JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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1
Why do Japanese change their attitude when they communicate with foreigners?
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2
Confrontation
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3
U.S. Navy investigating how parts fell off aircraft near Atsugi
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4
California court to decide if SeaWorld whales are illegal 'slaves'
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5
Kuroki reported pregnant 2 weeks after denying relationship with Akanishi
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- Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) in Kanto region
- RCS (RCSコーポレーション), Kanto
- Salary: ¥180,000 ~ ¥250,000 / Month includes performance bonus
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- Assistant Language Teacher - TOKYO - late-March start
- Interac, Tokyo
- Salary: ¥230,000 ~ ¥255,000 / Month
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- Assistant Language Teacher - Kanagawa Prefecture - late-March start
- Interac, Kanagawa
- Salary: ¥230,000 ~ ¥255,000 / Month
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Hotbox08
I can name a whole lot of so-called "yawnfests" in the Olympics: racewalking, equestrian, pistol shooting, archery, shotput, weightlifting, diving, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline, marathon running, and other long distance running events like the 10k run and steeplechase. Even long distance swimming events can be boring since all they do is go back and forth in a pool many times. I also don't like watching "sports" that I find much more exciting playing it myself (e.g. badminton and table tennis).
Posted in: Baseball campaigns to return to Olympics
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Hotbox08
Smithinjapan: Nice hearing from you.
That's because I'm fully aware that men's hockey has a huge following and unlike women's ice hockey, is played around the world. Men's ice hockey deserves to be in the Olympics, and it wouldn't be fair for the women to simply ride the coattails of the men's side, since quite frankly, it doesn't belong.
On the other hand, baseball enjoys a following and is often played in over 100 countries around the world. To add, it's popularity is growing in many European countries like Bulgaria, Greece, Belgium, Ireland, Lithuania, Slovenia, etc., South American countries such as Argentinia and Chile, and even in countries such as Iran and Israel. They all have men's leagues playing as well as some form of little leagues for kids. Granted many of the programs are quite small, but their skill levels are growing, as is the interest in baseball itself. The international level is much like how it was in basketball about 10 years ago.
Well if you are talking about 20-30 countries a few, then you would be correct, since I can count that many that would be interested in seeing baseball as an Olympic sport (U.S., Canada, Japan, Chinese Taipei, China, South Korea, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Cuba, Italy, Australia, Netherlands, Germany, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, Panama, Spain, Thailand, Philippines, just to name those that are ranked in the top 20 that regularly send teams to qualifying tournaments, as well as others who play it enough to send a team, such as Israel and Iran.). That would be more interest than a lot of sports which are in the Olympics already.
I would have to disagree, since many people use the Olympics as simply a way to be on a big stage. Many countries send athletes that just don't belong in it in the first place. It simply makes for really touching stories. Do you really think an Ethiopian runner started cross-country skiing since childhood? I'm sure there would be a number of athletes that are left out of the Olympics that would be far more competitive than those types of athletes.
I can understand that it must have been a frustrating experience, but then again, that was "way back then". Nowadays, the world is catching up. More people in the world know about baseball. Heck, there was a time when I didn't know what cricket and rugby were, but now I do and have developed a greater appreciation for those sports.
Posted in: Baseball campaigns to return to Olympics
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Hotbox08
In addition, even though only about 20 nations regularly send baseball teams to world competitions, it doesn't mean there are not other countries that have either a minor league type of system, or play it as a form of recreation. In fact, there are over 100 countries that play baseball in some form or manner. Countries like Bulgaria, Israel, and Greece have their own little league or rec clubs with people of all ages playing and following it earnestly. For more info you can check out this website:
http://internationalbaseball.org/
From this website, you can follow the links in various countries about their following of the sport of baseball.
Posted in: Baseball campaigns to return to Olympics
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Hotbox08
Baseball should be brought back since there are a lot more competitive teams (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Venezuela, Australia, Puerto Rico, Cuba) than a sport like women's ice hockey (U.S., Canada, and ummmm USA). In addition, the amount of players from foreign countries playing in MLB has steadily been increasing, with the bulk coming from latin american countries, but many others coming from countries such as Australia, Japan, Canada, Taiwan, etc. Besides, I would much rather see baseball in the Olympics, than something so boring like racewalking, or trampoline. Who needs to see someone walking, or simply bouncing up and down.
Yes, it can be slow, but I wouldn't say it is dull, since there is strategy involved, and more often than not, you get close games rather than the blowouts you often see in sports like basketball. Again, it is a lot more exciting than racewalking, trampoline, equestrian, archery, pistol shooting, bobsled (which is just a bunch of people going really fast), weightlifting (people simply lifting heavy weights), and all those "see-how-far-you-can-throw-an-object" events (discus, hammer, shotput, javelin). Maybe turd-throwing might be more interesting.
Posted in: Baseball campaigns to return to Olympics
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Hotbox08
That's so true, Helter Skelter. Unfortunately, I don't know of many countries that doesn't have some form of cruelty to its animals. China has its Siberian tiger (and a host of other animals kept in captivity) cruelty, Japan has it's Taiji dolphin hunt, the U.S. has a thriving dog fighting business, Spain has its treatment of bulls in the bullfighting rings as well as "the running of the bulls", some countries have no real laws monitoring how animals are treated in circuses, Indonesia and China has the fact that they often capture and slowly kill monkeys for their brains to be eaten fresh, etc.
Posted in: 11 Siberian tigers starve to death in Chinese zoo
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Hotbox08
Oh my, more cruelty to animals. The producers of "The Cove" could make another movie in China. It could be a start of an animal cruelty series. I'm sure this isn't the first time something like this has happened. Cramped cages, feeding off of chicken bones? Horrible.
Posted in: 11 Siberian tigers starve to death in Chinese zoo
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Hotbox08
Good point, haoushokuhaki. I agree. There will always be the casual eater who is tempted to try dolphin or whale meat once. Even the threat of getting mercury poisoning will not stop them. After all, can you really die or get any debilitating effects from trying it just once? No, it takes eating it on a daily basis. That being said, the best way to do it is to show people the savage nature in which these intelligent mammals are killed. In this way, this movie, "The Cove" does this well. People who watch this film will be sick to their stomachs. It's like in driving school where they show you the video of violent, bloody car crashes to show you how dangerous driving is and why you should always be careful. It's called the shock treatment. Showing people how brutal the killings are will have a greater effect than telling them it contains mercury. Heck, with all the chemical additives and preservatives in food nowadays, and how people have been warned of the effects of eating a whole range of types of food, people still eat them because a slow death means nothing to them.
Posted in: 'The Cove' wins Oscar for Best Documentary
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Hotbox08
Uh, since when has DisneySea ever had dolphins. As far as I know, they don't. You must be thinking about Walt Disney World Epcot Center in Florida.
Posted in: Anger and defiance in Taiji after 'Cove' wins Oscar
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Hotbox08
Good to see that most posters agree that cruel acts to animals such as these barbaric killing of dolphins and whales, and their confinement in marine parks is wrong and should be stopped. I'm sure it will serve as a notice to all other nations doing these types of acts to quit their agendas as well.
Posted in: Anger and defiance in Taiji after 'Cove' wins Oscar
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Hotbox08
Good point. The Humane Society International website has a lot more information concerning cruelty to animals.
Posted in: 'The Cove' wins Oscar for Best Documentary
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Hotbox08
smithinjapan: Sorry, I guess it's because I never had a chance to work in Wakayama. I was stationed in Tokyo and Chiba schools for about 5 years, but never in those five years did I experience (and thank god I didn't) eating whale or dolphin meat. I guess if it isn't served in one area, doesn't mean it isn't served in another area. Thanks for clearing that up.
In any case, I agree with you that hunting dolphins and whale worldwide is bad. I also think that cruelty in all forms to all animals is bad and has often times been covered up by too many people. I guess this movie helps to bring that fact to light and everyone's awareness.
Posted in: Anger and defiance in Taiji after 'Cove' wins Oscar
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Hotbox08
Well, good luck to you Tigerlily4. After you succeed, then maybe you can help me take up the fight against marine parks and sea worlds across the globe. They should be made to set their animals free where they should be, rather than to be kept in small fish tanks that are often cleaned irregularly, and trained to do unnatural tricks. Down with cruelty to animals all over the world.
Posted in: 'The Cove' wins Oscar for Best Documentary
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Hotbox08
Where? I've worked in the Japanese public school system for several years and have yet to come across anything looking or tasting anything remotely close to whale meat or dolphin meat. I've seen a lot of yakizakana on the menu, but no whale meat, (unless they've somehow disguised it by painting it pinkish red to look like salmon).
In any case, I do agree with you that killing whales and dolphins are unnecessary, but so is the other senseless killing of other animals. In fact, dolphins are made to be the "poster child" of cruelty because they are cute.
Of course, I understand that the dangers of eating mercury is real, just like the shrinking ozone problem is real. I guess that governments throughout the world don't act when something kills you over a long period of time, like eating oily foods, living in highly toxic areas, obesity, etc.
Posted in: Anger and defiance in Taiji after 'Cove' wins Oscar
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Hotbox08
Disillusioned, you mean the people in Taiji, right? Because the Japanese families I know don't even eat whale or dolphin meat. To say that all Japanese give it to their children is incorrect. Do you know any Japanese people personally who eat whale or dolphin meat?
Posted in: Anger and defiance in Taiji after 'Cove' wins Oscar
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Hotbox08
sarcasm123, you are correct and that it is sad and terrible that this kind of failure and lack of action happens around the world. That is why I am saying that all countries, including Japan need to look at themselves and in their own backyards, sea parks, etc. We all need to make tough choices and stop cruelty to all living things. The world is full of good people, and it is sad that the few bad ones spoil it for the rest of the world's people.
Posted in: Anger and defiance in Taiji after 'Cove' wins Oscar
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Hotbox08
Of course, we must all remember the saying: Think globally, act locally. It's all fine and dandy to start throwing stones at those way over on the other side of the fence, but to do nothing about the travesties within your own backyard? That's another crime in itself. I am all for letting the Taiji know that they should tone down their killing of dolphins, or at least do it in a more humane way. But at the same time it would be hypocritical of me and everyone else to continue to allow sea parks all over the world to keep marine animals in their fish tanks as mere forms of entertainment. It is unnecessary and cruel, and a worldwide epidemic.
Excellent point, cleo! To say that animals are stupid is wrong. Even cows are not stupid and should be treated more humanely when being butchered.
Posted in: Anger and defiance in Taiji after 'Cove' wins Oscar
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Hotbox08
What is the measure of intelligence? I mean, how is that different than the so called "stupid" dolphins and whales that get themselves mysteriously beached on shores all over the world? Even though a lot of dogooders try to push those said dolphins and whales back to see, they still end up beaching themselves somehow. Seems like a stupid thing to do to me.
Posted in: Anger and defiance in Taiji after 'Cove' wins Oscar
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Hotbox08
Exactly! The truth is that we humans have tough choices to make and must take responsibility in some way or form. I myself have stopped going to sea parks in an effort to curtail the need for dolphins and whales at those places. You stop the need, you end the killing.
Posted in: Anger and defiance in Taiji after 'Cove' wins Oscar
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Hotbox08
Well, I guess then nothing has really changed. This year's Oscars were pretty much the same.
Posted in: 'The Cove' wins Oscar for Best Documentary
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Hotbox08
Good point, qazwsx, and well put. The true message in the film is that this is the tip of a deeper and larger problem in which we all share a bit of responsibility for. Without the need and demand, there wouldn't be the people to fulfill that. It is something that we as humans will have to look deep into ourselves to overcome.
Posted in: 'The Cove' wins Oscar for Best Documentary