Tuesday February 14, 2012

JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

WilliB's past comments

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WilliBJan. 25, 2012 - 03:49PM JST

Unless everybody drives these things, they are death traps.

Posted in: Fold-up car of the future unveiled in Europe
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WilliBJan. 25, 2012 - 03:45PM JST

Wanda-kun:

" Has anyone been anywhere on the Japan Sea side in a town with "road sprinklers"? "

I have seen them in plenty of towns. The system makes sense, if you have an unlimited supply of hot water. Otherwise, it is stupid.

Most bizarrely, I have seen these sprinkler systems used on parking areas off the highway... the same place where the cops direct you to stop and put on chains. A proverbial pain in the behind... apparently they want everybody to drive on with wet pants.

Posted in: 53 injured in snow-related accidents in Tokyo region
2

WilliBJan. 25, 2012 - 12:59PM JST

" One of the boys was quoted as saying that it was fun to hit old men. "

Reading this makes think it might be fun to hit young punks. I hope they are on the receiving end of some ojisan tough love.

Posted in: 4 high school students held over attacks on homeless men in Tokyo park
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WilliBJan. 25, 2012 - 01:35AM JST

I still think anyone who swims the moat naked in January at 4:30 in the morning deserves an audience. I hope they pass a law on that.

Posted in: Man in underwear swims palace moat 'to meet emperor'
3

WilliBJan. 24, 2012 - 10:37PM JST

Breastfeeding while driving? Kids in trunk? Sounds like a nation of nutcases!

Posted in: NZ police alarmed at breastfeeding motorists
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WilliBJan. 24, 2012 - 05:36PM JST

Cleo:

" Add a couple of extra tins/dried food/retort meals etc to the weekly shopping each week, and it's easy to build up a substantial emergency supply. Keep it next to your emergency supply of water, medical supplies, loo rolls, tissues (dry & wet), torches, batteries and anything else your family needs - baby food, dried milk, disposable nappies etc., if you have little ones, pet food if you have critters. Also clean undies and sanitary items. "

Also, interestingly, a stack of big plastic gomi bags because all of your used supplies (including the yucky ones) have to go somewhere and garbage pickup won´t be there for a while (and neither, with some bad luck) will be running water.

Posted in: Big quake could hit Tokyo within 4 years, researchers warn
4

WilliBJan. 24, 2012 - 03:08PM JST

nsg79:

" can someone please explain why people thinking putting cold water onto already wet snow/ice is a good one? i have lived here for 20 years and it happens every time it snows and still have not been able to figure it out... "

Cracks me up, too. I think it is something the Tokyoites see in places like Niigata and then imitate it. Of course, up there, the hot water sprinkler are connected to a steady supply of hot onsen water, so that actually works to keep the roads snow free. Using a garden hose in Tokyo only creates an ice rink.... but try to explain that to them.

Posted in: 53 injured in snow-related accidents in Tokyo region
5

WilliBJan. 24, 2012 - 03:03PM JST

Snow in Tokyo is always hilarious. People are so ignorant... like living in a Buster Keaton movie.

Posted in: 53 injured in snow-related accidents in Tokyo region
0

WilliBJan. 24, 2012 - 02:56PM JST

Tmarie:

" Has Japan learned from 3/11 on how to deal with quakes? "

Japan did not need 3/11 to "learn" about quakes. As you might have noticed, most buildings did just fine on 3/11; it was the tsunami that caused the damage.

I don´t know if you have been here that long, but if you remember the Kobe quake you will also remember the massive re-enforcement of infrastructure buildings in Tokyo that was initiated after that. I expect the damage in Tokyo to be considerable less than in Kobe.

Posted in: Big quake could hit Tokyo within 4 years, researchers warn
9

WilliBJan. 24, 2012 - 08:18AM JST

He is 34 and living off HER pension?? What a scumbag.

Posted in: Man held for attempted murder after stabbing mother in back
-5

WilliBJan. 24, 2012 - 08:14AM JST

I don´t know how they come up with these figures and neither, I suspect, do they.

Posted in: Big quake could hit Tokyo within 4 years, researchers warn
1

WilliBJan. 23, 2012 - 06:13PM JST

On the 2-channel side, people are saying that punks picked fights with Japanese people that night too, so that would put a dent in the "racism" narrative that some are spinning here.

I have zero sympathy for violent punks like this and hope they get punished to the full extent of the law and then some. But I think the knee-jerk reaktion of screaming racism immediately is both premature and unfair.

Article Unavailable
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WilliBJan. 23, 2012 - 04:52PM JST

wichita:

" right wingers...they always xenophobic.. "

All that the article says about the perps is that one was a "tatoo artist". There no indication about their political orientation, and for all we know they could have been extreme leftists.

In the event, I doubt any of these punks would care about politics one way or the other.

Article Unavailable
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WilliBJan. 23, 2012 - 03:46PM JST

AmericanForeigner:

" I don't get the comment about "elite" foreigners. "

High-income foreigners.

" Aren't all foreigners by definition "elite" in Japan? "

No.

Posted in: Prolonged labor pangs preceding new station on Tokyo's Yamanote line
-12

WilliBJan. 23, 2012 - 03:42PM JST

Doesn´t sound like Japan. I hope we find out the background for this.

Article Unavailable
2

WilliBJan. 23, 2012 - 10:13AM JST

That excuse sounds like "the dog ate my homework". I suppose he was dripping wet then?

Posted in: Cruise ship's death toll rises to 13; captain says he 'fell off' ship
1

WilliBJan. 23, 2012 - 09:46AM JST

KuYani:

" What a collective body of people chose to think is real, it is real for them. "

Exactly. Just look at the Blood Type doctrine as a religious belief and apply some religious tolerance. It certainly both a) makes more sense and b) is less dangerous than some religions out there, which we are always asked to "respect".

Posted in: The importance of blood type in Japanese culture
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WilliBJan. 22, 2012 - 09:55PM JST

I think it is a pipedream, but it would be great if I was wrong.

Posted in: Scientists report breakthrough in seaweed biofuel
1

WilliBJan. 22, 2012 - 09:50PM JST

Its stories like this that make my day.

Posted in: Man in underwear swims palace moat 'to meet emperor'
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WilliBJan. 21, 2012 - 02:32PM JST

Another day, another criminal cop story.

Posted in: Osaka assistant police inspector accused of falsifying evidence