User blog comment:ItsukoChan/Hair Curls/@comment-2241574-20100926191421/@comment-99.141.58.248-20100928011857

I actually thought that Grandpa Rome's hair curls mean:

1) he's very artistic... if he's not busy pillaging and conquering vital regions 2) he's a shameless flirt... when he's not pillaging and conquering vital regions 3) he's a bit of a ditz... that can pillage and conquer vital regions... Ah.

I always thought that America's hair curl was a reference to Nantucket's whaling history, and how America wanted to "meet whales" or something at one point. Either that, or Nantucket being a hair curl could also be a symbol of America's irrepressible independent streak, as Nantucket (along with Martha's Vineyard) once tried to secede from Massachusetts.

I do wonder about Japan though... How come he hasn't got any, especially after WWII?