JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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- English Instructor (Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe)
- Berlitz Japan, Inc. (ベルリッツ・ジャパン株式会社), Kansai
- Salary: ¥125,000 ~ ¥250,000 / Month
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- FT English Teachers for Kids - Osaka
- Kohgakusha Co., Ltd. （株式会社興学社）, Osaka
- Salary: ¥255,000 ~ ¥275,000 / Month Travel Expenses, Encouragement of Japanese learning*
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- Translator
- ZAIHON, Inc. (日本財務翻訳株式会社), Tokyo
- Salary: ¥6.0M / Year Negotiable
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bobobolinski
As someone who definitely belongs to the "if its shiny and made by Apple I'll buy it" school, I have to admit deep disappointment. I didn't really want a Kindle, already have iPods, and really wanted a better class of netbook with touchscreen, apps, but a much better range of functionality. Maybe when they've wiped out the other ebook readers, we might see a higher end iSlate. But I think Steve believes we should be buying the Air for the serious stuff.
Posted in: Apple's Jobs unveils $499 iPad tablet
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bobobolinski
Stirfry, I think the problem is that being an elected politician is just an incredibly boring job; once the excitement of the election is over, all you look forward to, unless you want to really line your pockets, is people coming to you with problems about garbage, roads, kids schools, etc. (See the downfall of Tommy Carcetti in The Wire, for example.) So, they love these junkets; the twin towns, the "research trips", and if you come from a big enough town, the major sporting events. Travel, excellent cuisine, opportunities for all sorts of extra-curricular activities. If I ever get the vote I'd like to see some in-depth accounts for exactly where the money goes, though.
Posted in: Osim, Troussier to assist Japan in bid for World Cup
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bobobolinski
Any non-European nations bidding for 2018 are wasting their time and their taxpayers money. The 2022 bid, however, is more open, since it cannot go to Europe or South America. This leaves, at the moment, Japan, Korea, Australia, Indonesia, US and Quatar. Australia have a strong hand in not previously having hosted it, and having had a very successful Olympics, but is there really enough popular support there? I wouldn't discount Japan totally for 2022, but they shouldn't waste their time any more with 2018, or with the Olympics, for that matter.
Posted in: Osim, Troussier to assist Japan in bid for World Cup
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bobobolinski
"The level of sophistication demonstrated was not beyond that of a child’s talking toy ...it can already discuss Manchester United ..." Yes, indeed.
Posted in: Sex robot focuses on appealing to the mind
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bobobolinski
Wrong, wrong, wrong. This article is so full of errors, based principally on its ludicrous premise of climate change taking place over a 500-year period. The author says that Japan has nothing to worry about for the next 100 to 200 years - wrong. Climate change is happening now, and to take the author's principal example, mass migration is happening now, and will most likely increase enormously over the next thirty to forty years. James Lovelock has said very little about the prospect for 2500; what he has said is that 80% of the human population could die out by 2100. That is change we, and our children and grandchildren could see, not some fantasy of a distant future.
Posted in: Will Japan be around in the year 2500?
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bobobolinski
OK, so he is profiled and subject to what is now being called "enhanced screening". He has a valid visa. The pat down and scan will not find the concealed materials. A strip search would, and this where El Al would no doubt find it, which is why he would not try it with El Al. But I have seen nothing to suggest that enhanced screening will involve anything like the intrusive (literally) searches that El Al conducts. Sniffer dogs, I don't know; but again there has been no indication that this will be an option. So, we have pat downs which check that you have nothing under your armpits, and a scanning process which its own advocates admit is likely to be ineffective.
Posted in: Full-body scanners to be put in British airports
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bobobolinski
Helter: because there is a lot of doubt whether full-body scanners can detect liquids and soft plastics (see the fuller article in today's Guardian); and because pat downs will not go near the groin area. Unless passengers who are profiled are also strip-searched, this would not work.
Posted in: Full-body scanners to be put in British airports
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bobobolinski
None of these measures -- patting down, profiling, no movement or blankets for the last hour of the flight, full-body scanners -- would have stopped the pants bomber. What did prevent a tragedy was apparently a faulty detonator and the bravery of a Dutch passenger. What should have prevented it, but didn't, is much better, coordinated intelligence on individuals who are associating with radical groups and receiving training in places like Yemen.
Posted in: Full-body scanners to be put in British airports
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bobobolinski
For a supposedly smart guy, Murdoch is just so wrong on this. People buy, or used to buy, newspapers for a variety of reasons: sports reports, information (weather, stock market), adverts, tv listings, commentary, as well as news reports which may or may not have had much impact on the lives of readers, celebrity gossip, and in the case of Murdoch's Australian and British newspapers, pictures of naked women. All of this material is now available in various forms on the internet. There is still a role for the free internet newspaper as a kind of quick resume of some of the things that are happening, but nobody is going to pay for that. People will pay for content, as in books, information services, fan sites, etc; but it has to be real content, and newspapers, especially the kind of newspapers owned by Murdoch, do not provide real content.
Posted in: Murdoch: From media villain to champion
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bobobolinski
I think Rupert is desperately trying to convince other news organizations to come on board. If News International goes it alone, he will sink the ship, but if he can persuade the other major sources, and offers a really cheap option, like 5 dollars a month, he maybe has a chance. One big problem is that the BBC is legally bound to provide free news at least to Brits; it'll be interesting to see how far his support for the Conservatives in the coming British election will depend on a future change of the BBC charter.
Posted in: Murdoch: Media must get readers to pay for online news
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bobobolinski
Home nations always get seeded, or have done since seeding was brought in. It helps them go further, keeping local interest alive. I think there are some very strong European and S. American teams outside of the seeded group: not just Portugal and France, but Denmark, Switzerland and Greece all look strong. African teams such as Cote d'Ivoire and Nigeria are going to have a tremendous local support. I really can't see much hope for any of the Asian, North American group, depending on the draw. Maybe USA might get through.
Posted in: Charlize Theron among star-studded cast at World Cup draw
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bobobolinski
Hollywood often seems to use the documentary award to make a political statement, perhaps to try to redeem the image of the industry as money and status obsessed. I haven't had the opportunity to see the film, but from reviews it does seem to be a well-made documentary with considerable impact. Looks like a winner.
Posted in: 'The Cove' shortlisted for Oscars
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bobobolinski
It's one thing for a nation's media to boost their team before a tournament; that's how they sell themselves. But it is something else for a national coach to make these ludicrous claims. Both Japan and South Korea did well in 2002, with the tremendous advantage of playing at home, and indeed South Korea did reach the semi finals. Other than the rare exception of North Korea in 1966, teams from Asia have not done well in either Europe or the Americas, and I don't see any reason why they would adapt to African conditions. Japan are currently ranked 43rd in the world. Apart from the teams in the top eight, if you're looking for a wild card to reach the semis then one of the African teams - maybe Cote d'Ivoire - would be a good bet.
Posted in: Okada confident Japan can reach World Cup semifinals
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bobobolinski
It's not just Japan who are complaining about this; players and coaches from Spain, Netherlands and others have also said that the noise of thousands of these things makes it difficult to play; and seeing as Spain are one of the favorites to win the tournament, it is unlikely to be an early excuse in their case. I've heard the sound one vuvuzela makes up close, and it is indescribably horrible. I would predict now that the television companies, who are essentially funding the major sporting events now, will insist on there being some control over them.
Posted in: JFA chief seeks vuvuzela ban at World Cup
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bobobolinski
The whole thing is really weird. Leaving aside this nutcase's obsession, according to the story it took more than six months - from September last year to this May -- until one of the 11 pop idols noticed that she wasn't getting any mail. It then took the police another three months to find the perp, who had given his address to the post office. (Actually, maybe that bit isn't so strange.) And in the space of ten months, these 11 pop idols only get 200 pieces of mail between them, including bills. Odd, ne?
Posted in: Man steals 200 fan letters destined for girl group AKB48
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bobobolinski
I would imagine the cookie stall will be a particular attraction this year.
Posted in: Sacred Heart to host family festival on Nov 14
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bobobolinski
I don't know about skating, but I always thought Troussier did alright at the football. Won the Asian Cup in 2000, and in 2002 drew with Belgium and beat Russia and Tunisia, before going out in the knock-out stage; compare with 1998 (lost all three) and 2006 (one draw, two defeats), he's probably been the best international coach Japan have had. Maybe he didn't make much attempt to assimilate?
Posted in: Is Miki Ando's skating coach a Japan hater?
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bobobolinski
Right, that has a proven track record. Indeed, I can't think of anywhere it has failed.
Posted in: Gadhafi says sorry for UK policewoman's death in 1984
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bobobolinski
Actually, meteorologists can tell you, with some latitude for error, what is going to happen tomorrow. And seismologists might not be able yet to forecast when earthquakes will occur, but the analysis of plate tectonics which has developed through scientific research gives a pretty good picture of where and why earthquakes happen. As for biology, I would like to know which books you are referring to, since the commonly accepted hypothesis, not "fact", is that life began about 3.5 billion years ago. So, when three different groups of scientists examine the evidence and seriously analyze the Turin Shroud, most sensible people would accept what they say until some better analysis comes along.
Posted in: Italian group claims to debunk Shroud of Turin
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bobobolinski
I think that people back in the Middle Ages when the shroud was made would have a lot better idea than we do about what a cloth that had been wrapped around a body would look like. I was a bit surprised that this was still going on, since I the radiocarbon dating had conclusively proved it is a fake, but as the man says, those who believe will always believe.
Posted in: Italian group claims to debunk Shroud of Turin