Richard Burgan comments

Posted in: Japan becomes 5th country to land spacecraft on moon See in context

Good job JAXA! All three spacecraft made it to the lunar surface softly. Unfortunately, the SLIM lander is upside down. Something happened at the very last minute to flip the craft around and upside down. The batteries have now died; we must wait and see what happens. JAXA has a lot to learn about involving the public and keeping them informed. I remember the NASA and JPL missions in the 1960s and 1970s. They made the public an equal partner and kept us on the edge of our seats with detailed commentary and live pictures. Scientists always want to work in secret, but they should remember that the public pays the bills. There is a lot of public interest, there were over 45,000 people waiting for over an hour to watch the 2:15 AM (JST) news conference. Again, congratulations for landing on the Moon, Japan!

13 ( +13 / -0 )

Posted in: Japan allows quake-hit foreign trainees to work under relief steps See in context

"employed for up to eight hours at workplaces not designated under their programs." Does this mean eight hours total or eight hours per day?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Disaster survival kits See in context

These kits and emergency food supplies are big sellers in the US. You can go to any COSTCO in the US and buy a year's food supply. There's a lot more to being prepared for a disaster than just buying kits. You need a plan, and you need to practice it. In Japan, people seem to depend on the government to do everything. People even wait in their broken houses for the government to inspect them before they clean up and fix the damage. We all need to prepare ourselves. Then, we can live with peace of mind.

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

Posted in: U.S. military helicopters to deploy to Japan's earthquake-hit area See in context

@Brian Wheway The US offer to help was extended on January 2nd.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Posted in: U.S. military helicopters to deploy to Japan's earthquake-hit area See in context

@Pseudonymouse The offer to help was made on January 2nd. It took Japan a long time to request help. I'm sure the US would provide any level of help requested but the host nation has to request it. I think there is a mentality that asking for help is a sign of weakness. Of course that's twisted logic. Not asking for help IS a sign of weakness.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

Posted in: U.S. military helicopters to deploy to Japan's earthquake-hit area See in context

Just don't use the evil Osprey V-22s please. They can carry more people and cargo, are much cheaper to operate, and get there faster. Glad to see the US Military given the opportunity to help folks in Ishikawa Prefecture out.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Posted in: University entrance exams begin across Japan See in context

The Japanese university exam selects the best memorizers in the country. This test should be abandoned and replaced with a test that selects the most promising achievers and creative minds. Memory records the past and is not a good indicator of future performance. Japan needs to prepare for the future not live in the past.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Quake death toll 78; 51 missing as rescuers race against time See in context

'Officials' are having difficulty getting key supplies to many villages on the Noto Peninsula that are cut off. I'd like to point out that the U.S. Military has a huge capability in this area. I can tell you that military members would much rather be providing assistance than training. All it would take is one phone call from PM Kishida to get things rolling. (I know Japan needs to save face and appear capable of taking care of its own people. But, if you really want to be capable help your people faster! It is no shame to accept assistance in a natural disaster.)

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Posted in: Japan Airlines pilots 'unaware of fire' at first See in context

I'm not surprised that the pilots did not know about the fire. It appears that much of the control and information systems and wiring were destroyed in the initial collision. The fact that it took 18 minutes to evacuate is pretty concerning. The escape slides probably weren't working efficiently because the slope was slight due to the collapsed landing gear. I hope this incident comes to be known as a "New Year's Miracle." May the five dead Coast Guard Crew members rest in peace knowing they were helping their country.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Posted in: Runway safety concerns in focus as Japan probes Tokyo crash See in context

It is amazing that all passengers and crew from JL516 are safe. Good Job!

Worst firefighting response I have seen. They didn't even protect the passengers.

JL516 was clearly given 'clear to land' by ATC

JA722A (CG aircraft) was assigned as number 1 for takeoff and told to proceed to location C5 (which is next to the runway). The pilot did not acknowledge this command or state that he was entering the runway. He was not cleared for takeoff. The pilot obviously did not hold short and entered the runway.

Both pilots and ATC should have had situational awareness of each aircraft's position. The poor communication discipline certainly contributed to the confusion.

IATA regulations require exclusive use of English so that every pilot and ATC controller can understand. Yet, it is fairly common to hear conversations in Japanese. Many controllers and foreign pilots have strong accents that make communications less reliable.

The JTSB will investigate and determine the contributing factors to this accident. Flying will be safer as a result.

May the five Japan Coast Guard members who lost their lives serving their country rest in peace, and their families receive the appreciation of everyone.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Posted in: Court orders Okinawa to approve modified plan to build runways for U.S. Marine Corps See in context

Here's what's going to happen. Tamaki won't sign. The Central Government will sign for him. Tamaki will appeal to the Supreme Court. Work will begin again right after the New Year's holidays. Tamaki will spend all his time telling everyone that the forces of evil are against him. China will annex Taiwan while the US and Japan watch with outrage. Suddenly, Japan will realize that they may be next to become Chinese. The base expansion will be completed.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Posted in: U.S. Air Force identifies 8 crew lost in Osprey crash in Japan See in context

The eight crew members lost in this crash are exceptionally qualified and trained. They are the best of the best. Being a member of a Special Operations Unit is a big deal, and they only select the best. There must have been a mechanical failure to cause this accident. Both Americans and Japanese should respect the crew members who lost their lives while protecting all of us.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Posted in: Fears grow Japan-U.S. alliance may be affected by Osprey crash See in context

If "the people of Japan" (AKA Okinawa's Governor) really want the US to leave, then the US should leave. I think it would be reasonable to implement a 5-year transition plan. After 5 years the US will be gone, and Japan will have the responsibility to defend itself. Consider what it will cost the Japanese people. You will be paying triple your current taxes for at least 10 years just to pay for the required build-up. You will have to change your constitution. Your children will be subject to mandatory military service. Of course, you also have the choice to become Chinese...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Piece of Osprey wreckage given to U.S. after crash off Japan See in context

The US military cannot entirely suspend Osprey operations for a casual reason. They are vital to many operational missions such as resupply of Naval vessels and remote training sites. Statistically, the Osprey is a safe aircraft.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Posted in: Japanese experimental nuclear fusion reactor inaugurated See in context

This technology has been 15 years away for the last 30 years. Progress is being made, but it's expensive and slow. Maybe Japan will be the first to figure it out. Then, it will be time to miniaturize it. Japan has always been good at that.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Posted in: Kishida pledges at climate summit to phase out coal-fired power See in context

I wonder how he will phase out coal power plants in Okinawa. What alternative source will he pay for?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Posted in: U.S. continues to fly Osprey aircraft in Japan, despite Tokyo's request not to See in context

Japan has a weird concept of safety. People (especially politicians) say things like "ensure this can never happen again", "safety is confirmed" and expect that these are even possible. They resign "to take responsibility", or "offer further explanation" regarding what happened. These are just ways to sweep the actual problem aside. You can only reduce the probability of something happening again to an acceptable level which will never be zero. Taking responsibility means staying on the job and solving the problem. Further explanations are fine except they don't change what happened. Based on overall statistics the V-22 Osprey is a safe aircraft. If you don't agree, get your facts together and prove it.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Posted in: Wasabi effective in improving memory of elderly: study See in context

Medical research generally begins with a small study and progresses to larger more controlled studies. The sponsor of the initial study may be biased. However, larger studies should be conducted to eliminate any bias. I personally would like to learn that wasabi can make me smarter.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Posted in: U.S. spy drones relocated to Okinawa despite local objection See in context

The reality is that many Okinawans support having the military bases here. Then there are a lot of people who say they don't support it but are not against it. If you add both of those groups together you get a big majority. The people who are against the bases are actually a minority. Governor Tamaki and many politicians spend much of their time (maybe most of it) fighting the bases, missiles, surveillance drones, change in general, base relocation, etc. If the Governor did more to improve the economy, education, child poverty, and other social problems it would help the Okinawan people a lot. The national government has made a lot of money available for this purpose but it has been chased away.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Posted in: North Korea says it put military spy satellite into orbit on third try See in context

So far the only ones claiming a successful launch and orbital insertion are the NORKs. For some reason, NORAD is not reporting data for a new satellite or any debris orbiting the Earth. Maybe NORAD doesn't want to publish any information that would be helpful to the NORKs. And maybe the satellite is now a submarine.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: Japanese island holds disaster drill in shadow of China threat to Taiwan See in context

@elephant200 the answer to your question is location. You seem to have a pro-China view based on your previous posts.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Posted in: University of Tokyo asks firms to stop pressuring job-hunting students See in context

Companies should not coerce interviewees, candidates, or applicants in any way. They should be honest and open about the opportunity they are offering and allow the person to ask questions and give truthful answers. Salary ranges should be clearly available and accurate. Any company that purposely discourages a person from completing his education or from pursuing further education in order to take a job should be disqualified from the job fair. Graduating students should realize that they are in a seller's market and take advantage of it.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Posted in: Japan 'on standby' to take all possible steps amid yen decline See in context

Most people in Japan have almost no way to invest their money for gain. Interest on bank deposits is essentially zero, and stocks and bonds are not really available to average people. Property (land) is a viable investment for those who can afford it in some areas of the country. Essentially there is no hedge against inflation. The Japanese Yen is essentially controlled by outside forces such as trade balances and foreign (US) interest rates. Japan needs to change this or the economy will go the way of the birthrate.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Posted in: U.S. military bulk buys Japanese seafood to counter China ban See in context

Let me get this right USMC replacing SOS with Japanese Seafood? That's a step up for sure. Chopsticks may be next.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Posted in: About 1 million nuisance calls made to Japan embassy in China over Fukushima See in context

Usually relations are spoiled at the governmental level and regular citizens are left out. In this case, the Chinese dictatorship has been telling the people some big lies with the intent to harm relations with Japan. Japan's government should be able to see who they are dealing with now. Block the calls and make people come to the embassy in person. That should slow things down a bit.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: IAEA officials say Fukushima's ongoing discharge of treated wastewater going well See in context

Knowledgeable people have been saying this will go well for years. IAEA is really trying to convince people who can't be convinced because they "heard something else" and have a death grip on it. The air you breathe every day has more radiation than the water being discharged from Fukushima. I'm curious whether the South Korean, Chinese, and Russian representatives to IAEA think of this report.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Posted in: S Korea, U.S. and Japan hold first-ever trilateral aerial exercise in face of N Korean threats See in context

Expect a new NORK satellite launch attempt before the end of the month. Stay tuned for a J-Alert at the most inconvenient time.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Posted in: Charges dropped again over death of detained Sri Lankan woman See in context

A great shame for Japan. It is unbelievable that this exists in Japan.

5 ( +11 / -6 )

Posted in: Okinawa rejects central gov't demand over U.S. base landfill See in context

'Some' residents of Okinawa oppose USMC Camp Schwab's expansion to accommodate MCAS Futenma's relocation. No one opposes the closure of MCAS Futenma.

The number of Okinawa residents who oppose, support, or are neutral over the project is unknown. That's because the question has never been voted on. The only votes that have taken place are those for normal elected officials. Voter turnout has never been very high and doesn't represent the whole population. Elected officials impose their own opinions as they were elected to do by a small minority of voters.

The Japanese national government has spent a tremendous amount of money on the Futenma relocation project, which has been delayed by the Okinawa government many times over the past 25 (some say 40) years. It is not likely that the national government is going to stop construction because the governor refuses to sign a permission slip.

This issue should be put to a vote so all the citizens of Okinawa can state their preferences. Then all the government entities should follow the result.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Posted in: Japan to introduce new system on disaster info sharing from April See in context

If you want to build a disaster Caution and Warning system in Japan. Start by excluding JMA, NHK, and the government. These organizations have failed to implement effective systems for so long that it's time to go around them. Design the system to inform people accurately and quickly and give requirements to the telecom and broadcast services to implement it. Mandate that telecom companies implement backup power systems at all their sites. Require that all broadcasters carry Caution and Warning messages. Build in frequent testing and automatic feedback so results can be tracked continuously. And include an easy system for customer feedback so that end users can comment and be heard.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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