thundercat comments

Posted in: Bear facts See in context

I'm sorry, but killing those bears was the only choice. I'll guarantee that those criticizing the decision to do so either grew up in a city or a country without animals like this.

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Posted in: 'Mom has gone crazy:' 4 killed in Seattle shooting See in context

Enough is enough! NRA shame on you! When are you going to start fighting for child gun rights??? If these children had been armed they could have defended themselves against their mother and saved themselves. Everybody knows that if everybody had guns (yes even children) we'd be living in a safer world. (end sarcasm)

Is there a limit to the amount of gun violence we'll see? Doubt it...

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Posted in: Sunset See in context

lol, what i meant was that only people who spend all their time in tokyo think its nice... im well aware that enoshima is in kanagawa.

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Posted in: Sunset See in context

You have to get out of Tokyo more if you think Enoshima is nice.

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Posted in: Sunset See in context

Sorry but it looks like someone used their keitai to take this picture. Try using a tripod next time unless you like out of focus shots. As for Enoshima... it's somewhere near the bottom of the list of nice beaches in Japan (unless the plan is to pick up chicks! :) )

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Posted in: Paul Hogan barred from leaving Australia until he pays tax bill See in context

That's not a tax bill! THIS is a tax bill! Looks like we might be treated with my more Croc movie so he can get out of the red! Looking forward to it!

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Posted in: Man gets 20 years for killing Japanese woman in Bali See in context

all4faj, the case you present is correct IF it's premeditated. Very very very unlikely that anyone would get the death penalty in Japan for such a crime. In fact, I would argue that it is very unlikely someone would get 20 years in prison for such a crime in Japan.

Moderator: Stay on topic please. What the penalty for such a crime in Japan would be is, of course, irrelevant.

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Posted in: Man gets 20 years for killing Japanese woman in Bali See in context

Give me a break. This was a crime of opportunity, not something premeditated. You wouldn't even get 20 years in Japan for a this crime. Other than the death penalty (which this crime wouldn't fit the criteria for) the toughest punishment you can get is life in prison which is 25 years in Japan.

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Posted in: Man gets 20 years for killing Japanese woman in Bali See in context

WilliB, that's total BS mate. Bali is predominately Hindu and are very proud of this difference from other areas of Indonesia. Anyway, 20 years for murder seems like a pretty standard sentence anywhere in the world. Just think if this were a crime committed in Japan by a Japanese male against an Indonesian woman in the same circumstances?

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Posted in: Marijuana discovered in apartment after reports of fire See in context

BS detector is red lining right now. If the fire department get a report of fire of course they have to respond to it but they certainly have absolutely no right to come into your home without your permission on unsubstantiated reports with no evidence. Years ago I trained as a volunteer fireman in my hometown and there was a well established protocol for entering residences where no one was home but a fire was reported. You simply can't just started kicking in doors because you get a phone call for some anonymous caller claiming there is a fire. That argument aside, lets not forget that it was the POLICE who responded and entered this persons residence without any evidence of fire based on an anonymous call.

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Posted in: Marijuana discovered in apartment after reports of fire See in context

@knowitall... ever heard of the expression 'where there's smoke there's fire'? If the police and fire department can't tell when an apartment is on fire I think we all need to be a little worried.

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Posted in: Marijuana discovered in apartment after reports of fire See in context

Wow a new trick for the police to avoid actually doing real investigating. Every time they have suspicions about someone they can just phone in a fake fire alarm and then go and investigate the person without warrants. Don't firemen usually respond to fire alarms?

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Posted in: 8-year-old girl hangs herself at home in apparent suicide See in context

More parents need to teach their children how to avoid being victimized. They shouldn't be relying on schools and teachers to handle these problems. Most teachers I know in Japan really do care about their jobs and students but when you have hundreds of students passing through your classrooms its hard to monitor everything. I think that if this little girl felt the love of her family she would have been able to overcome the bullying problems at school.

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Posted in: Anti-whaling activist Pete Bethune gets suspended prison term See in context

In fact with a population in excess of a half million, the Sei whales most commonly taken are in no way endangered. The reason many of us accept whaling is for that very reason. I wouldn't support it if they were hunting species to extinction.

This is obviously based on your expert scientific findings! How do you (or anyone for that matter) know that it doesn't take half a million whales just to sustain the population? Just because there is a lot of them in the wild doesn't mean that they are breeding at a rate that can be sustained in the face of continued whaling. Maybe instead you can consider how many Sei whales there were before whaling compared to how many there are now to get a good idea of what the populations should be!

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Posted in: Anti-whaling activist Pete Bethune gets suspended prison term See in context

Smith you should write a book on how a person can be charged with 5 BOGUS charges, admit to 4 BOGUS charges, get convicted for 5 BOGUS charges and receive a sentence for BOGUS charges. Maybe you don't know what BOGUS means?

Its pretty easy to understand why he pled guilty to 4 of the charges when you consider that pleading guilty got him a SUSPENDED SENTENCE! Had he tried to fight the charges he would have certainly gotten a much stiffer penalty. Sometimes pleading guilty to bogus charges makes a lot more sense than trying to fight them... expecially when the charges are so politically motivated. Them grapes must taste pretty sour right now, eh ossan?

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Posted in: Anti-whaling activist Pete Bethune gets suspended prison term See in context

Heda, several times you stated that he could get 15 years in prison and that you hoped he got a severe sentence.

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Posted in: Anti-whaling activist Pete Bethune gets suspended prison term See in context

You are right BurakuminDes, there were quite a few on here that were sure he would get at least 10 years. Ossan, HedaMadness and Molenir to name a few. I knew that reason would prevail though... (although I think he may have deserved slightly more than a suspended sentence)

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Posted in: IWC meeting abuzz over Japan vote-buying accusations See in context

Never said its ok to buy a whore.

I never tried to put those words in your mouth. You said it didn't matter what the government spent our taxes on because we have no control over it. I said it does matter.

I also never personally attacked you at all

You said I had no right to complain because I wasn't Japanese (which I am) and that I should go back to where ever it was I came from if I had a problem about how my taxes were being spent. Sure sounds like a personal attack to me.

So, I provided the sources I was citing in my argument. Its your turn. Show me an article that proves that Japanese officials didn't bribe IWC delegates.

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Posted in: IWC meeting abuzz over Japan vote-buying accusations See in context

Nonews, I thought your original argument was that it didn't matter that the government wastes tax money buying prostitutes for IWC diplomats because there is nothing we can do about it... then it was personal attacks against me... and now its a denial that the event even took place...

As far as not knowing who exactly paid for the call girls... well, I'll guarantee that it wasn't just some freebie for patronizing the hotel. It doesn't really matter though does it? Unless you have video evidence in your hands you'll never believe a word of it... ignorance is bliss, eh?

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Posted in: IWC meeting abuzz over Japan vote-buying accusations See in context

They all emanated from the same sunday Times story.

If the story didn't have legs no other news publication would have picked it up. Almost every story ever worth reading is first published from one source.

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Posted in: IWC meeting abuzz over Japan vote-buying accusations See in context

Cash in envelopes and prostitutes... what kind of aid is that?

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Posted in: IWC meeting abuzz over Japan vote-buying accusations See in context

The top fisheries official for Guinea said Japan usually gave his minister a “minimum” of $1,000 a day spending money in cash during IWC and other fisheries meetings.

The Sunday Times filmed officials from pro-whaling governments admitting:

They voted with the whalers because of the large amounts of aid from Japan. One said he was not sure if his country had any whales in its territorial waters. Others are landlocked. — They receive cash payments in envelopes at IWC meetings from Japanese officials who pay their travel and hotel bills. One disclosed that call girls were offered when fisheries ministers and civil servants visited Japan for meetings.

Similar stories were also reported by CBS news, Business Insider, ABC news just to name a few...

Delegate from Tanzania, Mr. Nanyaro, who was offered prostitutes comments:

Reporter: So you think the other countries’ representatives are set up with prostitutes from Japan? Nanyaro: Yes, you know, yeah ... It starts by saying: do you want massaging? ... It’s going to be free massaging. Are you not lonely? You don’t want any comfort?”

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Posted in: IWC meeting abuzz over Japan vote-buying accusations See in context

I'm not figuratively talking about buying prostitutes for delegates... I'm talking about the fact that they actually sent "good girls" (actual words of the delegate) to his hotel room for massages. Just do a search of "Japan bribery iwc with prostitutes" if you want some links to articles on the issue.

No, I'm not ok with this... this is not some shoganai situation... we do have a say in this.

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Posted in: IWC meeting abuzz over Japan vote-buying accusations See in context

The goverment gives your TAX money to them, or doesnt charge them for their share of TAXES so you are giving them money

Huh?

Its the internet you can be whoever you want to be but it doesnt mean I have to believe it

I'm a naturalized citizen who has lived here longer than I've lived anywhere else. In fact, I've raised a family here.

They are linked together because they are basically the same thing, it all depends on who is determining what it is..

Again, huh? And I'll state once again that I'm talking about buying prostitutes and giving cash to visiting IWC delegates. Quit trying to change the subject.

Im still waiting for your fact that its illegal in Japan,

What? Bribery? I'm not going to waste my time finding links for you. If you don't think thats a crime here I'll let you keep living in your dream world. You'll be much happier...

Like I said I cant control where my taxes go here in Japan, I dont even get to vote.

Shoganai ne! I guess you'd be fine with however your taxes are spent then. Including prostitutes?

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Posted in: IWC meeting abuzz over Japan vote-buying accusations See in context

Nonews,

First of all, I don't have to give money to a charity but I do have to pay taxes so this comparison you are trying to flesh out makes no sense at all. If I decide to support a charity that spends my donations in ways I don't approve of I will stop giving them donations. Do you understand the difference between donations and taxes? One being voluntary and the other forced.

Secondly, I am Japanese and Japan is my home.

Third, bribes and incentives are totally different things. That you don't understand that point is mind boggling! You try to use the euphemism 'incentives' to hide the fact that bribes are being doled out. Bribes are illegal in Japan. That is an indisputable fact.

Fourth, an earlier article stated that prostitutes were used to convince officials to vote for Japan. Just check google. And while you are at it please show proof that they weren't ladies of the night (yeah, this stupid 'show me proof' game works both ways!)

Like you, I'm neither pro nor anti whaling... but I am dead set against my government using my taxes for totally nefarious purposes. Are you ok with your taxes being used to pay for bribes (if you even live in Japan to begin with)?

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Posted in: IWC meeting abuzz over Japan vote-buying accusations See in context

it works the same way by both the govt. and charity orgs.

Oh, so I can freely decide to give money to the government (taxes) in the same way I can freely decide to give money to charity? Nah... if I don't pay my taxes I go to jail.

If pro-whalers feel so strongly about their cause then go ahead and start your own charitable organizations like WWF and feel free to use your own money to pay for prostitutes to get votes... don't steal from me to do it!

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Posted in: IWC meeting abuzz over Japan vote-buying accusations See in context

When trying to get a deal together sometimes one most give something in return for another. Like when you get a bonus at work for working hard and going above the norm. That is a bribe, someone offering you more money to accomplish something above the normal routine it is also an incentive. Depending on how you want to look at the situation will determine if you feel its a bribe ir not.

One of the worst analogies I've read in a long time... are you saying that getting a salary from a company is also bribery? Get real! These bribes are intended to sway opinion... to get someone to do something that they wouldn't otherwise do! Nothing like getting a bonus for working hard for your company!

And how exactly do prostitutes fit into your little analogy???

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Posted in: IWC meeting abuzz over Japan vote-buying accusations See in context

While tying foreign aid to voting in the IWC is certainly immoral (and lets not forget illegal in Japan) we aren't only talking about aid here... these bribes also went to paying for prostitutes!!!! and lining the pockets of delegates during all expenses paid tours of Japan!

Is there a single person out there who wouldn't be upset if their tax money went to paying for prostitutes in the form of bribes?? C'mon, lets see some raised hands...

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Posted in: IWC meeting abuzz over Japan vote-buying accusations See in context

OssanAmerica at 07:10 AM JST - 23rd June This isn't news

That is absolute complete and utter BS! Bribery is a crime in Japan... both giving and receiving. It's also our tax money being used to bribe. THIS IS NEWS!

Why is it Ossan that you consistantly tout yourself as a law and order guy but think that certain crimes are ok???

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Posted in: Japan may quit whaling commission if ban stays put See in context

the rabid anti-whaling crowd

The 'rabid anti-whaling crowd' as you put it are a vast minority of the people opposed to whaling. Similarly, the rabid pro-whaling crowd is a vast minority of the people involved in this debate. You are doing yourself absolutely no favours by lumping all people opposed to whaling into the SS camp. I fully support Japan's right to whaling but am quite opposed to sending ships all the way to the southern hemisphere... From what I have been reading on the topic there are quite a few people who share a similar position as me.

You see everything in black and white but are blind to shades of grey... The whaling debate is much more complex then simply anti-whaling vs. pro-whaling.

The sooner you realize that the sooner you'll stop marginalizing your own position.

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