Posted in: 73-year-old man dies after falling off roof while removing snow from vacant house See in context
Another massive snowstorm, another tragedy. Either try and clear the roof or potentially be buried alive. Got to feel for people up there.
1 ( +4 / -3 )
Posted in: The percentage of people between the ages of 60 and 64 who want to continue working past 65 is about 70%, and the percentage of people between the ages of 65 and 69 who want to keep working past 70 is about the same. If they continue to work as they desire, we can expect a further boost in the labor force. See in context
But the government keeps on sending money to the Ukraine and funding military expansion, and then there are the endless white elephant projects. So it is not a question of not having enough money give retirees a comfortable retirement. We need a version of DOGE here in Japan.
1 ( +1 / -0 )
Posted in: Sinkhole traps car on road in Nagoya; no one injured See in context
Amazed something hasn't happened in central Tokyo yet. The whole city is just a disaster waiting to happen. It's basically a network of canals paved over, crisscrossed by subways and other underground infrastructure. And much of it's sinking.
-3 ( +13 / -16 )
Posted in: Wages in Japan drop for 3rd straight year in 2024 as inflation bites See in context
But consumer prices outpaced wage growth with a 3.2 percent rise in the reporting year, although the pace decelerated from a 3.8 percent increase in 2023.
My situation: a 0% pay rise VS a 30% rise in the price of everyday goods, when including shrinkflation.
Somebody is telling porkies.
10 ( +22 / -12 )
Posted in: One of Japan’s biggest restaurant chains calls three different sauces all just 'sauce' in English See in context
The horror!
-2 ( +0 / -2 )
Posted in: J.League sets stringent policy on slander, harassment See in context
Making more money a week then most people have for disposable income in a year.
Hardly.
https://spojoba.com/articles/1059
-3 ( +0 / -3 )
Posted in: Former Diamond Princess passengers mark 5 years since COVID outbreak See in context
It was not the slowness of the response what saved people but the complete cooperation of the people with the science backed measures.
Rewriting history right before our very eyes.
-1 ( +7 / -8 )
Posted in: Do you have to pay the NHK fee? See in context
And their "fee collectors" are like cockroaches - annoying, hard to get rid of, and nobody wants them in their house.
Yeah, they were phased out during Covid. You just get notice in your box demanding you pay now.
1 ( +2 / -1 )
Posted in: Taiwan actress Barbie Hsu dies in Japan after contracting pneumonia triggered by flu See in context
To be fair she does look quite frail in that photo. Could have something to do with it. Proper nutrition is very important in building a good immune system. Poor lady.
-3 ( +2 / -5 )
Posted in: Starbucks to introduce location-based pricing at some stores nationwide See in context
If someone is nonstop on their computer or phone, your cafe doesn't even become a communication space. You might as well just set up tiny booths.
Indeed, most cafes here are treated as places to silently study, with the tapping fingers on keyboards the only sound to be heard. Was given the look for daring to talk in one Starbucks. Never went back.
1 ( +2 / -1 )
Posted in: OpenAI announces new 'deep research' tool for ChatGPT ahead of Tokyo meeting See in context
In other news, Sam Altman recently said: "I still expect, although I don't know what, and this is over a long period of time, not a next year or year after that kind of thing. But, over a long period of time, I still expect that it will be some change required to the social contract given how powerful we expect this technology to be."
Another billionaire who thinks he should determine our future "social contract". Sounds like a Bond villain intent on total world domination.
1 ( +1 / -0 )
Posted in: Japan weighs Alaska LNG pipeline pledge to win Trump's favor See in context
Aren’t we supposed to be moving away from fossil fuels due to the fact that… Well, the end of the world and all that.
The sky isn't going to fall in your head due to you consuming a little fossil fuel. Stay warm!
-5 ( +0 / -5 )
Posted in: Japan to outline steps for AI development after DeepSeek rise See in context
You should have opensourced OpenAI from the start, Mr. Altman. And you should have diversified your business while you could. As it is your business model is doomed.
0 ( +1 / -1 )
Posted in: Troubled European carmakers to talk fines and EVs with EU See in context
Who would've thunk? The sooner the EU is disbanded and countries allowed to set their own laws and have their own currencies again, the better. Talk about a failed experienent.
1 ( +1 / -0 )
Posted in: Ishiba cabinet support rate flat at 35%; 84% concerned over U.S. tariffs See in context
Japan should start by placing a huge tariff on US-made EVs.
American EVs are hardly a thing here. EVs in general are not.
2 ( +4 / -2 )
Posted in: Climate change cooks up Japanese 'cabbage shock' See in context
And was just at the supermarket and saw a massive stack cabbages for 299 yen. The article title is disingenuous. More climate change nonsense.
4 ( +10 / -6 )
Posted in: Japan OKs ¥83 bil in extra loans for new Indonesia port See in context
Dont know why Indonesia doesn't just print money out and lend to itself. Why borrow from Japan, which has no money to lend?
-3 ( +2 / -5 )
Posted in: Climate change cooks up Japanese 'cabbage shock' See in context
Switch to a vegetable that's in season.
4 ( +27 / -23 )
Posted in: Ishiba cabinet support rate flat at 35%; 84% concerned over U.S. tariffs See in context
Time to allign with the BRICS. That's where the future lies for Japan, epecially given its geographical location.
-6 ( +3 / -9 )
Posted in: BOJ on complex path to more rate hikes amid flagging economy See in context
The path wouldn't be so "complex" if Japan's greedy and stingy employers gave pay rises in line with their record-high profit growth and also in line with salaries in other developed countries.
Yeah they are paid more but everything costs more. Do you want a single cucumber costing 800 yen, which I have seen in other countries? Or how about a packet of cocopops at 1500 yen? Or try q simple 750ml bottle of water at 500-600 yen. Or want a house at 100,000,000 yen? It's 'complex' for sure.
1 ( +3 / -2 )
Posted in: Births in Japan likely to fall below 700,000 for 1st time in 2024 See in context
Japan isn't special. Two-thirds of the world's countries are below replacement now and it's accelerating. Literally a race to zero.
12 ( +31 / -19 )
Posted in: Generational problem: Youth still struggling in pandemic's shadow See in context
Not only the children [me raises hand]
0 ( +1 / -1 )
Posted in: Japan preparing to use rice reserves amid soaring prices See in context
Another issue is that the average age of farmers is at around 70 now and many of them are moving away from growing rice due to it being more labour intensive and the lack of support from local communities that used to be more involved. And there is little hope that young people are sudently going to get into farming in any significant numbers. There is also a scale and efficiency problem.
1 ( +3 / -2 )
Posted in: Japan preparing to use rice reserves amid soaring prices See in context
Sorry, don't want old rice. Been buying new Californian rice at Gyomu supermarket at 3,400 for 10Kg, when I can get it. Seems to be just a few bags allowed in here and there and they are sold out within hours.
And as others have said, the shortage is due to government ineptitude and short-sightedness. They just don't have our best interests in mind.
10 ( +13 / -3 )
Posted in: Gov't urges Fuji TV to restore trust after Nakai sex scandal See in context
Yes, as expected, the best the government can come up with is to urge Fuji TV to clean up its act. The government is always urging for this and that but the underlining issues of cronyism, conflict of interest, graft, kickbacks and other forms of corruption are never addressed and a proper, transparent investigation never takes place.
6 ( +13 / -7 )
Posted in: Sunfish that began ailing after aquarium's closure recovers after human cutouts set up outside tank See in context
Just goes to show that it pays to put forward even the most preposterous ideas in meetings and that they can sometimes serve a useful purpose after all.
2 ( +3 / -1 )
Posted in: Osaka woman causes 8 separate traffic accidents in 35 minutes See in context
Our lady's favourite game is the GTA series.
-6 ( +0 / -6 )
Posted in: Trump tells Davos elite to invest in U.S. or face tariffs See in context
he won’t put a tariff on oil. no one is that stupid.
Why not? America doesn't need foreign oil anyway. Drill baby, drill.
-11 ( +3 / -14 )
Posted in: Japan wage growth gathers steam as reluctant retailers raise pay See in context
I think I prefer the good old days of the yen at around 1:1 with the dollar, no inflation and low prices. Everything was affordable here in Japan for the past 30 years and lives were "good" enough.
The world changed after the re-opening up following Covid.
11 ( +16 / -5 )
Posted in: Man arrested for kicking rabbit on island where 77 animals have died See in context
The question is, how did he manage to get so close to the little critter? Those things move like lightening. And the loser should be made to clean rabbit cages as a punishment.
-1 ( +0 / -1 )
Posted in: China accuses Australia of deliberate provocation in South China Sea
Japan don't bend over; trump need to learn a lesson in economy.
Posted in: Japan in contact with U.S. over tariffs; says it will respond appropriately
Posted in: China accuses Australia of deliberate provocation in South China Sea
Posted in: Pet shop owner faces 30 years in prison for sexually assaulting 4 female employees