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escape_artist said...

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  escape_artist at 10:49 AM JST - 16th September

  RIP

  Posted in Pink Floyd member Richard Wright dies age 65 at 10:49 AM JST - 16th September

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  escape_artist at 02:56 PM JST - 14th September

  My guess is that most people in Japan won't change unless forced to change, and I mean a WHOLE lot more than just the consumption tax being raised to 10% or more. Why else, for instance, would the Japanese government only act AFTER the fact (yet again) to block any…

  Posted in The LDP is merely changing its wrapping paper while leaving its contents unchanged. at 02:56 PM JST - 14th September

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  escape_artist at 12:13 PM JST - 10th September

  Grrr... JT, please fix your commenting software. Here's that link again from the Daily Yomiuri, without the comma automagically tacked on as somehow part of the URL...

  http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/sports/20080910TDY24303.htm

  Posted in Wakanoho begs to return to sumo at 12:13 PM JST - 10th September

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  escape_artist at 12:08 PM JST - 10th September

  I believe that bad rules, wherever they exist, are meant to be eventually broken, and replaced. And getting a lifetime ban for using far less than an ounce of a common plant material -- while drinking and boozing are tolerated ad nauseam -- is definitely a bad, outdated and thoroughly…

  Posted in Wakanoho begs to return to sumo at 12:08 PM JST - 10th September

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  escape_artist at 01:24 PM JST - 9th September

  Although I agree with this statement, no one, let alone a whole society/culture, "socially and culturally reinvent[s] themselves" overnight. I expect this to take a very long time, if ever. One smart thing to do in the meantime is find a job that Japanese people can't do, i.e., that only…

  Posted in One essential thing is to get rid of the tendency to regard foreign workers as cheap, expendable substitutes for a decline in the domestic labor force. Japanese need to socially and culturally reinvent themselves to live with the foreign population. at 01:24 PM JST - 9th September

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  escape_artist at 09:31 AM JST - 9th September

  buttamimi... I don't think voter turnout alone is a valid or true indication of people's active interest, understanding and involvement in politics or in their own governance.

  Elections everywhere -- but I think more so in Japan with so much focus on talento and entertainment-ization of society -- tend to…

  Posted in Why are Japanese people so apathetic toward politics? at 09:31 AM JST - 9th September

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  escape_artist at 09:19 AM JST - 9th September

  Seems to me that anyone who's had representative democracy forced on them rather than building it from the grassroots, from the people, on their own initiative and from their own blood, sweat and tears (with rep. democracy as a goal), would rather naturally remain apathetic toward their own governance. The…

  Posted in Why are Japanese people so apathetic toward politics? at 09:19 AM JST - 9th September

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  escape_artist at 07:52 AM JST - 9th September

  Another "only in Japan" story. Kokusaika in action, yessiree.

  Posted in Foreign child left in baby hatch in Kumamoto at 07:52 AM JST - 9th September

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  escape_artist at 07:49 AM JST - 9th September

  Why is this news?

  Posted in Morning Musume to perform Pink Lady's 1970s hit at 07:49 AM JST - 9th September

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  escape_artist at 04:02 PM JST - 6th September

  If a woman is in need -- disabled for any reason, carrying a lot of things, has small kids she needs to hold, looks tired, is elderly, pregnant, etc. -- or I know them, like my wife, then mostly like for men, yes, I'd give up my seat. But not…

  Posted in Is a man giving up his seat to a woman on a train or bus an outdated form of respect? at 04:02 PM JST - 6th September