flatearther comments

As a born woman, I would love to have a body like Ai Haruna's! Whatever she paid, it was money well spent. Who cares what her birth gender was?

@ShonanMauNo2- You just figured that out? LMAO

j/k

Cripes! Looks like the jig is up! No more cocaine fueled orgies with aliens in the hangar anymore, boys.

God, I love Gilliam films! I can't wait to see this one.

Marketing works differently in different countries. Obviously, some Australians didn't feel this was offensive.

However, KFC is an American company and knew full well that the ad COULD be viewed as racist by expat Americans in Australia.

Bad judgment on their part to even create an ad like that, they could have made one just as good without offending people.

Marriage is an institution. Sounds like these two need to be institutionalized, though. The article doesn't mention if they have any kids, but I hope they don't. No children should have to live with people like this. I'd say the blame lies with both of them for creating a culture of violence in their home, but that's not exactly the case.

In a country with so few resources for victims of DV (men and women), it's difficult to blame this wife for lashing out after years of abuse.

@tinkerbell- I respect your choice, but I hope you can find help if your situation gets worse. You have the noblest intentions, but his abuse may increase in the future. So I urge you to look into your options before it is too late, for your children's sake.

Oh....cripes! I actually forgot to burn my charm from the year of the Ox... Is it too late now?

Enjoy Napa, or should I say, enjoy the wine. Possibly one of the most boring vacation spots I've ever been to, the wine is the only thing to make it bearable, honestly.

If you're looking for romantic spots, try Catalina Island. Gorgeous and not quite as crowded as Napa, with twice the scenery.

Well, I hope it lasts.

Knowing his track record, though, I doubt it. Good luck to her.

Two years in prison for being alone in a hotel room with someone??? That's harsh.

@norinrad21-Better yet, imagine how much easier his life would be without a 30 yr old wife and two kids, one of whom was just born a month ago...

A wife can get pretty irritating to a man when he has no job and she just popped out another kid.

The only proof we have that she "asked" him to kill her seems to be his word, which doesn't appear to be very trustworthy, frankly.

Wonder who exactly told the police the wife asked him to kill her? The article doesn't really specify.

It does say he called emergency services and said she "fell off the balcony".

It also states that he later admitted to throwing her, but denied attempting to kill her. So, he's changed his story 3 times, adding and omitting details at will. Wonder who really is at fault here? I doubt she asked him to kill her at all.

To each his own.

I like Susan Boyle's music, it's better than most of the stuff I hear on the TV.

Why is everyone so focused on her looks? Just turn up the TV and flip through a magazine if her face bothers you. Or better yet, don't watch. Problem solved.

@honestDictator- Read the thread, that's my argument in a nutshell. I agree with you completely.

Most of us just see a problem when the police and society can't help a young woman like this to escape from an abusive bf. Most of us see a problem when she is left lying bloody in a field all night. Worst of all, this young man will likely receive a light punishment for this attempted murder, because of his young age.

Squee! Susan Boyle? OMG! She is fantastic, sings like an angel! I adore her music! Can't wait to see her on Kohaku! :)

@dolphingirl- Gomenasai (blush), I forgot to add @numbskull to my last post, it's not a response to you.

I actually agree with you most of the time, not that I'm trying to start a mutual admiration society or anything.

Kudos on that last post, BTW! :)

It's pathetic that they are being forced to purchase land that is rightfully theirs and it's even more pathetic that the government is trying to block them from putting their land in trust!

Do the local governments of these states have no shame at all? Clearly they are willing to go to almost any lengths for tax money, even harassing the native tribes (again and again, might I add).

Kudos to the judge who threw out their suit against the tribes! It's bad enough they are being forced to PAY for their own land, coming after them for taxes is just rubbing salt in the wounds.

@whatsgoinon-Perhaps everyone here on this internet forum has heard "No means no.", but not the people in Japan.

As for your American statistics, this article isn't about America, this incident didn't happen in America and they are totally irrelevant. It gets so irritating to hear people CONSTANTLY compare the 2 countries as though they could be realistically compared.

Nice way to take focus off the real issue of preventing things like this from happening in Japan. I wonder, if crime here ever DOES reach the epidemic levels it is in America, what will be your excuse then? Which country will you be able to compare it to? Brazil, Somalia, the Middle East? Ick. If people like you had your way, we would ignore every awful thing that happens in Japan and just let it get worse and worse to live here.

Is she the one who's dating the young jockey?

@Numbskull- Japan publishes something called a "White Paper", please look it up for reported figures. Most crimes against women here go unreported, though, so it can only give you a rough estimation of the problem, at best.

There are some laws in place to protect women, but they are rarely enforced. Usually women are laughed at for trying to report DV or stalking. You don't believe that society teaches people what is acceptable behavior? Move to Japan, you will change your tune. On that note, where on Earth were you raised?

As far as safety, yes, Japan is very safe. For white foreign guys. So, on a personal level, I wouldn't mind if Japan started "tinkering with the formula" for the sake of girls like this.

Japan does have the death penalty, but they rarely use it, especially for crimes of this nature. It's heinous, yes, but he will receive little to no punishment for what he did to her.

First-world? Hmm...I suppose that's a matter of perspective and far off-topic, just like your last post.

I hope Japanese society will strive towards a greater equality for men and women, something on par with the Scandinavian countries. I know that kind of society here is a long way off, though, and I am reminded of that every time I read a story like this. Women should never have to be afraid in any country and when a woman is assaulted, the punishment should be severe enough that men realize the risks for behavior like this are too punishing for them to commit these crimes. Every time they let these creeps off with a light sentence, it's a slap in the face to the victim and a message to other men that these crimes are okay and won't be treated seriously.

I won't even ask for gentlemanly behavior from creeps like this kid, they're not worth the time of day and men like this are a dime a dozen to boot.

Here's hoping they ACTUALLY punish him for this, here's hoping sentencing guidelines for crimes like this get longer and parents start getting more involved in their kid's lives and teaching them how to behave.

I don't get this just from reading this site, I also live here.

I used to live in the US and am an American citizen and I'm well aware that these attitudes are worldwide problems, not strictly Japanese.

However, this attitude is socially acceptable in Japan, whereas where I'm from, it is certainly not. In fact, it's the opposite almost. When a girl won't put out in America, men reach for a bottle of aspirin, not a rock (or at least that's how the old joke goes).

Society teaches men (and women) how to behave. Here, the prevailing societal message is that women should be cute and sexually available. If a woman isn't, a man has the right to do whatever he wants, including stalking, harassment and violence.

Men everywhere (but here, specifically) need to learn that no means no.

@nandakandamanda- I have a hard time believing there is a man anywhere on the planet who is incapable of taking care of himself, so to speak. It's not that difficult, compared to the feminine alternative.

Besides, even if he is unable to do that, it's hardly a good excuse to go off and attack a woman (his gf, no less), is it? This is just more frustrated behavior from someone who is not used to hearing the words no. It seems frighteningly common here are it's honestly terrifying how accepted it is. Women are simply supposed to grin and gaman and if we don't, we are either kowaii or fair game to be attacked/frightened.

Or, to put it into simpler terms, in a relationship, good girls put out and bad girls say no. This attitude needs to change, and fast. Women are not objects/playthings for a man's amusement, and beating a woman for this is sick. I sincerely hope this woman can recover.

Thanks for the correction, pamelot!

High school theater was a long time ago and I didn't feel like googling it.

Agree with bobafett, this poor girl is going to be affected for a while over this. Stalkings, beatings and strange things happen entirely too often here. Most men seem I've met seem to think following me home is entirely normal, which is scary enough. I can only imagine how this poor darling feels after being beaten for refusing to put out. I hope she can get counseling for this, paid for by her attacker.

Looks like they just updated the article with more details.

Crazy ex-gf demanding an apology? Yikes! It seems more and more common these days, from men and women. A lot of people these days have short fuses. It seems like men will go to any lengths to get a relationship and women will go to any lengths to continue a relationship.

Maybe Gilbert and Sullivan had it right, "Let's call the whole thing off."