Gretchen Shinoda comments

I have been told that the population of Nanjing at the time was 200,000 people. So Japan would have had to kill everyone 1.5 times to reach level claimed in these documents. Something definitely happened, and it was terrible, horrible. NO one disputes that. But I believe a major source of this protest by Japan is that the numbers are grossly fabricated. Killing 1000 people for 300 days by rape and torture is just not fathomable. Something terrible happened. No doubt. But getting history "right" is also important, especially for organizations such as UNESCO.

Niigata city may not get much snoe but Minami Uonuma city, 100k away is experiencing a heavy snow fall year. Most in many years for December.

Wish us luck!

I have been worried about elementary and Jr. High teachers for years because of all the things they have to do beyond teaching. I agree that the burden of the after school clubs "bukatsu" at the Jr. High level is just far too much for them. It is too much for the kids too, in my opinion. What about FAMILY time for both parents and kids? Family values get left behind with the over commitment to these Bukatsu! Who is raising the kids of Jr. High teachers? They cannot even go to their own Kids' Sport day festivals, concerts, etc. because they are with MY kid at Bukatsu.....

Really stupid commercial - but it did make me smile for some reason. How about changing the image by pronouncing English words more clearly!? I like the "wanna hug?" quote! Oh, and I know LOTS of Japanese who will give me a hug!

How about simply borrowing a mask from another kid? That is what happens in my daughter's Jr. High. They SUPPORT each other!

I was SO hopeful for Todai's change. It would do so much for globalizing Japan on so many different levels. I am disappointed this morning. If April employment rules could vanish......

I SO wish Japan would get away from evaluating TEST scores for English skills (other skills too actually), and get in to developing English as a communication tool. So many can score well on tests here, but cannot communicate in English - and shouldn't that be the goal?.

We get a LOT of snow every year. This time, it is all just coming so fast without breaks in between to allow the snow to pack down, and the snow removing machines to do their thing. Snow Country is an amazing place to be! Shoveling snow is great exercise too! And to Canada, I am happy to ship some on over!

If Japan could just start a flexible, needs-based recruiting system, and allow people to start on dates other than April 1, they would have more success in recruiting international talent! That talent are both foreigners, and Japanese studying overseas.

The sky above the Chuetsu earthquake was plainly affected by that quake in 2004. The cloud pattern was unmistakable. I am not sure if it was BEFORE the quake hit, but certainly well after . . . .

GOOD cottage cheese, and I agree with the "GOOD pizza anytime I want" comment

Gretchen, IUJ

All of his throws today were his season bests! Wow. That was exciting. Thanx Murofushi-San!