SSGNash comments

I kindof like Celebrity actors. They are usually free of special interests groups, because they've already made enough money to compete in the political arena. You usually get what you vote for.

Sooooo Jealous of this picture!

To all the Posters that think Japan's state of military dis-repair can be fixed as soon as the USA leaves: You're dreaming.

Military's take DECADES to rebuild logistically. The American military, which is currently the most modern and well equipped fighting force is PERPETUALLY modernizing. If you take a break in this chain, the problem multiplies exponentially due to rising maintenance costs and the fact that the rest of the world does NOT take a break modernizing.

Now, we all know that despite the best equipment, it takes LEADERHIP to make a military. When people are on the verge of starvation, or forced to worry about things like where can I find dinner, the pool of your population that you have to draw from for a volunteer army diminishes. People don't want to live like that. If they have little money to EAT, I doubt they're spending much on LEADERSHIP. They're probably not enlisting or commissioning the best and teh brightest.

Which leads us to an overall problem that cannot be solved in the near term. This is not the way to run a nation's defense. Which in turn would be a good reason not to draw your greatest military Ally's Ire...

Mikanojo:

Put the curtain back, no one wants to see the Wizard!

We prefer the duality of beautiful cherry blossoms in heaven and the garbage on earth!

nods to kolohe That's the point. Regardless of what you look for, terrorists who are successful will fit a profile you were not looking for. There is no way to truly secure an Airplane or an Airport. If you put a lock on your front door, and someone wants to get at you, they'll drive an old truck through your bedroom wall.

The problem that the TSA is facing is a bunch of spoiled Americans who demand "safety" and "convenience" in the same sentence. They're not compatible. But they do force politicians trying to be re-elected to action.

The best you can do is mitigate the risk. Which the TSA is doing at the cost of angering passengers. Ah well, I guess the one's that have been blown up at 30,000 feet didn't die angry. Pick your poison: less hassle, or more death.

Absolutely beautiful from the Garbage bin up! I am very envious of this specific temporal and geographical moment.

I don't think that anyone would dispute that World War II was a horrible time in Human history, and that Wholesale slaughter and rape and pillage were committed on all sides.

Do the Sins of my Father become my sins? No.

However, there are more than enough People, Countries, and Cities that live in pain and aguish from the sins of our fathers. Is it so hard to let the truth come to light, and thus show some understanding and remorse for the actions in the past?

I for one think it is dishonorable to not desire the truth in all things, and to also leave a person/soul in anguish when a few words or gestures can ease what my predecessors have done.

Most people of Japanese descent have relatives that fought in World War II. You must accept the shame to a certain degree, or there is no motivation to CHANGE.

Trying to hide that truth adds insult to injury, and pointlessly prevents the healing process.

It's very simple. Move all the marines to Guam or somewhere else - into the ocean if necessary. If they stay, the US should pay ALL costs for maintaining the base there plus an annual reikin of, oh, about 10 billion yen or so.

This is the kind of sentiment that needs to be exterminated by a foreign power. To further that cause, bring ALL US MILITARY BACK TO THE US. The US is doing Japan a FAVOR. They don't want to foot the bill for quartering and letting the force train, fine. Leave. Completely.

What kindof deal is that? Hey, can you be prepared to help and or fight our Wars for us? Oh, and also, can you pay us to keep the force here to accomplish that? Can you also have these Marines be quieter at night, and in their off time do social service, and... blah blah blah. Goodbye. Forget Guam. Bring our Soldier's back to America and let the Empire of the rising sun field it's own force.

Toyota is getting hit pretty hard, especially considering that many other American companies are also issuing recalls. Or, maybe they're hedging their bets after seeing what happened to Toyota...

Toyota needs some guidance on the American market, though. People who may buy a toyota will love to hear this: but to reverse the bad publicity, they simply need to take it on the chin. I think they'll continue to recover. They do make a good product, when people don't die from accelerator issues.

Caption: "Take us to your Leader"

Koike182,

I almost fell out of my chair! "Keiichi Muramatsu, I choose you!"

HeyLars,

If you think taking a girl to his home and helping her have a better sex life when she's 9-11 years old is OK, you had better not come within a kilometer of my daughter. I don't care what slant you put on it, that's disgusting and reprehensible. There is a natural flow to how human beings develop. It does not involve grown men teaching 10 year olds how to have better sex lives. 10 year old girls should be focused on education, looking pretty, girl drama, and being a CHILD. I don't see how this disgusting excuse of a man could "help them have better sex lives" without committing some type of child abuse. Regardless, he has abused the trust of the parents and child who trusted him to teach them english! Not multiple orgasm techniques! How can you defend this fecal matter?!

Ryoko Hirosue = Gorgeous

Honorable Obama is doing what he should: Listening to his Generals and supporting them. This is a misleading headline, as well. Waiting for the election results and close out of Iraq, forces in Afghanistan did little to root out the taliban strongholds, instead focusing on engaging the population and civil development. So, when the article claims that deaths have doubled for this portion of the year versus last year, it omits that this time last year there were no offensives of great scale conducted. Pretty simple to understand, really. When you decide to go to the enemy's strong hold and root him out or destroy him, you take more casulties than talking to village elders or building micro hydro electric plants. You have to give it to the numbers though, you can make them say all kinds of things. For instance, 1 Soldier who lost an arm last March in a rocket attack compared to 4 Soldiers who got sprained ankles equals a 300% increase in Casulties! (example) (and I'm not making light of the sacrafice of our men and women in harms way) Salutes Gotta love the objectivity of the Associated Press.

I think the first misconception in this article is that it is "the Media's" responsibility to educate Japan. One can easily say that Media is influential, but does it have a responsibility to teach your children? As an admirer of Japanse Culture and a Novice of the Nippon language, I find that one of the languages greatest achievements is it's ability to express wonderfully complex concepts in a simple word. Isn't that the purpose of language to begin with? With the speed at which a young person is required to grow mentally in this age, which I might add has increased exponentially since 1984 was written, I find the argument that Silly Japanese TV is having a negative effect on people's ability to express themselves fully and articulately moot. Instead I submit that entertainment is as it always has been, recreational. It does not have to stimulate the entire brain or vocabulary. Perhaps, it's inversely related to the amount of mental agility man is required to have to day in occupation or academia.

Absolutely disgusting. I hope this man is adminstered punishment fitting the abuse he visited on these girls. This world takes away their innocence too fast anyway. To pervert it to this level is beyond forgivable. He should be excised from the realm of the living.

A bunch of people with a non mainstream interest getting together to be social and enjoy each other's company while cuties dance around dressed like their fantasies, Sounds wonderful!

Oh, wait, I mean horrible. Those poor girls, this must terribly impact their self esteem. They must think people will like them more if they're cute. Hmmm... this was much better before reality walked in...