In the present world of political correctness I apologize if  the above title offended anyone.Ý Having said that there really wasn't any  other title that would accurately label this email...so here goes. ÝÝÝ As you know the Mets played the Cubs in the  first games of the 2000 baseball season in Japan.Ý The games were  broadcasted on the TV here.Ý So it's the bottom of the 8th inning of the  Opening Game...tied 1-1...a man is on second...and the Mets best power hitter,  Mike Piazza is up.Ý Strike 1....the tension mounts....Ball 1...Ball  2...What will happen?....the pitch...COMMERCIAL BREAK!!!!Ý I stare at the  TV in a look of horror...are you kidding me?Ý A commercial break?Ý No  it's worse...the broadcast of the game is finished because the nightly program  of a bunch of whiney Japanese girls, in tall shoes that make walking more than a  visible challenge (so much so that some girls have killed themselves >from  tripping in them), with a bunch of old men, who would never have the chance to  talk to these girls in real life, had to come on...afterall it was in the  schedule and the game didn't end at exactly 9:30pm.Ý Yes it's been a couple  weeks since it happened and yes I'm still really bitter. ÝÝÝ I do my best never to listen to the radio  here.Ý Although there is a station, that during a certain time, that does  play American music (Take 6 is actually pretty big here which surprises me) I  try to avoid it and the aggravation.Ý I remember listening to it once as I  was driving.Ý I almost felt like I was home.Ý Well that was when I  ignored the fact I was on the wrong side of the car as I was driving, the wrong  side of the road, the rice paddies, and the smell of burning garbage (or people  perhaps? i.e. crematoriums).Ý Well I was be-bopping and here came the best  part and I was going to "nail" it with my top singing voice...since no one else  was in the car.Ý Here it came..."Let it....(announcer) America de kare wa  ichiban desu..." What? What?Ý The song is dying out in the middle of it and  these people are so in love with the sound of their own voices that they have to  talk over the song?Ý Not only talk over it but ironically they are saying  this singer is the best in America but obviously that isn't good enough to have  the whole song.Ý Perhaps every song in Japan has to be 2 mins or another  specified time and if it isn't then it is cut at that time.Ý That couldn't  be a possibility you ask?Ý Check this out. ÝÝÝ The Japanese are huge on schedules.Ý I  have already told you about the ceremonies but I've found out that it goes  deeper than that.Ý I learned a little story about when the Beatles were  here back in the '60's.Ý They got their schedule that had every minute  listed..."pick up the Beatles at 10:00am...talk...proceed to the elevator  10:03am and go down to the bottom 10:04am."Ý Isn't that just out of  control?Ý I don't blame the Beatles for doing what they did.Ý They hid  in their apartment and refused to answer the door just so the schedule would be  a little off.Ý I mean I understand that they want everything to go smoothly  for things but com'on that is still a little  obsessive/compulsive.Ý ÝÝÝ Not to mention the fact I want to see the  WHOLE GAME!!! Ý Ý