JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

moonbeams's past comments

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  moonbeamsMay. 20, 2010 - 03:54PM JST

  I can't believe you guys are blaming the woman when she was obviously married to a violent psychopath.

  Posted in: Man arrested for stabbing brother in love triangle with ex-wife

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  moonbeamsMay. 19, 2010 - 12:19PM JST

  Great points so far.

  First, get to the root of the problem as previously said. Attacking and punishing the distribution and sales will not eradicate this disease. Research needs to be done to discover why some men develop a sexual interest in children. Also, research needs to be done to learn why these people think it's okay to ruin other's lives for their own ill pleasure.

  Next, Japan needs to take a tough stand against the sexualization of children. I remember a magazine called bubuka had photo of an eleven year old girl with big breasts wearing a bikini on the cover and was sold in the adult section in convenience stores and on display on the street in front of a bunkyodou bookstore. Another offender is weekly playboy and their ads in JR. Shame on JR. There was an advertisement for an issue last year that featured girls from 13 to 16 and promised these children as "center graviere." And why are there images of akb48 girls on all of these weekly playboy ads? Out of all the things to advertise in Japan, why dies JR choose these? And they complain about their chikan problem. Talk about fueling the fire!

  Teachers need to stop oogling their students. This brings the problem to education and social roles. Girls are taught to be sexual objects from these factors such as train advertisements and oogling teachers. Boys are taught that it is okay to sexually objectify girls. The industry capitalizes on it.

  To eradicate child pornography we need to change the way children are used in society.

  Posted in: What is the most effective way to eradicate the sale and possession of child porn?

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  moonbeamsMay. 17, 2010 - 10:50PM JST

  All I have to say is that I hope the poor girl pulls through...

  Posted in: 8-year-old girl in critical condition after being stabbed on Osaka street

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  moonbeamsMay. 17, 2010 - 01:38AM JST

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlfSFkCrZT4

  Posted in: I-Fairy

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  moonbeamsMay. 14, 2010 - 12:06PM JST

  Some thoughts. One, who doesn't make poor judgements when they are a teenager?

  Two, this could have been something the pair often did, thus creating a false sense of security and confidence.

  Three, it is possible they were listening to portable music devices and failed to have heard the train approaching.

  My heart goes out to the survivor. She or he will be tormented for life from this.

  Posted in: 15-year-old girl killed by train while running across tracks in Osaka

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  moonbeamsMay. 08, 2010 - 10:27AM JST

  Wiwaneko,

  Do come to Japan.

  But stay two more years and get your masters.

  Everyone here has a BA and it's almost worthless in competing for a good position. Get your masters and maybe you can get a non-alt position. Good luck.

  Posted in: Why is teaching at English conversation schools in Japan such a maligned profession by some people?

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  moonbeamsMay. 08, 2010 - 10:23AM JST

  Aside from the stereotype of I came to Japan to party Gaijin (funny I never met one), and the facts that it's easy to become a "teacher" and most of the teachers are "unqualified," the overwhelming majority of of the jobs available are designed to cater to the temporary employee. No insurance, no bonus, no pension and prorated salary. No overtime. In fact, most teachers are limited to just 29.5 hours so their companies can save from paying shakaihoken. These conditions make it a crappy job.

  Posted in: Why is teaching at English conversation schools in Japan such a maligned profession by some people?

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  moonbeamsMay. 01, 2010 - 09:54AM JST

  Just shows how little the Japanese understand Americans in the continental US. 100's US bases in 100's of towns and cities provide thousands of local jobs. Everett, Washington (North of Seattle) Specifically solicited the US Gov to build a Navy base there to replace lost jobs. Millions of American's live a short distance from Marine bases in California and North carolina.

  I have heard that Okinawa had a 15% unemployment rate with 20% working for the bases five years ago. I cannot verify if this rumor was accurate. However, how would Americans feel if that noise came from France or Japanese bases? Different story, wouldn't it be?

  A small group may complain about the noise, but those who don't accept it MOVE...yes they do the logical thing and MOVE. They understand that having a strong military is part of the deal.

  In the US, it is common to move, but in Japan, people stay in their house for generations. And where are people supposed to move on a little island that has twenty-five percent of its space occupied by bases?

  Lastly, don't feel too sorry for the mere 20% of Okinawa currently being used for US Military. The same military owns and uses 38% of the total useable land on Guam.

  Guam is US territory. Okinawa belongs to Japan. Different story.

  After the bases are finally and painfully removed, we will once again see Okinawains in the streets protesting the lack of jobs and sluggish economy due the now lack of funding pouring into their beloved Island..

  That is possible.

  P.S. The endagered species bit was the most hilarious given that right now millions of Americans are watching or have see the award winning documentary "The Cove" about the slaughtering of Dolphins and whales. Yes.....Japan should stick to making cars, leave the propaganda to the pros.

  The people in Okinawa have nothing to do with the hunts in Wakayama. Are efforts for equality a joke in Alabama if there is a KKK group in California?

  Posted in: Anti-base ad

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  moonbeamsApr. 23, 2010 - 08:45PM JST

  Lots of poorly written comments from native speakers, ripe with terrible syntax and atrocious spelling, degrading non-native speaking English instructors here.. delicious irony.

  Alright. Aside from the average Japanese high school English teacher, there are people who are non-native speakers that can write a hellavolot better than the ALTs posting here.

  I have a German friend who teaches English in Japan. He's qualified because he can explain English as someone who has mastered it. Being non native and mastering a language gives one an edge over natives who never have to think about their own languages.

  Posted in: Do English teachers at schools have to be native speakers? Can non-native English speakers do just as well or better?

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  moonbeamsApr. 19, 2010 - 04:34PM JST

  I'm going to guess that only beautiful girls refers to customers, ie it's for women only.

  Posted in: Sign of the times

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  moonbeamsApr. 13, 2010 - 11:21AM JST

  I am outraged at this Levin guy and this group.

  Personally, I'm as far left as you can get politically. Infiltration and sabotage are plain wrong. Let the Tea Party speak their minds. The people can decide if they will accept their message.

  Levin, you have sunk to a new low. Worse, you'll vindicate all the real prejudice in the party with your shananegans.

  Posted in: Tea Party crashers plan to exaggerate 'racists' and 'morons'

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  moonbeamsApr. 09, 2010 - 02:25PM JST

  Those corporate interests are the same that fund the tea party. They just don't want their business machines to be regulated. The people within the party are being manipulated to serve their causes.

  Posted in: Tea party leaders announce new federation

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  moonbeamsApr. 08, 2010 - 09:47AM JST

  branded,

  Japanese media heavily criticises their politicians, as well. JT is not a newspaper.

  Posted in: What do you think are some of the main differences in the way Japanese and U.S. media report the news?

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  moonbeamsApr. 02, 2010 - 01:08AM JST

  The problem is not shyness or cuteness. One could actualise a 30% decrease in the Japanese suicide rate simply by educating Japanese people about the importance of getting 7 to 9 hours sleep a night instead of the 5 to 6 most currently average. There's a mass of research showing that there is a causal link between higher rates of teenage depression and sleeping less than 7 hours a night, and further research shows that teenage depression leads to adult depression. Finally depression is the leading factor in suicide. So instead of putting up blue lights in train stations they should be educating people about the importance of sleep.

  By pinning the blame on "shyness" the author of this article displays both a complete lack of understanding. Get some sleep people! It's really as simple as that.

  This and the economic system. It's easy to fall through the cracks.

  Posted in: Bare statistics mask human cost of Japan’s high suicide rate

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  moonbeamsMar. 25, 2010 - 07:44PM JST

  I did the same thing to several teenage kids blaring their headphones at times.

  I wonder if the writer was using the apple earbuds?

  Apple's headphones do not go inside the inner ear, so any sound coming from them can be heard by people standing next to you, no matter if you aren't blaring your music.

  I recommend inner ear buds. They cannot be heard by the people around you.

  Posted in: Train shame

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  moonbeamsMar. 20, 2010 - 02:12PM JST

  I don't believe in an afterlife.

  However, I had a ghost in my home from November to January. I moved in Dec and it followed us to the new place. Though it's been gone since Feb began.

  Posted in: Do you believe in life after death?

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  moonbeamsMar. 18, 2010 - 01:18PM JST

  My heart goes out to these daughters. What a sicko.

  Asahara halted in mid-stroke but resumed shortly afterward.

  I never read such a sentence before in my life.

  Posted in: Daughter of Aum founder relates misery of life at cult

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  moonbeamsMar. 17, 2010 - 04:44PM JST

  May all rapist fall on a pickaxe.

  Posted in: Women, young girls raped in Haiti's post-quake tent cities

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  moonbeamsMar. 17, 2010 - 12:19PM JST

  Let's hope that the accident was reported to police. If the car was not stolen, it shouldn't be too hard to find this guy.

  Japan needs to do something about violence against women. Too many people are openly violent.

  Posted in: Torso identified as that of missing Fukuoka woman

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  moonbeamsMar. 16, 2010 - 01:50PM JST

  This thread is crazy.

  One, stop calling people anti-semetic if they don't support the Israeli government's decision to build which provokes Palestinians, and they know it.

  Two, being Jewish doesn't automatically equate being pro-Israeli government. In Israel there are numerous parties with numerous platforms.

  Three, "Jews this, Jews that" enough with the stupidity. By the way, the Jewish population has been in decline due to mixing with other ethnic groups. I am guilty of this myself.

  Four, don't call someone anti-Israel because they realize how building settlements on contested land provokes violent reactions from the Palestinians. To call someone anti-Israel because they are keeping Israel's safety at heart doesn't make sense.

  Five, go educate yourselves. This is a topic with deep history and most people commenting here lack the basis to understand this.

  Posted in: U.S. demands Israel cancel Jerusalem building plan

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