JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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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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Maruku
Betzee, great post! I suspect getting this through the senate won't be as hard of a sell as you think. Lets put things in perspective ... the Spratleys ... no offense to the good folks folks on this board from there but the Pacific was probably taken care of irrespective of what the Marcos regime tried to pull off (although a great example of the Constabulary as pointed out by WilliB).
The Taiwan issue ... probably a case of the US thinking that the Chinese didn't matter, the Russians would take care of them, or they could never get their act together. Besides, they'd already addressed the issue of Taiwan when CKS's wife gave her speech to the senate and it was obvious they didn't care.
Iraq is different. The US has a history there, not to mention the renewed interest in the war generally, the price of oil (sorry but its true), the recent loss of life, the loss of face. Their allies, the Brits, who have been there even when it got ridiculous, basically created the Palestinian problem (which is why they stayed). And so too, the Americans have to stay and fix the mess. Mc Cain was totally right - this is a long term investment. If anyone here is voting democrat to "bring them home" - think again. They ain't comin' home.
The SOFA, will be totally different to the Korean, Japanese and German versions ... because they still got guns. So the US won't ask as much and let's be honest, we'll never know who is getting paid, how much etc.
As much as I think the guy is a supersonic jerk, as someone who furthered the American cause (as defined by securing resources, ensuring that the motherland is secure for a while to come etc.), George Bush was a gift to the US. He did what no President anywhere has done to maintain the living standards of his people. By some definitions, this might be what a statesman is. Who knows? Anyway, it was a lie in the beginning and trying to make sense of it now is much of a muchness. It doesn't matter anymore, is what they want you to think. And they've succeeded; the war is over.
Posted in: Al-Maliki assures Tehran that U.S.-Iraq security pact will not harm Iran
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Maruku
Well ... congrats to the US! By hook or by crook, you got what you came for. Military presence next to Iran (like old friends getting together!), a bit of oil, the Iraqis pay the bill from here on in as they do in Germany.
Here's to 100 years in Iraq! Well done boys. Finally, got them WMDs in Iraq and the lefties can stop raving about wtf they were.
Nice job.
Posted in: Al-Maliki assures Tehran that U.S.-Iraq security pact will not harm Iran
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Maruku
Jambon, you obviously know nothing about Kibbutzm whatsoever. It's a an agricultural/service cooperative, not the Appalachians in the states or Waco (and no one really knows the story about the latter). Betzee, your posts are sound, but as for gay marriage posing a threat to society in terms of what is passed on to children etc., Respect, but I beg to differ. Aside from what the cons would have us believe, gays don't live as straights first, have kids, and only then decide to enter into same-sex unions and then confuse their kids.
Sure it's probably happened, but that's because of the taboo (the religious-political taboo) that prevented them from entering same-sex unions in the first place. Folks usually know pretty early on whether they are straight or not. It's usually not an epiphany that hits them when their kids are formative. My views, Darwinian in this case, is that the majority of same-unions would result in no kids, hence no perpetuation the morals you perceive as being intrinsically negative to society. It's ends with the couple being happy. If they wanted to adopt kids ... then I see where you're coming from.
Society in general is not affected by this law. Gay society is only one that is affected here. It's basically an acknowledgment of a people's right to freedom of association acknowledged as such by the state (and it already is in other ways). It's progressive (see the right bristle at the "P"-word) and the legislators should be commended for forward thinking in the land that we all grew up thinking as the land of the free.
The real issue here, and I'm surprised it hasn't come up, is that same-sex unions don't produce kids. No kids = no taxpayer-of-tomorrow. All governments want the taxpayer-of-tomorrow because someone has to pay the bill. Gay people are probably not concerned about the taxpayer-of-tomorrow and that doesn't sit well with any government, particularly one based on a veneer of Christian values. ergo: no deal.
Posted in: California's top court legalizes gay marriage
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Maruku
This is up there with giving people of color the right to vote in America. I'd like to think the "righties" have no regrets about the times when a couple of judges ruled in favor of a (non)contentious issue in the States. But some folks here seem to think differently.
Posted in: California's top court legalizes gay marriage
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Maruku
And this guy is running for President? He has supporters? What does "won" actually mean? In five years radical islam will be dead ...? Sure, and I suppose David Copperfield will be next VP.
He should have had the nads to stick with his 100-years in Iraq approach. It was way more realistic. Truth is of course, that he knows it's going to be 100 years, it's just that 5 sounds better. Makes him more of a "realist".
Posted in: McCain says Iraq war can be won by 2013
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Maruku
VOR: You're absolutely right and I stand corrected. The unavailability of Japanese beef Stateside is obviously because US farmers are way more competitive in the local market (which is what I said in my first post). My second post was merely to illustrate that there is a possibility that the US beef market is also protected (subsidies etc.) and therefore that it's not a uniquely Japanese thing.
Possum bro, you might remember recalls by Mitsubishi Pajero near the end of the massive "don't drive Japanese" drive Stateside a couple of years back.
Why did they recall? Because the cars were unsafe. But recall they did. US beef should do the same - recall beef that is dangerous and take the hit. Improve the product, and come back with a refined product that meets the buyer's standards instead of trying to force feed a client that has other options.
Posted in: More bull over U.S. beef
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Maruku
Punched in the face, plasters for a bloody nose from an old geezer ... We're missing something here. This is not the full story. Was Ron wasted? Was Ron pushing back? Did Ron stay in aforesaid position when he could have moved (e.g. when the doors opened at the next stop and theres a bit of slack)? Did Ron use offensive language? Was the guy even Japanese?
Ron, next time, walk away (and walk tall) or act early - say "gomen nasai" loudly and clearly so that the 'offender' sees that other people know about the situation and that it's not your fault. It's unlikely he'll want to look like a jerk in front of others because you've just embarrassed him. Or go for the double and do both.
Posted in: A punching bag on the Odakyu line
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Maruku
To clarify, VOR, when I said:
I'm talking about protectionism Stateside.
Posted in: More bull over U.S. beef
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Maruku
VOR ... good response and I do understand your reasoning - it's sound. You acknowledge the people dropped the ball Stateside and your issue is one of protectionism by the Japanese. Bro, protectionism is as old as the hills and is as entrenched in the US agri-business sector Stateside as it is here - think farming subsidies in the US. This is not something that is endemic to Japan. Sarge (who I often disagree with) is right. Japanese people Stateside eat US beef. So did Abe when he visited George. Thing is, Japanese beef is not on the menu Stateside because ...well, why should it be? There are a lot of cows that side.
But the fact is it doesn't whether the herds are sub 20-months in the States, or the Japanese farmers in Kobe or Hokkaido are well organised, or whatever, the fact is the States has repeatedly shipped flesh that is risky to Japan. They know Japan is sensitive, but they still ship it. So I need to ask you, who is being stupid and irresponsible here?
You as well as any other person here knows that this is business. You can mess with a client once (maybe) but you can't do it twice and claim to be the victim of protectionist policy when they go to someone who doesn't mess them around (Aus).
Posted in: More bull over U.S. beef
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Maruku
To the folks here wanting US beef in Japan (VOR, Western, Possum and Co.). Instead of preaching here to the converted, how about lobbying Stateside for better meat processing standards so that you can get your beef and eat it?
Your people gotta stop dropping the ball. Good luck and tell us when you have it sorted out.
Posted in: More bull over U.S. beef
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Maruku
To think that the Japanese can simply "quit buying it" is naive. The political pressure exerted by the American side [for the Japanese to resume imports] is massive ... to the tune of several million dollars massive. The beef lobby Stateside is huge! It's more like the Japanese are put in position of 'buy it or else'. Given the importance of exports to Japan it's very easy for the US to tighten the screws i.e. impose trade tariffs on Japanese goods.
But that's beside the point. These laws prevent people from getting ill. I don't want to do the St. Vitus dance and die a slobbering mess just because I ate a burger - call me fussy. I want to eat healthy meat - how can that possibly be a bad thing?
The shocking part of this story is that maybe only 1% is checked and how much has gotten through unnoticed. It's totally irresponsible and the US needs to clean up its act.
Posted in: More bull over U.S. beef
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Maruku
Scuffle ... pelted with metal bars, attempts at immolation ... ah ha. So that's a scuffle.
Posted in: S Korean leg of torch relay marked by scuffles, protests
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Maruku
This is funny ... as is the rest of this campaign. I wonder how much the CC paid ABC for the prompt? What a farce! By the time the US scrambled their boys from Dubai or wherever, Israeli nukes would be well on their way to making sure it was Iran that was wiped off the map. Only then would Hillary's phone ring and she could play out her phantasy.
Posted in: Clinton threatens to 'obliterate' Iran if Israel attacked
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Maruku
Sorry folks. You all deserve the look.
This bashing session reminds me of the volume of Gary Larson toons that never got published because the "literati" weighed in (as above) ... one was a pic of a dad mosquito coming home and, while hanging up his jacket, said something about not finding anyone to bite that day at work to mom mosquito. The critics weighed in and said that male mosquitos don't bite (only females bite) and that the piece was therefore inaccurate, hollow etc. His response that mosquitos don't talk or wear jackets either, but none of the literary wizards picked that up.
Posted in: Japan’s best-known novelist fails to deliver—again
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Maruku
Sarge, that would be true if the light still shone. Let's be honest, after this administration, it doesn't really matter who gets in - the only way is up.
For now the Reps can kick back and watch the Dems rip each other apart, but the choice of VP will probably make or break the Rep ticket. So the question may not be how able McCain is now, it's more like who would lead the US if something had to happen to the wizened President.
Can the US really afford that risk now? After Cheyney did what he did as VP/P? Nancy did a good job covering Ronnie ... maybe we need to looking at Mrs. McCain?
Skipthesong is right ... um, correct ... you might want to start thinking about change. It's scary, but if you want your respect back, you might have to shake Washington up a little.
Posted in: McCain says rivals' call for Iraq troop withdrawal a 'failure of leadership'