Antiquesaving comments

TaiwanIsNotChina

Today 11:47 am JST

And a lower gdp per capita.

And is that a measure of comfort and happiness?

A lower GDP without having to worry about bankruptcy if you get sick, or being able to get a higher education even if you are not rich, far outweigh any disadvantages of a lower GDP!

UChosePoorly

Today 11:11 am JST

There are a lot of non-Americans upset about this, and some of them are from or support countries unfriendly to the US.

But most of us are from countries that are supposedly the USA's best friends and allies that are constantly being bullied (I wanted to use a different world) by the USA.

Funny when the USA steel company had a 50 year contract to mine and buy Canadian iron ore at 1¢ a ton they were happy had no problem, but when that contract ended and Canada stared using the ore to make value added steel, suddenly it became "unfair" that the Canadian steel makers were paying a lower price for the iron ore, which BTW was not the 1¢ per ton the USA paid for 50 years, but was far higher and closer to international market prices!

The hypocrisy of the USA is never ending!

SaikoPhysco

> Today 10:34 am JST

> Try buying a Japanese if you're foreign entity.... more than 400 Japanese companies, many not industrial, will only allow 10% max foreign ownership set by the Government of Japan. So if anyone in Japan is disappointed they need to look at their own laws and conduct in the past and present first

Ok! Can you name some?

You will find they are in one of several "sensitive" industries like military equipment, telecommunication, financial, etc... and the same applies in the USA, Canada, EU, UK, etc...

Foreign ownership of security, and telecommunication are exempt from WTO based on security reasons.

BTW your list of 400 Japanese companies is closer to 4000 in the USA because of the massive defense industry!

Jim

Today 10:12 am JST

It was a bad deal to begin with! Too many differences when it comes to the two companies in terms of operation and in the end the American steel workers would suffer while the Japanese Nippon company will end up losing a lot of money

Sounds like the same false claims made back in the 80s when Japanese car makers started opening new and buying closed car factories in the USA, anti Japanese rhetoric from the news to Hollywood movies!

Funny thing nothing they claimed happened and to the contrary the Japanese Auto makers grew, USA workers got good jobs to the point that some Japanese car makers export cars built in the USA back to Japan.

But 40 years later I see the stereotyping haven't changed!

I am not sure where this myth of "Free Market, Capitalism" etc... came from regarding the USA!

From the start going right back to George Washington the USA has practiced protectionism, from whiskey to cotton, corn, whale oil (yes that was a big thing before petroleum), to modern times with softwood lumber, iron ore, steel, cars, etc...

I remember the "buy American" campaigns and there have been several going all the way back to the 70s, it got so silly the in California the government broke a contract to buy Hitachi bulldozers and diggers, etc..paying a penalty and paying more to buy Caterpillar ones only to find out that the Hitachi machines were made in America and the caterpillar were made in Mexico!

Like most things the USA says and does, it is do as we say not as we do!

When is the world going to wake up and just cut them off ?

If countries would agree to boycott the USA, it wouldn't last a year without the raw materials and components from the rest of us!

zibala

Today 11:51 am JST

If a group of outsiders arrived in your country, your home and claimed they had the right to your land because their god gave it to them thousands of years ago and they were forced to leave thousands of years ago and are back to claim it.

> There is no such valid scenario, unless you are referring to Arabs trying to take land from the country of Israel. The only country in that region. Historically. Ever.

Yes 100% such a scenario!

Ashkenazi like Netanyahu's family from Europe have near zero connection to the region, the tiny pre Israel population of Sephardim are the only ones that actually belong there!

Going back pre David the Canaanites had the land and the Israelites took it today. DNA shows that the descendants of the Canaanites are the Arabs in Israel and Lebanon with 90% having a genetic match along with the Sephardic.

These are facts genetically proven despite the fact that some dubious research in Israel ordered by oh right Netanyahu somehow comes up with completely different results from the rest of the world!

Netanyahu and the vast majority of The Jewish population of Israel are European!

They arrived with some fictitious story that it was their land 2,000 years ago and that God gave it to them and they took it from the Arabs that had been there without leaving the land for several thousand years and this can be proven with DNA!

So your constant stant claims that the Arabs are not from the region is untrue because the DNA from pre-david's time of the Canaanites and the Arabs are linked genetically by DNA. So please stop with the false claims that the Arabs are not the original inhabitants!

stormcrow

Today 10:12 am JST

Everybody has been holding Israel back for years, now Israel (as it sees things) has a green light.

When did this happen, in an alternate universe?

Israel has violated every UN resolution, violated international laws on more occasions than we can count, illegally use fake passports from other countries to conduct assignations, bombed other countries with impunity, violated international laws and agreements by bombing a diplomatic building in another country, violated other countries sovereignty, killed thousands of unarmed civilians for decades, kidnapped people, put them in blackhole prisons without charges or trial, tortured them including nearly half being women and children, (6,000 at any given time), armed settlers that have killed nearly 1,000 Palestinians in 2023 and another 1000 before that, broken agreements by expanding settlements from the agreed 140 to the now 280 with the new 140 being built by killing the land owners (Palestinians) and taking the land, it is now commiting genocide in Gaza with impunity, etc...

So where and when did the international community hold back Israel.

The international community (read western countries) actually created the mess by letting invaders from Europe into the Palestinian territories and take the land based on a fictional belief a god gave them it!

But I ask the question not one Israel supporter dares answer!

If a group of outsiders arrived in your country, your home and claimed they had the right to your land because their god gave it to them thousands of years ago and they were forced to leave thousands of years ago and are back to claim it.

Would you just say "OK , you can have it" and leave?

If you are not willing to do that then you cannot justify support for Israel!

Chabbawanga

Today 08:16 am JST

3/Sadly this tit for tat has diverted world attention from Israel's destruction of Gaza, the ethnic cleansing and the deaths of 35,000 people.

> This really is the worst thing about this situation

And it was Netanyahu's plan all along when he decided to attack the diplomatic building in Syria.

It almost worked until the USA and others said "No" we will not help you in your tit for tat, it's over.

So now he must Up the ante to try and draw the USA in.

And following in the footsteps of past psychopathic genocidal leaders he's going to!

owzer

Today 08:19 am JST

Unbelievable that countries are against Israel defending herself. Sick.

Defending????!!!!

Israel fired the first shot, that is not defending it is attacking!

What is unbelievable is how the international community has let Israel commit mass murder and genocide for decades and full on mass killings these past months and did nothing!

Of course it will because it is as bad as Iran that everyone complains about!

It kills thousands of people for years, illegally kidnaps people and holds them in illegal prisons for years, then when those it has abused for decades retaliate, it goes in and massacres tens of thousands of women and children, breaks international laws bombs diplomatically protected locations in others countries then gets a retaliation from a country no one likes and call authoritarian religious gardline, etc...but instead of acting smart like a civilized country, Israel is showing exactly what it is, a mirror of the authoritarian hardline religious county!

Iran and Israel are the same, authoritarian, religious bases hardline, sponsor terrorism, assignations, hold prisoners without trial, abuse human rights, torture, etc..

Only difference is one is disguise as a so-called democracy and the other one. Admits, it's a religious autocracy.

Kumagaijin

Today 04:12 pm JST

Yes, since they legalized weed in Canada, many US states, Thailand and other countries there have been thousands of suicides and people jumping off tall objects. Not

Well if you want to be technical and stick to only jumping off buildings, OK.

But if you want to include other methods of ending their own lives, sorry but yes there has been a rise.

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5017459

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/reports-publications/health-promotion-chronic-disease-prevention-canada-research-policy-practice/vol-43-no-9-2023/interrupted-time-series-evaluation-cannabis-legalization-effect-self-harm.html

The above by health promotion and disease prevention Canada (government includes information on other countries that legalized cannabis.

Have a good read!

kohakuebisu

Today 03:14 pm JST

Hemp seeds are one of the seven spices in shichimi mixed chili pepper. I don't know how aggressive Japanese drug tests are, or if an autopsy is much stricter, but there was a string of false positives a few years ago in Dubai where an airport scanner was detecting poppy seeds on people's clothes off bread buns.

This was something started in the 90s as a way to argue against drug testing.

Hemp seeds do not contain THC or CBD they are not the same plant as marijuana despite being in the same family!

Nearly every so-called study usually by a pro cannabis group do a little game.

When the "test food with hemp seeds it is always combined with hemp oil and yes hemp oil with shoe a positive result fir CBD but not the seeds.

So eat all the hemps seeds you want, they will not show a positive drug test result.

It is a myth long ago debunked!

Stewart Gale

Today 02:58 pm JST

What does the fact he had traces of cannabis in his blood have to do with it?

> Smoking weed (at some point in the last 3-6 months, as that is how long it stays in your system) generally doesn’t make you lose balance and fall off a building.

At the moment they err on the side of caution using the " fell off" but we need to ask why was he on the roof in the first place and we don't know but we can take an educated guess that he wasn't looking for the toilet!

As for why having cannabis in his blood?

The same reason they pointed out (seems most missed this part)

The 20-year-old, a member of the school's dance club,

He had been attending a drinking party put on by the club

Here is the difference, over 20 and drinking is legal, using cannabis isn't like that fact or not , that is the law as I pointed out and another confirmed

The Dec. 6 revisions classify cannabis as a narcotic and make unauthorized use or possession a criminal offense punishable by up to seven years in prison.

So this fact means under Japanese law an illegal act was committed, people here don't have to agree with the law but that is the law and we all have plenty of laws in Japan we don't agree with but those are the facts.

And with more and more research linking cannabis use to earlier onset of psychosis in people with genetic risk factors for psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia, as well as worse symptoms in people who already have these conditions.

And

research has shown an increased risk of depression in those who use cannabis during adolescence. More robustly, research has linked cannabis use with suicidal thoughts and behaviors among teens

I know he was not a teen anymore but not that far off.

I am not saying it was not just an accident but the use of drugs and alcohol may have both played a role in this sad situation!

And there is the reason both the cannabis and the drinking are clearly pointed out in the article.

The author doesn't need to specify he had alcohol in his system because they clearly say he was at a drinking party and we can guess that meant he was drinking and had alcohol in his system.

But again alcohol at 20 is not illegal but cannabis at any age is in Japan.

Now to the, why is having cannabis (THC) in his system relevant!

As Cannabis has become legal in more places the evidence of a link between it's use and mental health issues is becoming more and more evident.

Multiple in going researches are showing a link between cannabis and triggering early onset of schizophrenia and bipolarism. (Especially in those with genetic risk factors)

Other research is showing an increase in triggering anxiety and depression, especially in younger individuals.

Now I know so many here will get upset, scream fear mongering, but you can look it all up.

It doesn't mean everyone that uses cannabis will have these problems just like everyone that drinks alcohol isn't going to become an alcoholic!

But like tobacco as use increased and science advanced showing a clear Link to cancer and other problems.

With the increase of use and now legally possiblity of researching the effects of marijuana, we are going to finally get more accurate information besides the one side "it is evil, dangerous leads to blah blah blah..."

Or the other side " it is safer than alcohol or tobacco etc..."

I suggest you look up:

can thc cause mental health issues

Or

can marijuana cause mental health issues

So the idea it is not illegal to test positive for Marijuana use or even alcohol use is true, but at the same time not true!

If you are not Japanese and it is legal in your country, then probabilities are they cannot and will not charge you because they cannot prove you used in Japan.

It is a different story for Japanese!

Under the law even drinking under age outside Japan is an offence even if the Japanese person was legal age in that country, Japanese law applies to citizens even when traveling and that includes alcohol and drugs!

So by testing positive it is and has been taken as evidence of illegal drug use and yes people have been prosecuted and found guilty for using Marijuana without actually possessing any at the time of arrest.

There have been several high profile cases involving actors, musicians, etc...that have been convicted without actually possessing any drugs.

TaiwanIsNotChina

Today 04:11 pm JST

Setup the secondary sanctions. This will have the added benefit of decoupling from China.

Before that, why don't you got though your things and get rid of everything containing parts or products made in china and stop buying anything that has any possibility of containing parts , processed, made, etc...in China!?

And tell us how that goes!

I say this because China is buying loads of other products from oil, gas to minerals and wood from Russia and all that is used to make the stuff that goes into your every day products!

Just because it says "made in Japan" "made in Malaysia", "Made in the USA,", etc.. doesn't mean they are 100% made in those places or contain 100% of the parts and material used to make them.

So if you are so for more sanctions against Russia or even China, then as an individual you should lead by example!

Good luck, odds are the wiring in you cellphone, the rivets on your jeans, etc..were made in China and may contain Russian copper!

It is interesting that misconceptions about gold!

First as pointed out is is not a rock but a metal, second it may have once been used purely for ornamental purposes but today only half is used on that way and dropping!

The need for gold in industry especially tech products is only increasing.

Then there is the definition of "investing ' if you are buying gold only on paper it is no different than most other commodities and you could find yourself holding paper and nothing more in the event of a major collapse of the financial markets etc...

But if you are holding actual gold coins, small bars in large enough quantity you may (note the may) have a possible fall back in a currency collapse, financial collapse etc...

But all this depends on when you bought your gold and markets or social upheaval.

Just looking at gold prices, in the last year gold has gone up just over 17% and a 22% increase in the past 6 months.

At the same time the yen has dropped around 14% to the dollar.

So locally your gold would net you a much Higher yield if converted back to yen today.

Yes I understand the yen would have less purchasing power than a year ago but on the domestic market local produce hasn't gone up the same percentage as the yen has fallen on the international market.

itsonlyrocknroll

Today 11:57 am JST

Antiquesaving, Israel, more so its government, Hamas on the 7th October could have brought the middle east to a point of no return.

And why is that?

The West turned two blind eyes towards Israel for decades.

We have here and in western governments and news ths constant "Israel is the only democracy in the area" "Israel follows international laws" etc..

But all that is blatantly false!

Israel is one of the countries with the most UN resolutions against it!

Israel has since it's founding been accused of human rights abuse based in ethnicity.

Israel has violated multiple countries sovereignty.

UN reports in internationally illegal detention of several thousand Palestinians including women and children with torture, every year for decades now go unpunished do to USA veto.

The killing of thousands of Palestinians long before October 7th including 40% women and children,

The illegal taking of Palestinian land and killing of palestinians by israeli settlers under the protection of IDF, the illegal expansion of settlements from the agreed upon 140 to the now 280 with all the new 140 on illegally taken land by force and killing of palestinians.

Nothing was done! Literally nothing, except arm more settlers and IDF!

So how is anyone surprised or upset that Hamas or any other Palestinian group would at some point say: enough! The world is ignoring our situation, so what do we have to lose?"

The Warsaw ghetto uprising had near zero chance to succeed, so why did they?

Because they had no other choice and nothing to lose!

So guess where Hamas and those in Gaza got the idea from!

We keep hearing about the Iranian government being made up and created by hardline religious zealots.

Can someone explain the difference with that and the founding of Israel?

The present government is run by hardline religious zealots, it was founded on 100% hardline religious beliefs by religious zealots that claimed devine right to the land!

JboneInTheZone

Today 11:35 am JST

Since yesterday I have been told no such thing as a backroom deal!

> Are you a government official?

No and not are you. But over the time on this site you often accept western news as fact when they say "sources" in the whitehouse, or state department, etc...

But when non western news say the same thing about their governments and sources, most here including you immediately lean towards skeptical or "let's wait and see" or "we don't really know".

Which is quite interesting!

It is as if people think only western news has sources in their western governments and the rest of the world are just not that smart!

If CNN or Fox came out and said:

"Our sources say a backroom deal was struck between the Gulf States the USA and Iran"

most here would be saying they believe it!

But Al Jazeera, or a major Indian news site says it and what how people dismiss it!

itsonlyrocknroll

Today 11:18 am JST

Iran offers by its very nature, its religious beliefs, only the harshest outcome, no compromise.

Probably true, but equally true is the other side of the coin!

Israel offers by its very nature, its religious beliefs, only the harshest outcome, no compromise.

And if you are honest both your statement and my modification of it are true!

And in both cases especially as long as the hardline religious parties hold the power as in Iran or the balance of power as in Israel.

Both the belligerents claim devine right!

JboneInTheZone

Today 10:36 am JST

You still haven't answered the question!

> If I had to guess it’s because there were back room negotiations going on with both Israel and Iran

Wait!

Since yesterday I have been told no such thing as a backroom deal!

We hear only how badly Iran would pay if it did attack, now how incompetent Iran is, how it was a failure etc....

But after all the Arab and Indian news said a deal was made and so many here said no way, blah blah blah..

You now say "backroom negotiation"!?!?

JboneInTheZone

Today 10:23 am JST

So again, what changed, in 48 to 72 hours for Washington to do an about-face?

> Iran’s “retaliation” doesn’t appear to be anything more than a face saving move to appeal to its citizens.

You still haven't answered the question!

I pointed out that already as did most middle east news services.

But that does not explain why the USA suddenly changed it mind to help retaliate if Israel does!

The USA didn't say it would participate "if the attack was successful" it said "if Iran attacks"!

Well Iran did and now the USA pulls out of helping Israel retaliate!

JboneInTheZone

Today 10:17 am JST

“Arab countries came to the aid of Israel in stopping the attack because they understand that regional organizing is required against Iran, otherwise they will be next in line,”

> This. And honestly, these countries have begun to realize trade and normalized relations with Israel is good for business.

Funny!

More likely they realized a middle east war was bad for business!

Trade with Israel is nothing compared to their oil trade if it was interrupted!

More often than not the obvious and simplest answer is the right one!

Desert Tortoise

Today 10:15 am JST

The fact that everyone new the planned course in advance, drones were shot down by other countries makes it quite clear this was a PR stunt arranged in advance so Iran saved face!

> The sensor range of something like an E-3A, RC-135 or E-8 is such that US forces probably detected the drones and missiles being prepared for launch and tracked them in real time. Some of the engagements were conducted by US destroyers operating in the Mediterranean Sea. The radars on modern US DDGs can track targets far inland.

I don't think you are understanding!

Do you think the USA and Israel were giving the Arab state live news and the pre course of these drones?

Your explanation covers why the USA military and Israel military knew, but doesn't explain why only a few minutes after Iran announced the launching of the attack Arab news already had the courses mapped out and the drones followed the already mapped out courses.

And just to point out, the USA didn't need to detect anything being prepared!

Iran announced the exact time and numbers of everything it fired at Israel but seeing wester countries and news refuse to show and block Iranian news, this was either not reported of down plaid in the west!

It seems some here are skeptical about the information pointing to a deal between the Gulf states and Iran.

So the question is simple:

What changed in the last 48 to 72 hours?

Before the attack by Iran the USA was warning Iran it would help Israel retaliate if Iran attacked!

Certain people here went on and on about USA fire power, technology, aircraft carriers etc...and how Iran would regret it if it attacked Israel!

Suddenly middle east news, indian news are reporting a backroom deal to let Iran save face!

They also reported that all the USA middle east allies minus Israel but including NATO membre Turkey told the USA their airspace and bases were off limits for attacking Iran.

Suddenly right after Iran does retaliate the USA's

"We will help Israel retaliate if attacked"

Becomes:

U.S. officials said Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Washington would not participate in any offensive action against Iran.

So again, what changed, in 48 to 72 hours for Washington to do an about-face?

Desert Tortoise

Today 09:25 am JST

This was not a surprise attack, IF it was the outcome would have been completely DIFFRENT.

> With the sensors and platforms like AWACS available to the Israelis and the distance between Iran and Israel, it's doubtful that Iran could mount a surprise attack. Now Hezbollah is a different story due to the shared border.

True and false!

Much of the territory was not accessible by Israel and would have required participation or permission of neighbouring countries especially for low flying drones!

The fact that everyone new the planned course in advance, drones were shot down by other countries makes it quite clear this was a PR stunt arranged in advance so Iran saved face!

I watched several live feeds long before these drones an missiles reached Israel and the exact course was already plotted out on the maps these Middle East news sites new in advance where these drones were heading and exactly what course they were taking.

As pointed out by most non western News the Gulf states had made a deal with Iran to save face!

This was pointed out in the news in nearly every middle East news site/service, Indian news, etc... letting Iran save face and warning the USA not to help in any retaliation.

Who actually tells their target in advance they launched drones and missiles and how many?

Has Russia ever publicly announced before the missiles or drones had been fired to give Ukraine a heads up?

I pointed this out yesterday and this is the best possible proof of a deal.

U.S. officials said Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Washington would not participate in any offensive action against Iran.

This was such an arranged deal that on the Internet you could follow the "progress" of the drones and missiles live and with the exact course and trajectory plotted out on the maps in advance!

These sites all already knew the exact course and location before hand!

A PR stunt well organized purportedly by a coalition of oil states to let Iran say it did something and avoid an escalation in the region involving the USA and them by association for having USA bases on their territories.

Now we shall see if Biden has any real power!

He said the USA will not participate and the word is simple to Israel, "this chapter is closed" if any escalation happens from this point on, it will all be on Israel!

zibala

Today 05:31 pm JST

You claimed that western countries/democracies do the same things as Israel does: Legal torture, detention without charges or trial, abductions without arrest warrants, etc... all be the government!

> It's well-known the US participated in many of those acts.

You missed the part where I said not USA and Israel!

You also forget that the USA to get around its laws brings people to Guantanamo Bay from other countries.

But anyone within the USA has legal protections citizen or not something Israel doesn't!

Take Iran out of the picture to start; so countries attacking Israel 1. Countries Israel attacked 0.

Lets see... Lebanon, Syria or did you forget those?

Amazing you forgot those!

zibala

Today 05:13 pm JST

Democracies don't detain people for years without trial or charges, Democracies, don't kill people in the thousands for just protesting, democracies don't regularly torture people!

> They do, especially when the prisoners are terrorists.

Name one that is not the USA using Guantanamo Bay!

Remember:

1-)western democracy, 2-)detained without charges or trial

3-) including torture!

4-) no legal representation

And please don't start again with Syria, Yemen etc....

You claim Israel is a democracy like the west so prove it, give us a western country that does the above like Israel!