CHAT: F.L.O.E.S. (with an aside about IKEA)

In one post, Christophe writes:

>[z] and [dz] are in free variation in Japanese. Some speakers have
>one, others the other, some have both in different positions, etc...
I'd agree with this, with the one exception that getting Japanese ESL
students to pronounce "zoo" properly was well nigh impossible.

>By the way, I thought the name was Suzuki?
'Tis.

Then in another post:

>So now if someone could explain me what is so wrong with IKEA, I'd
>be glad to know, because personally I >only have positive experience
>with them.
I think it's like cafeteria food, airline peanuts, fruitcake, and old
people who drive for miles with their left directional on; it's
fashionable to grouse about it. I don't have any IKEA items here in
the States, nor do I know of a nearby outlet, but in Taiwan, my
apartment had  a number of pieces from said establishment, and not
chotchkies or kitsch.

Kou