gonemad said...

gonemad at 08:57 PM JST - 29th May

The prime minister had apparently been aiming to make reorganization of the ministry one of the ruling coalition’s key electoral promises in the upcoming election

Yeah, right, this is one of the key problems Japan has...

Posted in Aso backs off from plan to split health, labor, welfare ministry at 08:57 PM JST - 29th May
gonemad at 11:37 PM JST - 28th May

Anyone else sceptical about solar phones? Mobile phones are rarely kept in bright light for longer times and especially when people don't use them - during night - there is no light for recharging. Seems to me like a marketing gimmick that will soon disappear again...

Posted in Sharp eyes 30% share of Japan's handset market at 11:37 PM JST - 28th May
gonemad at 11:29 PM JST - 28th May

Sorry, Cash only works when you are face-to-face - so maybe there are some goods or services purchased at a distance where anonymity is important?

There won't be any anonymity as both parties will see the transfer data on their bank statements.

I agree with others here that I…

Posted in NTT DoCoMo eyes cell phone-based money transfer service at 11:29 PM JST - 28th May
gonemad at 11:08 PM JST - 28th May

Under Japan Post’s mail discount system for handicapped people, mail charges are sharply discounted to around 8 yen per mail item rather than the regular 120 yen fee.

Can anyone explain why such kind of discount system exists?

Posted in Prosecutors raid welfare ministry over postal discount abuse at 11:08 PM JST - 28th May
gonemad at 09:43 PM JST - 20th May

We have to take appropriate actions

This is the officially used expression for "we have no clue". Which can be seen as well from the Japanese stimulus program, which seems to be about the most helplessly conceived program worldwide. And well, my expectations towards the effectiveness of any of these…

Posted in Aso concerned as Japan's first quarter GDP shrinks at record pace at 09:43 PM JST - 20th May
gonemad at 09:14 PM JST - 20th May

To JT:

The new rules would bring new cars and trucks sold in the United States to an average of 35.5 miles per gallon, about 10 mpg more than today’s standards. Passenger cars will be required to get 39 mpg, light trucks 30 mpg.

Such a long article, presenting a…

Posted in Obama's new rules will transform U.S. auto culture at 09:14 PM JST - 20th May
gonemad at 08:25 PM JST - 20th May

how can it be that diet members receive bonuses at all? For what if not deceiving the public about their true salaries?

Posted in Ruling bloc eyes 20% cut in summer bonuses for Diet members at 08:25 PM JST - 20th May
gonemad at 11:14 PM JST - 20th April

To design Windows 7, Microsoft analyzed billions of pieces of data. It studied exactly what PC users do in front of their screens. It tallied hundreds of thousands of Windows surveys.

Behind that great marketing cant, anyone else wondering where they got all this data from?

Posted in Behind the scenes with Windows 7 at 11:14 PM JST - 20th April
gonemad at 12:14 AM JST - 17th April

While the 6-party talks aim a comprehensive agreement and should therefore be theoretically preferred, practically speaking I think direct talks between the US and DPRK would lead to tangible results much quicker. Separate the tussling brats, let them calm down, try to get an agreement with the worst of them…

Posted in Japan prefers 6-party talks in dealing with N Korea at 12:14 AM JST - 17th April
gonemad at 08:25 AM JST - 8th April

So the guy whose company depends on domestic consumption asks the government to spur domestic consumption. What a surprise...

Posted in Japan's richest man calls goverment policy 'superficial' at 08:25 AM JST - 8th April