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July 6, 2007
Hot Dog Eating as Metaphor
Forget metaphor, let's just say out loud what I know you are thinking: the defeat of Takeru Kobayashi at the 2007 Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest signals the end of Japanese global dominance.
But how unfair: American Joey Chestnut took the title away from the long-time champion only after stealing eating techniques that Kobayashi invented.
Again, we see the same pattern: the Japanese create original conceptual innovations, and the Americans appropriate these and profit from small incremental innovations upon the Japanese ideas. Kobayashi - coming out of an incredibly creative Japanese education system - invented the "Solomon technique," and now those brain-dead zombies from the United States have stolen it and used their massive advantages in thuggish physique to beat the Genius at his own game. Kobayashi must have been thinking about this when he very literally threw up a little in his own mouth.
First, hot dogs, next steel production. Will karma catch up to Americans or will they be allowed to keep profiting off the innovations of others?
Posted by marxy at July 6, 2007 11:19 AM
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Comments
First hot dog eating, then automobile manufacturing, the incremental steps between the two are so obvious I am not going to debate them unless you read this book, the most insightful piece on Japan I've ever read
http://www.amazon.com/Speed-Tribes-Nights-Japans-Generation/dp/0060926651
(Is your post a translation of a 2ch post or something?)
Posted by: john at July 6, 2007 12:37 PM
Re: Speed Tribes. I am happy to point you to my archives:
Posted by: marxy at July 6, 2007 12:44 PM
Tell me more about this "Solomon Technique."
Posted by: Rory P. Wavekrest at July 6, 2007 12:52 PM
You cut them babies in half, son.
Posted by: Carl at July 6, 2007 1:04 PM
And that's kosher?
hawt dawg!
Posted by: Rory P. Wavekrest at July 6, 2007 1:13 PM
Not another "Pakuri" post in a week!
Posted by: Aceface at July 6, 2007 1:21 PM
Oh, John. You just got served.
I completely agree with you, marxy. By the way, your CD rocks!
Posted by: Oxo at July 6, 2007 1:23 PM
Thanks, Oxo.
Also - if you are wondering why there's not much going on here, we are busy working on the new site that will mostly likely launch in August. More soon.
Posted by: marxy at July 6, 2007 2:41 PM
Anybody had eaten Nathan's hotdogs lately?
I ate it couple month ago at Tokyu department store in Kichijyoji.The stand is right next to starbucks.It was major dissapointment.I'll stick to Doutor coffee's "German Hotdog"
Posted by: Aceface at July 6, 2007 4:31 PM
I like Nathan's hot dogs generally. I just tend to eat 1 or 2.
Posted by: marxy at July 6, 2007 4:34 PM
whole or haved
Posted by: Rory P. Wavekrest at July 6, 2007 5:55 PM
whole or halved
Posted by: Rory P. Wavekrest at July 6, 2007 5:55 PM
I prefer not to dip the buns in water. That's kind of gross. Then again, I am not really a professional eater. I just do it for sustenance.
Posted by: marxy at July 6, 2007 6:09 PM
Ah fake posts, they are the best.
Posted by: john at July 6, 2007 6:46 PM
i like sabrett's the best.
Posted by: pamutron at July 7, 2007 1:21 AM
The commentator on ESPN said that Joey Chesnut winning this thing was one of the greatest things to happen in American sports history.
One day later the US beats Brazil 2-1 at the U-20 Championship.
Posted by: Kim Jong-il Hater at July 8, 2007 3:48 PM
"One day later the US beats Brazil 2-1 at the U-20 Championship."
Of dog-eatin'?
Posted by: Rory P. Wavekrest at July 9, 2007 12:15 PM
Nah, soccer. That is one great moment in American sports history.
Posted by: Kim Jong-il Hater at July 9, 2007 2:30 PM
"You cut them babies in half, son."
Wouldn’t that be the Herod technique, then?
Solomon technique would be more like pretending to cut them in half and then swallowing them whole, for great justice.
Posted by: TJJ at July 10, 2007 5:01 PM
So if Kobayashi is now a symbol of terminal decline, does that mean a frightening rise in nationalistic anti-bear sentiment?
Is there a tie-in with Stephen Colbert?
Posted by: Max at July 11, 2007 4:18 AM
So if Kobayashi is now a symbol of terminal decline, does that mean a frightening rise in nationalistic anti-bear sentiment?
Is there a tie-in with Stephen Colbert?
Posted by: Max at July 11, 2007 4:18 AM
So if Kobayashi is now a symbol of terminal decline, does that mean a frightening rise in nationalistic anti-bear sentiment?
Is there a tie-in with Stephen Colbert?
Posted by: Max at July 11, 2007 4:19 AM
TJJ said:
""You cut them babies in half, son."
Wouldn’t that be the Herod technique, then?
Solomon technique would be more like pretending to cut them in half and then swallowing them whole, for great justice."
Sorry to make use of an over-milked internet meme but seriously; Best. Post. Ever.
Posted by: Andy at July 11, 2007 11:16 PM
Yeah, I thought that was funny too.
Posted by: marxy at July 12, 2007 12:03 AM
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