JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

caffeinebuzz's past comments

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  caffeinebuzzApr. 21, 2012 - 09:07AM JST

  If anything these conservatives should be held accountable for making an AKB48 news story worth reading! Man, if this gets them riled up, I can't wait til someone shows them that music video of theirs, where they're making out in bathtubs and having pillow fights! People get outraged at all the wrong things these days.

  Posted in: AKB48 candy ad criticized for encouraging homosexuality

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  caffeinebuzzApr. 19, 2012 - 11:27AM JST

  I suppose if the government, agencies and scientists were conversely quiet about this, people would be jumping up and down that they're hiding the truth of the impending big one. While the veracity of casualties and likelihoods of a big quake can be questioned- the main thing to keep in mind is that the area is definitely overdue for a huge quake, and it's wise to be as prepared as practical. Fear-mongering or not, it's up to people to interpret data in a level manner and have it at the back of their heads that the geological time-bomb is ready to go off anytime.

  Posted in: Tokyo mega-quake would kill over 9,600, simulation shows

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  caffeinebuzzApr. 19, 2012 - 10:46AM JST

  Speaking from direct Tohoku experience, Tokyoites are going to have to deal with buckled elevated roads and bridges all over the place, and people will inevitably be temporarily be unable to cross rivers and stretches of roads if they live in areas such as Chiba and Saitama to name a couple. It always pays to have alternative routes mapped out to get home and a pre--arranged meeting points to keep in touch with people when the communications networks crash. I'd be skeptical about the projected casualties in the article as well, but whatever the case, common sense, a cool head and preparedness will significantly increase your chances of surviving and coping with the disaster. Keeping a supply of food and water, as well as those thick-type masks (mine were filthy on the outer layer after a few hours use last year directly after the quake from burning buildings and what-not).

  Posted in: Tokyo mega-quake would kill over 9,600, simulation shows

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  caffeinebuzzApr. 18, 2012 - 01:44PM JST

  "This is Japan", works when explaining to someone that you should take your shoes off entering a house, but as justification for nationalistic, provocative and unilateral actions by someone with some controversial and radical views, I get shivers running down my spine.

  Posted in: Ishihara says Tokyo plans to buy disputed Senkaku islands

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  caffeinebuzzApr. 18, 2012 - 01:41PM JST

  he is Japanese, and this is Japan. >

  Well that just wins the argument right there and then doesn't it....

  Posted in: Ishihara says Tokyo plans to buy disputed Senkaku islands

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  caffeinebuzzApr. 18, 2012 - 11:24AM JST

  I'm pretty sure the Chinese would prefer a regime change for the sake of stability, but as long as they perceive that they're being pushed around by the U.S (who they would prefer out of Asia altogether for hegemony's sake), Japan or even South Korea, they will opt for the status-quo and N.K will continue to get away with all their atrocities...Not to mention the complete collapse and disorder which could arise from a sudden change from within or without of that hermit country- which would be unparalleled in scale.

  Posted in: N Korea to refuse IAEA inspectors, Japanese media report

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  caffeinebuzzApr. 18, 2012 - 10:54AM JST

  Always intrigues me when they say something like "It's designed to withstand a level ....quake". How about two of equal magnitude as either precursors or aftershocks- as is common with the biggies?

  Posted in: Tokyo Sky Tree safe from quakes: operator

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  caffeinebuzzApr. 18, 2012 - 08:33AM JST

  While the moderator is correct with the direct comparison to the Titanic, I'm pretty sure minello7 was just pointing out that grandiose statements of safety by owners and operators have historically had to eat their words when mother nature decided to throw in highly improbable factors to prove them wrong.

  Posted in: Tokyo Sky Tree safe from quakes: operator

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  caffeinebuzzApr. 05, 2012 - 09:35AM JST

  This is indeed an unfortunate smelting incident.

  Posted in: Smelt in Gunma lake four times over new legal radiation limit

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  caffeinebuzzMar. 24, 2012 - 04:09PM JST

  Haven't the Norks pointed this missile at the Aussies, Indonesians or Phillipines anyhow? My money's on the first two coz they've worked together to smuggle nuclear scientists out of the chubby one's commie paradise

  Posted in: Gov't cancels PM's cherry blossom party due to N Korean rocket launch

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  caffeinebuzzMar. 15, 2012 - 11:43AM JST

  Cleo, I think you might have missed or misunderstood where I referred to both local and global earthquake frequencies.

  Posted in: Series of quakes rattle Japan, but cause no damage

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  caffeinebuzzMar. 15, 2012 - 11:06AM JST

  To put it in perspective, the earth's crust (the solid part we're plonked on) is about 1 percent of the entire earth, and the plates move according to internal convection that happens deep in the liquid layers of the planet. So many factors mean that earthquake prediction remains mostly out of our reach, but scientists are starting to get some clues. Hopefully they understand more before larger ones strike in the future!

  Posted in: Series of quakes rattle Japan, but cause no damage

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  caffeinebuzzMar. 15, 2012 - 11:00AM JST

  Gurukun, it's still mostly in unknown territory, science-wise. It would definitely be the case in some circumstances, but no one can say for sure because of the multitude of factors that go into an earthquake.

  Posted in: Series of quakes rattle Japan, but cause no damage

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  caffeinebuzzMar. 15, 2012 - 10:55AM JST

  This has all happened before, and it will all happen again ;)

  Posted in: Series of quakes rattle Japan, but cause no damage

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  caffeinebuzzMar. 15, 2012 - 10:47AM JST

  One thing a lot of people have trouble with is the "increase in earthquakes" in general. Monitoring stations have increased and improved over the last few decades (not to mention population expansion which means more people are at risk than before), meaning that previously undetectable or insignificant quakes are increasingly picked up and reported on- giving the impression that seismic activity is increasing. While increases in local earthquake frequencies are a given with major tremors every how many centuries, the earth is in a period of relative geological stability overall.

  Posted in: Series of quakes rattle Japan, but cause no damage

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  caffeinebuzzMar. 15, 2012 - 10:04AM JST

  Reminds me of the South Park "duck and cover!" approach to a deadly lava flow :p Always be critical and check science-based articles or sites like Snopes. If it seems to good to be true...And all that ;)

  Posted in: Series of quakes rattle Japan, but cause no damage

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  caffeinebuzzMar. 15, 2012 - 09:43AM JST

  HansNFranz, I hear where you're coming from. I was in Fukushima on 3.11 and while the radiation was a worry close to the reactors for sure, I made sure to compare the radiation levels in my area (with three Geiger counters at different intervals) with the official readouts and found no flaws with the official data. It was bemusing to see people calling for the entire prefecture to be evacuated for the next trillion years or whatever, when all that was needed was commonsense and cool heads. Pseudo-scientific theories do little but needlessly worry people, when all that needs to be done is just level-headed preparedness for any disaster that could knock out vital supplies (I was luckily prepared for when the gas and water supplies were knocked out, and had enough food- but remember only being able to buy peanuts and beer from any convenience store for days in the aftermath...Not such a bad thing if that's what keeps you alive!)

  Posted in: Series of quakes rattle Japan, but cause no damage

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  caffeinebuzzMar. 15, 2012 - 08:53AM JST

  Unfortunately earthquake prediction remains far-off. Scientists at present can only make guesses based on a variety of factors- something that's hard enough in countries with few quakes; let alone Japan which sits on multiple time-bombs. What's certain is that they'll inevitably happen, and you can only prepare yourself just in case. Right now it's just too hard for any expert to say (with certainty) whether smaller quakes are a sign of worse to come, or alleviating built-up pressure. I don't think we'll reach that level of scientific knowledge for a long time. Just be prepared for any disaster!

  Posted in: Series of quakes rattle Japan, but cause no damage

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  caffeinebuzzMar. 14, 2012 - 08:35AM JST

  Unfortunately this is the way with the world and we can't help but move on or else we'd be forever bogged down in remembrance of everything that has ever happened. This is not to say that we shouldn't pay the appropriate respects, but it's a bit of an ask to keep everyone's attention focused. The Boxing Day Tsunami of 2004 in which an estimated 275,000 died is another example (try asking most people, Japanese included, when it was, where it happened or how many died.

  Posted in: Many across globe don't remember a thing about March 11, 2011

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  caffeinebuzzMar. 13, 2012 - 08:10PM JST

  I'm not a mindreader and can't tell you if Ms. Lauper is out for a bit of an attention grab, but seriously , how can you tap out such a sneering condemnation of someone- anyone who is using their position to work some good in the world. Save your bitter cynicism for the useless old fossils running the whole circus; botching up relief work, dithering on compensation claims etc, and who covered up information in the first place. She might not be winning any oratorical awards anytime soon, but I personally think she's done a good thing.

  Posted in: Cyndi Lauper calls on world not to forget Japan

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