Japan Today

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Posted in: U.S. trade rep urges Japan to make progress on autos, insurance See in context

@mu-da The US has also had decades to come up wtih a better public transportation system, but instead of doing that, it blows.

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Posted in: 9 things that make an ‘ikemen’ (hot guy) See in context

@y3chome. there's a big difference in my book between Emo and Ikemen. Just because one has style and knows how to wear it with confidence does not mean they're some goth tween with self-mutilation issues who paint their room black and put foil over the windows. >.> In the US, I'd rather see more Ikemen. Most of the men in the US don't know how to wear anything but a over-sized tshirt and trashy jeans and flip flops. Even if they do wear a suit, they wear it like their dad and look old-fashioned.. not even retro style or anything, just out of date and without proper fit. It looks bad. All of the above. I'd much rather have a man who knows how to care for himself and appreciates how to carry himself with confidence and make a better first impression by CARING what he looks like. Yes. CARING what you look like and what kind of impression you make on people is not the same as being vain and self-centered. Those are also two very different things.

After all, a girl can dress stylishly and do her hair nice and makeup and everything in 30 minutes and be presentable without being considered 'self centered'. Why do guys get labeled that way when they care what they look like? Dumb.

@Alex Einz Ever heard of the Blue Vein Society ?

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Posted in: What is a Westerner? See in context

'caucasian' and 'white' are also very generalized terms, just like 'western'. Most people wouldn't consider Native American cultures as 'white' cultures, but many of them are. Huge numbers of Native tribes in the NE of the USA spoke Welch as their native language even before the arrival of Columbus and became known as the White Indians for their pale skin and eyes. Recent DNA studies have proven that more than 20,000 native americans in the Eastern part of the US still have this ancient European heritage, namely Scandinavian and (Scotian). Are they not 'caucasian' or 'white' because they don't fit the stereotypical model?

Even amoungst 'whites' then.. isn't this narrow minded generalization prevalent? Japanese aren't alone in their generalizing; far from it. An interesting paradox, the concept of 'ethnicity'. We're all really not so different and yet continue to segregate ourselves and lump ourselves together based on skin and eye colour or our own cultural perceptions, which are no more than just that.. personal perception. We are just as guilty of creating and clinging to the illusions of ethnicity as the Japanese are.

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Posted in: Mom's cooking inspires top kitchens - and yours See in context

Mmm!! They're right about smells being so powerful! The smell of caves oddly enough always brings me closer to home. More caves in my home state than anywhere in the world. Lol odd smell to like. Anyway I think comfort foods can be discovered at adult ages too! My mom never cooked...maybe a couple foods we got to eat at grandmas house were comfort foods but that deffinitely wasn't an everyday or even every month thing necessarily. Can there be comfort smells? As an adult, my husband is a french chef and I loOove cooking so we always experiment to come up with new favourites that warm the tummy and the heart and soul!! With a hearty welcome from texas y'all're welcome to join us at our table for dinner any night!!! Haha. ;)

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Posted in: U.S. launches first global marketing campaign to attract international travelers See in context

Traveling to and from america isn't as bad as ppl may want to make it out to seem. One bad experience is just supposed to mean everyone has a bad experience? Ppl are impatient traveling and stressed out because its exhausting. Lolive been to 16 countries and the US certainly wasnt the most difficult travel even with security as it stands today.but I think one thing that should be improved upon is that international airport staff need to be aware that diff cultures have diff personal bubble sizes. Lol what's not invasive to one is invasive to another. At least us airports don't have soldiers patroling with machine guns out at the ready, standing back to back going up and down escallators looking like they're gonna shoot u if u do anything suspicious. Been to a couple airports like that outside the US.

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Posted in: Obama rejects contested Canada pipeline See in context

Wow, that's gonna make the Unions unhappy with Obama. Sweet.

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Posted in: Buns are fried chicken?! Check out KFC's Chicken Filet Double See in context

This is sooo gross. And here's the dumb question of the day; regarless of if this is healthy or not, the question should be.. in a country wtih the BEST food in the WORLD. WHO WOULD WANT to buy crap like this when the native cuisine is delectable!? Yah, if you're a foreigner, you get to missing the foods your used to after a whil, but .. settling for fast food? bleh! I'd rather hit up a shabu shabu place.

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Posted in: 'Kizuna' takes many forms in post-disaster Japan, including marriage and infidelity See in context

@tkoind2 "...And where collective suffering is almost desirable and admirable"

Eh I can see that, but geez, in Japan, any 'collective', suffering or not is desirable. They can't even do school work solo...critical thinking activities without groups you say? Individualism does not exist in Japan. That's why all the ones who don't want to be part of the social hive leave the country for someplace that being an individual is socially acceptable.

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Posted in: Six things that foreigners feel are overpriced in Japan See in context

SO what I'm REALLY gathering from this thread is that EVERYTHING in Japan is expensive.. lol Yah, I agree. I only ever got to be in Japan for one month, but one evening spent the night at friend's house when we first arrived, so I didn't yet realize the price of food was so high. They brought a whole bag of lovely bing cherries to the table and put them in a bowl... between mostly myself and one other foreigner, we ate ALL of them. It was only later we learned that bag of cherries cost them like.. $20. >< omg.

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Posted in: Sexy undies yes, G-strings no, say French women See in context

Personally, I enjoy wearing thongs better than gstrings. Not a comfort thing, just I don't think I have quite the figure for them.. I think someone a little longer torsoed with absolutely no extra body weight looks better in them.. So for me, thongs or the lace shortie ones -not the boy shorts tho.. I dunno what the lace shortie ones are, but they come up a lot higher than the boy shorts that are lower around the thigh. I think that only accentuates thighs to make them look larger, but the nice lace shortie ones accentuate the butt better and I think draw a lot of nice attention there in a way that other types of underpinnings don't.. ... kapiche? o.0 Am I making any sense? Any other ladies out there agree? lol. In any case, better to shop for your body type and be able to pull it off looking hot than not. ; )

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Posted in: Texas police kill 8th-grader carrying pellet gun See in context

I agree with Alphaape on this one. It's close to the border where drug cartels rule and the cops can barely maintain a semblance of control that other US cities might have. The US MX border is THE most traveled border in the world and I'd bet has one of the worst crime rates. You can't blame the cops in this situation.

First off: why would a kid pull a gun of ANY kind on a COP?!?! He was ASKING to get shot.

Second: why did he NOT put it DOWN unless he had an intent to USE IT?!

Third: many people who are propperly trained to use pistols are trained to shoot twice. The shot to the head of the teenager was propbably an instinctive reaction because of training. When using a hand gun like that you're taught to shoot once to the torso and as you get the kickback you automatically allow the force to draw the weapon up for a automatic secondary shot to the head in line with the one from the torso. It's not always a thought "oh Im just gonna shoot him again for good measure". That's what this man was probably trained to do. And in a tense situation like that you do just that.. what you're trained to do.

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Posted in: Christmas decorations and illumination displays are already up in many parts of Japan and in some other countries, too. Do you think it is too early? See in context

The tree and lights go up the weekend of Thanks Giving Holiday! Never too early for lights and beautiful decorations. I'd like to see it more in the year because it brings positive and uplifting spirit to people. Makes life a little brighter. ^.^

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Posted in: Fish oil may hinder chemotherapy: study See in context

So basically the fish oil is doing what it's supposed to and producing positive effects in the body but because chemo is toxic to the body and some doctors suggest poisoning the system to make it healthier [which is beyond any logical reasoning] then they aren't happy about the effects of fish oil. Sounds like a bunch of great research to me!

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Posted in: Anti-Korean Wave in Japan turns political See in context

Ah... What a relief to know that the same Japan vs Korea feud still exists even after hundreds of years of good old fashioned animosity. 0.0

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Posted in: Rebooting the PC industry: Tablets force a shift See in context

I've seen tablets most with games for kids or for businessmen who don't work out of an office, but on the road a lot. Seems to work pretty well for them. Personally I have no use for a tablet in my daily life as it is right now.

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Posted in: Radiation from Fukushima plant spiked on U.S. west coast in March See in context

just a tid bit of info for those concerned about the radiation and sickness it may cause... Drink Bamboo Tea.. Buy it or steep the leaves of the bamboo in hot water and drink it that way. Groves of Bamboo survived the Atomic Bombings of Japan , and studies in the US have determined that Bamboo can be used to treat people exposed to abnormally high lvls of Radiation. Cheers!

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Posted in: Size matters - in your face See in context

LOLOL omg this article had me ROLLING. This was a cute article and yes, for the purpose of being lighthearted and appreciative of the the cultural differences where "attractiveness" is concerned. I loved this article.. more like this! hahahah. I can understand the authors feelings, though. I felt a little the same way when i was there but I do think it's true that you don't always see what's great about you, but you want to be something else... so it is nice to see that that happens on both sides of the fence. But... it doesn't help that the Japanese women you see walking around most the time look like they just walked off the cover of a vogue magazine. o.0

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Posted in: Italian parliament commission approves burqa ban See in context

Well.. the Koran doesn't demand they cover their identities.. "hijab" ... "veiled" means that women be modest in your dress and in your actions. There are no specifications that they have to wear a burka, that's just personal preference. If you look at the differences between women's "modest dress"/ "hijab" between nations that cater to muslims, there are very different styles of dress in each one and each one claims to follow the commandment of being modest.

The gospel of Christ teaches us to be modest in our dress and actions as well; maybe in a way there's something for us to learn from muslim practice. After all, muslim and christian dress used to be identical .. until some brilliant feudal lord decided that there needed to be a separation and created sumptuary laws prohibiting Christians and muslims to be dressed in the same manner so it was easier to differentiate one from the other.

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Posted in: Man suspected in 20 tourist deaths arrested in Mexico See in context

erg.. but i guess as far as this goes.. This crap happens ALL THE TIME in Mexico.. and the world wonders why Americans DON'T LIKE MEXICANS all over the border illegally. Wonder why. Only SOUTHERN states understand the issues at the border because it's NOT on the news.. they won't SHOW to the rest of the States what's realllllly going on because they don't want to add to the agenda of political crisis' already going on. THE GOVMNT WON'T TAKE CARE OF IT. They don't WANT people to know HOW SERIOUS AN ISSUE IT IS. I'm just glad the Mexican President is starting to get things taken care of since obviously the US President won't do anything about it. The only place in America I would truly fear for my life..is close to the border. People get shot and killed and kidnapped near the border every day. BY MEXICANS. And that's not racism, that's a FACT. And that's not an exaggeration. Yes it's easier to smuggle drugs through Canada into Northern part of the States, but all the bad crap happens in the south. The smart smugglers have better methods >D lol.

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Posted in: Man suspected in 20 tourist deaths arrested in Mexico See in context

lolol. omg. sorry. I went away from my comp for a sec and came back forgetting i changed articles and wanted to comment on a different one and didn't see. erg. embarrassing. my apologies.

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Posted in: Man suspected in 20 tourist deaths arrested in Mexico See in context

Well.. the Koran doesn't demand they cover their identities.. "hijab" ... "veiled" means that women be modest in your dress and in your actions. There are no specifications that they have to wear a burka, that's just personal preference. If you look at the differences between women's "modest dress"/ "hijab" between nations that cater to muslims, there are very different styles of dress in each one and each one claims to follow the commandment of being modest.

The gospel of Christ teaches us to be modest in our dress and actions as well; maybe in a way there's something for us to learn from muslim practice. After all, muslim and christian dress used to be identical .. until some brilliant feudal lord decided that there needed to be a separation and created sumptuary laws prohibiting Christians and muslims to be dressed in the same manner so it was easier to differentiate one from the other.

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Posted in: Let's shake on it See in context

interesting..

The "politician" is designed to be easily broken away from. It's for their safety. They don't shake hands like normal because if they did it'd be much more convenient for someone to latch onto them and more difficult for them to make an escape. This style shake is meant to be easily broken and keep them in a position where they can better maneuver out and away from.

I can understand that very firm shakes are best amoungst friends or acquaintances who are very familiar and perhaps very pleased with a meeting.. A lot of times when I see someone who I'd like to show a "special interest" in so to speak, as long as it's not our first time meeting, I'll shake with the right but then "clasp" my left hand over the top of their right hand that's being shaken in order to show a more intimate/ caring/ genuinely interested approach...but not as intimate as a hug per se. or intimate on a totally different level.

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Posted in: What part of a woman's face do men pay attention to most? See in context

wow.. this is weird.. but. oddly i think it's somewhat true.. I'm in America and light-haired.. actually was born with white hair, and the little hairs that cover all your body, even on your face are all very light for me so I never notice. Maybe because JPNese women have dark hair naturally those little hairs are more obvious???? Oddly, my husband started mentioning that all those little hairs bother him; most of all, on my face!. How strange. I'm not waxing my whole face >< uhg. Eyebrows and upper lip are a limit, for vanity's sake, but .. because of that concern from him I'd be agreeing with this poll on that note!

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Posted in: Norwegian gunman wants to see Japanese psychiatrist See in context

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL woooooow... This is soo ironic.. so wierd..so wrong in so many ways... LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

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Posted in: Norway killer's manifesto praises Japan for not adopting multiculturalism See in context

"chewitupJul. 30, 2011 - 03:38PM JST ... racism is definitely not exclusive to whites...they just do it bloodier."

Agreed, actually. The first thing that comes to mind is the bloodiest of all these possible examples -even when compared with the German Holocaust. Queen Elizabeth I. Great Britain in the 1500s-1600s. Bloodiest period of the world's history. Angles[again,a Germanic tribe] vs Celts. The goal was complete Genocide if we look at idealists of the time.. and honestly, they should have been successful for all their efforts.

Most people only get to see rosey-painted versions in movies of the "Greatest Queen". But then again, aren't we all only the product of our upbringing, or maybe pupets of our stars' astrology? So who's to blame? Unadultered intention does not need a court of law to determine it's goodness or lack thereof.

So yes, there... you are certainly right.

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Posted in: Norway killer's manifesto praises Japan for not adopting multiculturalism See in context

" this hidden problem, while people party together, go out together, where they live, how they live is totally the opposite, perceptions are quite deceiving."

but that's asuming that white races are the only ones that do such a thing. Im' sure black or mexican ppl never desire to spend time with other blacks or mexicans for example. I'm sure all they think about is how they can set up that next date with a white person but those white ppl just won't let them!!!!!!!. I'm sure they ABHOR partying with other black ppl or other mexicans and it's the worst thing on the face of the planet. amirite? SO is it really HONEST and FAIR to peg such a description on white races whether they're minority or majority??

To further my point, I have three sets of neighbors right on my street corner.. one of which is black, one white, one mexican! I two years in a row for holidays I've taken treats to each of the families trying to be open and friendly... the ONLY NEIGHBORS THAT EVER RECIPROCATED THE KINDNESS were the white neighbors.. so I talk to them regularly. OF course.. feel free to BLAME THE WHITE PERSON HERE. <--me.

Secondly to further my point.. I have a mexican friend of which, I am her ONLY white friend she has. She laughingly tells me that she's asked by her other mexican friends all the time "you have a white friend? is that weird?!?!!!!?"... as if I'm not human ?? ;) Of course she and I end up joking about it.

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Posted in: Lawmakers wage see-saw battle in U.S. debt default stalemate See in context

I never formally studied economics.. but... in my family my grandfather always said "if you don't have extra money in your pocket for it right now, then you don't need it"....he was a very monetarily wealthy man later in life because of it.

And honestly I don't understand how the debt ceiling being raised helps. Borrowing more money doesn't make sense at all. Every American has had to stop spending as much money.. downsize expenses in every category etc etc in order to lower their own cost of living and not to go into debt further so doesn't that work on a larger scale, too?

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Posted in: China tells U.S. to halt spy plane flights See in context

[“Part of the reason that we have a desire for a more robust (military) relationship and communication with the Chinese is to prevent things from developing into a crisis,” Lapan said]

no no.. they don't need our help to be a Crisis... China IS a Crisis in and of itself.. without anyone's help.

For those who aren't aware, China officially now spends more money on keepings its own citizens in line -defendings against uprisings, revolts, revolutions, protests etc- than it spends on its own military budget. For the first time in history. China isn't prepared for any kind of war because it's own people are so unhappy with the government......unless they're looking for a way to try to coerce a situation of "united hatred" against a common "enemy" to keep people focused on a external bad situation instead of on the INTERNAL bad situation

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Posted in: 1-yr-old baby girl dies after being left in car for 6 hours while parents play pachinko See in context

jail time.. plus a spay and neuter please.

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Posted in: University student suspended following 'drunk driving' tweet See in context

“Writing messages that condone, or seem to condone, drunk driving shows a lack of common sense.”

....

...LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL Why can't they do this in the US? Punish EVERYONE with a lacking of common sense.. that would go over well. Half the world population would be in jail so to speak...LOLOLOLOL.

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