JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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- Corporate Business English Trainers
- ACT Systems, Inc.（株式会社アクト・システムズ）, Tokyo
- Salary: ¥269,500 ~ ¥280,000 / Month
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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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LFRAgain
I knew it! I just bleepin' knew it.
Highlights from the Wall Street Journal on the subject:
And from the American Pundit article:
And who was the poster here that constantly insisted this was some sort of eleborate conspiracy on the part of Toyota? Oh, yeah. Branded. Who oddly hasn't been around here since April. Darn. And I had a heapng plate of crow to serve him...
Posted in: U.S. gov't says it has made no conclusions in Toyota case
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LFRAgain
Oh, sweet Petunia, what pap.
Posted in: Elderly woman arrested for beating youth sitting in priority seat of bus
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LFRAgain
Wow. I simply have no patience for these types of kids anymore. My first inclination is to think the following:
The teenager in this story clearly is a monumental tool in desperate need of attitude adjustment, particularly since Japanese society is locked in this desperate freefall in which mollycoddling Japan's youth well into theri 30s seems to be the preferred method of creating a Great Society.
Well, the proof's in the pudding. A kid brazenly refusing to vacate a seat meant for the elderly would almost certainly not happened 50 or even 30 years ago. Now, it's a matter of course for some smart-mouthed kid to not only ignore polite requests, but also mock the pereson making the request. And Japanese adults whine, "Oh, we're too hard on our kids."
Screw that. There is no more fitting justice than seeing this kid get smacked down by the very same elderly person he ostensibly is supposed to show greater respect for. This woman, by virtue of making past 60, has earned at the very least the respect of a teen who hasn't even learned the responsibilities associated with creating a safe and harmonious society. So clearly, he needed to be taught respect the hard way. Bravo, I say. Let the little bastard and selfish little s#its just like him have it.
But then again, that would all make me sound cruel and uncivilized.
. . .
Naaaaah. Way to go, grandma!
Posted in: Elderly woman arrested for beating youth sitting in priority seat of bus
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LFRAgain
USNinJapan2,
My irritation has nothing to do with England losing. I'm not English and I'm not a fan. It's about establishing simple safeguards against not referee error, but referee incompetence. But thanks for asking. Your recommendation to “get over it” has been duly noted and filed accordingly, Sparky.
Posted in: FIFA stays silent on referee errors
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LFRAgain
Hurtado
Who's this "we" you're talking about? You got a mouse in your pocket? Or are you presuming to speak for the entire fanbase of Germany?
So, let me see if I've got your position correct: “If technology to prevent illegal calls by field judges gets in the way of a 44-year old thirst for revenge, then we don’t want it.” If that’s the case, it’s no wonder Germany keeps finding itself on the losing end of grudge wars.
Besides, you’re failing to grasp the actual meaning of "poetic justice." The controversy behind the 1966 World Cup win by England was an issue of whether or not the ball had actually entered the goal. Grainy replays to this day still leave the question unanswered, and an Oxford “study” of old footage claims that the goal missed actually being a legitimate goal by a scant 6cm.
England’s shot in the 2010 World Cup game was CLEARLY in the goal area, no confusion, not second-guessing, no Oxford University studies needed. It was a goal. And it was summarily ignored by the ref. That’s not poetic justice. That’s gross negligence on the part of a ref whose only job is to enforce the rules of the game.
Posted in: FIFA stays silent on referee errors
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LFRAgain
So, if not at a new conference, then WHEN and WHERE is a good place for debate?
FIFA considers the matter closed after Sepp Blatter's March Dictate. The FIFA website doesn't offer any room for thoughts or opinions on the matter. And Blatter himself seems entirely unwilling to broach the subject of using technology to preserve the spirit of fairness that gives all games and sports their inherent value -- despite indulging Blatter’s regular indulgence in the technology of instantaneous Twitter updates, as transparent an attempt as their ever was to make oneself appear hip and contemporary.
So, being able to instantly read the banal details of Blatter's mental processes holds more importance than being able to instantly determine whether a goal in international football was fairly scored or not?
Emperor Blatter has proven amply that he his interests do not lie with what is best for international football, but rather with generating cash for his salary though artificially contrived controversy. The emperor needs to be cast from his throne.
Posted in: FIFA stays silent on referee errors
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LFRAgain
Sarge,
You couldn't possibly be this simple minded.
Posted in: West Virginia Sen Robert Byrd dead at 92
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LFRAgain
NFL Games run three hours, tops. Soccer matches two. Considering how infrequent scoring is in soccer, the extra minute or two to confirm or deny a questionable goal would be negligible.
The NBA introduced instant replay to the game in 2002. Actually, pro basketball is probably the best comparison in the sports world to soccer, being just as fast moving and free flowing. Yet the NBA has not been appreciably crippled by the use of instant replay.
Like any new change in rules to a game, there have to be tweaks and adjustments. But when it comes to making every possible effort to ensure the game is one where two teams compete against each other, rather than two teams competing against a field ref, introducing instant replay would produce far more benefits than negatives.
Posted in: FIFA, don't ignore the Blunder in Bloemfontein
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LFRAgain
Sorry, Zurc, but you’re way off base here.
Horse puckey. Tell that to the England fans watching the match on TV in disbelief as the goal was disallowed. If by "understand the game," you mean docilely accept blatant unfairness, then yeah, maybe I don't understand the game the way you do. But I was raised to believe that our ability to adhere to the rules of games is what brings out the best in us as competitors, thus making the games we play worthwhile.
Without rules, and without a mechanism in place to ensure the rules are followed (because, just as you said, referees can and do make mistakes), sports, even one as revered as “futbol” are worth less than the gum I peeled off the sole of my shoe yesterday.
And I think people want and expect a little more from their sports than a willy-nilly, rules-be-damned attitude where the fun is in not knowing if the refs are actually going to do their jobs well or not. Most sports are a contest between two parties, one team pitting its ability (honed in accordance to the rules of the game) against another. It’s not a contest between three parties, Team A, Team B, and Team Ref.
Yes, there is. It’s more commonly referred to as “The Rules.” You don’t get to score by running off-sides. You don’t get to use your hand to knock a ball into the goal. And you don’t discount a ball that clearly entered the goal area. Rules aren’t just incidental window dressing to make sports look prettier. Regardless of the ability level of any team, the foundation of how a game is played – The Rules – is paramount. Besides, the unfairness of a team being outmatched by a superior opponent is in no way comparable to the unfairness of a ref who chooses to ignore fundamental rules of a game.
To paraphrase your absolutism, anyone who can’t understand this basic principal of sport clearly has never played any.
Regardless of this being the third World Cup I’ve had the pleasure to watch, a sore loser implies a fan contesting the loss of a legitimate contest. The outcome of the England-Germany contest was hardly a legitimate one, tainted by a stolen goal that would have most certainly changed the entire tempo of the remainder of the game. While there is no doubt that Germany played a far superior game to England, there is also little doubt the stolen goal effectively destroyed any momentum England had. That disallowed goal ruined what should have been a far more exciting game, and as someone who wasn’t particularly rooting for either team, that irritates me.
Posted in: FIFA, don't ignore the Blunder in Bloemfontein
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LFRAgain
Drawing the line at something as concrete as whether a ball breaks the barrier of the goal would be a reasonable use of replay technology.
All the other stuff -- like fouls -- is subjective, really, and largely a lot of overacting. No need for replays there.
Posted in: FIFA, don't ignore the Blunder in Bloemfontein
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LFRAgain
Great article. This writer nailed the argument on all counts.
Simply shameful that FIFA would have such a chokehold an international sport in which a vast majority of fans and players alike would like to see changes regarding instant replay made. Seriously, who the hell are FIFA that they can hold this world sport hostage to outdated, purely obstinate views?
Posted in: FIFA, don't ignore the Blunder in Bloemfontein
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LFRAgain
To the million dollar question (quite literally, since that's pretty close to what the estimated damages have rung up to so far):
The perfect answer:
These "protestors" are morons.
Posted in: Anti-summit vandals rampage in Toronto
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LFRAgain
Wow... The referees essentially won that game for Germany, and robbed World Cup fans of what could have been, and should have been an exciting match between these two rivals.
You could see the quantum shift in England's attitude -- from one of utter disbelief to disgust to resignation that they were screwed no matter what they did -- when that blatantly obvious goal was all but stolen from them by an either blind or completely corrupt referee. Unfreakin'believable, that call.
In the interest of fair play, FIFA seriously needs to get off it's arse and allow the electronic review of piss-poor calls like this. Or at the very least, institute some sort of system whereby refs who make these kinds of flagrant misjudments are prevented from refereeing future games.
Posted in: England needs Rooney to hit form against Germany
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LFRAgain
MeanRingo,
Rosa Parks refusing to change seats on a bus in defiance of racial discrimination is a FAAAAAAR cry from what these juvenile asshats tearing up Toronto are doing.
No, you don't "have to take the good with the bad," when the bad involves wanton destruction for the sake of wanton destruction. Protesting against the economic policies of world governments by trashing local businesses and looting shops?
Please. No one is so naive as to believe this is any sort of exercise of "free speech."
A short stint in jail, followed up with the repair bill for the damages seems just about right for these idiots.
Posted in: Anti-summit vandals rampage in Toronto
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LFRAgain
Oh, for the love of Pete, get a grip, people.
Posted in: Obama congratulates U.S. team on World Cup win
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LFRAgain
I find it amusing that the driver felt compelled to obey speed laws while ignoring a lawful order to stop. Must be an interesting fellow. I wonder what the fine would be for 50 instances of ignoring a traffic light.
Posted in: Nara car chase ends with arrest for ignoring traffic lights
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LFRAgain
Lesson to Japan: Eating whale might not be a very good idea.
Posted in: Toxins found in whales bode ill for humans: report
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LFRAgain
Oh, I doubt that very sincerely. He likely made considerable bank off of this brief appearance.
And he does look pretty darn cool in that costume.
Posted in: Predators
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LFRAgain
The proof is in the pudding, as they say. France didn't deserve to be at this World Cup, and their early exit only proved it.
If now ex-coach Domenech can't even be bothered to shake hands after an international match, regardless of some imagined earlier slight, then he doesn't deserve to coach any national team.
Good riddance to him.
Posted in: French coach refuses to shake S African coach's hand
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LFRAgain
Vulcan,
Barak Obama has no military experience and these General's who have 35+ years experience don't like taking orders from him. . . Good for him!
Obama is the duly elected president of the United States and as such, the Cammander in Chief of all U.S. military forces, a civilian position with the express purpose of striking an essential balance between diplomacy and aggression.
If Gen Stanley McChrystal can't or won't accept these most fundamental premises of the U.S. system of government, then he has no business in the uniform. It's not "good on him." It's treason.
Sounds like you might need to get your brain wrapped around the concept as well.
Posted in: Obama rebukes top U.S. commander in Afghanistan