budgie comments

Posted in: 58.4% of high school seniors say they don't like studying English See in context

That's because they're just studying it, not learning it. Japan's education ministry sees English as just another 'subject' to be 'tested' not a 'language' to be 'used'.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Posted in: What are the three scariest movies you have ever seen? See in context

I've never been scared by a normal monster or slasher film. Artsy ones like Blair Witch confused me - not scary at all. For me something with a twist or two:

Sixth Sense 28 Days Later The Ring

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Abe dines with 6 former prime ministers See in context

LOL the old boy network gets together and looks for ways to pass the buck.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Posted in: Can Clinton live up to pledge to learn from 2008 mistakes? See in context

Rather than promising not to make mistakes on the campaign trail, presumably for the sole purpose of winning, Clinton should be pledging not to repeat the mistakes of past and present white house occupants and improve America's dealings with the world.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Police academy holds first ever Open House See in context

A bold move for the notoriously secretive Japanese police force. At a place I once taught, the local police were taking lessons and we had to keep it a secret from even the other teachers. If they can't even admit they're taking English classes, you have to wonder what else they get up to...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: Asahi supporter sentenced for scrawling lavatory editorials See in context

The graffiti was a dumb idea and will probably give more ammunition to nationalists. Love how the prosecutor suggested he should have expressed his political opinions online instead: pretty soon that will be illegal too.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Posted in: Osaka body to decide what is or isn't hate speech See in context

The Panel findings are in: anything you say that is negative toward Japan or is unpatriotic is hate speech. Ragging on foreigners and Zainichi Koreans is still okay.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: Unwelcome mat: White House tries to counter Netanyahu visit See in context

GOP and the Christian Right showing where their true loyalty lies: Israel.

Gotta get that Rapture started....

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Posted in: 2,100 people sue Asahi Shimbun over 'comfort women' stories See in context

T_rexmaxytimeFEB. 20, 2015 - 10:26AM JST 5petals:

"I dont think you get the point. Japan is not arguing that these sex workers ever existed. Japan is arguing the point if they were forced or not. I am sure there were some cases where few of these poor girls were tricked by the broker into becoming a sex trader ( sold by their parents etc) but Japan did not forcefully grab random girls out of the street. Japan is not ISIS you know..."

Yeah T-Rex they did. Read up. This did not start with the Asahi newspaper.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

Posted in: 2,100 people sue Asahi Shimbun over 'comfort women' stories See in context

The world knows its history and it has nothing to do with an Asahi story. Japanese have their heads so far up they believe their own lies. The rest of the world does not. Japan's abysmal wartime record was well-known and documented long before the Asahi story and foreign media will not be swayed.

7 ( +8 / -2 )

Posted in: Japan’s Juvenile Law says that criminal suspects aged under 20 cannot be tried as adults or have their names and photos published by media. Do you think this is too old to be considered a minor and if See in context

Adult crime adult time. I'd say depending on the offense 14-16 should be the threshold.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Posted in: Japan eyes compulsory 5 days' paid holiday a year See in context

The law says they must be GIVEN ten days compulsory leave, so if they have to TAKE compulsory leave then it should be the full ten days. Otherwise it's just a nod to companies to tell them it's okay to force their staff not to use some of their allotted leave.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: Cross-dressing Matsuko Deluxe: AKB opening Tokyo Olympics 'would embarrass Japan' See in context

Absolutely correct. Japan already has a reputation as a nation of pedo-pervs and has com under fire from the UN for not clamping down on child porn. Putting the national lolita-complex front and center will do little to help its reputation.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Posted in: AKB48 founder plans Japan48 idol group for Olympics, Phillipines spinoff See in context

Is this pseudo pedo-worship really going to catch on overseas?

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Posted in: Japan asks U.S. publisher to change 'sex slave' reference in textbook See in context

It shows the utter disconnect the japanese 'elite' has from reality that they think anyone outside of the country could possibly subscribe to their version of History. the publisher should be offended that Japan even asked. Their official response to the Japanese government should contain at least one four-letter word.

8 ( +9 / -3 )

Posted in: Warrior spirit leads Nishikori to new heights See in context

Can't they can this warrior spirit nonsense. the guy's a good tennis player, that's all. When he loses - and he made it to the final in the US Open which is no small feat - it's because his arms are too short or some other ethno-centric nonsense. When he wins, it's 'yamato damashi'.

Can't they just take the nationalism and race complex out of it an appreciate that he's a just a damn good tennis player?

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

Posted in: Japanese right muzzling liberal media, say analysts See in context

“Japan’s image was greatly damaged. Baseless libels are all across the world that ‘Japan systematically forced sex slavery’ because of the false (Asahi) reports,” Abe told a parliamentary committee in October.

And Mr Abe is lying. These facts were well known outside Japan decades before the faulty Asahi article.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Posted in: Nuts! Korean flight delayed by first class spat See in context

Snotty self-entitled elitists. Just like a lot of rich people really.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Posted in: Gov't issues nationwide influenza epidemic alert See in context

Little over reaction don't you think?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Posted in: Sri Lankan man dies at immigration center after being denied medical attention See in context

The authorities and the police are just plain racist. There's no other explanation.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Posted in: Yomiuri apologizes for using term 'sex slaves' in English edition See in context

I'd add to Tina in saying that it is only by denying the facts that Japan sets itself up for humiliation if it ever admits them. they've dug this hole for themselves and then dismissed themselves on the grounds that they're fighting some sort of propaganda war with China and Korea. If they'd only fully admit the past and stop trying to revise it later, then Japan's critics would have a lot less ammo in the recriminations game.

4 ( +5 / -2 )

Posted in: Yomiuri apologizes for using term 'sex slaves' in English edition See in context

Nothing to apologize for. The lack of freedom of speech in this country disgusts me. Give the LDP a permanent majority and they'll end up like China.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

Posted in: E-cigarettes contain up to 10 times carcinogens: Japan researchers See in context

SimondBNOV. 28, 2014 - 07:16AM JST This report flies in the face of just about every other report which comes up with the complete opposite results. I see the hand of the big tobacco companies at play here.

Indeed. I also see the government and pliant media willing to peddle these findings on behalf of the tobacco industry. In Japan the authorities just make up their own reality.

However it would not surprise me to find on some level, e-cigs are harmful. These new fads often turn out to have hidden side-effects.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Posted in: Man fires shots into ex-wife's apartment in Yokohama See in context

Gun rights are not even an issue in Japan, Alpha. Just saying....

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Posted in: Education minister proposes English education for 3rd grade See in context

This will simply result in more strain on the limited english ability of Japanese teaching staff, and more unqualified and underpaid foreigners being dispatched by black companies to jump up and down and entertain the kids.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Posted in: Hanky-panky in kobans leave police blushing See in context

Empty Kobans are a bummer too, but what about foot patrols? A little street presence would perhaps reduce the low rate even further, but the police seem to like sitting around waiting for someone to make a complaint.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: Tokyo ward to offer free childcare for all second children of families See in context

Nice but why restrict it to second children? The idea should be to free up working mothers so they should open the plan to all kids, first, second or more.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Posted in: Japan cuts Antarctic whale catch quota See in context

Mike O'BrienNOV. 19, 2014 - 05:16PM JST Sure you can. There are hundreds of published papers you can read if you are that interested. They also give the data to the IWC every year, so you can also request the data from the IWC.

And only a handful of those papers relied on killing whales for the collection of Data. I think it was either four papers or four percent over the past 25 years if memory serves.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Posted in: Japan cuts Antarctic whale catch quota See in context

They're just managing expectations.

They know as usual Sea Shepherd will stop them from getting as much as a third of the usual 1,000 or so, so they're going for a slightly more realistic number.

Must be deflating for the mighty government-subsidized and supported whaling fleet to limp home with less than it promised every year.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

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