Tokyo Disneyland opened on 1983 April 15th … thirty years ago today.
I can’t believe how fast time flies!
When I first came to Japan, Tokyo Disneyland was only seven years old.
Tokyo Disneyland is calling this year, 2013, the “Happiness Year”.
Have you ever been to Tokyo Disneyland or any of the world’s Disney parks?
When my kids were little, they each had a 「たまごっち」(“Tamagochi”)… the Japanese electronic “pet” toy.
I hadn’t thought about those toys in years.
But I was talking to my kids today. I asked them if they remembered their old Tamagochi toys (they do).
So I told them about some of the “pet fads” that were popular in America when I was young (these never caught on in Japan though).
When I was little, there was always an ad in the back of comic books for “Sea Monkeys”.
I convinced my parents to buy these for me once.
What a disappointment!
They were nothing like the picture!
Another big fad of the 70s was the “Pet Rock”.
I was never interested in having a pet rock. The name wasn’t a joke or ironic … it was simply a stone in a cardboard box!
It was popular for a short time though … so I guess many people had one.
Another pet fad that didn’t interest me was the “Invisible Dog”.
It was simply a stiff dog leash with no animal.
I don’t know if they’re “fads” or not, but I also had a Venus Flytrap (ハエトリグサ) once and an antfarm (蟻の農場) another time.
Today is 2012 October 17th.
I came to Japan on 1990 October 17th…twenty-two years ago today.
I was twenty years old when I came here, so I’ve lived most of my life in Japan now.
Four years ago, I wrote a post about some of the changes I’ve seen in Tokyo since I came here.
(Click here to read it.)
1990, the year I came to Japan, was the year of the “first” Persian Gulf War, and it was the year that the Berlin Wall was torn down—reuniting East and West Germany.
Berlin Wall being torn down, 1990.
I believe that Boris Yeltsin was elected the president of Russia that year, and Ireland elected their first female president then too.
I can remember 1990 very well because it was a big year for me…I began my life in a country completely different from the one I was born and raised in. Twenty-two years ago today.
Can you remember what you were doing in 1990?
Do you know the 1992 movie “The Unforgiven ” with Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freedman and Gene Hackman?
It’s about a man who was a ruthless killer in the American “old west” (played by Clint Eastwood) who, after having a wife and kids, changes his ways and becomes a farmer.
But his wife dies of smallpox and he finds himself financially struggling to provide for his children..so he takes “one last job” as a hired killer / bounty hunter.
One of my favorite scenes from the movie is when Clint’s character sees his friend’s murdered body displayed in front of a bar as a “message” to all potential bounty hunters…he walks into the bar and shoots the bar’s owner.
At which, the sheriff says “Well, sir, you are a cowardly son of a b***h! You just shot an unarmed man! ”
And Clint’s character replies “He should have armed himself if he’s going to decorate his saloon with my friend. “
Well, I just learned that a Japanese remake of “The Unforgiven ” is being filmed.
It is due to hit theaters in Japan in the autumn of next year (2013) and will be titled 「許されざる者」 which means “The Unforgiven” in Japanese.
It will star the internationally famous Japanese actor 渡辺謙 (Ken Watanabe) who worked with Clint Eastwood when he starred in the movie “Letters From Iwo-jima “.
Peter Criss was the original drummer of the rock band KISS. His “character” was the “Catman”.
But Peter Criss left the band in 1980 and was replaced by Eric Carr…the “Fox”.
Eric Carr ended up being a member of KISS for a longer period of time than Peter Criss. Eric was in the band from 1980 until he passed away in 1991.
Eric Carr was a legendary hard rock drummer and also a classy person…he was happy to meet with fans after a concert and he personally answered all of his fan mail.
I was very sad when I heard the news that Eric Carr died of cancer on 1991 November 24th! And I can’t believe that today is already the twentieth anniversary of his passing!
To honor Eric Carr, his family and friends have put together some previously unreleased songs and interviews of Eric’s onto a new album titled “Unfinished Business“.
This album, Eric Carr “Unfinished Business” goes on sale today, 2011 November 24th, the twentieth anniversary of his death.
Here’s a promo clip for this new album:
Oh yeah…today is also the 20th anniversary of the death of Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of Queen. He died the same day as Eric Carr.
Rest in peace, both Eric Carr and Freddie Mercury.
I have written a number of posts about interesting people. Most of whose stories are related to Japan in some way.
Maybe you haven’t seen many of them…so I decided to put links to all of them on a new page that I titled “Who’s Who?“.
Please check them out and leave comments to let me know what you think.
The new page is here.
Last Thursday (November 3rd) was 「文化の日」 (“Culture Day”), a Japanese holiday on which the Japanese Emperor personally presents medals and awards to people who have contributed to Japan culturally in some way.
At this year’s ceremony, the Emperor presented awards to novelists, historians, scientists and actor 大滝秀治 (Hideji Otaki).
Japanese actor Hideji Otaki
Mr. Otaki has acted for over sixty years and has starred in numerous Japanese movies. But, for me, his greatest role will be as the grouchy father in the Kincho bug spray TV commercials a few years ago.
There’s one commercial in particular that I like. In this one, he asks his “son” what’s so special about Kincho bug spray and as his son begins to explain, he yells 「つまらん！お前の話はつまらん！」 (“Boring! What you say is boring!”).
I have always liked that commercial.
Here it is:
(On the subject of Culture Day awards, my wife’s late grandfather received a medal from the Emperor on 「文化の日」 (Culture Day) a number of years ago for his fifty years of service as a volunteer in the Tokyo Fire Department.)
Does your country have any ceremonies similar to Japan’s Culture Day awards that honors citizens’ contributions to the country?
And are there actors in your country like Hideji Otaki?
Tracy Latimer died eighteen years ago today.
Do you know who she was?
The heavy metal musician Ozzy Osbourne has written a number of songs about real life people…such as Aleister Crowley, Charles Manson, and Jimmy Swaggart.
So, when I heard the song “Latimer’s Mercy” on his latest album “Scream” I suspected it was about someone named Latimer.
So I checked the internet. Sure enough, it’s a song about the case of the mercy killing of twelve-year-old Tracy Latimer by her father Robert.
Have you ever heard of Robert Latimer?
After I read about this case, the lyrics to the song suddenly made sense.
It’s a sad story. No parents should ever have to even contemplate such a decision.
Although, I can understand Robert Latimer’s motives to end his daughter’s suffering, I can’t say whether it was the “right thing to do” or not.
I could never make such a decision, though.
Tracy Latimer was born in Canada in November 1980 with Cerebral Palsy, which meant she would never be able to walk or talk or even feed herself. It also caused her to have severe muscle seizures for which she needed medication.
In addition, she often dislocated her hip which caused intense pain but she couldn’t take pain killers because of her anti-seizure medication.
In her short life, Tracy had already undergone many major surgeries and doctors had told her parents that she would need more surgeries.
While the rest of his family was at church on Sunday, 1993 October 24, one month before Tracy’s thirteenth birthday, Robert Latimer put his daughter into the cab of his truck and ran a hose from the exhaust.
Tracy Latimer died of carbon monoxide poisoning and her father went to prison for her murder.
But many people in Canada supported his decision to end his daughter’s pain and believed Robert Latimer shouldn’t have been convicted.
Robert Latimer was released on parole last year.
Here are the lyrics to “Latimer’s Mercy” by Ozzy Osbourne:
Another day, another full seizure,
Another pill, you spiral down deeper,
Another cut by a surgical butcher,
It’s just a way of prolonging the torture*I won’t say I don’t know what I’m doing,
I won’t say that I’m sorry (I’m sorry)I can’t bring you back,
I can’t leave you helpless (helpless),
I’ll make the pain rest in peace (rest in peace)I’ll turn off the lights,
Swallow your last breath (last breath),
So close your eyes, fall asleep (close your eyes)I’ll never hurt you (hurt you),
I’ll never hurt you (hurt you)The sun shines on this deadly new morning,
The church bells ring an early warning,
Your eyes shine as I turn on the motor,
The tears fall as the mercy gets closer(repeat *)
You can listen to it here:
Tracy Latimer, 1980 November 23 – 1993 October 24, RIP
If Evel Knievel hadn’t died four years ago, today would be his 73rd birthday.
Coincidentally, Evel Knievel spent the last few years of his life in Clearwater, Florida...the same town that I grew up in!
Do you know who Evel Knievel was?
Maybe only Americans recognize that name…and maybe only Americans who are at least my age.
When I was a child in America during the 1970’s, Evel Knievel was one of my idols.
He was a daredevil stunt motorcycle jumper who often jumped rows of cars and trucks with his Harley-Davidson motorcycle on live television.
He also attempted jumps over the Caesars Palace fountains, lions, rattlesnakes, tanks of sharks, and the Grand Canyon!
Evel Knievel jumping the Caesars Palace fountains.
He crashed many times and he’s listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for having sustained the most broken bones in his lifetime.
When I was a kid I had an Evel Knievel lunchbox and motorcycle rider toy.
Did you know who Evel Knievel was? Did you watch his jumps on TV?
Evel Knievel 1938 October 17 – 2007 November 30, R.I.P.
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Also, today is the 21st anniversary of the day I came to Japan. I came here on 1990 October 17.
I can’t believe it’s already been twenty-one years…I’ve lived in Japan longer now than I lived in America!
Japan has changed a lot since I first came here.
Sometimes quotes from songs and movies become so well-known and often used that eventually many people don’t even know that the expression came from a pop song or movie.
For example, have you ever heard this quote:
Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.
Do you know where that simple but inspiring quote is from?
It’s a line in the song “Beautiful Boy” by John Lennon that was written for his son Sean Lennon.
John Lennon's "Double Fantasy" album (which includes the song "Beautiful Boy")
Here are some of the most often quoted lines from movies that I could think of off the top of my head (in no particular order):
I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse!
-Marlon Brando (from “The Godfather“)
(I have a feeling) we’re not in Kansas anymore
-Judy Garland (from “The Wizard Of Oz“)
Go ahead, make my day!
-Clint Eastwood (from “Sudden Impact“)
What we’ve got here is failure to communicate.
-Strother Martin (from “Cool Hand Luke“)
Take your stinking paws off me, you damn dirty ape!
-Charlton Heston (from “Planet Of The Apes“)
Have you seen any of these movies? Surely you’ve heard those quotes before. Did you know they were from those movies?
What other famous movie quotes can you think of?
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