Seriously Japan?

It would seem that Japan really enjoys a lot of silly things. Everyone does. Things that would be normally resigned to the fringes of society and deemed bizarre in western cultures are embraced in Japan. A good example of this is manga and anime. These are cartoons and comic books that Japan is well known for. They are everywhere, and you see everyone reading them. You see business men in their suits just chillin' and reading a comic book on the subway. 

Case in point...here is something that evidently is deemed okay in Japan. I saw this on a poster in the hall in the Junior high that highlights current events.

I still haven't figured out if this is to celebrate the new iPhone or the death of Steve Jobs...either way, the sensible thing seems to be to strap a cardboard version of the iPhone to your head...right?

The other thing I am a little concerned about is the America that we are introducing to these children. Here is a picture that seems to send more than a few mixed messages. As you can see, this is the "Let's Try" book. In this book they try things...like English things. 

My issues are this: Without explanation, aren't the students going to picture us all driving around in old school Cadillacs and hanging out on beaches? I feel like the cover of this is straight out of the movie "The Birdcage." You can't see it in this picture, but the only other English word that you can see on the street is a cafe called Casablanca. Mixed message? I think so myself. The only thing we are missing is a big white guy wearing a Hawaiian shirt taking a stroll.

I guess that is where I come in...I round out the picture of America. I will be their big white guy wearing a Hawaiian shirt...it's why I make the big money...