Man Arrested For Burning Down House Over Gundam Models

Police in Kasai City near Kobe have arrested a 29-year-old factory worker named Yoshifumi Takabe on suspicion of burning down his own home on Sunday. The suspect reportedly doused his room with kerosene and lit it with a lighter around 2:10 p.m. on Sunday. The resulting fire eventually burned down the two-story house, which was about 250 square meters (about 2,700 square feet) and made partially from wood.

The police investigators say that the suspect had doused himself with kerosene, but had escaped the fire without injuries. His 55-year-old mother was also in the house but escaped without injuries. According to the police, the suspect said that his mother had gotten rid of his "valuable" Gundam plastic models, so he wanted to kill himself.

Source: Anime News Network

[Stratu says: This man's response was reasonable and clearly justifiable, given the circumstances. What the devil was his mother thinking? Takabe-san should be awarded cash money to the estimated vakue of his destroyed collection so it can be replaced.]

Teacher Gets Pay Cut For Putting Chalk In Yawning Student’s Mouth

Wednesday 29th July, 08:14 AM JST

KOCHI — The head teacher at a public elementary school in Kochi Prefecture had his salary cut by 10% for three months after putting chalk in a student’s mouth, it was learned Tuesday following an announcement from the Kochi Prefectural Board of Education.

The male teacher in his 50s put chalk in a boy’s mouth on June 24, after warning the class that he would do so to the next student who yawned. The boy is said to have told the teacher that he didn’t mind and opened his mouth, and the teacher put the chalk around 3 centimeters long in the boy’s mouth for a couple of seconds. The boy was absent from school the next day and only turned up to school four more days before classes finished for the summer break.

The teacher has apologized and pledged to do better in the future.
- Japan Today

[I think the boy is a big crybaby. He said he didn't mind, probably to impress his fellow students, but obviously once he realised the chalk wasn't very tasty and he may look rather foolish instead of cool, he runs crying to mummy and daddy. I'm on the teacher's side on this one! - Stratu]

Sultry Sally Potato Chips - Great Packaging, Shame About The Chips

................ I love potato chips. Who doesn't? The other day in my local deli I saw a big display of these new potato chips with the coolest potato chip packaging ever. I don't even care that the chips taste like crispy cardboard. I think there are two other flavours (besides Salt & Vinegar and Thai Sweet Chilli and Lime, the ones I got) so I gotta get those and put them up here soon. Well, have you ever seen a more wonderful and awesome potato chip packet design?

Two Women Attacked By Man With Umbrella In Shinjuku

During my recent injury (severed toestring from Wile E. Coyote glass) I had forgotten to check the Japan Today Crime section, so did that today and found this great story:

Two Women Attacked By Man With Umbrella In Shinjuku
Tuesday 07th July, 09:53 AM JST
TOKYO — Two women in their 20s were assaulted by a man wielding an umbrella on Monday in Shinjuku, and police believe the attacks were committed by the same man, who remains at large.

The first woman was in a FamilyMart convenience store at around 11 a.m. when she noticed some water dripping on her from behind. When she turned around in surprise, a man holding an umbrella shrieked in a loud voice and hit her on her shoulder with the umbrella before running off, police said.

A few minutes later at a pedestrian crossing about 300 meters from the convenience store, another woman crossing the street was suddenly called out to by a man passing her, and when she turned around, she was hit on the nose by an umbrella. She dropped to the ground and the man ran off in the direction from which he came.

The man has been described as being about 170 centimeters tall, of medium build and in his 20s or 30s. He was wearing a white or light-green shirt and blue jeans, and his hair was messy.

Eyes On The Road!

Keep your eyes on the road! For the love of God don't stare at the lady's calves! I made the same mistake myself one day and ended up through the windshield covered in blood and gore. And God you help you women and your new hat obsessions!

Japanese Pineapple Robbed In Sweden

STOCKHOLM — Police said Sunday that a Japanese pop singer dressed up as a pineapple was robbed while shooting a music video in southern Sweden on Saturday.
Police spokesman Bo Paulsson said three young men beat up 41-year-old Hideki Kaji and robbed him of camera equipment worth around 20,000 kronor ($2,500) late Saturday.
Paulsson said the pineapple-clad artist had been left alone with the equipment while the camera crew went for a break. He was left with a cut lip and lost a dental implant.
Police said they had no suspects.
Kaji has released more than 10 solo albums since splitting from the band Bridge in the 1990s. He is also famous for recording a duet with Saint Etienne singer Sarah Cracknell.
Source: Japan Today

Angry Video Game Nerd

I'm a video game nerd, and sometimes an angry one (yes I have pulverised a PS2 controller out of sheer rabid frustration), but I don't care for crappy old videogames, and anyway I missed this NES/SNES/N64 generation. But I love watching the Angry Video Game Nerd. He's a very funny guy. You don't have to be a video game nerd to enjoy this, by the way.

Angry Video Game Nerd : Star Trek