escape_artist said...

escape_artist at 11:04 AM JST - 11th May

Does the Japanese justice system actually ever give real sentences to ex-celebrities, business "leaders" and govt officials who've been convicted of a crime? Doesn't seem like it. Every time I read one of these stories, sentences are always "suspended". Who's protecting or paying back whom here?

Posted in Disgraced J-pop producer Komuro convicted of fraud; given suspended sentence at 11:04 AM JST - 11th May
escape_artist at 02:25 PM JST - 27th April

Twittering doesn't seem healthy, to me. What's with the obsessive urge some have to have to know what's going on every time something happens somewhere to someone else, usually mundane? Is it all really that important? Do these people know how to relax? Doesn't seem like it. Everything seemed to…

Posted in Twitter a global sensation: Hitwise at 02:25 PM JST - 27th April
escape_artist at 02:59 PM JST - 22nd April

@davidattokyo...

Regarding the link... http://www.iwcoffice.org/documents/scicom/SC61docs/sc61docs.htm

I get only a page with this line (with a contact e-mail address)... "There has been an error (404)"

Can you provide something more reputable? Thanks.

Posted in Japan to hunt 60 minke whales off northeastern coast for 'research' at 02:59 PM JST - 22nd April
escape_artist at 02:40 PM JST - 22nd April

@davidattokyo...

OK, I've now have read your replies above, detailed as they are. Thanks for the link.

Can you explain, though, why you come across as an apologist for Japanese whalers, justifying what so many worldwide see as perpetuating a needless activity? Regardless of the info you point to, it…

Posted in Japan to hunt 60 minke whales off northeastern coast for 'research' at 02:40 PM JST - 22nd April
escape_artist at 02:23 PM JST - 22nd April

@davidattokyo...

A bit nitpicky, aren't we? Do you actually believe the whalers are collecting such samples for true research that will benefit the scientific and biological communities at large? In your estimation, how many whales, not to mention dolphins and other creatures, must be slaughtered in the name of such…

Posted in Japan to hunt 60 minke whales off northeastern coast for 'research' at 02:23 PM JST - 22nd April
escape_artist at 01:19 PM JST - 22nd April

And the farce continues. The "emperor" [the notion that whaling for marketable food is somehow "research"] REALLY wears no clothes.

Posted in Japan to hunt 60 minke whales off northeastern coast for 'research' at 01:19 PM JST - 22nd April
escape_artist at 01:39 PM JST - 18th April

This is so typical of Japan, where every last thing is aimed at the diminishing youth culture, and fakery regarding images of elderly (such as the many costumed "elderly" on TV commercials & print ads) is rampant. Why doesn't Nissan just hire some real people over 65-70, even as temps,…

Posted in Nissan designers seek to appeal to aging Japan at 01:39 PM JST - 18th April
escape_artist at 12:01 PM JST - 8th April

It almost seems so far that either they haven't fully cleaned up the reclaimed KFC Colonel, or that its missing hands somehow made their way to Nagoya. Like the oddity of using the mouthless Hello Kitty to advertise McDonald's, a handless Colonel won't get many hits. The curse hasn't quite…

Posted in Dragons pick up 4th win in a row at 12:01 PM JST - 8th April
escape_artist at 11:57 AM JST - 8th April

I half read this at first to mean "Who would I like to have boxed in my bento lunch"...

Posted in Aya Ueto and Masami Nagasawa top list for boxed lunch candidates at 11:57 AM JST - 8th April
escape_artist at 11:55 AM JST - 8th April

Ladies and gentlemen, these are economically hard times for a lot of people. I would rather first sympathize before critisizing.

This sounds like a subtle justification for the mother's actions. Bad economy or not, what she did was wrong. I do sympathize for the kids, but not the mother because…

Posted in Saga woman arrested for forcing daughters into prostitution at 11:55 AM JST - 8th April