TravelingSales's past comments

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  TravelingSalesMay. 11, 2013 - 02:06PM JST

  About 2/3 of gun deaths in the US are suicide. For example, in 2010, 31,513 people died from guns - 19,308 suicide, 11,015 homicide, 600 accident. However, the US suicide rate is not materially higher than Western European or Australasian countries and is much less than East Asian countries. Americans, it seems, prefer to shoot themselves rather than jump in front of trains/off buildings, poison themselves, hang themselves, fire up the BBQ in the car, etc.

  So why is that a big problem?

  Posted in: NRA kicks off annual convention, saying it is fighting 'culture war'

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  TravelingSalesApr. 12, 2013 - 12:43PM JST

  Japan needs to get its act together - there are 135 people on death row and executing 3-4 a year is not going to make a dent. They need to get it up to 30 - 40 a year, save time & money and see justice done.

  Posted in: Execution-free world getting closer: Amnesty

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  TravelingSalesApr. 09, 2013 - 05:08PM JST

  The problem with the Japanese Aegis cruisers is they're not allowed to shoot down the missile until they know it's aimed at Japan. It's unconstiutional for them to shoot it if it's aimed at Guam or Seoul.

  Posted in: Japan deploys Patriot missiles in key locations around Tokyo

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  TravelingSalesApr. 07, 2013 - 11:32PM JST

  Even in Korea now the restuarants are going smoke-free. Japan will be left as one foul smelling little pocket among the civilized nations. Do they expect all the tourists who'll come for the rugby World Cup and, hopefully, the Olympics to eat in noxious restaurants and slum in odorous hotels?

  Posted in: Have Japan’s anti-smoking laws gone too far?

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  TravelingSalesApr. 07, 2013 - 11:28PM JST

  Why do Japanese (and Korean) airlines have such primitive and clunky websites? You have to go to do different sites for each part of the world, and for international and domestic, and many functions - like checking the price to fly New York to Sydney via Tokyo - are impossible.

  Most every other airline in the world handles this with one site - even airlines much bigger then JAL or ANA. The North Asians need to get their act together.

  Posted in: JAL renews home page for overseas

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  TravelingSalesMar. 15, 2013 - 02:47PM JST

  And the rest have the courage of their conviction that passing useless and authoritarian legislation just so you can get a couple of soundbites on MSNBC and a pat on the back from the NY Times serves neither their constituents nor our country.

  Posted in: U.S. Senate panel approves assault weapons ban

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  TravelingSalesMar. 06, 2013 - 03:06PM JST

  I wonder if Disney would allow polygamous (or polyandrous) marriages. Like gay marriages, they are illegal here, but legal elsewhere in the world. They may even be legal in the US shortly - there s a case about to be decided in federal court.

  Posted in: First gay wedding held at Tokyo Disney Resort

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  TravelingSalesMar. 06, 2013 - 02:49PM JST

  I wouldn't mind if they were men but I don't approve of girls marrying each other.

  Posted in: First gay wedding held at Tokyo Disney Resort

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  TravelingSalesFeb. 20, 2013 - 09:52AM JST

  Very primitive. Even if you own your home free and clear you can't borrow money against it to start or expand a business. It leaves tens of trillions of yen unnecessarily tied up in home equity instead of contributing to economic growth.

  Posted in: What do you think of the Japanese banking system?

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  TravelingSalesFeb. 19, 2013 - 01:24PM JST

  If this wasn't socialized broadcasting, nobody would care. It would be just another private labor dispute.

  Posted in: Flagship programs cancelled as BBC journalists strike

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  TravelingSalesFeb. 19, 2013 - 01:20PM JST

  Our tax yen at work!

  Posted in: Osaka's great EV taxi experiment does a slow burnout

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  TravelingSalesFeb. 13, 2013 - 01:56PM JST

  I think Russia & North Korea also apply this system.

  Posted in: U.S. tax rules sour life for Americans abroad

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  TravelingSalesFeb. 02, 2013 - 02:47PM JST

  This is a minor inconvenience compared to the huge tax hike coming in 2015. From 40% to 45% at the national level. Disgusting!

  Posted in: 'Abenomics' kicking average wage-earner in teeth

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  TravelingSalesJan. 28, 2013 - 12:02PM JST

  Last time the US started a major pullback from the Western Pacific was 1946 - 50. Anyone happen to remember how peacefully the NKs and Chinese responded?

  Posted in: Okinawans rally in Ginza

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  TravelingSalesJan. 21, 2013 - 05:20PM JST

  I think there is some misunderstanding here when people talk about default. Japan will not default. No country in the history of fiat currencies has ever defaulted on obligations owed on its own fiat currency (excluding governments effectively destroyed in a war). To do so would be insane as it would destroy the financial basis of the economy.

  Japan will pick some or all of the non-default options - inflation, increased income, wealth and/or inheritance tax (already happening, compulsory (legally or socially) savings schemes, asking for public contributions, etc. - to move private assets into government so that every JGB, pensions obligation, Post Office deposit and so on will be fully paid when due.

  Greece is completely different as the Euro is not under control of the Greek government.

  Posted in: Japan is sitting on a debt time bomb and recent moves to push the central bank to target inflation have made it more likely the bomb will explode in the next 24 months.

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  TravelingSalesJan. 21, 2013 - 04:48PM JST

  This is obviously true, but the other issue is that the earlier we set off the bomb, the smaller (relatively) it will be.

  This was going to come to a head anyhow as the current account moves to deficit. If you have a current account deficit you have to have a capital account surplus which means that they would have to try to persuade some foreigners to buy Japanese financial assets, including JGBs. At the moment 97% of those belong to Japanese because everyone else thinks the prices are crazy.

  To defend yourselves, take your money out of cash and into hard assets like real estate or commodities. Borrow as much as you can for as long as you can at a fixed rate. When the government bails itself out through inflation it will do so at the expense of all net yen savers but to the benefit of all those who are in the same position as the government - borrowers.

  Posted in: Japan is sitting on a debt time bomb and recent moves to push the central bank to target inflation have made it more likely the bomb will explode in the next 24 months.

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  TravelingSalesJan. 10, 2013 - 04:14PM JST

  The Russians were in control of the Northern Territories when the Japan-US security treaty was signed & so the Territories are not protected by the Treaty. The Senkakus were handed over by the US to Japan in 1972 and are covered by the treaty.

  Posted in: Abe calls for 'resolute' action against N Korea

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  TravelingSalesJan. 08, 2013 - 11:20PM JST

  This may finally be what Japan needs. Forcing savings out of the Post Office and JGBs into something more productive.

  Posted in: People will look back in a few years and say an economic revival started that day.

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  TravelingSalesDec. 31, 2012 - 08:47AM JST

  Good news. Japanese banks need some upgrading through foreign expertise.

  Posted in: Taiwan's Chinatrust in talks to buy Tokyo Star Bank

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  TravelingSalesDec. 12, 2012 - 10:36AM JST

  Of course. I am an American!

  Posted in: Are you proud of being whatever your nationality is, or don't you think about it one way or another?