Top 10 reader comments about President Obama's bow to Japan's Emperor Akihito

A post on our Top of the Ticket blog today about President Obama’s greeting of Japan’s Emperor Akihito has already generated over 1,000 comments from readers.

This weekend, the president has done a lot of bowing to show respect on his first Asia tour as president. The photo above was taken after the president gave a speech in Tokyo's Suntory Hall. However, the emperor's bow was a little different. Times staffer Andrew Malcolm, who wrote the post, allowed the photo (and the video) of Obama’s gesture to speak for itself -- see it here.

We mostly enjoyed what readers had to say about the president’s greeting -- a mixture of outrage and patriotism, snarky one-liners and more serious diatribes.

Here are the top 10 best comments so far (leave your own below):

1. Mitch wrote: Obama to Emperor of Japan: "May I shine your shoes, Sir?"
2. Plain Jane wrote: Obama WASN'T bowing - He SAW a Japanese Yen on the floor and went to pick it up because it might be Worth More Than Our Dollar!
3. Veteran wrote: Was that before or after he appologized for World War 2?
4. bmcc wrote: Palin would have winked at him. You betcha!
5. Maripo wrote: I'm surprised he didn't curtsy.
6. MP wrote: Whatever happened to the good old days when we could count on a Republican in the White House to puke on foreign dignitaries?
7. marty1234 wrote: I wish are first black president had been a rapper at least he'd have some attitude...
8. Wax on wax off wrote: Look eye! Always look eye! -Mr. Miyagi
9. helen roach wrote: I wonder why they didn't run the dust mop over the floor. It would have looked much nicer in the picture.
10. Xavier wrote: See, Obama is not a Muslim. He's a shintoist.

What are your comments on the president’s bow to Japan’s emperor? Tell us below.

-- Kelsey Ramos

Photo: President Obama after a speech at Tokyo's Suntory Hall. Credit: Reuters

Thoughts on a Barack Obama presidency and inauguration travel tips

Our recent post, "Barack Obama’s swearing-in ceremony: How to get inauguration tickets," ostensibly about travel to Washington, has elicited an outpouring of reactions to the election.

For example, Melanie Hubbard commented:

"The first greatest days of my life was when my children were born. The second greatest day of my life was when Obama, was selected to be our president. I to am a product of a biracial relationship. I thank my generation of peers, to make such a wise, and intelligant [sic] decision to choose Obama as president elect. Because of my generations positive decision the world will forever be grateful."

For more on the Jan. 20 inauguration, see our post: "Obama inauguration ticket info plus travel tips and links," where we encourage you to share your comments and feedback on the election, and your experiences trying to source the tickets.

-- Andrew D. Nystrom, senior producer, Los Angeles Times Travel

Photo credit: Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times

Sightings of the mysterious SoCal fireball

The Southern California astronomy community is abuzz with sightings of a fireball streaking through the sky this morning.

Did you see it? (We didn't. The photo above is from the NASA archives. Bloggers never get window seats....)

Here are a few of the reported sightings from our Travel blog:

Wow. About 45 minutes ago I saw the biggest, brightest fireball I have ever seen. And this is daytime! It was at 10:43 am pst according to my clock. I was driving north on a canyon road, and it appeared just a couple of inches above a mountain range. It was going almost straight down and a little easterly. From Southern California, it appeared to be NNE. I am certain it will make the news. It was amazingly bright and large. -- Jason Brice

I was driving on the 405 North towards the 101 freeway in the San Fernando Valley. Suddenly, in front of me, I saw a streak of light crash down to the earth. It looked like it landed somewhere near the 101 and the 405. It was colored like a prism and came down in a flash. I couldn’t look around to see other people’s reactions because I had to focus on the road. -- Greg Rodriguez

I was driving n bound on Newport Coast Drive this morning and saw a streaking fireball descend. I was at a point where my horizon line was the ridgeline of the Santa Ana Mountains, probably above or slightly east of Tustin, a distance of 10-15 miles. The fireball was a streak of bright orange and white, like a meteor with tail. -- Art Spaulding

Did you see it? We didn't, but we're eager to hear more.

Tell us about it. Whom did you tell and what was the response?

The American Meteor Society keeps a log of fireballs that have been spotted. Here's the 2008 list.

Upload your fireball photos to YourScene.

-- Andrew, Senior Producer, L.A. Times Travel

[Photo: A Taurid fireball photographed Oct. 28, 2005, by Hiroyuki Iida of Toyama, Japan, courtesy nasa.gov]

Grandma refuses to pay for new airline checked bag fee

Airlines recently started adding new fees for passengers including $15 for the first checked bag (Pack light: American will weigh your carry-on). Who knows if the airlines that passed the rules feel any sympathy for the little guy but it'd be great if they could hear this one voice.

Clara DeMattio, 89 of Reseda, CA says she won’t pay the extra $15 to check a suitcase on her U.S. Airways flight to Pittsburgh this summer to visit her sons and attend one of their wedding.

“I live on a fixed income and the airline ticket was so expensive I don’t want to spend more money than I have to as the cost of living and travel has gone up much higher than I can afford so I guess I’ll have to only bring a small carry on of clothing for my two month visit”.

She is a retired defense industry factory employee originally from New Castle, PA

story submitted by daughter,
margaret

Are you curious about other recently added airline fees? Check out, "US Airways, Continental take steps to offset fuel costs".

—Jen Leo

[Photo: Scott Olson / Getty Images]