Posted in: Mass killing raises questions about security in Japan See in context
As the almost daily atrocities in Germany, France, USA, Japan etc show, it doesn't take much for a lone-wolf psycho, affiliated with Daesh or not, to think of a way to massacre innocent people, be it with a knife, gun, machete, bomb, lorry... God only knows what will be next. The only thing for certain is that we won't have to wait long for the next one.
Lock your doors and watch your back.
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Posted in: Shock as peaceful Japanese town wakes to knife rampage See in context
@Stickman. Did you read the article? Where does it say he tied up a member of staff? And I still fail to understand how dozens of people could be stabbed without any of them screaming (even though they were sleeping) and alerting staff (the ones not tied up, that is) who could have called the keystones.
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Posted in: Shock as peaceful Japanese town wakes to knife rampage See in context
How did he have time to stab all these people and then drive to a police station to hand himself in, before the police even arrived on the scene?
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Posted in: Holiday trip See in context
Yubaru, a purse is something you put in a handbag. It's used for carrying cash, credit cards etc. Not all English speakers use American English, you know.
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Posted in: Tarpaulin mishap delays Japan's first military satellite by two years See in context
2 years? A tarpaulin? Is it April 1st?
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Posted in: The key to loving Japanese TV if you're a foreigner See in context
@ Lloyd Weems
Not to mention all the sport; in the past month alone: Euro 2016 football; Wimbledon; The Open golf; F1, and probably loads more I've forgotten after this early summer in lager-drenched, remote-controlled, sofa heaven. And the sports coverage covers ALL the action; it's not just focussed on participants of one nationality! Know wot I mean, like?
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Posted in: The key to loving Japanese TV if you're a foreigner See in context
The key to loving JTV? Move back to England! Its all a distant memory now thank god. ("Kawaii... Oishii.. Sugoi.." aaah- get thee hence, ye demons)
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Posted in: Tokyo governor race a fight to save reputation as 2020 Olympics host See in context
Is the new stadium finished yet?
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Posted in: Japan lowers voting age, but are young ready to vote? See in context
They will have been studying English for 6 or 7 years by then, so should be able to write the letter "x" in a box. Just.
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Posted in: Iceland beats England 2-1 in shock of Euro 2016 See in context
Bet they couldn't even beat Aldi !
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Posted in: Turmoil deepens as Scotland threatens to block Brexit; 11 Labour Party members quit See in context
Several people here are banging on about "Farange"; er, actually he's been stuck in the Ecuadorian Embassy for the last 5 years. If only "Farage" had been too!
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Posted in: Dead money: Battle for Japanese inheritances heats up See in context
I think all old codgers should go on "SKI" trips before they shuffle off This Mortal Coil: "Spend the Kids' Inheritance". Don't have to worry about tax if there's nothing left to tax! Win, win, ne?
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Posted in: Man with only Y42 on him runs up bar tab of Y137,000 See in context
The first time I went to Japan, about 25 years ago, I was walking around and fancied a drink. So I walked into a "Snack" and ordered a cup of coffee. It seemed a little bit odd as this glamorous waitress brought my coffee over then sat down next to me. I thought, this is very attentive service. The place was strangely quiet as I drank my coffee, and I was getting some rather curious looks. I think they were as puzzled as I was. My bill was 500 yen, which I thought was a little dear but, oh well, this is Tokyo. It was only later that I discovered how lucky I'd been to escape without leaving an arm and a leg behind. They must have sussed that I was a fish out of water, and felt sorry for me. You see, in my country, England, a "snack" bar is like a cheap, greasy spoon, caff. And in my innocence abroad that's what I'd expected. A valuable lesson learnt. And fortunately I had more than 42 yen on me.
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Posted in: 41-year-old man arrested for sexually molesting 8-year-old girl See in context
Castrate the sicko
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Posted in: Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page testifies in 'Stairway to Heaven' trial See in context
... and they're half-inching the stairway to heavennnnnn...
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Posted in: Free Wi-Fi coming to McDonald’s Japan branches See in context
Ah, the joys of Wi-Fi. Can't remember the last time I communicated with anyone in my family. Every evening is the same- my wife on her tablet / PC (Facebook); my 13 year old daughter on her phone (Instagram/YouTube); my 9 year old son on his DS or Xbox; oh well, if you can't beat 'em.. my personal screen of choice is the good old gogglebox, and at least I don't get bothered as I watch every single game in Euro 2016 at home here in England. The only downside is that I have to fetch my own beer from the fridge as no one responds when I shout out for someone to bring me another can to drown my sorrows at England's latest abject non-performance. Ho hum..
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Posted in: Tokyo governor submits resignation effective June 21 See in context
How long till he parachutes into his next cushy little sinecure..?
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Posted in: Japan's first 'naked restaurant' to ban overweight diners See in context
Er, if you have to wear paper undies it isn't a "naked" restaurant.
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Posted in: Father says son forgives him after being left in Hokkaido forest See in context
I read that the boy reached the hut on the first day but wasn't found until the sixth day. Is this true? If so can anyone explain what he was doing for five days? Why didn't a patrolling soldier find him? Why didn't he approach someone? How did he find something to drink? Why didn't he try to find food? How did he go to the toilet? Etc etc. Maybe I've missed all this detail. Can someone please enlighten me.
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Posted in: Japanese Olympic Committee to investigate 2020 Tokyo bid See in context
How's the new stadium coming along, btw?
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Posted in: Anyone for sushi? See in context
Just ask a Japanese person to say sushi. Quod est (or, will be) demonstrandum. Maybe.
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Posted in: Anyone for sushi? See in context
@ F S Winters san
I'll try again then: they pronounce すas in "you / flew / too" ( these are English words which I think you will recognise). This is not how sushi is pronounced.
I'm bored with this now. I'm off to the loo.
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Posted in: Anyone for sushi? See in context
How about SUsan, SOon, SUper, gotta be lots more....
Those are all "soo" sounds. Read my post again. Duh.
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Posted in: Anyone for sushi? See in context
I've been trying, unsuccessfully, to teach my friends here in England the correct pronunciation of sushi; everyone says "soo"-shi. We just don't have that sushi の "su" sound in English, do we? I can't think of any words that have it, can you?
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Posted in: Trash cans removed from Tokyo subway stations in preparation for G-7 summit See in context
All this feverish summit-talk brings back fond memories of PM Cold-Pizza Obuchi and the months of endless front page agonizing over where to hold a G-nantoka summit, back in the day (?); and the winner is... Okinawa! Yay!
That was his major achievement, literally: deciding to hold it there.
Along with the introduction of the 2000 yen note.
Does anyone remember either of those? Or him? (Apart from sabishii-yatsu me)
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Posted in: Precautions See in context
..or maybe they're just planning to bash any unsuspecting rapscallions or ne'erdowells over the head with these lethal, orange and white, stripy weapons, cunningly disguised as cones.
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Posted in: Precautions See in context
Note the officer carrying the cone-positioning manual, to make sure each cone is in the correct place.
Oh, and if they want to make absolutely sure that security is watertight, I can recommend a British anti-terrorism security company, with very recent experience at Old Trafford.
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Posted in: Japan to release 210,000 tons from rice reserves due to surging prices
Wallace ,do the rice Fukushima glow in the dark
Posted in: Japan to release 210,000 tons from rice reserves due to surging prices
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