Wayne O'Cohen / 上野公園
@wayneocohen.bsky.social
Maryland native, adopted New Jerseyan, current Tokyoite whose heart's in Hong Kong. Syracuse grad; postgrad at Gutenberg Universität Mainz. Entertainment writer formerly of Japan's Mainichi Shimbun and Asahi Shimbun. Interests: Media biz, Asian history
In this case, the opposite happened. The Baltimore County Exec ordered police not to interfere w/ protests & a boycott of several crab restaurants, which serve a B'more specialty, following the owner's racist FB posts. The owner's lawsuit for compensation failed. www.thebanner.com/politics-pow...
Court dismisses lawsuit by Vince’s Crab House over racial justice protests
The owners accused Baltimore County officials of violating their rights after racial justice protesters demonstrated against a restaurant operator's racist posts on social media.
www.thebanner.com
November 28, 2025 at 6:18 PM
In this case, the opposite happened. The Baltimore County Exec ordered police not to interfere w/ protests & a boycott of several crab restaurants, which serve a B'more specialty, following the owner's racist FB posts. The owner's lawsuit for compensation failed. www.thebanner.com/politics-pow...
I interviewed the Aussie alt-rock band Regurgitator, formed in Brisbane, but whose Vietnamese Australian guitarist Quan Yeomans has lived in HK for years. They mocked the police diet w/ "Fat Cop," which features such lyrics as "Make a little room for the blimp in the blue hat." youtu.be/JlmyKZMHboE
Regurgitator - Fat Cop
YouTube video by Warner Music Australia
youtu.be
November 28, 2025 at 4:23 PM
I interviewed the Aussie alt-rock band Regurgitator, formed in Brisbane, but whose Vietnamese Australian guitarist Quan Yeomans has lived in HK for years. They mocked the police diet w/ "Fat Cop," which features such lyrics as "Make a little room for the blimp in the blue hat." youtu.be/JlmyKZMHboE
All the more reason to patronize such businesses & show support. Let the cops know consumers won't be cowed by such ridiculous attempts at intimidation. Funny thing, though: In the States--and apparently Australia, too--cops are infamous for hanging around doughnut shops, filling up on sweets.
November 28, 2025 at 4:23 PM
All the more reason to patronize such businesses & show support. Let the cops know consumers won't be cowed by such ridiculous attempts at intimidation. Funny thing, though: In the States--and apparently Australia, too--cops are infamous for hanging around doughnut shops, filling up on sweets.
There's a lot that I don't know about the man. But w/ a background like that, if accurate as described, I'd like to think he'd have a much more highly developed sense of compassion & empathy. I've his Iowa host family & others he met during a visit to a rural town remember him fondly. What happened?
November 28, 2025 at 4:03 PM
There's a lot that I don't know about the man. But w/ a background like that, if accurate as described, I'd like to think he'd have a much more highly developed sense of compassion & empathy. I've his Iowa host family & others he met during a visit to a rural town remember him fondly. What happened?
Or, even worse, Dan Patrick, a lieutenant governor with real power. I fear what his next move will be.
November 27, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Or, even worse, Dan Patrick, a lieutenant governor with real power. I fear what his next move will be.
They went their separate ways in 1955, but their businesses ended up back under 1 roof. Mr. Donut is still an industry leader in Asia, though. If I see a Krispy Kreme in Tokyo, it's likely a stall in a dept. store. Mr. D has standalone shops all over. In HK, too. Menu here: www.misterdonut.jp
ミスタードーナツ
ミスタードーナツの公式サイトです。新商品、ミスドクラブ、ドーナツ&ドリンクメニュー、飲茶メニュー、ショップ検索、TVCMなど、様々な最新情報をご覧いただけます。
www.misterdonut.jp
November 27, 2025 at 11:50 AM
They went their separate ways in 1955, but their businesses ended up back under 1 roof. Mr. Donut is still an industry leader in Asia, though. If I see a Krispy Kreme in Tokyo, it's likely a stall in a dept. store. Mr. D has standalone shops all over. In HK, too. Menu here: www.misterdonut.jp
For years, I've been under the mistaken assumption that Mr. Donut is still a going N. American concern. It's not. By 1990, after an ownership change, nearly all US/Can outlets became Dunkin' Donuts stores, w/ 1 still in Illinois. Funny twist of fate. The chains were founded by 2 brothers-in-law.
November 27, 2025 at 11:50 AM
For years, I've been under the mistaken assumption that Mr. Donut is still a going N. American concern. It's not. By 1990, after an ownership change, nearly all US/Can outlets became Dunkin' Donuts stores, w/ 1 still in Illinois. Funny twist of fate. The chains were founded by 2 brothers-in-law.
More, also from 2020, from the Center for Religion and Cities at Morgan State University: www.religionandcities.org/hope-baltimo...
Betting on Hope | Two Baltimores: The “Black Butterfly” And The “White L” — Religion and the City
www.religionandcities.org
November 27, 2025 at 9:25 AM
More, also from 2020, from the Center for Religion and Cities at Morgan State University: www.religionandcities.org/hope-baltimo...
A 2020 essay about the "Black Butterfly" from a report by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition: ncrc.org/the-black-bu...
Baltimore: The Black Butterfly » NCRC
Marceline White, Executive Director, Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition
ncrc.org
November 27, 2025 at 9:25 AM
A 2020 essay about the "Black Butterfly" from a report by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition: ncrc.org/the-black-bu...
The tour tells of "Black resistance to white supremacist institutions & political machinations" ca. 1865 to 1920," and covers HBCUs, Black churches, lawyers, political & labor organizing. It offers "a vision of what B'imore looked like before the 'Black Butterfly' & the 'white L' took shape."
November 27, 2025 at 7:37 AM
The tour tells of "Black resistance to white supremacist institutions & political machinations" ca. 1865 to 1920," and covers HBCUs, Black churches, lawyers, political & labor organizing. It offers "a vision of what B'imore looked like before the 'Black Butterfly' & the 'white L' took shape."
Ugh! I wish this crap could be written off as AI slop. But no. No, no. It's much worse.
November 24, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Ugh! I wish this crap could be written off as AI slop. But no. No, no. It's much worse.
But sometimes fate works in weird ways. This family handed over their young adoptee to the proper authorities, and it's now thriving at the Nairobi Safari Walk, as it can't be returned to the wild: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Kenya cheetah cub raised by Wajir family: 'It became one of the children'
Their neighbours, who raise livestock, told the family to get rid of the wild animal.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 11:26 AM
But sometimes fate works in weird ways. This family handed over their young adoptee to the proper authorities, and it's now thriving at the Nairobi Safari Walk, as it can't be returned to the wild: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
It's pretty awful. In the past, orangutans suffered the same fate, no thanks to a show on Taiwanese TV that featured a baby orang. Viewers didn't seem to realize that those babies grow up to be adults that are 4 or 5 times stronger than adult humans. More here: cheetah.org/uk/2025/10/1...
Combating the Illegal Wildlife Trade – A better world for cheetah cubs - Cheetah Conservation Fund United Kingdom
The illegal wildlife trade (IWT) is one of the greatest threats to cheetah survival in the Horn of Africa. Each year, as many as 300 cheetah cubs are stolen from the wild to feed demand for exotic pet...
cheetah.org
November 24, 2025 at 11:20 AM
It's pretty awful. In the past, orangutans suffered the same fate, no thanks to a show on Taiwanese TV that featured a baby orang. Viewers didn't seem to realize that those babies grow up to be adults that are 4 or 5 times stronger than adult humans. More here: cheetah.org/uk/2025/10/1...
Hmm. Yeah. Maybe it comes across that way. Which, unfortunately, is why cheetahs are a favored target of the illegal pet trade. They're known to be relatively docile toward humans. Perhaps that's why there's a demand for them in the Gulf States. They're a prestige pet.
November 24, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Hmm. Yeah. Maybe it comes across that way. Which, unfortunately, is why cheetahs are a favored target of the illegal pet trade. They're known to be relatively docile toward humans. Perhaps that's why there's a demand for them in the Gulf States. They're a prestige pet.
No, this is not AI slop. There are plenty of other examples of cheetahs meowing out there: youtu.be/0tmCIsSpvC8
Meowing cheetahs
YouTube video by meskal44
youtu.be
November 24, 2025 at 10:11 AM
No, this is not AI slop. There are plenty of other examples of cheetahs meowing out there: youtu.be/0tmCIsSpvC8
Mountain lions, aka pumas or cougars, are kinda the same. They're the largest cat that's capable of purring. Seems that zoos have discovered it's a mistake to house cheetahs in the vicinity of lions, etc., as it causes them great anxiety & fear. More here: www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts...
Big cat vs small cat: what's the difference between these furry felines? | Discover Wildlife
What's the difference between a big cat and a small cat? We look at what truly separates big cats from their smaller cousins
www.discoverwildlife.com
November 24, 2025 at 10:11 AM
Mountain lions, aka pumas or cougars, are kinda the same. They're the largest cat that's capable of purring. Seems that zoos have discovered it's a mistake to house cheetahs in the vicinity of lions, etc., as it causes them great anxiety & fear. More here: www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts...
Technically speaking, cheetahs aren't big cats, despite their size. Big cats all belong to the genus Panthera & can roar. Cheetahs are classified in the Acinonyx genus & have small-cat anatomy, notably in their larynx. They can't roar, but can purr, meow, chirrup & make sounds like house cats.
November 24, 2025 at 10:11 AM
Technically speaking, cheetahs aren't big cats, despite their size. Big cats all belong to the genus Panthera & can roar. Cheetahs are classified in the Acinonyx genus & have small-cat anatomy, notably in their larynx. They can't roar, but can purr, meow, chirrup & make sounds like house cats.
I didn't initially notice the "Do it, Q" scrawl. Sad. I'm disappointed because I thought those cult followers had largely disappeared into the background.
November 24, 2025 at 9:47 AM
I didn't initially notice the "Do it, Q" scrawl. Sad. I'm disappointed because I thought those cult followers had largely disappeared into the background.
Sorry. That should read: "the week through [11/16/25] ..." I'll be so happy when Bluesky allows users to edit their posts.
November 22, 2025 at 8:16 AM
Sorry. That should read: "the week through [11/16/25] ..." I'll be so happy when Bluesky allows users to edit their posts.
Japan's health ministry said "the average number of new influenza cases ... stood at 14.90 in the week through [11/25], exceeding the alert level of 10. [It] surged from 6.29 in the previous week." The data "indicate a possible large-scale outbreak w/in 4 weeks." www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11...
Flu cases in Japan exceed alert level, health ministry says
The alert level of 10 cases per regularly monitored medical institution nationwide indicates a possible large-scale outbreak within four weeks.
www.japantimes.co.jp
November 22, 2025 at 8:08 AM
Japan's health ministry said "the average number of new influenza cases ... stood at 14.90 in the week through [11/25], exceeding the alert level of 10. [It] surged from 6.29 in the previous week." The data "indicate a possible large-scale outbreak w/in 4 weeks." www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11...
LaPook, NYU Langone Health professor of medicine, says Japan has been hit hard by Subclade K, a mutation of the H3N2 flu variant that this season's vaccine might not fully protect against. Formulating vaccines requires making predictions that can lead to "mismatches." www.cbsnews.com/video/mutate...
Mutated flu strain could cause a more severe flu season. Here's what to know.
A mutated strain of the flu virus is surging around the world. CBS News medical contributor Dr. Jon LaPook explains what to know about symptoms and the vaccine.
www.cbsnews.com
November 22, 2025 at 8:08 AM
LaPook, NYU Langone Health professor of medicine, says Japan has been hit hard by Subclade K, a mutation of the H3N2 flu variant that this season's vaccine might not fully protect against. Formulating vaccines requires making predictions that can lead to "mismatches." www.cbsnews.com/video/mutate...