AdamB comments

Not to bad, bit strange at first but seems ok

I wonder who gets the job of underwear inspector. Some old perv l bet

Damien15,

As a non smoker who worked for a company in Australia where at least 50%+ of the staff where smokers l completely disagree with what your saying. You are paid to perform a certain task and if they are out bludging while you are in working that becomes your concern. And the easiest solution is time their breaks and then speak to your boss about it and straight out ask for x minutes of extra pay or for them to be docked x minutes that they where away from their job simple.

The other alternative is ok you want to smoke that is fine you clock off go and smoke then come back and clock back in. This time is docked from your pay, its amazing how many people suddenly can go hours without a smoke. Its your choice to smoke, its a personal choice why should your workmates suffer for that

Netninja,

I am going to go out on a limb here and say you are fairly accurate with what you are saying. Now before l get clobbered l will say this NO WOMAN or man for that matter deserves to be subjected to unwanted touching, ogling or whatever. However there is a culture here in Japan where the girls (woman) where as little as possible and think nothing about it. This combined with the prevalance of porn (anime and whatever else) it seems to be everywhere and a culture of silence when it comes to unwanted approaches leads to this sort of behaviour. Some men who dont have impulse control or other issues take advantage and are encouraged by this situation. I am not saying get around in neck to foot outfits but have some modesty, for me it is a absolute turnoff walking around Nagoya for example and seeing girls with skirts that short their butt cheeks are hanging out. It really isnt a nice look, but seeing the looks some of the mid aged J men give them is even more sickening. Anyway thats my thoughts.

IvanCoughalot,

"bet AdamB is on the bigboned side of the equation..." Sure am..... And the problem is?

Laguna,

"Democrats tend to be more highly educated than Republicans; the more highly educated tend to be healthier and less obese. Thus, it would be fair to say that Democrats are, on average, thinner than Republicans". Now this statement without doubt is one of the most asinine, condacending, elitist, ridiculous statements l have ever had the misfortune of being exposed too. You are effectively saying fat people are dumb and skinny people are more highly educated therefore smarter. Well guess what, whatever warped little rock you crawled out from you are wrong. I know plenty of skinny people who are dumb as dog **** and l know plenty of fat people who have more intellegence in their fat little finger than you seem to have in your entire body.

And moderator before you remove this post for being offensive to another poster. You make sure that you remove the rude inflamatory post im responding to as well!

"We have told the Americans and NATO forces several times that uncoordinated operations will result in the killing of innocent civilians and that such operations are inhumane, but still no one has listened" Why would they, its the American way of doing things, a bit of collateral damage never mind.

hmmm ok!!!!

This is stupid, the packets already have these pictures on them and have for a long time. Taking the coloured labels off the packaging will achieve nothing. It is another example of the invasive Aussie government trying to control everything people do. Who cares if people smoke, really? Australia already has laws regarding no smoking in buildings, some outdoor areas even in cars if there are kids in the car. The government collects enormous taxes from smokers, funny enough they will not declare exactly how much. Surely this covers most of the medical bills if smokers get sick. Furthermore Australians earning over a certain amount need to pay for private health insurance. So again what is the big deal if people smoke. Imagine if every Australian gave up smoking tomorrow the amount of money the government would lose due to the loss of taxes. Just another way for the pathetic all intrusive government to control things IMO.

Lieberman2012,

"LOL. Jihad predates any American covert action against the Soviets in Afghanistan by about 1300 years." Wow l never knew Bin Liner and Taliban where 1300 years old after all thats what was being refered too.

just-a-guy,

Couldnt agree more, well said.

USARonin,

"Please come down firmly on one team or the other" Yeah and the world is really that black and white......

"The Allies do their best to minimize non-combatant kills and destruction"

Explain that to the 14,000 to 34,000 civilians dead from it already.

To answer your question l support the principle behind the war, l do not support the US method of executing the war. Do l believe it can be one? No.

Is that good enough for you.

l am not saying do nothing l am saying learn from the past, who needs supercarriers, stealth bombers, cruise missiles etc. They will not win this war on terror. Why? You may kill a terrorist but for every civilian you kill, house you destroy, crop you ruin you are creating a potential enemy. This the US military cant see, they never have, they havent learnt the lessons of their past actions. If you dont believe me (and frankly l couldnt care less) pick up a history book (not a 9th grade school book). Read a book like We are soldiers still (that has a good narrative about the shortcomings of the current strategy by a former US general), or theres Spiders of Allah, The looming Towers, Taliban. Any of these will open your eyes to the why's and hows.

But seriously holding the line if thats what you call the current situation didnt work for the USSR, didnt work for the British, and will not work now.

USARonin,

"the US military and allied militaries (Australia, Germany, et al) did not lose in either Korea or Vietnam if that's what you're suggestin'." Ya what???? Please tell me your version of this then because lets see: Korea, stalemate!. Vietnam, withdrew due to increased opposition to the war at home and within very short time S Vietnam was invaded and conquered. That sounds like a loss to me.

No im not talking 19th century, l am talking learn from history that is what im saying. Look at the history of the place, the current strategy in Afghanistan isnt that much different to the strategy used by the British and Russians there and it got them no where. They stayed in fortified outposts, and when they ventured out they where ambushed. The same is happening here. The US tried this in Vietnam and it didnt work, they are doing it here and its not working. Sure casualties are low when they are safe in their bases but they venture out and get hit. The strategy isnt working and wont work. The best they can hope for is similar to the Vietnamisation program and bug out.

USARonin,

"You indicated doin' nothin' is an option" No l actually didnt, I have said numerous times that doing nothing is not an option. I have said this many times. What l have said is the current methods being employed are making more enemies than bringing the conflict closer to an end. You are right about 1 thing, the US and western allies are viewed as weak. They always have been right back through Vietnam and Korea. Infact it was a well documented strategy by the Vietnamese against both the French and later US and Australia that if they could increase the body count the public in those nations would demand a pull out. This isnt something that these muslim terrorist groups developed its been around long before they came along.

As for the Taliban, l will say this right now the US and allies will NEVER pervail in Afghanistan, they cant. They are fighting the same sort of war that the USSR did and the British before them. They have their firebases and protected hubs that they are bottled up in, they venture outside them and the Taliban still rule the land. They lay traps and kill the troops at will often without firing a shot. This sort of war can never be one by the side bottled up. To win it the allies would need to flood Afghanistan with troops and leave them there and that will never happen the public wouldnt accept it. Lets face facts its a lost cause the best outcome a planned wind down, and within a couple of years the Taliban are back in control.

WilliB,

You are right, and until the rest of the allies pull their troops out and say enoughs enough. And yes it is now Obama's policies that we are witnessing and not only is he getting Americans killed but other nationalities as well.

USARonin,

"AdamB, the 'war on terrorism' will never end no matter how or where it's fought." Sadly you are so right this is a war without end. The reason is neither side can afford to give in. And the more Muslim countries the west attacks, the more civilians it kills the more impressionable people can be swayed to the terrorists side.

History is repeating itself again and it appears that unfortunately nobody has learnt from history. Russia invaded Afghanistan, fought there with 115,000 troops. Lost 9500 killed in 9 years. Britain has invaded twice in the past. The first time with 21,000 troops and lost 4500 killed. The second time they used 40,000 and lost 3400.

Now the US and allies have 132,000 troops and have lost 2300+ and like previous invasions they are no closer to winning this unwinnable war.

There needs to be a point where enough is enough and the allies realise its a lost cause.

"7 more lives wasted on Obamas stupid policy." You mean 9 more lives wasted by the stupid US policies and the other fool countries following the US lead.

NetNinja,

Good morning to you too. Damn that was one frightening scenario you painted. Ok l admit it, some J women are crazy. What l was saying would work ok on a sane non psyco person. But thanks for a good laugh though, oh and l feel sorry for Pet-Gaikokujin. Poor bugger!!!!

tmarie,

Im not saying get rid of them especially where kids are involved, just sit them down and talk things through. It is amazing what a good conversation can achieve. In the end the only way a marriage will work for both is if they act as a team and work to make each other happy. Whining about the wives to another person doesnt help, talk directly to the wife / husband, dont snipe just come out and say whats happening. Damn lm sounding like Dr Phil, NO!!!!

NetNinja,

Completely agree with everything you have said. I would however like to add maybe these whining little wimps of men should grow a set and put their foot down. Afterall marriage is supposed to be a partnership and that means both pull their weight equally. But from what l have seen the married men?? in Japan are to scared to say anything so they whine behind the wifes back and never do anything to correct the issue. Great marriages they must have

MrDog,

"His face just beams it.

Hillary Clinton has not aged well."

SO true on both counts. He is a bit too excited by the looks of him!!!

And poor old Hillary has not aged gracefully at all...

MrDog,

"Irish-American" hahaha. You're either one or the other." It is perfectly acceptable to be Irish/American it just means that the person is embracing their dual cultures. And to stop that is to force someone to give up their heritage.

lostrune2,

"So that may rule out a defense that he wasn't there when she was there." Not really, whats to say that he didnt do a bit of solo action and leave some DNA on the sheets, he then goes out and she comes into the room changes the sheets and there we have potential contact. There are so many ways this can be construed that l guess we will have to wait for the trial to get the details. But unfortunately the old saying innocent until proven guilty is out the window here and has been since the outset

lucabrasi,

"The occupation of the West Bank is due to a war. No. It's due to an Isaeli policy of importing impoverished, desperate Americans, Europeans and Africans " Actually its due to Israels Arab neighbours repeatedly trying to wipe Israel off the map. The Arabs lost the land for the Palistinians by their aggressive actions and now the Palistinians are without their lands thanks not to Israel but Israels arab neighbours. When in history has a nation who is defending itself and accupied land in the process been forced to give it up. Sets a very interesting precedent, how far back can we take this new found fairness.

To continue, l dont know how many places l have been to in Japan and walked away without a souviner because they are rubbish. Then there are flights, they are rediculously priced here same as trains.

BurakuminDes, "are those hotels anywhere near any attractions in sydney however" of the 208 mentioned 83 are in the CBD and the rest are scattered around Sydney itself. I have found that hotel prices in Australia are much much cheaper than the equivelant here in Japan. Food and drink is a bit dearer but as for souvenirs at least you can get them in Oz unlike here unless you like hello kitty garbage. I dont know h

BurakuminDes,

"Adam - $120 a night will not get you anything in Sydney mate!" want to try again. Just checked on an accomodation website and this week there are only 208 hotels offering rooms for up to $120 a day. Compared to 13 in Tokyo that can match that price. Yes you can get cheap food in Japan, but accomodation, flights etc are just too expensive

BurakuminDes,

"Japan is much, much cheaper than cripplingly expensive places like Australia" I think you must be staying in the top end price range in Australia because Japanese hotels are definately much more expensive than hotels in Australia. If you want an example try and get a hotel in Tokyo for $120 aud a night and see how you go there wont be many decent places at all as compared to say Sydney.