hooktrunk2 comments

Posted in: Teacher fined over 2019 deaths of Japanese teens in Australia See in context

I learned in a pool with a deep end, but no one taught me about unseen drop-offs under water. I had to learn about it in the news. I never was attracted to swimming in the wild, tho. I doubt a strong swimmer could recover from suddenly losing footing and sucking in a bunch of water. This is probably a good reminder for me to talk about it with my kids who are the age of those who lost their lives.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: Teacher fined over 2019 deaths of Japanese teens in Australia See in context

Where does it say that the kids couldn't swim or weren't strong swimmers?

Elementary through junior high school students in Tokyo and probably the rest of Japan have swimming class during summer months at school. I never had that in the US and probably wouldn't know how to swim if my parents hadn't enrolled me in a private swimming classes.

How horrible to lose kids you are responsible for. I can't imagine.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Posted in: Hello Kitty theme park in Tokyo closed over 'terrorist' security alert See in context

Isn't that usually called a 'bomb threat'? How sad. I hope it's not a trend. It's such a cool campy place. Really fun to go to when our kids were young.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Posted in: Frightening video shows Japan’s stop-and-listen-for-trains driving rule maybe isn’t so silly after all See in context

Wow, great to know. I always trusted those gates to much.

Just south of Kita Senju station in Tokyo, there's a place you have to cross 7 tracks, with 2 sets of gates really close together, but the traffic gets stalled by pedestrians crossing the street and I often see cars stopped right on the tracks. Luckily the express trains all stop at this station, so they aren't going at full speed at this point, but still, a disaster waiting to happen.

Just up the rails a few stops at Takenotsuka station, they just finished raising the tracks after a horrible accident killed several pedestrians over 10 years ago.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Posted in: Charges dropped against group that allegedly broke into vending machine after Noto earthquake See in context

Does anyone else think there should be a law that vending machines are a source of emergency drinks?

In situations where there is wide-spread catastrophic damage to infrastructure, I mean.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: Man believed to be fugitive 1970s terrorist bomber dies in hospital See in context

Oh geez. Forget my comment above. I read the article, but somehow missed the key words "dies in hospital." Will he rest in peace? I don't know. What a terrible past this guy had. RIP to his victims.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Posted in: Man believed to be fugitive 1970s terrorist bomber dies in hospital See in context

@Meiyouwenti

Lucky guy. If he’s arrested and indicted, the government will foot his entire medical bills.

I doubt hey will reimburse him for all his medical bills he has been paying over the years and who knows if they will give his cancer the same attention he might have gotten as a free man.

How could this guy could live with his conscience all these years with knowing he killed 8 people and hurt so many more.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

Posted in: Japan says SLIM moon probe achieved 'pinpoint' landing See in context

@sakursuki

Does it matter? Moon is not that small anyway.

With pinpoint landing capabilities they can search for water in the hilly regions of the poles where they hope to find water hidden in the shadows. Otherwise they'd have to stay in the flat boring plains.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Posted in: Woman arrested after bodies of missing couple found under Tokyo home See in context

@Todd

I still don't buy it. Security footage?

Well, CCTV or security cameras from a neighbors' homes or nearby businesses? Police often check for cameras nearby. You can collect footage and follow a suspect to or from a crime scene with still scenes or video. The cameras have time and date stamps on the footage.

What's the mystery?

Yeah, I live in Adachi as well. Sigh.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Posted in: Prosecutors make first arrest in LDP political funding scandal See in context

@Simon Foston

Rather than waste taxpayers' money keeping people like this in prison, I'd like to see them getting fined so much they can barely afford cup noodles.

But then he'll be on welfare and probably figure out a way to bilk the system there too.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: Dogs, antennas and honey for Japan's big bear problem See in context

Bear 1 Human 0. The next rubber, humans will be out to even the score.

@oyatoi

The score in deaths is actually Humans 212, Bears 6,287. Humans are up 30x.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Posted in: Dogs, antennas and honey for Japan's big bear problem See in context

Look at the size of the paws on that bear they have tranquilized. And it's not such a big bear, as bears go. Yikes.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Posted in: Japan's flu cases surge to warning level at fastest pace in 10 years See in context

@justasking

This story just may be a little late. The flu has come and gone in many school where many classes have been shut down last week and now returning this week.

At the elementary school my wife works at there were many kids absent THIS week.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Posted in: Court rules Japan's dual nationality ban constitutional See in context

I think 20 is too young to figure out which citizenship to retain. At least they should raise the age to 28 or something.

These "halfs" have parents of two different nationalities and sometimes the parents divorce or one parent passes away and the other moves back to their original country. When they get old, perhaps the kids might go back to that country and help out.

If this happened in reverse and they returned to Japan, the child would have to be sponsored if they no longer have Japanese citizenship. What if the parent were not mentally with it as in Alzheimers or in a coma or can't travel with the child to immigration it would make this difficult. Sure they could enter on a tourist visa, but if they were here long term, they would need to work.

We all know how immigration can be a pain. There are a multitude of situations where dual citizenships are almost a must. Having current roots set in 2 countries is difficult.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Posted in: Man arrested for stealing at least 50 air conditioner units in Gunma See in context

I've heard that there is no AC in Japanese Prisons. Kind of ironic.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Posted in: Man dies after being attacked by bear in Nagano Prefecture See in context

Checking traps at night,...

@piskian

Unless I read the article wrong, it doesn't say that he was checking the traps at night, just that his friend called the police at night. Perhaps he was gone all day and when he didn't return in the evening, his friend called the police.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Posted in: Swarms of tourists causing crisis for Mount Fuji See in context

I climbed Fujisan twice. The first time there were practically no tourists but still plenty of people. Our hut was packed. It was 2011 after the Fukushima reactor drove everyone away. I took a trash bag with me, but didn't see a single scrap of trash. Not sure what that says.

I also saw plenty of people lightly dressed for the climb, but most had the right gear.

To avoid crowds, I recommend going in mid July, but I would dress warmer than you would for going skiing in the winter lower down. Freaking cold at the top! Especially if you go on July 1, like I did.

Not so bad when I climbed in August and was actually in short sleeves for an hour at the top.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Posted in: Stay fresh for longer with Cool Worker See in context

Is it disposable? Not sure I'd get it then. Also, those white plastic ice rings the article mentions last about 5 minutes in the heat.

I usually roll a couple of those tiny gel ice packs that cake shops give you in a tenugui and tie it around my neck. It's enough to keep me from sweating on my way to the station.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: South Korean protesters call for government action on Fukushima water See in context

It is confusing what is going on.

However, I found this link helpful. Seems like it is possible to remove large doses of tritium from water, but not the low levels remaining in the filtered water, and it seems like it will be at naturally occurring levels. One hopes at least:

https://www.iaea.org/topics/response/fukushima-daiichi-nuclear-accident/fukushima-daiichi-alps-treated-water-discharge/faq#:~:text=When%20water%20comes%20into%20contact,the%20radioactivity%20before%20being%20stored.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Posted in: Victims of fatal 1985 JAL jet crash mourned on 38th anniversary See in context

Must be a slow news day for this to be the Top Story. An event almost 40 years ago.

@Bill Lewis

Tacky comment Bill. You are safer flying today because people DON'T forget this accident. RIP.

16 ( +19 / -3 )

Posted in: Will Twitter’s rebranding result in poaching ‘X Japan’ name? Legendary musician Yoshiki weighs in See in context

I could understand if Elon did something like Twitter X and Tessla X to match his Space X, but changing a successful brand image to just X doesn't make sense. I don't think Twitter's problems had anything to do with its name and logo. Love the bird and name as a brand.

As far as intellectual property rights go, this case will be interesting to follow.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

Posted in: 3 schoolgirls drown in Fukuoka river on 1st day of summer vacation See in context

Such sad news. A lot of assuming in the comments that the girls couldn't swim. There could have been a hidden drop off which causes one to suddenly sink and inhale water, who knows. I was a strong swimmer in High School, but when friend and I swam across a river one summer, I just remember that it was the scariest thing I have ever done. Rivers are strong, even peaceful looking ones.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Posted in: Taliban leader claims women are provided with a 'comfortable and prosperous life' in Afghanistan See in context

What happens if a woman needs medical treatment? Can a male doctor treat her? What about nurses?

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Posted in: 7-Eleven adds an amazing carrot cake to its sweets lineup in Japan See in context

I really enjoyed the 7-11 “carrot cake” and think it’s carrot cake unlike someone above. It is definitely worth seconds and thirds.

I have found it in Adachi-Lu, Tokyo, but in Koto-ku I couldn’t.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Posted in: Mount Fuji hiking season nears with warnings against 'bullet climbing' See in context

Don't stay in the huts; they are nasty

@mountaingrill

The hut I stayed in wasn’t nasty at all. Super clean in fact. I’ve used the facilities on the way up at other huts and they were clean as well. I stopped in at another hut for lunch and it had a full stainless steel kitchen. Super clean. Impressive actually.

As for your advice, while I have “bullet climbed” before, I think they are dissuading people so this.

Sunrise at the top is magical. Done it twice.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Posted in: Company president, 2 drivers arrested after trucks tailgated other vehicles to avoid paying road tolls See in context

Why arrested? Surely this is a civil offence.

@桜川雪

I would say it's conspiracy.

If it was just a couple times, sure, perhaps civil, but more than 800 times is a plan to avoid the fees. It's not so much the lost money, it's the scheming that is illegal.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Posted in: Company president, 2 drivers arrested after trucks tailgated other vehicles to avoid paying road tolls See in context

I’m guessing the 3 years was so that enough ¥ theft racked up to make the charges worth it. If they caught them after 5 or even 10 times it would amount to only a slap on the wrist.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: Japanese officials call for Mount Fuji crowd control See in context

I climbed Mt. Fuji twice. I took a plastic bag with me to pick up some trash along the way, but didn't find a single piece. However, I first went in August of 2011 when the Fukushima nuclear plant drove many tourists away and the second time was on the first day of climbing season on July 1, so perhaps my experiences were not a true measure of the regular conditions.

I stayed in a hut with a group the first time and the second time climbed up and down in half the time with one other friend. Both times I passed a few people wearing basketball shorts and space blankets, tight stylish jackets and penny loafers, but most people were dressed right.

In August, for about an hour at the top, it was warm enough for short sleeve shirts, but the weather changed quickly. In July it was freaking cold the whole time, even with mountaineering coats.

12 ( +12 / -0 )

Posted in: Cyclist attacked by bear in Fukushima Prefecture See in context

They are so smart and cute. And vegetarian

@Rodney

Perhaps I misunderstood your comment, but it is my understanding that all bears are omnivores which means they eat both meat and plants.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

Posted in: Cyclist attacked by bear in Fukushima Prefecture See in context

After years without human habitation…

@sakurasuki

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t believe Koriyama was a restricted zone. It’s a good 70km from the nuclear plant.

13 ( +14 / -1 )

Recent Comments

Popular

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites


©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.