Tobacco Aficionados Check It Out

Visit Okinawa to Get These Smokes

It began when I walked out of a bar to buy a few packs of cigarettes.

At the local grocery store, I ran into an old friend, who was hanging out, watching TV.

We drink beers together sometimes and, I had noticed him with Uruma cigarettes.

He had bummed one of my Mild Sevens, before I spotted his red pack of smokes.

It seems, he's trying to quit. The Urumas are helping him.

They are so strong he says, "After smoking one, you don't feel like having another for 3 hours."

Products Sold Only on Okinawa Islands

Way back in the late 1800's the government of Japan took over the tobacco industry.

It became a monopoly for the purpose of  taxing people so, the country could get rich.

Many years later, they figured out, private industries could make them, even richer.

The monopoly, got done away with but, the government still gets to hold one third of the stock.

When Okinawa, reverted back to Japanese control in 1972 the farmers weren't happy.

They had been raising their own tobacco and making these cigarettes, for Okinawa.

So, the big boys, up north, decided to give the tobacco farmers a break.

Before investing a total of  ¥ 630 or, about six bucks on those smokes, I did some research.

That's how I learned, these are brands exclusive of Okinawa, Japan.

Taxes drift upwards sometimes but, not as high as they would on any other Japanese smokes.

The way to get some of these gems, is to come to the islands. You can't buy them online.

Just for fun, I read some reviews of Uruma cigarettes on a Japan website.

A customer said, "They are a little bit pungent and sweet."  He recommends them for women.

When he, opened a pack, it smelled like some fancy liquor.

Another dude (in Osaka) met an Okinawan girl, who was smoking Uruma cigarettes.

He was a non-smoker but said, everyone around him was sucking smokes.

So, he decided to start sucking them, too. And, he liked to sweetness.

He's looking forward to, having that girl, smuggle him some from Okinawa on her next visit !

Some Do's and Dont's

Do: Plan on me getting rid of these smokes tonight. I ain't smoking them.

Don't: Send any correspondence, asking me to get some for you, back in the USA.

Reason: Once, in the custody of Uruma police, I promised, to be law abiding forevermore.

 More Information

Each cigarette, of both brands above contains:

Nicotine: 1.2 milligrams

Tar: 17 milligrams

Source: Learn Okinawa A-Z

Tax Trouble Tuesday Willie Nelson Dunnit So Can I, Hah !

                              Whoops, looks like I PULLED ANOTHER LITTLE WILLIE !

Today, just for the heck of it,  I'll call Tax Trouble Tuesday cuz that's what day it is where I'm at in Okinawa, Japan.  Don't worry, I haven't got tax troubles like Willie Nelson had.  What a hoot !

My delinquent taxes are on some property in California that's probably going to fall into the ocean someday.  Soon, I hope.  Do you still have to pay taxes for property you own at the bottom of the sea ?

Usually, I pay my taxes to help those poor folks back in California, way ahead of time.  But, last year, I guess I stuck the tax bill in the box with all the Christmas cards I keep forgetting to write.

Then, this pink slip came in the mail and I stuffed it in my cargo pocket so I wouldn't forget to make an online payment.

Well, I walked around in a typhoon and got everything soaked. It's dry now and I went to make an online-delinquent payment.  They wouldn't take my money because the online robots were too busy counting everybody else's delinquent tax payments. Sounds like business is booming there !

So, they're getting my taxes, the old fashioned way, by snail mail. 

My penalties and all comes up to less than the cost of a sixpack of beer.  No need to auction off any of the wife's (excess) household possessions or anything like that.  I could skip a few beers this week and come out ahead, I suppose.

It's not even the IRS, just the state of California.  I have kinfolk there so, I don't wish the whole place would fall in the ocean.  Just my property would be good enough, for me. Unless Willie wants the place.  I'd give him a good deal.

DISCLAIMER:  SOMEBODY ELSE THUNK OF TAX TROUBLE TUESDAY BEFORE ME

Hah, and somebody named Jody went in the comments department and called Willie a "rich, hippy dope head".  Wonder what Jody was smoking ?  There ain't no hippies in Texas, are there ?


VISIT MY WEBSITE FOR THE PHOTO OF THE DAY

PICADADAY

Another shot taken on the 22d of August 2009, the longest camera shoot, I think I've ever done in my whole life, is this one.

Hopefully, one of these days, when I'm all caught up, I'm either going to the post office to mail a framed print of this to the gal or I'm going to hand deliver it.

Procrastination should have been my middle name or I should get paid for it, because I do it better than anyone I've ever met. That's a fact.  I'll probably be the oldest man in Japan, someday because I'll just keep putting-off dying.

I've got this gal's name and address somewhere in my emails, a permission to have the photo published, her niece and niece's husbands emails, directions to everyone's houses and the framed photo stuffed in an envelope ready to go.  Just never have the time to put it all together and gitterdun, as they say back in redneck country.

What I really need isn't a kick in the butt or push in the right direction; I need a secretary.  Someone who could do all that kinda stuff like, my typing, taxes, translating, driving, shopping, Xmas cards, birthday cards delivering photos and all the other stuff that keeps me too busy to remember what I'm supposed to be doing everyday. I need, like an intern.  Someone who does the stuff for free and is happy for all the practical experience they gain by hanging around with me.

They wouldn't have to worry about me going presidential on them or anything, either.  I don't play golf so, I put running for president on the back burner for so long, I'm probably not qualified anymore, if ya know what I mean.

Anyway, I did keep one promise I made to the gal dancing around the fires. I got it published and emailed a link to her family. HERE.