JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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- Corporate Business English Trainers
- ACT Systems, Inc.（株式会社アクト・システムズ）, Tokyo
- Salary: ¥269,500 ~ ¥280,000 / Month
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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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BeaverCleaver
theFu-"In the black community, there is a larger and larger conversion to Islam."
If that is Nation of Islam, I hesitate to call them Muslims, and so do Muslims.
Moderator: Please keep the discussion focused on Malaysia.
Posted in: Malaysia arrests 9 Christians for trying to convert Muslims
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BeaverCleaver
Kinniku-"Now, I am sure BC appreciates your defence as much as other posters do, however the man accused me of making errors and doesn't manage to write any of them."
Arguing with you is like trying to train a dog that has rabies. I wrote down your errors. A conviction over-turned is not an acquittal, certainly not after spending 5 years on death row.
The wiki on Demjanjuk clearly says he was convicted and had his conviction overturned 5 years later. And you cannot point us to any source telling us he was acquitted.
Kinniku "No, he was aquitted. Don't you even read what YOU write? "
This you wrote to Sabi even though he clearly and accurately said the conviction was overturned.
You have made two factual errors. One was the historical fact, and two was the words of Sabi. And your attitude there and still is extremely bad, offensive, and just plain ridiculous and uncalled for.
And I do appreciate thundercat's words mostly because he has described you to a T. Hatchet job artist. I am not going to reply to you anymore in this thread either. You have obviously lost it.
Posted in: Demjanjuk faces 27,900 accessory to murder counts
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BeaverCleaver
bbqtatsujin:" Also heard of prosecution of the folks that lay this trap. kinda like the dude that trip-wired a shotgun to his door, which killed the burglar and landed the dude in prison for murder."
How utterly ridiculous. Next we can expect a civil suit from a burglar who strained himself trying to pry open your door. He would not have strained himself had you not locked the darn thing!
Fatal traps in places one might have a legit or accidental reason to be is a no no though. And if innocent people are hurt by your booby traps, you should get full prosecution, key word being "innocent". It can be really tricky proving the innocence of the dead by the way, so again, fatal traps are a bad idea.
Posted in: 24 cases of car navigator system thefts reported in Saitama
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BeaverCleaver
DickMorris-"THis is truely sad, but i believe that god appoints the time one is to die"
A believer should capitalize the "g" in God.
Until God comes down and says "Hi! I made you, your life is mine.", my life is MY OWN, given by mother and father, and if I choose to end it, its my right to choose the time.
I give you credit DM for having the good graces to wish these two an RIP though.
I think the Downeses are great, in life and in death. They died with dignity, and together as husband and wife, by their own individual choice. I salute them for doing what they felt was right for them and not getting bogged down in silly notions. Death is a part of life, and choosing when to die is no more odd than choosing a gravesite, headstone or inscription.
I don't think God would deny us the right to choose our time of death if the point is to die with dignity, any more than he would deny us the right to receive life-saving surgery! Some "true-believers" make God out to be a simple chap with simple rules expecting us all to be simpletons. Suicide over financial hardship? Okay, there I think God would be miffed if you ended it. But given the troubles these two faced, I am sure God would agree with their choice completely.
Posted in: British conductor Downes, wife die in Swiss suicide clinic
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BeaverCleaver
It seems every country has to have some completely silly and unfair law to enforce, or it just cannot be considered a country. Malaysia's laws banning conversion to Christianity from Islam but not vice-versa is their silly law. So in a way, Malaysia is just like every other country.
Posted in: Malaysia arrests 9 Christians for trying to convert Muslims
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BeaverCleaver
Beelzebub-"How ironic, considering most of the descendants of today's Muslims practice their religion because their ancestors agreed to convert while a sword was pointed at their throat. "
That is a convenient exaggeration. It also makes nice use of the fallacy of accusing one of something while assuming the others are not guilty. Both Islam and Christianity and I am sure many religions were spread through conquering. That does not necessarily mean a sword was held to someone's throat, even though it no doubt did sometimes happen. Adopting your conqueror's religion is pretty standard practice throughout history for many reasons. You find me an empire, and 90 percent of the time I will find you a religion that got spread by various means, whether willingly, through coercion or force, or simply as a matter of convenience. There is reason to believe Islam used less force than Christianity even, and no, today's situation in Malaysia is not proof of what happened over 1000 years ago in the Middle East and Northern Africa.
Posted in: Malaysia arrests 9 Christians for trying to convert Muslims
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BeaverCleaver
It is an interesting phenomenon that the first woman causes the bad feelings in a man and the second woman gets the shelacking from him. It does not seem to be isolated this case. Not to blame the first woman for this nutbag's actions, but it always seems that what one does often gets another woman hurt, even cases where we can say the first woman deserved it.
Posted in: Man arrested for umbrella attacks in Shinjuku
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BeaverCleaver
"but should at least be frowned upon since it is of little benefit to society and the possible risks involved are great."
Little benefit to society? I guess we could also say that any sexual interest beyond intercourse for procreation is of little benefit to society and start frowning upon it. Breast lovers, your prediliction has been deemed of "little benefit to society". Clean your harddrive of your mammary filth, now.
And possible risks? Man, what doesn't have a "possible" risk? Lakes, ponds, swimming pools and bathtubs are possible risks that a child could die, far more than anything this junior idol industry could possibly spark, they are a huge danger. Are you campaigning to fill those bodies of water in? What possible risks about the junior idol industry are you alerting us to that compares to those? Some of those bodies of water are also of little benefit to society. Some do nothing but breed mosquitos which spread West Nile Disease!
"that said, having an interest in place to present this material is not frowning upon it, in fact, it is the opposite."
Having clear laws against putting the fantasy to reality that can get you jail time is frowning upon it ten times more than being able to purchase some pictures is smiling upon it.
"making this material a commercial commodity communicates suggests some degree of tacit legitimisation of it. i believe this is what a lot of people on this thread have been trying to say."
Yes, and I do not deny that. But that little bit of extra frowning upon it is not going to accomplish anything.
This is the same as saying banning violent films and games will reduce people's desire to be violent, and therefore, violence in society will go down. If people were living like rats in an extraordinarily comfortable lab cage, and all other factors were eliminated, it might actually work. But since you can never isolate people from much greater factors affecting their tendency for violence or their sexuality, its not going to do anything positive. In fact, the removal of a vehicle for release and satisfaction for desires picked up by living in any real society are just going to cause more trouble. By the numbers, Japan seems to be doing far better than where this "frowning upon it" business is scripture.
Posted in: Innocence lost: the dark side of Akihabara
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BeaverCleaver
ca1ic0cat-"Maybe Palin hit the nail on the head when she said that personality driven politics have taken over from factual debate? "
Its true. But it looses its impact when it is uttered by the 2001 winner of the Miss Wrapped in the Flag pageant, Queen of personality politics herself.
Posted in: Palin calls Obama energy plan a threat to economy
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BeaverCleaver
yabits, yes your possibilities are quite possible. I really hope I do not have to eat my words about either one of them being excellent human beings.
Let me offer a third possibility, that one or more of the men were just homocidal maniacs who thought they had an opportunity to murder and get away with it throught having accomplices, or even that one or more were just idiots who made a sudden decision that killing the only viable witnesses was the smarter move. Both would explain why they were killed so quickly. The rest might have just been in it for simple robbery.
Posted in: Up to 8 people involved in Florida couple's slaying
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BeaverCleaver
Well, both Sabi and Kinniku have made errors it seems, but Kinniku's attitude is really the pits. And while Sabi has some historical errors, Kinniku's are both historical and incorrect just within the context of the thread. Sabi clearly said the case was overturned. But Kinniku accuses him of saying he was acquitted, which he didn't and which never happened historically.
No matter Sabi's past or affiliations, I have to give this one to him, but emphasize that he is far from perfect himself.
There are good reasons to believe Demjanjuk is guilty of the new charges, as they were even suspected back when his other sentence was overturned. In fact, indentifying him as a DIFFERENT guard was just as much part of the process of oveturning his conviction as declaring someone else to be the real Ivan even thought the real Ivan was never actually found!
Kinniku's assertion of "well, there was a T=R=I=A=L" is rightly taken to task by Sabi. One trial is not necessarily any better than another, and his previous one has been shown to be very bad indeed.
Demjanjuk really lucked out in being mis-identified as Ivan. He lucked out not being discovered sooner. I think his luck is at an end.
But he may have earned his luck. Remember, he was NOT Ivan. He was a lesser guard and not a memorable one at all. What EXACTLY did he do at the camp? You tell me. I don't see that info anywhere. And do you know how he got to be a guard? To save his butt, that's how. He was originally a prisoner of war of the Nazis. You think them was happy days for a Russian POW in Germany? Heck no. He had two choices: collaborate or die. None of his kids would be alive if he had chosen the latter.
So, until I hear clear evidence that he actually killed someone with own hands, you know, did more than just be a coerced guard at a death camp, then I say let him go. 5 years on death row was already more punishment than he deserved.
Posted in: Demjanjuk faces 27,900 accessory to murder counts
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BeaverCleaver
What an absolutely bizarre and sad case. It looks to me like some of the best human beings on the planet just got murdered. I cannot believe this has been up all day and mine will be the first reply. It is sad that it took JT so long to post an RIP. I am even ashamed of myself for not making it my first post of the day.
RIP good people. If there is a heaven, surely you are there now.
Posted in: Up to 8 people involved in Florida couple's slaying
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BeaverCleaver
Oh, and Toecutter, ideals are great and all, but if you cannot figure out where the possible stops and the impossible begins, you run a serious risk of doing more harm than good.
There used to be a day when kids sat on Santa's lap. We all know some guys got their jollies doing that. I sat on Santa's lap a few times. Oh well. It was better than sending the message "Be afraid of Santa, be VERY afraid of Santa!" I would bet the overwhelming majority of even the guys who were getting their jollies never harmed a kid. But I have no idea what their like are doing today, but I suspect its worse. And having kids on the alert for Santa is not very positive either.
Posted in: Innocence lost: the dark side of Akihabara
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BeaverCleaver
Toecutter-"Well have to agree to disagree on whether its a growth industry or not. "
That my friend is a completely different topic. Not every guy with an interest runs out and buys immediately. You think some guys might be camera shy? Yeah, every store has cameras these days. The industry grows as more guys get over whatever is keeping them from the bookstore and as they accept that its their only legal route to what they want. (Hopefully abandon any illegal things they were doing). The industry growing does not prove that loli is as addictive as crack cocaine. I am not buying that. But if you think it is, I would love hear why.
"Therefore, exploiting children for the sexual gratification (and profit) of adults is actually doing society a favour. "
That is where you slipped. No children are being exploited. They are not even naked.
"There are consequences for allowing, even encouraging, people to believe that having sexual fantasies about children is okay."
Allowing? You cannot stop people having fantasies, so I suggest you get over that before you go bald. Encouraging? Maybe if some aliens fall to Earth ignorant of the law they would feel encouraged! Come on, its no mystery that acting out the fantasy is as illegal as acting out the movie Scream and butchering half the town! And yes, the movie Scream worries me more than this, which isn't much.
I know and agree that some people will be influenced by this, but like I keep saying, THE WORLD IS FULL OF CHILDREN AND YOU CANNOT MISS THEM, so some non-nude pictures even with bikinis and sexy poses is still not going to be the primary stimili that makes a man realize he likes kids. So yes, throw that dog a bone before he tears your kid's leg off.
Posted in: Innocence lost: the dark side of Akihabara
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BeaverCleaver
LFRAgain-" Why do you think their faces were blurred out in the first place? Please, answer that one question. Why the need for anonymity?"
I think everyone not born yesterday knows the answer to that question. Scant few people go on record detailing their sexual predilictions, it hardly matters the prediliction. Can you imagine the effects of just going on national TV and saying how much you just love going down on a woman? How it really does it for you? You would never hear the end of it if you worked in an office. If you were an English teacher, you probably would not get your contract renewed next year because some kids would never shut up about it and parents would be appalled.
On the other hand, if you went on TV and said anything and everthing sexual was disgusting, and even conception should be test tube and in-vitro (but never shouted or insisted it be law) you would get a few raised eyebrows but I doubt your career would be in jeopardy. Such is the weirdness of human beings. You may safely insult any sexual preference or desire. Admitting one exposes you to social problems.
What is more, I would not be surprised if there was porn on your harddrive you don't show your wife. I bet you got kinks you don't tell her about either. Detailing what you got and like on TV would sort of be the same as showing and telling her. Duh. Would you ask the same question if they were asking people if they cheated and blurred their faces if they said "yes"?
Posted in: Innocence lost: the dark side of Akihabara
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BeaverCleaver
LFRAgain-"Again, your capacity for intellectual dishonesty is indeed vast."
Did I deny saying it? No, I did not. It sounds like something I might have said, but it also appears parsed and out of context. But, again, we have clear onus on you and you balking. You are the one who is intellectually dishonest. Asking for an exact quote rather than a paraphrase is completely above board. Intellectual dishonesty is acting like it isn't and holding out on doing it.
I will gladly explain to you why there is no disparity in the two statements, but given your emotionalism, refusal to come out of attack mode, lack of clarity and honesty, I am not about to go tinkering with half a picture and guess about what I meant and what I was talking about. The thread is filled with enough guessing as it is, not to mention your intellectual dishonesty.
As an aside, would stop accusing me of your sins?
Posted in: Innocence lost: the dark side of Akihabara
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BeaverCleaver
LFRAgain,-"My particularly favorite part is how you’ve instantly gone from “Japan’s ALWAYS been more sexually liberal” "
Its an interesting quote, because I don't remember saying it. Is it really a quote, or are you putting words in my mouth? I really hope it is a quote, word for word, and you can tell me where you got it, because man, you are in a deep enough hole already.
"You cannot honestly believe that a simply pencil tabulation of the number of people interviewed somehow creates a clear picture."
Of your bias? It most certainly does. And those words directed at me shows your bias yet again, shows how your thinking is completely clouded by emotion and how you logic has gone south.
You said virtually every person in the clip showed shock and disapproval. My pen proved that was not true. It proved you are seeing what you want to see, and assuming people's opinions who were neither asked nor directly expressed their opinion somehow share yours.
My last sentence in that post again: "None of it proves anything for all of Japan though. It just proves your bias."
So yeah, I know this wanna-be documentary began as proof of nothing (poll separate mind you, it MIGHT have merit where the clip does not). But as soon as you watched it and saw a clear majority of disapproval that was not there, you proved how much your bias is in control of what you see and think, and that evidence you do not like will be promptly discarded, just because you don't like it. Confirmation bias. Even if I accepted the 3 foreigners, 7 is still not virtually everyone compared to 4. Assuming the opinion of every one interviewed, actually accepting a little of your bias (except the lawyer, can't even guess where to put him) putting 2 researchers and narrator in the con, and father, bookseller, and idol in the pro, we get 10 to 7, still not virtually everyone. Your bias is like an elephant in the room you refuse to acknowledge. Its beyond ridiculous.
Posted in: Innocence lost: the dark side of Akihabara
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BeaverCleaver
Toecutter-"Clearly, I was being circumspect when I wrote "some". It doesn`t undermine the argument though."
I think it does. I think the number of guys who are interested remain somewhat constant. I do not believe that somebody buys such material just to have a go, and then becomes a regular customer just for trying. Its not crack cocaine is it? Most who make their first purchase already have an interest. Those who bought for kicks, if they are affected, would have been affected by kids walking around and seen every single day they step out their door.
"Do you think it`s okay to eroticise children? Is that your point? I had trouble following your "rant"."
Your very charged and generalized question was not part of my rant. But now that you ask, I will answer within the scope of how it applies to this industry. I think it is unavoidable and not damaging in any way most of the time. The few ways it is damaging, it would just be replaced by something else that will do the same damage or possibly even worse. Net effect: Japan is better off for this industry. Better to keep those with an interest happy in some way, because they are not going away.
Posted in: Innocence lost: the dark side of Akihabara
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BeaverCleaver
LFRAgain-"Regardless, the most pressing information you left out of your application of that particular video clip was the unreserved shock and disapproval of virtually everyone interviewed, including the perosn voicing over the clip, the JAPANESE interviewed, and yes, foreigners interviewed. The story is dripping with opposition to this so-called U-15 market. "
You might be surprised what happens when you pull out a pen, a piece of paper and leave your confirmation bias behind. Watch the clip again, and see just how unscientific you are. 4 Japanese asked approved. Another 4 Japanese disapproved, I think, but opinions were not so strong. One woman attributed it to "impatience". I guess she disapproved? Researchers? Not asked for approval or disapproval and seemed neutral. Notice the lack of doom and gloom predictions from them. Bookseller-neutral. Lawyer-neutral. Narrator-expressed shock, an inability to understand, and asked questions both postive and negative. Never expressed disapproval. Shock is not disapproval. And did you really think his shock was real??? LOL!
And the three foreigners and their extreme disapproval tipping the balance among those asked? Big surprise there. Cultural bias. You don't confront a foreigner with camera, microphone and a WHITE WOMAN and a question like that and get an answer outside of extreme disapproval! And if they do not turn out to be naturalized citizens their disapproval counts for little besides. They too can catch the next plane home if they really don't like it. And I would say they were easily trumped by the father who obviously approves and the junior idol featured who seemed to too.
The most accurate score is 4 Japanese for and 4 against. And if you dabble in foreigners, I will dabble in an approving father, a smiling idol, and a bookseller making cash. Seems pretty obvious where they stand. Back to a tie.
None of it proves anything for all of Japan though. It just proves your bias.
Posted in: Innocence lost: the dark side of Akihabara
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BeaverCleaver
LFRAgain-"Cleo, you beat me to it.
Japan IS my backyard, Lamborghini. I have EVERY right..."
You a citizen? How about you Cleo? EVERY right? Not quite. Some rights? Yeah, I have already agreed with that. However, your bias for the western way is pretty obvious, and like I keep saying, you got no proof it works or is better.
Posted in: Innocence lost: the dark side of Akihabara