Gerard van Schip's past comments

  • 0

    Gerard van Schip

    I have no idea what the solution is but more tax ain't it. Europe has much higher tax when compared to Japan.

    We need to get more realistic, for one pension age should continuesly move forward as people live longer and longer. Taxation should be more flexible, low income people should be taxed much less, after all these are the main consumers and the ones working for people with high income.

    Then increase tax for people with high income, most of the time they have high income due to many people of low income working below them. Many people of high income have said that high tax is not an issue for them.

    It's strange when the solution seems so simple that governments have so much trouble figuring this out.

    Posted in: Japan economy 'faces same risks as Europe'

  • 4

    Gerard van Schip

    You need a license to teach, drive a car, operate heavy machinery yet anyone can have a child.

    I'm a parent myself and sure kids are a lot of work and sometimes you wish they came with an off switch but as with anything in life you take out what you put in. I taught my son how to use the computer and now I have someone to play Minecraft with. ^_^

    Posted in: Baby dead 'for a day' as mother chats on Internet forums

  • 0

    Gerard van Schip

    Varied comments above but mostly negative. Seeing the squirrel is such a common animal there is no need to keep exact tabs on numbers. That would be a waste of money as someone would need to tag them all and count them.

    Saying this is to be expected from Japan is also dumb as I doubt any zoo in the world has exact numbers on animals like these.

    Lastly saying that keeping an animal this common is like keeping flies is missing the point of a zoo. It's a place where you can bring kids to learn about animals. I grew up in a city myself, my son is growing up in Chiba, no squirrels in my childhood nor I his. Only place that had plenty of squirrels was when we lived in Richmond in the UK and guess what an English zoo has? Yes Squirrels.

    Posted in: Japan zoo says missing squirrel numbers no mystery

  • 2

    Gerard van Schip

    Europe needs to look at the US? America has a huge debt, how is that a great example? Also it's not all of Europe that's doing bad, just the countries that have a bigger reputation for corruption at government level.

    Until humanity realises that we are all into this together we won't see these problems go away.

    Posted in: Obama pins economic recovery hopes on Europe's leaders

  • 5

    Gerard van Schip

    No country can tell another country what it can and can not do within its own borders. I'm very much against any weapons but when other countries have nuclear bombs who are we to deny Iran the rights to defend themselves?

    Posted in: Iran tells Hatoyama it will not give up nuclear program

  • 0

    Gerard van Schip

    I'm guessing all of the above posters are Americans? Can one of your gents explain why they can't have a nuke but you guys can? Also, what makes you the world police? Bases all over the world, spending a trillion dollars a year on those bases while your country back at home crumbles under debt?!

    Posted in: Iran threatens to stop Gulf oil flow if sanctions widened

  • 6

    Gerard van Schip

    Don't know why people bring up radioactive? The problems with the reactor happened after the Tsunami and then it was not leaking yet.

    Posted in: Russian ship finds tsunami debris more than 3,000 kms from Japan

  • 2

    Gerard van Schip

    I never had to wait long, mostly minutes, once 20 min which is nothing compared to other airports.

    The usual immigration questions stopped as soon as me and my wife started traveling with our kids.

    Posted in: Japan eyes simpler immigration procedures, including automatic gate

  • 2

    Gerard van Schip

    I doubt you can subscribe the drop in tourism to the nuclear fear alone. I think you should take into account that pretty much every country is going through a financial and employment crisis.

    10.000 plane tickets is nothing, specially if they do some deal with the big Japanese airlines, the money that those tourist will bring will be higher plus they might come back, or tell others to come and visit. I have never met anyone who visited Japan and said, damn, never want to come again. There is so much to see!

    As for the nuclear fears, sure there is more radiation, will a 2 week holiday in an area with higher radiation kill you? Doubt it.

    Posted in: Japan to offer 10,000 free trips to foreigners to boost tourism industry

  • 3

    Gerard van Schip

    80km zone is unworkable and silly. Check the maps on Safecast and you will see that the contamination is not everywhere. Some places with the zone are safe, other far outside are not.

    People should move back based on radiation, not a circle.

    For all those outsiders commenting that the Japanese are cowards for not running. That makes no sense. You are talking about people's life's, jobs, schools, family etc. You can't always just run away.

    Btw, I live in Japan and use a Safecast counter for measuring. I could flee back to my native country but I'm staying.

    Posted in: Gov't lifts evacuation advisory for 5 zones near nuclear plant

  • 1

    Gerard van Schip

    I hear so many horror stories so count myself super lucky. Both my parents in law are super sweet and there is no pressure to act Japanese, heck I don't even speak Japanese so I communicate with them via a combination of a few Japanese words, lots of pointing and Google translate on my iPhone, we laugh a lot!

    Btw, why did people start talking about a foreigner marrying into the family, the above story deals with a 100% Japanese family as far as I can see. 30 million yen seems like a motive for burning down the house of your ex with the parents you could not get along with.

    Posted in: Man arrested for burning down estranged wife's house; parents-in-law die in blaze

  • 14

    Gerard van Schip

    I'm glad to see there are some sensible posters in here. I have a LOT of family in that area, some have lost their houses due to earthquake or Tsunami and others are forced out of their houses due to radiation. I myself live 200 miles from the nuclear power plant and seeing I have 2 young kids don't think the increased radiation I'm seeing is a matter of laughs.

    Posted in: Belgian soccer match halted after Fukushima taunts

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