erikaj comments

Agree that their play should be the ultimate statement, but as with basketball and other sports, height DOES make a difference (not always for the better, either), whereas ethnicity does not. Nishikori's body isn't built the way it is because he's Asian -- it's built the way it is because he's allowed it to be built as such.

True, ethnicity is not the major factor in physical traits. DNA is a major factor though. Time and again, we hear of athletes who were "blessed with god-given traits". They even thank the Lord for them. The elite athletes are the ones who then take those traits and work their asses off to use their traits to their fullest. After all, I've known athletes who work their tails off training, but can never ever be a Lebron James. I doubt that Lebron James works harder than everyone else. Hard work itself doesn't always equate to success. You still need DNA and a little bit of luck.

I guess some people like to make an excuse that ethnicity is the reason. For example,I feel that more white males would do better and can do better in speed events like the 100 m race, if they trained themselves properly, but unfortunately they don't. Even in table tennis, more Caucasians and blacks would do better in it than Asians, but they just don't train themselves properly for the sport. I guess in tennis too, like Michael Chang once said, more Asian males would play better in tennis, if they had the proper training and coaching.

Murray said Nishikori was an intelligent player but had the disadvantage of lacking height. Nishikori is 1.78 meters tall, 13 centimeters shorter than the Scot.

“I don’t mean this in a bad way,” Murray said. “The only difference is the height. For me, I can get more on my serve because of my height. That’s of benefit to me.”

Huh?

I saw the Giants-49ers game on NHK-BS1 and it was fantastic. Those two teams' defenses were monster. During the ending of the fourth quarter, both teams forced stop after stop after stop and it seemed like no one could score. And that Williams strip of Kyle WIlliams in overtime was the difference. It seems like the Giants defense and special teams have the skills of going after the ball and causing turnovers. Pass rushers like Pierre-Paul, Osi, Tuck, and Kiwanuka put constant pressure on Smith the entire game. I think he only completed something like 12 passes the entire game. With the high-powered offense of the Patriots going against that monstrous front 7 of the Giants, this Superbowl rematch should be a good one.

Great going Kei! The next match against Murray will be a tough one. Murray is pretty good at placing his shots where he wants to. However, Kei shouldn't have any pressure at all since he's basically playing with house money and has gone farther than anyone has expected him to.

Digital textbooks in schools sounds like a good idea, provided these iPads are made affordable for even low-income families and schools allow students to recharge their iPads in the classroom. After all, you never know when a kid will forget to charge theirs at home, or allow their iPad to be damaged in some way or another. Maybe if they made a G-shock version of the iPad ...

Baseball bats are weapons too or how about golf clubs?

YuriOtani: You make no sense whatsoever. First, you downplay guns in a previous post by writing that "a firearm is simply a tool". Then you say that "baseball bats" are "weapons"? Give me a break. A bat, or golf club are sports equipment. They were made to play sports with. A gun was made to hurt people (or animals) with. Yes, a bat could be used to hurt people too but that's not what it was made for. If we went down that slippery slope of yours, then you could say just about any object in the world could be used to hurt people with, if someone had the intent to do so. You could hurt someone with a paper clip, a razor, a ballpoint pen, a trophy, rat poison, a CD, etc. if you really wanted to. Yet, why do you think more people try to kill themselves using a gun, rather than a baseball bat?

It's just too bad that there aren't enough responsible gun owners like Ms. McKinley who use their weapons properly. Too many times have there been where people have inflicted injuries by guns on either themselves or innocent bystanders. Good on this woman for handling a gun in the right way. This is why this made the news. I'm sure she is also the type who stores her guns properly, and not like so many others who allow kids who find their parents' guns and kill themselves or their siblings accidentally.

Good point, but since when has Honda not thought much more of himself than he actually is? The guy's arrogant, to say the least, and does not live up to the hype given him in this nation's media.

True, but there isn't a elite soccer player I've seen that isn't arrogant to a point. Whether it be Beckham, Kaka, Cristian Renaldo, etc., they are all arrogant and it shows. I guess once you get to be that good, you start thinking that you are good and become so confident in your skills. The only ones who aren't arrogant are those who play second-fiddle to the star players.

A firearm is just a tool, nothing more and nothing less.

YuriOtani: No, a screwdriver is a tool. Even a stupid person is what is known as a "tool". On the other hand, a firearm is a "weapon". Thus it requires a lot more care and responsibility when handling one. This woman made the news because unlike most people, she took the proper procedures in handling and using her weapon in the right way and making sure she did (although it would've been better to shout that she had a gun and will shoot, before shooting, as police do). She didn't end up shooting herself, her baby, or innocent bystanders as has happened in stories I've heard. She also probably had her gun locked up properly so that others wouldn't get at her gun and use it improperly, like so many self-inflicted injuries and deaths by guns. Yet, it doesn't justify people carrying guns on the street, or going out of their way to own semi-automatics.

@erkaj The garlic butter filled breaded chicken is Chicken Kiev. Delicious and easy to make at home too

Hategobo: Exactly. Much better than that American KFC crap that is served around the world. Heck, it's even better than dry turkey. The Takashimaya I went to had some really delicious Chicken Kiev which was sooo juicy and tender with just enough garlic butter so that it didn't overpower the natural taste of the chicken itself. It went well with the scrumptious seafood pasta salad that they also sold there.

Turkey itself is just too dry and not tasty. To me, it's always best in either a nice sandwich, or in turkey chowder.

I don't really like the KFC chicken at Christmas. I much rather have the grilled chicken they sell in the basement department stores like Takashimaya and Sogo. Very delicious and cooked on a grill right in front of your eyes. They also had a breaded chicken which was filled with a nice garlic butter pate with chives in the middle which simply oozed out its juices once you cut it open. Extremely delicious.

Taste in food is like taste in beauty and music; it's all in the eye (or ear or mouth) of the beholder. What one person thinks is tasty, there will undoubtedly be another who does not. Heck, I know people back home in America who swear grits is the bomb, and that chicken gizzards is a treat to behold. There is no food in the world that is perfect, but at least we should have the freedom to enjoy what we want. To say that one food is better than another is simply one person's opinion; nothing more and nothing less. After all, everyone's taste buds are different and will thus react differently to various tastes.

The problem is it is the people, and not the instruments that do the killing.

Alphaape: That is so true. The fact that there are just more than enough loonies running around in the U.S. makes for potentially hazardous situations when they get their hands on a gun. Of course, it doesn't help that the culture of gun violence that is continuously perpetrated through entertainment seems to glorify the ownership of a gun.

As you've said, mass stabbings can happen in Japan, and IMO wouldn't happen as often in America, due to culture differences. In the U.S., from the time we're little, we're naturally taught to lock our doors, be always aware while walking the street, never make yourself look like a potential target of a crime, never walk alone at night, etc. Thus, if someone were to brandish a knife in a crowded New York street, more people would likely be ready to run away, or take that perpetrator down. In Japan, people are not aware of such things, and thus wouldn't know how to act. They're too docile and just grew up with the fact that it's quite natural to not always lock your doors or walk on the street at night in Japan. It's like attacking wolves (Americans) with a knife versus sheep (Japanese) with a knife; two totally different situations.

Just send them the money and let them buy food from another country.

That's exactly what food aid is.

I dont think Elbuda was saying he needs to be told, just that most of Tokyo seem to need to be told, which is actually pretty spot on if you read some of the posts above.

NickyWashida: As if telling them would make a difference. People are told all the time not to go swimming in the ocean during a hurricane in the U.S., but they still do it. After the earthquake and tsunami of 3/11 people were told by the government not to hoard water, but they still did it.

Many of my friends heard the news reports about how this typhoon was going to be a big one, days before it arrived, and thus took necessary precautions. Taking one or two days off from work won't kill you. I still have my job, and so do all my friends who took off. If you happen to work for a boss that is so anal that they would fire you for missing one day of work because of a typhoon, then it is a sign that that company is not a pleasant one to work for and not worth your time.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government should have ordered people to stay home!

Why? I stayed home, and I didn't need anyone to tell me that. Do you need someone to remind you to wipe yourself after you use the toilet? Do you need to be told to look both ways before crossing the street? It's times like these that I really wish more people would simply use their own common sense. Besides, even if the government ordered people to stay home, I'm pretty sure a lot of people won't even listen to it. Official orders like that won't really do a lot of good. How many times do we hear of people drowning even though they've been warned time and time again not to go swimming during a hurricane?

There's a good chance he was guilty. But there's also a good chance he was not guilty.

That's so true. Unfortunately, most Americans support the death penalty and want to see someone punished to the maximum, even though it may possibly be the wrong person.

Terrible outcome. Especially since there have been sincere doubts as to his guilt. Seven out of the nine witnesses have already recanted their testimony and some have said they were coerced by police to testify against him. Seems to me the Supreme Court simply wanted to be rid of this "problem" as soon as possible.

That's just it erikaj. If people actually stood up to their bosses every now and then, I think things would change here.

That's right, tmarie. But things wouldn't only change here in Japan, but also in other parts of the world, such as the U.S., where so many bosses work you to the bone and make you face gridlock traffic in places like L.A. even when you shouldn't be going to work.

People need to grow some balls here.

I totally agree with you, tmarie. It didn't matter if it was here in Japan, or back in the U.S., I took days off when I deemed it unsafe to go to work (even when my company here or back home in the states didn't allow for it). Never affected my job standing as I still had a job after each case. People have to realize that while there will be some extraordinarily compassionate companies in the world which would have foresight to allow all of their employees to leave work or stay home, not all are. You just have to use your own common sense and stand behind your priorities in life. I remember when a couple of friends in California a couple of years ago were threatened by some wildfires near the north part of Los Angeles. Even though they had to go into work, they didn't because they had much more important things to worry about than work, like escaping the fires and saving their homes and family. They just said to hell with our bosses, we're not going in to work, and that's final. Good for them, and good on the people in Japan who did stay home and stayed out of the typhoon.

This is shocking, I thought America was bad with courts but this trial is outright wrong.

LOL! Sounds like court cases which resulted in instituting dumb warning labels such as "Don't use for drying pets" (on microwave ovens), or "Remove baby before folding" (on a collapsible baby stroller). I guess the world is becoming a place where people have to be constantly coddled and warned about everything. Otherwise, if something happens, no matter how divine or uncontrollable it may be, people feel they have a right to blame someone for it (and in many cases sue).

Many of the structures that collapsed in the 2009 quake were not properly built to standards for a quake-prone area like the central Apennine region of Abruzzo. Among the buildings which cracked and crumbled was L’Aquila’s hospital, just as it was struggling to treat about 1,500 injured.

Then why are they only putting seismologists on trial? Why not structural engineers, architects, and officials who oversee the management of building code regulations as well? Seems to me that these seismologists are simply being made scapegoats in all of this.

All four of the neighbors are said to have sustained injuries during the incident, but police said that none of the wounds are life-threatening.

That's a relief. Fortunately, the guy didn't have a gun; otherwise, the results may have been different.

It's terrible that he had to take his life, but at least he didn't go on a shooting rampage first before taking his own life, like so many "suicide by cop" instances that happen in the U.S. Rest in Peace.

Understandable, yes. Altogether rational? Maybe not so much.

I totally agree. It's understandable that she would want to think of her own safety. Yet, irrationality exists. I remember one of my Japanese friends who works in Los Angeles was going to visit her family in Kyoto, when some of her coworkers suddenly got really mad at her and told her not to come back because she would get radiation poisoning and pass it on to them. They seemed so surprised that she didn't hear about the "thousands of Japanese people dying of radiation poisoning". All my friend could do was say, "Huh?"

It's COMPLETELY understandable, especially given the lack of transparency (as is often the case)

So true. The lack of transparency and sensationalism by governments all across the world is mindboggling. I wish governments and media around the world wouldn't do such things.

You KNOW corruption and money grubbing are absolutely rampant

Yes, it is unfortunate that politics and corruption always seem to go hand-in-hand. Which is why I just can't bring myself to trust any politician anywhere, whatsoever. They kind of rank up there with lawyers as people you can't trust at all. Every politician seems to only put their own agenda ahead of others. And whenever a President, Prime Minister, Governor, etc. seems to do something good, it's only because they are trying to put on a good appearance, or boost their declining approval ratings. Appointing Edano as yet another industry minister is simply a weak way to appease the public's disappointment in the long line of terrible industry ministers before him.

Major understatement. Interesting that this article appears on JT next to the picture of the new "Cool Japan" logo. Sorry, but IMO, there is nothing "cool" about the world's third largest economy and supposedly a force for good in the world to look for ways to turn people away. Japan's track record in this area is deplorable.

Good point. Up until a few years ago, although Japan ranked among the top in foreign aid to refugees in other countries, it had a poor record of allowing refugees into Japan. However, I'm glad that in the past three years, Japan has turned the corner and started to allow more refugees in. Of course, the government should raise taxes more to fund refugees and thus be able to provide more shelter, food, clothing, and language and cultural lessons. I'll also know that my donations to JAR (the Japan Association for Refugees) would go to good use.

http://www.refugee.or.jp/en/

For the Japanese authorities this is a no brainer. These people want to go to SK , SK will accept them and Japan looks good doing the right thing.

True, it is a no-brainer, but it isn't as simple as people like to make it look. I'm pretty sure these defectors never contacted South Korean officials first, before staging their defection. Japanese officials will have to inform and consult with South Korean officials first about the matter before simply sending them there. It's all too easy for us armchair politicos to say, "Send them there ASAP!" without thinking about the proper diplomatic channels that must be gone through.

While Japan has always been one of the most generous donors of foreign aid to refugees in other countries, it has been criticized in the past for not allowing in many refugees to stay within its own countries. Fortunately, the last few years have seen Japan turn the corner and allow more refugees in. Hopefully, other Asian nations follow suit. I think somewhere down the line more funding for the housing of refugees and feeding them would help. I wouldn't mind so much to see some of my taxes go toward funding this, and I'm sure other people wouldn't mind too.

A junior highschool in my area was furious that the usual school trip the 3rd graders take at the end of the year to Disney Land was cancelled in favour of going to a farm off the coast of the East Sea

I wish more parents back home in my country (the U.S.) shared that same feelings that those parents in Japan feel. Back home, many parents (many of them parents to latch-key kids), don't really care where their kids go on school trips, as long as it keeps the kids busy. Amusement parks like Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, and Six Flags tend to be popular excursion destinations.