Posted in: Do you think restaurant menus should list the calorie content for each item? See in context
Calories are the least of my concerns. As a parent with a child with lethal peanut allergies, I would much rather every restaurant have information about ingredients that can cause allergic reactions. Most places have a guide you can request to see but this information should be on the menus. I have walked out of places staffed with indifferent employees who just say - I don't know. People will ignore the calorie figures when they are hungry anyway. If calories are so important they shouldn't be eating out.
9 ( +12 / -3 )
Posted in: What are some Christmas-themed movies and TV shows that you try to watch every year? See in context
Nothing beats the old Rankin-Bass stop motions tv shows. Picked up the set years ago. Now my daughters love them. We also watch A Christmas Story. Lots of laughs.
1 ( +2 / -1 )
Posted in: Do you enjoy spending Christmas in Japan? See in context
Yes, and when possible I take the day off from work. Most of my employers understand. If they don't, I can just phone in sick. I have lots of sick days and holidays that I rarely use. The winter holidays are what you make of them. If you are hung up on having one specific day off, then you should get over yourself. Japan isn't a Christian country. It is just an event like Halloween. As a non-religion burdened person I enjoy raising my kids to enjoy the secular version which is much more fun. Happy Saturnalia everyone. Or whatever you call the winter celebration that long precedes the Christian perversion of it.
3 ( +5 / -2 )
Posted in: How would you rate Japanese cities in terms of barrier-free facilities at train stations, on buses, in restaurants, stores and other public areas? See in context
Down here in Aichi our local train company has really improved things since my arrival in '94. Access for wheelchair users and those with strollers is good at most medium to large stations. Smaller stations are slowly catching up too. Some of our students have mobility issues but with these improvements they can easily commute to school.
3 ( +3 / -0 )
Posted in: Is Donald Trump's re-election as U.S. president good news for Japan? See in context
It is only good for dictators, Christian fanatics and billionaires. The decline and fall of US hegemony is on track.
3 ( +13 / -10 )
Posted in: Do you think school teachers in Japan are overworked? See in context
Teachers here do so much more work than their counterparts in North America. Teacher unions are toothless. So teachers get loaded down with many extra tasks and expectations. Endless meetings - yes. Responsibilities to look after club activities throughout the year - yes. Holidays? Short. With the longest holiday falling mid-academic year, students are expected to spend hours doing review and make work homework assignments so their education can continue come September uninterrupted. Having taught here for 30 years in a variety of schools from Junior high to university as well as raising 2 kids, I am still dismayed by the load of pointless work heaped on teachers and students alike. Yet, despite all that many of my university students want to become teachers and my kids have survived and flourished. I have met many great teachers who care deeply about their students. I have nothing but respect for them. The system is very slowly changing for better or worse remains to be seen.
17 ( +17 / -0 )
Posted in: When you were a teenager, did you think much about issues concerning the environment, such as climate change, pollution, recycling, energy and water conservation and so on? See in context
Back in the deep, dark past of the 70s, I do remember anti-littering campaigns but little else that I was aware of.
The American 'Give a Hoot, Don't Pollute' campaign comes to mind. It even wormed its way into this Canadian's psyche.
6 ( +6 / -0 )
Posted in: 'Dragon Ball' creator Akira Toriyama dies at 68 See in context
Gone too early.
3 ( +5 / -2 )
Posted in: Where do you like to buy furniture in Japan? See in context
Muji. Good quality. Lasts forever. Pricey but worth it.
0 ( +0 / -0 )
Posted in: Russia withdraws from 2025 World Expo in Japan See in context
Well, it is not like Russia is busy with anything else except maybe Russia's Afghanistan 2.0 in the Ukraine.
2 ( +8 / -6 )
Posted in: Golden Pyramids See in context
Staying at Nagashima and making an evening trip to Nabana no Sato is my family's yearly tradition. We love the amusement park, outlet mall, and the flowers and lights at Nabana no Sato. Also, the restaurants there are great too. We've been going since it opened.
0 ( +2 / -2 )
Posted in: Japan to OK train fare hikes for holidays, weekends due to 'overtourism' concerns See in context
This will put off locals more than visitors. If you have already travelled to Japan than you are more than likely willing to pay up as you probably won't be back anytime soon. Whereas us locals will be put off as things are already too expensive. Best to save on travel and make those mortgage payments instead.
0 ( +0 / -0 )
Posted in: Japan to OK train fare hikes for holidays, weekends due to 'overtourism' concerns See in context
Great idea. My family and I love travelling locally. Kyoto is is one of our favourite destinations. But now that the JGov in its genius is looking to discourage foreign tourism with higher transportation costs, they will also put off locals too. Way to go geniuses.
-1 ( +2 / -3 )
Posted in: Cricket set for shot at Olympic glory See in context
Yet another reason to not watch the Olympics.
-4 ( +6 / -10 )
Posted in: Is buying a house in Japan a good financial investment? See in context
It is my biggest regret to have built a lovely but worthless house over here. I can see why so many people here can't be bothered to try to maintain the exterior or interior of their houses. Why bother when it is valueless? In my case I do but that is because I am house proud and can't stand the thought of living in a hovel. Of course, after I'm long gone, I imagine my wife won't be bothered. It'll turn into the haunted house on my block.
7 ( +7 / -0 )
Posted in: What's your favorite city to visit in Japan and why? See in context
Ono city in Fukui prefecture. Small and comfortable. Lots of history and local culture. Surrounded by mountains. It is far from the maddening crowd.
2 ( +3 / -1 )
Posted in: Would you support a complete ban on smoking in public places in Japan? See in context
My uni tried to ban smoking on campus so now all the smokers quit and lived healthily ever after. Nah. They smoke right in front of the building, drop their cigarette butts all over, and on rainy days stand undercover in front of the two entrance ways gifting their smoke to the whole building. And these kids are the future at least until the cancer takes them.
0 ( +0 / -0 )
Posted in: Are you getting tired of reading or hearing about ChatGPT? See in context
Yes, but not as much as the UN's SDGs.
1 ( +5 / -4 )
Posted in: Are you worried about losing your job to a robot or artificial intelligence? See in context
Not in the next 5 years. After that, I'll be retired. 65 ~ 75 - I'm confident there will still be plenty of students who would rather speak face-to-face with a real person rather than a screen. By then I'll be strictly part-time.
2 ( +2 / -0 )
Posted in: Should commuting to your workplace count as work time? See in context
I've gone from a 3 hour commute to a 30 minute commute in near on 30 years of working here. The 3 hour commute time was spent napping and studying. It helped get me through my Masters program. Now, my 30 minute commute is strictly for napping and listening to my podcasts. I don't expect that commuting tine will ever be paid but at least they pay for my commuter pass that I can use to save money on weekends and holidays. Works for me.
0 ( +0 / -0 )
Posted in: Do you still send Christmas or season's greetings cards by email or post or have you given up on all that? See in context
who we used to send them to
-2 ( +0 / -2 )
Posted in: Do you still send Christmas or season's greetings cards by email or post or have you given up on all that? See in context
We've long since given up. The ridiculous costs of the cards and postage put us off. As well as the lack of cards from overseas. Most of my elderly family who used to send them to have all passed away. The younger generation doesn't seem to bother. Now we send a lucky Japanese New Year's card with Seasonal Greetings. Just add ¥80 or so in stamps and you are set to go.
-2 ( +2 / -4 )
Posted in: When you were a teenager, did you think much about issues concerning the environment, such as climate change, pollution, recycling, energy and water conservation and so on? See in context
Back in the 70s, the elementary school age me was educated about the world ending threat of litter which we were urged to pick up and from US CMs - give a hoot and not pollute.
My friends and I sort of complied by collecting soda bottles which we cashed in to buy candy. The wrappers of which I hope we discarded in the trash and not along the bush trails and riversides where we hung out.
0 ( +0 / -0 )
Posted in: Opposition steps up offensive against beleaguered PM Kishida See in context
Abe and Kishida. The Tweedlee and Tweedledumb of Japanese politics. Unfortunately, the opposition is the Tweedledumber. Oh, for some competent leaders who aren't tainted by and mired in scandals from the get-go.
-5 ( +1 / -6 )
Posted in: Japan set to honor assassinated Abe at controversial funeral See in context
Not Japan but rather his political party is martyring him to solidify their strangle hold on power. The death of democracy?
-2 ( +0 / -2 )
Posted in: Japan weighs plan for ban on hotel guests without masks: report See in context
No shirt, no shoes, no mask.
No service.
Simple.
When you get to your room, take it off.
Stop whining.
Your sense of exceptionalism stops at your country's border.
-6 ( +15 / -21 )
Posted in: TikTok search results riddled with misinformation: Report See in context
Who goes to TikTok or other SNS sites for medical information or anything other than dumb dance videos?
8 ( +8 / -0 )
Posted in: 40% of evacuees from Afghanistan have left Japan over poor support See in context
So the none to subtle pressure to leave worked well. Like companies sidelining workers so they will quit. If being lousy at the local language was the real reason I would have packed it in decades ago. But despite that, I have thrived all the same here.
4 ( +10 / -6 )
Posted in: With all the bad news in the world, whether it is the war in Ukraine, coronavirus, climate change , economic problems or political divisions, do you sometimes get tired of the news and just "switch it off?" See in context
I limit my exposure by not listening to news pods, and watching serious news programs - morning news shows here are mostly variety shows with weather news, so they don't upset me much.
-1 ( +0 / -1 )
Posted in: Japanese firm seeks halal approval for non-alcohol udon soup stock See in context
My wife's company briefly flirted with the idea of producing halal and/or kosher products but made no real effort to understand the rigours of application and production. Also, once they realised the cost, they abandoned it. Short sighted to say the least.
0 ( +7 / -7 )
Posted in: Record number of online casino users detected by Japan police in 2024
Posted in: U.S. Space Force to beef up Japan unit amid growing threat in region
Posted in: U.S. retail sales plunge along with temperatures in January after a bustling holiday season
Ahh. Look at all the trees and greenery in the photo. So, so in tune with nature.
Posted in: Osaka Expo preparations hit home stretch with 2 months left until opening