zaichik said...

zaichik at 04:57 AM JST - 1st April

Although I think the driver was a bit dim for not asking to see (or even get hold of) some of the money up-front, I've been in a somewhat similar position and was grateful to a Chinese taxi driver for taking a chance. Mr Zaichik and I had to go…

Posted in Man arrested after taking taxi from Tokyo to Fukuoka and refusing to pay Y359,230 fare at 04:57 AM JST - 1st April
zaichik at 04:40 AM JST - 1st April

ASUS certainly wasn't unknown in Japan 4 years ago, when Mr Zaichik bought Asus components to build our PCs.

Posted in Japan warming to cheap foreign gadgets amid slump at 04:40 AM JST - 1st April
zaichik at 11:15 AM JST - 31st March

How awful. Hope the child is OK.

Nice to see the "burn the witch" posters didn't get here before the more understanding ones, incidentally :-)

Posted in Boy's body found in Sumida River in Tokyo at 11:15 AM JST - 31st March
zaichik at 10:54 AM JST - 25th March

Wow!

I agree with you, shugotokumaru, for all the reasons you gave. Wish we had ume in NZ (well, you can buy the trees wholesale, but you have to buy at least 10 and we haven't room for an orchard....)

Posted in Plum blossoms at 10:54 AM JST - 25th March
zaichik at 08:43 AM JST - 23rd March

How is it possible for the ward office to refer people to a facility that is unregistered? Surely referrals should only be made to facilities in the metropolitan govt's register? Or is it not that easy for the ward office to access such info?

Posted in Death toll in Gunma nursing home fire rises to 10; negligence suspected at 08:43 AM JST - 23rd March
zaichik at 04:32 PM JST - 20th March

Good for them - even if they don't go on to use Japanese much in their adult lives, learning a language is always a good thing - gives people another way of looking at things.

If I hadn't taken Japanese as a side option at high school, having 3 hours…

Posted in Inner city students in New York learn Japanese as their 3rd language at 04:32 PM JST - 20th March
zaichik at 05:43 PM JST - 19th March

The robot often looked surprised, opening its mouth and eyes in a stunned expression, when the demonstrator asked it to smile or look angry.

Tarentobot - only able to respond with kawaii! oishii! kakkoii! But a robot tarento would be no good - impossible to generate publicity through tabloid…

Posted in Walking, talking female robot to take part in fashion show at 05:43 PM JST - 19th March
zaichik at 05:34 PM JST - 19th March

I&'m done with Norika

I'm sure she'll be devastated.

Maybe I am biased but wouldn't Norika do better in an international marriage?!

Well, maybe you have a chance, since cracaphat's now out of the running.

I have something of a soft spot for Norika, as I remember watching…

Posted in Fujiwara, Jinnai divorcing after two years of marriage at 05:34 PM JST - 19th March
zaichik at 05:28 PM JST - 19th March

I don't imagine that having these packets burst in your stomach would be as dangerous as if they contained heroin or cocaine, but I'm sure it would give you a pretty nasty time....

Posted in Drug suspect, caught at Narita, had 273 packs of cannabis in stomach at 05:28 PM JST - 19th March
zaichik at 05:22 PM JST - 19th March

Can't lay claim to any medical knowledge, but I'd bet this is a translation of 'hobo kaifuku sita'

I can - well, some, anyway - and this seems to be a standard expression used by Japanese doctors because they don't want to commit themselves to saying that the patient…

Posted in Emperor says he suffered from tuberculosis in young days at 05:22 PM JST - 19th March