JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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To be healthy, live in the big city
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Teacher nabbed for using miror to peek up girl's skirt
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Japan's nuclear safety standards flawed, says commission chief
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From carnivores to herbivores: how men are defined in Japan
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Why do Japanese change their attitude when they communicate with foreigners?
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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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glycol57
"Democracy" only ensures that the most POPULAR course of action will taken, not the CORRECT course of action. Democracy is not a panacea, nor is it mechanism for discovering truth. It is actually a horrible and dangerous way to run a country ... which simply happens to be slightly less horrible and dangerous than all the other ways humans have run countries over the ages.
Yes, an educated electorate CAN make more rational decision, but WILL it ? So far as I can tell, the answer is "No", or at least "probably not".
Politics, like religion, has a considerable emotive content attached - what you feel is as important as what you know - and this means that both logic and education can disappear when it's time to put that 'X' by a candidates name.
In the USA right now, the single over-riding concern in choosing political ledership is what political PARTY they're associated with.
You see, everyone from the OTHER party is a stupid, uneducated, greedy, vile, anti-American scuzzball .... so it hardly matters if YOUR candidate is an idiot pushing idiotic policies so long as he's with YOUR party.
Anywhere you find strong partisanship you'll find a similar situation.
Posted in: Fixing American 'dumbocracy'
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glycol57
The question is a bit too vague. There will have to be a LOWER limit ... five-year-olds just do not have the mental maturity to negotiate traffic in a safe and prudent manner. Most 15 year olds can (if you take a strict attitude about safety with them).
Likely the real question was about very old people, and this has become an issue in many countries as life-expectancies increased.
Many over-60s now have ALWAYS driven a car, unlike their parents or grandparents, and orient their lives around the assumption that they will always be able to drive - to a job, to the store, to their doctors, to their relatives - anywhere it takes to get their daily business done. Without a car, they feel lost, powerless and seriously limited.
Mass-transit is not a taxi service and often cannot deliver an older person within their walking distance of a destination and real taxis cost too much for regular use by most pensioners.
BUT ... eventually ... most people finally DO become too old to drive safely. Poor vision, slower responses, sometimes failing mental capacity. This makes them as much of a hazard as a five-year-old at the wheel. Thing is, adequate ability to drive is a very individual thing. Some may lose skills relatively early while I've seen 100-year-olds who pilot sports cars as surely as any young man.
As such, instead of setting any particular age at which people must surrender their driving licences, instead set an age above which they must pass a few extra tests when they renew their licences. Vision problems are perhaps the #1 issue, so make them take a standard vision test. It's quick, easy and not expensive. If there is a vision problem, perhaps it can be corrected.
The OTHER use of a vision test is to judge the persons ability to follow the instructions for the test, read the lines the examiner tells them to read and use the device correctly. This is a quick way to check something far less quantifiable ... someones overall mental clarity. If the applicant has great difficulty understanding what to do for the vision test they should be directed to someone in the department, or some other department, with psychological training for a closer look. An alternative is to require the applicant to do a cut-down version of the standard written exam for a driving license, with emphasis on common road signs and standard traffic issues.
With even such a cursory evaluation, most of those who are truely unsafe for the road can be identified, be they 55 or 105, without unduly burdening those who are fit or the licencing bureau itself.
Now what to do about drivers on mobile phones ? They are even less safe than five-year-olds and dusty relics combined :-)
It might also be useful to study the 'destination gap' inherent to mass-transit systems. How CAN an older person get from a bus stop or train station that final half-kilometer or so to their true destination - without going broke in the process ? Fully-automated mini-taxis are indeed coming, but it's going to be at least another five years - more like ten - until the systems are safe enough to use in the real world. Perhaps small electric tram cars - big 'golf carts' that carry maybe ten passengers - can be a cheaper alternative to traditional taxicabs at mass-transit terminals ?
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glycol57
Strictly from the health standpoint, you're better off with sake at around 30 proof than with whisky at 80+ proof. You can get stinking drunk on either, but sake will be easier on your insides than anything approaching germicidal concentrations of alcohol.
Distilled spirits ruined British working-class society in the mid 1700s. See "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gin_Craze" ... a good lesson for preferring lower-proof beverages, or at least putting some water in your whisky.
Party on dudes.
Posted in: U.S. consumers pushing beyond sake to Japanese whiskies
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glycol57
The most shocking thing about this entire episode is how few Americans actually understand the concept or practice of "inalienable rights". Apparently if someone makes you angry for whatever reason then they no longer have any rights and you can stomp all over their religions or ban their churches or shut them up or anything you want.
Sure, there is good reason to be angry with certain Moslems, maybe even Islam-in-general ... but not even all the dead and all the grieving relatives over-ride the inalienable RIGHT for other Moslems to put a mosque on any commercial/private land they damned well please for whatever reasons they damned well please.
Other peoples rights can HURT ... other peoples rights can make you ANGRY - and if/when YOU need some of those inalienable rights yourself you'll understand why that doesn't MATTER. The rights are more important than 'democracy' or mob emotion or any individuals likes, dislikes or hatreds.
Any excuse to take a short-cut over the rights of "some people" means those in power or your good neighbors will soon find excuses to walk all over YOUR rights. They can always find SOME excuse ... unless NO excuses are allowed.
If Americans cannot see this, then it's a lost country - well on its way to some totalitarian hell. May as well just make bin-Laden the new Emperor Of America and be done with it.
Posted in: Obama says Muslims have right to build mosque near ground zero
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glycol57
Obama is correct - under US law and its guiding principles, any kind of "church" is fully protected against government meddling. The US government isn't even supposed to SEE a "church" per-se, it's no different from a shoe store or resturaunt or aquarium. The 'religious' aspect must be ignored lest the government seem to be preferring one religion or denomination thereof or religion-in-general.
Sorry ... but it HAS to be freedom of religion for ALL or very quickly it will be freedom of religion for NONE.
Or perhaps you'd like to explain just why the US govt should become a lot more like the Taliban ?
It doesn't even MATTER exactly WHY Moslems want to build this edifice in that spot, wouldn't matter if they came out and said it was supposed to be a "statement" or "insult" or assertion of Islamic superiority. They have the absolute right to put the mosque there, period, and a couple centuries of law will back up that right.
Sometimes (often, actually) being right can be UNPOPULAR. Of course such instances are the most important time to BE right.
In truth I'm kind-of suprised seeing a modern US president actually take an unpopular stand in defending constitutional principle. Usually they're far more concerned about their ratings in the political polls. Award one goodie point to Obama, this time.
Posted in: Obama says Muslims have right to build mosque near ground zero
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glycol57
Interesting how the image of women has changed, even over just the past 50 years or so. Remember when the "ideal" woman was weak, indecisive, brainless, ignorant, servile and dependent ? That was not a good time for women, it left them open to all manner of abuse and exploitation - "house slaves" if they were lucky.
But now, girls kick butt with the best of them. Good job gals !
Now how to spread this to the Taliban universe ? :-)
Posted in: 5 most impressive movie women who kick butt
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glycol57
Uh oh .... does this mean that all future films will be scripted, shot and edited with "Can I sell this in China ?" first and foremost in everyones minds ? If so, many bold and daring themes will be watered-down into the tasteless brew preferred by the PRCs government.
Posted in: China to show hit sci-fi thriller 'Inception'
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glycol57
When people get angry from constant stress ... job, school, financial or simmering relationship issues ... they often strike out at whomever is near. Face it, children CAN be annoying - so if a child annoys someone who is already at the breaking point the child will likely be the target of an angry, perhaps dangerous, outburst. They are 'safe' targets too, can't hit back.
The greatest stress on people in Japan seems to be their jobs. As the world economy slipped into recession ('depression' really) people came under a lot more job stress. Longer hours and higher productivity is demanded plus the threat of termination or serious cuts in pay/perks always looms.
Is it suprising that this sharp increase in child abuse coincided with the rising stress of a falling economy ? I don't think so. Many are pressed to the limit already, on the verge of emotional explosion. It probably won't come out on the job, but at home instead.
So, it's a systemic problem. Threats and penalties against offending individuals will only help a little bit because we're talking "emotional" issues - not anything people sit around and carefully reason. Only the random monster actually plots "Now how can I hurt my children today ? Let me think of something creative."
99.9% of abusers didn't think, didn't plot, they are just angry, beyond reason. Yes, they should be able to excercise self-control even then, but "ideals" and realities are often very different things. Talk of imposing draconian penalties on even borderline abusers has emotional appeal, but it's not a real fix, doesn't get to the core issues.
The real cure is to address the systemic issues. Make the working environment more civilized and especially more secure. Workers should not be in terror of their employers all of the time, should not be grossly exploited by their employers just to make the company an extra yen or two and company discipline and firings need to more "for cause" rather than because a tyrannical boss is angry you wouldn't work three 24 hour shifts that week or because he didn't like your necktie.
These systemic fixes are HARDER than just hitting individual abusers over the head with a bigger hammer ... and that's why people and governments don't want to try them, or even think about them. "Bigger hammer" is EASY, but "smarter world" is not.
Posted in: What can be done to stem the rise of child abuse in Japanese society?
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glycol57
Perhaps it's time for the US government to get out of the marriage business - to stop recognizing marriages entirely and only see individual citizens instead ? Leave "marriage" to religious institutions, but attach no legal significance to it.
It's also interesting to see governor Schwartzenegger - who the Ameirican left-wing often portrays as a right-wing extremist bordering on fascist - express a very libertine view of gay marriage. This may cause the left-wings propaganda machine to blow a few fuses :-)
Posted in: Schwarzenegger calls for same-sex weddings
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glycol57
A standard tactic for guerilla warfare is to never let the population recieve aid and comfort from the enemy, only from your side.
So, it didn't matter whether these workers were CIA or helpful doctors or anything else - they represented the enemy and enemy interests and risked "winning hearts and minds". So, they had to die. Anything the enemy builds must be destroyed, anything good the enemy does must be un-done. I'm suprised they didn't proceed to shoot anyone who had received treatment from those doctors. Maybe they weren't sure who did.
It wouldn't be this way in a more "formal" kind of war between national armies, but the particular subvariety of warfare going on in Afghanistan is different - very harsh, very unforgiving. A small zealous nationalist force -vs- a large army.
Posted in: 6 Americans on medical team killed in Afghanistan
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glycol57
Whether tattoos are 'art' or 'trashy' or irrelevant is just a function of culture and the times. As they are generally very popular in the USA right now, Jolies tats are just "normal" and neither make her 'trash' or 'artistic'.
In Jolies particular case however, I think the tats also say "I am no delicate little flower - I kick ass". Brains, beauty, eros and strength - a dangerous (yet irresistable) combination. Mr. Pitt had better always be on his best behavior :-)
As so much in the world seems increasingly impermanent and intangible, literally welding moments in ones life to your body seems to be a way of staking a placemarker, a solid indicator of a time, place and state of mind. Laser-erasure of tats has led some to go even further - scarification or branding - to achieve "permanence" and tactile tangibility.
Posted in: Jolie good time
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glycol57
Well, I guess we'll just have to start dressing the women in burkas and never let them out of the house then .......
Posted in: Two men arrested for letting young girls work at cabaret club
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glycol57
"Safer" ... from WHOM ???
Street criminals, maybe - but who is watching the watchers ... and to what sinister uses can they put all this video coverage ?
Posted in: Do surveillance cameras in buildings, stations and on streets make you feel safer?
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glycol57
Identities are easily stolen, or at least 'borrowed'. Simply looking over someones shoulder can reveal their ID and password and, of course, there are many other methods.
As such, by identifying users, all they're doing is making it easier for criminals to blame the crime on someone else.
Posted in: New ID requirements for Net cafes unlikely to deter cyber-crimes
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glycol57
Very nice ... even if it's a bit elaborate.
Posted in: Reaching for the universe
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glycol57
Agreed ... the article was unclear, inconsistent ... making it hard to come to any conclusion.
"Made" implies coersion or force ... kidnapping, slavery or extortion - all serious crimes. "Let" or "had" on the other hand ... those sound like some girls out to earn some extra shopping money and a soft-hearted manager who didn't ask questions.
As for those complaining about young girls selling booze or staying out late ... all I hear there is bible-thumping puritanism from people who can't comprehend that not everybody in the world thinks just like they do. Kansas is not Japan (and Japan should be grateful for that).
Posted in: Two men arrested for letting young girls work at cabaret club
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glycol57
Why English ? Why not Mandarin instead ? The number of native English and Mandarin speakers is about the same. Americans and Brits are increasingly underfunded, less likely to spend, whereas Chinese customers are on the increase.
Yes, the English language HAS become a sort of "universal" tongue as first British, then American, business and interests dominated much of the globe. Many Chinese learn some Engish as well. It is, alas, a difficult language to master ... bits and pieces of many other languages roughly glued together according to often arbitrary rules and much time must be spent to become a fluent speaker. This time investment somewhat limits its usefullness.
The question here is "the future" - and a LOT of money is going to be found in China and India. So, should the current dominance of English continue, or should everybody learn some Mandarin and/or Hindi before they bother with English ?
Posted in: Rakuten's decision on English not welcomed by everyone
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glycol57
But this is Japan ... and she's expected to be overly modest about her abilities even if she's the best pilot that ever was. Male pride might suffer otherwise :-)
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glycol57
What ? Oh ... the beer. I hadn't noticed the beer. :-)
Let's hear it for the bold young ladies - they make the world a sunnier place.
Posted in: Cheers
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glycol57
A little PATIENCE is a virtue. It is counterproductive to throw out a politician just because they irritated people today ... because they might do good things tomorrow.
Nobody can please everybody ALL of the time, especially when they are charged with making tough decisions. A government that is in daily danger of being expelled WON'T make the tough decisions, WON'T do what needs to be done. They will be cowards, useless, pointless.
Terms of three to five years seem reasonable, and quite common in the world. If Japanese lack patience, go for the shorter end of the spectrum.
Posted in: Should there be term limits for elected politicians?