JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

sethwright's past comments

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  sethwrightJan. 17, 2012 - 03:45AM JST

  A tax increase is needed - there is no way around this fact and cutting spending is going to do more harm than good. the only real question is whether a consumption tax increase is the right way to go about it... I honestly dont really support it because it's effectively a tax on the poor and middle class who spend a significantly higher percent of their income just to survive. A sales tax is a really dumb idea.

  What is really needed is a more progressive income tax and probably a higher asset tax like those you see in the EU - keep the government running, maintaining programs, and providing jobs with nearly 100% of the money the gov takes in - or give tax breaks to corps and high income earners (as we like to do here in the States) and 20% of that money can go to creating more jobs.

  Tho I certainly don't know everything - that's just the way I see it and I can't really find compelling argument that goes the other way.

  Article Unavailable

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  sethwrightMar. 23, 2011 - 06:26AM JST

  Why exactly are they vacant if the housing prices of Tokyo are skyrocketing? Isn't a larger supply supposed to equal lower prices? Something is not adding up... If the pop is decline then some aspects of the cost of living should be dropping dramatically... so what's preventing these housing units from being used?

  Posted in: Rise in number of empty houses a growing problem for Tokyo

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  sethwrightAug. 30, 2010 - 07:16AM JST

  Two things:

  I think there's enough room in the market for them that I wouldn't consider them to be a fad. But books are too integrated into our culture for them to be instantly replaced like this - though it would be nice to see the mass market books that fall apart after 2 reads replaced - since those are impulse buys just like e books are. Hopefully that's exactly what will happen.

  Also, this is as much about new display tech as it is about just reading. e ink devices are capable of doing a lot more than just showing books; they do music, wikipedia, maps, lots of informational stuff, and web browsers are coming. Personally I'd rather read a pdf for a class / job or read a blog / wikipedia on an e ink display as opposed to an LCD. It's just so much easier on the eyes. Additionally, these displays are going to make their way into everything from credit cards to billboard so the story goes.

  Fad implies that they're going to die off when in fact they will become more ubiquitous. They are here to stay.

  Posted in: E-reading: Revolution in the making or fading fad?

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  sethwrightAug. 23, 2010 - 01:47AM JST

  Actually id like to also add that the reason that China is so wealthy now is because they have almost free labor which helps the government owned companies produce ultra cheap products and increase their profits. None of this is spent on people - it's just used to invest in more and more infrastructure to make profits. I'm not even going to expand on the fact that they're cheating by artificially reducing their currency value. The government only has to provide anything for it's urban elite population - which is cheap. That's because most of the people in China don't demand any return on anything - BECAUSE THEY CANT.... THEY HAVE NO RIGHTS.. see Tiananmen Square... that was so "PRAGMATIC" of China's leadership wasn't it, Mr Costello?

  But not a big deal - governments can murder thousands of innocent people. no problem. because they are the government. and they are legitimate. That you right wingers supported the invasion of Iraq.

  Posted in: Fixing American 'dumbocracy'

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  sethwrightAug. 23, 2010 - 01:32AM JST

  Mr Costello,

  There is nothing socialist about a single policy that Barack Obama has introduced aside from one: bail outs. Which are in fact opposed by the left and were widely supported by republican - especially when Bush was president.

  Fiscally responsible does not equal socialism. Republican leadership has wasted all of America's wealth on wars that build profits for companies and havent produced an rise in the quality of life for American people. Simultaneously reducing taxes on the rich -widening the economic gap and therefore spending the fed budget into a huge hole that SOMEBODY was bound to pay for at some point. To pay off republican debt, we MUST raise TAXES or face perpetual debt. Thanks Bush.

  China is a whole other story. I think if it's so great there maybe Mr. Costello should move there where 90 % of the population is kept as de-facto slaves that provide expendable labor. There is no democracy whatsoever (unless you're stupid and think that there is). And little freedom at all; human rights and democracy campaigners get arrested all the time. Mr. Costello and his republican friend would actually fit in perfectly there.

  Posted in: Fixing American 'dumbocracy'

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  sethwrightJan. 13, 2010 - 07:27PM JST

  this is pretty outrageous.. i have no respect for the people that are so pathetic as to suggest this movie is racist. pick it apart anyway you like and one can clearly see that's it a story told from a perspective that the audience understands and relates to.. and the whole purpose is to bring the audience to realizing the value in another culture.

  and whats up with "why cant we save our selves for once?".. she wouldn't be saying this if it was a Will Smith movie (no offense at all to him)

  Posted in: Some see racist theme in alien adventure 'Avatar'

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  sethwrightDec. 26, 2009 - 08:25AM JST

  Ryo is hot as hell

  Article Unavailable

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  sethwrightNov. 18, 2009 - 12:55AM JST

  American conservatives are always making big deals out of non issues... truth is most people here dont care..

  Posted in: Obama's bow to emperor causes outrage in Washington

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  sethwrightOct. 14, 2009 - 04:51PM JST

  Sounds pretty hot to me...jk- but seriously, people need to take a break and stop taking things like this so seriously

  Posted in: 10 Keio Univ students face charges for streaking through station

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