16 Comments
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Thomas Love Seagull's avatar

Cracker jacks are a snack mix of molasses and caramel flavored popcorn and peanuts. They're essential for watching baseball (or at least traditionally). I don't think I've ever seen them here in Japan.

Tim Bunting - Kiwi Yamabushi's avatar

Thanks! I honestly had zero idea!!

Kevin Callahan's avatar

The best thing about Cracker Jacks is that each box has a prize inside! A little toy, a little comic book. And there's a cute sailor on the box. (Although I haven't seen a box in decades, so I might be completely off base about today's Cracker Jack experience.)

Tim Bunting - Kiwi Yamabushi's avatar

Oh like a Kinder Surprise? That’s really cool. No wonder they’re so fondly loved! Thank you for sharing!

Kevin Callahan's avatar

well, y'all have me stumped at kinder surprise so we're even steven. Or I might say ya'll. Spelling is moody.

Tim Bunting - Kiwi Yamabushi's avatar

So like, I actually know that Kinder Surprise is not a thing in the states. It's a chocolate egg with a toy inside a small container inside it, if you weren't aware. I know it's not a thing because years ago my dad said 'in supermarkets in the US you can't buy Kinder Surprises chocolates because they are a choking hazard and someone might die (somewhat understandable), but you can buy guns'.

Alexander Glockner's avatar

They have boxes and bags now; they still have prizes, and the cute sailor is there with his pet dog. And they have a website: crackerjack.com

Google Gemini tells me that they can be purchased at u-buy.jp, but the website isn't loading for me to confirm that.

And to confirm Mr. Seagall's point, the 1908 song still sometimes sung at baseball games today:

Take me out to the ball game,

Take me out with the crowd.

Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,

I don't care if I never get back.

Let me root, root, root for the home team,

If they don't win, it's a shame.

For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,

At the old ball game.

Jonathon's avatar

This is my life! I have to write in American, and even after ten years in Japan I'm still baffled at the simplest of expressions. Whenever I want to write "a fair bit" or "too right" or "blimmin" I have to pull up a thesaurus...

Tim Bunting - Kiwi Yamabushi's avatar

Oh man, I can feel the pain through your explanation :(

Dino's avatar

The moment Google Maps corrects a Māori place name is a vivid example of how a product choice can turn language recognition from a setting into a lived feeling. The humor keeps the story light, but the years of code-switching underneath it make the payoff land.

Lisa Wynne's avatar

Cross-hemisphere minority-english solidarity! 🤝

Tim Bunting - Kiwi Yamabushi's avatar

Oh, thought that was a fist bump at first 😆

Francis Turner's avatar

you think that's bad? some internet places (possibly including one google account - I haven't checked) think I'm French!

Tim Bunting - Kiwi Yamabushi's avatar

Haha! I don’t think it’s that bad, this is very tongue in cheek. Wow, French! If you didn’t speak French that would be very annoying!