JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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- Corporate Business English Trainers
- ACT Systems, Inc.（株式会社アクト・システムズ）, Tokyo
- Salary: ¥269,500 ~ ¥280,000 / Month
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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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peachy871
That is true, the protests are not about taxes directly, they are about ridiculous hikes in tuition fees. Tax money keeps the tuition costs low (am I explaining that correctly?), hence the comments about students living off the taxpayers as though they were mere freeloaders...however those same students will presumably graduate to become taxpayers themselves whose tax money goes toward education costs (among other things).
Posted in: Students attack Prince Charles' car after fee hike
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peachy871
You do have a good point. I do also think that TheQuestion makes some good points, but not everyone who wants a higher education can or wants to follow the exact same formula as he did. I think TheQuestion is definitely a great example of someone who is self-made and to be admired for success that comes of hard work and perseverance. However, not everyone can follow the same path he/she did, that is unrealistic...but it does not mean that folks who wish to get their education in the usual 4 years and think that tuition is expensive enough already, are not hard workers.
There is no doubt, tuition likely needs to be raised...all things go up in price over time and with the changing economy; that is inevitable. But to suddenly decide to triple it!?!! That is ridiculous. No one, not even those who think the students should just suck it up, would sit idly by and simply accept something that is important for the quality of your life, suddenly tripling in cost!
Posted in: Students attack Prince Charles' car after fee hike
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peachy871
But wait a minute...if taxes go toward education, that means the students not only will end up paying for their education but they will also pay for future students' education because, presumably, students become taxpayers themselves upon completion of their education...
Posted in: Students attack Prince Charles' car after fee hike
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peachy871
TheQuestion...I definitely do not condone the violence at all. I do understand where there frustration comes from. I was part of protests when I was in university when tuition was going to be raised. Did it peacefully, our voices were heard, etc. I do agree with you that busting up someone's car and carrying out violence is to be condemned...and in my opinion, the voices of those who are legitimately trying to carry out protests to the proposed insane hikes, are not being heard because of all those who are causing problems. There are constructive ways to protest.
TheQuestion...have to admit, am glad that I was never a university or college student in the U.S. Shudder at the thought of taking that long to pay off student loans. Don't forget, even with a loan, not everyone can afford university; loans don't usually cover everything, only a portion and even if they cover a large portion, that may not be enough for many people. Thus, instead of getting a good education then the higher paying job, those who cannot afford university get stuck in the lower paying jobs and don't get the opportunities that university educated people have access to.
Posted in: Students attack Prince Charles' car after fee hike
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peachy871
History...are you saying that China has no poverty? Or that it is eliminating poverty? Have you actually been there?
Granted, Foxie did have a bit of a point there with regard to China being the country the rest of the world turns to as the country that has the power to tell North Korea to heal, sit and stay. And sure, there are lots of good points about China...mainly its people, not necessarily its rulers. After all, the people don't get any say in its policies, who is running the show, etc. Maybe, just maybe if the Chinese people were allowed to have a voice, they wouldn't have so much infanticide or so many substandard buildings that crumble into dust killing everyone inside during an earthquake...and who knows, they might even get human rights too. But then again, China is capable of mass producing lots of products and making lots of money, therefore rising on the world stage, so we shouldn't criticize but should to think everything is sunshine and roses with them. Really?
Posted in: Jailed Chinese dissident honored at Nobel ceremony
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peachy871
As for the podiatrist, doesn't sound like he was actually causing much trouble. He was following the protest which seems like he was a supporter of the cause but not an instigator of the violence.
I completely understand the students' frustration and anger. A hike that insane is only going to serve to make education an elitist institution. High fees will definitely make higher education unavailable to too many people and will only serve to sharpen social disparity; keep the richer richer and the poor poorer. "Paying more for less" is definitely not socialist at all.
Posted in: Students attack Prince Charles' car after fee hike
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peachy871
DarkKnightNine....yes, they might. Friend of mine went through a situation where he stepped in the middle of an altercation, trying to stop another man from beating a woman and he ended up being the one taken to the police station. But in the case of the above story, I don't think either of the men were arrested per say, just taken down to the station to get it all sorted out.
Posted in: 70,000 commuters delayed by quarrel over cell phone on train in Chiba
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peachy871
Perhaps the trains should have cell phone cars where folks incapable of "unplugging" for the duration of a commute can yak, gab and chat to their hearts' content and leave the rest to have some peace in the regular cars. Yes, people talk to each other on the trains but there is just something different about people having a face-to-face interaction compared to listening to ringtones and one-sided conversations. Not sure what it is, but there is a difference.
While folks are not supposed to be on their cells at all on the train, it is even worse that they were doing it in the priority seats. Cell phones are not even supposed to be turned on in that zone. And rest assured, there were likely other passengers who needed those seats but were being ignored by the guys on the phones. People who need the priority seats step on the train and suddenly everyone in those seats who shouldn't be there, either fall asleep or pretend they can't see any other people on the train.
Posted in: 70,000 commuters delayed by quarrel over cell phone on train in Chiba
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peachy871
tsurubushi...no, that is not wrong at all! It was the first thing I thought when I saw the title, too!
Posted in: Emi Takei becomes youngest ever winner of Best Dresser Award
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peachy871
LoveUSA...rhythmic dance has been a sport for a very long time and long been part of the Olympic games as well. Perhaps you have never done it. You have to be quite gymnastic and flexible for it...it is more than just simple dancing around. And if the Olympics were to eliminate sports that are full of corruption and lack objectivity, there wouldn't be much of an Olympics left! :)
Posted in: Losing her head
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peachy871
WilliB...you are absolutely correct. I totally agree with you. But profiling starts with one's appearance...for example, if one looks Middle Eastern they might get searched. There are some folks out there who believing in martyrdom, etc. who don't necessarily look the part and thus would likely be overlooked for a search if profiling were the procedure in place.
Posted in: TSA has met the enemy — the people
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peachy871
I love this pic! If you look at the trees and the way the light falls on them, you can clearly see that the light does not come from the sky and things look the way they do when lit up at night but then you look up at the sky and it is so bright for that hour...due to the long exposures... and it gives a really cool, surreal effect to it all! Very other worldly!
Posted in: Bright and early
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peachy871
elbud...tell me you were not being serious when you were saying we should pretend that we are grabbing ourselves or enjoying our favourite fetish while being groped by a complete stranger. Hey, you should probably look for a job as a counsellor for victims of sexual assaults...you seem to have a handle on how to make people feel better about being felt up against their will. Cripes...are you for real???
And before you go saying that man was an idiot for the TSA breaking the seal on his colostomy bag, why don't you actually read the reports and watch the news where it was clearly stated that he told them and asked them to be careful but they didn't want to listen to him?
It is sad to say that this kind of security has been deemed necessary, and I am actually fine with it if it happens to screen out potential disasters (would love to know if it has ever worked or not). The problem is, the TSA agents often seem to act like ignorant power-trippers and make the experience far worse than it needs to be. They could easily do a pat-down without making the passenger feel humiliated or like a criminal. It is called professionalism. I still cannot figure out why security staff at American airports can't seem to get a handle on doing a job, doing it well and not being an a****le about it.
Posted in: TSA chief calls for understanding; pat-down leaves Michigan man covered in urine
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peachy871
Klein2...agree with you wholeheartedly there. Well put. And yes, we could leave the sexual non-sequiters at home if we didn't have to worry about the unprofessionalism and behaviour of the TSA as pointed out above in what Klein2 wrote...not to mention the vast number other reports out there.
And yes, almost every attempt we have heard of was due to the courage, quick thinking and keen eye of other passengers. I say "almost every" because there must be some case out there somewhere that I am forgetting that was likely in the news regarding would-be attackers being stopped at the security points...there has to be at least one such story with all that expensive equipment. So far, I can only recall stories of disaster being averted due to sharp, untrained, unequipped civilians.
Posted in: TSA has met the enemy — the people
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peachy871
Klein2...you make it sound pretty expensive to go through the airport...$10000 after getting poked up the heiney? If you get poked up the heiney, doesn't that mean that you complied thus won't get fined?
Posted in: TSA has met the enemy — the people
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peachy871
The only problem with going to profiling as an alternative is that those who want to outsmart the security measures need only to recruit someone outside the profiling parameters.
Posted in: TSA has met the enemy — the people
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peachy871
I recently went through a pat-down at a Canadian airport and it was no big deal...mainly because the security staff treated it as just another procedure and didn't talk to me like I was the dirt on the bottom of their shoe. Which is how American security and immigrations staff treat travellers.
A few years ago, in Japan, security went through my bags, asked all kinds of questions, were very business-like, not friendly but not demeaning either...they knew how to do their job cooly and efficiently. I immediately found myself thinking, "Wow, these guys are good. They know what they are looking for, they know what to ask and the do it so quickly you don't have time to think of anything but the answer they are looking for; no time for chitchat and no chance to feel defensive." After it was finished, I got a smile, a tip of the hat and a "Thank you for your cooperation. Have a pleasant journey." Why is that so hard for American security to do their job, do it well and not treat their fellow human being like scum. Not real difficult.
Anytime I have gone through the U.S., I have the impression that during their training, security staff and immigration staff have it drilled into their heads that if they act rude and intimidating, terrorists will just give up: "Ok, you got me, big scary TSA officer."
I will do whatever I can to avoid American airports if my destination is not actually the US. It is not, as someone suggested above, a way to punish the US for its security measures. It is just to ensure that I have a decent journey without being treated like I am considered subhuman.
I have no problem with the security measures. I think that is, unfortunately, the world we live in right now. I do have a huge problem with how the TSA carries out their job. They need better training.
Posted in: TSA has met the enemy — the people
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peachy871
Surely there must be a way to lower the radiation on the full body scanners. I am not too keen on getting the scan but I am not into getting felt up by a stranger when I have done nothing wrong, either. And the idea of small children getting the so-called "pat-down" treatment is just allllll wrong! So is submitting them needlessly to that much radiation. I don't think that the US needs to lower its security standards, but they sure as hell need to find a better option than what they are using now. Surely someone, somewhere has the brains to work out a solution.
Posted in: Scanners and pat-downs upset airline passengers in U.S.
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peachy871
I am mad for tuna...can't get enough! But if they were to impose a temporary suspension on bluefin in order for that type of tuna to replenish its numbers, thus ensuring sustainability and bluefin for many more years to come (rather than overfish and cause it to go extinct thereby having no more to eat, ever), I am all for it!
Not sure if folks are aware...there are other types of tuna out there too.
Posted in: Tuna tussle: How much fishing is too much?
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peachy871
Columhcille made a very good point. There are some who might fall under the "overweight" category yet have very healthy bodies. Fair enough though, if weight is a safety issue for aircraft. Just to remind the folks out there who are touting "charge by weight" as the only solution, it is definitely an option. But don't forget, in that case, an extremely obese person could still be sitting next to you, spilling into your seat, but no more worries, as they paid more to do so! lol!
Posted in: How should airlines handle obese passengers?