carp_boya comments

Bye bye, 2020 MLB season. And for the second time in my life, no World Series. This is so disappointing.

Do the hustle

My daughter turned 16 in May. I sent her a present and it came back a month later with ‘return to sender’ written right across the front of it in her handwriting in red marker pen

That is absolutely heartbreaking. I hope that one day, when she’s mature and independent, you’re able to reconnect with her. It won’t make up for missing her grow up, but it might fill that hole in your heart.

Play some Dylan most days when I'm in my studio painting.

Sounds like a great way to spend a day!

I wish them luck in their plight. I was barred from seeing my kids while I lived in Japan and they only lived 5k away from me. I spent 8 years battling to see my kids and the harder I tried the less I saw them. She eventually just banned me altogether and threatened me with a stalking order if I continued. I dunno how these guys are gonna get on from overseas.

I am so sorry to hear that you’ve experienced this. It’s sickening that it’s allowed to happen here. I can’t begin to imagine how it must feel...

Go visit any country which has had real inflation over the last decade (ie USA) and you’ll go back home thankful how affordable it is to live over here.

But are salaries in Japan as high as they are in the US? I’m not American, so I don’t know. But these cost of living indexes include average salaries and purchasing power. So what appears to be affordable or expensive to a foreign visitor, may be very different for locals. Japan has low inflation, but salaries are also stagnant. My own salary has increased a mere 3.2% in nearly 10 years with my company (and I received a small promotion). My wife’s salary is the same after 4 years with her company.

“People who menstruate”?? This is an absurd phrase that deserves criticism!

I voted ‘yes’ not because of newspapers going out of print, but because of bookstores closing down. I still love going into a bookstore and and browsing through all the different titles, often finding something I wouldn’t find on Amazon. I love being able to read a few pages before deciding on a purchase. I love the smell of bookstores. I love the calmness.

Half is a negative

I kind of agree with you here. “Half” implies that something is incomplete. And if Priyanka has kids, what would they be labelled? “Quarter”? “Three-quarters”?

I’ve never really liked the term, although it doesn’t bother me when people say it. But I prefer that people don’t refer to my kids as half.

Still waiting in Yokohama...

I’d eat these. I’m always looking for ways to get more protein. And I love eating snacks!

He made $573,000 last season, not a lot by MLB standards, but a huge salary nonetheless. His salary this season has gone up to $7.6 million, and is going up to $11 million next year and $16 million in 2023. So I don’t think a pay cut this season will hurt him much

Meanwhile, essential workers are risking their lives for a small fraction of what Blake Snell makes.

Amy Go, president of the Chinese Canadian National Council for Social Justice, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp that the singer's comments were "just so, so, so, so racist."

How were his comments racist? Most people would agree that eating bats is not a good idea, and that wet markets can be extremely unsanitary. That has nothing to do with race.

smithinjapan Today 05:50 pm JST

No doubt a conclusion drawn by a bunch of old men addicted to their televisions, and even watch while eating rather than engage in conversation with family.

This is a good point. Adults who are critical of kids gaming or net-surfing need to look at themselves. It is rare to enter the home of a Japanese person when the TV isn’t on. If someone is home, there’s a good chance the TV is on.

bass4funkToday  08:01 am JST

They could do like in the States to cut down on crowding, they could limit the number of people coming in to 2-3 and set up a time for the elderly in the mornings, 65 and older first,

It’s the same in Canada, or at least in my hometown. Only seniors are allowed from I think 7-9am, and after that it’s only one member per family. Additionally, they’ve taped off a route up and down every aisle that every shopper must follow, grabbing what they need on the way. It’s pretty strict, but at least they’re trying to keep things safe.

since1981Today  07:00 am JST

In addition, don’t bring the whole family food shopping!

I’ve been saying this for weeks. Only one family member needs to go food shopping. It shouldn’t be treated as a family day out!

One thing people need to stop doing is going to the supermarket EVERY DAY! 

Most people go to supermarket for family every day is their long time way of life. They don't want to keep a lot of food in very small house/apartment. They may need another fridge and closet to keep a lot of food. They don't want to keep such things at front door/living room/bed room.

I agree with you that it’s a habit, but that doesn’t mean it’s necessary. My family of four lives in a 45 square metre apartment with a fridge that’s a bit on the small side, and we’re completely fine with going every 3-4 days for groceries. It’s during times like this that we need to adapt and do things the safe way, even if it’s only for a couple of months.

allowed in

(stupid auto-correct)

One thing people need to stop doing is going to the supermarket EVERY DAY! And stop going as a family. Two trips a week to the supermarket is enough. And only one member per group/family should be aloud in (with the exception of small children).

I and my wife each go once a week (separately), and we can’t believe how many more people have been there recently. And they’re not buying a lot - most people I see are queued up to pay with a basket that’s maybe half full.

A few of the recent headlines on this site:

Mother strangles newborn to death.

Mother arrested for suffocating 9-month old son.

Four-year old hit and killed by bus.

And now this.

It’s been an awful few days for children in Japan.

They’ll always vote for the most recognizable candidate here - whether they’re famous or infamous.

I still see old ladies at the supermarket picking up unwrapped vegetables to inspect them and then putting them back. Probably not a very considerate thing to do these days.

if Japanese people don't start staying home 'every day' there will be no end to the ever increasing daily rate of new cases. Japan is way too densely populated to take 'passive' action against this virus.

Completely agree with @disillusioned.

I made the mistake of going for a run this afternoon along the river (in Yokohama). I couldn’t believe how many people were out having picnics in groups or 10 or more. There were several groups of 4 or 5 mamatomos with their kids are gathered having picnics. It was packed, and there was absolutely no physical distancing happening. It’s like people don’t understand what terms like “state of emergency” or “global pandemic” actually mean.

As for my own running, I’ll be doing it late at night from now on!

Yet another half measure taken by the government. Actually, it’s not really a measure of any sort as they are only “requesting” shops to close. The bars and izakayas are free to do whatever they want, and I can’t see many of them taking responsibility and closing. And there will still be customers. Even if there are fewer than before, there will be enough to continue the spread.

I fear that both NPB and J League are going to lose their seasons completely. It’s so strange as a sports fan have nothing to watch. I actually bought a season ticket for my local club for the first time this year - looks like that was a waste!

The government has to stop "urging" and start "ordering" people to stay home!

And perhaps not just on weekends. The virus also spreads from Monday to Friday!

When I first moved to Japan in 2003, I had a neighbour who left their dog outside 24 hours a day, 12 months a year. The dog was tied to a two-metre chain and would bark all night and day. I always felt so bad for that dog, especially in winter.

Sometimes I hear people (always foreigners) criticize dog owners who dress their dogs in expensive clothes and push them around in little buggies. When I hear that criticism, I always think about that poor dog left outside on a short chain in the middle of winter. I bet that dog would’ve traded places in a heartbeat with the ones in fancy clothes being pushed around in a buggy like royalty.

I don’t know what Japanese prisons are like, but I hope the other inmates make these the worst 16 years imaginable!

So funny watching those people trying to collapse and fold those tents again, There's a way to do them but most forget.

I have one of those tents, and I forget how to fold it every time!

In addition to all the working parents affected, I’ll feel bad for the kids - and their parents - who could miss out on a graduation ceremony because of this decision. Also that final month with their elementary school mates before they head off to junior high school...

I applied for the Tokyo Marathon but didn’t get in. I feel so bad for the general entrants. Training for a marathon requires so much time, effort, and commitment. Now, less than two weeks away, the dream is over.

I can’t say I agree with the decision. There are thousands of people entering the country every day who could be contributing to the spread of the virus. Riding packed trains at rush hour is probably worse than the marathon.