JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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- English Instructor (Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe)
- Berlitz Japan, Inc. (ベルリッツ・ジャパン株式会社), Kansai
- Salary: ¥125,000 ~ ¥250,000 / Month
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- FT English Teachers for Kids - Osaka
- Kohgakusha Co., Ltd. （株式会社興学社）, Osaka
- Salary: ¥255,000 ~ ¥275,000 / Month Travel Expenses, Encouragement of Japanese learning*
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- Translator
- ZAIHON, Inc. (日本財務翻訳株式会社), Tokyo
- Salary: ¥6.0M / Year Negotiable
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Alphaape
Well, as long as the US maintains it's "global military complex" world wide, I will be able to maintain a life here with shopping at the commissary for food like steaks for dinner everyday much cheaper than if I bought them at the local Seiyu store.
I wonder what makes Luanda, Angola so high? Is it the cost of getting "luxury goods" there before they get ripped off that makes it so?
Posted in: Tokyo Asia's costliest city for expats
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Alphaape
westurn "Anti-Americanism at record levels worldwide"
And just how do "they" show their ire ?
-Buy taking trips to America ! So much so that records for international tourists set records this and last year.
-By spending millions on American pop culture like hip/hop, rap, movies, etc.
-By continuing to do business with the USA, solidifying their position at #1 as the worlds most competitive nation !
-By inviting American professional sports teams to various venues around the planet including China, London, Mexico, Toronto, etc !
-By sitting by on their collective thumbs in quiet approval as the US takes care of the worlds terrorists !
Yep... they all sound pretty pissed off at America to me !
You forgot to add that there are at least 15 million illegal aliens that make America their home, because they can't get a fair shake at finding a job to suport their family. Nor do they ever say anything like after the great tsunami in 2004, yes many countries gave financial support, but I seem to remember many US military forces doing the brunt work of getting the needed supplies to remote areas. But, I guess I am just being too xenophobic.
Posted in: Anti-Americanism at record levels worldwide, report shows
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Alphaape
I had a friend who worked in the US mil affairs in Beijin. He told me that often when they left the house, if the computer was off when they returned home, the computer was on. They even tell us not to use cell phone roaming over there since they can be easily cloned, and converstions listened in on even back here in Japan.
Not too far fetched, when you consider you can go to Hong Kong and buy any copy of the latest software available at a very low price.
Posted in: Lawmakers say Capitol computers hacked by Chinese
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Alphaape
I would think that a chance to get out of the country would be very theraputic for the princess. If I were in that position, since I assume that the IHA doesn't want a divorce on their hands, I would simply tell them to "get bent" I'm the pricess, and if I want to use my position as a Goodwill Ambassador for Japan they can get over it. She is doing nothing now but waisting the Japanese tax payers money, so why not get some return on investment by letting her live a little.
Posted in: Crown prince heads to Brazil alone; says trip too tough for Masako
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Alphaape
I wonder what time this girl was arrested. I say this because if it was in the evening, what was a 16 yr old doing out at that time? Not trying to be old fashioned, but from recent events, there are a lot of loony people around here. Also, how can the parents not notice that their 16 yr old daughter probably has about an extra 400,000 yen to burn.
willsmith, I am not too sure what you mean by this, but I can say this whether you are Western or Eastern, sex with a minor is not a good thing. Maybe 100 years ago, when life expectancy and living conditions were a bit differnent, it was necessary to start sex earlier, but I believe that was for procreation purposes, not recreation. This type of behaivor with a child is just plain sick. If he wanted young, then go with a 20 or 21 year old. And for the record, in America, we have been seeing an increase in these types of assaults among the recent immigrant populations from Latin America (Mexico, Guat. etc) where older men have sex with young girls. Part of the "peasant" machismo attitude, and also just their upbringing from cultures where a woman's role is to just be there to breed and take care of the house in some cases.
Posted in: Pimp arrested after sending 16-year-old girl to clients for prostitution
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Alphaape
America is going through the same thing. I can't blame anyone from leaving a poor country trying to find a place to better themselves. But I feel if people really want to fight illegal immigration it is a two pronged approach that could be used by both the US and Japan.
First: both nations need to address the fact to the countries where most of these workers come from (for example Mexico for the US and maybe China/PI for Japan) that they need to do things internally in their own countries to improve conditions so that a large portion of their population will not have to travel abroad to find work. Second: go after the employers who hire and keep these workers here illegally. Instead of making it easier for them to hire people off the records, adjust the laws so that it will be beneficial for employees to hire legal citizens or resident aliens.
Posted in: Campaign against illegal foreign workers
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Alphaape
Here in Japan, I see kids from Yokosuka going as far away as Yokohama to get into a "good high school." More power to them, but like you said, I think it just breeds a resentment among their peers who live near them but are not chosen or can't afford the school. If their only goal in HS is to study to take the test for the right college, then they will not make friends. True, I still see only a few friends from HS, but one thing I did learn was how to make new ones, and not be afraid to "think outside the box."
As far as the police actions discussed in the picture, I think that they are a step in the right direction. Profiling while not politically correct is a good measure. If they were to make sure that they look at all types and start looking at the yakuza types then I think it would be fair.
Posted in: Police search
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Alphaape
cleo, I am curious, what world leader do you think is doing "a heck of a job" like Brownie after Katrina? I can probably gues but I leave that up to you to fill me in.
Sarge, the friend of Obama that was part of the Weather Underground is a man named Ayers, who is now a professor at a small college in Chicago, and he and Obama served together on many community activities in Chicago.
Like you, I believe this year is really a choice between the "lesser of two evils" for either Obama or McCain.
What many here don't get, yes Bush can push a lot of things, but it takes Congress to back him up. With the War Powers Act, the President only has a limited amount of time (90 days I think) to deploy troops in hostile combat without a declaration of war. But, Congress passed the Iraq resolution (both Dems and Rep.) and so there is a lot of blame to go around.
Posted in: Clinton to end candidacy and announce she is supporting Obama for president
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Alphaape
cleo, well what does that make Obama. He is friends with a guy who tried to blow up the Pentagon and New York police officers. I am black, have gone to a black church all of my life, and never have any ministers in the pulpit denounced America. Sure they have talked about society in generals sinful ways, but never to the point where it was all America's fault. And these were guys who grew up in the midst of deep south jim crow times. And the rest of the people that claim to be Obama supporters.
So cleo, before you go calling "W" a Prezzidunce, please research and get your facts straight. As I have said many times, I am not a 100% Bush guy, and admit he is wrong on many occasions. But it takes more than a dummy to graduate from Yale. And if he is truly dumb, he did a good job of making a way for himself outside of his daddy's help.
Posted in: Clinton to end candidacy and announce she is supporting Obama for president
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Alphaape
Everton, Bush may have had a lack of experience, but he was smart enough to surround himself with smart people. Like it or not, not all of the US's problems stem from Bush. The path to 9/11 was started well before Bush came into office. Just think about it, those guys had been in America a few years before the event happened. Bush was inagurated in Jan 2001. By that time, things were in motion that set those events to happen.
Could Bush have done a better job? I say yes. But, he is not alone. The UN, had over an 13 year period with Iraq constantly watch them violate the resolutions set against them and did nothing. Kofi Anan and his son profited from those sanctions as well as many others, namely from the Oil for Food program. Sure Bush pushed some of the contracts to his buddies, just the same as the Democrats. When Nancy Pelosi claimed that when the House and Senate became Dem majority, that they would start making swift changes in energy and the economy. What did they do? Nothing, about as effective as the "Contract with America" back in the 90's.
Obama has named a search comittee for his VP nominee. All ready, people are up in arms about that because one of the persons, Howard I believe is his name, was on President Clinton's pardon comittee that pardon Mark Rich, you know, the one whole scamed at least $100 million dollars from investors by selling "old oil" as "new oil" (basically a shell game) flew the country , renounced his US citizenship, but was offered a full presidental pardon by Clinton. Not paying for his crimes and the people who got screwed in his shady dealings get nothing. So, if Obama can name a person like that to a key position to search for a VP, then I surmise that if he wins, politics will go on as normal, with the only change being that the far left will have more access to the White House and will start to push their agenda, for the good of us "unenlightend masses."
Posted in: Clinton to end candidacy and announce she is supporting Obama for president
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Alphaape
whitehawk, my comments were not directed towards you, but other posters. Gomen nasi.
Posted in: Clinton to end candidacy and announce she is supporting Obama for president
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Alphaape
whitehawk
There are a lot of things that get mis-reported on the war. I am not totally on the "Bush Bandwagon" and I admit he has made numerous mistakes. But I don't think Obama will be any better. I remeber 8 years ago, the talk was that Bush was too inexperienced to be President. Well, comparing the records of Obama and McCain, Obama is woefully inexperienced.
Also, if you know anything about American politics, Obama is coming from the Chicago democratic machine, one of the most corrupt political machines in the nation. Remember this, of two former governors of Illinois who were from this background, one is in prison for corruption charges, and the other is on his way.
Posted in: Clinton to end candidacy and announce she is supporting Obama for president
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Alphaape
Of all this talk that Obama has said that he would sit down with the US enemies. Well, I heard him claify this somewhat. He says that he would sit with Akmaden (the Iranian guy) but do so from a position of power, in other words, not go there with an open arm but go there saying that we have the military might and are not afraid to use it. Where have I heard that before? Seems to me a little "W-esque" to me. So what we will get, is a guy that will meet with Iran, and tell them act up or the US will show military might, and we will be back in the same place again. If you don't believe me, just do a google of some of his speeches and interviews and you would probably come up with the same conclusion.
Just for those who may not know, but in the 20th century, when America was at war, there was a Democrat in the office: WW1: Wilson; WW2: FDR/Truman; Korea: Truman (yes Ike was in office when the cease fire was signed); Vietnam: Kennedy first sent special forces in '62, LBJ had the troop build up, Nixon ended it. Yes Bush I was in office when Iraq invaded Kuwait, and we went to war, and Bush II did start back up the same war again. So this notion that the Democrats are the party of piece is not really true.
I know that in the cases I mentioned, other outside factors led us into getting into wars, but just wanted to put that out there.
Posted in: Clinton to end candidacy and announce she is supporting Obama for president
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Alphaape
I have only been to a few "gaijin friendly" places, but have met many of the women after work. Some of the ones that think that there's no tomorrow usually find themselves let down when they hit 30, and the newer girls get younger and younger. By that time, if they have not saved any of their money, they will begin to get desperate. I hate to over generalize, but I have met a few sailors here in Yokosuka who have married a few of the older ones, after their hostess time is over and of those guys, they have had huge problems with the wife adjusting to married life, or in one case, where the guy was much younger than his wife and he basically "woke up" to the world around him and saw he could do better, but she did not want to get divorced and put out in the cold.
While I have had this discussion with many Japanese women who claim that most American men cheat on their wives, I all ways come back with this argment. Say I am a salary-man, and after a long tedious day at work, I stop off and drink with my favorite hostess from 7pm-11pm. Stumble home from Tokyo to Yokosuka and get home b midnight. Go to bed, and get up the next morning and go to work and do it all over again. To me, the hours from 7pm-11pm are when the relationship develops. What I mean is that during this "prime time" that I am off work, I am off in a bar, sitting with another woman, paying her money and drinking and talking with her about life's problems. I thought that was what a wife was for, sharing my thoughts with her, and not some strange woman whose only concern is that my credit card clears or hope that another one of her favorite customers doesn't come in and get jealous. The women I have had this discussion with did not think about it in that manner. True, it is still bad to go and sleep around, but in most cases, a man would go, do his "business" and come home. So maybe I am missing the point on the whole hostess thing.
If the ladies want to do it, then go ahead. All I can say to them is think ahead and have a plan. They are still making babies in Japan, and there will all ways be a new 20 yr old coming to the bar to work one day.
Posted in: Hostessing an honorable profession, young women say
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Alphaape
Puerto Ricans (as well as Guam, American Samoa, US Vifgin Islands) can vote in the primaries, but can't vote in the General Election. They have a representative in Congress, but he is non-voting. People living in Washington D.C. have been able to vote for President since the Voting Rights Act of the 60's, but they don't have a voting offical in the Congress. Pretty confusing.
Posted in: Obama expects to claim nomination this week; Clinton wins Puerto Rico primary
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Alphaape
b4b, I am not saying that Clinton is the cause for the world's problems, no more than the people are heaping everything on GWB. I was commenting on the comment that if Obama gets elected, that this will somehow bring a new breath of 'Fresh Air' into global politics. It will change some of the dynamics, mainly the direction that the US may take, but it is still up to individual countries and their commitment to the world that will change global politics. If someone is in the White House that everyone says they like, there will still be people in the world who are still against the US, just like when Clinton was in. That was the point I was trying to make.
As far at the Democratic Party, they made this mess themselves. Everyone was racing to get the spotlight in the elction process, and no one really considered on the long term ramifications of what could happen in the event of the situation we have now. Instead of making a clear cut set of rules and sticking by them, they came up with some convoluted mess and now are trying to fix it on the fly.
To me as a US voter, that let's me know that is what I could expect if this party is to win the majority of the seats and the White House this year. It honestly makes me think if they could lead the country. I know the Rep. are not the final answer, but at least I know what I am dealing with.
Posted in: Florida, Michigan delegates will get half-votes
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Alphaape
Good for this kid, I hope that in the future he becomes a leader in Japan. Hopefully, his family will not recieve too much ostracism from his surrounding community and he gets black listed from all of the right schools. This kid has shown more gumption than the average salary-man here or in most countries for that matter.
Posted in: WHO honors Shizuoka boy ostracized over anti-smoking campaign
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Alphaape
either this guy is oblivious to the world around him, or this lady is a ninja!
I wonder what size this apartment was. If it is like the typical one here in Nippon, he would have problems not tripping over his own shadow.
Posted in: Homeless woman arrested after living undetected in man's closet for a year
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Alphaape
medievaltimes when I used to walk the alley ways of Hinodecho in Yokohama a few years ago, I would see many Chinese/Thai women dressed in the high-school girl uniform, they all ways seemed to have customers. I guess it is just something in the psyche of Japanese males that go for this look, maybe thinking that they can show their manlyness and worldliness to someone who doesn't know much about those things, and they can probably feel a bit better about themselves and feel like they are bigger than they really are before they go back to the life as a salryman or small time cog in the big game.
Me, I prefer the older ones, that have been around a bit, but know what the game is and how to carry themself.
Posted in: Police raid 'blind-date cafe' in Tokyo, taking 31 high school, college girls into custody
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Alphaape
Glad to see him making his mark and carrying on the traditions his grandmother gave him. But what I find ironic about this story is that his managers wanted him to keep the "hip hop" image. Here we have a young black male, with a college degree, and over in Japan not in the military, and all they can see to do to promote his uniqueness is to represent another "thug image" to an Japanese tradition.
I hope that he has enough foresight to make sure he gets the most of the money he is earning, and not get screwed around too much by his producers. But with them wanting to keep that image, I can imagine that they ar getting the upper hand.
Posted in: Mix master: Jero breathes new life into enka