JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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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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- ALT - Mie Prefecture - Yokkaichi City - June start
- NPO法人グローバル教育推進機構（GLAD), Mie
- Salary: ¥230,000 / Month For a full working month. Some months differ.
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- Business Teaching Positions - Part-time - Kanto Region
- Interac, Tokyo
- Salary: ¥3,000 ~ ¥5,000 / Hour
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JayJayE
It's not the American military are "tourists" but that the image of Americans is inflanced by them. Which is what I think is unfair. I'm not bashing the military,just saying. I live in Kanagawa and know not all Americans are rude and not all rude people are American.
While I was in Greece and Turkey, Americans were the nicest people I came across.
So I think I want to put to bed, this notion that Americans are bad tourists. I don't think so.
Posted in: In your experience, which country's tourists are the least well-behaved whenever you have seen them out and about?
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JayJayE
In Japan most Americans get a bad wrap because to the military. But I don't think that's entirely fair.
I saw one young American Navy guy almost shouting at a Japanese old lady to take his seat. Hey, he was doing the right thing! But the old lady was scared to death.
On top of that the non-military people I'm friends with are some of the most well mannered, culturely sensitive, reasonable people I know.
So yeah, I don't pick Americans. Though you guys can be kinda loud.
Posted in: In your experience, which country's tourists are the least well-behaved whenever you have seen them out and about?
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JayJayE
It's difficult to say because people are individuals. A lot of people would say Americans. But I would disagree. Some Americans are loud, yes. But that's not always rude as such. And I'm not American either.
Some people say Chinese. Maybe. I have found both times I've had trouble with people putting their seat right back on the plane, with no concideration, it was Chinese and Korean. But I've meet nice Chinese and Koreans abroad too.
In Greece, I found Germans were incredably rude to their hosts and very demanding. But again, I don't want to paint all Germans that way.
I think it comes down to more a persons background rather than nation. I find people who are etho-centric and not well travelled tend to be the worst tourists regardless of where they are from..
Posted in: In your experience, which country's tourists are the least well-behaved whenever you have seen them out and about?
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JayJayE
What I'm surpirsed about is not the quakes. That's expected in New Zealand though not well liked. Whar I'm surpirsed about is JT first report is about the AFTERSHOCKS! They reported a plane crash in which maybe 7 people died but never bothered to report the biggest quake in New Zealand (recorded) history! How JT could miss that I really won't know. CNN and BBC were all over it!
Aways, I not religious, but I am a Kiwi. I hope everyone in Christchurch is doing okay. Yes, I know shitting in a bucket is undignifying, but hang strong, you'll be okay...
Posted in: Series of aftershocks rattle New Zealand
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JayJayE
Right message. Wrong messenger. Good looking though.
As someone has has actually been involved with the music industry here, I would have to 100% agree with past posts that Japan is basically the West in the 50's or 60's. Being that everything is controlled by agencies, labels, big companies and VERY few artists of any kind break through on their own talent and hard work alone yet alone originality.. That includes, humm, Ms Sawajiri.
There are good actors and musicians in Japan but you won't think it looking at the mainstream. Again, as posted before, it's all about what has worked in the past and reusing the formula and making sure everything is in neat little boxes to sell.
What she says is true, but I can think of a lot of Japanese people with more right to complain than her. Still if they complained, no one would listen. Erika Sawajiri is a "controversial star". So maybe I should be glad she said it, I guess.
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JayJayE
Malaysia airlines is surprisingly good. I would say Singapore Airlines, but Malaysia has almost as good service for less price. And actually Air New Zealand is pretty good. They were not so much 10 years ago but they've really gotten their act together so much that I would say they're the best Australasian/Oceania Airline, way over Qantas.
Cathay Pacific is okay, didn't like Korean Airlines so much. But in general Asian/Oceania airlines are the best, I flew once on American Airlines and it was horrible.
Posted in: What is your favorite Asian airline and why?
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JayJayE
Actually I can think of more.
Body Surfing, don't even need a board.
Hiking. Even just a day walk.
When I was a little kid and complained about being bored my mum would turn off the TV and say "We have pencils, pen and paper. We have an old guitar old the back. Entertain yourself."
Speaking of entertaining yourself there's always.....ummmm.
That's free.
Posted in: Creative hobbies that cost zero yen
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JayJayE
Why does everyone miss drawing and painting? Drawing or even doing comics, sketches the like costs you a notebook, a pencil and an eraser. Hardly expensive. Granted, oil painting is expensive but watercolour isn't that bad.
Or how about writing? Again just a pen and paper. Could be a novel, short story, or a novel, if you really want.
Singing? Your body is already equip with it's own music instrument. Listen to beat boxers and you can get an idea what it can really do once you get good enough. Even some musical instruments are cheap. You don't need a 250,000 Gibson Les Paul or a 150,000 Roland (huhhmmm) Keyboard.
Hmmm, running? I suppose you need shoes and clothing. Swimming? Soccer isn't that expensive.
I'm amazed that in our age of video games, shopping and television, people have lost sight of the hobbies that have entertained people for thousands of years, all over the world.
Posted in: Creative hobbies that cost zero yen
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JayJayE
Further note: the root of Aikido, Aki Ju-Jitsu and Shorinji Kempo is in Zen Buddhism. All of these arts view neutralizing an attacker while causing no permanent injury the highest form of self defense. Easy to say, pretty hard to actually do. The skill of these people is very high.
Posted in: The Heart of Aikido
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JayJayE
I used to do Aikido and now do Shorinji Kempo (a mix of Kung Fu and Aikido).
The people that do both of these arts are some of the nicest, most accepting, most balanced people you will ever meet in Japan. Unlike some other arts, they aren't macho or about kicking someones arse. They're about self defense and peace through deterrence. I only wish some in modern Japan and the rest of the world would pick up on the message.
Could be worth a read.
Posted in: The Heart of Aikido
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JayJayE
She's cute. That's it.
I can think of a number of other talented Japanese song writers (women) that should get more attention.
Still this is Japan and I admit, she's nice to look at. This place being what it is in terms of entertainment, I think she'll make it.
Posted in: Law student Nana Tanimura decides music is a better career
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JayJayE
sorry a tab expensive.
Posted in: All-in-one keyboard
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JayJayE
Interesting, but a tab expensive. It's had to get good piano and organ sounds out of a keyboard. I tried Rolands Juno series but they just don't cut it.
Nord makes a good one but again, expensive.
Posted in: All-in-one keyboard
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JayJayE
Not only that he's still being used after death! Though that's bad enough in itself. More a sign that record companies would rather milk a past star for all he's worth than try and find anything new. MJ was a genius, a freak, but a genius (in his time). But he's dead and it's time to move on.
The fact the MJ hype has lasted this long just shows how unwilling the media really are to look for anything new that isn't a manufactured pop-idol, boring emo band or "bang bang, bing bing" hip-hip artist. (I actually like hip-hop, just not the boring mediocre crap they pump out now).
The death throes of giants.
Posted in: Jackson estate signs $250 mil record deal with Sony Music Entertainment
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JayJayE
The old and general understanding of copy write is that it stands 50 years after the composers death. Then it becomes public property. This I agree with.
However in practice this doesn't always hold true. Trent Reznor (again) doesn't own the rights for his first album, Pretty Hate Machine. Not sure how that happens, but it does.
Posted in: Pink Floyd wins battle with EMI over online sales
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JayJayE
Triumvere
Good points. I will address a few of them. Firstly, I actually make kind of concept albums. I would like people to listen to albums all the way through and check out the art work. Can I force people? No, of course not. But I would rather sell less albums and maybe have the chance for people to experience the music the way I think it should. That may sound pompous to some people, but I don't see it that way. For me, to a person to get the whole picture is more important than selling a catchy single. And if someone steals it, I hope they steal all of it and steal the artwork too, if they are so inclined. I'd rather they payed though.
Duty to fans? Well, this is a tough one. I'm of the opinion it should go in this order 1) the artist 2) the fan (or consumer) 3) money and the company. Fans are important to an artist, but unless an artist is true to themselves, artistically they will produce crap (in my opinion).
Regarding IT laws. Well I might even agree with you there. IT laws for music are a MESS as they stand now. Completely outdated. I've had a lot of frustrations with them myself. For example, I realized a free EP, for promotion, but my coming album won't be free. For my EP, I wanted people to be able to download it for personal use, for free, but still receive royalties for public performance. The truth is this is no law for this. You either have to give it away or demand people pay. Artists choices for how to sell (or give away) their work is very limited. Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails is famously on the record (as Radiohead is) for his frustration that he couldn't set the pricing and method of his releases (to the point that he encouraged fans to "steal" his albums, to Innerscope Records alarm)
But my main point is artists, in a free democractic market, should be able to sell their work as they see fit. Your George Lucus example is a good. one. I seriously doubt he would sell as many DVDs if he made all six a box set. His sales would suffer. But if that's his wish, then that's his wish. Personally though, I agree, that would be stupid.
I think maybe people like me are behind the times and stubborn. I love the Floyd, and Tool, Nine Inch Nails and Radiohead. I've always thought of an album as one piece of work. If people want their three good singles and a whole rest of an album as a filler, that's fine. But that's not what I'm about. For my coming album, I've had some problems with iTunes, because I want some tracks to be free, but the album as a whole to be one complete download. Again, such an opinion doesn't exist.
Posted in: Pink Floyd wins battle with EMI over online sales
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JayJayE
Triumvere, while I agree in some ways, I do still think that the artist, right or wrong, should have full control over their intellectual property, not corporations. Record companies are distributors and bank rollers, nothing more. And increasing musicians (such as myself) are deciding to do away with them all together.
I like playing Pink Floyd albums out of order sometimes too, but I've always felt like they had a clear idea how their albums should be experienced. On top of that, some tracks are "fillers" in the overall album and selling them individually is a bit of a rip off for consumers, I fell anyway.
Whether we agree or not, hopefully we can agree that it is the artists choice had to sell their product. And in a free market, don't like it, don't buy it.
Posted in: Pink Floyd wins battle with EMI over online sales
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JayJayE
correction, NOT giving women equal working rights.
Posted in: March is worst month for suicides of salaried workers
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JayJayE
Japan has many issues that sorely need addressing and to list them all would make me a "Japan Basher". But of all of them, this has to be the most urgent.
That over 30,000 people take their lives, mostly working tax players, is WAY to big of an issue to ignore. It may be taboo, but it is the elephant in the room. The lack of reaction from the Japanese public and government is mind boggling. I've seen more than a few in the last two years, had friends stuck down with mental illness and had a few brushes with it myself.
Last I checked, Japan was 6th in the world in suicide rates though I think South Korea might be up there too now. On the stats I saw, Russia and ex-Soviet Bloc countries were at the top then, bam, Japan.
My wife when to a union meeting about life insurance for her company. Another stat, cause of death for Japanese men between the ages of 20-50. 3) Heart attack, 2) Cancer, 1) SUICIDE!
And if Japanese politicians are so dead set on limiting the number of foreigners or giving women equal working rights, with an aging population, they're going to find their tax income and workforce falling short very soon.
No matter if you're left or right, conservative or liberal, socialist or capitalist, this situation is a crisis any which way you look at it.
Posted in: March is worst month for suicides of salaried workers
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JayJayE
Each to their own, the philosophy lost on some. If she truly has GID then good for her. I personally don't understand, but that doesn't make her immoral by any means.
And it is a HER. If she's legally a woman and she fine with what she's become, so be it. Personally though, I feel the hype of "new half" in Japan subtracts from those just wanted to live "under the radar" as perfectly normal humans. I do dislike the showcasing of "new halves" not because I'm against them being who they are, I'm just against the media (especially J-media) making celebs out of anyone they can.
And she is hot. But I am married.
ps a lot of homophobia here, but thankfully not too much.
Posted in: Tokyo Girls Collection