TrevorPeace comments

Ridiculous price. And paying 'admission' to a place to eat and drink is insane. Not to mention the usually horrid renditions of popular songs by inept 'performers'.

@Jeffy, that's a good take on it. Can I add something? What about the plastics that are used to package the things we buy? Producing those certainly adds to our 'carbon footprint' (which is a really dumb label to start with). And what about all those gas-powered lawnmowers and chain saws? I could continue with the rant, but I'll stop now, except to say a 'carbon passport' has got to be one of the stupidest ideas I've read.

From what I've read of US news recently, everything 'violates the Constitution'. Maybe they should burn the damn thing and write a new one.

I hope they're put in the general population of the prison where they'll serve their time and where they'll be exposed to plenty of inmates of the type they hate. Should be interesting.

@Paul, you beat me to it!

Some good observations here.

@Skeptical and @GBR48, I don't know who downvoted your contributions, but I gave each of you an uptick. I've lived alone for more than ten years and travelled that way, too. And as a writer I've written about the difference between loneliness and what I call 'aloneness'. In my opinion, both are mental constructs that are exacerbated by do-gooders that have nothing better to do. If you're feeling 'lonely', do as any normally sane person would do - volunteer in your community (it's one of the best ways to feel 'valued'), take up a hobby and enjoy the people who have the same interest, or just get over it.

You have to be a pathetic excuse for a human being to secretly take photos or videos of airline cabin crew members. If anyone here supports people who do that, I have only one message for you - get a life.

Thanks, @1Glenn, there's nothing like a walk down memory lane on the first day of a new year. I only wish they had chocolate chip mint on the list.

@Gene, I have the same dreams, but they'll die with me whether it's this year or next. So I can say enjoy the new year for whatever it brings. There's no point in anyone being terribly negative, and a lot of posters here do exactly that. And they, in my mind, are rather pitiful excuses for human beings.

And happy New Year to you all!

The best - living the rest of the year after hearing the worst - a diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis that's going to kill me in a year or two. But, life's a bitch and you have to suck it up and take it, at least that's always been my philosophy. So I'm only hoping I can return to Japan one last time to say goodbye to the good friends I've made there since 2011.

@ TaiwanIsNotChina - You're right that pandas in the wild don't belong to anybody, but that's no reason to repeat your hatred of China. The story's about an aging panda, and your last sentence was totally unnecessary and juvenile.

Obviously indoctrinated since childhood. Excellent example of state-run mind control.

The 'West' has nothing to do with the world's turmoil. The world's turmoil is caused solely by human beings, and that species lives everywhere on earth. There isn't a conflict anywhere that doesn't lie on the shoulders of what we call 'humanity'. And that term is a joke in far too many countries, including Lavrov's.

This whole story is pathetic. Loneliness is the mental construct, a choice. And it's diametrically the opposite of being alone. Pity the people who have to rely on a robot to get a life.

@MotherandChild - good observation. I've cleared show from my 15-meter driveway, sidewalk, front steps and a large part of the street in front of my home at a similar depth to that which is in the photo and returned only a few hours later to repeat the process. It's always best to get it out of the way, even if it's a continual process. Visitors and neighbours certainly appreciate it. So do delivery people, the senior who delivers our newspaper and our postal carriers. It's other people we do it for, not just ourselves.

Gotta wonder who the company bought off in order to get that location.

A bit of an odd sight considering Christmas isn't a holiday in Japan. But, let them have fun, especially if they're going to clean a street or two.

@Fighto!, it's worrisome, for sure. But I've got my fingers crossed for keeping the crazies at bay. I hope you do, too.

I turn 70 in January and I've lived alone for twenty years. As a writer I've covered the difference between loneliness and aloneness, and I can tell you Gene's comments resonate deeply so I won't repeat them. I'll just say to all the other 'seniors' here, life's a blast; enjoy it.

@Speed, you overlooked or ignored Vancouver's Winter Olympics. How about not posting misinformation? It might help clean up the trolls, and JT is a good place to start..

Three walls of my office are adorned with it - my master instructor's work and mine. If there's one thing I appreciate from my annual trips to Japan, aside from the memories and 15,000 photos, it's the calligraphy (and the set of brushes my now-deceased instructor's wife presented to me shortly after his funeral five years ago).

As a retired roofing industry safety officer my only comment is that only a foolish worker wears no safety harness.

I would tell Netanyanu the US foreign aid stops tomorrow. No more money, no more weapons.

As an avid former downhiller, I didn't realize they 'competed' in training jumps.

¥400 million is a drop in the bucket. The two governments paid as much as that for their little tete-a-tete. Can't imagine they're getting any real value for it.

A pathetic gesture.

You'd have to be incredibly stupid to pay that much for a single bunch of grapes. Especially a Muscat varietal. It doesn't even make good wine.

And Erdogan is the world's poster boy of hypocrisy.

@Thuban: You say 'Muslims have very traditional views on family, gender and the roles of women in society, and that those views fundamentally 'clash with the ideals of left-wing liberals'. That statement alone shows your intolerance of ordinary liberals. And to say, 'If liberals claim to be tolerant, they have to be tolerant of Muslims and their traditions,' I can't agree more, except for their propensity to kill those who disagree with their fanatical adherence to their religion, even their family members. But I guess that's okay with you?