News Stories

[Sinestra]

Originally Posted by Vexx

Most likely it just happened to be where he was standing when his fuze went off. He went to what was supposed to be a place of solace and refuge and it was locked.

(It was probably locked because of the metal and artifact thieves).

Thats what it seems like he went to the Shrine for refuge and when he discovered he couldn't get in that was the last straw and SNAP the shrine was there so was he so why not take my frustrations out on it.

Either that or he thought hey if i get arrested i will have a meal and warm bed to sleep in for a few nights till m court day

[0utf0xZer0]

Given his situation, would there be any advantage to him being arrested? For example, I know that in Canada it's easier to access certain social services if you go through the courts (addictions treatment type stuff, maybe?), which means that people will occasionally commit minor crimes in a very brazen, public manner in order to get access to these services.

[Sinestra]

Originally Posted by 0utf0xZer0

Given his situation, would there be any advantage to him being arrested? For example, I know that in Canada it's easier to access certain social services if you go through the courts (addictions treatment type stuff, maybe?), which means that people will occasionally commit minor crimes in a very brazen, public manner in order to get access to these services.

Im not sure how the Japanese system works i only have basic knowledge. But the guy had ample time to access any of these programs yet he did not. The only reason i can think of for not to attempt it was pride or the lack of such programs. I mean he only had like 10 yen in his pocket.

According to the article part time workers depend on agencies to find another temp job and if there are none available they are basically screwed. No job and no place to live since they lived in company dormitories.

[Vexx]

Aye, thats the missing "public safety net" Japan's government forgot to implement when Japan employers decided in the 90s the "american way" of layoffs, temps, and downsizing to tune budgets was a wondrous thing. One of the reasons proferred as to why the Japanese recession was so long but relatively painless was that the pain was spread throughout the system since employers had that "lord-serf" feudal implied contract with employees. The employees weren't dumped out on the street to accelerate an economic downturn. There was some net loss in given years but companies with Long Term plans and investors who think long term shrug those sorts of things off.

[Mystique]

Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

This is very old news, but I'm posting it now because it may be of interest to this forum's readers.

Best New Artist awards for American enka singer

*smitten* He looked so cute at Kouhaku last year (Japan's end of year music war)
But uhh, this writer needs their butt kicked.

Pittsburgh (Jan 29): University of Pittsburgh alumnus Jerome White Jr, Japan's pop sensation better known as "Jero", was named Best New Artist at the 50th Annual Japan Record Awards — the Japanese equivalent of the Grammy Awards.

White also was honoured recently with two other Best New Artist awards, from the Best Hit Song Festival and the Japan Cable Radio Awards. In addition, he received an exclusive invitation to perform in the New Year's Kohaku Uta Gassen television programme.

White sings enka, a unique blend of hip-hop and Japanese ballads noted for its melancholic lyrics that romanticise Japanese culture. His first single, Umiyuki ("Ocean Snow"), debuted in February last year, and his new single, Eisa, will debut soon.

While there has been another foreigner (India's Sarbjit Singh Chadha) who achieved fame in this genre, White is the first African-American enka singer in Japanese music history.

- UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH

Hip-hop?
Hip-hop!?!
Enka no where near touches that!

The second is a genre of Japanese popular songs (kayōkyoku) developed in the postwar period, which has been likened to American country music and Portuguese Fado in terms of themes and audience.

And the only diff with his tune which he dedicated to his japanese grandma (who was his influence for enka) is his accent/voice since he's American, otherwise it's the same as all enka lyric and vocal wise. x.x
Otherwise, it is lovely to see some difference in Japanese stereotypes, although I'm not sure what the deal is with him dressing like a hip-hop star, bad fashion and NY cap to boot when he sings something so lovely. :\
(using one stereotype to replace another that's been broken?)

[aohige]

Originally Posted by Mystique

Hip-hop?
Hip-hop!?!
Enka no where near touches that!

It's another example of western writer with absolute ZERO knowledge of Japanese culture, trying to explain things he doesn't understand.

Yes, Enka is old Japanese folk music, and far predates hip-hop... like, FAR predates.

What the article SHOULD say, is that Jerome mixes his hip-hop roots with Enka, creating a unique blend of style....
He probably got that info from another source, possibly in TERRIBLE English, and misunderstood that the info was describing what Enka is.

[Vexx]

A simple Google would have prevented the author of the article from looking like an idiot.

Really... I noticed this at the first presidential press conference and the stupidity of many of the questions versus the intellectual level of the response. The reporting field needs to be told their lazy-ass days are over and they need to get up and *learn* about their subjects. (pulls out the Murrow-bat and the Cronkite-shield).

[Shadow Kira01]

Obama gears up for Canada visit

It appears that Obama will be visiting Canada tomorrow. Depending on how the talks on bilateral issues go, it may decide the fate of the Canadian minority government. Considering the number of Obama, if things don't go smoothly. There is the possibility of them losing the upcoming election to the Liberals. On the contrary, if things do go smoothly; then their approval rate will most likely go up since the Obama fever around the world hasn't faded yet.

[TinyRedLeaf]

Two billion more bourgeois

The rise of a new middle class has changed the world. What if they sink back into poverty?

PEOPLE love to mock the middle class. Its narrow-mindedness, complacency and conformism are the mother lode of material for sitcom writers and novelists. But Marx thought "the bourgeoisie…has played a most revolutionary part" in history. And although The Economist rarely sees eye to eye with the father of communism, on this Marx was right.

During the past 15 years a new middle class has sprung up in emerging markets, producing a silent revolution in human affairs — a revolution of wealth creation and new aspirations. The change has been silent because its beneficiaries have gone about transforming countries unobtrusively while enjoying the fruits of success. But that success has been a product of growth.

The new middle consists of people with about a third of their income left for discretionary spending after providing basic food and shelter. They are neither rich, inheriting enough to escape the struggle for existence, nor poor, living from hand to mouth, or season to season. One of their most important characteristics is variety: middle-class people vary hugely by background, profession and income.

Greater wealth, more ideas
As people emerge into the middle class, they do not merely create a new market. They think and behave differently. They are more open-minded, more concerned about their children’s future, more influenced by abstract values than traditional mores. Ideologically they lean towards free markets and democracy, which tend to be better than other systems at balancing out varied and conflicting interests.

These attitudes transform countries and economies. The middle class is more likely to invest in new products and new technologies than the rich, who tend to defend their existing assets. With its aspirations and capacity for delayed gratification, the middle class is more likely to invest in education and other sources of human capital, which are vital to prosperity.

For years, policymakers have tied economic success to the rich ("trickle-down economics") and to the poor ("inclusive growth"). But it is the middle class that is the real motor of economic growth.

Bleak prospects
Now the middle class everywhere is under a great threat. What happens if you have clambered up a few rungs, joined the new middle class and now face the prospect of slipping back into poverty?

History suggests middle-class people can behave in radically different ways. The rising middle class of 19th-century Britain agitated peacefully for the vote; in Latin America in the 1990s the same sorts of people backed democracy. Yet the middle class also supported fascist governments in Europe in the 1930s and initially backed military juntas in Latin America in the 1980s.

Nobody can be sure what direction today’s new bourgeoisie of some 2.5 billion people will take if its aspirations are dashed. If the downturn lasts only a year or two the attitudes of such people may survive the pain of retrenchment. But a prolonged crash might well undo much of the progress the developing world has lately made towards democracy and political stability. It is hard to imagine the stakes being higher.

- THE ECONOMIST (Feb 12)

[Xellos-_^]

viva la revolution

[Xellos-_^]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/ed...18college.html


“Many students come in with the conviction that they’ve worked hard and deserve a higher mark,” Professor Grossman said. “Some assert that they have never gotten a grade as low as this before.”....

Jason Greenwood, a senior kinesiology major at the University of Maryland echoed that view.
“I think putting in a lot of effort should merit a high grade,” Mr. Greenwood said. “What else is there really than the effort that you put in?”
“If you put in all the effort you have and get a C, what is the point?” he added. “If someone goes to every class and reads every chapter in the book and does everything the teacher asks of them and more, then they should be getting an A like their effort deserves. If your maximum effort can only be average in a teacher’s mind, then something is wrong.”

maybe i am just old but huh

when they hell did giving a good effort means a passing a grade? I thought you were suppose to earn a passing grade not be given one for just being there?

[Kamui4356]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

maybe i am just old but huh

when they hell did giving a good effort means a passing a grade? I thought you were suppose to earn a passing grade not be given one for just being there?

Well there's always the system one of my history professors used. The top student in the class got an A, the next two highest got Bs and the rest either failed or got a C. Of course after I realized I wasn't getting that A, I basicly said screw it and just did enough not to fail, then cruised my way to an easy C.

Anyway, I can see actually showing up and doing the work to be required to get an A, but enough to justify good grades on it's own? If you can't turn in work of the quality needed, what possible justification is there for the professor to give you a good grade?

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by Kamui4356

Well there's always the system one of my history professors used. The top student in the class got an A, the next two highest got Bs and the rest either failed or got a C. Of course after I realized I wasn't getting that A, I basicly said screw it and just did enough not to fail, then cruised my way to an easy C.

Anyway, I can see actually showing up and doing the work to be required to get an A, but enough to justify good grades on it's own? If you can't turn in work of the quality needed, what possible justification is there for the professor to give you a good grade?

don't you also have to pass something call a test? i remember in the old days about 10 years ago when i was in college. You had to pass something call a mid-term and a final to pass the class? The professors didn't even bother to take attendence except for the lab stuff. When did just showing up = passing grade?

[Clarste]

Originally Posted by Kamui4356

Well there's always the system one of my history professors used. The top student in the class got an A, the next two highest got Bs and the rest either failed or got a C. Of course after I realized I wasn't getting that A, I basicly said screw it and just did enough not to fail, then cruised my way to an easy C.

I really hate that kind of system. What if it just happens that everyone that year is a genius who's 5 times better than anyone who's ever taken the class before? The vast majority will get C's just because of bad luck. It's stupid. Grades should be based on the quality of the work.

That said, when I took a class like that I made sure to get the A.

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

maybe i am just old but huh

when they hell did giving a good effort means a passing a grade? I thought you were suppose to earn a passing grade not be given one for just being there?

Oh my god..... blargh. They're in for a really severe beating in the marketplace. "We didn't deliver a working product but we tried really hard!"

The real horror is these idiots letting themselves be quoted saying inane stuff like that.

Good profs will actually take the occasional genius or two completely out of the bell curve if they're using a curve. Curves can be useful if applied carefully - but there also has to be an accumulation of demonstrated knowledge of the material.

@Xellos: this is the end-game of the K-8 "everyone's a winner!!" mentality. They're already seeping into the workplace and civilization will go the way of the "B" Ark....

[Shadow Kira01]

Russia sinks China cargo ship

This is what happens when ships trepass into Russian waters. When Russia warned them, the Chinese cargo ship had ignored the Russian warnings and the end result was that the cargo ship got sunk.

[ZephyrLeanne]

Originally Posted by aohige

It's another example of western writer with absolute ZERO knowledge of Japanese culture, trying to explain things he doesn't understand.

Yes, Enka is old Japanese folk music, and far predates hip-hop... like, FAR predates.

What the article SHOULD say, is that Jerome mixes his hip-hop roots with Enka, creating a unique blend of style....
He probably got that info from another source, possibly in TERRIBLE English, and misunderstood that the info was describing what Enka is.

Haha... now I know what Westerners think about our OLDIES! Enka is closer to country music, IMO.

Originally Posted by Shadow Minato

Russia sinks China cargo ship

This is what happens when ships trepass into Russian waters. When Russia warned them, the Chinese cargo ship had ignored the Russian warnings and the end result was that the cargo ship got sunk.

Probably if a Russian ship entered Chinese waters and ignored warnings, the same will happen.

[Narona]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

maybe i am just old but huh

when they hell did giving a good effort means a passing a grade? I thought you were suppose to earn a passing grade not be given one for just being there?

Things a bit similar as that sometimes happens here in our universities.

Imagine that you have to get a 9/20 (on a 1 to 20 scale) GPA to pass. If you're at 8.70/10 and if you're a serious student, there is a chance that they let pass you.

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by Vexx

Oh my god..... blargh. They're in for a really severe beating in the marketplace. "We didn't deliver a working product but we tried really hard!"

The real horror is these idiots letting themselves be quoted saying inane stuff like that.

Good profs will actually take the occasional genius or two completely out of the bell curve if they're using a curve. Curves can be useful if applied carefully - but there also has to be an accumulation of demonstrated knowledge of the material.

@Xellos: this is the end-game of the K-8 "everyone's a winner!!" mentality. They're already seeping into the workplace and civilization will go the way of the "B" Ark....

what really gets me how does a student go up to a instructor and try argue they deserve a better grade When i fail one of my college course i knew i fail it myself, i never dream arguing for a better grade. I just went to summer school to get it straighten out.

Originally Posted by Narona

Things a bit similar as that sometimes happens here in our universities.

Imagine that you have to get a 9/20 (on a 1 to 20 scale) GPA to pass. If you're at 8.70/10 and if you're a serious student, there is a chance that they let pass you.

i can see it now, jr is at a meeting at work about his job preformance and jr is trying to argue with his boss that he deserves a raise because he show up for work.

[iLney]

Originally Posted by Narona

Imagine that you have to get a 9/20 (on a 1 to 20 scale) GPA to pass. If you're at 8.70/10 and if you're a serious student, there is a chance that they let pass you.

How can one be a serious student, yet have a GPA of 8.7/20 ?

Work 40h/week and be serious about studying?