Posted in: Baseball star Ohtani’s ex-interpreter sentenced to nearly 5 years in sports betting case See in context
I wonder what would happen if he stole the same amount from the Government, or a bank.
13 ( +20 / -7 )
Posted in: Employees of pet shops fear retaliation, such as being fired or having their wages cut. As a result, there is often insufficient evidence to prove mistreatment. See in context
Also, get rid of those horrendous animal cafes.
Many animal rescue NGOs operate dog and cat cafes, where customers and potential foster families can interact with the animals before adopting.
It may not be the ideal solution, but at least the dogs are not caged all day, and revenues are used to care for the animals.
5 ( +5 / -0 )
Posted in: Efforts continue to clear debris in sinkhole, rescue trapped truck driver See in context
@Desert Tortoise
As always, I appreciate your professional opinion.
I’m just saying, I’ve worked with recon Marines who wouldn’t have hesitated to full send it.
-1 ( +0 / -1 )
Posted in: Efforts continue to clear debris in sinkhole, rescue trapped truck driver See in context
The helicopter would have to maintain super accurate positioning and if it were to be brought down by the cables there would be a much greater tragedy.
The bird can hover at a safe altitude of at least 10 meters above the cables. If the hoist gets tangled in the cables, the loadmaster can cut the hoist loose.
1 ( +9 / -8 )
Posted in: Efforts continue to clear debris in sinkhole, rescue trapped truck driver See in context
Maybe so, but the truck cab is covered so there’s no lifting the driver out without touching the ground.
I meant before the landslide buried the cabin, and the driver was still responding to phone calls.
4 ( +10 / -6 )
Posted in: Efforts continue to clear debris in sinkhole, rescue trapped truck driver See in context
Too many cables around the sinkhole to allow any descent from a helicopter.
Looking at the photo, and the news on TV, that would definitely be a concern. However, I know a few guys from my former squad who would’ve definitely attempted a hoist extraction, as long as the pilot could hover the chopper steady at 60ft.
8 ( +14 / -6 )
Posted in: Efforts continue to clear debris in sinkhole, rescue trapped truck driver See in context
I’m not an expert, and hindsight is 20/20, but I do have expertise in helicopter rappelling, rope extraction, and hoist operations.
Obviously the ground is too unstable for the use of heavy machinery in the vicinity of the hole, but prior to the driver being buried by an underground landslide, it may have been possible to lower a special forces extraction team into the hole with a helicopter hoist or extraction rope.
Depending on the conditions inside the hole, they may not even need to touch the ground.
14 ( +22 / -8 )
Posted in: New sumo grand master vows best behavior after promotion See in context
New sumo grand master vows best behavior after promotion
A very odd headline.
It just means he promises to observe the strict customs and courtesies of Sumo.
Such as not stepping over a felled opponent, not displaying emotion in victory or defeat, etc….
0 ( +0 / -0 )
Posted in: Growing Muslim population in need of burial plots in Japan See in context
I’m not familiar with Japanese law, but are these communities not able to purchase land themselves and use it as a cemetery? I believe private cemeteries do exist in Japan so there should be nothing stopping them from buying land and appropriating it to burials
Legally, there is nothing stopping them from buying land and opening their own Muslim cemeteries.
Many Catholic and other Christian sects have their own private cemeteries for intact burial.
Japan has signed and ratified the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, all of which uphold religious freedom and prohibit discrimination, principles also enshrined in Japan's Constitution (Article 20).
Once again, no one is prohibiting them from buying land and practicing their own religious burial customs.
2 ( +7 / -5 )
Posted in: Osaka woman causes 8 separate traffic accidents in 35 minutes See in context
I doubt she will be suspended from driving.
Probably a sticker for her rear window warning others...maybe a nifty cartoon image of multiple car crashes...
What makes you assume so?
Fleeing the scene of an accident is a criminal offense, and automatically disqualifies you from being able claim insurance.
She should consider herself lucky if she avoids jail time, gets off with only a revoked license and several million yen in fines.
7 ( +9 / -2 )
Posted in: Osaka woman causes 8 separate traffic accidents in 35 minutes See in context
From other news sources, it appears the vehicle was a Nissan Juke.
Never would’ve imagined a juke was that tough. From the pictures of the victims vehicles, these were no minor fender benders, and the front end of the Juke itself was half gone.
4 ( +6 / -2 )
Posted in: TikTok says it's restoring service to U.S. users based on Trump's promised executive order See in context
Ok lemme get this straight.
2020 Trump:
This TikTok grandfather’s Clock is a a threat. I don’t like it.
2020 Dems: GenZ of AMERIKA! Trump is trying to take away your freedom of expression!
2023 Dems: Urrt the MAGA deplorables learned how to use TikTok! Ban it immediately!
2024 Trump: Well TikTak is a very good, very strong mint candy. Maybe the strongest. Agent whispers in ear
Oh, I mean, TikTok may have some merit if we can buy it and make it great and American. Let’s make a deal.
-4 ( +6 / -10 )
Posted in: 15 kg of cocaine seized from single passenger at Haneda See in context
To add on to the above, possession without intent to sell or distribute carries a maximum penalty of 3 years for cannabinoids and psychotropics, and 5 years for stimulants, opiates, and narcotics.
“No intent to sell or distribute” is usually interpreted as less than 15g of marijuana, less than 3 grams of narcotics or opiates, and less than 1.5 grams of stimulants.
5 ( +8 / -3 )
Posted in: 15 kg of cocaine seized from single passenger at Haneda See in context
The 25-year-old Canadian man will spend 25 years or more in prison.
The maximum penalty for any amount of drugs in Japan is 10 years. You could be caught with a literal cargo ship full of heroin, and the maximum penalty will still be 10 years.
4 ( +9 / -5 )
Posted in: Japan to give $2 mil in aid to California for wildfire relief See in context
Yes, in the ocean of GDPs, 2mill is nothing.
California has 1/4th the population of Japan and about 1/2 the GDP.
California does not “need” the money any more than you and I need ¥2 at the cashier to make clean change of a ¥500 coin rather than ¥488 in small change.
Yes, it is nothing more than a goodwill gesture, and show of solidarity; and what’s wrong with that?
-1 ( +1 / -2 )
Posted in: Search teams look for bodies as LA firefighters brace for more wind See in context
But Oprah and the Rock owned their properties before the Lahaina fires. Any proof that they increased their land holdings in Lahaina since the fire? They were actually charitable donors, were they not?
I’m fairly certain they already own properties in LA as well. But that is beyond the point.
Since JT doesn’t allow hotlinking, you’ll have to Google it yourself, but there are multiple sources that confirm Oprah and Johnson bought out destroyed properties at barrel bottom prices and gentrified entire communities; effectively shutting out the original residents.
Oprah and the Rock like to cultivate their charitable “people’s hero” image, but in reality are far from it.
All those handouts “you get a car! You get a car!” on the Oprah show, all tax deductible gifts that most of the recipients are forced to sell anyways because they can’t afford the gift tax and property taxes.
Dwayne Johnson was known to bully other wrestlers and often go off script when the playbook didn’t favor him. During the Fast and Furious series, he sullied the legacy of the deceased Paul Walker to the point that Vin Diesel and Jason Statham refused to speak with him off screen. Then he tried to play it off as Statham and Diesel being “Candy ass divas.” (His own words)
-1 ( +1 / -2 )
Posted in: Search teams look for bodies as LA firefighters brace for more wind See in context
Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will buy up LA like they did in Hawaii.
-3 ( +2 / -5 )
Posted in: IOC long-shot Watanabe hopes 'crazy' Olympic idea sparks debate See in context
The Olympic Games already do take place in several different cities.
In the most recent Tokyo Olympics, Cycling was in Shizuoka/Yamanashi, Surfing was in Chiba, and several other events were held in Hokkaido.
3 ( +8 / -5 )
Posted in: Ghosn accomplice calls for inmates to be treated humanely in Japan See in context
Solitary confinement would suggest he was being intentionally belligerent.
I know several people of various races who have been to prison in Japan, and while they say it is highly regimented, it is nowhere near as inhumane as Taylor claims.
Showers were every other day, with daily shower privileges for those who worked at the various workshops or laundry and kitchen.
An American friend of mine was even given private shower privileges because communal bathing “wasn’t American culture.”
-4 ( +4 / -8 )
Posted in: Mass sardine beaching hits northern Japan See in context
Just freeze them all and wait for that season when everyone complains because of the cost of sardines and laments the decline of them.
There’s never really been a shortage of sardines.
Perhaps you are confusing them with the Pacific Saury or “Sanma” that has been declining due to China and Russia increasing their catches before fishing season begins in Japan, and the Saury are not yet considered to be “market size” by Japanese standards.
1 ( +2 / -1 )
Posted in: Despite Nippon Steel rift, U.S. and Japan say ties stronger than ever See in context
Nippon Steel had agreed to the conditions stated by IS Steel prior to both parties agreeing to the merger.
To answer the main concerns from US Steel regarding national security and worker’s guarantees, Nippon Steel agreed to:
Maintain a majority US membership in executive positions.
Not close facilities or relocate operations.
Ensure worker’s rights and not layoff more than 10% of employees.
Conduct all financial transactions in US dollars.
If it were a National security issue, Biden would have been made aware at a much earlier phase, and blocked the sale before contracts were signed. Biden, knowing Trump is against the sale of US Steel; but never specifically mentioned Japan or Nippon Steel, seems to be using his last days in office trying to stay legitimate for the history books.
The US has only blocked the foreign acquisition of assets by Presidential order 8 times, 7 of which were sales to China.
1 ( +1 / -0 )
Posted in: Japanese actor dropped from beer ad campaign after drunken escapade See in context
What's even more peculiar is that the neighbor's front door wasn't locked. With all the news about forcible entry, robberies and even murders, you'd think people would at least lock their doors.
Most condos and especially those that celebrities live in have electronic locks on the lobby entrance and a security guard who monitors who enters.
When I lived in a condo that had a 4 digit number lock on the lobby doors, I rarely locked my front door, much less if I was home.
2 ( +2 / -0 )
Posted in: Mass sardine beaching hits northern Japan See in context
These kind of events are a natural and fairly common occurrence.
Sardines will often beach themselves en masse due to being chased by predatory fish.
Other reasons include lack of oxygen from overcrowding of the shoal, or running into a cold current that paralyzes them.
4 ( +6 / -2 )
Posted in: Japan to revise law for emergency animal shootings due to rise in bear attacks See in context
How long to educate and to establish this branch ? which is only need for 5 months of the year.
I dunno, but the military seems to be able to train their soldiers/marines in 90 days.
1 ( +1 / -0 )
Posted in: 14-year-old boy drowns after falling into river while fishing with friend in Chiba See in context
Why are there so many stories of drownings in Japan?
There are about 8,000~9,000 drowning deaths annually in Japan. 80% of which are senior citizens who drown in bathtubs after suffering from cardiac arrest or heat shock.
So that makes for about 1,500 accidental drownings for a population of 123,000,000.
Compare that to the State of California which has an average of 900 accidental drownings for a population of 40,000,000; has half the amount of coastline, and 1/3rd the amount of water systems.
Japan doesn’t have “so many” drowning deaths. There’s just so few gangbanger, fenty-zombie, and meth-head crimes that drownings actually make headline news.
-1 ( +1 / -2 )
Posted in: N Korean troops suffer 100 deaths, struggling in drone warfare, S Korea says See in context
The video of a wounded NK soldier buried alive by his “comrades” and staring blankly into a drone camera…
Russia is using NK soldiers to clear minefields by rushing them in waves.
Back at camp the NK soldiers skate duty and training, watch porn all day on newly acquired smartphones, steal whatever food they can find, and drink hand sanitizer.
-1 ( +13 / -14 )
Posted in: Honda and Nissan to begin merger talks, Nikkei reports See in context
Nissan was never really known for reliability.
They were known for reasonably priced high performance cars.
Ghosn deserved jail time, if only for the crime of discontinuing the BNR and DET series of engines, and introducing the CVT into all their new models.
Nissan tried to “Europeanize” under Ghosn, that is, making oddly shaped compacts and lost a lot of fans.
0 ( +0 / -0 )
Posted in: Where’s the happiest place for foreigners to live in Japan? Study investigates See in context
Yokota Air Base. Lol
1 ( +1 / -0 )
Posted in: Price to climb Mount Fuji will double, trail gates will close earlier if new plan is approved See in context
Yamanashi shooting itself in the foot again.
Shizuoka doing nothing and enjoying the fluctuation of climbers to the Shizuoka side.
0 ( +0 / -0 )
Posted in: Australian warship test-fires U.S. Tomahawk missile with range of 2,500 kilometers See in context
It sounds great, but in reality, very dated tech. New hypersonic equivalents are far more maneuverable thus harder to shoot down, and obviously far faster.
hypersonic missiles are like a Top Fuel drag racer, compared to the tomahawk as a dirt bike. Nowhere near as maneuverable.
The most effective defense against cruise missiles is to actually track them with a fighter jet, and shoot them down with air to air missiles. Costly and difficult, and requiring a multi layered air defense system.
1 ( +3 / -2 )
Posted in: Ishiba says Trump isn’t as frightening in person as on TV
Posted in: Hokuriku region of Japan experiences record snowfall
Posted in: Ishiba pledges to resolve territorial dispute with Russia
Posted in: Hokuriku region of Japan experiences record snowfall