Tyler Vandenberg comments

I had more to that early message got cut some how, Was going to explain why I had an issue. Most Americans think Democracy and they think the Government has to do what most people want, when in fact the Government is suppose to protect the minority from being oppressed by the Majority. This is why California (the most populated state) and Wyoming (Least populated state) have an equal vote in the Senate.

The problem is that the US and other free nations have drifted into a mobocracy, I know everyone likes to sit and think the clout of the super-rich is running things b/c that would mean there was a method to the madness, but its not true it is just the fickleness of mob rule. The issue in the US is that they have lost the respect of the minority the Mob wants it all and they wanted it yesterday. Don't get me wrong the lobbyists have power, but its dwarfed in comparison to if they are Pro or Anti Abortion, Pro or Anti Gay Marriage, Gun Rights, or TPP, If the mob is focused on that issue then all other voices are silenced. This is why the US hasn't been able to focus on any kind of reform b/c is only chasing the mob, and this is why Japan has a year turnover on PM.

@ BertieWooster America is a Constitutional Republic . . . NOT a Democracy

They fail to mention that while they are doing all these cute things they are saying samui every 3 seconds.............

@ Globalwatcher

Japan rejected a potential visit by President Obama to Hiroshima. This is old news in the US, part of the wikileaks saga, but was never a news story in Japan.

@ voiceofokinawa

The Japanese national flag among U.S. state flags!? This is a very symbolic depiction of the Japan-U.S relations. No doubt, Japan is regarded by Washington as its eagerly-awaited ５１ state.

The Japanese flag is in the formation behind Abe, the State flags are lined up along the route to pay respect as the formation passes this is a basic courtesy.

Yes, Japan must protect its Rice Agricultural Cooperative bureaucracy. The "wise and selfless" bureaucrats who control rice farming in Japan know best, and even though Japan's powerful organization of agricultural cooperatives has a longstanding "one person, one vote" system would never favor the part-timers, giving them a disproportionately strong voice in the organization. Having 1,000 part-time farmers would never be more preferable to having 10 full-time farmers. When they retire from their ministry, because of their "wise and selfless" service many bureaucrats become active in politics. So now more than one-third of the Liberal Democrats in the Diet are former Farm bureaucrats.

A sprawling and bureaucratic distribution system would never dissipate farmers’ earnings. It would never leave farm incomes depressed despite the heavy protection they receive..... Everyone needs to see that US rice farms have an unfair advantage because they don't have to support the weight of a giant Agricultural Bureaucracy on their heads. So the next time you eat Japanese rice remember all the bureaucrats that worked so hard to make the price just high enough, to support themselves and the Rice farmers.....mmmmmmm the taste of corruption savor it, thank you JA

@ Frungy

you computed for a vacuum a bottle of water will not break the sound barrier...... almost twice in 7620m. A human had to go to 36576m in a near vacuum of space to break it in freefall. Your math has the bottle going 1357 Kmh

drag coefficient, terminal velocity are needed....... I'm trying to fight the urge to do the math.......

As long as Japan keeps isolating itself from allies China will keep getting bolder.

I love this romantic idea that Japan needs to go solo toe to toe with China b/c US influence in Asia is falling, If you want to stay in that world keep reading your Manga. Japan has signed a security cooperation agreement with only 3 countries US, Australia, and India. China has territorial disputes with Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, South Korea, and India. Japan needs to stop counting on having de facto allies thru the US and become a fruitful member of a Pacific Alliance. Japan's current foreign relations have been careless at best and put even close Pacific allies of the US like South Korea and Australia in a tuff spot if called to aid the US in a defense of Japan. A simple plan strengthen the Cooperation and relations with these countries in the Pacific. Create a NATO for the Pacific and sit back as China falls in line and plays by the rules.

Thailand was the first to send aid and the second to send troops after the start of the Korea war just goes to show that even a small player will still ante up when the time comes.

For starters Google did not make the app, it was a third party app....... so for all those wondering what Google was thinking they had nothing to do with the app a "KimberyDeiss" (username name) made it, there was others like Make Me Indian, Make Me Russian, Make Me Frankenstein and Make Me Fat. Those apps are no longer available and KimberyDeiss's Google Play profile has been deleted.......

http://www.stripes.com/polopoly_fs/1.202195!/menu/standard/file/TEPCO_COMPLAINT.pdf

Here is the court paper filed , if anyone would like to read it.

@gokai wo maneku

I read the report...... don't try blowing smoke you are only going to convince NHK viewers, the fact is that makes it even worse that they knew there was a design flaw and still didn't make a plan or train their crew to do a manual vent without electricity...... when the Japanese Gov't can use money from the Earthquake Rebuilding budget for "Scientific whaling" and the Japanese don't make a peep, and its hardly on the news. Now you have 8 American trying to get money to pay for alleged medical issues and every one is up in arms I'm sorry that is just deplorable.

Well that didn't work. So is that karma, your past sins being a little irradiated?

Wow man good on you way to sick to your guns I really thought I would have to wait years until I heard Fukushima was cause by the American and Japan was the victim......

@ YuriOtani

So Operation Tomodachi goes from being helpful to hurtful and hateful. This will be the last rescue mission the USA will be allowed to do.So there is now no need for the Marines in Japan. They will sue soon is my thought and especially if these "ugly Americans" receive so much money Oh then the dependents will sue as well. Maybe we will be better on our own. Depending on the outcome of this and other actions.

No b/c most of the people that they helped are trying to get money from TEPCO too, They are not suing the Government of Japan they are suing TEPCO, but TEPCO is now owned by the Japanese GOV'T. Japan needs to wake up and see that the Radiation did not just effect Japan, but others from the Wolrd..... as for it being the last rescue mission if the Japanese Gov't takes the same approach you did it probably will be, I can't see anyone trying to help after hearing something like what you just said. What TEPCO should do is setup a fund for any rescue workers that have medical issues. As for your post, I used to respect what you wrote now I just see you as a bandwagon nationalist.

Well lets see, one of whom was pregnant at the time of the exposure... you guys can talk all you want , but if your wife or you where pregnant when you got hit by a radiation plume like the Regan they got a month’s worth of nuclear radiation in just one hour and then more b/c you stayed in the area after you would probably try to get money too.

The plaintiffs are suffering a variety of symptoms that attorney Paul Garner says were caused by the exposure, including rectal bleeding, thyroid problems and persistent migraine headaches, and all face an increased chance of developing cancer and requiring expensive medical procedures. "The carrier was less than two football fields away from the Fukushima Daiichi when it released a cloud of radiation," said Garner, speaking to NBC News on Thursday. He said the crew was unknowingly exposed to high levels of radiation in numerous ways, including when they cleared the carrier's decks of snow that was contaminated, and washed down the helicopters with sea water that was contaminated. http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/27/16197507-us-sailors-sue-japans-tepco-for-post-quake-radiation-exposure?lite

TEPCO has settled with the families of Japanese citizens who died during evacuations from the affected region, and the Japanese government has guaranteed payments this appears to be the first lawsuit involving American servicemembers, which 4 of them are still active duty I think..... so i guess we will see how this plays out

@Chubaka

T-V: Now with this in mind : the military is only obligated to follow the rules when they are practical and do not conflict with mission requirements.

Young man, I both heard and experienced that disclaimer spin many times in the 14 years I served in US Army Combat Arms units, mostly overseas. That statement comes across as arrogant now as it did then, with respect to how we expect other nations to follow an agreement, but then we do entirely as we wish. Try walking in the shoes of the average Japanese some day and see how that feels.

I'm going to break this down for you again old timer nice and easy. That statement is the Safety agreement from the Gov't of Japan NOT the US MILITARY please read the posts clearly and thoroughly before you try to talk down to me and say the statement is arrogant, I am trying to show that the National Gov't of Japan when the said they would put safety regulations in place pulled a fast one and gave the Osprey this "As Much as possible" guidelines which I linked.... but people are blinded by false perceptions and when you point out CLEAR as day Facts people ignore them and choose to live in denial. Since you want to use your 14 years in the Army I'll ask you this when you want to use a Range (Aircraft) in Japan for training who do you contact............ the Japanese Gov't. Who said they won't check to make sure the Osprey was following the rules... The National Gov't of Japan. So how does the Local Gov't know if they where illegal flights??

@ SamuraiBlue The Japanese Gov't does have that option, and yes you do have to schedule the area. Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto said the government would check and confirm how the Ospreys are operated and report any violations of the rules to the U.S. side. so since this isn't coming from the National Gov't who does the checking we know that this is just a political stunt.

@ Kazuaki Shimazaki

Those are Japan's words. The Gov't of Japan never stated how much was too much, so how should the US know what "as much as possible" or "Except as operationally necessary" or "operational safety may require" Japan never set a limit to any of this. Now Japanese are claiming illegal flights when it was the Japanese Gov't that said "as much as possible".

(From the Website MOFA) The Rules Are:

Both flight and ground operations between the hours of 2200 and 0600 are limited to those considered necessary for US operational requirements. Night training flights are limited to the minimum required to fulfill assigned US Forces Japan missions and maintain aircrew proficiency.

Except as operationally necessary, MV-22s normally fly in vertical take-off and landing mode only within the boundary of US facilities and areas, and will limit the period of conversion mode as much as possible.

While using training navigation routes, the MV-22 will fly at or above 500 feet above ground level, although operational safety may require flying below that altitude.

@ Yubaru

Dude I'm giving you the International agreement that was made: that is what joint US Japan operational guidelines are... they are an agreement made between the Govt of Japan and the US about the Osprey IN JAPAN ONLY. Thats what Gov'ts do they get together and make agreements.....as I provided earlier , but you missed some how http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/area/usa/sfa/pdfs/jc_mv22_2.pdf the link to the Japanese Gov't website( ministry of foreign affairs japan) with the OSPREY safety guidlines..... this is not America ONLY this is a joint Japanese American guideline for the Osprey. In this agreement. you will see " when possible" and "Except as operationally necessary" These are only the rules for the Osprey in Okinawa please read them they are from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I'm not sure where you think I'm talking about Osprey in the US. I'm only talking about rules in Japan only.

@ Yubaru

the Marines are only obligated to follow the rules only when they are practical and do not conflict with mission requirements (what the joint US Japan operational guidelines say not my words)...... meaning if they crew needs the training they can do it as much as they want until the training is done. I'm telling you these are guidelines and are not very strict, Okinawa Gov Hirokazu Nakaima even said the rules had loopholes that made them meaningless...

Night training flights are limited to the minimum required to fulfill assigned US Forces Japan missions and maintain aircrew proficiency. Unit Commanders will exert every effort to complete night flying operations as early as practical. The USG will minimize the impact of MV-22 night training flights on the communities surrounding Futenma Air Station (from the operational guidelines) They are required therefore a mission requirement and don't break the joint guidelines same goes for touch and go training (take off and landing practice) its a NATOPS req. they have to do it therefore it doesn't break the rules.

All I'm saying is the Marine Corps isn't breaking any rules and if you don't like the current rules you should ask to have them changed instead of trying to make the news with made up "illegal Osprey flights" did they contact the base to see if it was a mission requirement? Of course not b/c they don't care about "illegal flights" they don't want to check they just want to make drama so Abe will do something instead of asking him directly like I said before only a political stunt.

Now with this in mind : the military is only obligated to follow the rules when they are practical and do not conflict with mission requirements. Tell me how many times you saw them break the rules?

http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/area/usa/sfa/pdfs/jc_mv22_2.pdf

I found the safety measures you can read them at the link above.

CLEARLY a political stunt to get Abe's attention. There is no way they could break these rules 318 times even if they where trying too.... about the same as any other aircraft in Okinawa minus the making conversions between helicopter and airplane mode rule

Under the agreement, the Marine Corps must try to limit flights below 500 feet, make conversions between helicopter and airplane only over U.S. bases, steer clear of landmarks like schools and hospitals, and limit night operations.

However, the service is obligated to follow the rules only when they are practical and do not conflict with mission requirements or other safety measures, according to the agreement. Gov Hirokazu Nakaima lashed out at the guidelines, saying the agreement language provides loopholes. "The agreement had some items but they had this clause saying 'as much as possible'," he said. "We know that such an agreement does not practically mean anything." (stripes.com)

First Okinawa Gov Hirokazu Nakaima says the safety regulations are meaningless.

Now Okinawa Gov Hirokazu Nakaima says they are doing illegal flights. Sounds to me like he is just trying to get Abe to change the rules, but doesn't have the courage ask directly so is going waste all this time looking for "illegal flights" and spend money investigating when the rules put in place by Noda let the Ospreys do anything they need , if its a mission requirement.

Banned activities include flying the MV-22s in vertical take-off and landing mode over residential areas

I was not able to find if this was true only thing i saw was making conversions between helicopter and airplane mode over residential areas is not allowed

@ Fadamor

GPS in combination with an augmentation system has accuracy at the millimeter level.

That last picture pretty much sums up why the Military in Oki hates being there, you have a Marine in their car just trying to get to work and you have some Okinawan with a smile on his face slapping a no Osprey sign against his window. That Marine has no control over the osprey or the base, but still the Okinawans don't protest the Japanese government they are only special interest suckling money from Japan's anti base political parties. When I was in Iwakuni (in Yamaguchi) I saw 11 buses all from Osaka out protesting the base I saw no buses or cars with Yamaguchi plates on them........ why??? The Anti-base parties of Japan want to keep people's attention focused on the base, keep them protesting at the base it makes better news stories and keeps them in power, In the "Real world" these people would have been voted out years ago b/c of their constant failures, but they have tricked people into thinking that Japan is occupied and that the people have to force the US to decide to leave, when in fact all they have to do is pressure the Japanese government to do this, but that would fix something the question is do they actual want to fix the issue or do they just want to give the appearance of doing something, that is all these politicians do is get the people to protest in front of the bases so the people don't realise that its in front of their offices they should be protesting instead.

@ Simon sorry your post didn't show up until after didn't mean to be a echo

@Yubaru- The military under SOFA has no protection from double jeopardy I have seen military and Japanese courts both charge SOFA Military for a crime far less then this and after they get out of Japanese prison they go to Military Prison. Just depends on the Military if the they count time already served or not.

He only got 4 years b/c the definition of rape in Japan is limited to vaginal, he forced her to perform oral sex only...... but he still could be charged with rape by the military after he gets out and face 10 years b/c US law is any form of penetration is rape.

This article doesn't sum it up very well, He admitted he was guilty, He apologized to her. also he forced her to perform oral sex. (Not trying to say that makes it any better.... just trying to figure out how he only got 4 years) Prosecutors requested the four-year sentence for him so maybe a plea bargin??.....

nice to see a Japanese girl that goes to the gym instead of just not eatting...... i think her legs look great you can tell she works out.