Japanese town builds giant screen to hide Mt. Fuji from tourists

Another day, another reminder that the world remains deeply unserious. Below: tourists outsmarted by a curtain, and a raccoon that beat the odds by doing exactly what raccoons do. Pour the coffee. — Doug Marlowe

Today's Stories

Japanese town builds giant screen to hide Mt. Fuji from tourists

In a move that feels both polite and deeply passive aggressive, a small Japanese town has decided to block the view of Mount Fuji. The problem isn’t the mountain, it’s the tourists crowding sidewalks, ignoring traffic laws, and leaving trash behind. So officials are installing a large black screen, essentially telling visitors, “If you can’t behave, you don’t get the view.” It’s a reminder that even postcard perfect places have limits, and locals eventually run out of patience. Turns out hospitality has a breaking point.

A College Station man hit astronomical odds by spotting a rare raccoon while it was dumpster diving. Yes, the creature was engaged in the exact activity raccoons have perfected over generations. The rarity lies in its genetics, not its behavior, which remains unapologetically trash adjacent. Wildlife experts were impressed; the raccoon was unfazed. Nature, once again, refuses to perform on cue.

If any of this made you sigh, chuckle, or quietly wonder how we got here... good. That means you’re paying attention. More tomorrow. — Doug