JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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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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- 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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buttamimi
Japanese religion is consumerism. Go to any downtown area in Japan on a Sunday and you will see the congregation flock to the shops. They are greeted with homilies from the pastors of the shops. The congregation kneel, bend, stoop, gasp and pay homage to the various tidbits on display. After leaving the shops the congregation feel satisfied and spritually renewed for the week ahead.
Posted in: How important a role does religion play in Japanese society?
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buttamimi
Hopefully, in twenty years people will stop clinging to conservative, religious values. Common decency will prevail. Essential services will be controlled by the state. Affordable housing for low income families will increase. There will be tougher controls on banks and financial institutions. People will be allowed only one credit card, with stricter limitations on its use. Public transportation will be greatly increased and car use will decrease. An obesity tax will be introduced. The number of people who smoke will decrease dramatically after the Pope declares that Heaven has been designated as a smoke free environment. A cure for Alzheimers will be found and George Bush will remember how he messed up the world.
Posted in: What do you think society will be like 20 years from now?
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buttamimi
McCain couldn't even whip an egg without getting it all over his face.
Posted in: McCain vows to whip Obama's 'you-know-what' in last debate
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buttamimi
The choice of Palin as Vice Presidential candidate says a lot about John McCain's judgement. I just cannot understand why he did not pick someone with more international or financial experience. Why on earth did he pick this woman from nowhere? Was it just to give his campaign a cheap thrill and appeal to all the hockey moms out there?
Posted in: Alaska panel finds Palin abused power in firing
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buttamimi
The people I asked regarding McCain's war hero status were Japanese. Sorry if I didn't make that clear, Sarge. Oh, personally I wish all politicians would stay clear of religion. I do believe that Sarah Palin belongs or belonged to a church which believes in the 'End of Days.' Well, on that one she could be right. The end of her political days are fast approaching.
Posted in: McCain steps up attacks on Obama over ties to Ayers
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buttamimi
When was the last time an angry old man, with seven houses and a running mate young enough to be his daughter, won the presidential election? Interestingly, I have asked some people in Japan if they regard McCain as a war hero for being shot down and held as a POW. All answered No. The concept of a hero seems to be different in Japan. With this latest bit of swiftboating, I tend to agree.
Posted in: McCain steps up attacks on Obama over ties to Ayers
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buttamimi
Ah, so! I think he will do just as well as the other 433 prime ministers that have led Japan since the war.
Posted in: How do you think Taro Aso will do as prime minister?
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buttamimi
I think much will depend on the hardware at home. If movies can be downloaded on demand, copied onto DVDs; watched on a large high definition TV screen, then I think movie theaters are going to take a hit. It will happen. Just a question of when. After all, mobile phones have greatly reduced public phone boxes. Of course, some people will still enjoy going to the theater, but on a rduced scale.
Posted in: With so many movie download sites around, what do you see for the future of the film industry?
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buttamimi
No. It stems from the illogigal view that most Americans have, that the impossibe is possible. I, for one, am sick and tired of the American perfect view, that you can have anything that you want if you have the right spirit. The present economic crisis is a classic example of American hubris. Anything and everything is possible. Obama and McCain are just peddling the same old same old. The arrogance of their positions in relation to the outside world is staggering.
Posted in: What do you think of the recent financial upheavals in the U.S. that have seen Lehman Brothers file for bankruptcy, Bank of America buy Merrill Lynch, the collapse of Bear Stearns and the U.S. government take over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac?
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buttamimi
Best summed-up by the phrase 'selfish capitalism.' I think it's about time they made a follow-up to the movie Wall Street, in which Michael Douglas made that memorable one-liner at a meeting of share holders in the movie: 'Greed is Good.' Perhaps that can now be changed to 'Greed is Bad.'
Posted in: What do you think of the recent financial upheavals in the U.S. that have seen Lehman Brothers file for bankruptcy, Bank of America buy Merrill Lynch, the collapse of Bear Stearns and the U.S. government take over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac?
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buttamimi
I do believe that in India it is becoming a thriving business, along with organ donating. So, I guess it's a good thing. It gives people job opportunities and satisfies an essential customer demand.
Posted in: What is your stance on surrogate births?
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buttamimi
The consumer should just be extra careful when shopping. Shop at supermarkets like the Co-op, check the labels and be suspicious of food on sale for 100 yen. Recently, Chinese food has been rather dodgy, so it might be best to give imported Chinese food a miss for the time being. No names, but there are a few restaurant chains that I would stay well clear of, too. Of course there is no guarantee, but what else can you do?
Posted in: In view of all the tainted food and mislabeling scandals, what is the consumer to do?
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buttamimi
In the 2005 Japanese General Election voter turnout was 67 per cent. Up from previous years. The US Presidential voter turnout in 2004 was 56.2 per cent. In 2000 it was 49.3 per cent. http://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-plaza/e-sdialogue/03data/DrRichey.pdf
Posted in: Why are Japanese people so apathetic toward politics?
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buttamimi
Well, so far, it hasn't done Japan much harm to take a passive stance when it comes to politics. Who would really like to see an American-style Presidential race in Japan? Politicians screaming at you for a year or more. Promising too much and being totally unrealistic.
Moderator: Readers, please stay on topic. The subject is Japanese politics, not U.S. politics.
Posted in: Why are Japanese people so apathetic toward politics?
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buttamimi
Speech after speech, McCain's running mate, Palin, has promoted Grandpa's war record. How his imprisonment in Vietnam has given him some special experience to become President. That does not sound like change to me. Oh, by the way, it has been revealed that Palin did not sell an executive government jet on e-bay, as both she and McCain claim. No one wanted it, so she had to sell it at a loss through a broker. Somethings never change.
Posted in: McCain, Obama grapple over mantle of change
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buttamimi
I agree. There is too much vitriol going on, but what do you expect when you have a millionaire geriatric and his pig with lipstick wanting make the White House part of McCains property portfolio. Perhaps McCain is looking at the White House as his retirement home.
Posted in: Why is the U.S. presidential campaign generating so many vitriolic comments from both sides?
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buttamimi
I think John McCain's wife made an important fashion and political statement when she appeared on the Republican stage the other night. Cindy McCain's on stage wardrobe: Oscar de la Renta dress: $3,000 Chanel J12 White Ceramic Watch: $4,500 Three-carat diamond earrings: $280,000 Four-strand pearl necklace: $11,000–$25,000 Shoes, designer unknown: $600 Total: Between $299,100 and $313,100. WOW!
Posted in: Why is the U.S. presidential campaign generating so many vitriolic comments from both sides?
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buttamimi
John McCain has just hired a GOP operative, Jake Tapper, who helped smear him in South Carolina in 2000. OMG! The only reason McCain chose Palin was to get the Hilliary and evangelical vote. He also has onboard the Democrat turncoat Joe Leiberman. I think John McCain has set the sleeze standard for this campaign. Oh, yes. He doesn't even know how many houses he and his millionaire wife (who once had a prescription drug addictin) has. McCain has dragged this campaing into the mud.
Posted in: Why is the U.S. presidential campaign generating so many vitriolic comments from both sides?
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buttamimi
I just wonder, as a potential vice-President, what Palin's views will be on unwanted pregnancies among teenagers, which is quite a social problem in the States. Surely it goes against her present religious, evangelical convictions to promote safe sex outside marriage. As the saying goes: Nearest the pulpit, furthest from grace.
Posted in: GOP convention opens amid talk of Palin's unmarried daughter being pregnant
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buttamimi
Some good news. The storm has been downgraded to a category two.
Posted in: Nearly 1.9 million flee coastal Louisiana