No not a comment on architecture.

About eleven years ago, I first had the pleasure of visiting New Paltz, it was a Friday night, and between the climbing, and the streets lined with young pretty girls, I thought I'd found heaven, I wanted to never leave.

Last weekend, I was back again, hadn't been there on a Friday night for years, and was I disappointed or what? The climbing was still great, but the rest? Maybe I'm growing old, but.. what happened, is this the effect of juvenile obesity, new fashions, or what?

I'm planning to be there this Friday again, visible tottie had better be much improved, or, or, oh well. I suppose the climbing will bring me back anyway.

Skurdey

You're older - you realized that the "young, pretty girls" you remembered seeing were really just youngsters, barely out of high school.

Chicks are fatter. The damned "below the waist" waist band is a curse. Chick's think they aren't fat-hello muffin top. I was in college in the early 80's, no muffin tops- if there was a roll the chick was fat.

I know it's not PC, but stop kidding yourselves.

I don't always agree with alicex4, but the post above nails it. I come back to the States maybe once a year on vacation, so I see it with fresh eyes every time.

Can you say "oink"? I knew you could.

Guys are fatter too. In decades gone by, I used to see kids playing on city sidewalks, was one of them myself in ancient times. It seems that stickball, punchball and ringeleveo (sic?) are extinct urban sports. And in my not-so-humble opinion, tattoos on women are disgusting. Note that the uglier the gal, the more likely she is to be tattooed.

Are Japanese gals getting oinkier too?

I resemble that observation.

3 Out of 4 Americans Will Be Overweight or Obese by 2020, Study Says

Number of fat people in US to grow, report says

Thursday, September 23, 2010
By Staff, Associated Press

Paris (AP) - A new study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development warns that citizens of the world's richest countries are getting fatter and fatter, with the United States leading the charge.

Three out of four Americans will be overweight or obese by 2020, the OECD said in its first-ever obesity forecast, released Thursday. The report said disease rates and health care spending will balloon unless governments, individuals and industry cooperate on a comprehensive strategy to combat the epidemic.

The Paris-based body, which brings together 33 of the world's leading economies, is better known for forecasting deficit and employment levels - not measuring waistlines. But the economic cost of excess weight is a growing concern for many governments.

I don't have statistics to back it, but based on observation alone I'd say the Japanese population is porking up a bit. When I first came here in the early to mid 80s, seeing an overweight person was extremely rare (and I'm not talking obese, hippo-on-parade obese like you see all over in the States, I'm just talking common-and-garden overweight).

Now, you do see overweight people here, and the occasional genuine hippo. Not all over like in the States, but a small scattering in the crowd.

Street scenery in Tokyo from this particular male perspective, however, remains among the best in the world.

Street scenery in Tokyo from this particular male perspective, however, remains among the best in the world.

Yeah, Japanese lasses are especially cute. We love our wives but ...