JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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- Financial Advisor
- Select Asset Management KK, Tokyo
- Salary: ¥100,000 ~ ¥999,999 Paid Training Commission Based
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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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DarkKnightNine
People keep complaining about Socialized this and that, but two things that absolutely should be partially socialized meaning the government should guarantee to each and every citizen are Health Care and Education. I believe those two things are basic human necessities that not only benefit each individual, but benefit the masses. An educated and healthy worker is a productive worker and as such a productive member of society. A productive society means less poverty; and less poverty means less crime. Of course this is a generalization.
I say partially socialized because I don't believe the government should decide which hospital or school you attend, only that it provide the means for you to attend one (of your choice) and make sure that there certain standard met by all.
Posted in: Obama signs $938 billion health care overhaul into law
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DarkKnightNine
Wow! tigermoth, for once I'm inclined to agree. Admittedly I have NOT read the bill and only made assumptions on the fact that we desperately NEED change. As you pointed out, you are paying for and thus can afford HC, but there is a large majority of Americans who cannot. And just like you're probably not a 'Yeaaaa haaaaaw' yelling redneck, it's shouldn't be assumed that these people are lazy and jobless lowlifes. People tend to forget we are still in the middle of a major financial crisis and maybe you are lucky enough for it not to be affecting you, but there are a lot people that it has affected and they need help. So my personal opinion is... if I have to get taxed a little more from my pay to help others get back in their feet, so be it. In the long run, it only comes back to help me because maybe one those people may end up being a customer of mine in the future. It's just good Karma.
Posted in: Obama signs $938 billion health care overhaul into law
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DarkKnightNine
Everyone is quick to call Obama and a liar but I wonder where all of those people were when we were constantly being lied to by the Bush Administration. I suspect every President has had good intentions of keeping certain promises made while campaigning for one thing or another but then have had his reality shattered by back door politics that kept him from keeping those promises. The only difference is that since Obama is the first African American to hold the office, everyone wants to ridicule on an unfairly amplified level. Like comedian Chris Rock said (in reference to Bush), "An African American B+ student will have a hard time finding a job as a manager of a fast food restaurant, but a caucasian C- student can be President of the United States". It's the same old racism and double standards that have always existed for an African American. I don't particularly like Obama and have been disappointed by his failure to keep certain promises, but at the same time, I don't see how he is any different from any other President. No President has ever been able to keep 100% of his promises 100% of the time. People are just quicker to scrutinize Obama because he's African American.
Posted in: Obama signs $938 billion health care overhaul into law
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DarkKnightNine
The government already spends (or I should say wastes) over 2 trillion annually for health care,
see link here: http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2009/07/29/2009-07-29whatyouneedtoknowaboutpresidentobamashealthcarereformplan.html
so how in the world do you think spending 900 billion to revamp a system that doesn't work is going to all of a sudden bankrupt the country. It's nothing but Republicans up to their old scare tactics to push their jaded agenda and you so called educated ones fall for it every single time. Enough is ENOUGH already! The bill was passed and we have a new health care system. DEAL WITH IT!
Posted in: Obama signs $938 billion health care overhaul into law
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DarkKnightNine
@skipthesong Sounds like you're pissed because the bill will actually provide help, training and medical assistance to the underprivileged. Yeah I can see how an elitist would say that's wrong. Perhaps you nor anyone in your family has ever suffered from not being able to afford health care. I personally watched my favorite Aunt slowly die while I was in Basic Training in the Navy because we couldn't afford to get her higher on the list for a heart transplant. Apparently good health care is only for the rich and privileged. Until you've watched a loved one die because you couldn't afford to provide adequate HC, you will never understand. For you and people like you it's all numbers and theories.
Posted in: Obama signs $938 billion health care overhaul into law
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DarkKnightNine
Really?! Is that the best you could come up with? I've listed many reasons why I was for spending X amount of dollars for health care. And now you've ignorantly come to the conclusion that I like Obama and that I'm in favor of this bill because it comes from him. So let me say it again for the illiterate who don't seem to read the rest of my posts. The government will ALWAYS spend money, so if they are going to spend money anyway, I would rather it be for something that benefits me and my family directly unlike a war on foreign soil that adds absolutely nothing to my life or the future of my children. I could care less who initiated the bill. If they are trying to better the present health care system, I'm all for it. Now it may not be a perfect bill but at least it's a step in the right direction. People are afraid of change and I would agree that a cautious move is always the best, but seeing how our health care system is not working as is, perhaps it's time we tried something new. Reps love to scare people from change with nonsensical argument and propaganda. And just for the record I'm neither Dem or Rep. Not that it's anyone's business, but I voted for Ron Paul because I thought he was the best candidate not because of his political party.
Posted in: Obama signs $938 billion health care overhaul into law
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DarkKnightNine
@ manfromamerica The HAS and always WILL do that anyway. You're naive to think that it doesn't. So to now raise a stink because the money is being "redistributed" as Health Care benefits is what makes your argument pretty nonsensical. I'd rather have my money being used to help me and the millions of other Americans who need health care than to have have used for fighting useless wars. Let me repeat that; The government will USE your money whether you want them to or not and they WILL spend money, if not for this bill, then for something else. So if they are going to USE or SPEND money anyway, I'd rather it be spend on something that affects my life in a positive way by helping me cope with rising health care concerns.
Posted in: Obama signs $938 billion health care overhaul into law
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DarkKnightNine
Oh really? Don't know who your wife is, but I've been living here in Japan for 24 years. Never been refused health care for any reason whatsoever. Just to be clear, we are talking about the National Health Care System right? I'm not talking about private insurance companies. I don't even remember filling out a detailed form about any health conditions I might have prior to joining the Nationalized scheme. So please give examples of under what circumstances I might be refused (as per your doctor wife). I mean obviously if I want to have hair transplant surgery, I don't think it will be covered.
Moderator: Readers, please stay on topic. References to Japan are not relevant.
Posted in: Obama signs $938 billion health care overhaul into law
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DarkKnightNine
Wow! It's Socialist to take a little money from everyone and spend it on Health Care so that EVERYONE can afford to be treated, but it's Democratic to take a lot of money from everyone, bankrupting many in the process, and spend it on making the rich richer and two wars that were started without congress's consent (one of which had nothing to do with other and was based on lies about WMDs). Maybe my understanding of Democracy is all screwed up, but I think that helping common people is the most democratic thing a government can do. I didn't vote for (and was totally opposed to) any of those wars and yet my money is being spent on them anyway. How the heck is that democratic?
Posted in: Obama signs $938 billion health care overhaul into law
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DarkKnightNine
@ Helter_Skelter: Your argument is ridiculous! First of all our military in Iraq and Afghanistan aren't protecting any Americans. They are protecting the monetary interest (namely oil profits) of the selected few. National Security my arse!!!
Additionally our government handed out huge bailouts to big businesses only to have their Executives turn around and misuse the money. This is the first time in a long time that money is actually being allotted to helping the common people with real and immediate needs. Most Americans can't afford Health Care and even the ones who can, are often refused coverage by their insurance companies when they actually need it most and/or become seriously ill. This is what a lawless privatized health care system has gotten us. Morally corrupt Insurance Companies whose only goal is to make a profit and leave sick Americans bankrupted and twisting in the wind. Yeah I can see how that's better.
The purpose of government is to govern. To protect people from the exact kind of corrupt situations that our privatized health care system has created. What idiot thinks that the primary purpose of the government is military? Hmmm sounds like maybe you should be living in Cuba, China or North Korea.
Posted in: Obama signs $938 billion health care overhaul into law
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DarkKnightNine
You people are almost as bad as the politicians and a prime example of what's wrong with America. You sit here attacking each other over irrelevant issues. Bottom line; any amount of money spend on Health Care is a benefit to ALL Americans Dems, Reps or otherwise. We spend money on stupid wars that have absolutely no benefit to any American whatsoever and everyone thinks that's OK, but when a President wants to take care of an issue that affects virtually every single American, that's somehow wrong? How stupid do you have to be to come to that conclusion? Take care of home first. That's just common sense. And for anyone who thinks Government Sponsored Health Care doesn't work, well you're living in a country (Japan) that it absolutely works. My only question is what took us so long?
Posted in: Obama signs $938 billion health care overhaul into law
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DarkKnightNine
Well Japanese companies could start by giving their employees a decent salary and more vacation time. A lot of family problems seem to stem from financial woes. Less worry about penny pinching and more time to actually enjoy life would relieve a lot of tension in this country. If you ever just sit in a cafe in Tokyo and watch people walk down the street, you can see the tension in their eyes and body language.
Also if Japanese people could (and should) learn to make themselves more accessible. Everyone is walking around with an invisible barrier and don't seem to want (or know how) to meet new people. Try just saying hello to someone on the street or just a simple smile is often rewarded with a scowl in Japan (unless you get away from largely populated cities).
Posted in: What can be done to stem the suicide rate in Japan, which surpasses 30,000 each year?
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DarkKnightNine
@ womanforwomen: Wow! Thanks, dk9
Posted in: Watch the birdie
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DarkKnightNine
@ RomeoRamenII: and it's especially difficult to pinpoint a moving subject in sharp focus zoomed all the way in at that focal length while trying to maintain the good composition. if the subject was more cooperative, I probably would have nailed the focus.
Posted in: Watch the birdie
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DarkKnightNine
@ dejaboo: I know and I truly appreciate the correction. I'm shameful to admit, I had no idea what kind of bird it was. thanks for commenting, dk9
Posted in: Watch the birdie
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DarkKnightNine
Only know what I was told. I'm not a nature photographer by trade and I appreciate the correction. I'm really not sure what kind of bird it is, I just know it was beautiful.
Posted in: Watch the birdie
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DarkKnightNine
I think arguing about what the blossoms are and what the bird is kind of misses the point of the picture. I only provided the details about the day it was taken so at the very least, that point can be taken out of the equation. Please enjoy the picture. Thanks, the photographer.
Posted in: Watch the birdie
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DarkKnightNine
The picture was taken last Sunday February 28th at 3:41PM during a professional photo shoot in the above mentioned park with a Canon EOS 7D / EF 70 - 300mm DO IS USM Lens zoomed all the way in to 300mm at ISO 100 / Shutter 1/250 at f5.6. Don't know what blossoms they are but was told by Japanese friends who know that they were Plum Blossoms and that the bird was a "Uguisu". There just enough time to change to the aforementioned telephoto lens and catch the bird before it flew off.
Posted in: Watch the birdie
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DarkKnightNine
I think the Dark Knight raised the bar for all super hero movies in the future and they will probably be produced with a darker, humanistic theme rather than the cartoonist appeal of the earlier Batmans. I did like the saracastic and witty Tony Stark played by Robert Downey Jr. and can't wait to see where they take the next Iron Man. The Tobi Maquire Spiderman was kinda lame. Hopefully Sony will make Spidey more of a badass. It's done wonders for both the Batman and James Bond franchises.
Posted in: 'Spider-Man' 4 delayed; Maguire, Raimi out
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DarkKnightNine
The sad part about all of this is this man just compounded his problems immensely. Suicide (Seppuku) has been a part of Japanese culture since the days of the Samurai, so it is viewed differently from how we see it in western cultures. Nonetheless most modern day suicide attempts seem to be over financial woes, so in this man's case, when the train line sends him the bill for inconveniencing an estimated 5,500 people, his problems will only get worse.
Posted in: Man attempts suicide on Ginza subway line