warispeace's past comments

  • 1

    warispeace

    Customers at shops and restaurants, as well as workers, will be escorted by police to Shibuya Station via special routes.

    Does this mean Japanese police are starting to run an escort service?

    Posted in: Police to restrict pedestrian access to Shibuya crossing after World Cup qualifier

  • -1

    warispeace

    Doesn't he mean it's time for more land-grabbing, setting up sweatshops and resource exploitation?

    Posted in: Abe says now is the time to invest in Africa

  • -1

    warispeace

    The IMF was at the forefront of the failed neo-liberal economic experiment in South America, especially Chile. It's no surprise this institution backs Japan's latest version of neo-liberalism dressed up (down?) as "Abenomics".

    Posted in: IMF backs Japan's 'Abenomics' but warns of risks

  • 0

    warispeace

    You are what you wheat!

    Posted in: Asian concerns spread over genetically engineered U.S. wheat

  • -1

    warispeace

    Now that Abe has played the nationalist trump card to sway voters longing for the old glory days of empire, he is eager to patch things up so that friendly corporations can get back to enriching themselves on the backs of poor Chinese labours.

    Posted in: China, Japan move to cool down territorial dispute

  • 1

    warispeace

    Here is a statement from the president of the very "business friendly" but very concerned World Bank Group.

    "A 4°C warmer world can, and must be, avoided – we need to hold warming below 2°C," said World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim. "Lack of action on climate change threatens to make the world our children inherit a completely different world than we are living in today. Climate change is one of the single biggest challenges facing development, and we need to assume the moral responsibility to take action on behalf of future generations, especially the poorest." http://climatechange.worldbank.org/sites/default/files/Turn_Down_the_heat_Why_a_4_degree_centrigrade_warmer_world_must_be_avoided.pdf

    And from the website of the extremely business friendly Pricewaterhouse Coopers, the largest accounting firm in the world,

    "Our Low Carbon Economy Index evaluates the rate of decarbonisation of the global economy that is needed to limit warming to 2oC. This report shows that global carbon intensity decreased between 2000 and 2011 by around 0.8% a year. In 2011, carbon intensity decreased by 0.7%. The global economy now needs to cut carbon intensity by 5.1% every year from now to 2050. Keeping to the 2oC carbon budget will require sustained and unprecedented reductions over four decades." http://www.pwc.co.uk/sustainability-climate-change/publications/low-carbon-economy-index.jhtml

    Good business now is no-growth, low-carbon, eco-business. There is no other option if humans want to hang around for long.

    Posted in: Japan ready to ditch target for emissions cut

  • 1

    warispeace

    It comes back to the problem of a economic system built on the creation of surplus value.

    Posted in: Recession, tech kill middle-class jobs

  • 2

    warispeace

    The US doesn't like it when any other bully challenges them in their sandboxes around the world.

    Posted in: China says U.S. culpable in Japan island dispute

  • 0

    warispeace

    People had hopes for this president, but he is turning out to be just like most of the others, all too willing to use US military power or its threat to protect the global interests of corporations and elites. In the end, after 8 years, we will remember him as the "drone president", not much of a legacy.

    What MLK said in 1947 is even more true today.

    "We as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values... when machines and computers, profit motives and property rights, are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism and militarism are incapable of being conquered." -- Martin Luther King, Jr., April 4, 1967

    More information on the MLK index--a good indication of the health of the US--can be read here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-quigley/mlk-injustice-index-2013_b_2516448.html

    Posted in: Obama launches 2nd term; firmly defends government

  • 0

    warispeace

    This should be seen as an outcome of post-colonialism and neo-liberal globalization rather than simply a terrorist incident.

    Posted in: 9 Japanese killed in Algeria hostage crisis, gov't says

  • -15

    warispeace

    The US must always have an "evil nation" or group to reaffirm its union and sell weapons. It a sad story that keeps repeating itself leading to a trail of death and destruction around the world. Now they turn to China and this island conflict is the kind of situation that hardliners can use to spark an incident. The only saving grace this time is that China holds a big chunk of US debt, so restraint might be a necessity and we are more likely to see small proxy wars in other places.

    Posted in: U.S. stands by Japan on island dispute with China

  • 0

    warispeace

    An important question is whether this inflation will result in higher wages. Or will we just see prices rise, the yen weaken and wages still dropping from the supply pressures of a global labour market. In this case people will have even less purchasing power. I guess another important question is which groups of LDP friends will benefit?

    Posted in: Abe says BOJ must set 2% medium-term inflation goal

  • 14

    warispeace

    Nine phase that "sweet" gf will use when she is your wife. 1) That was incredibly stupid. 2) Who keeps texting you late at night? 3) The only thing you seem in tune with is that bloody baseball game? 4) These are your kids, too, you know! 5) What planet do you come from? 6) Say "thank you" with a big smug smile after you've ordered him to do another chore. 7) What!! Not again? 8) Don't you have something better to do than hang around the house? 9) Haven't you heard the phrase, "a good husband and out working."

    Posted in: 9 phrases that make Japanese men fall head over heels

  • 1

    warispeace

    @WilliB

    Obamanomics in Japan.

    Closer to Reaganomics, especially with the intended military build up, but maybe there is no difference between them all, which is just about how to abuse government for a giant shift of wealth upwards as part of the extractive economy.

    Posted in: Cabinet approves massive Y20 tril stimulus budget

  • 4

    warispeace

    They tax us more and then hand most of this extra money over to friendly corporations. Big business and big government in partnership to screw the common worker.

    Posted in: Cabinet approves massive Y20 tril stimulus budget

  • 0

    warispeace

    To understand this incident, we need to look at the micropolitics of power that operate in any society to maintain relations of order. It is through micro-power, such as the disciplining of students or students or workers, etc., that social position and social norms are established and maintained. It is not that the micropolitics of power is greater or lesser in Japan, it just may operate differently. To be exposed as outside of an expected behavioral norm, such as when a teacher berates a student, may bring a greater sense of shame. If there is a feeling of isolation, the only choice may seem like suicide, which does not hold the moral burden placed on it in other societies. In another society, the student may get a hold of a gun and start shooting or drop out and turn to drugs.

    At the same time that you ask why disciplined people in Japan choose suicide, ask yourself how disciplined people in other societies react and what happens to them when they do? Also ask yourself how you discipline or are disciplined by the people around you to help maintain social norms and order. Do you make comments when people dress differently or behave differently or think differently than you've been brought up to (disciplined to) believe is "correct"?

    Posted in: Student commits suicide after being beaten by school basketball coach

  • 1

    warispeace

    @FPSRussia

    Obama is for the people. Abe is backed by corporations and lobbyists.

    I think this is an overstatement. Obama is also for the corporations and lobbyists, just to a lesser extent. Obama sees some need to regulate the harsher aspects of capitalism, such as growing income disparity, though he also seems to believe in corporate welfare. But both Obama and Abe believe in big corporations and big government.

    Obviously we need to reign in all of these organizations, but some people just talk about reducing the size of government. That would just hand more power to the corporations. Yet the governments of Japan and the US now are so tight with huge corporations it doesn't seem to matter. The common guy or gal gets screwed no matter which way s(he) turns.

    Posted in: Economic stimulus plans include Y450 bil for business support

  • 1

    warispeace

    This is only a small test for what's to come if 99% of scientists are correct about man-made climate change and the likelihood of a 4 degrees celsius or greater rise in the coming 4-5 decades or sooner. Even the World Bank and PricewaterhouseCoopers (the world's largest accounting firm) two bastions of capitalism and an economic growth model, are now sending out warnings.

    Posted in: Australia bracing for 'worst ever' fire danger

  • -1

    warispeace

    @Teachmeteachyou

    it means something's being freshly cooked

    Sorry, but nothing is "freshly" cooked at McD. Have you been watching too many of their CMs? It is all highly processed food with just some heating and assembling at the restaurant.

    Posted in: McDonald’s 60-second campaign a bit much for staff

  • 0

    warispeace

    Why do we need fast food and convenience stores? It is not for the sake of the customers, but rather for the sake of corporations that squeeze every drop of time and energy out of our days at lower and lower pay so we have fewer moments to sit down and enjoy a meal or go to a market, pick up fresher produce and cook at home. It's a slippery slope we are sliding down.

    There are people like (FPSRussia, see post above) who buy into the neo-liberal rhetoric that workers are lazy, yet the evidence of productivity increases while wages stagnate or decline and longer hours just don't support such claims.

    We have been trained through marketing and entertainment shows to see ourselves as consumers first and producers or workers after, even though most of our waking hours are spend working. There are many shows for shoppers or tourists, etc., and shows for investors, but how many shows are there examining working conditions or reporting on work trends? This article is a rare case of mild critique of a business practice. We need more of these to raise awareness.

    Posted in: McDonald’s 60-second campaign a bit much for staff

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