Antiquesaving comments

Azzprin

Today 09:01 am JST

I would like to watch how a knife is made from raw metal to finished product

In Tokyo one of the last sword and knife makers in located in Tateishi Katsushika-ku.

They used to have tours but I don't know if they still do.

4th generation hand forged in traditional methods.

https://tokyo-heritage.jp/2023/07/12/yaegashi_2023-07-12/

Their HP:

https://muneaki.net/

WoodyLee

Today 08:58 am JST

DOGE needs to be scarped and Mr. Musk need to be returned to Texas to run his business.

> "" The People Elected Trump and NOT Musk. "" some federal worker posters read.

Using that logic then they also need to be "scraped" because no federal bureaucrat was elected either.

Are the Dems really trying to destroy their party?

I am no great fan of Trump or Musk but seriously is this the Hill the Dems want to die on?

Even Dems supporters are asking questions about much of the crazy waste things like USAID have been up to.

Politico getting $ 8 million?

$400,000 for 178 subscriptions?

$20 million for Sesame Street episode in Iraq, a $1.5 million to advance DEI in Serbia's workplaces, $70,000 for a production of a DEI musical in Ireland, etc... when did Ireland and Serbia become underdeveloped countries needing foreign aid?

Mr Kipling

Today 05:03 pm JST

This is a free gift to politicians. A popular policy that cost hardly anything to implement.

> Only 43% want to use their original name so it is fact an unpopular policy.

Strange, how do you calculate that.

The 43% can decide not to change and will be happy, those that want to keep changing also can.

So basically 100% of the women can have what they want, so it is a 100% everyone is happy with the possible old men that feel their pride has been hurt!

And I know plenty of companies, doctors, and many other businesses that will also be happy not having to change all their files.

Banks will be happy also, they have to change the bank account names at no charge but it cost then time and money.

So explain how giving 100% of the women what they want isn't a good political move!?

Where I come from they completely eliminated changing names.

Everyone keeps their name at birth, their children the parents have options of one or the other hyphenated both in any order, etc...

This was done back the the 80s and the best reasoning was saving money!

Right cost of changing things like driver's license, heath insurance, tax, social insurance number, etc...

Then in the event of divorce in most cases the woman wanting to change back and more costs!

Saved millions

Asiaman7

Today 07:15 am JST

Over 40 percent of Japanese want to keep using their original family names at work after they get married …

> So use them!

> I personally don’t know of a Japanese company that doesn’t allow someone to keep using their original family name. And the article certainly doesn’t mention any

"Allowed to use" and fully using are two different things.

My wife got to keep her surname due to the loophole of marrying a foreigner.

Her company let's everyone keep using their surname after marriage unless hired after already married.

To "use" their original name on a daily basis with coworkers and clients is basically an unofficial situation.

But because of the laws " Yoko Tanaka" as everyone at the office will refer to her will have her tax, health insurance, pension, my number card, etc... all being under "Yoko Suzuki" after marriage because the law requires that, this often leads to confusion in the HR departments especially in larger companies.

virusrex

Today 03:40 pm JST

I am a little curious as to weather it was actually Flu related or not.

> Why? This is a very common scenario and the family say this was the diagnostic of the doctor, there is no real reason to doubt it. Nobody says all pneumonia cases have to be caused by influenza, but this is frequently the case,

Because these days doctors are frequently lazy!

They do a quick influenza test then ignore everything else and that is the reason there is so much mycoplasma pneumoniae going around and this isn't me saying it this was in several Japanese news paper starting all the way back in October right up to the last article on January 25 last week.

All these articles pointed to the fact that doctors are overlooking mycoplasma pneumoniae because no simple test is available, they do to A+B influenza test maybe the COVID test (antigen test) and then forget about testing for mycoplasma pneumoniae which unless things have changed in the last week, requires a laboratory test.

You keep forgetting doctors are human and can make mistakes as are some people that think they are so much smarter than others.

I just finished dealing with mycoplasma pneumoniae but had I not insisted on being tested they wouldn't have known possibly until it was far more advanced.

As for influenza being frequently the cause of pneumonia normally yes but not this year and if you had done a little checking you would have known that this year "walking pneumonia" as the news has dubbed mycoplasma pneumoniae is far more frequent this season.

>

I am a little curious as to weather it was actually Flu related or not.

I have had a few cases of pneumonia especially recently with my heart condition.

In my youth I nearly died do to complications from pneumonia and recently had it not been in my insistance to test that same type could have been again a problem.

mycoplasma pneumoniae is at an all time high and it will not show up on a "influenza" test because it isn't the flu.

I was recently told I had a " lung infection" but on my insistance they finally agreed to test for mycoplasma pneumoniae and yep that is what I had and thankfully they started the correct antibiotics.

Usually young and healthy this type should resolve on its own, but if you have a compromised system like, heart problems, etc... this is a creeping bug that suddenly turns bad.

GuruMick

Today 02:41 pm JST

Antique...you above comment underscores the idea that users get the drugs from dealers...not "free samples " on the street outside "schools "

> BTW Canada has always had a thriving home grown pot supply...no cartels needed

For someone that claims to have interviewed 1000s of drug addicts, you really need to update your information.

Google: Cartels cheap Meth in Canada.

But again argue with facts.

https://vancouversun.com/news/oversaturated-meth-market-pushing-canadian-makers-export-abroad

Btw for someone that claims to have interviewed 1000s of drug addicts, the fact you think drug cartels are not in Canada, that drug dealer don't give "extra" to users so they can "offer " to their friends and family makes me Wonder about your claims.

I have known not " interviewed" a lot of drug addicts way back in the 80s and 90s and most are dead today (thanks to ODs and HIV) and these were " friends" " classmates" etc .. and the number one way they first used was with a "friend" offering to give them something special and once hooked they paid that friend who was selling in order to pay for his/her habit and inany cases these new addicts will also get others hooked and eventually sell to them to pay for their habit.

But I guess that was all just my imagination and that of most police and specialists.

GuruMick

Today 01:21 pm JST

What can happen, is that Police eliminate the supply of say, grass and the user will get what he can...even meth., often from the same dealer.

Only one problem with the above theory.

According to the RCMP, the FBI, etc... after legalization of marijuana in Canada and other places and the cartels loosing that revenue stream, they increased the supply or Meth, heroin and fentanyl and dropped the prices on those 3 in order to boost the number of users.

GuruMick

Today 01:21 pm JST

Antiquesaving...your "how do drugs find users " riffing seems straight out of Reefer Madness era

Ok you can argue with the RCMP, because this was how they and several other government panels (research) explained the rapid spread of Meth in much of Canada especially in rural communities.

But I am sure you know better.

Frankie Wilde

Today 10:11 am JST

Perhaps less rumours more facts.

https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/meth-addiction/who-invented-meth/

YeahRight

Today 08:51 am JST

Back in the US, many,many years ago, I could kind of figure out where to buy drugs had I wanted some. I just don't see that here in Japan. Where is the market for such a large amount?

This is how drug cartels and dealers get a market!

They move into areas where little or no drugs are available or used.

Then they send their people out, at first they target occasional users at cheap nearly give away prices, they get them to "give free samples" for some time to friends, clients in bars, schools, work, etc... and they create a dependency and addicts, once there are enough they then raise the prices and start bringing in even more addictive stuff.

This is how entire town in rural Canada became meth dependant communities.

Ken

Today 09:24 am JST

Damn and it hasn't even been a month yet

Right, as if any president could have fixed the 3000 staff shortage in 10 days!

The blame falls on all the previous administrations including Biden, Trump's first presidency, possibly going back to Obama.

Staff shortage of 3000 air traffic controllers didn't happen overnight, the rules required that 2 air traffic controllers be on duty at the time but due to shortages there was only one!

You may get your way, we may find the shortage started all the way back in Trump's first presidency, but that doesn't remove the question as to why after 4 years under Biden, the government still had/has 3000 positions not filled?

Trump's comments aside, why are none of you in both sides not asking why only one air traffic controller was on duty when the situation called for 2?

Why are none of you asking why after 4 years of Biden is the Air traffic control system still understaffed by 3000 (according to the FAA)?

These are the two major questions and sadly these silly comments by Trump distract from these two major questions and flaws in the system.

patkim

Today 08:46 am JST

Trump's blame on DEI is deflecting from the real reason for this crash. I'm not a licensed pilot, but clearly it was the pilot or pilots of the helicopter who were at fault; as well as their superiors who were giving them the order to do military exercises at night, while flying way too closely to such a congested airport. The airplane was clearly on its decent and had the right of way. The onus is on the more maneuverable helicopter to make sure they don't get in that way. If you want to take it a step further, whomever is in charge of the military should be held accountable

Now had you done even a little checking you would have known that since 9/11 especially around the capital these military maneuvers have been a regular thing and they are done around the civilian airport precisely because of what happened on 9/11.

The responsibility to keep the civilian and military aircraft apart fall to the civilian air traffic control, which in this case was understaffed.

They have already admitted that at the time the high volume of traffic required two (2) people to be on duty, but only one was on duty at the time.

So as silly and in poor taste as Trump's remarks are the questions are: why was only one air traffic controller on duty? Why is the system understaffed by around 3000 people (according to the FAA)?

Would this have happened if the tower was properly/fully staff under the regulations?

I think the USA had 3 bad choices Harris, Trump, Biden.

So here we are with the loudest who says things before thinking, not that different than the other 2 but often a little too over the top.

Don't know if DEI had anything to do with it, (but I doubt it) but what we do know now is there should have been 2 traffic controllers on duty and there was just one and what we do know according to the AP.

A shortage of air traffic controllers in the U.S. in recent years has spurred safety concerns. At several facilities, controllers work mandatory overtime and six-day work weeks to cover shortages. The FAA has about 3,000 fewer controllers than it says it needs.

So what is the reason for this shortage?

Is it because no one wants these stressful jobs? Not enough qualified people available? Or is it due to a policy rejecting qualified people in order to find/boost diversity to fill quotas?

Now the last question isn't speculation or just something I tossed in, it is the reason for similar situations in other countries for shortages in certain fields, so I have to look at it being a possibility.

But I would hope that in such a crucial area this wouldn't be the case.

In all probability it is a combination of all 3 and more.

Underworld

Today 10:52 am JST

Because not much is really going on. In 2024, Russia gained an extra 0.7% of Ukrainian land area. Russia has less of Ukraine now than the early months of the war.

Well let's see, Russia has taken several Marjo Ukrainian long standing fortified cities crossed the 2014 line Which it hadn't done before, etc...

But nice try at the rose colour glasses.

Russian advances in Ukraine grew seven-fold in 2024, data shows

Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Russia advanced by almost 4,000 square kilometres (1,500 miles) in Ukraine in 2024, seven times more than in 2023, an AFP analysis of data from the Institute for the Study of War showed Tuesday

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20241231-russian-advances-in-ukraine-grew-seven-fold-in-2024-data-shows

Ukrainian officials said Friday, while Ukraine fired 120 drones at least 12 Russian regions, including the capital Moscow.

> The Kremlin has launched drone or missile attacks at Kyiv almost every day since sending troops into Ukraine in February 2022, ostensibly targeting military and energy facilities.

Explain why every article goes on and on about this same thing, but zero mention about what is happening in Kursk, Zaporizhia, Donetsk, Luhansk, etc...where Ukrainian military has lost more ground, more men at a faster pace than before!

Ukrainian troops in multiple areas are encircled or operationally encircled, you only have to look a Deepstatemaps (Ukrainian site) and look at the daily changes.

This deliberate MSM position of ignoring everything unless Zelenski says something is deceiving the public on the true situation.

The problem with these and others and this applies not just to the USA but similar "reports" and "investigations" in other countries, is that even though the conclusion that what was told to the public was/is correct, by withholding parts, they (the governments) create the environment that gives rise to speculation, conspiracies, off the wall theories, etc...

Now I do understand that in some cases a limited period of withholding some information for National security (perhaps 10 years or so) but 20 to 70 years seems excessive and gives even more time for more rumours and conspiracies to take hold.

Honestly if there was nothing nefarious in any of these cases then 10 years max 20 would have been sufficient for national security.

If COVID taught us anything, it is being obese and overweight was a danger to your life.

A UK study found that 73% of all those that developed serious and life threatening situations from COVID (including deaths) were either obese or severely overweight.

Now let that sink in, 73%

Peter Neil

Today 08:17 am JST

all the information shows no drop or an increase in productivity.

Data is a funny thing, it is amazing how one can make the same information give two different opposite results.

Take the recent CBC investigation of the passport issuance in Canada and the time it takes go get a new passport or renew one.

According to the union and the official government site it takes under 20 days for 90% of applicants to get their passport working hybrid.

But after getting the raw data and doing some investigation, CBC found out that the true information was manipulated and in over 50% of cases it takes far longer than 20 days and 90 days or longer isn't unusual and by no means was 20 days even close to the truth.

So how do they get away with claiming under 20 days?

Well they pick and choose information, they put certain things as "special cases" " unusual circumstances" etc.. removing those from the data.

This is done by many advocates of "work from home" unions, activists etc...

And yes companies do it to to claim the worse in the opposite direction.

Problem in today's world is few very few "neutral" sources still exist, so if it is a pro corporate the data is manipulated to make work from home look bad, if it is from a employee right activists leaning source, they will push only the pro work from home manipulated data.

In all probability it depends on the job.

An insurance sales person that depends on commissions for the majority of they income will work far better from home. But a salaried worked without and supervision and no dependency on performance will slack as long as the minimum is done.

I understand the employee's view and in many cases working from home is possibly a better option for both the employer and employee.

But here is what the problem is in certain industries and especially in government.

Privacy concerns!

Unfortunately in recent years we have seen quite a few private information leaks some small some massive.

Ask any competent cyber security expert and they will point out it is infinitely harder to secure hundreds if not thousands of locations that one single concentrated location.

Look at the government of Canada, trying to get people back in the office every hybrid, they are refusing.

But certain information is not permitted to access remotely and for good reason.

So citizenship, passport, etc... processing is only done in office as it should be.

This means when the assigned worker isn't in office they are not able to process these things and as one would expect these services are way behind and backlogged.

Imagine your private information from name, address, phone number, date of birth, social insurance number (social security number, etc...) being accessed in an unsecured place like a cafe, this could apply to your credit cards, social media accounts, etc...

No in office isn't 100% secure but with machines that don't leave the office, areas off limits to non employees, etc...it is far easier to insure proper updates on the system are universal, that the people around are properly vetted and approved to be around the information.

Then we have the social situation, more and more "isolation" yes it may be volunteer and self isolation but when we look at how many in the west are now being treated for mental health issues related to being unable to function in public, creating even more isolation isn't going to help

As I said, some things/jobs work from home or a hybrid arrangement is fine but do you want your private information especially the information your government has to be accessible from anywhere including in public places?

Blacksamurai

Today 10:26 am JST

And when you've got places all over Japan like Tottori that have breathtaking nature but depressing and shabby old shopping areas, with many shops shuttered

Yep but do the Japanese tourists go in large numbers?

How many school trips, business meetings/trips go to these places.

The news, Kyoto, the cities like Tokyo, Kyoto etc .. are only complaining about foreign tourists and saying they want them to "see other places" in the country but the Japanese themselves will all end up in the same places the foreigners are going.

So lead by example, have school trips in another place not Tokyo, Kyoto and Nara.

Geeter Mckluskie

Today 10:01 am JST

The reaction was to call anyone complaining "racist". Food for thought.

> "And the xenophobia is in full swing."

Read the article.

You get what you give!

I remember back during the Bubble places like Canada were complaining about Japanese tourists and that they were paying high prices and taking up all the accomodations in all the top tourist sites like Banff, Lake Louise, etc...

The reaction was to call anyone complaining "racist". Food for thought.

It isn't tourists, it is the cost of living.

Why did my local Izakaya raise prices? Because the cost of food is up, cost of utilities are up, my cost for these are up and it has nothing to do with tourists.

I have to go to Niigata soon, if I remember an article, Niigata gets about 0.6% of the foreign tourists coming to Japan, but all the places we usually stay have increased their prices and when we asked why, the reply wasn't over tourism, it was the general costs of everything.

And the xenophobia is in full swing.

Reminds me when I first arrived in Japan and the hotel cancelled our reservation when they found out my Japanese wife was with a gaijin telling us the policy didn't permit Japanese women with foreign men. (It was a regular hotel).

Next they will blame foreigners for the thousands of izakya bankruptcies we saw and are seeing despite the business they bring.

Some tourist spots are fighting back against overtourism, including the ancient capital of Kyoto

You mean like hiking prices and taxes which makes it more expensive for Japanese also?

To even things out, the government wants tourists to visit lesser-known destinations, encouraging them to stay at least two nights in rural towns.

We'll start by example.

15 years ago where do you thing my children's public school tip was to? That's right Kyoto and Nara, where was my wife's school trip to? Again Kyoto and Nara, my friends Jr high son's trip this year? Again Kyoto and Nara.

Seems funny that the government wants foreigners to go to different places but the Japanese all go to the same places that are complaining.

Company trips, school trips business meetings all go to the same "tourist" destinations.

It is interesting, at aro6the same time 2023/24 and 2018 (possibly other years) other Canadians were caught doing the same thing.

I wonder if these are all connected all were late December or early/mid January