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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GJDailleult
Not being judgmental here, but this is one strange and amazing story. Unemployed Yorkshire coal miner becomes inventor, war profiteer, and good-guy philanthropist, buys the Segway company and then drives one off a cliff. Wow. Would make quite a movie.
Would be interesting to know how much of his fortune came directly from the Iraq and Afghan wars, might help to explain why they never end and OBL never gets found.
Posted in: Segway company owner dies after falling off cliff
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GJDailleult
That assumes the Republicans actually want to win in November. Why would they? They have no solutions to this train crash and they know they don't, so why let the voters know that. If the want the White House in 2012, staying in opposition in Congress is a much better strategy than getting control of Congress now. Keep an eye out for any self-inflicted wounds in the campaign that help that to happen folks. This might actually be one of them.
Posted in: White House, Dems see tax cut vote after election
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GJDailleult
And they say Obama voters were in La-La land! Somebody is going to be a very disappointed voter when the USA votes Republican and then "somehow" doesn't come out of recession.
If manfromamerica represents a typical Republican voter then the best thing for the Republicans long-term would be to make sure they don't get control of the Senate or House in November.
Posted in: Obama calls GOP 'Pledge' echo of disastrous decade
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GJDailleult
Nassim Taleb- Bloomberg - “People still don’t understand why we had the crisis and they don’t realize that we are making things worse,” he said. “We still have the same level of debt but we are transforming private debt into public debt. We are socializing these risks, and the system has fewer people employed."
Of course that quote came from the first article posted headlined "Taleb Says Unawareness of Deficit Risk Has Him
Extremely Bearish' on U.S." but didn't make the second, rewritten Bloomberg one with the headline "Obama Stimulus Made Economic Crisis Worse,Black Swan' Author Taleb Says". The quote doesn't quite fit with with new, improved headline does it, and also cuts a little too close to the bone for comfort for the average Bloomberg reader. Nowhere in either article is there a quote from Taleb using the word "stimulus". The first didn't even use the word "Obama".What Obama did was continue the same policies of bailouts and hidden subsidies to the banking sector, and the relatively tiny stimulus and industry bailouts that all started under Bush (cue Stalinist historical revision, but sorry these are the Bush administration policies left in place and the dates don't lie), that is what Taleb is talking about. He thinks they should never have happened in the first place and should never have been continued. And he is right. The question is why did the two parties have and follow the same policies, and why would anybody believe either would change them now.
In the US Savings and Loans crisis of 20 years ago over 1000 bankers went to prison for banking fraud. This time just one guy is doing time and he confessed, even though the losses are hundreds or thousands of times greater. How you think that happened?
Posted in: Obama calls GOP 'Pledge' echo of disastrous decade
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GJDailleult
Aha, the million dollar question. Why? Because they have been told all their lives that the problems are caused by the other side, and so they believe it. It doesn't matter which side they choose as an individual, as long as it ends up about at about 50/50. Simple divide and conquer. Do they believe it because they are gullible and stupid? Nope they believe it because most people are decent and honest people, and they assume that if somebody presents themselves as an authority or expert then they are. They don't spend 24 hours a day wondering if they are being conned, although they should because they ARE being conned 24 hours a day.
Take for example the ridiculous fake debate about Obama vs. Republican economic policy. It is presented as a choice between stimulus and Keynesianism (Socialism!!!) vs. reduced deficits and responsible government. The problem is that is not what is happening in reality. In reality, the US government is has for 2 years been in effect guaranteeing the unpayable private debt repayment promises of the private banking system by issuing government debt repayment promises. Why would they do that? Because if they didn't then much of the "money" will disappear, and the people who have the money, AKA "the rich", will go broke. Welfare for the rich, and it is not rocket science or mysterious economic theory either.People could figure it out if they had the opportunity.
But you going hear any politician or media outlet talking about that in the USA? They will be talking about how the Democrats and Republicans are sooooooooooooo different. And people will believe it, they always do.
Posted in: Obama calls GOP 'Pledge' echo of disastrous decade
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GJDailleult
Here you go then. Tea Party Express, Sal Russo.
Posted in: Obama calls GOP 'Pledge' echo of disastrous decade
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GJDailleult
Actually the best thing that could happen for the USA would be for the Republicans to get control of the Senate and House this year so that people could see that they have no intention of doing what they are "advocating". Or if they are really, really stupid, do what they are advocating and people would then see the chaos when they trigger a deflationary collapse. But I don't think that will ever be allowed to happen, so it will be the first choice.
Which of course explains why certain elements inside the Tea Party are actively trying to sabotage the Republican party in the 2010 elections, because they don't want to screw up the big money jackpot in 2012 that they think will be theirs if they let the Democrats continue to hold the bag.
Posted in: Obama calls GOP 'Pledge' echo of disastrous decade
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GJDailleult
Thanks for giving me a laugh this morning congressman. He thinks what is going on is because somebody is trying to achieve "prosperity"!!! Not sure which is worse. The possibility that he might actually believe what he says, or the the possibility that he cynically thinks that there are millions of confused Americans who will believe it. Probably the second, at least I hope so for his sake.
It is obvious that the transfer of wealth and looting of America by the bankers and the Ponzi-rich is not going to be stopped voluntarily. It will only stop when the whole thing crashes down under the weight of its own corruption and stupidity, and huge government deficits are necessary to keep that from happening. Mr. McCarthy can claim all he wants that his party will shrink government, but that is just because he is a clown who wants his team to drive the train. They won't actually do anything more than put on a show and do some accounting tricks because any rogue politician who doesn't follow orders from his masters will soon find himself facing a big scandal or involved in an "accident".
You can bet the house on it, if you still have one.
Posted in: Obama calls GOP 'Pledge' echo of disastrous decade
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GJDailleult
Two more shots, and two guns found inside. If both guns were used this all gets pretty complicated.
Posted in: 'Mom has gone crazy:' 4 killed in Seattle shooting
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GJDailleult
Come to think of it, it is very convenient for China that these four were involved in WWII chemical weapons disposal, and that the Japanese army having chemical weapons will come up in every news report on the arrests. Very convenient, but I am sure just a coincidence, and not intended to stir up any, uh, sensitive issues or cause any embarrassment for the Japanese government.
Posted in: China holding 4 Japanese for illegally filming military targets
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GJDailleult
Exactly how long does it take to getting around to disposing of chemical weapons? Seems to be 65 years according to this report.
And a bit of a minefield to. Has the Japanese government even admitted to having and/or using chemical weapons in China in WWII? I know about Unit 731 (I think that was the name) but what is the official government position on that?
Posted in: China holding 4 Japanese for illegally filming military targets
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GJDailleult
The ages of the people don't make sense here. Victim is 42 and her parents in their 50's?
Posted in: 'Mom has gone crazy:' 4 killed in Seattle shooting
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GJDailleult
Clinton makes a false statement and a true one here.
Nonsense, the hole was dug over 30 plus years, including his time in office. And the problem is not the "debt of the country" as he means it (ie. government debt), the problem is the level of private debt. The money supply was expanded to unsustainable levels.
100% actually, but he is right. A desperate attempt to cover for the loss of private spending. The problem is that is not how it was sold, it was sold as a "Keynesian" stimulus to get the economy moving again. They over-promised and under-delivered, either because they didn't understand the situation (not good) or because their priority is marketing and PR (really not good).
And people can argue whether it makes any sense for Americans to now turn around and vote Republican, but you can't argue the point that is unfair to expect the average voter to understand the economic details and mumbo-jumbo and why the stimulus didn't stimulate.
Posted in: Bill Clinton asks voters to give Dems more time
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GJDailleult
And ridiculous. Is it really necessary to see one or more members of Arashi on the program or in the commercial every time you turn to one of the big TV networks. And plastered all over the trains on the ads.
I've always thought that the over-the-top media coverage of the "drunk and naked in the park" incident was a way for the networks to stick the knife in on Johnny's through their news departments (under the guise of it being a widely reported news story) because they were sick of having to suck up to them in the entertainment programming departments. Ran the idea by an acquaintance who works for a major TV network and they agreed.
Posted in: TV, movie producers sucking up to talent agencies
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GJDailleult
Just watched the YouTube video. No surprise then the Canadian delegation walked out at the UN. Regardless of your position on Israel, that was a strange, over-the-top performance by Harper. The audience sounded well-lubricated too, reminded me of some strip joints I have been in, especially the wild cheering at the "they threaten Canada too" line. I know it was a "we are with you" line, but who cheers when they are told they are under threat? Bizarre.
If the Americans want him they can have him. Maybe a trade could be arranged.
Posted in: Ahmadinejad blames capitalism for poverty
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GJDailleult
Actually he is right, "capitalism" is the source of all problems. The problem though is that what is called "capitalism" is not capitalism.
Capitalism and market economies do not exist in any country where A) banks are not held accountable for their losses or held responsible for lending to un-creditworthy borrowers, or B) where the price of money is not set by the market but is set through a central planning authority.
"The past instability of the market economy is the consequence of the exclusion of the most important regulator of the market mechanism, money, from itself being regulated by the market process."
Not sure how people can wave around their copies of "The Road to Serfdom" while ignoring that the same guy said that, but they do.
Posted in: Ahmadinejad blames capitalism for poverty
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GJDailleult
That would because a lot of people are right. And I wasn't presenting those as my own, I was just writing them up here because they are always ignored on this board, by people claiming that voting Republican is going to change things. It isn't. Also, those are not Peter Schiff's ideas, he is always jabbering on about inflation. They are also not new ideas, they go all the way back to the 30's and the the debt-deflation theory of Irving Fisher, which Bernanke conveniently continues to ignore.
The question, and point I was making, is why are those people not being listened too. The answer is because those in power either haven't come to that conclusion or because that conclusion is so far against their own interests that it is suppressed. Which is true for Obama, we don't know.
Last point, about government spending being an ideology about how to get out of recession. Hehe, that is what they tell you it is. Actually it is there to cover for the loss of private spending while they try to find a way to pull a rabbit out of their hat and pray for a miracle.
Posted in: Obama reaches out to skeptical voters
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GJDailleult
Wow, two posters get it. I'm sure later on I will be accused of being a radical left-wing Keynesian, so I'll just add a little more and keep it simple.
The problem facing the USA and other countries is not ideological, though the problem can, and probably will, be made worse by ideologues trying to exploit the situation. It is a technical, systemic economic issue. The money supply and asset prices were intentionally inflated through credit creation and expansion over a 30 year plus period (in order to create fake economic growth), and once the turning point of peak credit hit the economy started to crash, as speculative investment stopped and the level of new debt and credit started to fall. This means A) less money is being spent and B) the real economy can not pay off the debts that have been run up in the bubble years, not least because of the damage done to it by the bubble.
OK, that's maybe not so simple. But that point is that Obama is not in trouble because he is a radical left-wing, foreign-born, Muslim president, he is trouble because he has refused to acknowledge that economic reality. Same for the Treasury Department, the Federal Reserve, both political parties, and of course Wall Street, all who are working to keep the status quo in place. Why? Because the only solution is to write-off the speculative debts and wipe out the "rich" whose wealth comes from the speculative boom (as opposed to being productive). And they have no intention of doing that, and Obama has no intention of forcing them too. You'd have to ask him why not.
Posted in: Obama reaches out to skeptical voters
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GJDailleult
Obama has brought this all on himself. He ran on change, but then when he got in and had to make the big decision about the economy and the banks he just went with the flow and caved in. Maybe because of fear or maybe he intended to cave all along.
The USA is going down until somebody steps up and is honest about the problem, and in modern politics with its focus groups and "win elections by telling people what they want to hear" mentality that isn't going to happen. Americans want to hear that the problems in their country are caused by ideological differences, and that by voting for this group of corporate sponsored hacks or that group of corporate sponsored hacks they can change things. They can't because the problem is not ideological. It might have been caused by idiotic ideology in the first place, but now it is technical. The economy is screwed, now what do you do about it. Fix it on the fly or let it crash?
But anybody willing to ask that question has no chance of getting anywhere near the White House or power. Nobody wants to think about it because it is too scary, nobody wants to be the one who has to pay, and nobody wants to admit their ideology has no basis in reality. So crash it will be!
Posted in: Obama reaches out to skeptical voters
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GJDailleult
Dude behind O'Donnell is Sal Russo, head of the Tea Party Express and a 40 year Republican insider and general party hack. A real grass roots, spontaneous kind of guy, hehe!
Some people on this board just refuse to admit they are being conned. But if you sit down at the poker table and don't know who the mark is, then the mark is you.
Posted in: O'Donnell makes light of witchcraft comment