Patto said...

Patto at 04:17 PM JST - 5th November

Some people will complain wherever they go. I love Japan! I also see Japan is successfully attracting Chinese visitors to places such as Mount Fuji, and providing them a good time at reasonable costs for groups. To attract more individual tourists, it might be good to hire a few foreigners…

Posted in What does Japan need to do in order to attract more tourists? at 04:17 PM JST - 5th November
Patto at 12:59 PM JST - 3rd November

It sounds like he stalled on take off and rolled/yawed sideways. Towing adds different pressures on the craft than normal flight and the moment of take off is critical. A gust could have set him up for disaster. Fortunately, this is rare. My condolences to his family.

Posted in Pilot dies after ultralight plane crashes into river at 12:59 PM JST - 3rd November
Patto at 12:30 PM JST - 24th October

I always went hang gliding. Spent the rest of the time crying my eyes out, but up in the sky I was focused on an invisible three-dimensional world of updrafts and downdrafts, with an alert eye to possible landing fields. Some people can let go just like that, but others,…

Posted in What is the best way to deal with unrequited love? at 12:30 PM JST - 24th October
Patto at 08:49 PM JST - 23rd October

A teacher who encourages students to excel in their own unique ways comes under attack in Japan as unfair by incompetent students who are accustomed to being spoon-fed equal doses of learning, repeated as necessary until the lowest common denominator gets it. Some teachers go ahead anyway and take criticism…

Posted in Leaders should train students who have the potential to outshine them, but Japanese leaders tend to reject such students. at 08:49 PM JST - 23rd October
Patto at 10:26 AM JST - 18th October

Oh good! I can defend myself if they try to taser me!

Posted in In many U.S. airports, guns are OK outside security at 10:26 AM JST - 18th October
Patto at 11:15 AM JST - 17th October

My husband and I live in Japan and never eat whale or dolphin, but our hair tested with high levels of mercury. As gaijintraveller noted, generally big fish and older fish have a higher mercury content, so to minimize exposure, I choose small fish. However, depending on location, even small…

Posted in High levels of mercury found in hair of people eating whales: study at 11:15 AM JST - 17th October
Patto at 07:02 PM JST - 29th September

The Japanese varieties of giant pumpkins taste downright bad, but I'm growing some foreign varieties that taste good, though they don't get quite as big as Mr. Nagatani's. He deserves that award.

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Patto at 05:41 PM JST - 19th September

I wonder how Japan really stands in terms of sex crimes. What laws apply to pedophilia in particular? My experience in Japan is a lot of sex crimes of a minor nature occur. Am I wrong on this? Is the problem hidden? To the degree that a problem exists in…

Posted in Stalking the predators at 05:41 PM JST - 19th September
Patto at 01:14 PM JST - 18th September

"There's always that lone voice supporting anything Japanese, no matter what... It gets so tiresome after a while..." Dear Kissmint, I had an awful time with culture shock too. Just hang in there, and eventually you'll see how the Japanese system works out, even though it is preposterous from the…

Posted in What do you think of suicide as a means to atone for a scandal or wrongdoing? at 01:14 PM JST - 18th September
Patto at 11:16 AM JST - 14th September

I was originally going to propose raising the age to 30, but I see many others have beaten me to the punch. I took a group of Japanese to Lake Baikal in Siberia, and our Russian guide remarked of one 45-year-old lady in our group that she was very nice,…

Posted in 70% oppose lowering Japan's adult age to 18: gov't poll at 11:16 AM JST - 14th September