katsu78 said...

katsu78 at 09:40 AM JST - 9th September

Gaijinocchio

postponing cabinet picks, dragging coalition talks, even waiting for housing.

I'm getting the feeling the Japanese government is in disarray ;-)

Yeah. How dare a Japanese government not be up and running a week before it even takes office, a week after it was elected.

Posted in DPJ coalition talks drag on; Aso to resign Sept 16 at 09:40 AM JST - 9th September
katsu78 at 01:13 PM JST - 16th July

**Kwaabish- "What incentive is there to try to earn more money"

I've never in my life met anyone who would give up on having more money because it would be taxed at a higher rate. Would you give up a raise just because you will be taxed at .5% more?…

Posted in U.S. House plan boosts taxes on rich to 20-year high at 01:13 PM JST - 16th July
katsu78 at 02:11 PM JST - 1st July

The problem as I see it is not that the spokesman was mistaken or didn't personally know about MJ. It's that he felt comments on his race were worth putting in a government press conference and Japan's top spokesman is making press conferences about topics he is not informed about,…

Posted in Government spokesman retracts remark about Michael Jackson's complexion at 02:11 PM JST - 1st July
katsu78 at 04:25 PM JST - 26th June

Stereofreak~

I think experience is more valueable than qualifications, too. However the eikaiwas aren't retaining experienced teachers, nor are they providing much incentive for qualified teachers either. I don't agree that the atrocious minimum-effort teachers are dwindling- in some areas I see them increasing.

The lack of incentives in Eikaiwa…

Posted in English-language teaching industry in bad shape at 04:25 PM JST - 26th June
katsu78 at 05:54 PM JST - 24th June

weatherjp-

I don't think it's fair to accuse Terrie of being a shill on the basis of what's written here. I think he's just trying to approach what is a structural problem of the entire eikaiwa industry in the country (with roots spreading everywhere from public school systems to cultural…

Posted in English-language teaching industry in bad shape at 05:54 PM JST - 24th June
katsu78 at 10:22 AM JST - 24th June

For example, right now the marketing focus of most schools is on cheaper lessons and variations of private lessons and smaller classes. This is all well and good, but smaller classes are not cheap to do, so using simple Psych 101 theory, it would follow that popular teachers should…

Posted in English-language teaching industry in bad shape at 10:22 AM JST - 24th June
katsu78 at 10:51 AM JST - 22nd December

Shiu, you're projecting some personal issues if you think this is about ALTs and eikaiwa teachers. They're the tiniest tip of this giant iceberg.

The Brazilian-Japanese were invited to Japan with the promise of a better life in exchange for doing the 3K jobs no one in Japan wanted to…

Posted in Foreign workers march to call for job security at 10:51 AM JST - 22nd December
katsu78 at 08:55 AM JST - 22nd December

****Tatanka: "The whole nature of 'contract' work in essence means you are hired "as needed" and no more."

More like, "The whole nature of 'contract' work in Japan in essence means you are taken on cheaply and with few benefits but asked to work like a full employee, never improve…

Posted in Foreign workers march to call for job security at 08:55 AM JST - 22nd December
katsu78 at 08:06 AM JST - 30th July

The Emperor is held on a very short leash by the IHA, and it seems he is prohibited from ever saying anything controversial about anything. For him to oppose these nationalist groups, while I think it would be admirable, would surely be shot down (hopefully not literally) quickly by arguments…

Posted in It’s time for emperor to rev up his own sound truck at 08:06 AM JST - 30th July
katsu78 at 08:10 AM JST - 28th July

I don't mind if it's got a religious element, but if it's on the front page of JAPANToday it really should at least even tangentially relate to Japan. Does the editor here just not screen articles, or are they that hard up for content that they'll accept ANYTHING? I could…

Posted in Religious right AWOL from the real war at 08:10 AM JST - 28th July