THE VIDEO!

In Japan you don't know about this video. A few years ago, Tom Cruise went crazy on the Oprah WInfrey Show (a VERY famous American talk show). After this, Tom Cruise's carreer has been in trouble. Many people now believe he is a very strange person.
His image in Japan, by contrast, is still very clean!

HEHEHEHE!

Feeling lonely, ladies?

By Wendy Atterberry


(The Frisky) -- In a recent column on the Huffington Post, "Why I'm Single," writer Lea Lane lists all the reasons that she's still single. Why? So she can send the URL to all the nosy, possibly well-meaning busy-bodies who keep asking her why she isn't in a relationship.


"Crappies" are women who whine to others on why they can't find a partner.

Lane presents a persuasive case; it almost made me wish for the days I, too, had the whole bed to myself. She's one of what I'll call the "Happies," women who are perfectly content with their single status.

They don't want for a companion; they love their solitude and have enough friends, hobbies, and passions to keep themselves busy.

Although, most Happies, like Lane, are "open to options, and do understand the beauty and wonder -- and blessing -- of a good relationship," they neither actively seek one nor passively hope and pray one comes their way. The Happies say they don't need a relationship to be content, and, by God, they mean it.

On the other side of the single lady spectrum, you've got the "Crappies." They're the single ladies with really crappy attitudes. Take, for example, Jezebel's Megan Carpentier, who responded to Lane's column with a list of her own, a list that not only doesn't make me a little nostalgic for my single days, it makes me sort of, well, sad -- for her.

I'm sad for the Crappies, because, as much as they say, like Megan, "I've made my peace with being single because I don't have to pretend I don't drink from the carton or sleep with one of those face masks on or watch 'Murder She Wrote' too late at night," they're whining to everyone who will listen about how much it sucks that they can't find a guy who wants to date them.

No, they'd rather stay in, whine, and have their friends write testimonials on their blogs about why they'd be so great to date.

In an attempt to hide their loneliness from themselves -- because they're sure not hiding it from anyone else -- the Crappies adopt an air of self-righteousness. "I'm probably alone because I dated when I wanted to," they tell themselves, "and got into relationships when I wanted to, and got out of them when I needed to."

As if people who aren't alone are a bunch of morons who got stuck in bad relationships that they never wanted to be in and don't have the strength to get out of. "I'm alone because I eschewed goal-oriented dating and 'trying to find someone,'" they brag.

Because, wow, there's nothing worse than actually being pro-active, particularly when the goal is happiness. That kind of stuff is for losers! That kind of stuff is for self-hating women who subscribe to "The Rules!" Except it isn't.

Ladies, if you're single and truly happy to be so, more power to you! There's no reason in the world you need to make a list or explain to anyone why you're not in a relationship.

But if you're a woman who is unhappily single and would love nothing more than having someone to share your life with, it's time to quit whining, stop making self-righteous excuses, turn off your TV, get out there, and meet people.

There's no shame in being goal-oriented and dating with purpose. There's no shame in opening your mind, being flexible, and learning to compromise. Spread the word you're on the market, tell your friends, tell your friends of friends, let your co-workers, family, and entire social network know you're looking for dates.

Take care of yourself, dress well, look good every time you go outside. Smile at people when you're out and about, make small talk in check-out lines, keep your radar up at all times. You never know when the right person for you will be rounding the next corner.

But bear in mind, YOU aren't perfect, and there's not going to be a perfect person for you. If you refuse to settle for anything less, you're going to be lonely for a very, very long time.

If you aren't prepared to open your mind a little, you might as well stay in with your "Murder She Wrote" and your crappy attitude. But, for the love of God, quit your whining. The rest of us don't want to hear it anymore.

See? Nobody is giong to do ANYTHING about this. It's all talk!

Finally, I am beginning to find some intelligent news stories about the North Korea Rocket issue. The truth is, right-wing politicians like Aso are just trying to make people frightened. Frightened people are easier to control.
NEVER trust the politicians!

Jus





Critics say Japan overreacting to N Korea rocket launch

Friday 03rd April, 02:28 PM JST

AKITA —

Crisis centers are being hurriedly set up. A nearby military base bristles with Patriot missile interceptors.

But fisherman Masami Fujiwara scoffs at all the fuss. He says he isn’t concerned a North Korean rocket may soon be flying over his head.

“We should never trust politicians,” the 68-year-old said, adding Japan’s aggressive response has only heightened tensions with North Korea. “It’s the wrong move.”

Some analysts say the government is overreacting. They worry that Japan’s threats to shoot down any rocket debris headed for its territory could backfire, because of the difficulty of doing so. The only saving grace may be that the possibility of debris hitting Japan appears low.

A similar launch in 1998 shocked Japan when the second stage of the rocket flew over its main island before plunging into the Pacific Ocean. This time, North Korea has announced the launch in advance. The rocket on the launchpad is believed to be an updated version of the Taepodong rocket that was fired in 1998.

Still, most residents appeared underwhelmed in Akita, a city on Japan’s northern coast directly across the Sea of Japan from North Korea.

“I’m not interested,” said Sueko Meguro, 59, the owner of a local noodle shop. “If North Korea is really firing a missile, go right ahead.”

Many in Japan are beginning to wonder if the tough talk was more political grandstanding than substance.

After initially hinting it might try to shoot down the rocket—which North Korea immediately said would be an act of war—Tokyo backed off. Officials now say they will only respond if fragments from the launch appear to be falling toward Japan.

South Korea and the United States have said they do not plan any military response, although they are monitoring the situation closely.

In Akita and elsewhere on the northern coast, officials are preparing for any contingency. North Korea has said the first stage of the rocket is likely to fall into the Japan Sea in a zone that ends just 130 kilometers offshore.

Crisis control officials opened an emergency center Thursday in Akita, which lies 450 kilometers north of Tokyo.

Police and rescue workers are on standby, while teachers have been instructed to keep radios and televisions on at all times starting Saturday to monitor any announcement or unexpected event during weekend school activities.

About 30 officials, including Akita Gov Sukeshiro Terata, will be on duty at the emergency headquarters this weekend.

Terata urged calm. He said the possibility of a launch failure that would send debris falling toward Japan was “one in a million.”

Some analysts question whether the unpopular administration of Prime Minister Taro Aso ramped up the rhetoric to boost its image by appearing tough and in control.

“Russia, China and the United States are regularly testing missiles in their own territories, but those are largely ignored here,” said Takao Toshikawa, an independent political analyst. “Japan is overreacting.”

Toshikawa also suggested the threat was being used as an excuse to mobilize Japan’s multibillion-dollar ballistic missile shield, which it has developed since the 1998 launch in close cooperation with the U.S.

Along with Patriot missiles, Japan now has a spy satellite of its own that can follow activity in North Korea.

“The government has spent a huge amount of money on the missile defense system, so this is a perfect chance for the Defense Ministry to show that it is on top of the crisis,” he said. “By treating it as a clear and present danger, the government is fanning the sense of crisis so that they can justify installing more interceptors.”

But Japan may have painted itself into a corner.

Japan has twice tested its ship-to-air interceptors, but has succeeded only once. And shooting down debris would likely be more difficult because of its unpredictable trajectory.

“If Japan fails an intercepting attempt, it would be a serious setback for the country’s defense policy, because people would think the costly missile defense system is not reliable,” said Minoru Morita, another political analyst.

“The Japanese government has managed to convince the public of the need for a stronger defense capability, while Aso probably regained some support by acting as though everything was under control,” he said. “But after taking it this far, Japan dare not actually try to intercept debris and fail, and end up losing everything, including their credibility.”

Copyright 2009 Associated Press.

North Korea's toy rocket

There is no need to worry about the rocket in North Korea.