ramses68's past comments

• 

  2

  ramses68May. 15, 2013 - 05:55PM JST

  Swiss Toni has it right. The area of the lift should be clear of workers, including the signalman. The hardhat would have done nothing for him, but it shows the lack of a "safety conscious" work environment. If the worker can ignore something as simple as putting his hardhat on, he can ignore the load above his head too. Poor dumb bastard R.I.P.

  Posted in: Construction worker dies after being hit by metal pipes falling from crane

• 

  2

  ramses68May. 09, 2013 - 02:59PM JST

  I'll take a stab at it.... Honest fishermen have quotas imposed through government regulation... Regulations that stipulate size, species, and tonnage of the catch. If someone is harvesting illegally, they are reducing the numbers related to size and species, thereby reducing the potential tonnage an honest fisherman can possibly put on his boat. Less tonnage equals less income for the fisherman/fleets... Less income for the fleets equals lost tax revenue for the governing body. If we take it a step further we could go into the impact on species and the fishing grounds they come from. Fishing grounds depleted by illegal fishing, forces the honest fisherman out of business completely at times. Resulting in job loss, and the loss of support industry for the fishermen. Think canneries, shippers, marinas, welders, mechanics, etc... Impacting an entire community of revenue producers, all because of illegal fishing/sales.

  Posted in: Fish piracy costs up to $23 billion a year: report

• 

  0

  ramses68May. 09, 2013 - 02:43PM JST

  ^ This... Common sense isn't very common.

  Posted in: Woman killed in hit-and-run in Sapporo

• 

  -1

  ramses68May. 09, 2013 - 02:42PM JST

  @technosphere... While I hear what you are saying, I would think the Americans were the lesser of 2 evils that could have befallen Japan. You conveniently lay aside the fact that Japanese would be a dead language by now, since they would all be speaking Russian. Although, Japans hive mentality would have fit right in with communism, it most likely wouldn't have led to the economic resurgence that was possible under American occupation. Let's also not forget, Japan/Nihon would no longer be found on world maps. =) You're welcome!

  Posted in: Drunk U.S. serviceman arrested for trespassing in private residence

• 

  -1

  ramses68Feb. 12, 2013 - 02:16PM JST

  While I understand that technology is for the "benefit" of all, I can't help but agree about the shrinking pool of middle class dollars that will be endlessly pumped back into the economy. What I see is cyclical on a global scale. While the American middle class is shrinking and dying, it doesn't matter because the Chinese middle class is growing. Using that as an example... The corporations realize it as an emerging market. Until the costs of labor in China get high enough, then the corporations will move production to the newest, cheapest country, suck at the teat of Chinas consumers until they drain it dry. At this point the new "host" country will have developed economically into a burgeoning middle class, which will have created a "new" emerging market. In essence it is a shell game. Fortunately for the Americans they will continue to slide into a third world status. At some point they will become the newest cheapest country to produce goods, after relaxing labor laws, and environmental/business regulations to what they were a hundred years ago. At that point they stand a chance of business moving back in to take advantage of low wage rates and lack of environmental/business regulation. It will be a dark couple of decades, or maybe a century, but the jobs will come back eventually and we'll be happy to have them available for $.15 an hour and a 16 hr work shift. No worries about the corporations and their millionaires though, as long as they remain vigilant enough to know when emerging markets are too expensive to continue production, they will be able to shift production to somewhere else for cheaper and drain all the dollars out of the "current" middle class economy. As long as they can manage to do that, they should be okay.

  Posted in: Is any job safe from technological advancements? If not, what will happen to societies if mass unemployment ensues?

• 

  1

  ramses68Feb. 12, 2013 - 01:52PM JST

  Always liked the band "The Dead Kennedys". So SS managed to hire a lawyer with a a name. Easy to do when you're sucking at the teat of Hollywood elite, who have no idea about real issues. While I am Pro sustainable whaling, I can't help but think that SS is causing more damage than anything else. If it weren't for Santa Claus and his elves spending all that cash on boats and cruises, they could be EDUCATING the populace of Japan about mercury poisoning, taxpayer funds being used to support a dying industry, or that whales are akin to unicorns and should be preserved before they die out... When was the last time you saw a real live unicorn? That's right! Never! Because they were so darn tasty, we killed and ate all of them. Bones, hides, horns and all... By confronting the nation and attempting to force their ideals down the throats of the Japanese, SS is just continually making a bad situation worse. Quit buying boats, weed, and lawyers, and put all those Hollywood dollars to work on something more effective, and less offensive.

  Posted in: Anti-whaling group takes battle to U.S. Supreme Court

• 

  0

  ramses68Jan. 26, 2013 - 06:57PM JST

  2 thumbs for Virtuoso. Truth... Sometimes it sucks.

  Posted in: Looming layoffs: Which workers are at greatest risk?

• 

  1

  ramses68Jan. 11, 2013 - 04:49PM JST

  Sounds like a homeless guy that didn't realize that freezers tend to be airtight, and that the supply of oxygen will run out. Especially when you manage to get yourself locked in.

  Posted in: Body found in food warehouse freezer in Niigata

• 

  4

  ramses68Jan. 08, 2013 - 02:06PM JST

  Imagine that! Improper disposal by yak contractors? Never! ;)

  Posted in: Ministry to monitor nuclear decontamination more strictly

• 

  2

  ramses68Jan. 01, 2013 - 06:16AM JST

  @smith "That they took away from Fukushima relief for the sake of science, or they were putting some of it towards Japan's traditional whaling program for meat?"

  I fail to see the divide. The reason they are engaged in "Science", is to provide data to support resuming whaling on a commercial basis for MEAT. Specifically whale meat. I.e. it's really all the same thing. They aren't trying to determine if whales have time machines, and cold fusion reactor technology. They are trying to come up with data to determine if a return to commercial whaling is viable, with the current stocks available for harvest. After all... The IWC is an "industry" group concerned with conserving whale stocks, in order to continue the practice of commercial whaling. They are not a"Whale Preservation Society", no matter how much you may wish it was so. Just because it has been infiltrated by whale lovers, doesn't change the original charter of the IWC. No matter how much you might prefer it be so. I can only imagine you would be outraged, if the ICR were using funds to investigate whether whales had interstellar transport technology, and with good reason. :P But seeing as how they seem to be sticking to applying their research to an area that makes sense, from an industry groups standpoint, I fail to see how your argument is anything other than an exercise in hearing the sound of your own voice. As to your assertions of statistics... Let's all agree that we're not stupid. Your choice of links left much to be desired, as the quotes attributed to the "news" articles were all from enviromentalists, or at the very best "blurbs" from people with valid points that were taken out of context.

  Perfect example taken from one of your "articles". "Junichi Sato, from Greenpeace Japan, told Australia's ABC that there was no link between the whaling programme and the tsunami recovery."

  If you choose to be argumentative, and there is nothing wrong with debating yours and others points of view. Then at least get better at it, or try harder.

  Posted in: Japan's whaling fleet leaves port for Antarctica

• 

  0

  ramses68Dec. 17, 2012 - 06:18PM JST

  "Crushing grapes in France and milking cows in New Zealand represent much more than ways to make a living. Both are traditions that cut to the core of cultural identity, forming part of a national heritage the French call “patrimoine.”"

  I don't believe that I was ever previously aware of New Zealand's traditional cow milking culture.

  Learn something new every day! ;)

  Posted in: Hands off our heritage: some wary of China's reach

• 

  2

  ramses68Dec. 17, 2012 - 06:03PM JST

  To answer the question of gun control, as was asked... I think it is an utter failure in the U.S. The way I see it, the failure lies in the enforcement of existing laws and rules. Checks and registrations are a joke. "Have you ever suffered from a mental illness?" Yes( ) No( ). Do you really believe that they take advantage of the holes blown in doctor patient confidentiality by HIPA laws, to even verify if someone is telling the truth on an application? Sadly, no. The current laws regarding gun possession, and use are just fine the way they are (for the most part). The failure lies in the lack of enforcement of laws already on the books.
  You need to prove you are physically fit enough to hold a Commercial Drivers License, by way of holding a D.O.T. med. card. In order to get your med card you have to take a physical from a licensed physician. In a lot of states you have to go to counseling sessions with a therapist, or member of the clergy, before you are granted a marriage license. For a gun. Just check the boxes for no felonies, no mental illnesses, and wait 3 days to pick up your gun. Don't waste time cluttering up the books with more laws that won't be enforced. Start enforcing the laws currently on the books.

  Posted in: What is your stance on gun control?

• 

  0

  ramses68Dec. 17, 2012 - 05:31PM JST

  Let's see... Obama's term is four years. So... "U.S. President Barack Obama congratulated Shinzo Abe on his conservative opposition’s electoral win Sunday, saying he looked forward to working with the next government, and the next government, and the next government, and the next government."

  Perhaps he said what he really meant. Not... I look forward to working with the new government, but in fact... I look forward to working with the NEXT government.

  Hmm...

  Posted in: Obama congratulates Abe on election win

• 

  1

  ramses68Dec. 17, 2012 - 05:25PM JST

  "The majority of contracts for Fukushima have been awarded directly by TEPCO, which outsources decontamination and debris-clearing to Yaks."

  Fixed

  "Hitachi GE Nuclear posts bid notices on its website in both English and Japanese. The company said it was working as quickly as possible to restore and rebuild Fukushima and the short bidding periods were not designed to shut out foreign firms."

  Umm... Restore the entire prefecture? Restore and rebuild the nuclear plant that is supposed to be shut down? I can't seem to wrap my mind around what EXACTLY it is that they are restoring? The confidence of the citizens of Japan, maybe?

  Posted in: Foreign firms largely excluded in Fukushima clean-up

• 

  3

  ramses68Nov. 28, 2012 - 01:08PM JST

  For "medicinal" purposes. ;)

  Posted in: Why do people get drunk?

• 

  0

  ramses68Nov. 28, 2012 - 12:30PM JST

  You guys/gals can argue all night about what the statistics represent, how true of a picture it paints, what a poor sampling it was... Did anyone consider that possibly the results show a willingness to support either argument, if the parties involved tried to capitalize on educating those with no opinion? What this "article" says to me is that there is a large group that could be educated and swayed to whichever side of the argument you're for. I don't see those people taking "Sea Shepherd" seriously. I don't blame them either. If you want to convince me of something, then educate me. Throwing bottles at me generally won't work. I think this is a huge chance for Greenpeace, or some other non militant conservation/preservation group, to make an investment, and an impact on the Japanese people.
  Even though I myself, believe they have the right to eat whatever they want as long as it's sustainable, some times you have to help the other team out, by pointing out what should be OBVIOUS.

  Posted in: Japan support for whaling outweighs opposition: poll

• 

  -5

  ramses68Nov. 28, 2012 - 12:07PM JST

  "Second, it believes Japan plays a critical role as a "bridge nation connecting Asia and the world", thereby contributing to the growth of the region."

  Japan may believe it. The rest of the world... Not so much. They're still arguing with China, S. Korea, and Russia over islands. So sad that they seem to be lost in their "fairy tale".

  Posted in: For better lifestyles and lower costs, firms locate outside Tokyo

• 

  0

  ramses68Nov. 11, 2012 - 12:17PM JST

  If I had to venture a guess I would say that the process begins with a lack of self esteem on the part of the stalker. As to the rest of it... No idea, I think they're nuts for not counting their blessings and moving on.

  Posted in: What causes someone to become a stalker?

• 

  3

  ramses68Nov. 05, 2012 - 04:40PM JST

  They should get rid of the electoral college, and while they're at it the federal reserve too.

  Posted in: In the U.S., the nationwide popular vote does not determine the winner of the presidential election. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are actually competing to win at least 270 electoral votes in state-by-state contests. What do you think of this system?

• 

  0

  ramses68Oct. 28, 2012 - 10:26AM JST

  Should be practiced regularly on politicians. :p

  Posted in: What is your stance on euthanasia?