Japan Today

375sensei comments

Posted in: Cruz leads Republican drive to object to Biden's win See in context

As an outsider looking in at the US election and it’s aftermath, the Republican approach prior to, during and after the election was to throw as much “mud” as possible to see how much would stick in order to undermine the integrity of the process. The constant barrage of baseless claims that the process is fraudulent despite no evidence to the contrary was simply to sow distrust among voters giving the Republicans a shiny object to point at if they lost. This Emperor has no clothes rationale is as childish as it is dangerous. All because some do not want to hurt the pride of the leader and his followers or to relinquish power.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

Posted in: English mistake makes Kyoto the enemy of the world See in context

Interestingly, my student and I contacted Takashimaya here in Kyoto a few ago about another sign in English they had put up which also contained errors. I offered to proofread that sign and any others they wanted to post in English explaining that it was in their best interests to use correct English. They responded by saying that the Japanese person in their sales department who had written it would be offended if they did so and this was more important than having a sign with correct English. Oh, well.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Posted in: Former U.S. deputy attorney general: If Trump was not president, he would be indicted See in context

“And Sally Yates clearly abused her position if she prosecuted people for obstruction on “far, far less evidence”. Abuse of power.”

What do you base this argument upon? Do you have any evidence to support this theory?

The point Sally Yates was trying to make was that Trump committed acts of obstruction of justice so frequently and on a scale so large that they paled in comparison to the cases she prosecuted. It does not imply that those cases did not meet the required bar for prosecution which you erroneously claim.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Posted in: Lots of talk, little action in Congress after shootings See in context

The solution is not rocket science. It’s blatantly obvious what needs to be done and that is:

More stringent background checks on all gun purchases.

A mandatory waiting period for all gun purchase so the above process can be completed.

A total ban on all assault rifles.

Restrictions on the number of weapons a person can own.

An amnesty period where illegal weapons and those who own more than a maximum number can hand them in to authorities.

Mandatory classes for any individual who wants to own a gun to educate them on gun safety and use with a set standard that all people must achieve before a license is issued.

Education in all schools that has as its focus the aim of reducing gun ownership and the number of firearms in circulation.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Posted in: 17 killed in shooting spree at Florida high school by expelled student See in context

The solution to America’s mass shooting problem is obvious to everyone and is the giant elephant in the room. The reality is the Constituon that makes it a right to bear arms is so enshrined in the culture and psyche that no matter how prevalent these shootings become there is little hope for major change.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Posted in: Subpar AKB48 performance in Thailand earns scathing remarks from netizens See in context

Japanese fans feel they can relate to these so called “idols” because of the fact they don’t have a high skill level. This means they can closely replicate their songs at places like karaoke. But when you hold theee idol groups up for comparison against those from other countries the gulf in talent and production values is clear for all to see.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Posted in: U.S. gov't shutdown begins as spending bill fails in Senate See in context

As an outsider looking in, I must say I completely agree with “meija”. The logic of blaming a party (the Democrats) that does not have control of the House, Senate and Presidency for the shutdown just sounds completely ludicrous. The Republicans should be looking at themselves and the actions of their leader for the current situation they find themselves in.

8 ( +13 / -5 )

Posted in: Kyoto plans minimum Y200 per night lodging tax See in context

This cash grab is nothing new for Kyoto. The renewal fee (koshinryo 更新料) that landlords demand tenants pay every one or two years here in Kyoto is a classic example of "biting the hand that feeds you." It's all about the money, plain and simple.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Posted in: Trump denounced after insulting tweet about woman TV host See in context

You get what you vote (or in this case 45% of people who didn't vote) for. The Presidential pivot from Trump will not come.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: What do you think will be the biggest difference between candidate Trump and President Trump? See in context

Integrity, honesty, thickness of skin, poise, open-mindedness, sanity, to name just a few.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Posted in: Finding a half decent gym in Japan: A survival guide See in context

An article which rings true for many foreign people (and some Japanese people for that matter) living in Japan . As a personal trainer myself I have researched and sampled a wide variety of gyms in Japan from Tipness to Konami, from Ward gyms to Gold's and all the points raised I have witnessed or experienced in some form or another. The large number of rules, the frustrating lack of consistency with their enforcement and the reluctance of trainers to pinpoint training mistakes stand out. Generally, the writer makes all the salient points - choose a gym based on your needs, which should include what you want to achieve, your budget and your previous experience and knowledge of fitness. For what it's worth, I would recommend Gold's Gym over all the others as the environment is generally more conducive to getting results and full-time membership,at around 9,300yen per month, is pretty reasonable. Don't forget to always have an exercise plan that matches your fitness level, use your time effectively and efficiently and always employ proper form!

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Posted in: Maria Sharapova suspended for 2 years over failed drug test See in context

Serves her right!

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Posted in: How do Japanese schoolgirls, with their short skirts, manage to resist the cold? See in context

By believing fashion is "gaman" .

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Posted in: Which English words or expressions annoy you the most when you hear them repeatedly used by other people in conversation? See in context

The Aussies have a penchant for the adjective "fantastic" and the overused rhetorical phrase " How good is it ?" while the Kiwis love to agree with you by overusing the adverb "absolutely" while peppering their speech with stock phrases such as "At the end of the day..." , " From the get go..." and " "All's good!." Sweet!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Posted in: Which English words or expressions annoy you the most when you hear them repeatedly used by other people in conversation? See in context

The over use of the adverb "essentially" (an ESPN analyst once used it 10 times in a 2 minute segment - I counted!) and the total butchering of the Conditional 3 form - I would've WENT there if I WOULD'VE known. Geez Louise !!

8 ( +10 / -3 )

Posted in: Which professions do you think are recession-proof? See in context

Undertakers and bureaucrats.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Posted in: Japan urges China not to focus on 'unfortunate history' See in context

"..........unfortunate history."

What an "unfortunate" choice of words !

13 ( +13 / -0 )

Posted in: Abe hits out at Russian PM's visit to disputed islands See in context

"......aggravating a long-running dispute....."

I think the PM and his cabinet ministers may know a thing or two about "aggravating" situations. Reflection time me thinks!

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Posted in: New cafe pairs men and women at random, provides coffee, cake & iPads to spark conversation See in context

'...it was established with the purpose of giving people a place to meet potential partners all day long."

Based on this premise it would cost women a mere 500 yen to stay all day long but the guy would have to pony up 25,500 yen. Guys, cut your losses and head to Starbucks!

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Posted in: Poll asks: Is a woman 'middle-aged' at 30? 40? 50? See in context

Why the preoccupation with labels and age ? Just live your life regardless of the expectations society and age place on you and you'll be much more content.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Posted in: LDP comes under fire over anti-newspaper comments See in context

" I wonder how NHK is going to present this piece of news?"

Probably by getting a rather large container of dark sand and submerging their head right in the middle of it! In this current climate it would most likely be professional suicide for an NHK report to criticise the criticism made by these lackeys.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Posted in: China slams U.S. human rights record See in context

Isn't this a classic example of the pot calling the kettle black ?

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Posted in: Suspect caught in South Carolina church shooting rampage See in context

"The right to bear arms - correct me if I am wrong - includes the necessity of local militias as a defense against overbearing government. Yet, despite the clearly overbearing government prying into everyone's business the targets of deranged shooters often seem to be normal people going about their lives. I just don't get it."

Moonraker, the Second Ammendment which you refer to is a right that was written for a time that necessitated such action but clearly lacks any legitimacy in the 21st century. I hope you're not suggesting these deranged shooters,who seem to pop up with increasing regularity, should shift their focus to the government?

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Posted in: Tanaka strong in return as Yankees sweep Seattle with 3-1 win See in context

The Original Wing, I don't think he'll last until August. If he makes it to the All Star break then that'll be an accomplishment. The partial tear in his UCL has prompted commentators to describe his condition as like a "ticking time bomb" as the ligament could snap at any moment. When it'll go, nobody knows!

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Posted in: Driver who killed cyclist in crosswalk accident found not guilty See in context

The law must be based on common sense which needs to apply to ALL who use an intersection and that includes drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. If you cross the intersection on red then you should receive no legal sympathy in the event an accident happens due to your negligence. Everyone should be responsible for their own actions. This is the only way for people to learn.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Posted in: 1,000 line up for Starbucks' opening in Tottori See in context

"1,000 line up for Starbucks' opening in Tottori"

Says a lot about the night life in Tottori !

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Posted in: Women sinking into poverty face bleak future See in context

"And I can't understand the emphasis on "the women plight" in this article. These women, at least in theory, can (and they hope) to find a wealthy husband as a way out of poverty. What about plight of men, who hang on in the same circumstances, but without even a hope of catching a wealthy wife?"

An interesting point! It still seems that in Japan women hope to improve their financial situation in life by getting married and this is certainly implied by some of the women mentioned here. If they expect some guy to "rescue" them from their predicament they first have to think about what they themselves will bring to the relationship. It is not a one way street.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Posted in: What do you think of vending machines in Japan? See in context

Ubiquitous!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Posted in: Wild weather smashes Australian state for third day See in context

"So now are you saying that man-made global warming causes drought as well as flooding?"

As Cleo said, of course it does! Global warming results in dry areas becoming drier as it affects the movement of water into the atmosphere from the land and water but it can also allow the atmosphere to hold more moisture and thus result in heavier rainfalls. This leads to extreme weather patterns which you are now seeing and have seen on the Australian east coast.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

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