JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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1
Why do Japanese change their attitude when they communicate with foreigners?
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2
U.S. Navy investigating how parts fell off aircraft near Atsugi
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3
Confrontation
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4
California court to decide if SeaWorld whales are illegal 'slaves'
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5
Kuroki reported pregnant 2 weeks after denying relationship with Akanishi
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- 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
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- Assistant Language Teacher - TOKYO - late-March start
- Interac, Tokyo
- Salary: ¥230,000 ~ ¥255,000 / Month
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- Assistant Language Teacher - Kanagawa Prefecture - late-March start
- Interac, Kanagawa
- Salary: ¥230,000 ~ ¥255,000 / Month
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sdmsec
Maybe he's considering Ron Paul?
Posted in: Obama looking for VP who says more than 'Yes, sir'
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sdmsec
P.S. While I think it would be noble, in theory, to help everyone in the world with problems whether financially or politically I don't think that the U.S. practically has the authority nor the resources to do so.
So my thinking on U.S. intervention has changes a fair amount recently. If not from a philosophical stand-point at least from a practical one.
No more foreign aid or military intervention in any other nation except when threatened by an overt act of aggression (for example the 9/11 attacks and subsequent harboring by the Taliban). We just can't afford it.
Posted in: Obama addresses 200,000 in Berlin with message of unity for world's people
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sdmsec
Great! We have two candidates who think the government should put its nose into everyone's wallets and business. One wants to screw us domestically and other in foreign affairs. Either way we continue to go deeper in debt.
Cradle-to-grave entitlements coupled with open borders = bankruptcy.
Foreign intervention when no security threat exists (except in a few limited cases) = bankruptcy.
I certainly won't vote for Obama because socialist programs seem to be much harder to withdraw from than foreign conflicts. So the hard question is whether to vote McCain (sickening) just to protect us from Obama or vote US Constitution or Libertarian party?
What good is a Constitution if the government and the governed ignore it?
Posted in: Obama addresses 200,000 in Berlin with message of unity for world's people
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sdmsec
IMO when Hackabee made mormonism a hot-button issue he doomed both himself and Romney and the more conservative wing of the GOP. He made the Baptists and thier ilk wary of Romney but simultaneously made himself look more like a preacher than a president. He split the conservative vote leaving McCain with an open path to the finish line.
I suspect Romney pulled out early to save his $'s for a potential future run.
Posted in: McCain under pressure to pick running mate
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sdmsec
"The world knows a good thing when it sees one"
Yes, we U.S. congress, president, and supreme court should make all decisions subject to approval of world opinion.
We should have a world democracy so that the Muslims can vote as a bloc to assure we wear the appropriate attire and eat "clean" foods.
On second thought, nah, I'll take sovereignty and a Constitution.
FYI: Not that I think the Dems or Repubs care one wit about the Constitution at this point. Which is why we have so many foreign and domestic issues right now.
Posted in: Obama addresses 200,000 in Berlin with message of unity for world's people
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sdmsec
I think the more conservative vote was split while McCain quickly became the only contender for the moderate-to-liberal GOP voters since Giuliani dropped out so quickly.
Posted in: McCain under pressure to pick running mate
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sdmsec
Very solid financial advice from Badsey.
I don't have much sympathy for those who took on too much debt or for those who gave loans to such risky clients.
It's funny though to see how congress points so much of the blame at the lenders. Especially, since they mandated much of the risky lending via the Community Reinvestment Act.
Posted in: Bush assures Americans that U.S. economy will 'pull through'
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sdmsec
Isn't this largely what being gay is all about? After all, this is a group of people who identify themselves primarily by their sexual behavior. It would seem that many of of these people who define themselves by their sexual preferences are obsessive about sexual behavior to the exclusion of other important factors.
Posted in: Revelers celebrate freedom to marry in San Francisco as gays worldwide celebrate pride
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sdmsec
Hey SezWho2,
I'll happlily concede that handguns are used to take more lives than they are used to spare lives, however, the same could be said of knives and baseball bats. In the complete absence of handguns (or guns generally) a person who determines to kill another person can almost always accomplish their goal.
Also, I'm don't so much advocate a handgun as a "deterent" as in discouraging crime but as a defense to kill someone who is attacking myself, my wife or my children. I would like it if someone who designed to physically harm my family decided not to because they think I might have a gun. However, my real purpose in desiring the gun would be to kill that person if they did attack.
Thanks for the your thoughts. It helps me to clarify my own thinking and where I would draw lines or not. I'd better get some sleep now.
Posted in: Supreme Court says U.S. Constitution gives Americans right to own guns
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sdmsec
FYI: As soon as I posted the words, "whining argument", I wished there was a way on JT to edit my own post. Sorry I used that language.
Without the post editing ability on JT it's like speaking in the heat of the moment: sometimes things fly out that I regret.
Posted in: Millionaires roster grows to 10.1 million members globally in 2007
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sdmsec
SezWho2,
Yeah, handguns wouldn't go far in defending against any government oppression. However, there have been quite a few posts here that advocate a complete gun ban. My comments about freedom from government oppression would definitely be aimed at the "individual gun ownership" crowd.
I'd also agree that to defend my home and property I'd rather have rifles and shotguns, but there are times when citizens legitimately need "portable" protection. For example, my father fired a man at a plant who had a reputation as a "bad hombre". The man made thinly veiled threats at my father. For several months my father kept a handgun with him wherever he went, because he percieved that the threat was very real.
I want to have "portable" self-defense as I see fit. I don't advocate unlimited access to handguns (or guns generally). For example, I'm fine with doing a background check to determine criminality and mental problems. I understand and support concealed weapons licensing.
Posted in: Supreme Court says U.S. Constitution gives Americans right to own guns
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sdmsec
Sorry cleo, but there've been way too many people who've been financially successful regardless of their financial beginnings for your whining argument to hold water. Likewise, there've been many cases of wealth being squandered within one generation.
No one in the U.S. starts off their adult life "in debt". The parent's indebtedness doesn't pass to the child.
Many college students still work their way through college and the experience enriches their education.
One rich citizen pays far more in taxes than the poor citizen (many pay none) and yet receives only one vote and much less back in "social services" from the government.
I agree with you that food and shelter represent a larger proportion of lower-income families' expenses. The problem is that many of these families seem willing to pay for "wants" such as tobacco, alcohol, cable TV, internet, cell phones, and lottery tickets before they've paid the rent, utilities or basic food items.
As I posted earlier, there are exceptions on one hand (like the Kennedy's) and on the other where an industrious family is struck by serious illness. However, accruing wealth (the focus of this article is "new" millionaires) is most likely to be gained by following sound financial principles. Indebtedness is increased by following unsound financial principles.
Posted in: Millionaires roster grows to 10.1 million members globally in 2007
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sdmsec
...but you must admit the man has worked hard to be the only game in town.
It takes a tireless, hard-working tyrant to accomplish what Mugabe has.
Posted in: Mugabe confident of securing new mandate
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sdmsec
SushiSake3:
Your question to RedMeat is irrelevant to the question of Americans' constitutional right to bear arms - and silly to boot!
Get your statistics correct before positing that the US has the highest firearm this or that rates. You are aware that people know how to Google, right?
There are as many statistical examples to counter gun-control as there are to support it. Check out highly "controlled" Russia, Mexico and Brazi. These three countries have large populations, land mass, and long borders (I've never seen stats on China - surprise, surprise). Check out highly "controlled" Cuba and Trinidad and Tobago that have small land mass and oceans for borders. Finally, check out Israel and Switzerland which have high gun ownership rates.
It would seem that the issues aren't so simplified as you think. Legal access to guns generally and handguns in particular isn't the key factor. There are many factors much more significant than legal access to firearms in determining homicide rates.
...and, I can still walk into Wal-Mart and buy a gun. OMG, The SKY is FALLING!
Posted in: Supreme Court says U.S. Constitution gives Americans right to own guns
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sdmsec
While I can understand and respect your personal opinions, I don't think it's realistic to expect most other people to ignore religion when they consider which politician they'll vote for.
For many people religion is the basis for their ideals and values. These people expect that a politician's specific religion will give them at least an overview the values and ideals of that politician.
As a person who is quite religious myself I care about religion, but I'll admit that I think most politicians use religion when it's convenient. I also recognize that I could share the same goals with someone and completely disagree with them about the best way to accomplish those goals.
One thing I don't have a problem with though is a citizen voicing their opinion or concerns about a candidate - whether that citizen is a well-known religious leader, a talk-show host, a Hollywood celebrity, or a news analyst. I just take them all with a grain of salt.
Posted in: Obama dismisses Dobson criticism about Bible
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sdmsec
I doubt many people claim "gun ownership" as a god-given right, but I think many people claim inalienable rights to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness and the "right" to defend those rights by force if necessary. In other words, the right to bear arms is a corollary to the inalienable rights. Wakatta?
FYI: While I don't personally fall under your "god-given" right category, I still find it distasteful that you lower the discussion to the level of personal epithets.
As humans, we do learn from "stories" and generalize from them. However, there are also stories that *contradict *your warrant: parents who lose a child to firearms become opposed to personal gun ownership.' I don't accept your warrant nor do I find it relevant to the arguement for or against stricter (or absolute) gun control for individuals.
"Well, chortle if all the innocent people in the area had guns and started a-shootin', this would never have happened!"
Here I can agree with you that there is no guaranty that more people carrying more arms in public is a deterent. However, I just don't feel I've seen enough evidence one way or that other. I don't think those who make this argument are idiots. I sense that you fear people who disagree with you.
Finally, as to many of you other arguments I find them impracticle "on the ground" regardless of any possible theoretical merit. If we didn't already have so many guns and if we didn't already have a porous border and if we already have so many criminals... If, if, if
Posted in: Supreme Court says U.S. Constitution gives Americans right to own guns
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sdmsec
Also, my opinion that the 2nd Amendment is primarily to preserve the inalienable rights of the citizens against an oppresssive government (foreign or domestic) doesn't mean that I don't also recognize the need for individuals to be able to preserve their inalienable rights against other individuals, mobs, or organizations that might attempt to trample the individual's rights by force.
Despite the fact that we have a very good military to defend us from foreign threats and a very good police force to defend us domestically there have been periods of times when "domestic tranquility" has broken down. For example the LA riots, Katrina, and other man-made and natural disasters. Some people were able to protect their families and property from mob rule during those times because of the right to bear arms individually.
FYI: I don't advocate unrestricted access to all arms. After all, arms aren't limited to just guns. I don't argue that I or my next door neighbor have the right to store mustard gas or high explosives in our houses. On the other hand I don't advocate restricting my neighbor's right to own a hunting knife either.
Posted in: Supreme Court says U.S. Constitution gives Americans right to own guns
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sdmsec
First of all, I hope it never comes to that.
The rest of our conversation is hypothetical, so I'll just state my opinion that a determined majority of armed Americans could overthrow our government if need be. I don't think for a second it would be easy, painless, or quick.
Posted in: Supreme Court says U.S. Constitution gives Americans right to own guns
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sdmsec
In fairly free nations like the US and Japan one primary reason the rich get richer and poor get poorer is obvious: The rich continue to follow sound financial principles (spend less than you earn, take initiative and personal responsibility) while the poor continue to follow unsound financial principles (don't separate wants and needs, get what you want now with debt, place your financial reliance in the government).
Sure, there are exceptions to what I've stated above, but, generalizing, I'm more right than wrong.
Posted in: Millionaires roster grows to 10.1 million members globally in 2007
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sdmsec
Obama, the Democrats’ probable nominee, says U.S. and regional leaders should join to spread word that President Robert Mugabe’s Zimbabwean government “is illegitimate and lacks any credibility.”
Ooooooohhhh! That's a great idea. Very likely to get results.
If that is impossible, Obama said Tuesday, “regional leaders backed by the international community should pursue an enforceable, negotiated political transition in Zimbabwe to make sure Mugabe goes.”
"Enforcable": You mean US troops, Mr Obama?
"to make sure Mugabe goes.”: So you don't care about free and fair elections? Just the outcome you want?
Mubmo Jumbo symbolism without a spine.
Posted in: Obama says U.S. should lead drive to force fair elections in Zimbabwe or unseat Mugabe