Ookii otoko no koto

With snow in forecast, today (Saturday) is start of the two-day nation-wide college entrance exam. The tension over the city is palpable. The science center here is one of the testing sites, and to limit noise and distractions, we need to get special red ribbons to enter the building and go to our offices over the weekend. I think I'll work (or not) from home.

The tests here are big business, with years of after-school cram school training leading up to this weekend. I think all I did for the SAT was sharpen my No. 2 pencil, but maybe I've selectively forgot some things.

In other Japan news, US beef is verboten once again, Japan has had its first Enron, and 18,000 people were "inconvenienced" by a suicide. (Perhaps something was lost in translation in that last story, but even the Globe chooses its words more carefully when the Red Line is held up for similar reasons.)

Last night saw some sumo excitement, with both Kotooshu and Asashoryu losing and falling to 10-3. Mongolian Ama, a diminutive No. 6 maegashira, achieved the upset of the yokozuna, while Kotooshu succumbed to fellow ozeki and current leader Tochiazuma. Both I and the Japanese crowd are partial to Takamisakari, mostly for his pre-bout head slapping and open emotion.

Speaking of big men hitting each other, go Steelers.