Maruko desu comments

Posted in: McDonald’s Japan’s two new Holiday McFlurry flavors are their 'best ever' See in context

Salt and sugar = obesity.

McDonald's is generally not known for healthy options. You can always select their edamame and corn or a salad instead. I, for one, am looking forward to this because I consider it a treat, not an everyday item.

As for holiday flavors, this is Japan. I appreciate the Japanese menus at McDonalds and Starbucks because you don't see these types of specials in the U.S. where both companies originated.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Duran Duran reveals former member Taylor has stage 4 cancer See in context

Was just chatting with a former coworker this weekend who mentioned he started going to the doctor for his annual exams at the urging of another coworker who recently had the early stages of prostrate cancer. Other coworker received treatment and cancer is now in remission.

Guys, this is a preventable form of cancer but it can kill you if left unchecked. Please go in for your annual exam if you haven't started doing so already.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Posted in: Japanese gov't urged to end free rollout of COVID-19 vaccines See in context

What I see in front of my eyes is that people, who are 3x, 4x vaccinated are getting infected, getting sick, infect others and so on...

Just had my 5th vaccination (bivalent booster). Never caught COVID and in turn, have not infected anyone. Only a few of my fellow coworkers here in Japan contracted COVID after being vaccinated via their children contracting COVID at school or not taking precautions (i.e., not wearing masks, hanging out in crowded places, traveling to the US). Also recently received my annual flu vaccine. I'm doing just fine.

-3 ( +11 / -14 )

Posted in: Emperor, empress visit Okinawa for 1st time since enthronement See in context

@yamanashistud

so who gonna protect the Okinawans from all that base related crime?

Apparently you don’t live in Okinawa either. Base related crime is not an everyday occurrence but the local crime is if you bother reading the Okinawa Times.

I live in Okinawa too and I speak Japanese.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: Japan reopens to tourists with shuttered souvenir shops, hotel staff shortage See in context

Japan still strongly encourages that people wear masks indoors and refrain from loud talking. The cabinet last Friday approved changing hotel regulations so that they can refuse guests who do not obey infection controls during an outbreak.

Tourists arriving at the airport disregarding mask protocols as noted in the photo above is not reassuring. The latest data is showing COVID cases are beginning to increase around the world and it's not even winter. Here we go again...

-10 ( +1 / -11 )

Posted in: White House announces multi-billion dollar plan to attack obesity, hunger See in context

@GBR48

If the government wants to help, they could improve parenting skills. Poor diets begin at a young age. If cooking ('Home Economics') isn't taught in all US schools, fix that too. If you aren't taught to cook at school, it's not much of an education.

We had Home Economics classes and childhood obesity was relatively rare in the US when I grew up (many years ago). We also had physical education (PE) classes for every grade at school. Eating at fast food chains and drinking sodas were luxuries for my family and our food budget was very limited. I grew up eating chahan and it's many varieties thanks to my Japanese mother. I was very active physically (walked and rode my bicycle everywhere) and I was thin.

However, all of this changed during the next two generations. Frazzled American families strapped for time bought Happy Meals from McDonalds to appease their children (as in the case of my younger brothers and their children) and families ate out more often. Obesity is now quite common in the US as a result.

I applaud the President's effort in trying to curtail obesity because of the many health issues such as diabetes and osteoarthritis which occur as a result. However, I believe it's going to take a combination of methods to lose weight, such as being more active (exercise), eating lean foods and smaller portions, eating a wider variety of food, etc. For anyone on that journey, I wish you the best of luck. Ganbatte kudasai!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Posted in: Is COVID-19 winding down? Scientists say no See in context

If Covid -19 is allowed to spread indefinitely our life spans will take a huge drop. 

Life spans in the U.S. already have thanks to COVID.

https://www.npr.org/2022/08/31/1120355473/life-expectancy-drops-in-the-u-s-for-the-second-year-in-a-row

The same thing is occurring in Okinawa where life expectancy was higher than most of the world. We are currently losing more elderly to the Omicron variant than we did with the Delta variant.

"It has been suggested that infection with the Omicron variant presents a lower risk of hospitalization or aggravation than the Delta variant. However, analyses to date show that the fatality due to infection with the Omicron variant is higher than that due to seasonal influenza. It is also suggested that the incidence of pneumonia is higher than that of seasonal influenza, but given the limited data, it needs to be investigated by various analyses. The death toll from the previous outbreak compared to last summer's outbreak had a higher proportion of people aged 80 and over."

https://www.niid.go.jp/niid/en/2019-ncov-e.html

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

Posted in: Want to save carbon and land? Study suggests wooden cities See in context

Wooden homes do not withstand hurricanes, typhoons and tornadoes very well.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Posted in: Pitt stop See in context

Let me get this straight.

You think wearing sweatpants in any even slightly formal event is fine if those sweatpants cost over a certain amount of $? That ok for a wedding ceremony then? Just bring the receipt?

Also, can you confirm for me what the gentleman sitting directly behind Pitt is wearing?

Looks like formal attire to me.

The people in the back are dressed casually. Two women are wearing tees and the ojiisan is wearing a white casual button up shirt. It's not a NBD. It's not a funeral...

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Posted in: Brad Pitt's 'Bullet Train' pulls into station with $30.1 mil See in context

Bullet Train looks (heavily inspired in) like an homage to the pinky violence/girls with guns/martial arts/action movies from Japan and Hong Kong that came out in the 70,s, 80,s and 90,

Some people were comparing it to a Guy Ritchie movie but I thought it was more Quentin Tarantino. I recommend watching it. I am rewatching it to catch the details I missed the first time. It's based on the novel by Kōtarō Isaka.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Posted in: Brad Pitt's 'Bullet Train' pulls into station with $30.1 mil See in context

I liked the movie so much I plan to watch it again this weekend.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Posted in: 77 years after Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it is time to proliferate peace See in context

@Ashley Shiba

My mother was also a survivor of the atomic bomb in Nagasaki. She was 20 yrs old when she witnessed the blast. One of her sister’s died from radiation poisoning. My mother said her sister’s hair fell out and her skin was burned and peeling. Her relatives outside of her immediate family also died from the blast. My mother had to wash their bodies before they were cremated. Those horrible memories stuck with her until the day she passed away.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Posted in: Japan reports 195,161 coronavirus cases See in context

Meanwhile in Okinawa, per the Okinawa Times:

"Okinawa, 4654 infected 1192 increased from the previous week 3 died in corona. Bed usage rate is 74% [July 22 noon]" The bed usage rate is 74.0% (patients 517 / beds 699), and that for severely ill patients is 29.0% (hospitals 18 / beds 62).

Our hospital system is getting close to collapsing. Stay safe everyone. Wear your masks, get vaccinated, wash/sanitize your hands, and avoid crowds.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Posted in: Japan reports 195,161 coronavirus cases See in context

For god sake just get on with it...life...before the next virus comes along...or Japan close borders and keep them shut...we are not welcome...

A case of polio was just discovered in the U.S. after polio had been eradicated for many years. From what I read, the polio patient received an oral vaccine in another country. There were comments under the article from people who wanted to close U.S. borders for fear of bringing more polio cases into the country. Americans complain about Japan closing it's border to tourists to prevent the spread of COVID and now they complain about not closing it's own borders to tourists to prevent the spread of Polio. Oh, the irony.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Posted in: Years of neglect leaves sexual health clinics ill-prepared for monkeypox See in context

I guess monkey pox didnt really catch on, so curious to see what they throw out next.

Marburg. Bill Gates has it as one his 'one to watch' for no real reason as far as I can see.

Two cases of the Marlburg virus, which is a highly infectious hemorrhagic virus similar to ebola, have been reported in Ghana. The fatality rate is 24% - 88%.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Posted in: Abe shooter's plan to target religious head thwarted by COVID See in context

Needless to say that the UC is totally against wars, weapons, and any sort of physical violence.

You may want to rethink that. This Vice story contradicts your statement. Hyung Jim "Sean" Moon, son of the late Sun Myung Moon, has an armed congregation called the Rod of Iron Ministries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArfGyo6HQ_E

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Posted in: Japan in 7th coronavirus wave, but no restrictions needed: Omi See in context

I know you like to tout ”science” but just look at when most of the deaths have happened? In 2020? In 2021? In 2022? Yes, most deaths have occured after your so called ”measures”.

WeiWei is correct.

Australia, for example had more covid deaths in the first quarter of 2022 the the entire 2 years before.

NZ, the great Golden Hope, this week has the highest new cases count of any country in the world. Hospitalizations and deaths are rising as well.

Quite a few of you are not considering a very important factor. We have new more highly contagious subvariants of COVID such as Omicron BA.5 where the vaccines are not as effective in preventing infections. One vaccine cannot combat all future strains of the virus just like the flu vaccines. However, you are still better off getting vaccinated, wearing masks, washing your hands and socially distancing unless you want to be reliving this scenario ad infinitum.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Posted in: 2 sisters stabbed in taxi outside their home in Okinawa See in context

Here are a few more details about the incident:

https://www.okinawatimes.co.jp/articles/-/985610

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: London port call See in context

Nice! I toured the JS Kashima when it docked in Tampa, FL ~2011. It is an impressive ship.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Pfizer applies for Japanese gov't approval of booster shots for kids See in context

Kids are fine, they all probably got COVID multiple times so no need.

Kids may be fine but you cannot guarantee that.

One thing that many of you have not considered are the children who infect other family members.

Within the past few months, I have had 6 coworkers who contracted COVID from their children who were not vaccinated which means those coworkers have had to quarantine. One of my colleagues was on vacation in Hawaii and had to stay longer at their expense because they contracted COVID from their unvaccinated child during their travels. Some coworkers cannot telework which means they may have lost income from not working.

If you live in Japan, you are required to quarantine for 10 additional days after recovering from COVID by the Japanese government before you can return to work. If you are a close contact, it is 7 days.

So, if your children contract COVID, it will affect your ability to work.

-10 ( +3 / -13 )

Posted in: Japan to ask foreign tourists to wear masks, take out COVID insurance See in context

Wearing a mask is not a big deal. Srsly.

Tone deaf response

No, not really. Most Japanese/Okinawans here in Okinawa wear masks. Most people who don't tend to wear masks are foreigners. Not saying all, but quite a few. The number of Okinawans who don't wear masks is very insignificant.

At this point if you don't understand how masks help stop the spread of COVID, you're ignoring science and basically don't care about others with compromised immune systems.

And, if you're traveling to another country, you follow their rules. It's that simple. Don't inflict your cultural values on others. Not only is it rude on your part, but in this situation it can affect the lives of others.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Posted in: Japan to ask foreign tourists to wear masks, take out COVID insurance See in context

Hey guys and gals. Do you want some cheese with those whines? ;-)

Wearing a mask is not a big deal. Srsly.

1 ( +18 / -17 )

Posted in: Japan test tour by 4 Thai people canceled after COVID infection See in context

Anyone who travels runs the risk of contracting COVID. It doesn't matter where you are going. During the course of flying to your destination, you'll be interacting with a host of people and anyone of them can be infected.

The hosting company for the tour group host anticipated this outcome and provided support for the Thai tourist. If you are not traveling in a tour group, you are on your own if you travel outside of your home country with regard to the additional expenses you are about to incur. If you do not have travel insurance, you will have to pay for a place to quarantine in and make arrangements to have meals delivered. You will also have to change your vacation plans. Your entire vacation may consist of quarantining in a hotel in another country.

One of my coworkers left Japan for a vacation in Hawaii a week ago. He is now having to extend his "vacation" because he and his wife contracted COVID somewhere along the way. So much for his vacation plans. Not only will he be paying for the hotel and food delivery services for a longer period of time, he will using additional annual leave days for his extended vacation.

-3 ( +7 / -10 )

Posted in: Japan test tour by 4 Thai people canceled after COVID infection See in context

Arrived negative, test positive locally, gives you an idea how rampant the virus is “in” Japan. In the current situation foreigners are more at risk while traveling in Japan.

The tourist could have caught the virus in Thailand but the amount of virus was too sparse to be detected by a PCR test when they flew to Japan. By the time a few days had passed, the virus replicated a few times in a quantity to be detected.

A friend of mine traveled from South Korea to Washington, DC for an academic conference about a month ago. Many people in DC were not wearing masks. She was masked and fully vaccinated but her risk of catching COVID increased around unmasked people. She tested negative when she left Washington DC. Fifteen hours later when she arrived in Incheon, South Korea, she tested positive. She quarantined at home and recovered quickly.

-10 ( +5 / -15 )

Posted in: Japan test tour by 4 Thai people canceled after COVID infection See in context

Here is the world the COVID hysterics bought us to. A pathetic circus and an absolutely absurd fear hysteria for what? A sore throat. The Japanese and the asians in general being even often more ridiculous than the rest of the word, the results is the perfect illustration of how primitives the kind called humans can get to.

Um, we have limited hospital capacity in Japan. If we allow an unrestricted number of tourists/students/business people into the country and wind up a large outbreak of COVID, it will break our hospital system. If this is the way you feel, then don't come to Japan. We'll be just fine without you.

-20 ( +6 / -26 )

Posted in: Poop-shaped pudding makers on sale now in Japan See in context

The Koreans also share an obsession with poop stuff.

And so do the Taiwanese!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: Just how accurate are rapid antigen tests? See in context

The accuracy of antigen test depends on how deep you go up your nostril to collect samples.

Most people don't dare to go all the way in and swap for 30 seconds.

Not all antigen tests use nasal swabs. I have Japanese antigen tests that use saliva. I used one when I had a sore throat a few months ago. I tested negative. I realized a few days later I contracted the sore throat from breathing in dust from deep cleaning my apartment.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: Musk warns Japan will cease to exist if birthrate continues decline See in context

I believe the poorest prefecture, Okinawa, will save Japan. Okinawans have the highest birthrate in Japan. Quite a few of my coworkers have anywhere from 5 to 7 children.

https://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/database/db-hw/FY2010/dl/live_births04.pdf

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Posted in: Tokyo reports 4,711 new coronavirus cases; nationwide tally 42,538 See in context

Our cases in Okinawa have doubled these past two days. Thank you Golden Week...

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Posted in: 10% suffer COVID-19 aftereffects 1 year after discharge from hospital: survey See in context

I’d also like to know what percentage of the vaccinated are suffering from debilitating side effects.

I am fully vaccinated with two boosters (all Moderna) here in Japan. I do not suffer from any debilitating side effects.

Of all of my friends who are fully vaccinated with boosters and I have many, none have suffered from any debilitating side effects.

However, I know of at least 15 people who have died from COVID and 4 people who suffer from Long COVID, all were unvaccinated.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

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