On 10/22/07, Deepa Mohan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Should we laugh and appreciate the deftness of the design? Should we > cry and bemoan the state of our civilization that makes this > necessary? I did both...
In Japan (I'm currently in Tokyo), the general consensus seems to be that she's a slightly kooky breed of that ubiquitous Japanese breed the eccentric backyard inventor. The analyses in the local english language press is treating this more as an indication of how people are overreacting to sensational press coverage (of violent crimes) than any indication of either a real need or a viable solution. They point out that violent crime in Japan is actually dropping, not increasing, public perception notwithstanding. Just because there's a product, doesn't mean it's necessary. I laughed, and bemoaned the state of peoples's psyches that they felt so insecure that they thought this might be something useful. If it had been in the US, I would have said it was a hoax. -- Charles
