Shiomori … Moldovan skin-headedness … O soglia mia 22nd of March, 2006 POST·MERIDIEM 02:35

Joel at Far Outliers gives us details on a Japanese custom, 塩盛り, pronounced shiomori and meaning “salt helpings”, which involves piles of salt on either side of the door to a restaurant. Now, the most widely known reason for these was to ward off evil spirits; but Joel’s informant gives a more practical one, involving oxcarts, oxens with a liking for salt and impulse stops for food on the part of the drivers. It’s kind of comforting to me to see a sensible basis for at least one of these religious-idiosyncracies-of-the-East stories.

http://​en.​wikipedia.​org/​wiki/​Moldova#Relations_with_European_Union is something I find really weird:

On May 1, 2004 many EU enthusiasts waving the EU flags found their flags confiscated by police and some were arrested under the clause of “anti-nationalism.” 

Looks like some elements of the government there have neuroses on this issue. Pro-EU is only anti-nationalism for the terminally skin-headded and violent.

Word of the day: „die Seezunge“  is German for “sole,” the fish. Comically, yes, it means “sea tongue.”