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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Shaolin7
Whatever the case may be, tmarie, there is still no justification for projecting his anger onto innocent people.
Posted in: Woman, daughter attacked by man with scissors on Aichi street
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Shaolin7
Amen, Serrano. It's not only older people who are outside sketching, though they seem to have more free time naturally -- I've plenty of younger illustrator and designer friends who have their sketchbooks wherever they go, ready at hand. Maybe one of us has even sketched some of you, unbeknowst to either party!
Posted in: Sketches
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Shaolin7
I am still somewhat surprised at certain reactions; it amazes me a bit to offer my seat, only to have the kind elderly Japanese refuse...even after some gentle insistence on my part! Some even try to guide me back to the spot and have me sit down. One miserable, soggy night at a cramped stall in Kichijoji station, I was reaching for an umbrella to buy, only to have an OL type reach in after for the same one...I let her take it. I picked up a drink and a snack as well, and as I was lining up I found myself again face to face with this same girl...so I gestured and nodded my head, and she went ahead. Much to my surprise however, after paying she turned and smiled, and bowed. I am sure doing simple things like this aren't always lost on people, no matter how cynical we all get. It feels nice passing up a seat so an old man may sit down and relax, or holding a door open for a tired mom and child.
I realize it's a bit selfish and indulgent, but it still feels good.
Posted in: Do you think that a man giving up his seat on a bus or train to a woman, holding a door open for her or holding her chair as she sits down are outmoded?
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Shaolin7
Let me assume your loved ones are safe, your career is intact and you have your home to return to at night. How can you say you are 'suffering'? People have lost more than homes, you do realize that. Parents, children, siblings, husbands and wives...let alone jobs / livelihood. No one said you aren't affected -- but could you honestly brook this argument to someone who has lost so much more than you, and not feel like a fool? Is the mental anguish of your tortured existence so terrible to bear?
We hold very, very different perspectives on burden in life.
Posted in: Thousands rally for Fukushima compensation, decontamination
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Shaolin7
To equate the 'infringements' to your life in Tokyo proper with what many people in Tohoku have had to lose and endure is completely insulting to them. Please stop with your reactionary, over the top commentary, really. Unbelievable.
Zichi, it will indeed be incredibly difficult to return to that point. The complexities of deciding compensation packages along with pushing forward the rebuild are not tasks this government appear up for -- as with most things government-related, anger at the slow moving, corrupt bureaucratic process is boiling over. May all the useless politicians reap what they sow.
Posted in: Thousands rally for Fukushima compensation, decontamination
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Shaolin7
As Japan strives to recover the lost tourist $$, there are still many, many people in Tohoku struggling to carry on with life. While I understand the intentions of the government and sympathize, I reserve my greatest empathy for those in the northeast, who carry on quietly under tremendous burdens. This is not, unfortunately, a smart way of utilizing the tax dollars of the public -- no matter how much good will it may generate.
Perhaps when people arrive on their own, they can be offered subsidized tours and multilingual guides, packages to see and experience the best of the culture, but the financial outlay in offering return airfare for 10000 people is just too high -- particularly in light of the struggles of everyday citizens affected by the March disaster, or those afflicted by the poor economic climate. Maybe they're hoping to offer the bulk of these packages to their Asian neighbours, which would be cheaper than flying them over in droves from farther locales? There must be a better way to use this money...
Posted in: Japan to offer 10,000 free trips to foreigners to boost tourism industry
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Shaolin7
I'm with the two posters above, zichi and It''s ME, and echo the sentiments of tkoind2. I suppose I can see the convenience, but again...what is so important that I need to be 'on call' or have a constant stream of updates on what other people are doing, seeing, eating, etc....? It's a rather sad indictment on the state of our lives, and society currently.
Posted in: We're living in the age of being connected or reachable 24 hours a day by one device or another. Is this a good thing?
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Shaolin7
Kind of refreshing to see the girls comment for once, or at least have something to comment on, rather than the usual pandering you see from the males here on the Japanese female models / idols / talento -- and I say that as a guy! Congratulations Murofushi-san!
Posted in: Hammer lock
2
Shaolin7
Another sad and quiet tragedy unfolds. I'm glad to see some compassion being expressed; who knows what unspoken burdens people carry around. I like Cleo's comment about those contemplating suicide, taking time to get their affairs in order and as a ancillary benefit, truly sitting down to evaluate and think. A very great part of the problem though, is that people simply withdraw, something very easy to do in society nowadays. You can reach out and feel 'connected' to the world and to people via the myriad social streams available, but that doesn't feel to me like real engagement. A smile or even some expressed concern, verbal or not, can go a long ways to helping ease someone's state of mind and break down barriers; at the very least, it will provide a brief reprieve for a troubled soul. I hope people here look around with a bit more empathy; remember your own humanity, and reach out.
I am so sorry for this poor soul and the people affected, particularly the poor driver who had to witness this.
Posted in: Woman jumps in front of express train; body propelled into station
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Shaolin7
Amen, and I am glad this is coming from someone who worked inside an NGO and obviously has some idea of the structure and distribution channels. This money could be going directly to building new homes for the people in Tohoku, help them reclaim, salvage and rebuild some part of their lives when they have lost so very much. Get on it, you bloody self-serving bureaucrats and NGO hypocrites...
Posted in: It's critical that the distribution process on the part of the Red Cross and local governments be not only speedy, but also transparent.
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Shaolin7
Anyways, while I can't say I have seen anyone openly reading the kind of manga this ordinance purports to ban, I remain leery about heavy handed government involvement in certain aspects; it's a pretty complex issue on the whole, that touches on problems larger than what it seems on the surface -- privacy, enforcement, freedom of expression etc. Agreed that the content of some manga are blatant in their appeal to the lowest common denominator though; puerile at the very least and far beyond disgusting in extreme cases.
Posted in: Ishihara adamant on manga censorship ordinance
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Shaolin7
I still am stunned by that 30000~ of deaths, so many lives gone...I realize it's not the focus of the article but to me it remains a very sad and humbling note. Certainly an interesting study, and we can only hope contingencies will be made and planned for any future catastrophies (not really holding my breath on that one though).
Posted in: March 11 quake freed hundreds of years of strain
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Shaolin7
It is extremely ironic to see some people here talking disparagingly about this, when they leave crude commentary on other articles with pictures (or sometimes, with no pictures...which they complain about...), mostly of young women. Amazing to behold the hypocrisy, really.
This happens to some extent all over the world, in every segment of society. Yes, in Asian countries it seems far more magnified, but don't tell me it doesn't happen in your own home countries either. I don't agree with it, but that's life.
Posted in: Are people hired based on their looks?
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Shaolin7
If you already participate in activity like this, then it's not too far a leap in logic to assume there's greater potential for it to happen in real life. I'm with the 'prudes' on this one -- if you love her, why would you ever engage in this stuff and hurt her so? Naturally that goes for the girls doing this to the guys as well. How would it feel if your partner did this to you?
The important question is why are people even together then, if they simply want to play around. Why waste one another's time? It is hard enough trying to find kind, honest, decent people to date. If you want to play the field, play the field. A committment is exactly that.
Posted in: Is Internet sex cheating?
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Shaolin7
I'm not normally one to comment like this, but what a classy, elegant look on a beautiful woman. Watanabe-san looks handsome as well, for the girls. These "best ...ist" awards are rather silly but these two look great.
Posted in: Cotton club
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Shaolin7
I just don't understand how you can stand there and not do something, even if it's 'troublesome' or lands you in some hot water. Sometimes you need to do the right thing, regardless of outcome. What is the matter with some of you? It's not about trying to be a hero -- it is simply doing the right thing, out of a sense of duty to your own intrinsic values. Again, I need to ask -- if this was your friend, your sister, your wife, your daughter...how are you going to justify simply standing by and not speaking up or calling attention to such despicable actions, at the very least? How would it feel to know that not one soul, male or female, helped them stand up to a lowlife like this?
That being said, women in such situations need to stand up for themselves. Your terrified silence implies complicity, at least to the convoluted perceptions of guys like this. Do not let yourself be a victim.
Posted in: Chiba cop arrested for allegedly groping woman on train
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Shaolin7
What a sad state of affairs to see fellow humans in clear need, and then having self-righteous middle class twits "tut-tut" them from the comfort of their ivory towers. Thank you for the lovely and well articulated post Multipath, I admire your heart and spirit of compassion very much.
Posted in: Taking it easy
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Shaolin7
If you can sk4ek, try reducing your caloric intake (if you're able to measure it reasonably accurately) and portion size. It's good that you've switched off from a carb-loaded breakfast as well, try to implement that throughout your entire diet. It might be quite an adjustment initially but once you get used to smaller portions and lowered calorie counts, you will notice yourself dropping pounds. Couple that with an exercise regimen of some sort, and be sure to stick with it! Good luck mate.
Posted in: Slimmed-down comic sings praises of tofu & natto based diet
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Shaolin7
I have to agree with other posters here, it is a sad spectacle to see children being paraded around as part of some agenda, whatever agenda it happens to be.
Posted in: Anti-China protest
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Shaolin7
This is why you should pursue the things in your heart. If you're going to be relegated to the ranks of the working poor, or just making ends meet anyways, regardless of the job, then why not work at something you have great interest, desire, and aptitude in? The problem seems to be that very few people actually know what they really want out of a career, once you get beyond the superficialities of money making and security / stability. Honestly, how many people get genuine satisfaction from their jobs, that isn't tied to money or power? How many would do the same job for free or for a much lower wage?
I don't think it's a bad thing, necessarily, that the younger Japanese are taking a different view than their predecessors -- that being said, you need innovators and risk takers to push the boundaries outwards in all aspects, or society will not grow.
Posted in: Japan's young generation pursues stability over promotion