Article on executions in Japan.

日本語の先生が日本から帰たばかりなので、「お帰りなさいませ」と言ってもいいなぁ。

Interesting article in 毎日新聞 Mainichi Shinbun on the criminal execution process in Japan, apparently long shrouded (笑) in mystery.

英　http://bit.ly/cGJ1sk
和　http://bit.ly/aAGDTS

Interesting, the ritual of it—purification with salt, and so on. I think this part would infuriate me:

「自分が生きる意味を考えてみてくれ」と諭し続けた。

Killing me would be bad enough, but do they have to moralize, too?!