The power of politics...

TOKYO: The Japanese government has acknowledged for the first time that Allied prisoners during World War II were made to work at a coal mine owned by the family of Prime Minister Taro Aso, contradicting longstanding denials by the Japanese leader.

The admission came after the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, under prodding from an opposition lawmaker, released documents showing that 300 British, Dutch and Australian prisoners of war worked at a mine owned by Aso Mining during the last four months of World War II in western Japan.

There is nothing quite so nasty and perverted as politics...and their administrators. For sixty-three years, this dirty little secret festered in (of all places) the basement of the Health Ministry building. The only way it saw the light of day was motivated by an opposition leader to Prime Minister Taro Aso to gain political acuity.

Wrong motivation...desired result.

On a separate note...Al Gore's camp has issued no comment as of yet as to the negative effect that these POW's had on our environment in mining the poison known as coal.

Who's the short hairy guy?

That's right when you order a beer at the Kayabuki Tavern your waiter is in a monkey suit. A real one as a matter of fact.

Five-year-old Fuchan and 12-year-old Yatchan work the tables, give you hand towels, hand out ashtrays. They also take your money and give you your change back.

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Top Ten reasons not to use monkeys as bartenders.

10. Full body hairnets destroy the relaxed atmosphere.
9. Alcohol and lower primates never ends well.
8. Too much confusion over the whole ‘monkey bars’ thing.
7. Excrement wars.
6. The mystery of the disappearing banana liqueur.
5. PETA protesting for better wages.
4. Too many old guys with accordions hanging around.
3. No more sports on the televisions; all Animal Planet all the time.
2. Work stoppage if someone inadvertently says, “no more monkeybusiness.”
1. And the #1 reason not to use monkeys as bartenders…Planet of the Apes…nuff said.