If nothing else they're very good at working with slim margins, something Johnson's House GOP is very much not.
February 8, 2025 at 6:09 AM
If nothing else they're very good at working with slim margins, something Johnson's House GOP is very much not.
Moral of the story is, I suppose, if you don't have a fairly locked-in pathway to permanent (or at least indefinite) residency in the country you're going to, have at least one backup plan in case you suddenly find yourself in this kind of nightmare scenario.
December 29, 2024 at 11:01 AM
Moral of the story is, I suppose, if you don't have a fairly locked-in pathway to permanent (or at least indefinite) residency in the country you're going to, have at least one backup plan in case you suddenly find yourself in this kind of nightmare scenario.
The ironic thing is that some countries known for fairly strict immigration law (Japan, for example) don't have strict limits on the amount of times you can renew long-term work visas, even if you couldn't qualify for PR for some reason. Less demand to move there than the US certainly, but still.
December 29, 2024 at 11:00 AM
The ironic thing is that some countries known for fairly strict immigration law (Japan, for example) don't have strict limits on the amount of times you can renew long-term work visas, even if you couldn't qualify for PR for some reason. Less demand to move there than the US certainly, but still.
I know a Chinese couple that wound up in the same situation (grads out of UC, even bought a house) but also lost the lottery. As much as it doesn't help anything now, I would have just never planned to permanently immigrate to a country where my ability to not get deported is reliant on a lottery.
December 29, 2024 at 10:58 AM
I know a Chinese couple that wound up in the same situation (grads out of UC, even bought a house) but also lost the lottery. As much as it doesn't help anything now, I would have just never planned to permanently immigrate to a country where my ability to not get deported is reliant on a lottery.
I mean ultimately this is why it pays to have hobbies. If I had all my material needs met and plenty for the future, I'd just start opening non-profitable businesses like video arcades. Doesn't have to be a political project.
December 28, 2024 at 10:24 AM
I mean ultimately this is why it pays to have hobbies. If I had all my material needs met and plenty for the future, I'd just start opening non-profitable businesses like video arcades. Doesn't have to be a political project.
Of course there is also an element of wonder about it, but it is odd that Santa is the only (non-religious) one taken this seriously.
December 14, 2024 at 6:06 PM
Of course there is also an element of wonder about it, but it is odd that Santa is the only (non-religious) one taken this seriously.
I am admittedly not a parent yet, but I never understood why Santa had to be treated as real to begin with. Why not just describe him as a legendary figure we now mimic or revere in some way. Just think of him like Guan Yu or something. Is Setsubun a bad holiday if you don't believe Oni are real?
December 14, 2024 at 6:04 PM
I am admittedly not a parent yet, but I never understood why Santa had to be treated as real to begin with. Why not just describe him as a legendary figure we now mimic or revere in some way. Just think of him like Guan Yu or something. Is Setsubun a bad holiday if you don't believe Oni are real?
Will bookmark this post for next year, lol.
December 14, 2024 at 6:00 PM
Will bookmark this post for next year, lol.
Had a few thoughts about this myself, with the added caveat of "can I assign it a single character in Chinese too and have it not be that weird", and for boys at least Shun was an okay choice. Kai also not bad. If you want a more western name, Sean (ショーン) is a nice parallel.
December 11, 2024 at 7:21 AM
Had a few thoughts about this myself, with the added caveat of "can I assign it a single character in Chinese too and have it not be that weird", and for boys at least Shun was an okay choice. Kai also not bad. If you want a more western name, Sean (ショーン) is a nice parallel.
It is a strangely flexible yet inconsistent system, I suppose. Ultimately, my wife and I plan to naturalise anyway, if for no other reason than the Japanese passport is more flexible than either of our current ones (especially so for the PRC). I wonder what they'll do then.
December 5, 2024 at 6:17 AM
It is a strangely flexible yet inconsistent system, I suppose. Ultimately, my wife and I plan to naturalise anyway, if for no other reason than the Japanese passport is more flexible than either of our current ones (especially so for the PRC). I wonder what they'll do then.
Not to share too much personal information in the ether here (feel free to DM if you'd like to hear more), but to be clear, legally speaking I am not a Japanese citizen either. So as far as it goes locally we're both counted as foreign residents. A bit ironic that it's legal for foreigners to do it.
December 4, 2024 at 11:50 PM
Not to share too much personal information in the ether here (feel free to DM if you'd like to hear more), but to be clear, legally speaking I am not a Japanese citizen either. So as far as it goes locally we're both counted as foreign residents. A bit ironic that it's legal for foreigners to do it.
Instead, the embassy left a note stating that her legal name is also the new one, but the main page still uses the old surname. Because of this, in the Japanese legal system, our 住民票 uses the main name on our passports, which is not my surname. So ironically we are able to have separate surnames.
December 4, 2024 at 11:46 PM
Instead, the embassy left a note stating that her legal name is also the new one, but the main page still uses the old surname. Because of this, in the Japanese legal system, our 住民票 uses the main name on our passports, which is not my surname. So ironically we are able to have separate surnames.
Ours is a bit of a niche case; we got married in the US and actually took a unified surname on the American marriage certificate, but because my wife is a Chinese citizen, in order to reflect the change on her passport she would've had to change her Chinese 戸籍 instead, which was not feasible.
December 4, 2024 at 11:45 PM
Ours is a bit of a niche case; we got married in the US and actually took a unified surname on the American marriage certificate, but because my wife is a Chinese citizen, in order to reflect the change on her passport she would've had to change her Chinese 戸籍 instead, which was not feasible.
Honestly, once the Supreme Court legalises same-sex marriages and if the new Diet passes a separate-surnames bill, it's pretty close I'd say.
December 4, 2024 at 10:45 PM
Honestly, once the Supreme Court legalises same-sex marriages and if the new Diet passes a separate-surnames bill, it's pretty close I'd say.
The argument about phones or hoods is similarly bizarre; presumably the people are describing a scenario where the light is red but a car is violating the law themselves by running a red light, but in that case it's little more than nihilistic 'realism' to argue it's the pedestrian's fault.
December 4, 2024 at 1:59 AM
The argument about phones or hoods is similarly bizarre; presumably the people are describing a scenario where the light is red but a car is violating the law themselves by running a red light, but in that case it's little more than nihilistic 'realism' to argue it's the pedestrian's fault.
A crazy article all things considered, and I would be curious to see an analysis of what percentage of pedestrian fatalities caused by vehicles is even tangentially related to jaywalking--I'm guessing it's not high. Still wouldn't be justified, but short of running into traffic it makes no sense.
December 4, 2024 at 1:56 AM
A crazy article all things considered, and I would be curious to see an analysis of what percentage of pedestrian fatalities caused by vehicles is even tangentially related to jaywalking--I'm guessing it's not high. Still wouldn't be justified, but short of running into traffic it makes no sense.
Miscarriages are awful; my wife had one this year as well. A co-worker gave us a onesie as a gift, but it's gone similarly unused. Still hopeful though--as you proved there's value in not giving up.
November 28, 2024 at 7:41 AM
Miscarriages are awful; my wife had one this year as well. A co-worker gave us a onesie as a gift, but it's gone similarly unused. Still hopeful though--as you proved there's value in not giving up.
Not easy to find accounts straight away, but those interested should definitely subscribe to the Japanese Cluster feed.
November 26, 2024 at 9:40 AM
Not easy to find accounts straight away, but those interested should definitely subscribe to the Japanese Cluster feed.
Or 警察庁 (National Police Agency) I should say, read the caption a bit too fast.
November 19, 2024 at 7:08 AM
Or 警察庁 (National Police Agency) I should say, read the caption a bit too fast.
In Japan at least, it's mostly media-driven I would say. There have been some noteworthy burglary and assault cases, but overall the trend is very normal (2023 was still below 2019). Full 2024 data isn't out yet, but I imagine it to be similar. This is data on a variety of crime categories from 警視庁.
November 19, 2024 at 7:07 AM
In Japan at least, it's mostly media-driven I would say. There have been some noteworthy burglary and assault cases, but overall the trend is very normal (2023 was still below 2019). Full 2024 data isn't out yet, but I imagine it to be similar. This is data on a variety of crime categories from 警視庁.
See, this is what I get for not stockpiling DVDs of the Yellow Turban Rebellion; my future children will never know what it was all about! Best I can do is Justice Bao, since it's easy to find online. Reminds me a bit of 水戸黄門 on Japanese TV.
November 18, 2024 at 2:48 AM
See, this is what I get for not stockpiling DVDs of the Yellow Turban Rebellion; my future children will never know what it was all about! Best I can do is Justice Bao, since it's easy to find online. Reminds me a bit of 水戸黄門 on Japanese TV.
Flashbacks of having someone ask me to define an "in-network care provider" and still having no idea what it actually means
November 15, 2024 at 3:34 AM
Flashbacks of having someone ask me to define an "in-network care provider" and still having no idea what it actually means
My wife came down with gastroenteritis recently and I really felt this. I went to a decent neighbourhood clinic, got a diagnosis and prescription on-site in less than a few hours total and I don't think I paid more than 1,500 yen for the trouble. It was so much worse in America.
November 15, 2024 at 3:23 AM
My wife came down with gastroenteritis recently and I really felt this. I went to a decent neighbourhood clinic, got a diagnosis and prescription on-site in less than a few hours total and I don't think I paid more than 1,500 yen for the trouble. It was so much worse in America.
Which, ultimately I didn't live in San Francisco for more than a few years anyway, but if it's possible to feel that in a city like that, I can only imagine how someone feels in like, Tucson.
November 14, 2024 at 4:13 AM
Which, ultimately I didn't live in San Francisco for more than a few years anyway, but if it's possible to feel that in a city like that, I can only imagine how someone feels in like, Tucson.
Honestly it's looking a better and better decision by the day. When you consider the limited amount of time we have on this earth, you have to prioritise what will work in the mid-term. The US might make a U-turn in 2050, but how old am I by that point?
November 14, 2024 at 4:12 AM
Honestly it's looking a better and better decision by the day. When you consider the limited amount of time we have on this earth, you have to prioritise what will work in the mid-term. The US might make a U-turn in 2050, but how old am I by that point?