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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- FT English Teachers for Kids - Osaka
- Kohgakusha Co., Ltd. （株式会社興学社）, Osaka
- Salary: ¥255,000 ~ ¥275,000 / Month Travel Expenses, Encouragement of Japanese learning*
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- Translator
- ZAIHON, Inc. (日本財務翻訳株式会社), Tokyo
- Salary: ¥6.0M / Year Negotiable
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LFRAgain
Bigmouth.
But Assange isn't an American. He's Australian. And the rule of law in the U.S. that you claim to respect is that Assange can and should be tried for espionage. So, do you think he should be tried for espionage? Or are you simply going to let your argument organically morph with the changing tides of the discussion, as seems to to be the case?
Posted in: WikiLeaks release gives hit list to al-Qaida, says U.S.
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LFRAgain
Tigris,
Oh, don’t get me wrong. I don’t think Assange should be punished in any way for what he’s done. As has been made clear in many other forums, the unfettered liberty of the press is the lifeblood of any healthy government, and even people like Assange have their place. And there was a time when he did good work.
But a common thread I see with how people define freedom is that far too many of them seem to believe that its an exercise free of responsibility. Freedom of the press does not come without some demonstration of mature decision-making when it comes to determining what should and should not be released to the public.
Just as the identity and address of a child victim of sexual assault should not be published in the press just because it’s available, so too should Assange have exercise greater responsibility before he dumped – DUMPED - tens of thousand of diplomatic cables on the world. Even he doesn’t know entirely what’s contained into those messages. No one does. At least not yet. But they will, as time goes on and people are allowed to pour over them.
And what happens when the equivalent of the name and of a child victim of rape is uncovered? Who takes responsibility for the damage the will inevitably come to that child? That child’s family? That child’s community? Assange? Not hardly. “I was serving the public interest,” will be his defense. You? “I didn’t release it. I just read it,” would be your defense.
I use the sexually assaulted child as more readily identifiable example to those of us who don’t operate in the arena of international politics, but the purpose is to show that what happens in the case of a small-town child abuse story is multiplied considerably on the international stage. People can and probably will die as a result of what’s contained in those cables. And the sad part is that the ones who will most assuredly will not be the vast majority of leaders who neither possess the intellect nor the moral fabric to govern in a democracy.
So again, how has the public interest been served here? I just don’t see it.
Posted in: WikiLeaks release gives hit list to al-Qaida, says U.S.
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LFRAgain
Bigmouth,
No more insulting or disrespectful than having to be lumped in with a pitchfork-waving mob cheering on the release of info that has less to do with any illegal activities on the part of the U.S. government and more to do with Assange providing tabloid gossip for a bored public just because he can.
If anyone feels insulted that I've called their kneejerk appause of the irresponsible dumping of 251,000 diplomatic communiques on the Internet stupid, then great. My work is done. Just as governments should be rightfully called to task for illegal activites, so too should stupid people be called out for doing things that are, well, stupid.
BTW, why would you even be applauding Assange? None of his activities would be acceptable under your rationalizations regarding how China treats political mavericks. By your estimation, a government has every right to imprison or murder someone like Assange for daring to challenge the status quo, even if it is peacefully. Make up your mind.
Posted in: WikiLeaks release gives hit list to al-Qaida, says U.S.
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LFRAgain
Tokyoapple,
Okay, let’s take the asinine and in no small way insane assertion that all government documents, by virtue of having been paid for by taxpayers, are the property of the People and therefore subject to unfettered scrutiny (yes, People with a capital “P.” If you’re going to have the audacity to bandy about the rights of the People as a magic charm for your argument, then at least show the courtesy of knowing how capitalizing the “p” distinguishes the word from its generic lower-case counterpart).
Does your simple-minded populist argument extend to the launch codes for America’s nuclear arsenal? Bought and paid for by the U.S. taxpayer, right? So by your 6th Grade Civics estimation, Joe the Plumber should have free access to those codes, along with how to use them, right?
WikiLeaks went from an organization that actually did the journalistic legwork one would expect to uncover legitimate illegal activities by governments to an organization that threw out 251, 287 U.S. diplomatic cables willy-nilly, with a virtual post-it note attached to the international community reading, “Haven’t had time to look through these. Let me know if you find anything.” That’s not responsible, hard-hitting journalism. That’s self-serving opportunism bolstered by no small amount of abject laziness.
Posted in: WikiLeaks release gives hit list to al-Qaida, says U.S.
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LFRAgain
Assange is an opportunist looking to extend a fast-expiring 15-minutes of fame by any means possible.
When WikiLeaks released footage of the U.S. military gunning down innocent civilians, including Reuters journalists, that was a different thing entirely. Taking stolen diplomatic communiqués and publishing them willy-nilly isn’t responsible journalism. It’s the work of a two-bit hack. If anyone here can tell me how the public interest is better served in knowing that U.S. diplomats believe French president Nicolas Sarkozy parties too hard or that Khadafi has a favorite large-breasted attendant with him always, then I’d love to here that dubious argument.
In the meantime, years of carefully cultivated diplomatic relationships to best ensure a lasting peace between nations DESPITE the human flaws of individuals in positions of power and influence has been effectively thrown out the window by Mr. Assange’s pathetic cry for attention.
And here the public sits rubbing its hands with glee at what amounts to headlines from a season of Jerry Springer episodes, claiming they have a “right” to this information, when the vast majority of the people demanding it scarcely possess the intellect to process even a fraction of what’s contained in the stolen data, much less act on it if the occasion arose.
Posted in: WikiLeaks release gives hit list to al-Qaida, says U.S.
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LFRAgain
J-Pop doesn't suck any more or any less than pop music in other countries. Pop music is considered popular because it has to achieve the difficult task of appealing to as many people as possible (hence, the term "popular").
Considering the diversity of individual tastes, rather than create music aimed solely at a specific demographic -- e.g., young, old, women, men, people who like hard rock, country music, classical, or techno -- pop music by definition has to address themes that are fundamental and universal enough to appeal to a broad audience.
If you want something more to your tastes, then those options are plentiful. But why rain on the parade of someone who doesn’t revel in Indie bands with the same fervor and abandon as you? I never understood this silliness. If J-pop or ANY pop music, for that matter, isn’t your particular cup of tea, so be it.
But it’s lost on few people the self-importance and pretentiousness of those who criticize pop music and offer up as an alternative their favorite never-been-heard-of-outside-of-a-college-town-live-venue band or singer as the paragon of what’s good and right about music.
There was a time when U2 was THE off-the-grid alternative rock band that all college kids should listen to, while parents held scarcely a clue. But the moment U2 started becoming filling entire arenas for live concerts, we started seeing the same people who were responsible for their success 30 years ago revile them in public for no other reason than having the audacity to succeed financially, thus dispelling the notion that only by being poor and unappreciated can a musician possess value and worth.
So who’s really being shallow here?
Music is a universal construct that appeals to people across all borders and cultures for as many reasons as there are borders and cultures. It’s patently ridiculous for anyone with half a brain try to seriously argue how and why pop music sucks, it being an impossible endeavor. The harder one tries, the more obvious it becomes that the people doing the rationalizing are seeking only to convince others -- and themselves -- that they are somehow more intellectually and socially sophisticated than the rest of us plebeians -- despite being cut from largely the same cloth.
Can there be any greater conceit than to presume to dictate to others what they should and shouldn’t like? I don’t think so, and I can think of no better place than on this thread to issue a general *“Get over yourself” to those who would presume to dictate the rules of individual taste to the rest of us.
Posted in: Does J-pop really suck?
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LFRAgain
Wow! This is the kind of story I wish a saw more of. Congrats to the kids for making it through this ordeal. I'd say this counts as a definite second chance at life. Hope they all go on to do great things with this new opportunity.
Posted in: After 50 days adrift, 3 teens rescued in S Pacific
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LFRAgain
Klein2,
Really now? And apparently, pompous, sanctimonious asshattery gives you the right to make that determination? I think not.
Hey, Klein, don't shoot the messenger. If you don't have the intellectual honestly to recognize the blantant hypocrisy on both sides of the argument, then there really isn't much left to say to you. You've obviously got your little ax to grind here, so grind away, Brave Soldier for Liberty! We are all in your eternal debt.
Posted in: Scanners and pat-downs upset airline passengers in U.S.
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LFRAgain
"On Nov 17, the principal responded to a citywide Board of Education questionnaire on bullying, stating that no girls at his school were being bullied." - Principal Fumio Suzuki
Any principal naïve or foolish enough to believe for even a second that no bullying exists in a junior high school, for Pete's sake, doesn't deserve the title of "Principal." This man should be out of a job for sheer stupidity at the very least, and blatant dishonestly at worst.
The problem with bullying in Japan is that society as a whole knows perfetly well that it's rampant and that precious little is being done to curb it. And since most of the population has managed to either avoid being bullied by conforming adequately, or have by being bullies themselves, they don't give the problem a moment's thought -- at least not until another 13-year-old throws herself off a balcony.
Furthermore, and I honestly believe this based on things I've personally witnessed along the lines of what SmithinJapan pointed out, bullying is often viewed as a necessary evil for creating a harmonious society. When all the other tool Japanese society employs to socialize its children fail to create the perfect model citizen -- or rather what people seem to believe is the perfect model citizen -- harsher tactics are employed. I can't count the number of times I've heard teachers rationalize flagrant assault with, "Well, s/he had it coming because his/her attitude wasn't condusive to group harmony." And wheel goes round and round.
Posted in: Hokkaido schoolgirl commits suicide, blaming bullying
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LFRAgain
People are worried about their privacy being violated by a full body scanner? Who the hell gives a crap?!
How about worries about being blown out the sky by someone who DOESN’T fit the magical “Arab Islamo-terrorist” Profile ™
After perusing this thread, I find myself simultaneously amused and horrified at how petulant, petty, and truly childish people can be.
People griped about the bag searches and the lines it generated. TSA tried to look for a more efficient way.
People griped about having to take off belts and shoes and the lines it generated. TSA tried to look for a more efficient way.
People griped about the pat-downs and the lines it generated. TSA tried to look for a more efficient way.
People griped about the restrictions of certain items being brought on board -- and in open defiance of those well-known restrictions, continued to think they could just argue their way out of them, as if they were special and the TSA agent enforcing the law was just arbitrarily being a jerk -- these little mini-dramas generating long lines. And again, TSA tried to look for a more efficient way.
Then TSA introduces full-body scanners, which would certainly speed up lines by reducing the need for the above several points, and what do people do? They gripe. And why? Because someone might see them naked!! Dear god, it’s not that kind of scanner!!
And with thousands of passengers wandering through the scanners every day, it’s not like the TSA agents aren’t going to eventually get bored with the earth-shattering revelation that human beings are, well, all pretty much the same.
In the meantime, as background noise to this seething mass of pissing, moaning, griping fliers, is the following drumbeat:
“Protect us!”
“PROTECT US!”
”PROTECT US!!”
NEWSFLASH: They're trying to amid an avalanche of self-centered jerks whining about everything under the sun!
People are morons. Absolute, irredeemable morons.
Posted in: Scanners and pat-downs upset airline passengers in U.S.
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LFRAgain
Umm... Sorry, but I'm with the majority here. From the standpoint of how to present statistical data in a format that's easily accessible to the layman (or anyone who reads English, for that matter), this article is . . . how do I put it nicely? lacking?
Doesn't mean that nothing can be taken from it, but will the final impression accurately reflect the data? I'm left to wonder if, for example, 30% of women polled mistakenly think all men like big breasts, or if the women polled feel that 30% of all men like big breasts.
Also, where is the contrasting data to put the numbers into some sort of useable context? It's hard to walk away from this article with any impression that the examples listed are "common" in any way when the numbers only reflect an average of 1-in-3 to 1-in-5 women polled thinking a certain way. Only 30% of women thinking a certain way doesn’t really have much of an impact if the remaining 70% felt, say, the opposite, i.e., ”70% of Women Polled Know Just What Men Like!”
Now THAT would be newsworthy.
If the article were to, say, provide at least a cursory breakdown of the other numbers from the survey, it might not be so muddy. For example, if 30% of women polled thinking men like big breasts was followed by 29% of women polled thinking men preferred posteriors, then the article might be on to something about common misconceptions.
Instead, we’re left with a vague and hastily thrown-up article that leaves readers with nothing else to comment on other than the sloppiness evident in posting such a piecemeal article at all.
Posted in: Common misconceptions about the opposite sex in Japan
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LFRAgain
I don't think there's really any sort of adequate training to prepare a sales clerk for someone with every intention of stabbing you and making off with the cash register money.
While the dig at Japan's safety record was anticipated (despite mountains of evidence demonstrating that Japan is still light years ahead of other nations in terms of public safety), MOST law enforcement agencies througout the industrialized world tell people precisely that: Just give robbers what they want. Anything beyond that just isn't worth it -- particularly your life.
Again, this idea that a 68-year old man -- or a hale 25-year old man, for that matter -- could somehow be trained for and successfully use some special disarming technique to against an assailant with a knife or gun, is patently ridiculous. Mind you, this is a job that pays 750yen an hour.
It's not as if we're talking about an epidemic of convenience store attacks throughout Japan. No, drone guns aren't the answer.
Posted in: Security camera footage reveals murder of Lawson manager in Ishikawa
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LFRAgain
Yeah, I'm sure he is. And this perfect angel is in a gang becaaaaause...??
Posted in: NYC police arrest 9th suspect in anti-gay beatings
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LFRAgain
senseiman,
Your 11:08 AM JST post was dead on. Thanks for that. Indeed, this article would find more value lining a bird cage.
Never mind that Costello reaches the vast majority of his "conclusions" via a comic book character (Yes, his thesis is for all intents and purposes, "Let's raise kids who are more like the fictional womanizing, alcoholic, arms dealer Tony Stark."). But in lambasting a painfully simplistic depiction of the current United States education system as some sort of “monopoly” (Read: “Socialist”), while claiming the evidence of the inherent weakness of just such a monopoly is borne out by the rising educational prowess of nations like Japan and China -- nations where the education systems are even MORE centralized that of the US -- good heavens, it just baffles the senses that this article was ever allowed to see the light of day.
Posted in: Superman’s not coming; U.S. schools need Iron Man
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LFRAgain
You're clearly out of your depth on this subject. Millions of Americans of various skin shades get along with one another perfectly fine every day. While vocal racists hiding behind the shield of annonymity may seem numerous, the truth is they represent but a fraction of the entire population of the U.S. The proof is in the very fact that the U.S. has NOT Balkanized, as you suggest.
Posted in: Racist messages pose quandary for mainstream sites
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LFRAgain
This very attitude is a prime reason for the deterioration of most public discourse.
If it isn't put in some sort of off-the-cuff, sarcastic news-bite-size, and actually forces the reader to, heaven forbid, READ, then the idea isn't worth the time.
It's sad, really. The greatest single affliction ravaging American society today is a profound intellectual laziness across all demographics. You can see it in the public school system. You can see it in the abysmal illiteracy evident on most Internet boards. AOL and CNN are two prime examples. I suspect it's this very laziness that allows hate-filled rants to dominate most Internet forums, as most racists tend to wilt in the face of a well-reasoned response. There's nothing wrong with a long post that scrolling down can't solve.
This I agree with wholeheartedly. The sanctity of anonymity in the expression of ideas is invaluable to a free society. Whether or not we like those ideas and how they are expressed is irrelevant. We've heard it time and again, but in any discourse, far more can be accomplished by attacking the message rather than the messenger.
Posted in: Racist messages pose quandary for mainstream sites
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LFRAgain
sk4ek,
Excellent post @ 08:50 AM. Couldn't agree more.
Posted in: Racist messages pose quandary for mainstream sites
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LFRAgain
Sushi,
Yes, the U.S. government has some serious flaws in its approach to some foreign policy issues, but what with this “the enemy of my enemy . . . ” nonsense? I expected better from you, honestly.
“Bang on target”? If so, then it should stand to reason that "some" would also liberally apply sanctions and political pressure against the other 30 countries in the world that use nuclear energy, despite 22 of which possess no nuclear weapons programs whatsoever.
Or perhaps it could really be so simple as some nations feeling a bit apprehensive about allowing nuclear technology that can be converted into a weapons program to flourish in a nation that regularly expresses no qualms about wiping Israel from the face of the map. I’m no fan of Israel, but I don’t want to see it reduced to irradiated cinders either. Nor do I want to see the Mid-East Peace Process dictated via nuclear blackmail from Iran, which would most certainly happen.
If you truly believe that Iran would never weaponize a peaceful nuclear power program, then there’s nothing I ca say to convince you otherwise. But I respectfully disagree with that assessment, and I’m certainly not alone.
You’re being disingenuous by pulling that out context. The full quote is this:
You and most everyone else here knows perfectly well that Ahmadinejad is speaking in reference to the international drubbing he took and continues to take for his, how shall we put it? unconventional views regarding the mass murder of Jews during WWII. He states the Holocaust never happened, an asinine claim not too far removed from the idiocy of believing 9/11 was staged by the U.S.
And this has precisely what to do with Iran?
Again, this “If it’s against America then it must be good” stuff makes you look petulant and silly.
Posted in: U.S. walks out on Ahmadinejad U.N. speech after 9/11 remark
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LFRAgain
Ahh, China . . .
Didn't see this one coming. Nope.
Posted in: China holding 4 Japanese for illegally filming military targets
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LFRAgain
He said/She said indeed.
Did everyone just sort of forget that one of the suspects admitted to coercion while his friends continue to cling to the story that it was consensual? That discrepancy alone should raise more than a few eyebrows.
When one out of the three is admitting to the accusation, there really isn't much mystery remaining, and it's not long before the other two find the intestinal fortitude to admit that they crossed a line.
Posted in: 3 firemen arrested for alleged gang rape of woman