Posted in: Is it a crime to ditch a bad date and leave them with the bill? Japanese man finds out See in context
If the guy didn't like the way she looked, he should have told her before they had dinner. Running out on the bill was a cowardly thing to do. I went on a date with a guy i met on the internet and he posted his college picture and turned out to be old as my Dad. I didn't freak out I just paid for my own meal and told him at the end we didn't suit and I learned not to go out with someone without meeting them first.
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Posted in: Disabled woman yelled at for using train’s priority seat, 'not looking like a handicapped person' See in context
@bjohnson23 not everyone with physical disability looks handicapped, is in a wheelchair or uses a walker. They have to have a doctor's approval to get a handicapped sticker in the usa and i'm sure japan has similar requirements. Showing her disability card should have been enough. Being told she doesn't look handicapped is insulting. My Mom has a degenerative bone disease and she will get eventually be in a wheelchair. There is no cure for it. All they can do is pain management. She has a handicapped sticker. But because she is not yet in a wheelchair she gets dirty looks when using handicapped spaces. My sister is in her 20's, she has a heart problem that means she cant walk or stand for long and has a handicapped sticker. She doesn't look sick according to your standards she should be allowed to use the handicapped spaces. I hope you are never in need of those spots someday and face the kind of discrimination you are showing others. You shouldn't have to justify or explain your disability to strangers. If you qualify for the card and show it when needed that should be enough.
3 ( +3 / -0 )
Posted in: Japan announces changes to refugee system See in context
I don't understand why so many people expect Japan to take in people from other countries if they don't want to. It's their country and if they want it to remain Japan for Japanese only that's their business. I wish the USA had stricter immigration laws. It's not that I don't sympathize with people from war torn countries, I just think instead of running away from the problems in their country they should fight to change it.
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Posted in: More details emerge about horror car crash in Hokkaido See in context
@SenseNotSoCommonJ the make of the cars is irrevelant. they could have been in a nissan, and it still would have been tragedy that should have been avoided. i come from a small town in the middle of nowhere, and lack of entertainment is not a reason to drive recklessly, especially when there is only one road into town. f.y.i. a bmw is a german brand, car brand does not denote criminal activity.
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Posted in: Cross-dressing Matsuko Deluxe: AKB opening Tokyo Olympics 'would embarrass Japan' See in context
They could have them be flag bearers or the girls who escort the athletes in. but i wouldn't want to see them performing in the opening ceremony. i'm a jpop fan, but for the opening ceremony, i think something more traditional would be better. even if they did do that in past olympics, there is always a new generation that hasn't seen it before. i'd like to see traditional dancers,drummers, and singers. for the closing ceremony they could have a collaboration of jpop performers. one last party before everyone goes home.
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Posted in: BABYMETAL plays first ever U.S. show See in context
@japangal, in the usa kids are allowed to work 4 hrs a day, 20 hours a week if they are under 15. if they are in school they can only work 20 hours a week while school is in session. this applies to college kids too. i got so busted for working more than 20 hours while in college. if you are a teenager you can start working during the school year if you are 15 and have a work permit. usually you get one from your school and have to maintain a certain gpa. some schools don't allow students to work unless they can prove that they are from low income families and need the money. as for babymetal, i'm not a fan. i'd be more impressed if it was a group of girls who grew up listening to metal/rock and decided they wanted to do that for a living, instead of an artificially created group who had never even heard of the music genre before. still way to make that money so i'm not mad at them.
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Posted in: Japan to host 'World Assembly for Women' next month See in context
smh. they still haven't passed the era(equal rights amendment guaranteeing equal pay for equal work for women and minorities) in the usa. but they are going to tell japan how to get more women to work. i agree something needs to be done about the situation in japan. but first fix your own house. as a woman i want the choice to choose what is best for me and my family. ideally to be able to stay home with the kids until they are school age and then return to full-time work. that would be my dream.it's what my mom did. however as a single childless woman right now, i resent always having to work the early morning shift or stay late or come in on my off day to cover for a working mom who had to leave to pick up her kids before the daycare closes(usually daycare centers are only open from 6am-6pm), having to work every holiday because i don't have a family. i have a family just not a husband and kids. getting crappy vacation days because parents have to arrange their time around school breaks. i can understand why japanese women don't want to work. if i didn't love and need money i'd stay home too.even in america, once a woman gets a certain age or has kids, her career suffers. there is an assumption that she will put her family first and can't fully commit to the job. plus women still get paid less than men in many career fields so they can't afford to hire a nanny or housekeeper. plus you just don't get promoted, because they think you'll either quit when you get married or have kids, or won't be able to work 12 hour days,weekends, 60 hr work weeks. still something needs to be done, i just don't know what.
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Posted in: Fukushima operator unveils newest tainted-water plan See in context
it's been decades since the cherynoble accident, and the city and surrounding area is still highly radioactive. there is a lake there and the fish have all kind of weird mutations going on. i can't believe that people still want to use nuclear power. the risks just doesn't seem worth the energy output. in my hometown, they took the nuclear power plant offline and are currently in the process of removing the waste material. but they haven't said how they are going to remove it or where they are going to store it. meanwhile the lake it sits on has been having decreasing water levels and increasing pollution you can't swim or fish in it anymore. i can't help but wonder if it's related to having had a nuclear power plant there. the problem with dumping the "cleaned water" into the ocean is that it won't stay in japanese waters. it will spread. after the tsunami happened, california ended up with all kind of debris from japan. what will this do to the ocean's ecosystem?
1 ( +3 / -2 )
Posted in: SDF pilot arrested for taking photos up girl's skirt at train station See in context
what's wrong with buying your porn? why harass females who don't care to show their private parts in public? there are plenty of females who like to show all their stuff on the internet or as a job(strippers, av stars). there is definitely something wrong with people who do this. would you want some pervert taking secret panty shots of your mother/wife/daughter? anyone who doesn't think this is a problem is crazy.i just don't understand.but at least he went after a grown woman and not a underage girl.and although i've long since left my girlhood behind, i still am and always will be a GIRL!
-4 ( +3 / -7 )
Posted in: Wounded man dies in Saitama convenience store See in context
his brother and friend were with him and they left? is that correct?if it is how could they leave him to die alone especially his brother? maybe they couldn't prevent the attack, but they should have at least tried to stop the bleeding and call for help.
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Posted in: Teacher's conviction for groping girl on bus overturned by Tokyo court See in context
i don't understand what the thrill is in groping women. why is this such a problem? i'm glad the man got off and his empathy for his accuser is amazing. i agree he should sue the prosecutor. but i'm of two minds about the girl. if she really thought she'd been groped, her reaction is excusable. but if she was trying to run a scam then she should face charges. the problem that girls need to understand, is that when you falsely accuse someone of rape,sexual harassment, or groping etc, you undermine the efforts of women who were really victimized to get the help and protection they need. and if that person is ever really attacked, no one would believe it.
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Posted in: Kidnap suspect said he threatened to kill girl unless she got into his car See in context
it's a shame that kids aren't even safe to walk to and from school. alot of perverts get kids into cars b threatening to kill them or their families. parents need to teach their kids to run no matter what because if they go with them they will still be raped or killed. and to not get close to strangers. if a stranger asks for help tell the child to call the police and let them help the person. adults shouldn't be asking kids for help anyway.
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Posted in: 45-year-old man arrested after mother's mummified body found at home See in context
i want to know why it took her relatives 9 months to report it to the police. None of them got suspicous after not talking to her by phone for so long, to even stop by the house and check on her? especially if she was sick. my mom goes crazy if she doesn't hear from my grandma(88 yo) every week. and we live 12 hours away her. but she starts calling people to go check on her.
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Posted in: Woman arrested after sending over 200 fan letters to rocker See in context
the difference is hikkifan17, that major celebreties don't usually get 200 letters from the same person in a week. and this was after she was fined for sending 30,000 emails to him in 4 months. it's not like she sent them to his talent agent or fan club, she sent it to his house. even celebrities are entitled to privacy at home. plus she was asked to stop. if you are a true fan, you wouldn't want to do anything to hurt the one you admire.
3 ( +3 / -0 )
Posted in: 9-year-old boy set on fire by his estranged father a week ago dies See in context
@kaimycahl there is a difference between a woman who is keeping her kids away from their father out of spite, and one who does it because the father was abusive. of course good parents should have joint custody and visitation rights and the laws need to support that. but when you are dealing with abuse, the parent who is the abuser should be denied custody and visitation or at least have supervised visits with the kids. but even if you are denied access to your kids regardless of whether it is justified or not, i cannot understand parents who choose to kill their kids. If you love your child work within the law to change your circumstances. maybe you have to go through the school, attending the kids activities that way. there are ways to let your kid know you love them, even if you can't see them. Kids know when they don't see a parent because the parent doesn't want to and when it's because the parent with custody won't let them. sometimes you have to wait until they are grown to have a relationship and that is truly sad. but nothing justifies harming/killing the child.
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Posted in: In U.S., is it rude to ask guests to remove shoes? See in context
it is not a part of american culture to remove your shoes indoors unless they are wet or muddy. we use special door mats on the outside and inside of the door. the outside one is usually made of a bristle type material, to scrape gunk off your shoes, the inner one is used to dry the shoe. but the point is that if you are having a party where you have first time visitors,you should inform them ahead of time that they will be required to remove their shoes. of course your close friends and family would already know your house rules and wouldn't be surprised. but to invite people who have never been to your house and not warn them is rude. some people may have fungal infections,foot ordor, ugly feet or other medical conditions where they can't(people withan artificial leg or foot, or orthopedic conditions) remove their shoes. do you embarass them and turn them away at the door? where is the hospitality in that? that's why you should inform people ahead of time so they can decide if they wish to attend, or discuss what can be done so they can visit you and be comfortable while respecting the rules of your house. but please if you make people take their shoes off, make sure your floor is clean. there is nothing worse than going to somebody''s house and having to walk on their grimey, dirty floor.
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Posted in: Condom maker reveals results of national survey on sex See in context
before cheating, i would suggest a physical examination by a doctor. many woman experience hormonal imbalances that result in a decreased sex drive after childbirth. the solution may be that they need to take some hormone supplements. of course if the woman doesn't like sex and was just doing "her duty" in producing a heir and now wants to cease relations,and isn't interested in improving physical relations, i guess you would have to seek other options. personally i'd rather divorce than cheat. but that's just me. i guess if your spouse is ok with you having a sex friend that's fine for you.
1 ( +1 / -0 )
Posted in: Figure skater Ando announces she is a single mother See in context
@choiwaruoyaji having a 2 parent family is NOT a gaurantee for a happy childhood. if the parents do not love each other it affects the child too. especially if the parents fight all the time.and contrary to popular belief very few women even in america, CHOOSE to be single parents. most woman think their man will be there for them. unfortunately many find out they were just a booty call after the fact.the ones that do choose to be single mothers are usually professional career women whose biological clock is ticketing. the rest is just negligence on the part of the parents. but regardless of why she is a single mother, she should be supported for taking responsibility for her actions and raising her child.too many young women use abortion as a form of birth control, and later when they are ready to have children are unable to do so because of the damage caused from having abortions. in my own case my teenage parents had a shotgun marriage. and for 25 years everybody was unhappy. but because my grandparents were super religous divorce was not an option. it wasn't until we kids were grown and my grandparents dead, that my parents finally divorced. we are all happier. there is no more fighting, and the house is peaceful.
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Posted in: Spring cleanup - it can be hard to part with some things See in context
i'm spring cleaning right now. after being "downsized" i moved back home. most of my stuff from my old house is in boxes. i decided to go through them 3 days ago. i've only manage to throw away i bag of junk. i keep thinking i'll need this when i move out again. or this is still usable. case in point, i got a shoe box full of power cords i can't get rid of. what if lose a cord? i might be able to use one that is in my shoe box. now i got boxes open all over the garage. now i just ignore the boxes whenever i go in there. yeah right, i stopped going in there. 8p organizing experts say if you don't use something for more than 6 months, you don't need it. i say i may not need it i just want it.
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Posted in: Mother, employer of epileptic crane driver ordered to pay compensation over fatal accident See in context
in the usa, it depends on what type of epilepsy you have and how severe it is. my aunt has grand mal seizures and she is unable to drive because of it. you need a doctor's medical release stating you are ok to drive. most epileptics have a "tell" a warning sign right before they have a seizure. this man should not have been allowed to operate heavy machinery. they should have sentenced him to 8 years per child. the employer should be made to pay the entire compensation. even if the mother knew of her son not taking his medicine prior to the accident, it is still not her responsibility. he is grown. she can't force a grown man to do ANYTHING! i feel for the parents of the dead kids, but going after the mother is just wrong. they should go after the employer, insurance company, and the department of motor vehicles for licensing him. in the usa you need to pass a medical evaluation to get any type of commercial driver's license and they go back 3 years in additional to a drug test. japan might want to update their own safety laws.
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Posted in: Ladies, don’t be disappointed with your Sagawa delivery man's looks See in context
i agree with gas07lisa, nothing wrong with admiring the view . i check out hot delivery guys, policemen, soldier boys etc. and i love the fact that the firehouse is only a block from my house especially when they wash the fire trucks by hand.
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Posted in: U.S. instruction of students learning English bleak See in context
i'm a natural born american as is my whole family and i went to a bilingual school in the 6th grade. coming from an english only environment and being put in to bilingual one was a big culture shock for me. the class was taught in english and spanish. the teacher was bilingual and the was a hispanic teaching aide. each grade had 2 bilingual class and one english only class. when i transferred in to that school i was placed in the bilingual class with all the other minority students. the fact that i wasn't of latin origin did not matter. all the white kids were placed in the english only classes. my dad was in the military so we moved around a lot and i went to 6 different elementary schools, and 2 junior high schools. but being in a bilingual class was rough and at first i really hated it. i had spanish in the 6th and 7th grades and 3 years in high school. by the time i got to college i only had to take 1 semester of spanish instead of 2 years to fufill the foreign language requirements. right out of college i ended up working at a hospital which treated a largely hispanic population and i ended up translating for the patients. now i work on the international concourse at an airport where i end up translating for the spanish speaking passengers. and i'm not fluent at all and i read it better than i speak it. i only spoke spanish at school as nobody else in my family speaks it . my cousin who went to the same elementary school starting from kindergarten until graduation is fluent in spanish. i think bilingual education should be mandatory for everyone. for the usa it makes since that spanish be our second language since the southern half of our country used to belong to mexico and south america is made up of spanish speaking countries. canada is bilingual as are a lot of european countries.being exposed to another language early on is very beneficial for social development and is practical for business purposes. of course it doesn't have to be spanish and now a days it should probably be chinese. especially with all the money we owe china. if they ever call in our debt will all be learning madarin.
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Posted in: Modern etiquette: Wedding dilemmas in the 21st century See in context
i personally like when the bride and groom register at a dept store with a list of gifts they would like to receive. you can save money and they get what they want and need. nowadays it's common to register at a high level department store, and a low budget store like wal-mart or target. that way there is something for everyone's budget.they have computerize list of your registry and when a gift is purchased it is crossed off the list, so you don't end up with 3 toasters. i have 2 sisters and my mom always told all 3 of us we'd better elope because she wasn't paying for none of our weddings and that she saved up for a year to pay for her own wedding. now that were all grown and out the house she just wishes we would get married!
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Posted in: Female student stabbed by unknown assailant in Ibaraki See in context
@ yuburu even a paper cut bleeds a lot. and since the weather is warming up people aren't wearing big heavy coats. and the hospital visit was probably more for shock. besides even if was no bigger than 1 cm, she still needed to be treated. what if the weapon was dirty,rusty or had poison on it.? a tetnus shot and proper dissenfection is needed.
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Posted in: 20 words of English origin that Japanese people often mistake for real thing See in context
but i'm from chicago and we use take out to refer to fast food and to go is if you order from an eat-in restaurant like olive garden.i live in atlanta now and they do the same. when i hear key holder i think of a little black wallet style case that holds several keys. it has snap closures and 3-4 key rings on the inside. my grandpa always carried one. . gas stations back in the day were called filling stations in the us. i have never heard the term gasoline stand. i was born in the midwest but currently live in the south, and it was as if southenors spoke an entirely different language. they call soda pop drinks, up north we use drinks to refer to alcohol. they call ladies handbags pocketbooks and we use purses. they use tote to mean carry, and we use tote to mean a box or bag that you store stuff in. it's funny how language changes over time, and by region. my mom says flash drive or jump drive,i say usb stick, and my teenage nephew says memory stick to refer to a portable computer memory devices.
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Posted in: Counselor has harsh words for parents of 'hikikomori' See in context
the parents are enablers. adult hikikomori who are not mentally or physically handicapped are the result of a parents indulgence. my family's motto is "you don't work, you don't eat". the day i came back from college my dad picked me up from the airport and took me straight to an employment agency! i can see children who have been bullied being home-schooled, but once they turn 20, it's time to get them out the house. what are they going to do when their parents die? i'm sure there is some type of mental illness associated with this disorder, but refusing to admit there is a problem or seek to solve it, is a crime against society and the hikikomori. what are you going to do with a bunch of 60-80 year olds who never leave the house? how will they eat? how will they pay their living expenses with no job?
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Posted in: More young people try communal living in 'share houses' See in context
after living in a college dorm , i never wanted another roommate again. my first one stole everything that wasn't nailed down and i was a poor scholarship student. i worked 2 jobs to pay for school, i'm steal paying off the student loans.my second would have guys sleeping over every night and we lived in a girls dorm. living in a boarding house where you have your own room is one thing, but sharing a single room with multiple people is madness and i grew up sharing a bedroom with 2 sisters!
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Posted in: Sapporo restaurant fines customers who don’t finish every last bite See in context
in japan they are fining people for not eating and here in america they are fining people for eating too much. the state of louisiana actually passed a bill that would prohibit fat"obese" people from eating at all you can eat restaurants because they eat too much. they've obviously never seen a bunch of skinny girls at the all you can eat for $10 china buffet on crablegs night. it's not just the big-boned who chow down. seriously, with everything that's going on in the world we now need to worry about the food police? wthit!
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Posted in: Top 5 worst places to visit in Japan See in context
actually for people who are disney fanatics like myself, tokyo disneyland has shows and souvenir items not available at the american parks. all the foreign based disney parks do. that alone makes it worth the trip. if you are not a collector of disney memorabilia or a fan of all things disney then disney would not be an ideal tourist spot. but it is cheaper and less crowded to go in the off season. truthfully my only reason to even go to japan, besides visiting family, would be to go to disney and akihabara
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Posted in: Japan considers 6-day school week; teachers not enthusiastic See in context
yet here in america where the population is booming, they are trying to go to a 4 day school week. not because of improved teaching methods that enable students to learn more quickly, but because of lack of money. i live in metro- atlanta and this year my county's school board actually voted to go to a 4 day week. they had to postpone the start date because parents, many who have never even been to a school board meeting showed up in protest,(it was an election year). the sad part is the parents were not upset about the kids learning time being shortened but were mad because they would have to pay for extra childcare while they were working. and american businesses wonder why they can't find qualified workers. because no one wants to pay for quality schools and teachers.
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Another non-event to try and forget ASAP. By "status quo", they mean unipolar western hegemony.
Posted in: Japan, Finland to negotiate defense equipment transfer pact
Posted in: Vandals burn car, spray graffiti in latest antisemitic attack in Australia
Posted in: Japanese survivor of atomic bomb recalls its horrors in Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech
Posted in: Wary Europe eyes Syria with hope -- and fear