SMAP, Crackle, Popped!

There are more pressing issues in the news these days, but the headlines have been dominated by the bird-faced Smap member, 草彅 剛 (Tsuyoshi Kusanagi). So the guy got pissed (0.8% is pretty totalled), stripped himself nekkid and was thus arrested for making a fuss in the park. Furthermore, he faces a fine of 300,000￥ or 6 months in jail. He wasn't flashing anyone, merely singing in his Birthday suit. I just heard about this tonight so I haven't given it much thought but apparently warbling while in the altogether is so scandalous that one's livelihood can be compromised. He had been mega-popular thanks to SMAP but due to his indiscretion, he has unceremoniously been dumped as a spokesperson for Toyota's Rental car campaign. According to one of my reporters, Alex, who did a poll of his co-workers, they all consider him to be the next Public Enemy #1! Internal affairs minister Kunio Hatoyama agrees with them and said, "If this (scandal) is true, I feel strong anger towards him...I cannot help but think of him as the person of the lowest ethics."

Am I becoming so lenient in my old age to find this to be a tad harsh? The guy was singing in a park at 3 in the morning while pissed. Granted, doing so naked is not best idea in the world, but who hasn't wanted to go starkers and sing your lungs out? An eyewitness account is as follows: "Following Kusanagi's arrest, a woman living near the park told Kyodo News that she heard a man whooping and was concerned that her baby might wake up from the noise." Oh my gawd, he might awaken a baby. Hang him from the yardarm, lynch the bugger, waterboard him! This crime shall not go unpunished!!!

Watch in utter disbelief as you hear the scandal ensue...



May I be the first to iterate, WTF!?!











In a lighter vein, Alex & I checked out a new bar, SOUL LIFE (022-721-6055) and it is a glorious place. Plenty of space for people to dance and mingle, nice ambiance, great location (just a block or two off the beaten path), so what's the catch? At present there doesn't seem to be any problem, so we will definitely prioritize it as a venue for a future Arkane Radar event. I only hope that we will be able to parade around in the nude for that seems to be all the rage these days!