Man Who Gave Name To 'Peanuts'' Linus
Dies At Age 90
Linus Maurer, a cartoonist and illustrator
whose old friend and colleague Charles M Schulz borrowed his first name for
Charlie Brown's blanket-wielding best friend Linus in his "Peanuts"
comic strip and cartoons, has died at age 90.
Japan may drop temple symbol to avoid
Nazi comparison
As Japan gears up to host the 2020 Tokyo
Olympics and caters to a surging influx of foreign visitors, the country faces
a cultural dilemma: should it stop identifying Buddhist temples on maps with
the traditional “manji” symbol that is often confused with a Nazi swastika?
The symbol, from ancient Sanskrit, means
happiness and prosperity. It has been used for centuries by Hindus and
Buddhists, and has turned up in archaeological digs in Europe.
But many Western tourists associate it with
anti-Semitism and the Holocaust because the emblem was adopted by Nazi Germany
to try to enhance a sense of ancient lineage.
The swastika in Japan — which usually points
counter-clockwise, reverse of the Nazi symbol — has been used for centuries in
Buddhist decorations and to denote Buddhist temples on maps.
At Sensoji Temple, a top tourist destination in
Tokyo, a big gold “manji” emblem appears on a pair of lotus-shaped bronze
ornaments, while smaller, more subtle ones decorate roof tiles. It’s even an
official emblem for Hirosaki, a city in northern Japan.
In a report released last month, a government
panel at the Geospatial Information Authority proposed a three-tiered pagoda
symbol to replace the swastika.
It is one of 18 suggested icons for landmarks
such as hospitals and convenience stores for foreign language maps, part of a
broader push to create user-friendly maps for the growing number of foreign
tourists, which jumped more than 40 per cent last year to a record 19.7
million.
A final decision is expected in late March
following a period of seeking public comment.
Japan’s main Buddhist group is nonchalant
because the change doesn’t affect domestic maps and therefore likely won’t
alter perceptions at home.
Public opinion seems divided on Twitter and
other social networks.
Supporters for the change say it would help
avoid confusion among tourists, while opponents say there is no need to change
the ancient sign just to cater to foreigners.
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