Monday May 28, 2012

John Putnam's past comments

  • -11

    John Putnam

    I will add my 2 cents to this, like it or not. All of you living in Japan now. Don't worry soon you will have Japan change to meet your standards of the western world and how things should be according to you. As the years have past I have seen so many things disappear from Japanese life because of western influences/thinking. Not saying that 2nd hand smoking is good or bad for people to breathe. Common sense used to be in America and it is in Japan. You don't like the smell of smoke, don't go near it. "it's like having a peeing section in a pool" don't use that pool if you think someone is peeing in it. "I can smell smoke from my balcony" Find a place to live that does not allow smoking at all in the entire building" Being a people watcher myself. Through the years, many, I have noticed that people complaining about smoking have their own bad habits of doing things to disturb the environment. But, let's not forget that you who are complaining about 2nd hand smoke are the perfect people with the perfect way life should be for all of us. All over the world.

    Posted in: Japan’s 'polite' tobacco war rages on

  • 0

    John Putnam

    0 Good Bad SerranoSEP. 22, 2011 - 10:05PM JST John Putnam: "Having lived 100 yards from Futenma for about 7 years"

    And you got enough shut-eye, right? So what's up with all the whiners complaining about the base noise?

    Serrano, like almost everything in life you get used to it and some days are better than others. The noise can be sometimes very loud. Most days the flights did not start til after 7 am and most nights done by 8 pm and it is not every day that there are flights.

    Posted in: Obama, Noda discuss post-quake aid, Futenma issue

  • -1

    John Putnam

    Having lived until last month, 100 yards from Futenma's air base for about 7 years and working on different bases there. I have a good idea of how things are in Okinawa. Also lived on the mainland for about 2years. 5% from the US military, take a look at Naha's website and see what THEY wrote as coming from the USA. Not only the locals who have jobs on the bases will and are effective by the bases closing or downsizing, the local businesses will have impact as well. Housing is a big business, cars also. Bars and place to eat. The money that taxi cab drivers make from on and off base rides, the black market that everyones knows about and most of the time pretend it does not happen. And many more things, the list is big. I'm not for having US military bases anywhere in todays world. But certainly not paying for resort style lifes that a lot of the military enjoys on Okinawa. There was a time when you joined the military knowing that you would not make much money and you would be away from home for long periods. Now the US tax payers are footing the bill for Families to fly back and forth to countries all over the world and paying for off base housing, schools for children and all that goes along with that. Bring back the military to what it was once was and see how we can save billions in military spending. Some say we have to give more and more to the military or they will leave and go to the private sectors, Oh? Since when does Walmart pay for entire families moving to other countries, give housing allowances and tax free clothing and food? Military spending is out of control and no one seems to care or interested in how the military is run. Not all the military overseas is in a battle. Some are in the same positions and houses for yeas 12 or even longer on Okinawa and living better than most average americans do. Use the internet and than check the facts of what pops up, the central government of Japan is running everything in Japan and as mentioned in an earlier post Okinawa is part of Japan. Have a nice day!

    Posted in: Obama, Noda discuss post-quake aid, Futenma issue

  • 0

    John Putnam

    Where did you get this information from, how the Japanese government is run by the governor's of the prefectures? You are wrong about the governor of Okinawa having the power to stop anything the central government wants to do. There are many issue to refer to to prove this, in English. You sound like a Japanese person who is local to Okinawa, native. When the USA closes down everything in Okinawa, where do the locals, who now work and get paid good money working for the bases, work? At Jusco or Union making what? 800 yen an hour to feed their family. You and a bunch of others should use common sense for the sake of the local people depending on the bases for a lively hood. Getting something first to replace the loss of jobs and income from the bases. Please

    YuriOtaniSEP. 22, 2011 - 07:44AM JST Unless the Governor of Okinawa signs off on the construction, it is not going to happen. There is nothing the Government of Japan can do to make him sign it. Japan is a representational Republic and the powers and duties of the government are segregated to the different parts of it. Japan is not Russia or China or even American where the Federal Government has become much more powerful than the states. Grip complain, I wish this would go away but it is not going to happen. You can argue the governments of Japan and the USA but the Governor of Okinawa is not going to give approval. Japan and the USA needs to face political reality, the replacement facility is not going to be built. I suppose Japan or the USA can send in troops to start martial law, a really winning move. MCAS Futenma is not moving and the local population wants it closed. Too many elections have supported this fact. So the only question is if Japan and the USA will leave this open sore open?

    Posted in: Obama, Noda discuss post-quake aid, Futenma issue

  • 0

    lifehappiness

    Who cares. I'm living the dream here and reading about this was just to past the time away. Be happy don't worry

    Posted in: Paris Hilton leaves for U.S. after being denied entry into Japan

  • 0

    lifehappiness

    Another comment from the peanut gallery. Japan's divorce laws were made for the Japanese people. Usually the mother get a lump sum payment and the father is not seen anymore, usually mutual. The father does not come back for visitation. Remember the prime minister Koizumi? He had this arrangement. It has worked fine until more and more international marriages have taken place. Should America change it's laws and ways based on another countries law? Not saying Japan has a good system and not saying it's bad, it's their system and while international issues all play a role in making changes. Where is it written that America has the best and only way to do things? We Americans are all over the world using the military and the military is promoting international marriages. One way to approach this and reduce the number of children affected is by education, not propaganda that America or western ideas are the way to go for the rest of the world. Sure these countries take our aid, wouldn't you if you had nothing and someone was offering you help? Japan is not a poor country but if America is giving stuff away, why not take it. If I was in situation in a country where by marrying a military person I could get myself a better way of living, I would most likely take it to better myself and not have to want to spend the rest of my life married to the military person. It’s done in America now by Americans, marrying to improve life and once it is, goodbye to the marriage. Americans do it all the time. There are lonely young men in the military that get attention from local girls/women because the locals want that chance for a better life. Our military should not be promoting this type of get together, but it is. On military TV and in printed information available. The military was setup in Japan after the war and decisions were made based partly/wholly on conventional warfare with the China/Korea problems. Also to help set it up again, like we are doing in Iraq, now. We have the equipment to put the military any where in the world in hours now and we certainly are not going to invade Korea or China with troops. We are in a big hole now with spending, why not call it a day in Japan and find another country to populate or bring the military home and let the resources serve a better cause, our own country.

    Posted in: 8 ambassadors urge Japan to solve global child custody disputes

  • 0

    lifehappiness

    I m here with my wife and her children from prior marriage. Custody was given to her and the right to live in Japan. She inform the ex she was moving and did everything the court required before we moved to Japan. Well the thing her lawyer did not foresee or inform her about was after we got here her ex started a new custody case and there was no way we could afford to fly there, find a place to rent, rent a car, hire a lawyer and take time off from work to do all the things required to meet court dates. We did try to submit documents to the court but they were denied by the court. Later found out it was as simple as we did not send the documents to the ex's lawyer 1st. End of the story was the ex did not have to pay back child support or future support or any sort of care.He got custody of the kids and a warrant was issued for my wifes arrest. Everything that was required to be able to move here was done with court approval and as soon as we got here, it was all taken away because we could not afford to fly back and fight. My point is not everything about these case is so clear to see or understand for that matter.

    Posted in: 8 ambassadors urge Japan to solve global child custody disputes

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