toolonggone comments

Wayne Denton TrotterSep. 11  09:32 pm JST

Here in the US we have multiple national parks that have high fees. Here in Maine Acadia National Park cost $41.00 vehicle or 5813 yen for entry. Some of the parks are $46 for vehicle and $25 per person summed together. Total of 10066 yen. Experiencing the park os important, however maintaining it’s integrity it also important.

Right but those charges are good for the full season. They aren’t per visit. An Acadia National Park pass is $50.00 for the year and unlimited visits.

https://www.acadianationalpark.com/park_info/fees_permits.php

BlacklabelAug. 27  02:11 pm JST

Absolutely not. Even More so when you see what kind of nonsense people here would vote for in other countries.

I don't believe that voting against "nonsense" is a factor in whether or not one is allowed to vote. Thankfully, people don't and shouldn't have to agree with what you've deemed to be sensical in order to vote.

smithinjapanAug. 26  02:48 pm JST

Provided they have committed no crimes and pay their taxes like regular citizens, absolutely. At least in local elections.

Are Japanese who've committed crimes allowed to vote? In so far as the crime wasn't one of voter fraud, and the punishment has been served, why not allow them to vote? Disenfranchising people only serves to put them further outside of society and to ensure that they have no vested interest in civic engagement, which would seem to be worse, not just for the convicted, but for society as a whole.

The owner says she’ll be taking more care deciding whether or not to let the parakeet fly freely throughout here home, with no cage, as that unfettered flying freedom seems to have been a contributing factor in its escape…

What does that mean? The bird either flies freely throughout her home or she keeps it in a cage 24/7 or leashes it or what? I don’t get why people have birds and then keep them in cages. The beauty of a bird is its flight and by keeping them as pets you’re basically taking that away from them. Besides that, parakeets do best in pairs or small groups.

deanzaZZRToday  01:18 am JST

California is blessed with abundant hydroelectric energy because of the Sierra Nevada Range and snow melt. Not all are so blessed. The California government has done a good job for decades now supporting the adoption of solar and NEVs. 

Japan gets plenty of sunlight and snow, especially in Aomori, Gifu and Hokkaido, among other prefectures. I would think geothermal power would be another option.

Peter NeilAug. 20  10:03 pm JST

who says it plays a crucial role? this is what happens when a politician wants to use the term ai to pretend to be doing something current.

it’s nonsense. nowhere is communication mentioned as something preventative in dementia and alzheimer’s studies. communication doesn’t affect genetics or proteins.

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/managing-the-risk-of-dementia/reduce-your-risk-of-dementia/social-isolation#:~:text=Social%20isolation%20can%20lead%20to,someone%20feels%20about%20their%20circumstances.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hospitals-around-the-world-detain-patients-who-cannot-pay-medical-bills/

AntiquesavingAug. 21  06:23 pm JST

Years ago a Japanese friend studying in Santa Monica went to the hospital for food poisoning.

At the time I was there also.

He called me asked me to get come get his ATM card because they wouldn't let him leave without paying the $3000 for treatment.

His insurance covered it but that hospital would not bill that particular Japanese insurer directly.

When I got there they had a security guard near his bedside to make sure he didn't try to leave.

I got his card got the money from his account and paid the bill.

It was a strange experience coming from a country with universal insurance.

Sorry but this sounds very suspect. Unless your friend was incarcerated, had a legal guardian or was committed for mental health reasons, a California hospital cannot force them to stay. Additionally, I've absolutely never heard of a US hospital having a bill prepared when you're ready to leave. They typically mail you a bill if your insurance doesn't cover everything.

"In California, a hospital cannot hold a patient who is fully recovered and medically cleared for discharge due to unpaid hospital debt. This practice is illegal and violates several patient rights and protections. The first reason is that it would be considered false imprisonment, which is a tort under CA law.The second reason is that no health and safety code or civil code section allows for the involuntary holding of a patient unless it is a mental health emergency (Health and Safety Code Section 5150).The other issue is that this would likely just violate the hospital's own policies.If the person owes a debt, they cannot hold them as there is no legal authority to do so."

virusrexToday  09:46 am

So your argument is that he took the hugely reduced prices without knowing we were under a global pandemic and hotels were struggling? that does not make any sense.

Not what I wrote but we’ve clearly established that you interpret things the way you like and misquote to further your point, so your argument is that no one should have stayed in any open hotels, eaten at any open restaurants, shopped at any open stores and so on because we were under a global pandemic? Your argument is that people should have turned down the prices offered and what, not patronized any businesses or given them money for pre-pandemic prices? Is that what you did?

"The pandemic was great for cheap deals"

No liberal interpretation at all, explicitly being glad for the pandemic that put hotels in a situation so desperate that taking advantage was easy. No need to read hearts, just what they wrote as a comment.

Really? That’s what you’re going to keep going with? You do know that most people can hold contradictory feelings at the same time, right? Not glad the pandemic happened but happy to have been able to afford something previously unaffordable? Not glad it’s raining but happy the flowers are being watered. Not glad my team lost but happy a team which had previously never won got to experience the joy of winning.

Your argument is what doesn’t make sense, but keep trying. It’s just humorous now. I’m off to enjoy the day and hope for the best for you.

virusrex

When the reason this becomes affordable is because a terrible situation for the people offering the service or product then the person is saying "I am glad the tragedy happened so I could enjoy something out of it" 

That’s not what he wrote. That’s completely your interpretation, a very liberal interpretation which assumes you know far more about a stranger’s mind and intentions that you really do. It’s bizarre how worked up you seem to be over this too. If you’re so sure that you’re right, revel in that and stop trying to convince others that you can read into people’s hearts.

irusrexToday  09:04 am JST

How else can you interpret that one person considers great that the pandemic happened so he could enjoy from taking advantage of it, and how frustrated this person feels about losing chances to do it more?

I’d interpret it as someone being glad they were able to afford something previously unaffordable while still understanding the reason for that. I certainly wouldn’t lose my mind over interpreting it as them having nefarious thoughts with regards to it. You’re reading into it just what you want to and putting words where they don’t exist. But, hey, if you’re comfortable doing that, carry on.

TokyoLivingToday  08:00 am JST

Steal women's underwear in national headlines..

Proving again and again that Japan is one of the safest countries to live in the world..

Japan, I love you, please never change..

Google “Peeping Tom to serial rapist” and see how many stories come up. Sure, underwear theft is not the same as voyeurism but they fall under the same category of sexual deviance and neither are humorous to the victims nor should they be humorous to others. They are both extremely unsettling to the victims and often indicative of more serious crimes to come. That you can’t see the danger in these types of crimes and somehow chalk them up to how safe Japan is, is shocking and worrying, especially in light of this having being committed by a police officer. Try taking off your rose colored glasses for a change. Admitting a problem in Japan doesn’t make you any less loyal to or loving of the country. I dare say that those who refuse to admit a problem, as all countries have, isn’t secure at all in their views and gets in the way of real progress.

CephusAug. 9  04:45 pm JST

"Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida canceled plans to visit central Asia on Friday, and spearhead precautionary measures instead, following an unprecedented warning that the risk of a major Pacific coast earthquake was higher than usual."

A selfless act, and a great decision to forego travel and concentrate on those suffering first and foremost.

A good decision, yes. Calling it a selfless act might be just a wee bit hyperbolic since this is kind of in his job description.

rainydayAug. 2  01:12 pm JST

If a ball falling into your parking lot is going to drive you that far over the edge, you really shouldn't be building it right next to a high school athletic field in the first place.

Do you really think the unhinged parking lot manager is the one who built or owns the lot?

Crying when one loses isn't unwarranted but there's a point where it becomes self-indulgent and selfish, taking away the focus on and joy of the athlete who won.

Criticizing and athlete, or rather their performance, is part of the game. Insulting an athlete, especially on a personal level and not related to their performance is odd and childish. Threatening an athlete is a crime.

Anyone who threatens to harm life, body, freedom, honor, or property, or uses assault to make someone do something they are not obligated to do, or interferes with the exercise of rights, shall be punished by imprisonment for up to 3 years.

The same applies to anyone who threatens to harm the life, body, freedom, honor, or property of a relative, makes someone do something they are not obligated to do, or interferes with the exercise of rights.

Attempted crimes under the preceding two paragraphs shall be punished.

Japanese Penal Code Article 223 (Coercion)

TokyoLivingJuly 31  10:16 am JST

Biles can make as many pirouettes as she want but she will NEVER be like Comăneci..

The only 10 perferct in Olympic gymnastics history..

Seriously? Maybe do a little research next time you post the inevitable comment bashing the US. That you don't even have the grace to compliment one of the greatest athletes ever, never mind the winningest female gymnast, reveals far more about you than you think and I'm certain Comaneci would agree with me as her comments about Biles are never anything but gracious, laudatory and kind.

"She is one of a kind, you know. I always said that every 40-50 years, there comes somebody along the way that does something just unbelievable in a sport. With the code of points in gymnastics right now, the difficulties that she has, the skills that she does, probably a lot of the guys cannot do that." Nadia Comaneci

As for her "many pirouettes" I'd be laughing if your comment weren't so sadly biased and lacking in reality.

The rules and the difficulty level of the routines weren’t anywhere near what we see Biles and her contemporaries perform. 

In 2006, the FIG changed its code of points. Now, there is no consistent, perfect score. Instead, judges award points based on difficulty and artistic merit, with only execution scores carrying a ceiling.

TokyoLivingJuly 31  10:16 am JST

Biles can make as many pirouettes as she want but she will NEVER be like Comăneci..

The only 10 perferct in Olympic gymnastics history..

Seriously? Maybe do a little research next time you post the inevitable comment bashing the US. That you don't even have the grace to compliment one of the greatest athletes ever, never mind the winningest female gymnast, reveals far more about you than you think and I'm certain Comaneci would agree with me as her comments about Biles are never anything but gracious, laudatory and kind.

"She is one of a kind, you know. I always said that every 40-50 years, there comes somebody along the way that does something just unbelievable in a sport. With the code of points in gymnastics right now, the difficulties that she has, the skills that she does, probably a lot of the guys cannot do that." Nadia Comaneci

As for her "many pirouettes" I'd be laughing if your comment weren't so sadly biased and lacking in reality.

The rules and the difficulty level of the routines weren’t anywhere near what we see Biles and her contemporaries perform. 

In 2006, the FIG changed its code of points. Now, there is no consistent, perfect score. Instead, judges award points based on difficulty and artistic merit, with only execution scores carrying a ceiling.

wzerToday  07:56 am JST

wistful sigh

Creepy reaction.

Michael MachidaToday  08:15 am JST

BigP was making the point of shock at why a Japanese Teacher who is 28 years old would want to have sexual interest in such a young girl in Japan.

That’s not the impression I got. Did you discuss this with BigP?

BigP was just shocked at such a young age of the girl.

I hope my explanation helps you to understand

BigP's post.

No, it doesn’t. Your explanation does nothing to clear up why her age was a question. He’s a teacher and she’s a high school student. The whole situation is inappropriate, regardless as to whether she was 16, 17 or 18. I hope that helps you to understand.

Or someone from a developed nation. Anyone remember this?

https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0HQ2XW/

https://www.asce.org/publications-and-news/civil-engineering-source/civil-engineering-magazine/issues/magazine-issue/article/2021/03/modern-roundabouts-boost-traffic-safety-and-efficiency

https://www.iihs.org/topics/roundabouts

Fighto!July 30  02:11 pm JST

Sure - I'll help out.

Look at the medal tally of every nation - except the US. That's how the medal ranking system works. A gold medal is ranked higher than a silver. A silver is ranked higher than a bronze.

The US is not on top of the medal tally as US media are presenting.

Happy to help!

By your logic, because remember, you're the one who gave a "worth" to the different types of medals, so let's give each medal a point value, say 3 for gold, 2 for silver and 1 for bronze.

Gold Silver Bronze Point Total

China 6 6 2 32

Japan 6 6 2 32

Australia 5 4 9 32

France 5 8 3 34

Korea 5 3 2 23

USA 3 16 9 50

In all honesty, I don't care about the Olympics and comments such as your just solidify my feelings. I like sports and am happy for all of the athletes to achieve well in theirs but I can't stand the jingoistic nonsense that the Olympics seem to bring out in so many people. Really, who cares how well one country does over another? More likely than not it has to do with so many factors, such as population, national wealth, the amount of government support provided to athletes, the stability of a country and so on. But, sure, go ahead and puff up your chest when your country does well, as if you have anything at all to do with it and denigrate other countries because that's really in the spirit of the games. Don't even get me started on the backroom shady dealings and performance enhancing drugs or how people from impoverished countries or those at war are meant to compete on any truly equal level, or how host nations end up wasting so many resources. It's the Olympics so rah, rah, rah.

The goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practiced without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.

Why even ask the question? Surely there is research available providing the answers.

TirionToday  12:34 pm JST

Aren't there companies in Japan who make a business of helping (mainly victims of domestic abuse/violence) to "evaporate"? I hope all such victims and Mlle Veron are in places of safety, enjoying peaceful, happy lives.

Nice thought but Tiphaine Veron was a tourist, so it’s highly doubtful that she, as a white, European woman, who probably wasn’t fluent in Japanese, was going to use a yonige-ya to “disappear”.

Fighto! I hope the IOC does not raise the age limit for skateboarding. An 11 or 12 year old Japanese kid is often much more mature than, say, a 16 year old kid from a Western nation. They grow up quick.

What in the world does that even mean and what kind of evidence do you have for this sweeping generalization, not so subtly masked as a dig at your favorite target?

Fighto! !Today  01:04 pm

No one cares about "Total medals," just America.

As long as it’s won fairly, any medal won in the Olympics is worthy of celebrating. But just to clarify, at the end of the games are you going to say that only gold medals won by Japanese athletes are worthwhile or will you be praising them for all the medals they win?

A bronze is worth nowhere near what a gold is.

Interesting. So, are you saying that 3rd place is nowhere near 1st place? I just want to be sure I understand how the ranking system works.

CanucksfanToday  02:31 am JST

I’ve seen tourist attractions in the US have a local discount if you show your ID. Sounds like the same thing but executed in a different way.

Really? In my experience I've seen state parks charge locals/state residents less because state and local taxes may go to the funding and upkeep of the park. The same is true for some museums, for the same reason, but typically only on certain days of the month. Have you seen this anywhere else and if so, where exactly?

Rcch: Facts.

I’m not black, I’m white, but, from what I’ve been hearing, she does not represent the black community. 

.

Fact: Plenty of people, black, white, Asian, mixed-heritage do not represent their “race” but rather what they feel are the best policies for people.

And yes, she’s not… “black”—her mother is from India and her father is not African—I don’t even know what to call her but she’s not African-American and she doesn’t care about black Americans. Heheh

Fact: Why not start by calling her a human being, a woman, a presidential candidate and maybe be a little less gleeful about trying to define her as “not black”? It’s kind of gross the way you care so much to emphasize how not black you think she is, as if it’s your right to define her at all.

on M4sadaToday  07:56 am JST

Seriously? You think the unions aren't concerned corporate America is far too politically invested?

I’m talking about the Soros dog whistle. If you don’t understand what I’m referring to, look it up. If you do know, then please don’t insult anyone’s intelligence by pretending it means anything other than what it means.

Fighto!Today  07:32 am JST

It's only fair that hotels, restaurants and retail shops charge more for foreigners. Most Japanese staff cannot adequately use a second language, so the businesses need to hire fluent English/Chinese/Korean etc speakers - at big expense. 

So, if a non-resident foreigner goes to one of these hotels, restaurants or retail shops, and can’t find someone to communicate with them in their native language, should they be charged the same price as Japanese?

Dual pricing happens everywhere else in Asia. Plus, let's be honest here - most foreigners have more money than Japanese customers.

By that logic should rich Japanese have to pay more for these types of services than less well-off Japanese?

BanthuToday  07:11 am JS

Far-left Progressives are backed by the biggest money in the world.

Nobody who actually know anything about Harris would be silly enough to refer to her as a far-left progressive.

Soros immediately endorsed Kamala and promised an endless flow of money.

Doesn’t the right get tired of blowing that old dog whistle? No one with any sense or sense of decency is listening.