Commodore Shmidlap (Retired) comments

Posted in: Ruling bloc wins landslide in upper house election; voter turnout at 54.7% See in context

Hey, look at the bright side. Doing the same old stuff may work this time. The US will be forced to take Japan's side in the next war with China and Abe can take credit for that victory if anyone is left alive.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Posted in: Do you think democracy is the best form of government? See in context

There is no question in my mind and I hope one day to live in a democracy.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

Posted in: How widespread do you think doping is in pro sports? Are there any sports that you think are clean? See in context

It's in just about everything. It's probably done in table tennis and curling as well.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Posted in: Fashion police want women to wear high heels See in context

You know what will also give women confidence? Not dumping on them. How about support for single mothers? How about removing that iron ceiling? How about not having old men who fantasize about being kamikaze pilots in the good ol' days making all the decisions?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Posted in: Global markets plunge as Britain votes to leave EU See in context

Practically bloodless. They only had to murder one woman to get it done. Hey, everyone who voted for this-- kiss your jobs goodbye, too.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

Posted in: Woman arrested for attempting to insert sewing needle into bread See in context

My focus is on the store staff who immediately acted and stopped her from possibly harming someone. Well done on their part.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Posted in: Trump calls Clinton 'corrupt' and 'a liar' See in context

Did Barack Obama's grandmother run for president? Who cares if she was racist or not. We have an openly racist person actually running for president now. His planned policies of banning Muslims and closing mosques are bigoted, his statements about Mexicans have been racist. Even when he tries not to be he can't hide his racism, calling a supporter "MY African-American." Okay, he hasn't implemented any racist or bigoted policies. You're going to give him credit for that? He hasn't been president yet. But he wants to do them. His followers want him to do them. And there at the close that classic white racist grievance-- "People are defending themselves against our bigotry and racism! They're the true racists for not letting us bully people of color!"

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Posted in: The anti-Trump: Obama slowly stepping into the campaign fray See in context

Wild racist fantasy comments full of vague "Obama doesn't care about X or Y" vague mind-reading attempts and "He screwed up things domestically" with zero facts or examples to back them up only make Barack Obama look even more dignified and statesmanlike in comparison. Americans apparently don't have memories longer than three or so years or maybe they're just incredibly selective on what they choose to remember. You guys give your game away every time you post-- you've hated having a black president. You're the ones who have been divisive and obsessed with Barack Obama all along and you project way too much. Calm down. He's leaving a US largely in much better shape than the one your darling Bush left us with. More people are working, your taxes are the same, we've had only the usual hiccups here and there, you still have your precious guns. I know you're kind of angry same-sex marriage passed and we weren't able to go to war with Iran but hey, maybe either Donald Trump or Ted Cruz will get himself elected somehow and make white people-- er-- America great again. Then you can have your bomb-o-rama and your End Times and crash the economy again while big business and oil companies openly loot the middle class and Fox News convinces you to blame it all on illegal immigrants and welfare recipients. Not that you need much convincing.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

Posted in: Man hits 72-year-old after being warned about smartphone use while walking See in context

If they were watching where they were going they'd be able to avoid bumping into me. Their problem, not mine.

Don't change the subject. Get back to what you and that other guy were saying-- that going around deliberately bumping people and picking fights is the solution. Explain how that helps anyone. Someone might bump you but hasn't yet, so it's okay for you to initiate contact with them and blame them? Would it be okay for me to start phone walking in hopes you will choose me? I want to give you money for a plane ticket out of Japan to any distant locale of your choosing.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: Tokyo police release PR video in English to assure foreign visitors Japan is safe See in context

That's cool. But I don't know anyone who thinks Japan isn't safe, at least compared to some of the places we come from back home. Yeah, there are definite exceptions, and maybe I was protected by whatever force protects fools and drunks, but I've been out and around stumblingly blindly drunk in "dangerous" neighborhoods here and I'm still around and working on 10 years of sobriety. I have a feeling this video is more to assure the home crowd even if they're not the "intended audience," though.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Posted in: How did your perception of Japan change after visiting the country? Or, if you haven't been here yet, what's your general image of Japan? See in context

My first visit was about 13 years ago, for two weeks. My perception of Japan remained pretty much the same because that's a very short time for a visit and of course the places we went to were places I already knew a lot about because I was interested in them. If anything, I liked it more. After moving here to live I found a few things that really rub me the wrong way because I'm kind of a natural non-conformist/anti-authoritarian person. I'm a loner, Dottie. A rebel. I had not realized how militaristic the discipline in the high schools was or how much of the education here is geared strictly towards passing tests and producing one-size-fits-all adults who don't ask too many questions. On the other hand, my respect for people who thrive in this environment has increased. And also my respect and love for the creative, musical, artistic types who originally fired my imagination about Japan. Their accomplishments seem so much greater to me now.

I still think people here work hard and play hard. And I still think in general people here are incredibly kind and generous. Maybe I've been lucky, but the people I've met have almost all-- upwards of 98%, I'd estimate-- have embraced me and encouraged me. I hope I've returned those feelings. I've met a LOT of really amazing, wonderful people. People are the thing for me wherever I go. I love the people I've met here.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Posted in: Trump demands Republicans embrace him as Democrats unleash attacks See in context

No, they have witnessed 7 years of a true Tyrant.

Histrionic nonsense. You still get to vote, you still have your guns, you still have your Fox Network that exists solely to criticize the current president, you still have Breitbart and your forwarded emails about Jade Helm. This horrible "[T]yrant" helped get a law passed that requires people to buy insurance. How ever will the Republic survive such dictatorial overreach from the Executive branch?

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Posted in: How much power or sexual harassment goes on at your workplace? See in context

None I've particularly noticed at my job. But Mrs. Shmidlap (RETIRED) used to have a job where she dealt with business owners over the phone. Some of these guys would tell her ridiculously personal stories about their hard luck with women or troubles with their wives. When she'd relate one of these sob stories to me at dinner, it would always creep me out. "Why are they telling you all this when you're supposed to be helping them with their payrolls?" I'd ask.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: TV networks embrace 'binge-watching,' taking cue from Netflix See in context

What a dumb way to jump on a catchy trend. Why would you want to binge-watch an unknown quantity? If the first episode is a turn-off, that's what you'll do: turn it off. People binge-watch shows with buzz to catch up on them in one big chunk.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: High school student wins dispute with convenience store over unpaid wages See in context

It takes one person to stand up for their rights rather than say, "Sho ga nai" to get a result like this. It will take millions of people standing up and saying, "We work for you, you don't own us" to get real change here.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Opposition party's new name seen as risk ahead of election See in context

They can't even name themselves correctly. Abe and his cronies must be shaking in their boots.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Trump warns of riots if he is denied party's presidential nomination See in context

Trump's vitriolic, histrionic and blatantly race-baiting comments have certainly created an atmosphere where riots are possible. Like when he talks about the good old days when people could be punched in the head and then one of his followers punches someone in the head. He's not so much ordering to commit violent acts as he's kind of pushing buttons stupid people have that makes them do stupid, violent things. Trump loves the stupid and violent.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Posted in: Why is the U.S. presidential campaign generating so many vitriolic comments from supporters of both sides, including readers of Japan Today? Why is it so difficult for some people to be tolerant of op See in context

Because liberals can't stand not having one of their own in the White House.

People who post comments like this one are solely to blame.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Posted in: Trump warns of riots if he is denied party's presidential nomination See in context

No one wants to see him become president except for the tens of millions of Americans who have been watching their futures destroyed by Obama's 'fundamental transformation' of the United States into a banana republic.

People say this kind of thing all the time but they never have any facts to back it up. When did this happen?

The only way the sides will be able to get along is if they all agree that they should not use government to impose their cultural and moral views on the other side.

Oh, you mean if everyone bends and bows to the GOP and what white heterosexual men want. Everyone else must be silent or nonexistent and not demand equal treatment and rights under the Constitution. Got it. Man, Trump really brings out the people with the pointy hoods and the burning crosses, even if those things are only "figurative."

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Posted in: Becky remains secluded at home following enforced leave from show biz See in context

“For a person who used to run a by-the-second occupied schedule for over 10 years, she is now troubled by a major sense of loss, which escalates day by day,” an unidentified close friend of Becky’s.

Yeah, there's an unimpeachable source.

This whole thing is stupid. And you know what's stupidest about it? When someone tries to rationalize it by arguing, "Well, she built her image on being clean-cut, that's why everyone's so upset about it," as if somehow the destruction of an adult's life is justified by the projections of fans and busybody tongue-cluckers who act as if they've never done anything wrong in their lives. However you cut it, it's a childish aspect of society where an adult can make a mistake in her personal life and have to pay professionally for it by the complete destruction of her career. She didn't kill someone. She didn't sell drugs to teenagers. She dated the wrong guy and she appears to have assumed she could kind of smooth it over because people are rational and forgiving of foibles.

That latter thing was probably her worst mistake.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Posted in: Trump aims for big U.S. primary wins; calls campaign 'a lovefest' See in context

It's a lovefest all right. If you love racism and people punching other people in the face, you're loving Trump's lovefest.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Posted in: Would Trump's trade threats work? Many experts are skeptical See in context

He seems to think being president means being the boss and he can just fire anyone who stands in his way. He'll fire congress if they don't support his fines, fire Japan and China for not playing fair with us. No matter all the benefits we get out of the deal and the fact our corporate boards WANT to send American labor to other countries where it's cheaper to make things.

Of course, his hardcore authoritarian-leaning mob followers love that kind of rhetoric. We need us a Strong Man in the White House. A Strong Man who will stop at nothin' to get his way!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Posted in: Putin orders start of Russian military pullout from Syria See in context

One has to hand it to Putin - he handled the Russian deployment to Syria very effectively and efficiently. Go in hard, achieve your goals and pull out. What a contrast to the approach by we know who.

Yep. George W. Bush and his "no exit strategy" war in Iraq that set up this mess in the first place.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Posted in: Trump on campaign protesters: 'I never hear their voices' See in context

Trump speaks the "truth" according to angry white people. You know, their truth is racist, classist and bloodthirstily jingoistic. There's all this talk about "Obama's war on the middle class," but there's never anything backing it up. All that noise is white people saying, "We're scared of having a man of color in the White House."

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Posted in: Bus driver arrested over hit-and-run death of 6-year-old boy See in context

He said he stopped the bus and returned to the scene after he heard a car behind him sounding its horn.

When guilt and the realization he wasn't going to get away with it did a number on him and he decided to face the music.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Which airlines are your favorites and why; and which airlines do you think are among the worst and why? See in context

American, United and Delta have been just okay each time I've flown them. I use Delta a lot because I can get tickets cheap. I haven't run into any serious problems, but I haven't been wowed. I will never upgrade to the Economy Plus or whatever that's supposed to be again, though. Rip off.

JAL was great the one time I flew them. I don't know what the service is like now, but they treated us like valued customers rather than cargo in 2003.

I was not sad to see Delta buy out Northwest, which was a different kind of horrible each time I flew, but it didn't improve Delta. Wow, all of my worst flying experiences were with them. Constant delays, rude people at the gate, lousy food, luggage lagging a day behind me once. Bizarre insistence on 747s with cramped cabin layouts. At least Delta largely uses 777s that give you a centimeter here or there.

I'd like to try some other airlines.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Posted in: N Carolina man charged with assaulting protester at Trump rally See in context

kc, If you actually take the time to research both political parties in US you may find the racists are not who you think.

Yeah, I took the time to research both political parties in the US and the racists are the ones in the GOP.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Posted in: Latest data show Japan's economy shrank 1.1% in Oct-Dec See in context

People need to work harder for less money. And stop complaining so much. If you just work harder, complain less and expect nothing in return for your labor then everything will be hunky-dory.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Posted in: TEPCO: 4 more years needed to stop radioactive water leaks at Fukushima See in context

Yes. In exactly 4 years they will stop the leaks that have now existed for 5 years and have resisted every crackpot plan they've come up with thus far.

3 ( +5 / -3 )

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