joetheplumber comments

Posted in: Reporter's look at yakuza gets personal See in context

Why do you think many Japanese businesses are broken or cannot recover? The Japanese Yakuza have a negative impact on small business confidence and survival. Maybe Mr Hatoyama will now rectify this long standing problem in Japanese society.

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Posted in: 40 police cars, 100 officers, one copter mobilized to chase 2 thieves See in context

Time they went after the real crooks out there. I mean it is good they caught this one but perhap an example over an too many cooks on the job.

When you do need their presence police are nowhere to be seen.

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Posted in: S Korea, Japan say no aid until N Korea disarms See in context

If N Korea were to keep their promise and show determination towards peace many countries would help it. It would enjoy being a memnber of the international community.

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Posted in: S Korea, Japan say no aid until N Korea disarms See in context

"Not sure why they were getting aid before....."

Because N Koreans have shown positive moves at times, but always go back on their words. If only for once they do as they say. One minute they are halting nuclear work and next they are back at it again.

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Posted in: S Korea, Japan say no aid until N Korea disarms See in context

North Korea will get what they need from their Chinese friends. And ofcourse other countries which oppose the US. I am sure the pressure applied by Japan and S Korea will not work. It has not in the past.

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Posted in: Ishihara blames Tokyo 2016 failure on behind-the-scenes deals See in context

It goes to show that to win you need diplomacy. Neither Japan nor the US had what it takes to win a bid. Beside Ishihara seems a little hostile to foreigners. He is a contradiction.

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Posted in: Chicago's Olympic loss is blow to Obama, too See in context

Obama ha smore important work to do. Fix the economy. Leave the Olympic bids to Biden.

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Posted in: Real Clothes See in context

She could always play a role that does not require speaking English.

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Posted in: Japan’s medical infrastructure crumbling See in context

Don't worry Mr Hatoyama has the solution. He will rectify the crumbling medical system. Reform!

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Posted in: What is your impression of the English-teaching industry in Japan? Have things improved since Nova's collapse or are there still bad apples in the barrel? See in context

Some Nova schools deliberately knocked back students even though there were time slots and teachers available on any particular day. I thought this was a wierd practice. In fact I could see Nova failing 5 years earlier than it did. They had many wierd practices.

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Posted in: Real Clothes See in context

Hitomi should go to hollywood. She would be a hit.

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Posted in: What is your impression of the English-teaching industry in Japan? Have things improved since Nova's collapse or are there still bad apples in the barrel? See in context

In my opinion, English should be taught by professional teachers. In no way should conversation schools hire anyone without proper qualifications. They have a responsibility to the paying client to provide professional services. Nova may have started doing the right thing, but as it became bigger it lost the ability to provide professionalism. It charged students high fees and treated its teachers badly. How could it have survived?

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Posted in: What is your impression of the English-teaching industry in Japan? Have things improved since Nova's collapse or are there still bad apples in the barrel? See in context

jonnydesu:

yes, there is a difference between between Business English and conversational English You are correct here. Business English is certainly different than everday conversation English. It requires trained teachers to teach it.

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Posted in: What is your impression of the English-teaching industry in Japan? Have things improved since Nova's collapse or are there still bad apples in the barrel? See in context

A good conversation school looks after teachers and students. Good teachers need to be rewarded and bad teachers sent on their way. Nova failed because it promoted inept teachers and lost some of its best teachers, because they were ill treated. Nova's fall was on the cards. Other schools must learn and change if they are to survive.

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Posted in: What is your impression of the English-teaching industry in Japan? Have things improved since Nova's collapse or are there still bad apples in the barrel? See in context

Many English conversation schools continue to treat their teachers badly. The emphasis is to please only the students. With this attitude most good teachers take off. So you are left with teachers who are inept and inexperienced. About time teachers were treated with more respect and less fine print in their contracts.

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Posted in: Bush officials face liability for anti-terror policies See in context

Nancy Pelosi has been fending off congressional action against the bush administration. why do you think Pelosi has been fending off action? She is perhaps guilty of worse...

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Posted in: Bush officials face liability for anti-terror policies See in context

Charged with what? Torture? Murder?

Much worse....adaydream

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Posted in: Bush officials face liability for anti-terror policies See in context

Actually some of America's strongest opponents are in power now. It is the Democrats who sell-out America and apologies to their adversaries. They should be charged.

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Posted in: What did you think of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's diplomatic debut on the world stage last week? See in context

All show and no substance at this point. Addressing the UN is easy. Delivering will be difficult. I was not overly impressed.

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Posted in: Three dead in four-car pileup on Ibaraki highway See in context

Thanks for the advice auntplum. I have on occassions confronted these hoons especially the tailgaters( there are so many of them). And yes the photo take with cell phones has been practiced. I am not easly frightened, but on an expressway you risk death. Not all drivers are physically strong enough to take on some of these hoons. You are lucky to have a strong guy as your husband and who is willing to teach these guys a lesson.

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Posted in: Are you optimistic that things will get better in Japan under new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama? See in context

With population declining, there is a feeling that building new schools is pointless. even upgrading old ones is pointless. Many schools will probably close down. Hatoyama needs to make it affordable to have children. Give young couple the financial assitance to have kids. The elderly need more nursing homes. As for roads, they do need upgrading. Narrow and without pavements, sidewalks people are risking death each day just walking down the road. Widen those narrow alleys and create walkways where people can walk without fear, make cycling lanes too. Each time I walk donw the street I fear a bicycle will knock me over.

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Posted in: Are you optimistic that things will get better in Japan under new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama? See in context

We certainly will give Hatoyama and his cabinet time to prove themselves. They have been given a mandate to govern. Just how far to the left will the go? How big a change will they bring to the average Joe out there? Back street conditions are poor and dangerous. Expressways should be cheaper and better policed for nutty drivers. Monopolies by a few Japanese companies have to change too. Go for it Hatoyama and do not resign at the first hurdle.

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Posted in: Three dead in four-car pileup on Ibaraki highway See in context

You really do not want to anger a truckie. They will intimidate you and frighten the hell out of you. They stop where they like, use mobiles freely and rarely obey any traffic rules. When they are running out of time they will endanger your life.

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Posted in: Are you optimistic that things will get better in Japan under new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama? See in context

Everything I touch has a "made in China label on it" or if it is Japanese I need to pay more than double for it. Japan is afraid of competition. Hatoyama needs to have some guts to bring about real change. He does not have it.

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Posted in: Are you optimistic that things will get better in Japan under new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama? See in context

Hatoyama cannot change Japan. Japan has to toss off the attitude and mentalities that have kept it from change for the last 60 years. They need to open the doors to competition and challenge its neighbour China in providing cheap and high quality products produced here at home.

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Posted in: Three dead in four-car pileup on Ibaraki highway See in context

Excuse the typing errors in my posts. I press submit before preview.

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Posted in: Three dead in four-car pileup on Ibaraki highway See in context

I have experienced road rage in my home country, where the police are usually visible on the roads and do chase these hoons. Our police adise us not to engage these lunatics and avoid conflict. Best to steer awya and save yourself from possible death. If there are no witnesses these guys get awy with murder. I often see the Japanese police picking up cyclists for no light at night, whilst the killer drivers are onthe expressway killing people. What is happeninhg here?

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Posted in: Three dead in four-car pileup on Ibaraki highway See in context

Nice advice auntplum. I have done what you say in the past and it has worked. But the recent situation was different. I enetered a ramp on a forked part of the Kanetsu an dhe was right up my rear trying to squeeze on my right. I kept my cool and steered my way down safely. He then overtook me went to the middle lane and I followed behind him. He seemed angry that I had the nerve to follow him. So he slowed to a crawl provoking me. I took the left exit at that point and lucky there were witnesses behind me. The coward took off mighty fast after that. I certainly was not stupid to ram him and played it cool and calmly. In the past I have done what you said, slowed down and usually it works. The cowards often turn off and clear out. Trucks are also big tailgaters and the cause of many fatalities.

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