patkim comments

Typical Japanese response: train is is 50 cm away from the exact position. Keep doors closed and let people die cos it is shouganai.

I'm actually glad that the train has that automated mechanism not to open unless it is aligned with the doors. I'm sure if the doors suddenly opened while in between, people may get trapped or crushed on the home doors and then you can bet there will people saying how unsafe the system is.

Typical Japanese response: train is is 50 cm away from the exact position. Keep doors closed and let people die cos it is shouganai.

I'm actually glad that the train has that automated mechanism not to open unless it is aligned with the doors. I'm sure if the doors suddenly opened while in between, people may get trapped or crushed on the home doors and then you can bet there will people saying how unsafe the system is.

I need mine for hunting.

Hunting with a gun is for wimps. I've always chosen a compound bow. Much more exciting and sportier to hunt with.

Some might say that myth, but others would be happy that the butcher of Baghdad is no longer with us

As a result, we're stuck with ISIS.

If anything, the one thing I remember about Ichiro which stands out with me, is how he always respected the game and played it the right way. He once visited the Negro Leagues baseball stadium in Kansas City and came away so touched by it that he donated a nice sum of money to help keep it running. I even remember Ichiro visiting the grave of George Sisler (who he broke the single season hits record, back in 2004) to pay his respects. He felt that it was only appropriate for him to pay homage to the past.

If I was "asking for it" and provoking, inciting a potential flare-up, then Yeah -I guess I'd just have to take my lumps.

The video clearly shows Mr. McGraw running from a far distance to sucker punch the guy. That was both uncalled for and cowardly; even the sheriff said so himself. I could see if Mr. Jones was throwing punches too, or even yelling and spitting directly in Mr. McGraw's face, but he did no such a thing. In fact, he said nothing to Mr. McGraw at all. Since when does free speech in America give others the right to respond with violence? Yet that is what Trump wants; an America where free speech is not allowed (unless it agrees with what he says). He said that if you don't believe in and follow what he says, he'll "punch you in the face".

But with all this political drama in 2016, sometimes our emotions get the better of us. He only got elbowed in the face. He'll live.

So if someone had elbowed you in the face, I guess you'll just brush it off as innocent playfulness in the heat of a 'political drama' then. As for me, I would punch that person right back in their face.

In either case, the U.S. in the eyes of the rest of the world would be doomed. Cruz is too conservative and Trump has already burned too many bridges with Latin, Asian, and Muslim nations with his racist rants and promises of death and destruction to all who oppose him. Even the leaders of European nations are turned off by him. That leaves only a handful of countries who would possibly engage him in any form of diplomacy, if elected as President.

I'm not, I think people around the world probably can see this guy ain't a punk, so most people will probably tread lightly before doing anything stupid.

Then there is no difference between Trump as President and Kim Jong Un, as they both love to use violent rants to get their way. Trump is like the schoolyard bully who will force you to do what he says and if you don't will call you names and impose physical violence on you until you do. I wouldn't be surprised if Trump declares martial law when protesters in America rise up against him. Then you'll see the U.S. become as "democratic' as North Korea is.

Trump really scares me as a potential President as he has no clue, and will be totally scary with a nuclear arsenal at his disposal. I still remember last year when he stated that he wouldn't be afraid to use nuclear weapons, and yet, didn't understand what the term 'nuclear triad' meant. When he was asked which leg of the triad was his top priority, Trump responded by saying that "nuclear, the power, the devastation is most important". WTF?

And let's not forget that although he said that he would use the nuclear weapons at his disposal, he also stated that those said weapons are old and ineffective.

Plus, who would follow such a person who has to resort to name-calling, as in calling undocumented immigrants 'rapists', and issue unwarranted threats, such as threatening to kill all relatives of ISIS terrorists because he claims they should "know what's going on with their relatives".

I also don't trust Trump because he makes his campaign about making America great again, but has no concrete policies or plans to accomplish such a feat. At least other candidates make an attempt to create policies (even if some of them are terrible). With Trump, all you have is powerful slogans and "rah rah" speeches.

The problem with Trump is that he is all say and no substance. He says that he'll do this and that, but offers no real policy. He is also a racist who wants to get rid of Muslims, keep out Latinos, and likes making idiotic 'broken English' comments to mock Asians.

Yet, I have to admit that Trump is very smart in realizing that being controversial can make you more popular. He is simply being like a false prophet or televangelist who screams and shouts against the world to make his blind sheep follow him.

Guns on the other hand are not necessary for society whatsoever, and serve no positive purpose at all.

Exactly! The only purpose of guns are to kill. Gun-rights advocates squeal incessantly about their right to own a gun, but fail to pay attention to the right of non-gun owners to live in a country where they don’t have to worry about being shot and killed by one. I refuse to believe that this gun owner’s right was more important than his victims’.

Congrats to Kei Nishikori. It's not easy to win a title four times in a row; especially against a hometown favorite and promising teen who beat Steve Johnson. Bash Taylor Fritz all you want, but the kid has game. He kind of reminds me of teens like Andy Roddick and Micheal Chang who both came out of nowhere beating tennis greats until they got well-known. Kei was also in Mr. Fritz's shoes at one time; shocking the world.

So many sports writers, athletes, Vegas bookies, and so-called experts have the Panthers as overwhelming favorites; so much so that many feel that the Panthers should just be crowned champs already. I for one am of the minority that feel that the Broncos will show up focused and embrace their role as the underdog. Go Broncs and win one for Mr. B!

Smithinjapan said:

and needless to say the Russians for getting first and third.

I guess you missed reading this part in the article:

Also, one year after winning the junior Grand Prix Final, 16-year-old Evgenia Medvedeva of Russia was crowned the senior women’s champion.

Skating on the same rink in Barcelona, this year’s junior world champion coasted through her routine to Rene Aubry’s “Allegro.” She added to her leading short program with 147.96 points for a total score of 222.54.

“I didn’t really expect this result here, but I worked really hard for it,” Medvedeva said through a translator. “I am very pleased with my first senior season.”

In any case, I'm just amazed at how Yuzuru Hanyu has such nerves of steel and never ever seems to give into any pressure he faces; whether it be from the hoards of Japanese and foreign media, to the thousands of 'Yuzurists' (fans from all parts of Asia). He has simply mastered not only the physical aspect of figure skating, but the mental part as well. There's probably only a handful of figure skaters, both male and female, throughout the history of skating, that have achieved this kind of sustained level of perfection. Absolutely amazing!

Trump is such a tool. First it was Hispanics, and then the Chinese, and then the Japanese, and now Muslims. Who is he going after next?

No. What it really means is that liberals want to live in a world where there are NO repercussions, where there is No accountability and where traditionalism is something of the past and needs to be stomped out in order to push a progressive liberal agenda over the entire country. Check California.

That pretty much describes conservatives who could care less about the repercussions of the right to bear arms and how much blood is shed by crazies with guns. And a Republican's idea of accountability is blaming the victim for not protecting themselves with more guns in the first place. That kind of accountability is one I could live without. If being called a liberal means that I choose to enjoy living in a place where I never have to worry about the possibility of being caught in a crossfire at a public place, then a liberal I am.

I think tougher gun control laws should eventually lead to a total abolishment of guns. Yes, it sounds like a pipe dream to get rid of guns entirely, but all good things must start somewhere. After all, the right to bear arms has gotten the American people just more blood on their hands to deal with. Every single day, people are getting killed by guns in America; even little children. Just today, I read a story about an 11-year-old shooting to death another child in a spat over a puppy:

http://news.yahoo.com/us-boy-11-kills-girl-eight-over-puppy-211349093.html

The NRA and gun nuts want everyone else to believe that guns are needed for protection. Yet, I was able to live safely in the U.S. for 23 years without ever owning one, and none of my friends ever had one either. In fact, there have been so many instances of people getting shot accidentally by either their own gun or from someone else.

Why can't Americans get a handle on gun slaughter? Because the NRA will threaten, coerce and intimidate their way to selling more and more and more guns. That's the NRA some here are so proud of.

I totally agree. The NRA could care less about gun safety. They use these incidents of slaughter to make people buy more guns to "protect" themselves from others who use guns. Whatever funding they give to the government is used to only protect their own interests. As long as they get money from gun sales to line their bloody pockets with; travesties like this don't sadden them one least bit.

The terrifying thing is this doesn't shock anymore. Its become normal behavior.

I sincerely doubt that. This is news because it is shocking. I have worked for a lot of bosses in Japan, and even though a couple of them were losers, none of them were ever violent.

So sad. If only this guy had a good support system around him ... I know that at that age, every little failure or defeat (breakups in relationships, peer pressure, failing classes, getting fired from a part-time job, etc.) seems magnified, and it's hard to understand that the future is brighter and that options are out there. I don't know how I made it out of my younger years alive.

Omiyage is not something I mind so much, since it's a custom we have in Hawaii. We often go somewhere like Las Vegas and bring back treats as a nice addition to when we come over to friends back home to talk story. In Japan, we often exchange omiyage with some of our close neighbors. It helps since a couple of neighbors have nice big gardens and often give us a lot of fresh vegetables, but we don't have anything like that, so end up reciprocating with nice treats or souvenirs from our travels.

One custom that I do mind is hatsumode. I totally avoid going to go to a shrine or temple to pray on the 1st or 2nd day of January. Hate the fact of having to wait in a line for hours in the freezing cold. I end up doing the 'delayed version'; about two weeks later.

One custom that I absolutely love, is not having to tip at a restaurant, in a taxi, at a hotel, or a barber. That to me is one thing that is so awesome about Japan.

In order to take that scenario and believe you have any say is to believe that she is your property and he is not allowed to touch it. That sort of thinking is a sickness!

I totally agree. People should be allowed to sleep with anyone they please; it's a free world we live in. Although sleeping with a married person can be like playing Russian roulette and we must accept the consequences that come from it, at least people should have the choice to make it.

Honestly, I would never want to sleep with a married person. Even though this woman's husband was totally wrong for this insane act of violence and will likely go to jail for a long time for his crime, the lawyer will now unfortunately have to live with the results of his choices. It's like walking the streets of east L.A. at night; you're free to do it, but must be aware of the consequences of your actions.

Congratulations, Iwakuma! It just caps off a historic day in which all home teams won their games! Great job!

I just don't see how learning how to swim in a pool (like every country in the world teaches their kids to do) can prepare you for the inherent and not so apparent dangers (undertows, reefs, murky waters, rocks, etc.) of swimming in the wild. People just have to end up using their common sense. Back where I used to live, I couldn't count how many accidents and deaths involving teens and young adults jumping head first into rivers and streams. There were even a large amount of whitewater rafting incidents. I wonder if summer camp accidents happen as much here as they do in America?

Wow, what a freak accident. The fact that this makes the news ... Glad she will live to tell the story. At least it wasn't a hunter's rifle that she got accidentally shot with, as so often happens back where I come from.