Posted in: Japan's 'naked men' festival succumbs to aging population See in context
Cultural traditions are man-made, so they can also be man-changed as cultures evolve. I am not saying evolving always means an improvement. It would be fine with me watching a documentary film of this and other disappearing cultural events, except for those where humans and/or other animals are harmed in some way.
0 ( +1 / -1 )
Posted in: Russia will not intimidate me, Estonian PM Kallas says See in context
What we learned from 1930s is that the price will be higher for everybody with every hesitation, with every delay."
Sad that the "we" in the above does not include the US GQOP and other anti-democracy groups around the globe. The far rightists that want to see authoritarianism replace democracy are not the sorts to 'learn' much beyond being able to parrot headlines with a quote one of their fellow extremists.
8 ( +8 / -0 )
Posted in: At least 340 people detained in Russia at events in memory of Navalny, rights group says See in context
law enforcement bundling people to the ground in the snow,
The above an ugly image, just another from. a nation whose leaders have pushed a blend of ultranationalism, cult of personality, and skewed religious beliefs to cow its people, making them beholden to and afraid of their rulers.
12 ( +12 / -0 )
Posted in: Ukraine's Zelenskyy warns of an 'artificial deficit' of weapons after withdrawal from Avdiivka See in context
resistance from House Republicans.
Not surprising most Republicans have stopped caring about the US its systems, and anyone who is not filthy rich, instead they blindly follow the gross fraudster, the failed businessman/politician, who wants to appease the globe's depots he admires because they, in his and his supporter's opinions, are 'strong', which in their lexicon means they have their opponents killed.
0 ( +9 / -9 )
Posted in: Western officials and Kremlin critics blame Putin and his government for Navalny's death in prison See in context
@bss: Putin got rid of his chief rival
Flip-floppery after praising Putin's strength and savvy. Putin doing what he did as a member of Stasi/KGB back in East Germany, some extremists who want to be ruled by a strongman seem to miss those days, were they when Germany was 'great'? LOL
4 ( +9 / -5 )
Posted in: Kim's powerful sister says N Korea, Japan can open 'new future' See in context
sister said Thursday her country would be open to improving ties with Tokyo,
The above sounds good, any chance of peace in the region is nice to hear, but at the sanme time I recall that Russia, one of North Koreas creators and current partners, said they were not going to invade Ukraine. I don't trust what is said by totalitarian regimes.
10 ( +16 / -6 )
Posted in: X feeds monetization of wartime misinformation See in context
@muskX-stan:most American's like, trust and respect Mr. Musk
I have yet to see any information or data suggesting that, but I assume you've got sources to back your opinion up. Elmo has had some great ideas, and has made members of China's CCP even richer, which probably gives him lots of cachet with those working for China and its partner nation's various PR agencies.
3 ( +4 / -1 )
Posted in: New York subway shooting kills one, wounds 5 after brawl erupts on train See in context
@sven: he Bronx always has been NYC's deadly 'Gaza strip
"Always"? Check history: cities and parts of cities tend to evolve over time. Sad that extremists need to use extreme language to make extremist claims.
-1 ( +0 / -1 )
Posted in: New York subway shooting kills one, wounds 5 after brawl erupts on train See in context
@Prot: here are safer countries in which to ride the subway
One of the pro-gun, far right's main propagandists, Tucker C has claimed Moscow is nicer than any US city; he and his fellow gunnuts should move there or maybe Minsk where their politics more closely align with the fascists running those places.
2 ( +2 / -0 )
Posted in: Poland, France and Germany vow to make Europe stronger as fears grow over Russia and Trump See in context
@bass: know Europe has it within its soul to become a stronger continent.
In my opinion, one of the best things is seeing modern Germany and others in Europe continuing to distance itself from those that want to see a far right return. Did you learn about the problems caused by the extreme far right while growing up in Europe? I'm curious how anyone (European or anywhere) even remotely aware of the dangers of fascism can continue to defend it like those pushing the US GOP's and Russia's agendas do.
6 ( +9 / -3 )
Posted in: Poland, France and Germany vow to make Europe stronger as fears grow over Russia and Trump See in context
Russia and Trump
thw Previous guys' political beliefs align more closely with Russia's, which are not terribly different from those of Germany/Italy and others in the 1930's, which are not terribly different from those of present day China, North Korea , Saudi Arabia and Iran, whith the possible exception of some religious beliefs. Too bad X-45, his followers and the Kremlin want to undo and redo what many hoped had been resolved in the 1940s. But The Previous Guy sees how rich Putin has become as a modern day tsar controlling his country's natural reources and wants to emulate him, on the backs of US citizens. Given how much money X-45 is reprted to been leaking because of his numerous business and personal failures, he's now put himself at the mercy of dictators and fellow ruling caste corporatists around the globe, for sale once again to the highest bidder, country be damned. He's all about his own wealth, which apparently gets less each day., thanks to his blunders galore.
12 ( +15 / -3 )
Posted in: Japan to pledge ¥15.8 bil for Ukraine's reconstruction See in context
@proxy: starting those labs up again
One more to add to the firehose of falsehoods streaming from Moscow, a tactic long used by totalitarian regimes and their useful idiots.
-1 ( +10 / -11 )
Posted in: Japan to pledge ¥15.8 bil for Ukraine's reconstruction See in context
@psudomouse: Does Ukraine appear to be free to you ?
The Russian invasion and war have kept Ukrainians from enjoying the freedom they deserve, perhaps after the Kremlin calls Russian troops back across the border to actual sovereign Russian territory, Ukraine can become free, free at last of Moscow control.
Let the rebuilding of Ukraine begin. But much of the money to rebuild the country needs to come from Putin's private coffers, and if he's not alive, as some are claiming in Russian disinformation circles, as part of their firehose of falsehoods, then it should come from those he's passed his wealth onto.
-2 ( +11 / -13 )
Posted in: Japan to pledge ¥15.8 bil for Ukraine's reconstruction See in context
Japan aims to show its commitment to supporting Ukraine
Good on Japan, curious to see whether the Kremlin will be willing to pay for the damage they created. If Putin is still alive I wonder whether he'd shell out money to support the rebuilding of Ukraine out of the billions he's skimmed from the Russian state, or maybe the people Putin leaves his wealth to will do so?
-3 ( +16 / -19 )
Posted in: Russian drone strike on Kharkiv, Ukraine's 2nd largest city, kills 7 See in context
@HopeSE: Ukraine's economy in freefall, population in dire straits as war grinds on and people flee abroad.
the above statement points to the horrors Putin and Kremlin have created, still some, mostly extreme right wing warmongers, want Putin and the Kremlin to march on to Portugal, and expect the 'west' to just allow them to do so. Why does China continue to accept Putin's war and the harm it does to so many. Iran and North Korea are profiting selling arms to Russia, so I can see why they bow down to Moscow.
4 ( +7 / -3 )
Posted in: Major rallies held in Indonesia as election campaign draws to close See in context
positioning itself as a future destination for multinational firms in the electric vehicle supply chain.
Bwst of luck to Indonesia in that endeavor, it's good reading about a different nation being able to possibly establish itself in the electric vehicle supply chain.
Hopefully the various global powers will keep their heavy hands off Indonesia, and allow it to grow; and the Indo-Pacific region can remain open for trade.
2 ( +2 / -0 )
Posted in: Acclaimed Japanese conductor Seiji Ozawa, who led the Boston Symphony Orchestra, dies at 88 See in context
family wished to have a quiet farewell.
farewell to a master. See Beethoven's 9th, Nagano Games for one of dozens of examples of his brilliance.
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xfnuyf
7 ( +8 / -1 )
Posted in: Australia records its 8th warmest year as climate change lifts temperatures See in context
For those denying climate change and the risks associated with it, and continue to believe that burning huge amounts of fossil fuels does not contribute to climate change, can you at least admit that the pollution released by burning huge amounts of fossil fuels is harmful to living things
children, and especially the poor, bear a disproportionate burden of disease and developmental impairment from both environmental pollution and climate change due to the combustion of coal, oil, gasoline, diesel and natural gas. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5800116/#:~:text=Children%2C%20and%20especially%20the%20poor,gasoline%2C%20diesel%20and%20natural%20gas.
I assume many of the burn burn burn zealots, and others preferring a return to some mythical past, 'could care less' as some of them say.
2 ( +2 / -0 )
Posted in: Australia records its 8th warmest year as climate change lifts temperatures See in context
as climate change lifts temperatures
If the planet is warming and continues to warm, which seems undeniable except to those curently profiting most), life on earth for all living forms can get. even more challenging, so what are our fossil masters (including those controlling western forms of capitalism as well as the authoritarian state forms) doing, if anything, to mitigate against that? You would think those of us at risk would be looked after by the masters, and if not replace them somehow - in democracies the ballot box is one way.
3 ( +3 / -0 )
Posted in: Kishida says Japan-Russia ties are 'difficult' See in context
@stephenChin: Putin will respect no one who fawns upon him. Tell him straight to his face, "Stop the war on Ukraine!"
So because Xi won't tell his pal Putin that Russia's war with Ukraine is stupid and hurting China and the world, does that mean Putin does not respect Xi.
4 ( +6 / -2 )
Posted in: Kishida says Japan-Russia ties are 'difficult' See in context
Q..tum: Russia considers its annexation of the areas legitimate.
And I would assume so would Russia's partners in imperialism China, North Korea Iran and possibly many members of the USGQOP, along with perhaps some from the Global South, especially those beholden to, aka 'finlandized by, the authoritarian bloc of nations.
3 ( +6 / -3 )
Posted in: Kishida says Japan-Russia ties are 'difficult' See in context
Russia considers its annexation of the areas legitimate.
More alternative reality from the land of Potemkin, see 'annexation' of Crimea and other areas of the sovereign nation of Ukraine for more current examples.
12 ( +17 / -5 )
Posted in: Pod of killer whales trapped in drift ice off northern Japan has apparently safely escaped See in context
Orcas are magnificent creatures, I'm glad they're free.
0 ( +0 / -0 )
Posted in: Taylor-mania hits Tokyo as Swift resumes tour before Super Bowl See in context
month of sell-out shows in Asia
I cannot name a single song by her, but then I can say the same thing about most current pop musicians. I know her mostly because of what the US media write about her, I think she's incredibly popular in the US, but did not know she's a global phenom as well.
But if she in fact has a month of sell-out shows in Asia, she must indeed be very popular, apparently making some US politicians jealous, but then some of them are pretty weak characters that must be threatened in some way by her and her success. I also have heard she encourages her fans to vote, which might make the anti-democracy pols upset. The US has elected a B-level movie star and a reality TV character to office, so supporters of them should accept Ms Swift's popularity and respect her call for more people to vote for the pol of their choice. Thanks Ms Swift for doing your part to encourage people to participate in a fundamental aspect of democracy.
7 ( +15 / -8 )
Posted in: KDDI to acquire 50% stake in Lawson; take it private with Mitsubishi See in context
Having been involved in organizations combined into bigger organizations, my experience has been that after the various units are merged then comes the territorial disputes among mid-level bureaucrats and executives whose numbers tend to increase afterward, so leadership ends up spending time trying to deal with the disputes instead of focusing on products and services. I would like to see service providers here simplify mobile phone systems, similar to what is used in the UAE which was buy a phone, get a SIM card and buy minutes for phone and/or data based on user preferences and needs; when you use up your minutes, you just top up the card. That way no sales people push complicated schemes that many of them cannot clearly explain. It would also be nice to see Lawson have ATM's that are as simple to use with foreign bank cards as those in the 7i stores.
2 ( +3 / -1 )
Posted in: U.S. conservative talk show host Tucker Carlson says he will interview Putin See in context
@thuna: If Americans are footing the bill for the war, they should at least know why it started.
Speaking for myself, I have had access to hundreds of sources that have led me to believe me that Russia planned and started the conflict long ago. I see myself as different from those from authoritarian regimes and/or those US and foreign that want to have democracies destroyed and replaced by authoritarianism (the democracy replacement pushers) , those that primarily have access, if any, to state controlled sources, and/or only want to accept propaganda from the globe's authoritarian bloc and their proxy media.
5 ( +12 / -7 )
Posted in: U.S. conservative talk show host Tucker Carlson says he will interview Putin See in context
Tucker Carlson, a conservative American
Long passed time to stop using "conservative" to describe what is actually far right wing extremism, and Tucker is actually anti-American. Tucker, like so many of his ilk in Germany during the 1940's is just concerned about adding to his privilege class inherited wealth. He is like so many US Americans following a deranged dictator wannabe that see the US system and government as bad because people like them are expected to follow laws and pay taxes, while claiming to be "patriots". Carlson like his idol won't lift a finger to help the country, and cares nothing about those not born into the upper caste, except to see them as dupes in trying to sell them their brand of ideological snake oil. If all you've got is 'that would be' save it.
4 ( +14 / -10 )
Posted in: 1st Russians are fined or jailed over rainbow-colored items after LGBTQ+ 'movement' is outlawed See in context
@bass: so what do you call Black and Latino GOP supporters
I'd call them outliers or anomalies, given both comprise large populations and in any large population outliers and anomalies are bound to occur. And of course the following: it's weak sauce to base opinions on outliers and anomalies, waiting for 'dems' libs, what about ...
7 ( +9 / -2 )
Posted in: King Charles III diagnosed with cancer See in context
Not my king, not my country. He is not an individual I have much, if any respect for.
But I feel for anyone with cancer and the treatments required to deal with it, I hope he is able to get medical care that enables him to beat the hideous disease which cancer is, and I hope all others in 'his kingdom' that have cancer can get treatment equal to his.
6 ( +15 / -9 )
Posted in: 1st Russians are fined or jailed over rainbow-colored items after LGBTQ+ 'movement' is outlawed See in context
LGBTQ+ activism as extremism
Extremism in what way? I think that Putin's catering (se bare chested horse riding) to a Neanderthal era sense of masculinity is extreme, as is so many Russian males injecting themselves with steroids to look like Conan. The Russian sense of masculinity seems to include a fear of LGBTQ+, along with a fear of women in general see (P*ssy Riot). Russia is similar to other nations that have leaders wanting to turn the clock back to mythical times when some thought things were great. They have disdain for the notion of progress and a religion that denies the notion of evolution. Let them go back in time, let them be left far far behind. The fossil era needs to wind down and out.
11 ( +12 / -1 )
Posted in: Biden vows to block Nippon Steel deal, seeks to triple tariffs on Chinese steel
Posted in: House Republicans finally announce vote for $61 bil in Ukraine aid
Posted in: Senate dismisses two articles of impeachment against U.S. Homeland Security secretary, ending trial
Posted in: Biden vows to block Nippon Steel deal, seeks to triple tariffs on Chinese steel