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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donkusai
You've got an area half the size of Japan drenched or underwater. After suffering drought for so long, this is a real kick in the teeth. This could cause a real mess when it reaches Brisbane, especially after seeing the Toowoomba footage on the news. I have a sister with two small children in Brisbane, and I must admit it is a bit of a worry.
Posted in: Australian flood crisis worsens as Brisbane threatened
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donkusai
I think a lot of the partisan catchphrases and blame going on here is a perfect example of why some people are blaming the state of US politics as a factor here. Neither the Democrats nor the Republicans pulled this trigger, yet there are numerous people here willing to blame one side of politics or the other. No wonder people get all frustrated and worked up. The guy was a nut case (a gun carrying nut case suspended from his college for mental issues, no less) and not representative of either political party. Trying to score cheap political points by supporters of either side shows a fairly strong disconnect with reality.
Posted in: Man due in court over Tucson shooting rampage
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donkusai
The guy was obviously a nut case on the fringes, so any attempt to label him "left", "right" or whatever else would be wrong. From the ramblings they showed on the news, it seems he believed the government were try to use mind control to brainwash people into certain ideas, for example, that money had to be backed by gold or silver or that it mentioned God. He believed the government were using grammar to control people. He thought he had to do something about it, and did so. He was clearly unwell.
I think the key point here is as nandakandmanda said: How was someone like this able to get a Glock with a 30-round mag?
Posted in: Arizona Rep Giffords shot, 6 killed, including judge, 9-year-old girl
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donkusai
Repentjapan, it might help if you take the time to actually read what I said before replying. Where did I say the guy holding the sign was an indication of radicalism? I actually used him as a counterpoint, implying as long as he quietly puts out his message, we should respect him.
Good point, and that is probably the point that differs between religious people and non-religious people. Religious people would probably argue the opposite. If I understand it right, Christians believe that the "normal life" we leave is given to us under the grace of God, hence that we are born with it, even if we choose not to recognise it or accept it. Who's right? It can't be proven one way or the other as it takes the nature of a relationship and it's up to each of us to make up our own minds about it.
On that note, I'm out of here. Merry Christmas, happy holidays or hope you have a good (non-important) day! You can choose which is most appropriate for you!
Posted in: Waiting for a sign
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donkusai
Learning more about our past is definitely a good thing, then we'd also learn that religion has been an integral part of the development of our society and our value system. Last time we tried to wipe that out, when the enlightenment was hijacked by the more radial atheist agendas (as apposed to atheists who don't believe in religion but respect other people's views), we ended up with almost a century of bloodshed and the end result was more people turned to religion than believed in it beforehand. Dictionaries in the post-enlightenment period defined it as a failed concept.
Radicalism, whether in religion, atheism, politics or whatever, only leads to immeasurable problems. As long as people like the guy in the photo quietly holds up his sign, then I'm willing to respect him for that. We should be trying to live together peacefully and with respect. This, to me, is the true meaning of Christmas. Merry Christmas all.
Posted in: Waiting for a sign
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donkusai
For once, I don't think the J-cops are in the wrong here. As has already been said, the instinct is to first go for the guy with the gun, and both accounts say the man killed was the one holding the gun when the police intervened. And yes, it does take two men to restrain a man, and after that, they can confront the other man.
What really needs to be addressed is police procedures in these incidents. The whole "everyone on the ground now" approach sound so much better.
Posted in: Lawyer's widow disputes police version of husband's murder
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donkusai
Murdoch should be allowed to buy all the media he wants. I'm sure that if he were allowed to buy it all, then the newspapers would let us know if there were any real problems with it.
Posted in: UK minister declares 'war' on Rupert Murdoch
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donkusai
The research disagrees with you.
Posted in: California voters reject legalization of marijuana
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donkusai
With the effects of marijuana on the brain being well documented (persistent decrements in memory, executive functioning of brain, psychomotor speed and manual dexterity, even after long periods of abstinence), this result was a smart one from the health point of view.
On the other hand, tobacco and alcohol are legal and long term use of these can also cause a whole host of problems. As for the drug dealers, with marijuana use being shown as a significant linking factor to higher level drug abuse and dependency, they'll no doubt move on to harder drugs and legalizing marijuana would have little to no effect on them.
The above findings on marijuana can easily be found in research papers, such as in Fergusson et.al. (Addiction, Apr 2006) and Bolla et.al. (Neurology, Nov 2010).
Posted in: California voters reject legalization of marijuana
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donkusai
Rock, paper, scissors, of course! It solves everything!
Posted in: What is the best way to resolve the territorial dispute between Japan and Russia over the four islands off Hokkaido?
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donkusai
This is all just another attempt by the Democrats to scare people and make them too scared to change government next week (stats have shown people are less likely to change government in times of crisis). They obviously called in favours by their socialist friends in Yemen and then tipped off the authorities in Dubai so they could maximise the spin. Clear as day.
Posted in: Dubai police say mail bomb had al-Qaida hallmarks
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donkusai
The whole whaling issue, whether for against, is so full of lies that it's all a bad joke. War by public relations is never going to produce anything but spin, spin, spin.
Posted in: Sea Shepherd, whaling protester Watson take their feud public in NZ
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donkusai
A solution like this really is about the best we can hope to get out of this situation. Perhaps the withdrawal of US troops in Iraq that is happening now has shown that the US government will honour it's pledges and has therefore garnered some trust with the less radical members of the Taliban. Then again, they might just be playing along to get the foreign troops out of the country so they can take it back over again once they're gone. Who knows. Honesty and integrity are two words that don't spring to mind when you think of the Taliban.
Posted in: Taliban, Afghan government reportedly in talks to end war
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donkusai
Good for keeping in touch with people who don't live nearby. Unfortunately, though, it's very annoying when you get people who post about every little thing they do in a day. I want to keep them on my list, but I haven't found a way to ignore just a select group of people though. I really don't care that you're just about to brush your teeth, or that you've just sat down to watch TV....
Posted in: What do you think of Facebook?
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donkusai
What did newspapers talk about before polls? These days it seems all they ever talk about are polls where the media reports on what people think about things reported in the media.
Posted in: Support rate for Kan's cabinet falls after Senkaku incident
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donkusai
It's not their fault. They were under a lot of stress due to war.
Posted in: Hearing begins in alleged plot by U.S. soldiers to murder Afghans
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donkusai
As politics turns more confrontational, the politicians turn nastier. As the back-stabbing, lying and fraud increase, those with a more noble attitude are either buried or get out, leaving those who see politics as either a huge ego-trip (your run-of-the-mill psychopath type), or those who wish to line their pockets however they can (the greedy). Even those who argue for smaller government do so with the backing of lobby groups who represent those who stand to make fortunes from relaxed laws, allowing them to maximise profits at the consumer's expense. Doesn't matter which side of politics you look at, it is difficult these days to find anyone trustworthy or honest.
As for politics being noble, has it ever really been? Elitist in the past, definitely, but noble?
Posted in: Why is politics, which could and should be a noble profession, conducted so badly?
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donkusai
Well said. Once you step back from all the rhetoric, what you see is an argument that just goes around and around in circles, so there's no point in going there.
My only contribution to this debate is to repeat something my mother used to say: "I'd rather be running from a guy with a knife than a guy with a gun." Facts: This guy just snapped - no way of telling who will or when they will. In his anger, he grabbed the nearest thing handy - a shotgun. Result - six people dead. Draw whatever conclusions you want from that as no-one who already disagrees with what you're going to say is even slightly going to change their mind based on what you say. It's all been said before.
Posted in: 6 dead in eastern Kentucky shooting after egg dispute
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donkusai
Wow, this guy seems to like coincidences. MLK's speech (date and location), 9/11. He's either extremely forgetful, an awful planner, or lying through his teeth just to get the media love he so craves. Not being in a position to know which of the above is true, all I can take from it is that none of the above are particular traits of someone I'd want to be overly influenced by.
Posted in: Palin-Beck 9/11 event draws fans, foes
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donkusai
Constantly answering the phone, I'd guess.
Posted in: 17-year-old arrested for reporting around 3,000 false crimes