Thomas Smith comments

Posted in: Confrontation See in context

NessieFEB. 13, 2012 - 10:41AM JST Both sides are wrong > But only one side is illegal. Hint: rhymes with ski leopard.

Interesting viewpoint.... I've heard the Japanese are allowed limited whaling for research purposes and those whales end up eaten. I'm not sure that falls under the meaning of 'legal' either. Maybe it's taste testing research they're doing.

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Posted in: Why do Japanese change their attitude when they communicate with foreigners? See in context

Rolf SchlumpfFEB. 10, 2012 - 06:39PM JST That one made me laugh: Japanese people don’t study much about other races and cultures, do they?” (American woman) ... Hmmm, they do in America?

Of course, as they do in most western countries. And growing up in a multicultural society you obviously learn a lot about other cultures.

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Posted in: Why do Japanese change their attitude when they communicate with foreigners? See in context

Love it that the "American man" thinks that Europe is a country :D

He doesn't come off as very sharp. but keep in mind this article is translated and likely paraphrased.

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Posted in: Why do Japanese change their attitude when they communicate with foreigners? See in context

sfjp330FEB. 09, 2012 - 08:08AM JST Article states: I’ve been in Japan for 3 1/2 years. Generally speaking, Japanese people are prejudiced against foreign people who don’t look like Japanese. Japanese people think that no foreigner can speak Japanese. Staff at a bento shop that I’ve visited for 3 years still treat me like I cannot speak Japanese.” (Belgian man)

Well same thing can be said if your a Asian in small town in midwest or east coast of U.S. The Japanese people are no different than South Korean or Chinese people in communication skills with foeigners. I don't see anything special about western or American people anyway. Most are very self centered.

It is not true that being Asian in a small town in America is like being a foreigner in Japan in that way. Being a foreigner in Japan is great orders of magnitude more difficult and uncomfortable.

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Posted in: Why do Japanese change their attitude when they communicate with foreigners? See in context

My "quoting" is not working well, apologies.

Always this kind of complains are coming, only from the western foreigners who lives in Japan.

The Chinese , Koreans and other Asians lives in japan knows the truth and the reason behind this,

Interesting this is not supported by my communication with nikkeiJin and long term Asian immigrants to Japan. Often the complaints sound quite similar. It may be a problem of Japanese "not hearing" the complaints honestly, not asking, or people I talk to trying to commiserate/form a collective conclusion however.

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Posted in: Why do Japanese change their attitude when they communicate with foreigners? See in context

Interesting. You can almost tell from the comments who's been here for more than five years or a decade or longer. Some differences really take a while to see. Tmarie's really nails it though, living in Japan is no privilege. This is my home, I just want the same respect others are afforded. Clutching your purse, making rude comments and laughing, closing the elevator door on purpose in front of me, running away just because i happen to be walking a street at night....these things happen rarely, but they do happen. It's not easy to shrug off and live with. Anytime someone rushes for a seat on the subway then realizes you are a foreigner and turns and walks the other way it's a reminder. And I'm a white male... Keep in mind it can be far worse if youre Latin, black or middle eastern looking.

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Posted in: TV commercial of the week: Hikkoshizamurai See in context

Plastic monkey nails it.

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Posted in: Adele dominates Grammy ceremony, clouded by Houston's death See in context

The villa remix of rolling in the deep is worth a listen

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Posted in: Woman arrested over murder of 5-month-old son in Kobe See in context

Interesting, lovenot. Thanks for the info.

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Posted in: Former gang member shot dead in Denny's restaurant in Chiba See in context

"lighting" damn iphone

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Posted in: TEPCO blames high reactor temperature reading on broken thermometer See in context

Reporting that your equipment is falty and therefore your data is unreliable doesn't exactly engender confidence when you try to convince the public youre on top of things. How many other broken thermometers or other equipment? Was it always too high or too low? How long did it take you ro discover it? How dangerous is that? I'm in IT and we test things before they break on less than mission critical hardware/software. Is TEPCO just waiting for things to break before they replace? Not likely I'd say this is probably more obfuscation to make things seem safer than they are...but not having the desired effect. Yes I'm paranoid about it this point. Noones given me reason not to be unfortunately.

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Posted in: Speculation rages over cause of Houston's death See in context

"possessed one of the greatest-ever singing voices..." Japanese style of "reporting" is interesting IMO.

@fadamor its widely rumored by others who've sang the anthem televised that she "nailed it" in the studio after many takes and it was lip-synced. It's even been repeated televised by those who've sang it cold. Just FYI.

And I was a fan, of her first album but that one only. For the record...

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Posted in: U.S. admiral says forces prepared to confront Iran See in context

@WilliB, Obama's speech was about mutual respect. The whole point was to end the needless war-mongering spree and get back to some real sense of diplomacy, let the Middle East know that we ARENT brainless cro magnon Islamophobes. Diplomacy does have its place in the Middle East. Remember by executive order, under "Barack Hussein" Bin Laden met his end. Appeasement right?

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Posted in: NZ admits overreacting to flu scare on plane from Japan See in context

When I think of overreactions it's more akin to the fear of 'Soccer Hooligans' that had Japanese citizens closing shops and had riot police in special training on tv for a week. For fear of all the uneducated unwashed masses that'd save up the cash needed to fly to Japan just to overrun the place. Of course nothing happened... but watching all the interviews during the leadup to the World Cup homegames was good entertainment for me. I'd expect Japan to be gratious about others over-stepping a little =).

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Posted in: Woman arrested over murder of 5-month-old son in Kobe See in context

I think lovenot's just stating an opinion not really taking a stab at fact... but data seems to indicate that India, then China are highest for infanticide world-wide... of 'developed/industrialized' nations, the United States, New Zealand and the UK top the lists, it saddens me to say. There are great resources for info at unicef's site and http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/primate-diaries/2011/07/22/stressing-motherhood/ http://irv.sagepub.com/content/4/4/313.abstract http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infanticide

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Posted in: U.S. admiral says forces prepared to confront Iran See in context

Japan is really pushing a us-iranian confrontation. I haven't seen any of this in the us media yet, just lots on the steps to take with Syria. When things go down with Iran, it'll likely be a lot more like Libya, not some direct Bush-style confrontation the population is against.

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Posted in: Australian women reject 'I love u' texts See in context

What country outside of Japan wouldn't this apply to? Not many, I'll wager. Would you prefer the text to the live "real" thing?

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Posted in: Divers abandon search for missing at Italy cruise ship wreck See in context

Wanderlust has done what few others ever have at JT with a simple comment ...added information and perspective.

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Posted in: 'Kizuna' takes many forms in post-disaster Japan, including marriage and infidelity See in context

Awesome point gaiinfo

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Posted in: 'Radiation divorce' enters Japanese vernacular See in context

If you're. Trapped in a marriage, any reason is good enough i guess.

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Posted in: Sega seeks stream of success with 'Toylet' games See in context

@pamelot ...not on the Internet, you mean?

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Posted in: KARA's new album to go on sale Nov 23 See in context

And we're thinking that Japanese "artists" aren't treated in the same way?? Naive

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Posted in: Nozomi Sasaki's beauty secret - living without stress See in context

Beauty secret #2. being 23

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Posted in: AKB48 singer Atsuko Maeda demonstrates 'snow karate' in g.u. commercial See in context

@mike You have to be pretty young and naive to think there are more mature twenty year olds around than 40-50 year olds... But we often hear teens say this kind of thing.

Because you see older adults have a what looks to be immature moment, doesn't make them immature or a young person more mature than them. It's not how you kid or interact with people but how you behave consistently under duress that shows your maturity.

The few instances you look at someone older and deem them "childish" doesn't change how much more often a young developing person (most studies show the brain continuing to mature until after age 22) can't hold it together consistently.

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Posted in: Was I a date, a friend or just a potential English teacher? See in context

Remember people are just a stupid, selfish, or just confused here as they were in the country you left. If people end up giving you untenable ultimatums, and that's an issue... try to suss that out before you really invest in a friendship with someone. I know it's not easy, but it's your only recourse. Same as the country you came from, you don't to befriend people who use you for any reason. Japanese people should earn your friendship, just as friends 'back home' did. Long story short, you're better off without this friend, no matter how many friends she had, how cool she seemed or how hot she was. Keep your chin up! There are real people out there, foreign and Japanese =).

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Posted in: Suspect in woman's death commits suicide in Hiroshima See in context

@Cricky, please mention the best way we can check our local crime statistics! Teach us =)

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