JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
-
- Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) in Kanto region
- RCS (RCSコーポレーション), Kanto
- Salary: ¥180,000 ~ ¥250,000 / Month includes performance bonus
-
- Assistant Language Teacher - TOKYO - late-March start
- Interac, Tokyo
- Salary: ¥230,000 ~ ¥255,000 / Month
-
- Assistant Language Teacher - Kanagawa Prefecture - late-March start
- Interac, Kanagawa
- Salary: ¥230,000 ~ ¥255,000 / Month
0
harkins
Even with giri-choco Valentines day seems to have more substance to it than it does here in the UK. It was reported this week that a supermarket was selling valentine cards for 7 pence each (about 10 yen I think). How romantic!
Posted in: Lots of chocolate, but little love on Valentine’s Day in Japan
-1
harkins
Japan is clearly a terribly dull overcrowded place with little or nothing of any interest to anyone. Lord knows why anyone would want to visit Japan or even more incredibly, actually live there!
Posted in: 12 reasons to visit Japan in 2012
7
harkins
You do wonder just when it will dawn on the government that a big fence needs putting up around a large area surrouding this plant and maybe some other isolated spots and that everything within it is given up as gone. It's tragic but there is no other way. A part of Japan is gone, for as long as anyone can imagine.
Posted in: Radiation found in rice from Fukushima Pref; more tests planned
1
harkins
In fairness, I would imagine they would have to have waited some time until it was felt that the radiation being emitted had reached a state where a clean up wouldn't have been completely pointless. And of course that the situation was deemed sufficiently stable that there won't be a sudden event that re-contaminates everything they had cleaned overnight.
Posted in: Radioactive decontamination task force launched in Fukushima
1
harkins
Spidapig,
It seems you are still missing the point of context. And shouting New York does not immediately put anyone on mind of 9/11. Maybe shouting Twin Towers might though.
I think that we can agree that taunting opponent’s players is part and parcel of many team sports. Taunting players for mistakes in play, a lack physical fitness or having being caught using prostitutes are quite normal and accepted as the kind of things you just have to deal with. Even the recent taunting of a Korean player about eating dogs is not worth the fuss it caused. But I can only see that referring to an ongoing nuclear disaster that is affecting thousands of innocent people is slightly overstepping the mark here.
Let’s say if your friends or family were killed or injured in a freak yachting accident and I shouted at you ship ahoy!! whilst you were trying to play pool. Would you just think, I was merely referring to sailing generally, which is fine or would you suspect I was laughing at the fact you been affected by a disaster and tell me to shut up or worse?
I expect that we will not agree on this but I guess it doesn’t really matter to either of us anyway. Cheers for the debate all the same.
Posted in: Belgian soccer match halted after Fukushima taunts
0
harkins
Spidapig. That was 'nasty or bad' because why on earth would 200 people in Belgium be shouting at an opposing team's goalkeeper the name of a prefecture/city in Japan that they quite likely had not heard of before March this year?
In Europe and likely across much of the world, Fukushima is the word used to refer to the wrecked nuclear power station. I assuume you are acting dumb as a wind up as I can't really believe that it needed explaining.
Just in case, try looking up 'context' in a dictionary.
Posted in: Belgian soccer match halted after Fukushima taunts
0
harkins
As a regular at football matches throughout Europe, I can say that despite the perceptions of many non European football fans, this kind of chanting is both rare and very much frowned upon by the vast majority of supporters, irrespective of their social backgrounds.
Posted in: Belgian soccer match halted after Fukushima taunts
0
harkins
Sounds good to me. Parents are always getting high and mighty about their right to spoil everyone elses experience because they are so wonderful for having children in tow.
Having said that, by agreeing to this move I am just accepting a greater number of babies crying throughout a 12 hour flight back in economy. But maybe the upper classes babies cry in a nicer way.
To the palace fan. I like how you stated that a father will have to travel alone in business class while the mother and children sit in economy. That sounds like a wonderful father. "I'm not giving up on my froie gras and reclining seat to sit with my wife and offspring". Superb!
Posted in: What do you think of the decision by Malaysian Airlines to ban babies from its first-class cabins because of complaints from other passengers that they had paid big money for first-class seats but could not sleep because of the noise?
1
harkins
I don't know much about Thai politics but she is certainly the prettiest national leader I've ever seen. Looks like a very lovely lady.
Posted in: Thaksin's sister seeks unity after winning election in Thailand
0
harkins
Ivan, it was written Frank Columbo on his warrent card that is seen in a few odd episodes. But despite that, it was never actually said and I think that the intention was that it should not be known.
RIP Mr Falk.
Posted in: 'Columbo' star Peter Falk dead at 83
0
harkins
I wonder how old the model in the picture is. She looks anywhere between 13 and 33 to me. And in turn, I wonder if that while most people can clearly see that a cartoon character is meant to be a child, will the artists and publishers not get around some of this by claiming the characters are adults who just happen to look young?
Posted in: Ishihara adamant on manga censorship ordinance
0
harkins
Klein2. I have no intention of raising fear nor do I think my doubt ridden thoughts above have the potential to raise any fears – especially buried in this forum.
And yes you are correct. I didn’t know if it was true but some reporting has suggested that TEPCO hoped to salvage the reactors and I merely brought it up in a discussion. I am glad that you are so certain that they did not compromise people’s safety to save their assets. It’s good to know.
And finally, I am not panic mongering and I certainly don’t think any of this is funny in the least. I have family in Japan and I love the place and all I hope for is as swift and clean an outcome as is possible.
Posted in: Comparing Japan and Chernobyl
0
harkins
If comparing or contrasting the two events I would say that one of the key differences was the immediate response of the authorities. In the Chernobyl case it seems that the Soviets sent men to almost certain death to try and contain the situation as quickly as possible.
Whereas in Japan (and I admit that this is only my personal take) the authorities seem to have spent the initial period at least trying to salvage the reactors for continued use.
Perhaps I’m very wrong but I am sure the Soviet mind set was snuff it out fast and try not let the west know. And the Japanese mind set was these are expensive, we must try not to write them off.
Like I say, this is just the impression I get and I’m not saying that the Japanese should have sacrificed men either, just that they may have been able to do something had they accepted that the reactors would be lost from the offset.
Posted in: Comparing Japan and Chernobyl
0
harkins
It's entirely right that a lot of attention is given to these poor children but it is amazing just how resilient children are. I've seen many pictures of smiling children and I imagine that the kids are likely coping a lot better than many of the adults. Having said that, I have seen some very sad pictures of clearly distressed older children at graduation ceremonies. My heart goes out to all of them.
Posted in: Deal me in
0
harkins
Here in the UK it was seared into the population's minds for all of about 5 days. Now it is little more than last weeks 24 hour news channel disaster movie. The lack of a spectacular nuclear catastrophe 10 times that of Chernobyl and a few fighter jets doing live fire exercises over an African desert has wiped the horrific and on going events in Japan well and truly off the general UK population's minds.
Posted in: Japan tragedy seared into world's imagination
0
harkins
Just realised that I said "I don't get the importance of Hooters". I should stress that I mean the resturant! Also a 'good' dining experience.
Posted in: A Hooter here and a Hooter there
0
harkins
I'm not American so perhaps I don't get the importance of Hooters. But the number of articles relating to the opening of one new restaurant seems (wrongly I'm sure) to suggest a vested interest somewhere? I'm sure it's a dining experience all the same.
Posted in: A Hooter here and a Hooter there
0
harkins
I've flown Manchester to Narita twice and also to Hong Kong with Finnair (ecconomy) and I think that they are pretty good. Nice journey time breaks, nice airport, very competative prices and nice new aircraft.
However, each time I have flown there have been service cutbacks. Free beer on the short haul went first, then free snacks on the long haul and then the complimentary toothbrush/paste and eye-mask went. Still, I'd fly with them again.
Posted in: Finnair to increase flights to Asia
0
harkins
It all sounds pretty far fetched to me but I can't help but agree that it is a bit sad that the new TV mast/tower thingy has been called スカイツリ. I don't think that it would ever cross anyones mind in the UK, US etc to call a significant structure sora no ki. So it does seem to say something about the Japanese mind set that they will do this.
Posted in: Too much katakana contributing to Japan's malaise
0
harkins
For those parents who think that all other passengers are unreasonable for not enjoying 12 hours of screaming, would you be so tolerant if a person seated next to you was perhaps drunk, getting up for the toilet every 5 minutes or listening to their ipod at full blast for the whole flight (or stinking of BO as I once experienced)?
I appreciate that there is little that the parents can do if a child is upset on a flight but to be so vitriolic against passengers without children is unnecessary. Long haul economy flights are not much fun with or without children.
So, perhaps not subjecting small children to such long and uncomfortable flights, unless absolutely necessary, is the best cause of action?
Posted in: What's the best way to deal with screaming or badly-behaved children at airports and on planes so that they don't drive other passengers crazy?