ultradork comments

Posted in: Kadena residents angered by U.S. parachuting drill See in context

God forbid the troops train. It is a massive air base, get over it.

9 ( +12 / -3 )

Posted in: Can the Japanese government afford to let Toshiba, which fell into a negative net worth of Y620 billion at the end of March due to losses in the U.S. nuclear power business, go under? See in context

Affirmative. The last of the ZOMBIES. Just about all the other 150 or so Japanese MNCs have reorganized. TOSHIBA is connected to MITSUI - don't see them lifting a finger...

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Posted in: Yu Darvish's brother arrested in Japan over gambling See in context

I sincerely hope that these gambling scandals, along with the special facilities required, the extra costs and the limited global appeal, all work to diminish the prospects of baseball returning to the Olympics. Just does not belong.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Posted in: Unexploded WWII shell found in Tokyo's Kita Ward See in context

Thousands & thousands of bombs were dropped on Tokyo after the essentially meaningless Doolittle raid. The biggest question is to wonder why Japan took so long to surrender. it may be startling to learn that 800 B-29s were sent over Japan on bombing missions a few days AFTER the atomic bombs were dropped. Because even those two earth-shattering events didn't work right away to secure a surrender.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Posted in: Female sales reps in U.S. say Daiichi Sankyo discriminates See in context

In other words, they are treated the way women are in Japan. My wife experienced it as a sales woman and have met dozens and dozens of others in similar situations. So few women are able to meaningfully rejoin the workforce it is an incredible waste. In a country with zero population growth and a increasingly greying population you`d think there would be a strong emphasis on gender equality in the workforce here. Everyone in charge in the govt, industry and education is a balding (with either a barcode or toupe) oyaji.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Posted in: Man on flight from Japan held in LA after smoke grenade, leg irons, body bags found in luggage See in context

For actual security, you arent trying to simply enforce laws or rules that happen to be in place at that particular time. It seems reasonable that terrorists will constantly change tactics and often work within the system to carry out an attack. Actual security involves checking further when something seems peculiar - "TPO" is common sense. Now this guy is probably some kind of survivalist or something, no threat to anyone, just compensating for emotional issues. BUT, he shouldve been checked out in Kansai Airport and maybe Seoul, too. While it may be legal to purchase & transport this stuff in Japan (and elsewhere), it is certainly a reasonable question to look someone in the eye and ask why they have that kind of gear and why they are wearing or carrying body armor in their bags prior to boarding an int`l flight. If he is wearing it, he should be looking chubby, and in hand carry it would show up as a rather dense materiel in the x-ray. I would definitely notify the air crew if I noticed someone with gear like that, it simply is out of place.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: What's cool? Changing values after March 11 disaster See in context

She left in December.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Random patdowns begin at 30 int'l airports in Japan See in context

@probie - actually there have been successful Japanese terrorists; Red Brigade in the past (responsible for hijackings and other heinous acts) & Aum Shinrikyo more recently; not all terrorists are Muslim. I was in Rome in '87 when a Japanese Red Brigade fired an RPG at the US Embassy & while simultaneously a car bomb killed 2 Italian bystanders outside.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: Random patdowns begin at 30 int'l airports in Japan See in context

Pure theater. Knowing this - why wouldn't a person with ill intent put the materials inside their body, in a bra or right on their privates? Prisoners in jails have an awful lot of contraban - surely a fanatical terrorist can endure some discomfort. This is a waste of time & money. Solid intelligence before anyone gets near the airport is meaningful security. How, why & where will these people obtain the explosive materials that necessitate this security theater? That should be the focus. Not timid women with a 1 hour training course and white gloves apologizing with an awkward smile for realizing "it" is hanging to the left today.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Posted in: Friendly Planet Travel introduces Beijing and Tokyo: A Sale of Two Cities tour See in context

Great timing. How about adding Taipei & Seoul? Keio Plaza was past its prime 20 yrs ago when I was a JET.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Drink or flirt: there's a beer fest app for that See in context

Awesome event to attend at least once in a lifetime, especially if you like drinking beer. Good times.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Taiwan, Japan coast guards duel with water cannons See in context

Nothing happens in a vacuum. Just about every country in SE and NE Asia has ongoing territorial disputes, most involve potential resources and of course some are trifling but in matters of national pride, trifles can take on grand significance. Japan has disputes with Russia, Korea, China and Taiwan. Russia has quite a few with China and on and on. The way a country deals with one negotiation certainly has bearing on how the other countries will deal with you. Offering to sell or buy seems an extremely unlikely scenario. If you buy it, you are admitting you dont own it (plus everyone may remember Alaska, some serious ROI for the US eventually). Logic and pragmatism are qualities rarely brought to bear in these disputes, particularly when the 2 sides lack trust. Japans recent troubles may reach a status quo and then stay reasonably calm until the next "incident" and things flare up, rinse & repeat.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: Public transport tactics: How to deal with shoulder sleepers See in context

Almost never sit down, not an issue for me but I have seen it a lot in 10+ yrs of commuting in Tokyo. Pretty funny sometimes.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Posted in: Pakistani minister offers $100,000 to anyone who kills anti-Islam filmmaker See in context

What if all the top 100 newspapers in the world simultaneously published cartoons ridiculing all the world's religions, including Islam, for a month? Would the protests finally die down, as the zealots realize their faith is not diminished or would there be ninja teams of assassins fanning out to kill the editors and weeks of rioting? It just seems such a colossal waste of time, energy, emotion, dignity and resources to get so upset about cartoons, books or videos. "Sticks & stones..."

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: Why you won't see a 7-Eleven in Shikoku See in context

Not in Okinawa & 6 other prefectures but a news show recently showed they will open in Shikoku next year, spreading out just as they've done before. Obviously their business model is sound, they bought the founding company in the USA.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: What do you think of home schooling? See in context

Best option ?!? My kids attend an excellent public school here in Tokyo. Lots of homework, lunch is served, great facilities, class size of 28. 2 minutes from the house. I can't imagine keeping them here all day & wondering how they'd learn the culture & social dynamics.

2 ( +3 / -2 )

Posted in: Ear pick for children’s ears See in context

Read the medical literature - a bad idea. A q-tip on the outer rim is as far as you should go. I remember being told nothing smaller than my elbow as a kid.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: I plan to create 500,000 new jobs within my first 100 days of becoming prime minister. See in context

I plan on dating Ms. Universe Japan next month. Why make a quantifiable promise that you can't deliver on?

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Posted in: Japan declares U.S. Osprey safe to fly in Japan See in context

If they would relocate the pertinent Futenma squadrons to Henoko as agreed to planned so many years ago, then the Ospreys would bother many thousands less people.....but that is a whole nother can o worms. Theyd still be near the units they are supporting (practical and saves fuel) and flying out of a much less populated area. But of of course this isnt about logic or practicality.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Posted in: Panetta urges calm, but says U.S. takes no sides in Japan-China dispute See in context

A Peace Treaty ended WWII; the US -Japan defense treaty would applicable IF Japan should actually need help. That isn't going to come about. Everyone knows that neither govt will let this escalate to anything truly bellicose. Military questions aside the economic cost to all concerned would be catastrophic.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: Japan's ambassador-designate to China dies in Tokyo See in context

stroke?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: U.S. powerless to act against anti-Islam inciters See in context

UMIOSO - why would the film-maker be prison bound? The whole point is, no one goes to prison because they of upset sensibilities - please read the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Right now they are looking to see if he has violated his any of terms of is current probation, that COULD possibly get him in some trouble. If not for this probation (for previous financial fraud charges) there would be almost zero chance hed have any legal issues in the US. Interestingly, he is Egyptian and if he was in Egypt....well, lets not go there.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Posted in: U.S. embassies attacked in Yemen, Egypt; 4 arrested over Libya killings See in context

No one in the US is going to get arrested for making a movie, writing a book or drawing an offensive cartoon. Where does that line of reasoning stop? Who decides what is controversial? How about shows featuring the wonders of bacon? (The Jersey Shore deeply offends me by the way - please arrest everyone involved for being illiterate, tasteless morons.) Everyone needs to stop pretending that is the issue anyway.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Posted in: 6 Chinese ships spotted near disputed isles See in context

Provocative perhaps, hardly "an act of war".

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Posted in: The rules of sushi See in context

Sushi in a restaurant in Japan normally already has wasabi in it (or not, as appropriate to the fish). If you have munchkins in tow or simply don't care for it, you ask to have it left out. I've seen many gaijin here demand extra wasabi and then dump it all into a lake of soy sauce until it turns a rather unappetizingly pale color. I'm left to exchange glances & a quick shrug with the chef/wait staff. So the whole mixing question is more appropriate to sashimi (or sushi places overseas). Just like fake maple syrup on pancakes or Tabasco sauce on pizza(??), people get used to a taste & for them it is "normal". I suggest & cajole my dining companions but know when it comes to taste, everyone decides for themselves. The author's caveat about not leaving hashi sticking vertically out of a bowl of rice (practiced as as funeral ritual) makes sense for those eating chirashizushi (bowl of rice w/ one or many types of seafood nestled on top.)

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: Tsunami 'miracle pine' cut down as part of project to preserve it See in context

From the "we eat whales to study them" school of thought

11 ( +15 / -4 )

Posted in: In memory See in context

There's a yakitori place near one of the train stations I use. First time I went there a couple months ago with my wife & 2 sons. We were just checking it out on the way home from shopping on a late Saturday afternoon; have some yakitori & a frosty beer; the smell of the chicken grilling was hard to resist & had noticed in passing before that it had a friendly vibe & nice red lanterns. The proprietor immediately starts chatting with my boys & doing some cool magic tricks. Asking where I'm from I say originally from New Jersey. He says he knows it as he goes to New York every year via Newark airport, in the early autumn. I tell him, that's a nice time of year, not crowded & cooler weather. Later after bringing the drinks & food we ask if he learned the tricks to entertain customers. He explains, not really, the magic is for communicating with kids in Afganhistan - he's been going there, too since about 7 yrs ago...... I look at him and the realization, like a wave; my eyes moistening as he shows me a picture of his son, the elite banker in a suit, in New York. The grieving father still proud & at the same time so devastated after all these years.. He's there now, in New York. A nice time of year.....

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Posted in: Japan sees surge in aspiring adult film actresses; 6,000 said to debut each year See in context

Seems like many are forgetting these are Japanese women with a different culture and world view than you (if you come from a Judeo-Christian, Greco-Roman based society) and myself. These are not Christian white girls from Ohio in a drunken springbreak video in Florida. They have different ideas about guilt, shame and regret from this type of thing. Consider how many newly arrived gaijin squirm at the idea of someone being a hostess? I know lots of "normal" women who once had part-time jobs as hostesses. Maybe some did porn, hmm. They are making their own choices and it isnt always easy to figure out but some enjoy the fruits of thier labor or they wouldnt do it. At least they aren`t street walking and using meth, look on the bright side.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Posted in: Nix the tiki bar: Hawaii tourism gets authentic See in context

Please get rid of those horrible mu-mu dresses that the Mormons foisted on the Hawaiins - most definately NOT native Hawaiian to cover yourself with a huge tarp.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: S Korea, U.S. practise occupying N Korea See in context

I'm sure you mean martial (as in military) law. I'm wondering how different that would be compared to laws under the current regime? Quite a lot of people risk their lives every day crossing into China. Militaries around the world practice / train / plan for all sorts of scenarios, some imminent, others less so. This seems rather prudent & practical.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

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