Good news and bad news on the “Can I visit Japan?” front.
The good news is that Japan is opening its doors to foreign tourists from June 10, allowing new entry for tourism purposes for citizens of 98 countries and regions.
The bad news is that this is being limited to people participating in guided package tours for the time being. Also, no more than 20,000 people per day will be allowed to enter Japan (with quotas being divvied up among airlines). It is not yet clear when these restrictions will be lifted.
Here is a thoughtful piece on the SBC scandal that came out this week, from a Christian perspective…
The Department of Justice (DOJ) added that Garcia told a stranger he wanted to trap people inside the venue and injure them after he set it alight.
There were around 50 people in the bar at the time of the fire, but they were evacuated safely.
Garcia now faces 10 years in prison and a $250,000 (around £198,000) fine for starting the fire.
“The defendant targeted the patrons inside Queer/Bar, a known safe space for the LGBTQI+ community,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said in a DOJ press release.
——-
10 years for attempted mass murder?
Wow. That is an amazing piece of writing.
One thing about this bothers me, though. Powerful organizations keep lists of predators, and share that intel among members of the group in ways that affect employment. However, when victims attempt to do the same or share their stories they get sued for defamation and/or libel:
are your non japanese family members able to get exemptions in order to visit, or is it the same for everyone?
( i would love to tour japan someday… but not in a guided group 
maybe this just means more time to work on learning some nihongo. )
The last few results took a long time to trickle in:
I understand the distress some parishioners feel about the churches at which they worship being sold. But I have no sympathy for anyone who remains a member of an organization shown to systemically abuse and kill children and which, to this day, has engaged in zero reforms.
New York to get first right-to-repair law for electronics
Right-to-repair advocates are applauding the passage of New York’s Digital Fair Repair Act, which state assembly members approved Friday in a 145–1 vote.
The law bill, previously green-lit by the state senate in a 49-14 vote, now awaits the expected signature of New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D).
Assuming the New York bill becomes law as anticipated, it will be the first US state legislation to address the repairability of electronic devices. A week ago, a similar right-to-repair bill died in California due to industry lobbying.
[…]
Cheese champion calls it curd-tains.
Cheese runners shouted at it, tried to grab it, and flailed at it with sticks, but the piratical cheese scythed onward, reaching the bottom just ahead of the terrible carnage of men and cheeses as they piled up. Then it rolled back to the top and sat there demurely while still gently vibrating.
At the bottom of the slope, fights were breaking out among the cheese jockeys who were still capable of punching somebody[.]
Terry Pratchett I Shall Wear Midnight
I love that book. And cheese
According to the Washington Post, Justice Kavanaugh and his family were at home at the time of the arrest.
While in custody, Mr Roske said he was “upset” about the leaked Supreme Court document on abortion, as well as the recent mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, according to the affidavit.
He said he believed Justice Kavanaugh might issue rulings that would loosen gun control regulations.
Mr Roske was found to have a Glock 17 pistol, pepper spray, zip ties, a hammer, screwdriver, crowbar and duct tape.
According to Republicans, that just makes him a tourist. Or antifa.
Or a candidate.
