May 12

Interview with ‘Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo’ Director Jessica Oreck

The film Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo explores the history and mystery of the development of Japan’s love affair with bugs, underscoring ancient philosophies that will shift Westerners’ perspectives. JQ Magazine’s Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) talked with producer/writer/director Jessica Oreck on the eve of the film’s New York premiere for Examiner.com. Visit his NY Japanese Culture page here to subscribe for free alerts on newly published stories.

Would you describe this film as a documentary, or something else?
I try not to label films too methodically. Some of my favorite “narrative” films are not “documentary” but certainly seem more honest than films based on facts. So I guess I’ll just keep it simple and call it a movie.

Have you always had an interest in insects and Japan? What made you want to go there to capture these images personally?
I have loved insects since I was a little girl, so when I stumbled onto the Japanese enthusiasm for the same ostracized order, it felt like it was meant to be. I studied filmmaking, biology and ecology in university; I knew I wanted to make films about ethnobiology, so this was the perfect film with which to start.

The Japanese concept of mono no aware (which describes the awareness in the transience of things) is invoked early on in the film. Was this the original thesis before filming, or did this thread to traditional concepts develop later in the process?
I did extensive research before traveling to Japan, and I laid out a 17-page essay that included pieces of Japanese history and philosophy I hoped to incorporate into the film. Mono no aware was just one of the many ideas that were intricately tied together within the architecture of the film as I initially envisioned it. I knew it would be part of the film’s foundation, but as the editing process progressed and I continued to refine the essay and skim off outer details, the concept of mono no aware became more and more pronounced. In this way, editing the footage and writing and editing the narration was a very organic process.

Were there any older Japanese-made films tackling this subject that you watched for reference?
As far as I know there are no other films that address this subject in particular. There are some fantastic Japanese films that have a lot of bugs in them—one of my favorites being Woman in the Dunes. But I think the Japanese film that I watched most often while making Beetle Queen was Kon Ichikawa’s Tokyo Olympiad. That movie is infinitely perfect to me.

Several scenes in the film depict Japanese children’s love of insects. Were the ones you filmed typical of that kind of interest, or were they more passionate than most about this? How would you define Japanese kids’ relationship with the insect world compared to American kids’?
A Japanese child’s relation to insects isn’t that different from an American’s child connection—if you catch them young enough. Most young children don’t have an innate fear of bugs (from my experience watching thousands of them pass through the butterfly vivarium at the American Museum of Natural History). It isn’t until they see dad flinch or mom scream that they learn disgust or fear. What’s different with a Japanese child is that they are encouraged to explore the insect world. They keep them as pets, their dads take them on insect collecting trips, and they travel halfway across the country to watch the fireflies emerge at dusk. I am generalizing, of course, but the phenomenon is, by and large, quite widespread.

In comparison, I believe that a Westerner’s view of the natural world is, in part, dictated by the cultural heritage of what I call the Judeo-Christian syndrome, through which we see the world as a linear chain of progress that culminates in the human form and bestows the power of control to the animals with the least sense of balance. However, I think an individual’s understanding of the natural world is still mostly directly absorbed through the behavior of the people they admire, and that that is why this connection to insects continues to thrive in Japanese culture.

The author and anatomist Dr. Takeshi Yoro is the only person interviewed on-camera for this film. How did you discover him, and were there any other experts or authorities whom you considered speaking with?
Dr. Yoro is a famous guy in Japan, so everywhere we went people asked if we had plans to interview him. Eventually we just decided to call him and, miraculously, he said he would be happy to be interviewed. It was never my intent to have talking heads, but so many of the things that Dr. Yoro said felt like pure poetry—he ended up being the key to some of my favorite parts in the movie.

Generally, what kind of support did you receive from the Japanese people you worked with and filmed? What was their reaction to an American filmmaker exploring what seems to be a uniquely Japanese interest?
Everyone was happy to have us, though they were often confused about why we were making this film. We got a lot of, “What? They don’t sell beetles in America?”

What should more Americans be aware of with respect to the insect world?
Well, I hate to limit the film’s impact to the insect world. To me, the film is about much more than bugs. I have had the opportunity to observe a myriad of reactions. Plenty of people have been surprised by the loss of their fear, or by newfound knowledge, or a novel appreciation for beauty in unanticipated facets of their life. But my favorite story is of a World War II veteran who approached me after a screening of Beetle Queen. He said something to the effect of, “For fifty years I have thought of the Japanese as my enemy. And in the past hour and a half, you have changed that.”

Are there any plans to screen the film in Japan?
Not yet! But we are always looking for opportunities!

Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo runs from May 12-18 at New York’s Film Forum, with Jessica appearing at screenings on May 12, 14 and 16. Visit www.beetlequeen.com for more info, and sign up for the mailing list at info@beetlequeen.com.


Apr 22

Tom Baker reviews “Moon,” “Shutter Island” and “The Wolfman”

Tom Baker (Chiba-ken, 1989-91) is a staff writer for The Daily Yomiuri. He usually writes for DYWeekend, the paper’s arts and leisure section. You can follow Tom’s blog at tokyotombaker.wordpress.com.

His two latest articles are movie reviews, one of “The Wolfman,” and one that discusses “Moon” and “Shutter Island” together. Here are some excerpts:

THE WOLFMAN

In most werewolf movies nowadays, it is standard to show a person’s nose and jaw elongating into a snaggletoothed lupine muzzle when they transform from human to wolf. [Makeup artist Rick] Baker has done that before, but in this film he pays homage to Lon Chaney Jr.’s furry but still humanoid look in the 1941 film The Wolf Man, on which the new film is based. Then and now, the title monster has modest fangs, a woolly forehead, a beard that goes up to his eyes and a nose that darkens at the tip.

Our first glimpse of Baker’s version of this classic face is literally over in a flash, as we see it illuminated by a pistol shot during a nocturnal battle. (In case you missed it the first time, the scene repeats a moment later, with a larger gun.) Later scenes reveal the monster’s face at greater length.

Read the full review here.

MOON and SHUTTER ISLAND

Teddy Daniels and Sam Bell are men who love their wives. They are also the respective protagonists of two new movies, Shutter Island and Moon, that take us far enough inside the characters’ heads to see each man passionately embracing his wife in a dream.

But when Teddy awakes, he finds himself trapped on his movie’s titular island, unhappily remembering that his wife has been dead for years. And when Sam awakes, he finds himself trapped on his movie’s titular heavenly body, unhappily remembering that his wife is on Earth, and he has not seen her for many months.

Teddy (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a U.S. marshall investigating the disappearance of an inmate from a prison hospital for the criminally insane on Shutter Island, Mass., in the 1950s. Sam (Sam Rockwell) is the solitary human staffer of a mining facility on the dark side of the moon, possibly in the 2050s.

The settings are very different, but both are ominous, isolated places in which intense psychological drama will unfold. In both movies, the protagonists have high-stakes confrontations with themselves, and with the powers that be.

Read the rest of the review here. The review is deliberately spoiler-free, but you can read Tom’s further comments about the endings of “Moon” here and “Shutter Island” here.


Apr 16

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Laura is a current JET who writes fantasy and science fiction for children and young adults, and is an occasional playwright/film maker.

Namaskaram! Greetings from India! Ever consider volunteering abroad? With all our JET paid vacation time, there`s lots of opportunities. It looks great on your resume, and it’s a sure way to give you inspiration for your writing! Why stick to the touristy spots you can read about? You can get a feel for “the real thing” by helping out in the rural villages and slums, and see a part of the world you might never see otherwise.

I definitely just got a feel for the “real India” after spending ten days in Andhra Pradesh building houses and teaching the children of Dalits (untouchables) with five other English teachers through Longitude International. What an amazing experience! The moment we entered Chuvuru village we were greeted by drums and dancing. The people welcomed us into their homes and there seemed no end to the smiles, laughter, and chai tea! 

We spent our mornings helping build new cement houses that would stand the tempest of the fall monsoons, and our evenings teaching and playing with the children. In the beginning they were shy and called me “madam,” but within a few hours they completely opened up and called me “sister.” “Sister, one more song, one more photo, one more dance!” Boy, did they love to dance! We taught them the hokey pokey, the Macarena, head-shoulders-knees-and-toes, everything we could think of, and in return they showed us their “Bollywood moves.” They also loved my fife and recorder. Whenever I brought them out, they instantly began shouting requests.

During a game of “let`s travel,” one of the kids asked me, “Your village?” I didn`t know how to respond. Temple, Texas, where I was born? Owasso or Tulsa Oklahoma where I was raised and went to school? Nabari, Japan, where I live now? Malawi, Africa, where I left a huge part of my heart with the AIDS orphans? Or right there in Chuvuru where I felt so at home? 

It was a bit of an identity crisis. I asked myself if I really “belong” anywhere. For weeks I`ve been nervous about my upcoming visit back to the States and wondering if it has “changed,” or more importantly, if I`ve changed. Will I feel “at home” in the place my friends and family consider to be my “home?” 

After puzzling over it I came to a rather relieving, though somewhat clichéd conclusion. The world is my village. Perhaps that sounds cheesy, but I really think so. Not that I would be welcome let alone feel comfortable anywhere in the world, but I think wherever I do go where there are welcoming hearts and warm smiles, that place will be my home, my village for as long as I am there. And the villagers of India really are so welcoming, so loving that you feel like one of them from the very beginning. There is no insider/outsider. Only friend and family.

Of course, the trip wasn`t all fuzzy feelings. It was very difficult to see how some of the people suffered. Thirty years ago in a nearby village, the government gave the Dalits land to farm, but are now taking it back. This forces the villagers to migrate long distances through dangerous roads or hire themselves out as domestic servants where they are physically and sexually abused. Disease is still a major problem, claiming many lives.   

So a lot of people have asked me, why did you bother going to India? There`s not much you can do to help anyway; why not just send money? Sending money is great, but if I`m traveling anyway, I might as well make a difference as I do and experience the “real world.” I can already tell you, those kids and that place are already showing up in my fiction!   

We were the first volunteer group to visit Chuvuru, but this is only the beginning of their brighter future. Hopefully many more teams will come to help build and teach, continuing the cause of awareness, human rights, and global friendship. Who knows, maybe you`re next? If you`re interested in learning more about longitude and their work, you can visit their website at http://www.golongitude.org/

For more details, pictures, and videos about Laura`s adventures in Asia, visit her weekly blog at laurajanepopp.blogspot.com.


Apr 10

Tom Baker (Chiba-ken, 1989-91) is a staff writer for The Daily Yomiuri. He usually writes for DYWeekend, the paper’s arts and leisure section. You can follow Tom’s blog at tokyotombaker.wordpress.com.

Recently he interviewed two notable figures from the world of science fiction: novelist Charles Stross, the Hugo Award-winning (and Seiun Award-nominated) author best known for his “Merchant Princes” series, and actor Sharlto Copley, who plays the lead role in the movie “District 9.” Stross in now in Japan to attend the newly launched Hal-Con science fiction convention in Saitama, while Copley was there to promote his film, which just opened in the country. Here are some excerpts:

Charles Stross photo by Sjbradshaw at en.wikipedia

CHARLES STROSS:

Stross has also written “hard” science fiction, such as his novels Saturn’s Children and Accelerando, which imagine technologically advanced futures in deep detail. Readers of those books may notice a sprinkling of Japanese vocabulary, such as “bishojo,” “chibi” and “kawaii.”

“There were particular reasons for wanting to use it [Japanese vocabulary],” Stross explained. “One issue is globalization of culture. Japan is unusual in that it’s one of the few societies other than North-American-stroke-Anglosphere ones successfully exporting its culture globally. You will find Hello Kitty in shops in the U.K., you will find her in Germany, you will find her all over the world. There’s far less in the way of, for example, German cultural exports. So if you’re going to portray a near future, it is one that is going to be Japanese-influenced to a greater or lesser extent.”

Saturn’s Children is about a robot created to serve humans who must get on with her life in a universe where humans have gone extinct. She’s one of a long line of nearly identical “sibs” who sometimes share their memory chips with each other, blurring distinctions between the individual and the group…

Read the rest of Tom’s interview with Stross here. (And read his review of Saturn’s Children here.)

Sharlto Copley photo by Natasha Baucas

SHARLTO COPLEY:

As Wikus [Copley’s character] works for a heavily armed private company called MNU, another big issue in District 9 is the movement of military power into the hands of corporations, a phenomenon that has been prominent in recent world news due to the involvement of U.S. contractors such as Blackwater in the war in Iraq. In the movie, MNU is portrayed as a menace, which made Copley’s comment on the topic a bit of a surprise.

“That started with Neill’s fascination with [a South African military contractor called] Executive Outcomes,” Copley said. “That’s actually the start of modern-day privatization, when the South African government changed, and you had incredibly high-level professional soldiers…that had nowhere to go. They weren’t going to work for the new government, and they formed a private military company that went and sorted out various conflicts in Africa–and did amazingly well, actually. It was very controversial, but you couldn’t argue that when 50 guys went in and solved a problem that the United Nations couldn’t with 5,000, that there was definitely something to be said for that.”

Read the rest of Tom’s interview with Copley here.


Apr 9

WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.

The other night I had the pleasure of meeting the author Jake Adelstein (pictured here on the Daily Show) who wrote the sensational book Tokyo Vice, the story of his time as a crime reporter in Japan.  This absorbing memoir traces his path from Sophia University student to full-time reporter at the newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun, a notable feat for a foreigner.  He spent 12 years covering the underbelly of Japan, and as expected the bulk of his talk concentrated on the yakuza.

He discussed how this Japanese mafia is known as a second police force, or a necessary evil (必要な悪 or hitsuyou na aku). As tracked by the police they number Read More


Apr 1

WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.

Whereas here in the States today we celebrate April Fool’s Day, April 1st in Japan is a beginning.  It is the start of the new fiscal and school years, and the blooming and subsequent falling of the cherry blossoms serves as a way to mark this transition.  This morning’s news outlined several changes that will be taking place in accordance with the new year, but whether they will make life in Japan easier or harder remains to be seen.

  • The child allowance law giving parents 13,000 yen per child per month goes into effect today, fulfilling one of the DPJ’s key campaign pledges.  It differs from Read More

Mar 30

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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.

We are rapidly coming up on the deadline for the 国勢調査 (kokusei chousa) or national census, so I hope everyone has already filled in and returned their forms.  Every morning during the Japanese news there are advertisements running in Japanese advocating participation in the census as one’s civic duty.  Also, I have come across some interesting Japanese language print ads that I would like to share.

The one on the right shows Read More


Mar 28

WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.

The Wall Street Journal had some interesting Japan coverage this week.  One article from earlier in the week discusses tactics being employed to get the Japanese populace turned on to fish again, as its popularity has declined due to factors such as smell, price and preparation.  It has gotten to the point where fishery officials have started sending instructors to schools in order to teach children how to eat fish with chopsticks, and fish is being promoted in pop culture by characters such as Sakana-kun (on right saying “Let’s eat delicious fish with Sakana-kun!”). 

Another article focuses on Japanese-Americans who were interned during WWII, and how they got through this ordeal by forming swing bands.  This legacy is being preserved through a tribute band called Minidoka Swing Band, with members who were internees as well as others who have no ties to the camps (check out the video, they’re talented!).

Speaking of the internment, this weekend was the 3rd annual New York Peace Film Festival which featured Read More


Mar 25

JQ Magazine’s March/April 2010 “Go East Issue” Online Now!

Settle into spring with the latest issue of JQ (JETAA NY) Magazine, out now! Featuring: A recap of former Mets/Chiba Lotte Marines manager Bobby Valentine‘s talk at Japan Society, JET alum Life After the B.O.E. illustrator David Namisato (CIR Aomori-ken, 2002-04), a review of J-pop superstar Hikaru Utada‘s recent New York concert, and an exclusive interview with rocker Andrew W.K. All this and more in the new issue of JQ!
Editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) is now working on the next issue and seeking writers, photos, ideas and (going out on a limb here) advertisers for the next issue to be released in May. Contact  him at magazine@jetaany.org for more details. Enjoy!

Mar 21

Tom Baker (Chiba-ken, 1989-91) is a staff writer for The Daily Yomiuri. He usually writes for DYWeekend, the paper’s arts and leisure section. You can follow Tom’s blog at tokyotombaker.wordpress.com.

Last Friday he had two movie articles in the paper: a review of “Sherlock Holmes,” which you can read here, and an interview with martial artist Jon Foo, who stars in a new movie based on the “Tekken” series of video games. Here is an excerpt:

“My mom, she does judo, and my dad did karate, so I learned a lot from them growing up,” Foo told The Daily Yomiuri in an interview in Tokyo last week. “My mom used to do throws; tomoenage was her favorite. She’d pick me up, kick me in the air and I landed on the bed. And I’d do conditioning. And then I moved on to kung fu, tae kwon do, Muay Thai. Just take the best from each and mix it [considering] whatever suits my body, and I’ll take that and I’ll use that to perform to my best.”

Foo, 27, has had supporting roles in action movies in several countries, but Tekken puts him in the lead for the first time.

He plays Jin Kazama, a young man who makes a living as a fleet-footed courier in a postapocalyptic world ruled by corporations, one of which is Tekken (a name that translates as “iron fist”)…

…Tekken’s top boss, Heihachi Mishima, is an elderly man–but a mean fighter–whose shiny bald dome is framed by an erect ruff of gray hair that looks like a set of tail fins from a 1950s Cadillac. The hair and makeup people did a hilarious job of replicating this look on actor Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, but they were more restrained when it came to just hinting at Jin’s swept-back hairstyle with Foo. We’re probably meant to laugh at some parts of this film, but Jin has to hold the audience’s sympathy.

Read the rest of the article here.


Mar 19

Roland Kelts column in Daily Yomiuri: Censorship of manga – What’s ok?

Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, has published his latest SOFT POWER/HARD TRUTHS column for The Daily Yomiuri–this one about last month’s sentencing of American Chris Handley for possession of ‘obscene manga’ in Iowa–and this month’s proposal by the Tokyo Government to censor ‘virtual porn’ (read: manga and anime) in Japan.

Is this another example of ‘gaitsu‘–Japan being affected by foreign pressure?

Column is here:  http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/arts/20100319TDY11101.htm


Mar 17

JET Author: “Rock & Roll Jihad” co-written by Robert Schroeder

Rock & Roll Jihad, co-written by Salman Ahmad and Robert Schroeder

Rock & Roll Jihad

Robert Schroeder (Shizuoka, ’92-’93), a JET alum and journalist based in Maryland, has released a book he co-wrote called Rock & Roll Jihad: A Muslim Rock Star’s Revolution (Free Press/Simon & Schuster).  After Schroeder wrote a piece in The Wall Street Journal profiling the Pakistani musician in 2007, the star asked him to be his writing assistant on his memoir.  And now, just a few months after publication, the book has already garnered high praise, both from celebrities like physician Deepak Chopra and Amazon readers.

The memoir follows the life of Salman Ahmad — founder of the “U2 of Asia” Sufi-rock band Junoon, a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, and teacher of South Asian poetry — who is now credited as the first musician to bridge the gap between the West and the Muslim world.  He brought chart-topping rock & roll riffs to new ears in his home country of Pakistan, but also reined in listeners from around the world, including those at the UN General Assembly and the Nobel Peace Prize concert.

Ahmad, with the writing assistance of Schroeder, chronicle the cultural and political intricacies of navigating the politically tense Middle East, along with the post-9/11 world as a whole, as he continues to educate through music the true diversity of the Islamic faith and its art to the rest of the globe.

Schroder himself is not new to crossing national borders.  A former NHK producer and now reporter at Marketwatch, he has contributed pieces about Japan in numerous American periodicals, including a review in The Washington Post of a Virginia inn with Japanese style ofuro baths and traditional breakfasts.  Another first-person piece in The New York Times Magazine recounts the shock of eating whale sashimi in Ayukawa.  To read more of his pieces, click here.

To preview the first few pages of the book, read here.


Mar 16

Tom Baker (Chiba-ken, 1989-91) is a staff writer for The Daily Yomiuri. A big part of his beat is the Pop Culture page, which covers manga, anime and video games. You can follow Tom’s blog at tokyotombaker.wordpress.com.

He also writes movie reviews. Here is an excerpt from a recent review of “I Love You Phillip Morris,” in which Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor play Steven and Phillip, the lead characters in a gay romantic-comedy/prison-break film that is based on a true story. It opens March 17 in Britain and April 30 in the United States, but is already playing in Japan.

McGregor’s sweet and naive Phillip is totally believable. Harmlessly meek and far too trusting, yet somehow uttering the lion’s share of the laugh lines, he makes you want to protect him, which is also how Steven feels. “You only see the good in people,” marvels Steven, whose own outlook is far more cynical.

Carrey, who does appear in good movies now and then, is not always as believable in his role, but this is appropriate since he plays a chronic fake who is always trying on new identities and tells lies to everyone he meets. Late in the movie, when Steven tries to prove his love by revealing his true self to Phillip, he can’t really do it.

Steven is a criminal who went to prison because he belonged there. But his scams are amusing because his wealthy victims are entertainingly depicted (fairly or not) as crude, pompous fools. And his various prison escapes are amazing. In one, he uses felt-tip markers and toilet water to dye his prison uniform green, enabling him to walk right out in the guise of a visiting doctor…

Read the rest of the article here.


Mar 11

WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.

There is a bit of a controversy brewing over implementation of one aspect of the DPJ’s Manifesto.  This is the proposal of free tuition for high schools currently being debated in the Diet.  Students have to pay to attend high school as Japanese education is only compulsory through junior high.  The question here is whether North Korean schools in Japan (of which there are 10 and where about 2,000 students of both North Korean and South Korean nationality are enrolled) should be similarly subsidized considering that Japan imposes economic sanctions on North Korea and in light of the yet unresolved abduction issue.

PM Hatoyama is waffling on this issue, with him initially Read More


Mar 1

Tom Baker (Chiba-ken, 1989-91) is a staff writer for The Daily Yomiuri. A big part of his beat is the Pop Culture page, which covers manga, anime and video games.  You can follow Tom’s blog at tokyotombaker.wordpress.com.

He also writes about food. Here is a recent article about a food science exhibition currently running at Tokyo’s Miraikan museum. The latter half of the story focuses in on the scientific-culinary concept of umami, often called the“fifth taste”:

How many calories are there in a 500-milliliter bottle of a zero-calorie soft drink? If you guessed zero, you might be right. But the correct answer could be as high as 24. This is one of the many fun facts visitors can learn at “It’s a Tasty World–Food Science Now,” an exhibition running through March 22 at the Miraikan science museum in Odaiba, Tokyo. Under Japanese law, according to a display debunking food myths at the show, a drink is “zero calorie” as long as it has less than five calories per 100 milliliters. (A note on vocabulary: A “calorie” and a “kilocalorie” are the same thing.)

Other displays include sniffable containers of food scents, which you can mix to create new aromas; videos of food processing factories, where plump onions comically pirouette on industrial peelers; and a glowing green tank of euglena, a photosynthetic microorganism seen as a promising future food source. Too bad its Japanese name, midori mushi–green bug–isn’t exactly appetizing….

Read the rest of the article here.


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