I enjoyed this piece on Roland Kelts' new book, Japanamerica. I think it gets to the heart of what the book is about without veering into otaku-speak by letting Kelts speak. Nicely reported.

Seattle folks, Roland will be in town to speak about the book on March 29. More on that later.

Check out this video of investigative journalist Seymour Hersh explaining how US money is aiding extreme Sunni groups with ties to Al Qaeda. No joke. Or get the full story in Hersh's latest piece in the New Yorker.

It boils down to this: The US has created a quagmire in the MIddle East and is threatened with a loss of power in the region. The country gaining most in this mess is Iran, with a Shiite majority like Iraq. Israel, Saudi Arabia and the US fear a reshaped Middle East where Shiites in Iran and Iraq would hold sway on a large part of the world's oil supply. So ... the Bush administration has launched its redirection strategy, which funnels aid to Sunni groups in an attempt to quell Iran. The ugly twist is, of course, that it is the extreme Sunni groups who do the most killing of US troops. And now our tax dollars are funding them.

Support the troops anyone? This looks to be way worse than Iran-Contra. The only patriotic thing to do is to impeach both Bush and Cheney, and quickly, before they create another smokescreen to hide behind.

I've been asked by the Japan Food Analysts' Association to write a monthly column about food in the US, especially as it relates to Japan. The pieces appear in both English and Japanese (a big thank you to friend Yukari Logan for all her help on this). I hope sushi fans enjoy the second column, "Sushi in America."

The Daily Advertiser in Lafayette, LA, (that's smack in the middle of Cajun country, in case you're wondering) ran a strong review of Last of the Red Hot Poppas this Sunday. Here's an excerpt:

Poppas is a cliffhanger that’s a little too close for comfort, although I have to believe Louisiana politics cannot be quite this bad, naïve though I may be. Exaggeration and extreme conflict do make for great reading. Still, you can’t miss the similarities of popular leadership who make us laugh while selling our souls down the river.

One way to stop the march toward war (with Iran, in case you weren't paying attention) is to do what KSFR in New Mexico has done: stop reporting news with unnamed sources. It's a simple, great idea that should spread like an oil fire in the Middle East.

It's been so long since we've had a real Coffee Monday, I forgot how to do this. The photo here is of a box. David Cady of Canned Coffee fame sent these boxes to people in hopes of receiving a canned coffee review in response. Many wonderful people responded. Others — equally wonderful — tried, but couldn't find the time and sent a note to David thanking him for the box full of Japan surprises. Then there are the other folks — we'll call them the MC Hammers — who took the boxes and never said or did a thing in return. These people have earned the wrath of our often fearless leader and are the subject of this week's contribution.

My favorite line in the latest email newsletter from Vertical:

Vertical is a tiny publishing company in New York specializing in basically everything related to Japan except porn (which explains why we’re ‘tiny’).

If Vertical is tiny, then Chin Music is a neutrino.

Ever heard of Josh Wolf? He's a Bay area blogger and reporter who now holds the distinction of serving the longest time in prison of any US journalist for protecting his sources. He's been in jail for six months because he refused to turn over video of an anti-war rally in San Francisco. But most people have neveer heard of him because he's independent. Here's an interview with him from Democracy Now. Or visit his website.

If citizens' journalism is going to grow into a serious movement in the US, here's the perfect cause. If Wolf doesn't get more press and the feds don't feel pressure to release him, then it will be very easy to silence the next citizen journalist who goes out to tell the stories falling through the cracks. Here's what Wolf says about his case and the effect it's having on all of us:

I’m worried that America is too afraid, and even though maybe my situation has helped them realize what's coming down the pike, that instead of jolting them out of bed, it's just lulled them deeper into sleep and helped them pull the covers over their head in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, if they don't see it, it will all go away.

Hey you sushis! My daughter sent me this video as she was surfing the Net. This, of course, has nothing to do with Roland Kelts' latest book, but it is still pretty funny.

How do you select the next book you'll read? Joe Queenan reveals his special formula in today's New York Times, reminding us why he's our favorite literary bully.

Although, as with all bullies, we like it best when the bullied fight back.

Maybe instead of complaining and getting all shrill about how diverse local media is a necessary part of a thriving democracy, we should cozy up to the Federal Communication Commission's Kevin Martin and win his heart back from those corporate lobbyists he's been sleeping with. That's the premise behind this nifty little Valentine created by freepress. Won't you send a little love to Kevin?

In case you missed it, New York Times publisher Arthur Sulzberger sounded a little down-in-the-mouth about the prospects of print in a recent Ha'aretz interview that Craig picked up.

Well, now, he's backtracking ... sort of. Here's part of his clarification:

So let me clear the air on this issue. It is my heartfelt view that newspapers will be around — in print — for a long time. But I also believe that we must be prepared for that judgment to be wrong. My five-year timeframe is about being ready to support our news, advertising and other critical operations on digital revenue alone …whenever that time comes.

Roland Kelts' Japanamerica got a strong review in The Japan Times this Sunday. Here's a snippet:

[T]he book's main achievement is Kelts' interaction with those who work at the heart of the anime world, and those for whom manga is a lifelong passion. It is the personal stories that precede the acute observations that make this work precious: the American author who grew up on manga, the Japanese company manager who worked alongside Tezuka, the fan-writer who is ready to be more commercial than individual for his work to be sold.

First there was John Hodgman talking about naked hobos running the White House. Now there's Seattle's own Barry Foy explaining to food lovers why a good baguette is hard to find outside of France:

A truly good baguette is extremely rare outside France, probably because few other countries' bicyclettes sport the kind of basket in which a baguette is most photogenic.

The culinary dictionary of total lies, called the Devil's Food Dictionary, is updated every Monday and Thursday. Bon apetit, which I believe is French for "so hungry I could gnaw on a bone."

Arthur Sulzberger speaks candidly with Haaretz on the future of The New York Times and going digital.

"I really don't know whether we'll be printing the Times in five years, and you know what? I don't care either."

Another reading on Youtube, albeit one with a twist. And that man's voice sounds awfully familiar.

Do travel, do it well and do it with a whole lot of style. I love The Little Bookroom. I especially love their City Secrets series. The first time I ever picked up one of their guides I was instantly struck by the production quality and attention to detail.

The City Secrets: Rome edition was designed by Caroline Kavanagh and Deb Koch of Red Canoe (the site, unfortunately, seems stuck in early 2006). It's thin and tall, perfect for dragging around a city. Innovative in that it doesn't look to duplicate or compete with a traditional guidebook in content: they've asked experts in their fields to outline their favorite trattorias, overlooked art exhibits and architecture tours.

Stats:
Founded: ? (early 2000s?)
Based out of: New York (1755 Broadway, 5th floor)
Distributed by: US/Canada/Intl: Randomhouse; UK & Ireland: Signature Book Services
Number of Titles: At least 14 from 2003 and over 30
Printers: South China Printing Company, Hong Kong (City Secrets: Rome)

A syndicated columnist in Mississippi has written a neat synopsis of Jason Berry's Last of the Red Hot Poppas. But before you read it, let me offer a spoiler alert: The columnist makes it clear who kills Rex and why — if you plan to read the book or are in the middle of it, maybe skip this one. But if you've already read Poppas, check it out in the Clarion Ledger.