[quote]The Ox Man wrote:
[quote]spar4tee wrote:
What are you pursuing a PhD in?[/quote]
Meteorology. Just finished my Masters which was in Maths, my final year project was looking at weather forecasting and I’m continuing with that. I really like it, basically equal parts fluid dynamics and numerical modelling.
[/quote]
Cool
[quote]spar4tee wrote:
[quote]LoRez wrote:
Software. Programming. Official title is “Senior Software Engineer”.[/quote]
Nice. You suck doing that without a degree lol.[/quote]
Lol, thanks. It wasn’t easy though. Lots of challenges that could have been avoided if I just had the degree to begin with, but I also probably wouldn’t be as good if I wasn’t constantly forced to prove myself. Like most things in life.
But… end derail.
Given today’s economy, world events, political situation, etc. And, for that matter, knowing what you know now about Japan having lived there.
If you were trying to choose between Japan or China, would you still choose Japan?
From everything I know about China, life as a foreigner can be pretty good. The technology, infrastructure, architecture is pretty impressive… and while there’s definite concerns about the methods of execution, many of their public works projects are awe-inspiring. A good chunk of the “what I like about Japan” lists apply to China too: beautiful country, rich history, attractive women, etc. As well as some of the same challenges of culturing the right relationships (guanxi in China), and the importance of “saving face”. Plenty of carefully orchestrated behaviors to keep the society ticking.
On the other hand, the biggest negatives I’ve seen about modern China is the internet censorship, and health concerns from the smog and other indiscriminate practices in the health and human safety realm.
Basically, I’m looking for some reasons to sway me toward Japan.
[quote]LoRez wrote:
Given today’s economy, world events, political situation, etc. And, for that matter, knowing what you know now about Japan having lived there.
If you were trying to choose between Japan or China, would you still choose Japan?
From everything I know about China, life as a foreigner can be pretty good. The technology, infrastructure, architecture is pretty impressive… and while there’s definite concerns about the methods of execution, many of their public works projects are awe-inspiring. A good chunk of the “what I like about Japan” lists apply to China too: beautiful country, rich history, attractive women, etc. As well as some of the same challenges of culturing the right relationships (guanxi in China), and the importance of “saving face”. Plenty of carefully orchestrated behaviors to keep the society ticking.
On the other hand, the biggest negatives I’ve seen about modern China is the internet censorship, and health concerns from the smog and other indiscriminate practices in the health and human safety realm.
Basically, I’m looking for some reasons to sway me toward Japan.[/quote]
I would so choose Japan over China. A million times over.
Speaking completely honestly for a second, China seems like an evil shithole, for the most part, to me. That’s not to say I feel that way about the people, but, among about a billion other things, any country that forces its citizens to murder their own children and engages in the most egregious of human rights violations, and pretty much just doesn’t give a shit about its own people, is a place to be avoided until it cleans up its act.
What are some laws in Japan that would make Americans or any Westerners for that matter, say “wtf”?
[quote]farmerson12 wrote:
What are some laws in Japan that would make Americans or any Westerners for that matter, say “wtf”?[/quote]
Citizens cannot own firearms, for the most part. Even knives are highly regulated. To me, this is about is “wtf” as it gets for me to live in a country where this is a fact of life.
[quote]Cortes wrote:
[quote]farmerson12 wrote:
What are some laws in Japan that would make Americans or any Westerners for that matter, say “wtf”?[/quote]
Citizens cannot own firearms, for the most part. Even knives are highly regulated. To me, this is about is “wtf” as it gets for me to live in a country where this is a fact of life. [/quote]
So is there any type of hunting? What is the main pastime/activity/hobby of Japan?
[quote]farmerson12 wrote:
What are some laws in Japan that would make Americans or any Westerners for that matter, say “wtf”?[/quote]
You can pretty much drink anywhere: in the park, on the train, walking home from the train station. And people do.
The laws regarding multi-national marriage child abduction are WTF type stuff (like when a Japanese woman marries a Canadian and then “steals” the kids and moves back to Japan)
[quote]Gambit_Lost wrote:
[quote]farmerson12 wrote:
What are some laws in Japan that would make Americans or any Westerners for that matter, say “wtf”?[/quote]
You can pretty much drink anywhere: in the park, on the train, walking home from the train station. And people do.
The laws regarding multi-national marriage child abduction are WTF type stuff (like when a Japanese woman marries a Canadian and then “steals” the kids and moves back to Japan)
[/quote]
All pubic hair must be blurred in pornography.
[quote]Gambit_Lost wrote:
[quote]farmerson12 wrote:
What are some laws in Japan that would make Americans or any Westerners for that matter, say “wtf”?[/quote]
You can pretty much drink anywhere: in the park, on the train, walking home from the train station. And people do.
The laws regarding multi-national marriage child abduction are WTF type stuff (like when a Japanese woman marries a Canadian and then “steals” the kids and moves back to Japan)
[/quote]
I remember hearing about that. I’ve also seen stories where parents just flat out abandon the kids. I saw a movie based on that. It was really good. I wish I could remember what it’s called.
[quote]farmerson12 wrote:
[quote]Cortes wrote:
[quote]farmerson12 wrote:
What are some laws in Japan that would make Americans or any Westerners for that matter, say “wtf”?[/quote]
Citizens cannot own firearms, for the most part. Even knives are highly regulated. To me, this is about is “wtf” as it gets for me to live in a country where this is a fact of life. [/quote]
So is there any type of hunting? What is the main pastime/activity/hobby of Japan?[/quote]
They’re big on baseball. At least from what I recall.
[quote]Varqanir wrote:
[quote]Gambit_Lost wrote:
I guess I’m of the opinion that nukes would come quick if the US pulled out. Certainly they have the technical capacity. They have reactors (as we all know all too well now). I don’t know about weapons grade, but I’ve a feeling an agreement would be a part of any US withdrawal.
The relationship between China and Japan is such that a serious deterrent is needed. Right now, that deterrent is the US (see the senkaku islands “events”)…if no US… 'course, that’s why I think there will always be a US presence in Japan…at least in my lifetime. [/quote]
Japan already possesses anywhere from fifty to seventy tons of weapons-grade plutonium, within its territory and in France and Britain. The Rokkasho plutonium reprocessing plant has an annual production capacity of nine tons per year. If Japan wanted, they could easily use this stockpile in a nuclear weapons program. Their missile guidance and propulsion technology is superior to anything possessed by the Koreas, China or Russia, and equivalent to British, French or Israeli technology. It would be no trouble at all to retrofit their conventional arsenal to carry a nuclear payload. As I said, all it would take is the will to do it.
China is big and scary, but I wonder about the technological disparity between it and Japan. In 1894 this disparity was quite large, which is why Japan mopped the floor with China during the Sino-Japanese war. Today, that gap has closed some, but whereas China’s superiority is primarily numerical, Japan’s is technological, and this is what wins battles. The Chinese only have about 240 nuclear weapons, and a lot more formidable enemies than Japan has. A nuclear-armed Japan with a beefed-up Navy and air defense force would make even China think twice before rattling its saber too loudly. [/quote]
Yeah, which is why I think it’s time for the jieitai to move beyond a self-defense force. Thanks for the info on the weapons grade stuff.
[quote]Cortes wrote:
I’m not so sure about the nukes. The anti-bomb propaganda here runs strong and very, very deep. And the OMGZ nuclear weapons are bad and we weren’t even doing anything wrong in WWII just standing around holding hands singing We Are the World when the US dropped those EVIL atomic bombs on us and we will NEVER EVER support any kind of nuclear bomb of ANY kind ANYWHERE (easy to say with the most powerful military in the history of the world camped in your yard). There is an indoctrination machine here, that starts with the schools trips that inevitably take their elementary school classes to one of the “Peace” museums in Hiroshima or Nagasaki, whose tendrils have penetrated every subsection of society so deep that you cannot even have a rational conversation about the bomb (try suggesting it may be saved lives overall to ANYONE here and see what happens).
Sorry for the stream of consciousness rant, but I have real trouble imagining the Japanese achieving a smooth transition into a nuclear armed nation. Even though I think it is EXACTLY what this country needs.
[/quote]
I understand what you are saying about the propaganda. But I do think that “no US = nuclear Japan”… 'course, what you are describing is one of the reasons I don’t think that the US will ever pull out of Japan.
I honestly don’t know enough about the Japanese government and military to know if that sort of propaganda has permeated the military and ruling-class. I guess I had assumed not, but I really don’t know. Maybe you guys can let me know what you think.
After “the” quake, I had some interesting conversations about nuclear power in the country…lots of sucking-air-through-teeth on that subject.
Oh…and you are a much braver man than I if you tried to argue that the nukes saved lives while actually physically being in Kansai…lol
[quote]farmerson12 wrote:
[quote]Cortes wrote:
[quote]farmerson12 wrote:
What are some laws in Japan that would make Americans or any Westerners for that matter, say “wtf”?[/quote]
Citizens cannot own firearms, for the most part. Even knives are highly regulated. To me, this is about is “wtf” as it gets for me to live in a country where this is a fact of life. [/quote]
So is there any type of hunting? What is the main pastime/activity/hobby of Japan?[/quote]
Well, there is some hunting up north in Hokkaido and I think Cortes said there was some down by him…but remember that “space” is at a premium and that the population is a lot denser.
Hobby? Baseball and soccer maybe…drinking… and for men: working 10-14 hour days 6 days a week…lol (only slightly exaggerating)
[quote]spar4tee wrote:
[quote]Gambit_Lost wrote:
[quote]farmerson12 wrote:
What are some laws in Japan that would make Americans or any Westerners for that matter, say “wtf”?[/quote]
You can pretty much drink anywhere: in the park, on the train, walking home from the train station. And people do.
The laws regarding multi-national marriage child abduction are WTF type stuff (like when a Japanese woman marries a Canadian and then “steals” the kids and moves back to Japan)
[/quote]
I remember hearing about that. I’ve also seen stories where parents just flat out abandon the kids. I saw a movie based on that. It was really good. I wish I could remember what it’s called.[/quote]
Dare mo shiranai
Nobody knows
it was a good flick
[quote]Gambit_Lost wrote:
[quote]spar4tee wrote:
[quote]Gambit_Lost wrote:
[quote]farmerson12 wrote:
What are some laws in Japan that would make Americans or any Westerners for that matter, say “wtf”?[/quote]
You can pretty much drink anywhere: in the park, on the train, walking home from the train station. And people do.
The laws regarding multi-national marriage child abduction are WTF type stuff (like when a Japanese woman marries a Canadian and then “steals” the kids and moves back to Japan)
[/quote]
I remember hearing about that. I’ve also seen stories where parents just flat out abandon the kids. I saw a movie based on that. It was really good. I wish I could remember what it’s called.[/quote]
Dare mo shiranai
Nobody knows
it was a good flick[/quote]
Thank you. Srs.
[quote]Cortes wrote:
Speaking completely honestly for a second, China seems like an evil shithole, for the most part, to me. That’s not to say I feel that way about the people, but, among about a billion other things, any country that forces its citizens to murder their own children and engages in the most egregious of human rights violations, and pretty much just doesn’t give a shit about its own people, is a place to be avoided until it cleans up its act. [/quote]
Well, FWIW, Japan has been known for some similar things, although not so much in recent times.
It’s been really hard for me to separate out actual facts from the media-biased pseudo-facts for both countries.
From the people I’ve corresponded with – usually students that actually plan on going back, but some who live here and just go visit extended family – a lot of things seem overstated.
However, my impression of China isn’t exactly favorable either.
With Japan, there’s a part of me that’s afraid I’d just get sucked in and just generally lose touch with American culture. But at the same time not really fit in with Japan… and then basically feel out of place everywhere.
Of course I somewhat feel this way already.
Is that a legitimate concern?
[quote]Cortes wrote:
[quote]farmerson12 wrote:
What are some laws in Japan that would make Americans or any Westerners for that matter, say “wtf”?[/quote]
Citizens cannot own firearms, for the most part. Even knives are highly regulated. To me, this is about is “wtf” as it gets for me to live in a country where this is a fact of life. [/quote]
It’s not that they are prohibited from owning firearms, just highly regulated. The licensing requirements are extremely stringent, requiring you to take a course of firearms operation, safety and law.
No different, really, from getting a driver’s license, if the DMV required all drivers to understand the finer points of the internal combustion engine, and obscure traffic laws, phrased in densely technical legalese. Lots of Kanji.
And if you pass? You get to own a shotgun. After you’ve owned a shotgun for a while, you may graduate (after passing another test) to a rim fire rifle, and after that to a center fire rifle. Unless you are a police officer or an Olympic level target shooter, forget about owning a handgun.
Yes, there is plenty of hunting. Wild boars abound in the peninsular regions like Chiba and Shizuoka, with deer and bear at the higher altitudes. Also quail and pheasant. Because of the firearms licensing situation, most of the hunting is done with pump-action shotguns. And dogs. On many mornings where I used to live near Shimoda in Shizuoka, the hills were alive with the sound of baying hounds and gunfire.
It doesn’t come naturally for an American to imagine a country in which his beloved firearms are so tightly restricted,
But most Japanese, although they think guns are cool and all, really don’t have much use for them in their daily lives. They were disarmed by Hideyoshi in 1588, and again in 1946 by MacArthur, and since then not too many Japanese have given the matter much thought.
In other words, unlike in the United States, the average Japanese citizen does not see the need to stockpile weapons and ammunition, nor to fill his days with fantasies of being part of a rugged and rag-tag band of brave citizens, fending off the depredations of a tyrannical government/invading army/looting horde/zombie apocalypse.
Poor dumb bastards.
[quote]LoRez wrote:
If you were trying to choose between Japan or China, would you still choose Japan?
[/quote]
Japan. Resoundingly, JAPAN…as in it’s almost impossible to what extent I would choose Japan over China. Hell, I might even choose Mordor over China - less gloomy, better air quality and comparatively superior human (Orc?)-rights track record…
Not even people from China would pick China over Japan…