Alan said...

Alan at 04:41 AM JST - 30th October

Westergaard's cartoons perfectly express the growing Western image of muslims as intolerant, fanatical followers of a rabid death cult with a fondness for high explosives. And worldwide Islamic reaction to the cartoons suggests that his portrayal was accurate. Islam should heed this courageous messenger, not try to kill him.

Posted in Muhammad cartoonist defiant in face of threats at 04:41 AM JST - 30th October
Alan at 10:18 AM JST - 26th October

LOL. Jewish stormtroopers fighting Palestinian neanderthals over onwnership of Mohammed's holy helipad and the world's most sacred demolition site. That place has got way too much religion.

Posted in Violent clashes erupt at Jerusalem's holiest site at 10:18 AM JST - 26th October
Alan at 08:51 AM JST - 26th October

Hellhound raises a good question. I remember back in the early 1980s, the previous emperor was photographed wearing a large Mickey Mouse watch during a state visit to the U.S. It turned out the watch was a personal gift from Walt Disney himself, but many saw the incident as embarassing…

Posted in Rakuten launches website to sell Disney character goods at 08:51 AM JST - 26th October
Alan at 08:36 AM JST - 26th October

The dash for the last train is the quickest way to get sober, though it doesn't prevent hangovers. The problem with Tokyo taxis is not just the expense, but the fact that many of the drivers don't have a clue about finding destinations. But at least they seem to have…

Posted in Last train blues at 08:36 AM JST - 26th October
Alan at 07:41 AM JST - 26th October

147 dead, 721 wounded-- These stark figures don't begin express the pain, the loss, the suffering and the shattering of lives caused by these insane and cowardly attacks. The people affected are not statistics. They are individuals.

Posted in 147 killed in Baghdad suicide car bombings at 07:41 AM JST - 26th October
Alan at 06:36 AM JST - 26th October

It would be tragic if a new technology (like DNA profiling) or new evidence allowed the police to identify the culprit in an old case, only to find that they were unable to prosecute because of the statute of limitations. Where's the benefit to society in that?

Posted in Justice minister to ask legislative panel to discuss statute of limitations at 06:36 AM JST - 26th October
Alan at 10:45 AM JST - 25th October

She wasn't in a "sex show." She had a tenuous involvement in a show in which sex was discussed. Amazingly, the judge seems to have acquitted her but sentenced her to a prolonged torture session anyway.

Posted in Saudi female journalist gets lashes for sex show at 10:45 AM JST - 25th October
Alan at 09:51 AM JST - 25th October

According to Japanese media reports, she was found dead in the burned out apartment, but a post mortem exam revealed that she had died before the fire. There was also evidence of stab wounds, but no knife was found in the apartment.

Posted in Chiba University student found murdered in apartment at 09:51 AM JST - 25th October
Alan at 12:36 PM JST - 24th October

Out of all the millions of passenger trips on Japanese trains each day, how many result in cases of indecent assault? I suspect the ratio is vanishingly small. Video cameras will be expensive and ineffective and will merely increase the cost of tickets and add yet another layer of surveillance…

Posted in Police to request installation of security cameras on trains at 12:36 PM JST - 24th October
Alan at 12:12 PM JST - 24th October

Improving healthcare + low retirement age + reduced birthrate = a growing aged population supported by welfare paid for by a shrinking work force. I wonder why no-one in Japan's government foresaw the obvious long-term consequences of their policies back in the 60s and 70s.

Posted in Social welfare benefits hit record Y91.43 trillion at 12:12 PM JST - 24th October