JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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Why do Japanese change their attitude when they communicate with foreigners?
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Confrontation
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U.S. Navy investigating how parts fell off aircraft near Atsugi
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4
California court to decide if SeaWorld whales are illegal 'slaves'
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5
Kuroki reported pregnant 2 weeks after denying relationship with Akanishi
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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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SimondB
Uhmmm, Shining Beacon on the Hill? Humanities last chance? Yearly round up of Human rights abuses around the world?
So what are you saying? They are lesser lifes that torture human beinings so we should we not? How about saying torture in any form is unacceptable to civilised communitties and our country will never torture humans....and now we ask, nay demand that you follow our lead? Because rightly or wrongly many in the world do follow your lead, so lead. It is a shame and a smear on your country when the VP of the last 8 years says that torture is OK. A shame and smear on your once great country.
Posted in: Cheney: CIA did nothing illegal in interrogations
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SimondB
Several points:
On the economic disaster the us now faces Cheney, in defending Bush says...."“I don’t think anybody saw it coming,”
Wrong. Many wiser minds then Bush (and I mean MANY) warned of major, major economic tsunamis on the way. Bush normally responded with dribble about the worlds strongest economy and threw platitudes about the american people and his faith in them (to correct his cock ups).
I also believe the phrase “I don’t think anybody saw it coming,”was used about a certain incident in 2001 which was well warned in advance - FBI reporting on Arabs only wanting to learn to fly, not take off or land, alarming warnings that AQ intended to attack within the us - but of course, despite having the worlds biggest inteligence agencey....“I don’t think anybody saw it coming (because most of the neo-cons were/are blind and deaf to anything they don't want to see or hear).
On torture, which now seems to be accepted as OK in the us....“I don’t have any reason to believe that anybody in the agency did anything illegal,” he said.
Of course not Dicky.... now what was the name of that mate of yours who got convicted. OK split hairs, he was not CIA. All he did was out a CIA agent whose huisband pointed out that you and bush were lying. Fair enough.
But this waterboarding thing, or a little dunk in the water as you would have it, how is it that the rest of the civilissed world sees it as torture and you dont? Don't tell me....“I don’t have any reason to believe that anybody in the agency did anything illegal,”
The vice president often laughs off talk that he played his role as second-in-command to Bush like a wizard, controlling the levers of the presidency from behind the scenes.
Of course. Bush was the strong decisive leader of america who decided that to hell with Cheney, I am not leaving until the end of My little Goat - it's an exciting story I'm sure you will agree.
Goodby Dick Varder. May you get your just deserts in the next world where you no doubt will be begging to be waterboarded because it is just too hot where you are. And you can say to your eternal host: I never saw this coming, nobody did.
Posted in: Cheney: CIA did nothing illegal in interrogations
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SimondB
I do not come from a background that is anti - Israel. But I cannot in any way or manner find it in my heart to support these killers in any way. take this:
Forgot to mention they bombed city centeres when people were shopping and children were leaving schools. Imagine that in your local when out buying a paper.
Moderator: Please do not post inflammatory comments.
Posted in: Israeli troops mobilize as Gaza assault widens
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SimondB
I won't use it. It would just go straight to my head.
Posted in: Beer shampoo
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SimondB
If he had oil he would be long gone.
Posted in: Tutu urges international community to threaten Mugabe with force
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SimondB
Banks to American bailout taxpayers: Thanks Suckers! Business as usual. See you next time!
Posted in: Where'd the U.S. bank bailout money go? Shhhh, it's a secret
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SimondB
this man is what America needs. He is saying let's not bomb, let's not invade.....let's talk. And wake up people to the fact that invading a country and turning them into your image is so 1800's. Those days are gone forever. A new approach is needed, new ideas, new ways of thinking.
Obama will in history be seen as the man that balanced Americas role in the world. The power to kill more of you then us worked OK in WW2 if you accept tens of millions dying was OK - but the world has moved on. GWB was the tail end of those who believed in invadw and conquer. We have moved into a new phase.
Posted in: Obama hopes to reboot U.S. image among Muslims
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SimondB
One thing people should be clear about is that the job has become redundant, or is no longer there. The person who has lost his job is not redundant as such, simply his job no longer exists. For an older person redundancy can be the first step to redefining their life and planning, with a good payout, their twilight years.
For younger or lower paid workers redundancy offers immediate cash but can in the medium term lead to major problems, particulary in a depressed labour market or when the redundant employee has little in the way off skills to offer new employers. A factory worker living on a week to week finacial existence may after ten years in the job be invited to apply for voluntary redundancy. The carrot is a lump sum beyond anything he could dream of saving in the forseeable future. Lets say in dollar terms he could walk away with $10,000. Now the plasma TV, car repairs, the holiday are all possible. And he piles into it. The 10K becomes 5K but still more than he has ever had. New clothes for the kids, new stereo....no problem. Then the 5K becomes 2K. Still a lot of money by his standards. But although he and his family survived before on week to week wages now he is looking at a months wages up his sleeve. Starts looking for a job and finds all those other people who took redundancy with him are also looking for jobs. Welfare wont help him because three monthd ago he had 10K. Becomes desperate to get any job. Ends up flipping burgers, pumping gas or cleaning toilets on minimum wage. Now worse off then he and his family were three months ago.
Was it worth it? At the right time in your life a redundancy package can be a good thing. But I have in my line of work seen many people like the one I describe above take the money and run. And then begin to stumble. And then fall over completely and pull all around them - those nearest and dearest - down with them.
Posted in: Is taking redundancy a good idea?
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SimondB
Am I alone in being singualry removed from all interest in a ping-pong player? Should I care if she, not much removed from the mere stroppy child she was is now entering into adult relationships? Should I worry about wheteher or not her emergining sexuality will affect her ability to hit a streessed plastic ball? Can I be forgiven for not giving a back hand return? It is FKG PING PONG!
Posted in: Tabloids focus on Ai-chan's love life
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SimondB
They were both alive last night but a storm blew away their tent. They got seperated and only one survived
Posted in: 1 Japanese climber rescued from NZ mountain; 2nd one dies
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SimondB
Bush is finaly right - history WILL judge him. No surprises coming.
Posted in: Bush uses final 50 days in office to tout legacy
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SimondB
This story is so true. A year ago I left an international organisation I was working for. We had our own "Aids" unit in our group. They spent their time flying around the world holding meetings in 5 star hotels, filling up screens of butchers paper about what they were going to do in the next twelve months. No follow up, no auditing. Throw in an occasional symbolic AIDS victim with a story to tell and Bob's your Uncle.
This has become an international bussiness. Fly the world and tell people to use condoms. Do an occasional ineffective survey and start planning your trips for next year. Take the high moral ground if any one questions what difference you might be making. Cry a little bit for the cameras about the suffering you have seen and then fly back to Chelsea, Fulham and SW2, claim all your per diems, overnight allowances then spend 150 quid a person at a dinner where you can say "Darling, you have no idea what we have to do"....and most of us don't because the change they make is so insignifigant.
It is a FKG scam and I have seen it first hand. In some ways this is like feminism in the late eighties early ninties...............it has been captured by white, middle to upper class women. It is a gravy train and it needs to be derailed.
Posted in: Global AIDS crisis overblown? Some dare to say so
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SimondB
This has to have been the best day in American politics for what? Eight years?
Oh, and sarge, "When my taxes go up, I'm going to charge the difference to all the Obama supporters here."
Just how much do you earn on that paper round? I'm sure Obama can get by without your contribution.
Posted in: Obama sweeps to victory, says change has come to America
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SimondB
Love this bit:
McCain’s running mate, Alaska Gov Sarah Palin, also referred to Biden’s comments and said Tuesday that Obama’s own foreign policy proposals would spark the crises that would test him as president.
And of course, should a president mcain leave this mortal coil palin would be well equpped to handle any problem the world could throw at her.
Right.
Posted in: McCain questions Obama's readiness in a crisis
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SimondB
“I spent the stolen money on pachinko, horse-racing and sex,” investigators quoted him as saying, "add the rest I just squandered" he added.
Apologies to GB
Posted in: Saitama man indicted over 1,000 purse-snatching cases, netting him Y80 mil
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SimondB
Perhaps i haven't been paying close attention but did not some former "defence" secretary talk about the dead enders, no-hopers and the remmanents of Saddamists? Some years ago perhaps? So now we are at the same point? But this time it is the AQ imploding? How I miss the days of Mission Accomplished. The smirks, the downturn in sales of duct tape and plastic, the clour coded alerts. Somehow the "imploding" of AQ does not bouy me up so much. Maybe this time they are calling it right because come on, how many times can you get it so wrong? Did I mention Afghanistan? Freedom for all women there and lots and lots of schools open for girls. Big success story ther. Or so I'm told.
Posted in: U.S. officials say Al-Qaida 'imploding,' unpopular
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SimondB
I recently left Japan after nine years. And as one earlier poster said - you turn it on and it is there. Worked just fine and then a bit better for me (apart from the time the provider called me up and told me to stop using e-mule from whence I was getting an endless stream of movies).
Now living in NZ and the internet here is slower then a hung over Monday. And you have to pay more for how much you download. Plans have been announced for big improvements but hey, Japan rocks with broadband.
Posted in: For quality broadband, it's Japan by a mile
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SimondB
I can't help but ask of those people who are now claiming that she is the obvious choice, wonderfully experienced etc - if someone had mentioned her name to you last week would you have known who they were talking about?
No, I thought not. And talk about grasping at straws! She lives in the state closest to Russia and therefore.............OK, I may not be pretty but do I really look that stupid. She became VP pick by being the ninth lucky caller on a radio show.
And here is an interesting thing going about: She did not announce her pregnancy until she was 7 months gone. All pics to that date show no sign of being with child. Some are speculating that the real mpother may be her 17 old daughter.
Sorry, I;m dropping to Karls level.
Posted in: McCain defends VP pick
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SimondB
I've said it before and I will say it again. Just give Iran two nukes primed and ready to go - one aimed at Washington and the other at Jerusalem. Talk of more wars and pre-emptive strikes will cease immediatly and "diplomacy" will flourish. Worked just dandy with USA - USSR under the MAD policy. Iran, like Iraq, has/had no plans to attack anyone. Stop the hype. Remember how scared americans were about Iraq? The plastic sheeting and duct tape? Made fools of themselves. Could they be so stupid to buy this again? Obama, get elected and go and talk with them. Sometimes, as in my job, you have to break bread with the devil to achieve your aims. This 'I'm not talking to him until he does XYZ' is schoolgirl or school boy bully language. Now we may have grown to expect this from schoolboy Bush but can it be too much to expect the next President to be a bit above this? I mean, it is not a high bar.
What would americans prefer? A third war in the ME or diplomacy and , God forbid, workable relationships?
Posted in: McCain, Obama both say Iran is other's weakness
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SimondB
Sarge - We haven't buried Iraq, we've liberated it from an evil dictator. Do you deny this?
He-he-he!
And replaced it with a thriving community off like minded people. Where markets are booming, new buildings dot the skyline. Where a vibrant democracy exists, a land where everyone, from the toilet cleaner to the top arms dealer embrace the wonder and glory of democratic procedures. A country at peace withitself, a place where anyone can practise their religious beliefs. Where family mean every thing and Sunnis and Shiites lay together like the tiger and the lamb. A place where it is now banned to name any streets, avenues, bridges, airports or monuments after G W Bush because there are so many people are always turning up at the wrong place at the right time.
Posted in: McCain lashes out at '100 years' in Iraq ads