Moonraker comments

Posted in: Hit TV satire reveals how Japanese society has changed See in context

Thanks for your lecture on cultural relativism, Chikatilo, but, if you look a little more closely, I am actually portraying the world from the point of view of the atavistic types who enjoyed the fact they could behave like cavemen in the 80s and never really grew out of it. Do you recognise the type?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Posted in: Hit TV satire reveals how Japanese society has changed See in context

The old Charisma Man routine probably doesn't work as well nowadays. It was probably what kept many foreign men in Japan longer than they intended.

Now some are still around, railing against signs that Japan is importing "wokeness", losing its chauvinistic traditions and less a heaven for their prejudices.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

Posted in: Trump's team cites First Amendment in contesting charges in Georgia election interference case See in context

Every prosecutor going after Trump is a lib

Probably because "libs" believe and invented the modern rule of law, while others, such as Trump, believe in violent overthrow.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Posted in: Hit TV satire reveals how Japanese society has changed See in context

The old Charisma Man routine probably doesn't work as well nowadays. It was probably what kept many foreign men in Japan longer than they intended.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

Posted in: The search to discover why 'outliers' survive deadliest cancers See in context

We typically underestimate pure luck in all aspects of our lives. Is there really a signal over the random noise of chance? I guess AI is more likely to find it. But then we may not even know how it did it. Fascinating stuff.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Posted in: China's latest EV is a 'connected' car from smart appliance maker Xiaomi See in context

China's latest EV is a 'connected' car

Connected straight to the Ministry of State Security.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Posted in: 2 more deaths linked to Kobayashi Pharma dietary supplements See in context

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said most of the reports of people experiencing ill health after taking the supplements related to those made since September last year.

A shareholder in his 70s voiced his anger that it took the company two months to go public about the issue after it was notified about the health problems in January, saying its actions came too "late."

He seems to have a good point. Something is starting to smell here.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

Posted in: How much attention do you pay to information, such as calorie count, on food labels or menu items in restaurants? See in context

There is precious little information about what goes into food in restaurants. And, to be honest, I don't really trust any restaurants because of this. Cheaper restaurants buy in most of the food pre-prepared and cook it on-site and few of the employees will know what has gone into it, especially what additives or taste-enhancers. The human sense of taste is so easily deceived and there are scientific industries out there whose purpose is solely to deceive it. In any case, we have no idea what goes in the food but, unlike in packaged food, there is no obligation to tell us. It's just BS marketing speak on all the menus. Expensive restaurants try to fool the customers with foreign words (I have seen "togarashi" for chillis in Australia, and not even a Japanese restaurant, for example!), when there are perfectly good English words, and it's pretty much proof they are pretentious and so in it to deceive. I make a point of asking waiting staff what the hell it all means. Calorie counts? If only that were the worst of the problem. Luckily I can cook a wide variety of foods myself and prefer my own over almost anything.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Posted in: If there are issues arising from a gender imbalance, as the media we should communicate them, and make them an opportunity for society as a whole to reflect on. See in context

Well, only 30 years behind but it will be better than when I first got to Japan and females were mostly just decoration, nodding their heads theatrically and squeaking to anything the authoritative male newscaster said.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Posted in: Plunging births push Japanese diaper maker to switch to adult market See in context

That picture is pretty depressing.

-4 ( +6 / -10 )

Posted in: China's President Xi meets U.S. executives, academics in Beijing See in context

As ever in China, business leaders will leave their withered consciences at the door if the promise of profits is held under their fat chins. We have much to denounce them for over the past 30 years. And China has played them for all they are worth.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Posted in: UK court says Assange can't be extradited on espionage charges until U.S. rules out death penalty See in context

I shudder to think of a world where China and Russia and the opposition that holds the West accountable are no longer here.

Aaah, you were doing ok until this point. China? Russia? Those sticklers for the truth (with Chinese and fascist characteristics)?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Posted in: Trump selling Bibles to encourage supporters to 'Make America Pray Again' See in context

Definitive proof he has absolutely no shame.

12 ( +15 / -3 )

Posted in: Japan tees up Abe's ex-interpreter to help chart course with Trump See in context

But, of course, a good many of Trump's disciples can understand him whatever he says because they deludedly imagine he is speaking in tongues, praising their god.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

Posted in: Japan should build its own artificial intelligence technology rather than relying on imports, tailored to its unique data, language and cultural nuances. See in context

Using Nvidia chips, of course, to reinvent the wheel. Of course, this is bound to appeal to Japanese who have been taught to believe everything is uniquely unique in Japan but isn't the whole point of AI that it is a universal software that can be trained specifically? Do we need a different software for each individual language and culture in the world?

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Posted in: Okinawan man, 2 others arrested for sending marijuana to rival music composer See in context

approximately 0.99 grams

Approximately 1 gram then.

13 ( +14 / -1 )

Posted in: Japan tees up Abe's ex-interpreter to help chart course with Trump See in context

If the guy can interpret Trump's incoherent stream of consciousness then he is a modern-day Dr Dolittle.

9 ( +12 / -3 )

Posted in: UK court says Assange can't be extradited on espionage charges until U.S. rules out death penalty See in context

It's another sordid episode in which the UK comes out stinking whatever happens to Assange from now. The less said about the hypocritical US the better.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Posted in: Why are Americans fighting over no-fault divorce? Maybe they can’t agree what marriage is for See in context

Steven Crowder, a conservative commentator who prides himself on his “provocative” views

In other words, a troll.

Marriage is an effective way of removing the distabilising influence on society of unattached young men. That's one reason why they were given entitlements over and power over the women included in the bargain as enticements. To conservative old men this sounds just as it should be. Short of forcing them to die for their stupid causes, they want the young men tied up in marriage. They don't trust young men, partly because they couldn't trust themselves and partly because they can be a threat to them. A conservative tends to believe everyone else is as diminished in their motives as they are and they need to be sternly punished because they suppose it worked for them.

suggested “public shaming” of spouses who commit marital fault and then divorce.

Interesting that Deevers includes "and then divorce" since if there were public shaming of spouses that commit marital fault only, the net would bring up so many of the bottom-dwellers from among conservatives and religious nuts.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Posted in: Japan’s bone-breaking and record-breaking roller coaster permanently shutting down See in context

when doing catapult lunches

Is that because the G-forces force the lunch out?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Posted in: Putin says Islamic extremists raided concert hall but attack masterminds yet to be found See in context

Good comment, rainyday. It's amazing how people can twist their own minds to fit their prior beliefs. But, in the end, the little strongman, Putin, failed in the very raison d'etre of a strongman - keeping everyone safe.

16 ( +21 / -5 )

Posted in: 2 die, 100 hospitalized after consuming Japan drugmaker's health supplements See in context

The beni-koji products were expected to help lower levels of LDL cholesterol, known as "bad" cholesterol.

So, does it work? Has it been tested for that? Or is it another quack remedy?

11 ( +13 / -2 )

Posted in: Conspiracies linger after Princess of Wales cancer revelation See in context

Britain's Daily Mail tabloid also lashed out, asking: "How do all those vile online trolls feel now?"

The Daily Mail, one of the country's leading trolls, attacking a good proportion of its own readership. If you really want to feel humanity is done for, read comments in the Mail.

10 ( +14 / -4 )

Posted in: 2025 Expo to exhibit carbon-capturing concrete dome See in context

The special concrete hardens by capturing CO2 in the air and will reduce CO2 emissions in its construction phase by 70 percent compared with a structure built with conventional concrete, according to construction firm Kajima Corp.

But by far most of the CO2 emissions are not caused in the construction phase; they come from the production of cement which uses fossil fuels to heat limestone to 1400 degrees to produce a chemical reaction which itself produces CO2. Kajima's process may reduce the emissions in the construction phase but it is a misrepresentation to suggest that it is a construction method that will capture carbon and even make much dent on the contribution of concrete pouring to CO2 production.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: Trash tidal wave coats normally pristine Bali beach See in context

What a complete disgrace for the world in general and Indonesia in particular.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Posted in: Crimes didn't increase in February and March, which indicates a certain deterrent effect of the cameras. See in context

burglaries of evacuated houses and thefts of personal belongings at evacuation shelters.

But, but, but ... I thought you could leave your wallet or mobile phone anywhere in Japan and it would be handed in or someone would chase after you with it. That's what NHK World told me. People in the rest of the world were amazed.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Posted in: Revamped public toilet tours give visitors unique view of Tokyo See in context

for 4,950 yen per person. They last for around two hours at a time, with participants allowed to use the facilities.

Only if I'm desperate.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Posted in: U.N. says e-waste from trashed electric devices piling up and recycling isn't keeping pace See in context

higher consumption, limited repair options, shorter product life cycles,

So, higher short-term profits, socialised long-term costs. That's what we call the economy. It still grows as costs are counted in consumption but paying for the adverse consequences of previous consumption/profits is not growth in any meaningful sense. This 'defensive spending' increases as a percentage of overall spending.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

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