By GEORGE YOSHINAGA
(Published Aug. 26, 2014)
If you are reading this, it means the third time was the charm.
The first page I was typing was nearly completed when the computer went blank, so I started over. Pow, the page went blank again. This is now my third try.
After the second time, I called my computer expert son and he said, “Dad, I think you’d better junk your computer and buy a new one.”
Gosh, after so many years, “go buy a new one?”
Well, let’s see what happens.
Maybe it might be a good time to hang ’em up. I’m starting my 25th year writing the “Mouth” for The Rafu and it’s been over 60 years since I began composing the “Mouth,” so perhaps many of you may agree.
In the meanwhile, I’ll keep trying to keep going.
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Yeah, let me toss in a bit about my favorite place, Las Vegas.
Just read an article that Japan is making a move to connect with my favorite city.
I’m not sure what the move will be, but I assume Japanese companies are thinking about getting more active in Vegas, which means new hotels/casinos and Japanese eateries like Makino popping up.
This will be a plus for Vegas because in recent years, visitors from Japan have been dropping off.
Remember when Japanese tourists to Vegas were the largest ethnic group to travel to the Nevada city?
I remember when all the gaming tables on The Strip were heavily Japanese.
Now it is said to be climbing back to those days, according to statistics.
Sushi anyone?
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I was standing in line at my favorite liquor store where they sell the California lottery tickets.
There was a friend in front of me. He laughed and said, “I guess you’re here to buy your lottery ticket.”
I laughed back and said, “Yeah.”
Needless to say, I asked, “What about you?”
He said, “Yeah, me, too.”
I guess it’s more of a habit than hopes of winning.
The lottery is up to $12 million this week and the friend asked, “What would you do if you win?”
I guess that’s the amusing part. I really never gave much thought to actually winning. Heck, I wouldn’t know what to do if I won one million, let alone mega-millions.
That’s why I always laugh when a person buying a lotto ticket is asked, “What would you do if you won millions of dollars?”
Many would reply, “I guess I would buy a new car.”
Win millions of dollars and “buy a new car?’’
Oh well.
I know I could use a new car.
My Toyota Avalon is now 20 years old.
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Those of you who dine at sushi restaurants know that the chef who makes the Japanese delicacy works with bare hands.
Well, they used to work with bare hands, but a new ordinance was passed requiring that the chef use rubber gloves in preparing sushi. However, recently, the regulation requiring rubber gloves to prepare sushi and other foods was overturned, and now the chefs are back with bare hands.
I guess the Health Department determined that rubber gloves over bare hands didn’t have much significance.
I’ve been dining at sushi eateries for many years and never thought too much about the chefs handling the rice with their bare hands vs. gloves.
Those of you who are sushi fans probably feel the same way I do.
If the chef washes his hands frequently, what do rubber gloves offer?
Just a thought.
Maybe some readers have a different opinion on this.
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Time to run another letter. This one from a reader who wants to remain anonymous:
“Mr. Yoshinaga, I noticed that your email address is no longer shown at the end of your Rafu articles and I am sending this note as a matter of interest. It is related to going to the DMV to renew a driver’s license. (What you mentioned in our column.)
“Someone once told me to go there late in the afternoon around four o’clock. The crowd will be less, and the employees work together to get out of the office before five.
“It has worked for me on occasion. When I go to the Torrance office on Avalon, I don’t go into the parking lot, but look for a place to park on the street nearby. It has worked for me. Although there is a long line, it moves fast.
“On renewals, you get a notice three months ahead. Call in to make an appointment and not a long wait before your number is called. I guess I’ve just been lucky.
“Once I was negligent, waited beyond my renewal date and went to DMV. They asked if I wanted to take a written exam that day and renew my license.
“But I chose not to since I wasn’t prepared and they gave me an appointment for another day.
“Again, when I went back, I didn’t have to wait long.
“I tend to miss several questions on the exam each time (allowed for misses), but can return several times to retake the test.
“Just wanted to share this with you.”
Thanks to anonymous reader.
I have received a number of letters regarding the DMV and readers find them all very informative and helpful to their getting their license renewed.
I would assume that the information provided by the reader is useful at any and all DMV offices.
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Got another short letter from a reader who asked, “Hey, Horse, I guess you don’t go to any more Dodgers baseball games. You don’t write about them as you used to in past years, so assume they are off your list.”
Well, for one thing, the team doesn’t telecast its games unless one is willing to dish out a tidy sum of money to pay for their TV broadcasts.
As far as driving out to Dodger Stadium, as I frequently mention, I don’t drive anymore, not beyond Gardena city limits.
Yes, since the Dodgers are doing well in the win/loss column, I’d like to take in a game or two, so maybe I’ll get one of my sons to drive me to the stadium.
In the meanwhile, all I can say is, “Go Dodgers.”
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I’m sure most of you heard about the earthquake that shook up the Northern California area near the city of Napa. It was a 6-point shaker, which is on the big side.
Since we have been experiencing earthquakes in California over the past year or so, can we expect a big one in the L.A. area in the near future?
We are due, or should I say overdue, for a big shaker.
Of course, if a major quake hits, those of us who live in the South Bay area don’t have to be too concerned.
Earthquakes are mainly in the Valley area as far as being a “biggie” is concerned.
I was living in Tokyo several decades ago when one of their “biggies” rocked the city, and let me tell you, it was real scary.
Unless one experiences earthquakes, it’s something we don’t pay much attention to, but being in Tokyo during one of their big ones, I know what it feels like.
Heck, my wife even suggested, “Let’s get out of Japan and move back to Gardena” when we experienced the big one in Japan.
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A neighbor who lives a few houses away from my place called me on the phone the other day.
“Hey, Horse,” he said, “Did you talk to your neighbor about their loud barking dog that you mentioned a few times?”
I said I wanted to but hoped they would shut the dog up without anyone telling them.
So, I asked him, “Have you considered talking to the dog’s owner?”
He laughed and said, “No, I thought I’d leave it up to you.”
I am thinking of calling the city’s animal control people to complain.
I’ve concluded that if the neighbor who owns the dog can’t realize how much he’s bothering the people around his house, he doesn’t realize what a pain in the butt his mutt is creating.
Letting the animal control service contact the dog’s owner is probably the best way to go and I would guess that the animal control people will eventually tell the neighbors who it was that submitted the complaint about their dog.
Bow wow.
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I guess we can close today’s chatter with something called “The Morality of Dishonesty”:
A few years ago, robbers entered a bank in a small town. One of them shouted, “Don’t move. The money belongs to the bank. Your lives belong to you.”
Immediately, all the people in the bank lay on the floor quietly and without panic. This is an example of how the correct wording of a sentence can make everyone change their view of the world.
One woman lay on the floor in a provocative manner.
The robber approached her, saying, “Ma’am, this is a robbery, not rape. Please behave accordingly.” This is an example of how to behave professionally and focus on the goal.
While running from the bank, the youngest robber (who had a college degree) said to the oldest robber (who had barely finished elementary school): “Hey, maybe we should count how much we stole.”
The older man replied: “Don’t be stupid. It’s a lot of money, so let’s wait for the news on TV to find out how much money was taken from the bank.” This is an example of how life experience is more important than a college degree.
After the robbery, the manager of the bank said to his accountant: “Let’s call the cops and tell them how much has been stolen.”
“Wait,” said the accountant. “Before we do that, let’s add the $800,000 we took for ourselves a few months ago and just say that it was stolen as part of today’s robbery.” This is an example of taking advantage of an opportunity.
The following day it was reported in the news that the bank was robbed of $3 million.
The robbers counted the money, but they found only $1 million, so they started to grumble.
“We risked our lives for $1 million, while the bank’s management robbed $2 million without hardly any effort? Maybe it’s better to learn how to work the system, instead of being a simple robber.” This is an example of how knowledge can be more useful than power.
Moral of the story: Give a person a gun and he can rob a bank. Give a person a bank and he can rob everyone.
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George Yoshinaga writes from Gardena. Opinions expressed in this column are not necessarily those of The Rafu Shimpo.