys some work.

Danger - Might Cause Blindness

We've all been told to respect our elders, but now we're expected to get off to them, too? Well, we would if the curator of the "Golden Gals Gone Wild" art exhibit had her way.

What's next? Nude Night Court? A Jeffersons-inspired porno?

Wonders of the Far East Part 3 - Alternative Marshmallows

In this final chapter of my travel diary, I'd like to introduce you to the "Japanese Marshmallow." Walking through a morning market one day, I passed a bunch of European tourists gawking at something being sold from a mini take-out window. Curious, I approached them and saw that the object of their attention was a weirdo shopkeep selling something that looked like banana tofu. The Euro-tourists couldn't make heads or tails of what the product was, so the shopkeep excitedly shouted at them in broken English, "It's not french toast. Oh no! It's Japanese marshmallow! You try now!" They quickly scampered away without buying anything, but I thought I'd give it a go.

Tasted like scrambled eggs and sugar. Not that that is a bad thing.

Here's the recipe. I'm not sure what what "...baked 6" means. Maybe that is some sort of traditional Japanese cooking method.

Grand Tastings: Pineapple Soda

In the grand tradition of comparison tastings here at STSS, the latest is pineapple soda! Props go to my coworker (thank you Sir Pop View) for dreaming of the pineapple soda tasting. I’m not sure I ever had pineapple soda before this grand showdown.

Participants: Two lovely gentlemen and Elle Woods.
Location: Office conference room.
Favorites: Fanta (by Elle and Sir Pop View) and Jamaican (by a coworker who generally is disgusted by pineapple soda).
Other Coworkers' Views of Tasting: Very sad that we weren't tasting alcoholic beverages.
Current Status of Sodas: In office fridge becoming science experiment.

Overall Thoughts on Pineapple Sodas Tasted:
Jamaican: Candylike, which is why wacky coworker friend liked it best.
Goya: Not overly syrupy; generally decent tasting; 2^nd favorite for Elle and Sir Pop View.
Fanta: Probably the most real pineapple flavor; nice fizz.
India: Almost like pineapple juice in texture and flavor, but obviously not as good as juice.
Jupina: Strange brownish color; not very fizzy; rather bizarre.

Final Experiment: Mixing all the sodas together! Strangely, this had a decent flavor. When in doubt, mix!