carp_boya comments

the overall stolen bags per game are still down from the 80s

You’re absolutely right about that. The likes of Rickey Henderson, Tim Raines, and Vince Coleman were swiping 70 to 100+ bases per season. It was a different game with more emphasis on speed.

As for Ohtani, for the NL home run leader to also be second in steals is an incredible feat, regardless of base sizes, rule changes, or round number milestones like 50/50. It’s been a phenomenal display of power and speed. When he starts pitching again next season he’ll probably get fewer ABs, so it’s great he could take advantage of the the extra opportunities to hit this season.

Ohtani is having an unbelievable season, one that we’ll never forget and we are all truly privileged to be able to see him play.

But there’s one thing no one seems to be talking about regarding all the stolen bases. And that’s the fact that last season, the bases were enlarged to increase the number of steals and make the game more exciting. Also, a new rule was implemented that limited the number of times a pitcher can attempt to pick off a runner. I wonder how many steals Ohtani would have under the old rules.

Having said that, the first four members of the 40-40 club, from Jose Canseco (1988) to Alfonso Soriano (2006), were all on on steroids. At least we know Ohtani is doing this cleanly and within the rules!

Once I saw the bit about forcing the child to vomit, I had to stop reading. These to people are monsters and deserve more that what they got. They would have been given much longer sentences if they had done this to another adult. I just can comprehend how sentences are so light for the abuse and murder of a defenseless child.

It’s absolutely heartbreaking what this poor little girl had to go through in her short life. I really struggle not to cry when I read stuff like this.

Man gets suspended sentence for putting 3-year-old girl in washing machine and turning it on

This headline is evidence the justice system here is broken.

@ClippityClop

1000 yen for Japan's second best castle isn't bad.

Just out of curiosity, which do you think is Japan’s best castle? For me, Matsumoto is the only one that rivals Himeji.

It’s not just JapanToday posting this kind of news. I first read this very story on the BBC:

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg4yp1ve2kno

And to be fair, this isn’t an ordinary suicide story. An innocent person’s life was also taken. It occurred at in a busy area, a place where I, like many other people, regularly go on weekends with my family. I couldn’t imagine being anywhere near this with my children.

'Lovebites or Bandmaid' shoud be on that stage before them to show the world how brilliant they are and how much better.

That’s just an opinion. It’s not a popular opinion, but you’re entitled to it.

not been relevant for over 15yrs

Uh, they broke up 15 years ago. Before that, they made generation-defining music that touched people all over the world. Since then, the Gallagher brothers have both been successful as solo artists. Noel has continued to evolve as an artist and push the limits of his sound. And in 2022, Liam played two concerts at Knebworth in front of a combined 170,000 people. And they just sold a million tickets in a few hours, and could have probably sold double that amount.

But they’re not relevant at all. Not like global superstars Band-maid or Lovebites.

Yeah, I found the quote from a neighbour who rescued them, saying, according to the auto-translate: "Both of the two in the back were wearing their seat belts properly,"" 

Doesn't mention seats, though. Just a thought.

There’s a big difference for small kids between wearing seatbelts, and being strapped into a child seat.

My family and I were scheduled to fly back to Kanto from Hiroshima today but are stuck here for an extra day. We’ll be riding the shinkansen back tomorrow in reserved, but separate, seats. So my kids are going to be on their own for 3.5 hours to Yokohama… unless a kind traveller is willing to swap seats.

From 2021:

https://japantoday.com/category/features/lifestyle/only-30-percent-of-japanese-drivers-stop-for-pedestrians-at-crosswalks-survey-says

This seems pretty accurate as I regularly find that about 6-7 cars pass by before one stops at a crossing. For a society so hell-bent on following rules, driving rules (laws) seem a little less important.

I wish I’d had the option to take paternity leave. In 2019, when my son was born, I was allowed to take two paid holidays - the day of his birth, and the day after. A couple of weeks at any point during his infancy would’ve been so nice.

How does this happen in an actual swimming class? I understand kids horsing around but does Japan not have lifeguards?

No they actually dont in cases like this. ES and JHS swimming classes are watched over by teachers.

Teachers and parents, in the case of my daughter’s school. I’ve volunteered to watch over her class this coming Thursday. I’m no lifeguard, but I can swim and hope I have the common sense to recognize when a kid is in trouble.

Make them use the damn road like in the UK.

I totally agree cyclists (including myself) should be using the road, not sidewalks. But unfortunately most roads just aren’t wide enough for bikes to ride alongside cars, buses, garbage trucks, lorries. When people are riding mama charis with a kid (or kids), it’s a bit risky.

police will be able to issue people aged 16 and older so-called blue tickets for about 115 relatively minor violations like ignoring traffic lights

I wonder when they’ll start cracking down on drivers running red lights or talking on the phone…

The study I mentioned:

https://japantoday.com/category/national/more-than-90-of-vehicles-dont-stop-at-crosswalks-without-lights-despite-presence-of-pedestrians?comment-order=latest

There was a study done about 5 years ago which found that something like 80% of drivers don’t stop at crosswalks.

I was wrong - it was over 90%.

@JeffLee

Very few drivers stop for the pedestrians at the crosswalk near my house.

Very few drivers stop for pedestrians at crosswalks anywhere in Japan. I’ve been here more than 20 years and it’s so rare to see drivers stop at crosswalks that I feel obliged to bow and says thank you.

There was a study done about 5 years ago which found that something like 80% of drivers don’t stop at crosswalks.

who drives/walks at that time of the day anyway? You’re just asking for trouble

Really?? It was 11:30pm on a Friday night. People could be going home from work, a movie, dinner and drinks with friends.

(Maybe you’re being sarcastic, but it’s usually not obvious in a short comment on here.)

I find it sad that Mr Radcliffe doesn’t care about the rights of real women. What a clown.

purple_depressed_bacon

Mmm yes, why not? I'm sure babies toddlers and preteens will be as caught up and interested in politics as their teen and adult counterparts...

Imagine all the politicians promising to improve the local parks, offer ice cream every day for dessert at school, to get the elementary school student vote.

Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura… suggested giving everyone the right to vote regardless of age, meaning that even a newborn baby would have a valid vote in elections

As foolish as it sounds, I’ll give the guy credit for coming up with a unique idea. The usual incentives for having kids - subsidized child-care, flexible work hours, longer parental leave - haven’t made a difference. Maybe giving parents an extra vote for 12 or so would work??

I can’t begin to imagine what the families of these boys must be feeling. Eighteen years old… their adult lives were just beginning. This is so sad.

What a nice story to read on a Sunday morning!

Why is the word “Black” capitalized? I’ve noticed this a lot recently in American media, often in articles where the word “white” is not capitalized. The BBC still uses “black” with a lower-case “b”. It’s very strange to capitalize a colour.

I remember Louis Gossett Jr in the Iron Eagle movies when I was a kid. I thought he was so cool. May he rest in peace.

I’m glad I work in the tourism industry right now. Too bad I can’t afford to leave Japan for a vacation of my own…

Dismissed over ¥490 worth of coffee? I feel bad for the guy. Sure, it’s dishonest. But the punishment doesn’t fit the crime. There are other teachers and principals doing much worse and receiving little to no punishment. And the politicians who run the country steal millions and get away with it. Not fair!

Spidey Today  08:30 pm JST

Japan is one of the most developed countries in the world, however it has some of the coldest houses. No centralized heating, low or no insulation. 

You’re absolutely right about that. Homes here are freezing in winter, and very hot in summer. Why aren’t they insulated?

@moonraker

putting their washing machines on at 5:00 am

I lived next to a guy who did exactly that. It woke us up every morning. It was horrible. Fortunately he moved out about six months after we moved in.

I remember watching him play for the Hamfighters 

They’re called the “Fighters”. The company that owns them is called Nippon Ham. Calling them the “Hamfighters” is like calling the Kansas City Royals the “City Royals” or the Tampa Bay Rays the “Bay Rays”.