Posted in: Asia's top film festival in crisis See in context
“This festival is not a personal possession of state officials, but a valued cultural heritage nurtured and enjoyed by movie fans”
Sorry to ruin your illusion
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Posted in: Man arrested after doing yoga, meditating on Japan-bound plane See in context
As he's a farmer of advanced age most likely from the countryside it's quite likely he's not used to interacting with people of different nationalities (least of which Japanese).
Also as he's 72 he would've been through the Korean War, so no telling what he's been through (more bombs were dropped on the peninsula than in the entire Pacific theater of WWII, tens of thousands of ROK citizens were illegally executed by ROK authorities, and overall more citizens died than in any conflict the US has ever been involved in).
Put all that into blender, hem him in a tiny space, order him back to said space, and watch wacky drama ensue.
-1 ( +0 / -1 )
Posted in: Actress Rie Miyazawa announces divorce See in context
No I don't think she was 100% the victim at all, just somewhat naive at that time probably.
StrangerLand- Yes marriage is obviously meant to be long-term, but Hawaiian surfer dudes rank amongst the word's best lotharios and have their own code regarding "chicks"
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Posted in: Islamic State claims responsibility for deadly bombings in Brussels See in context
Trump just became the next president of the United States.
1 ( +9 / -8 )
Posted in: Actress Rie Miyazawa announces divorce See in context
For Hawaiian surfer dudes cute Jpn girls are just little pieces of sushi, they're usually not interested in anything that serious or long-term (and they're usually not big fans of Japanese etiquette, either).
Unfortunately Rie had to find out the hard way, which also has consequences for her daughter.
-4 ( +2 / -6 )
Posted in: Yomiuri Giants pitcher admits to gambling on baseball games See in context
At his press conference he alluded to the person who convinced him to gamble as being a very "scary-looking" person...no doubt this investigation will sweep all that under the rug, even though it was already exposed via the Kiyohara scandal.
Now it's apparent the Giants' association with the shadow world is institutionalized and extends to the highest rungs.
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Posted in: N Korea presents detained American to media See in context
After receiving a debriefing from the State Department
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Posted in: Seoul's spy agency says North Korea is preparing attacks See in context
[ The Saenuri official refused to say whether the briefing discussed how the information has been obtained. ]
-1 ( +0 / -1 )
Posted in: U.S. flies F-22 fighters over S Korea after North's rocket launch See in context
This is how conflict is stirred up to promote the sales of weapons and keep military bases on foreign soil
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Posted in: Facing new sanction threats, North Koreans defiant as ever See in context
The issues of meddling are not just unique to NK-
[ All four Americans, including one female, entered the country between February 11 and 12, providing false information that they were tourists.
The Americans' presence coincided with rallies marking the fifth anniversary of Bahrain's 2011 uprising. ]
http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/15/middleeast/bahrain-americans-arrested/
1 ( +1 / -0 )
Posted in: Japan announces new sanctions against North Korea See in context
Hundreds of thousands of Koreans were relocated to Japan to support Japan's war effort and made to do dangerous work (and everyone's pretty familiar with the comfort women issue). Gruesome medical experiments were also carried out on Korean nationals. Bombs (including napalm) which devastated the peninsula during the Korean War were manufactured in Japan. This is the background to the abduction of Japanese nationals to the North during the 70's and 80's. Those historical realities don't justify the abductions, but are a part of the fabric.
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Posted in: Former baseball star Kiyohara arrested over drug possession See in context
Kiyohara will just get a slap on the wrist at the end of the day and revert to hanging out with his "associates"
0 ( +1 / -1 )
Posted in: SMAP sticking together See in context
They never stated overtly that they were sticking together, just that they were sorry for all the speculation and to please support them regardless of what happens
1 ( +1 / -0 )
Posted in: Pentagon: 2 U.S. Navy boats held by Iran but will be returned See in context
If you believe it was that accidental and innocuous I've got a dinosaur to sell you
7 ( +13 / -6 )
Posted in: Pentagon: 2 U.S. Navy boats held by Iran but will be returned See in context
"drifted into Iranian waters"...what a gem
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Posted in: Donald Trump calls Bill Clinton a 'great abuser' See in context
[ Cheryl M. Pace I hope to see a female president of the U.S. in my lifetime...just not sellout Hillary. · Reply · Likes 1,390 · 19 hrs ]
"The Hillary Rodham Clinton that enters Tuesday’s kickoff Democratic presidential campaign looks markedly different from the one that ran for president in 2008, as she chases the liberal voters that have come to dominate her party’s nomination process with a leftward drift.
The last time Mrs. Clinton took the stage for a presidential debate, she was against same sex-marriage, a supporter of the Second Amendment, stood behind her Iraq War vote and was opposed to states issuing driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants. Flash forward to Tuesday in Las Vegas, and Mrs. Clinton enters as a backer of same-sex couples, a supporter of tighter federal gun control measures, has admitted her vote for the Iraq War was a “mistake” and is an advocate for illegal immigrations."
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/oct/12/hillary-clinton-flip-flops-from-2008-positions-in-/?page=all
https://www.facebook.com/TheOther98/photos/a.115969958413991.17486.114517875225866/1212469008764075/?type=3&theater
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Posted in: Trump warns Clinton to 'BE CAREFUL' in using the woman 'card' See in context
Just because someone hasn't been convicted by a court of law doesn't mean they are immune to pulling funny business.
[ “They’ve engaged in behavior to make people wonder: What was this about?” says Harvard Law Professor Lawrence Lessig, who is a Democrat. “Was there something other than deciding the merits of these cases?”
Critics also have hit the charity for accepting donations from foreign governments, which they say could pose problems for her if she is elected, potentially opening her to criticism that she is obligated to foreign donors. ]
http://www.wsj.com/articles/ubs-deal-shows-clintons-complicated-ties-1438223492
-1 ( +1 / -2 )
Posted in: Trump ramps up attacks on Clintons See in context
@Laguna
Posting autobiographical info of a guy with a humble background and one with a privileged one doesn't prove anything, least of all as it pertains to rape.
The number of officially-recorded sexual harrassment / rape allegations against Clinton are numerous and a matter of public record
-2 ( +0 / -2 )
Posted in: Trump ramps up attacks on Clintons See in context
Sorry Bill the chickens have come home to roost. It may be a better idea not to campaign with your...wife
https://www.corbettreport.com/google-bill-clinton-rape/
-1 ( +6 / -7 )
Posted in: The show must go on, unless North Korean divas say otherwise See in context
Apparently what happened was Beijing requested they alter the lyrics to their songs and not exult Kim Jong-un (by implication) as something greater than the Chinese leaders
0 ( +1 / -1 )
Posted in: Whale-watching See in context
unfortunately yes whale is also eaten to a lesser extent in korea (possibly somewhat owing to Japanese influence during colonization)
-5 ( +1 / -6 )
Posted in: Japanese hostess club women share top 5 unattractive things guys do all the time See in context
Someone I went with actually did buy one of these girls.
To be honest they all came off as vain gold diggers.
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Posted in: Ariana Grande abruptly cancels Japan tour See in context
Just the facts- Artists are forced to cancel when the ticket numbers don't look good
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Posted in: NBR names 'Mad Max: Fury Road' best film of the year See in context
The current environment for making movies isn't very good overall, a sentiment which has been voiced by a number of actors/directors
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Posted in: U.S. working to keep up with surging weapons demand abroad See in context
Triumvere,
As has been well-established by numerous observers/insiders, the war machine is very intertwined with power and money, I mean at this point unless you've had your head in the sand it really goes without saying-
http://www.filmsforaction.org/watch/john_pilger_there_is_no_war_on_terror_there_is_a_war_of_terror/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRKEBAE_P5U
0 ( +1 / -1 )
Posted in: U.S. working to keep up with surging weapons demand abroad See in context
"Removing hostile Middle Eastern dictators is something the US has been concerned with for a long time"
While enabling/supporting amiable dictators.
Why?- Because it's not about "justice," or being "a force for good" (witness the tens of millions killed/displaced by the US military after 1945).
It is about power and money (for a select few), and therefore all about things like the pipeline and arms sales
1 ( +2 / -1 )
Posted in: U.S. working to keep up with surging weapons demand abroad See in context
Wars ratchet up tensions and destabilize regions, which creates demand. That's the path to profit.
In any case it's already been elaborated on numerous times by insiders, not even an issue for debate (unless one is desperate to persuade others for the sake of one's livelihood or personal worldview).
1 ( +2 / -1 )
Posted in: U.S. working to keep up with surging weapons demand abroad See in context
Telling that most people are unable to clearly see the situation for what it is- http://www.filmsforaction.org/articles/we-created-islamic-extremism-those-blaming-islam-for-isis-would-have-supported-osama-bin-laden-in-the-80s/
3 ( +5 / -2 )
Posted in: U.S. working to keep up with surging weapons demand abroad See in context
Pretty clear to anyone who has been following the situation that this is the real terror.
9 ( +10 / -1 )
Posted in: Former S Korean President Kim Young-sam dies at 87 See in context
It really didn't matter that he was oppositional or for "democracy"- by the time he finally became president, all the civil institutions had been set up by the US-backed dictators to favor the ruling elite, which allowed the IMF to swoop in and set up the "reforms" which have resulted in a lack of jobs , growing income disparity, and the highest suicide rate in the OECD. Young South Koreans now refer to their country as "Joseon Hell" ((Joseon was the last ruling Korean monarchy which actually enabled Japan to colonize Korea and was marked by rampant nepotism).
http://www.koreaexpose.com/voices/korea-thy-name-is-hell-joseon/
0 ( +0 / -0 )
Wonder if drones can be used to slowly spray the roof with something to melt the snow away.
Posted in: 98-year-old man found dead under eaves of shed after removing snow from roof
His story is being told on NHK tv. See : "58 Stolen Years - Two Siblings on the Road to…
Posted in: Japanese man acquitted of 1966 murders to sue state for defamation
Posted in: The squad saving deer from tourist trash in Nara
Posted in: Mariah Carey, Chubby Checker, Cyndi Lauper, OutKast and Phish get Rock Hall nominations