JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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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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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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tigris
.....and other terrorist supplies: like nappies, coriander, jam and chocolate.
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tigris
manfromamerica
Here is one of those "activists" (terrorists). He got an impressive resumé and is an expert on terrorism:
Edward Peck, former U.S. ambassador to Mauritania. In addition to his ambassadorship and several other overseas posts, Edward Peck's government positions included serving as deputy director of then-President Ronald Reagan's White House Task Force on Terrorism.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/06/01/ambassador-aboard-flotilla-returns-dc/
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tigris
The Israelis are getting really unconvincing in their PR. In first reports the Jerusalem Post claimed the commandos boarding the ship were attacked by people throwing rocks - sure, plenty of rocks lying around on the deck of a ship. After that they added clubs and knives. Then guns. I am sure they will 'find' missiles too in no time. Even if it were true that the Israelis were attacked it would be perfectly legal to defend the ship against piracy and terrorism in international waters.
Posted in: Israeli commandos storm aid flotilla; 10 killed
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tigris
@calic0cat
Thaksin is not just normally corrupt, he was much worse. We can see it now: He is prepared to destroy the country for getting his hands back on his money and power. Not Chavez, more like Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines. Thaksin's whole family and business friends were in his cabinet changing laws at will to enrich him/themself massively. Just before he sold his shares of Shin Corp he changed the law to avoid paying taxes for a profit of US$1,88 Billion. He was starting to run the country like a dictator with some democratic underpinnings for better packaging. What's better? A dictator or a junta? I was in Thailand at the time of the coup and personally thought (very reluctantly!) - like many - that it was the only way to stop him considering his ruthlessness and where this was heading. Consider also that he had THOUSANDS of people extrajudicially executed, many shot in the back on the street. It was by all definitions a massacre. The world opinion didn't care much then. It was a difficult decision for the Thais and they pay the price now. It was certainly not a good policy, but there was no best one.
This is a good read, even I don't agree with every word: http://www.somtow.org/2010/05/dont-blame-dan-rivers.html Please read also the 'clarifications'.
Posted in: Bangkok burns after protest leaders arrested
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tigris
@ Badseye
Recommend that you have the Thai rice you are eating checked. Post come-down effects of Thailand's most popular drug Yaba include anxiety, confusion and paranoia.
Posted in: Bangkok burns after protest leaders arrested
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tigris
@ Badseye
It is not so black and white or black and red as you suggest in your comment. The blackshirts are an armed militia who are part of the redshirts. Together they fight the yellowshirts and their foot soldiers, the military. The blackshirts were commanded and trained by former military general Seh Daeng ('Commander Red') who was murdered last week. Seh Daeng, a rather shady character was known in Bangkok for running a protection gang for prostitution rackets before he aligned himself with former PM Thaksin who stuffed his pockets. Thaksin (aka as Thugsin, Toxin or Taxin) is running a 'democracy' scheme on the run from justice around the globe using and financing the poor reds. First from England, but after his visa got revoked there, from China, then Dubai, Cambodia and recently from Montenegro. I guess that makes him a globalist. The blackshirts shoot at the military (the yellows), civilians and since yesterday at journalists, foreign as well as Thai. Also at fire fighters, preventing them to extinguish the fires at the buildings they torched.
Most Thai people not on the payroll of globalist Thaksin, including sympathizers for the reds and yellows are tired of all this and much too poor to spend more than 2 months off work to protest in Bangkok. Others in Bangkok, the rich and the poor just want to get on with their lives. The rich worry about their profits and the poor worry about their livelihoods.
This sounds quite confusing. But with the international media, especially the so-called 'liberal' media like BBC, CNN, The Guardian, Germany's Der Spiegel writing uninformed badly researched drivel, it is kind of hard to see through the fog. None of the above mentioned media (neither FOX TV nor anybody else) did thorough research on the backgrounds of the red leaders. Nobody knows who they really are and where they are coming from. Only their names are mentioned. Anybody out there who can repeat them?
In fact the foreign media coverage was so bad and distorted, riddled with factual errors, that I was embarrassed working for the media myself. The western media just love this David and Goliath or Robin Hood and the sheriff stories - anybody with a democracy banner in the so-called third world is their hero. It is a kind of reflex. They only woke up yesterday after being hunted down and shot at by the 'freedom fighters'. You may read a Thai pinned and thought provoking analysis about this here:
http://www.somtow.org/2010/05/dont-blame-dan-rivers.html
Don't forget to read 'A few small clarifications'. While I don't agree with every word I consider it as one of the best written contributions to this mess.
Finally , Badseye, enjoy your Thai rice!
@ Bholder
I also recommend that article above to you. I humbly disagree with what you wrote in your comment (last paragraph) you wrote on May 17th, 11:08AM.
Seems so far everything is quiet in Bangkok this morning. Even the ones who went berserk yesterday need to sleep off the after effects of Yaba.
Posted in: Bangkok burns after protest leaders arrested
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tigris
@ Patrick Thanks for the laugh! The first on such a sad day.
Posted in: Bangkok burns after protest leaders arrested
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tigris
@ calic0cat The government which was ousted a few years back was not 'duly elected' - it was bought. See my post above: "Democracy is not the goal it is a TOOL." (ousted PM Thaksin)
Posted in: Bangkok burns after protest leaders arrested
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tigris
@smithinjapan
I doubt it. First, Thailand is still very much a feudal society and with the leaders in jail the vandalism and aggression will probably simmer down soon. Second, at its height the protesters amounted to 50,000-60,000 people. A minority in a country of 61 million. The large majority of Thais, including yellow and red sympathisers are totally fed up with both 'active' protesting factions. Including the people in Isaan (the north where most protesters come from). Most of the farmers up north are more concerned about the bad harvest they might have this year. Most just want to get on with their lives, be able to go to back to their place of work. There is also a huge number of poor people in Bangkok who lost their job or income during the protests. It always hits the poorest most, as usual. But in the longer run there will bombings and acts of terrorism (see my comment above).
@Badsey
What has this to do with Socialism/Libs?? Are you insinuating that the current Thai government and PM were Socialists - supported by the royals? Give us all a break. Throwing around words like socialism, liberal etc without having a clue about their meaning and appropriate use or justification is just flaming. Just hot air, meaningless in an intelligent discussion. You prove the point I made above.
Posted in: Bangkok burns after protest leaders arrested
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tigris
@ Bholder
I doubt it. What will probably happen is that there will be some form of 'elections' in the near future and another scumbag, no matter from which side will take over. That's how it works these days in the 'information' age.
Posted in: Bangkok burns after protest leaders arrested
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tigris
@ thedeath
Thanks for your concern. All the people I know seem to be ok. Everybody is shaken. The 3 journalists at twitter are fine too. tulsathit is still active, the 2 others at home.
Unfortunately this will not be the end. It will continue as a well financed terror and guerilla campaign. As the mastermind said many years ago: "Democracy is just a tool, not our goal" (Thaksin in an interview with The Nation 2003-12-11). He knows how to you use this "tool" well and is a master in propaganda. What is so sad, that people are so gullible and I mean not only Thais. The reporting in the main media, BBC, CNN...etc etc has been terrible. They hail Thaksin as a democratically elected leader who got thrown out, forgetting that he had hundreds of his opponents executed, not speaking about the atrocities in South Thailand under his regime. No word about him dismantling democratic institutions, check and balances, election fraud, vote buying on a massiv scale, tax fraud, intimating critical media or just buying them up and firing the journalists, or in the worst case making them disappear. Most say, he was corrupt, but hey there was 'democracy' and peace. Truely sad.
This is a war between the HAVE plenty (the 'elite') and the HAVE loads (Thugsin and his leaders), but is fought over the backs of the HAVE NOTHING's (soldiers and police) and the HAVE EVEN LESS's (the poor).
from a poster in Bangkok
Posted in: Bangkok burns after protest leaders arrested
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tigris
Now it's really open season on journalists - not just foreign ones:
Thailands Channel 3 TV is sending SOS to troops/police for protection against red shirts.
From a Thai journalist: Angry Din Daeng reds going after reporters. http://twitter.com/tulsathit
It is those fearless guys who provide us with news from the spot. They should be highly commended.
Posted in: Bangkok burns after protest leaders arrested
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tigris
@michaelgtodd
Your welcome. Thailand was my second home from 1995-2008. Experienced the coup and was at the airport during the occupation. Have lots of friends, colleagues and former neighbors there I am worried about.
The many peaceful protesters who have justified claims are gone since last week. What's left is the militant wing of the reds, many of them who armed and dangerous. As a journalist I would be now more worried about them because the propaganda that all protesters are peaceful and unarmed is blown. The tweets of vaitor and freakingcat (and other major news orgs) confirm that. Hope they are careful and not too crazy. I am sure they don't wear vests and helmets because that would give them away.
As long as Thaksin is fomenting and financing the unrest (now from Montenegro) this will not end. He is absolutely ruthless and will do anything to get back his power and money in Thailand. He is also a master of propaganda with unlimited funds. Many people who know the situation well are angry about the major western news outlets who portrait this as a Robin-Hood style uprising. It is far from being that simple.
Posted in: Bangkok burns after protest leaders arrested
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tigris
Just in from a young German journalist at the scene: For other journalists at DinDaeng: get rid of camera and green batch otherwise you get caught by reds!
One dead Italian journalist is confirmed.
Newest updates from the scene: http://twitter.com/vaitor http://twitter.com/freakingcat
Posted in: Bangkok burns after protest leaders arrested
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tigris
The doubters above should offer themselves as test dummies - pun intended.
Posted in: Recriminations erupt in ash-fueled aviation crisis
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tigris
marushka
That's BS. My 16 year younger partner chose an older man because younger man are just too insecure and conservative too support the ambitions of a career woman. In the meanwhile (after 16 years together) she has a management position and her income is three times more than mine. She usually gets home at 11PM - no houswife waiting with food etc. in this household, which is fine with me, I do the household chores. Try that with a younger guy, say 25-35 years old, Japanese or foreign. According to my wife your chances would be close to zero.
Posted in: Mika Mifune reflects on life with an older man
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tigris
Really?
The report, which found "endemic" sexual and physical abuse over decades, has caused widespread shock in mainly Catholic Ireland. [.....] They were required to pay €128 million ($228m), but a redress scheme has already paid out almost €1 billion ($1.78bn) in compensation and legal fees to about 12,500 of more than 14,500 victims.
That's only for Irland. http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/irish-abuse-victims-slam-catholic-church-reaction/story-e6frfku0-1225717673090
Internationally, an endless list: http://www.multiline.com.au/~johnm/ethics/minilist.htm
Also, the church is not any organisation, but (still) a pillar of society supposedly guiding their flock in ethics and morals. Comparison with other organisations is therefore not a legitimate argument. We are not talking about a sports club, but about predators who abuse their victims when and where they are most vulnerable.
Posted in: Pope's preacher: Accusations akin to anti-Semitism
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tigris
Amazing really. The hypocrisy, the self-righteousness. Ms. Heather Who? a third rate Hollywood starlet with entourage visits Japanese backwaters to teach the locals better ways to live and expects therefore an audience with local officials. With a delusional sense of self-importance and entitlement on that scale I think she needs to check herself into therapy for Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
Posted in: 'Heroes' actress Hayden Panettiere gets chilly reception in Taiji
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tigris
radical feminists
and
prominent feminists
Now that is funny.
Swiss women have the right to vote only since 1971 (nineteen seventy-one). Since 1988 there were already 4 female prime ministers or presidents in Muslim majority countries: Bangladesh (twice), Paksitan and Indonesia. http://www.terra.es/personal2/monolith/00women3.htm
Smithinjapan: excellent post
Posted in: Swiss ban mosque minarets in surprise vote
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tigris
The reason for the dolphin slaughter is business. The reason for the rapidly expanding dolphine therapy industry is business based on questionable 'research'. But the biggest business - a multi-million dollar industry - is so-called animal rights activism which the movie 'The Cove' is part of. The movie is a propaganda tool for fund raising (click here for donations....). PETA averages almost 40 million dollars a year, Greenpeace is pulling in 35 million and HSUS a whopping 100 million. The hypocrisy of all those groups is that by far the most lucrative campaigns for fund raising happen to be animals which a lot of people in North America, Australia and Europe think are cute, intelligent or both - but are not on the endangered list of IUCN (IUCN Red List of Threatened Species).
Posted in: Taiji sets dolphins free following int'l outcry over 'The Cove'