Monday May 28, 2012

2020hindsights's past comments

  • -1

    2020hindsights

    "onimatatabi" or Chinese gooseberry, aka kiwifruit, is native to Japan, and China.

    True. But the gold kiwifruit is unique to New Zealand (having been bred).

    Posted in: Satomi Ishihara is 2012 Zespri kiwifruit image character

  • 0

    2020hindsights

    Japan should not have to take help from any specific nation in this; it's a domestic issue.

    And they didn't. Seems a bit foolish now.

    Posted in: Japan declined U.S. offer to station nuclear experts in Kan's office: Edano

  • 2

    2020hindsights

    "Main problem" is really NZ and Australia, who changed their minds, long after agreeing to IWC rules and joining it.

    They didn't change their minds, they were against whaling for a long time. Just because you join IWC doesn't mean you agree with their rules. Japan certainly doesn't. They would way prefer to be able to legally hunt whales rather than use the 'scientific purposes' charade.

    So we can protect blue whales, and catch minke whales as true compromise, which is in line with IWC rules that Australia and New Zealand agreed to in order to join IWC.

    It depends whether you agree that Minke whales can sustain exploitation. That's why the Japanese are out there killing.. er.. counting them.

    Posted in: New Zealand hopes to end whaling deadlock

  • 1

    2020hindsights

    International waters are international waters, not New Zealand's.

    Yes, but Japan doesn't restrict itself to international waters. For instance, Australia established a whale sanctuary within it's Exclusive Economic Zone (200 nautical miles from it's coasts). Japan constantly hunts whales within this sanctuary, which is illegal in Australian law.

    Hmmm, maybe the should demand extradition of the Japanese whalers ;-)

    Posted in: New Zealand hopes to end whaling deadlock

  • 1

    2020hindsights

    Can always rent the place out to cover the mortgage,

    Or maybe you can't...

    or if you are scared of commitment and do not have stability then maybe renting is the cotton wool safe way to live for some.

    It's not about being scared of commitment. There many factors. Also in Japan after thirty years an apartment may have very little value because it is old and the actual land associated with it is very small.

    Posted in: Buying real estate in Japan

  • 2

    2020hindsights

    But if you rent after years of living there all you can do is move out and expect nothing back.

    True. But getting a 30 year mortgage is quite a commitment. Let's say you lose your job and you leave Japan. Paying your mortgage from overseas with the strong yen could be difficult.

    So, it isn't always the best thing to buy a house over renting.

    Posted in: Buying real estate in Japan

  • 2

    2020hindsights

    This is not "compromise". It is one-sided demands of New Zealand.

    It's a compromise. They aren't saying stop hunting whales. They are saying stop hunting them in our backyard.

    Japan catches whales in international waters, it has done this for many decades.

    Yes, but they are now whaling in a whale sanctuary. They should stop this.

    Posted in: New Zealand hopes to end whaling deadlock

  • 2

    2020hindsights

    The death penalty is a proper form of punishment for heinous crimes.

    And what about being wrongly convicted for 'heinous crimes'? Is the death penalty the proper for of punishment for that?

    Posted in: Court rejects retrial for man on death row over 1961 killings

  • 3

    2020hindsights

    umm.. don't you need to be a citizen to purchase real estate in this country? or you have to find someone to be your co-signer? I'm confused about owning property in Japan

    Not at all. But getting a loan can be difficult without PR. However, I know some people who have got loans in Japan without PR.

    Owning property here is still better than paying rent no matter how you cut it.

    Why is that?

    Posted in: Buying real estate in Japan

  • 1

    2020hindsights

    Well said speed. There is a difference between skeptical caution and complete paranoia.

    Posted in: City in Shizuoka starts incinerating tsunami debris

  • 0

    2020hindsights

    No, the case never went to court.

    As I said.

    I suspect some "outside influence" made a cash contribution to make sure the case was dropped before it could get to trial.

    It was thrown out after video evidence was produced.

    Quite the opposite, I expect outside influence from the fishing lobby to re-instate the charges with a different prosecutor. Smells fishy.

    Posted in: Anti-whaling leader Watson suspects Japan was behind his arrest

  • 0

    2020hindsights

    Can't believe he suspects that Japan was behind his arrest. Does he really think Japan has jurisdiction in Germany? Half way across the globe?

    Did you even read the article?

    Posted in: Anti-whaling leader Watson suspects Japan was behind his arrest

  • 3

    2020hindsights

    I wonder why the various media outlets keep cutting and pasting this group's propaganda. Only this group "claims" that they were falsely accused. Doesn't the Costa Rican crew members deserve their day in court?

    Actually, they did. The Costa Rican Prosecutor threw the case out.

    Posted in: Anti-whaling leader Watson suspects Japan was behind his arrest

  • 1

    2020hindsights

    Japanese case was brought two months later, in December: http://www.icrwhale.org/pdf/111209ReleaseENG.pdf

    Yes, exactly! Suspiciously close to the reissue of the arrest warrant.

    Yes, it's a leap, but it could well be related. Personally, I don't think so. However, it's difficult to explain why Costa Rica reissued the arrest warrant so many years after the event.

    Posted in: Anti-whaling leader Watson suspects Japan was behind his arrest

  • 1

    2020hindsights

    I think people who complain about too much noise on Facebook need to select who they 'friend' better. I use Facebook to keep up with friends, but I prefer twitter where I can follow interesting people who only retweet interesting stuff.

    Posted in: Online sharing: How much is too much?

  • 2

    2020hindsights

    I think the Japanese voice actors do a great job of voice overs. The producers take some time and try to match the voice actor to the actor they are voicing. I have watched some dubbed movies from other countries that the voice actor was so poor that Stallone sounded like Mickey Mouse.

    Japanese guys doing voiceovers tend to talk in a flat gruff voice with no real color at all. I think they think it sounds more masculine. It sounds terrible.

    Posted in: Snow White

  • 0

    2020hindsights

    It's because people don't know how much money it will make long term.

    Posted in: Why do you think Facebook's stock failed to live up to the hype in its trading debut?

  • -1

    2020hindsights

    INTERPOL doesn't issue arrest warrants and INTERPOL doesn't create the "basis" for any countries "watch list".

    Agree

    The various INTERPOL lists are an addition to a countries normal police proceedures.

    Which is what I was saying.

    Arrest warrants are issued and served by sovereign states, ie Costa Rica and Germany. INTERPOL's permission is not required.

    In this case Costa Rica's arrest warrant not Germany's. Why did Germany pick up PW (when many other countries didn't)? He was on their watch list. He wasn't on there from German authorities. He was on there from INTERPOL. Which is why it's embarrassing because INTERPOL didn't put him on the red list.

    Posted in: Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson arrested in Germany

  • -3

    2020hindsights

    Android controls 52% of the smartphone market and iPhone 22%. Sorry but you've got to speak facts and not just fanboyism.

    True. And to be expected when you allow your OS to be used by any manufacturer.

    The funny thing about Android, while it does well in the phone market, it is losing in the tablet market. The main reason is that it completely sucks as a tablet OS whereas iOS shines.

    Posted in: Apple readies iPhone with bigger screen

  • 1

    2020hindsights

    Horsefella - I really feel this: if Apple does not come (urgently) with an improved OS and interface, they will lose big time.

    Not true. iOS 5 is a modern mobile OS that runs rings around Android.

    A bigger screen for the iPhone would be welcome as long as it's still a retina display.

    @horsefella: Also like to point out Apple is not the world's richest company.

    Actually it is:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_corporations_by_market_capitalization

    Posted in: Apple readies iPhone with bigger screen

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