Of course I was listening
Those people in the hinterlands of Japan are so old fashioned. They expect their politicians to look the parts they campaigned for. The people of Ichikawa were, naturally, extremely upset about this. When the napping was first noticed back in the summer, the city received more than 100 phone calls and letters of complaint, with messages such as “Do your jobs!” “This is beyond lazy,” and “They should be removed from office.” In an effort to restore the public’s faith in the council, its more earnest members came up with an idea. About five years ago, the Ichikawa city council started streaming its plenary sessions on its YouTube Channel, and until last summer the camera would generally zoom in and focus on whoever was standing at the podium at the front of the room and addressing the other members. Now, though, the cameras are turned around more frequently to show the faces of the listening council members, so that everyone watching the stream can see if they’re awake, as shown in the part of the video cued up below (narrated in Japanese).
The new camera angles started being used in September, with city council chairman Osami Matsuaga saying “With this measure, I hope that all members of the council will conduct themselves appropriately and make an effort to earn back the trust of our city’s residents.” Yuki Sato, a councilwoman serving her first term, also voiced her support for the countermeasure. “I think it is a very good thing for people to be able to visually check on the council members using their devices. It creates a cohesive atmosphere that the council meetings are to be taken seriously.” However, turning the cameras around has not instantly solved the problem. During the council’s September meetings, the most recent session to be live-streamed, some members were still seen nodding off, and some have voiced their displeasure at the new camera protocol, saying “The real problem is that the discussions are sleep-inducing.” Taxpayers say, “They’re less mature than actual children. Take naps during work at a regular job, and they’ll fire you.” “The fault lies with the uninteresting, unengaging discussions.” One even went so far as to say, “I don’t agree with them telling us ‘Don’t doze off,’ like we’re children or something.” Another citizen, “How about this: In exchange for a 100-yen donation to the city, you get to chuck an eraser at a city council member who’s fallen asleep [like teachers do to kids who sleep in class].”
Councilor please explain…
A politician uses statistics like a drunk uses a streetlight.
For support, rather than illumination.
Political debates are like NASCAR races. Nobody really cares who wins they just come to see the crashes.
The consensus after the election is that 100% of Americans think 50% of Americans have lost their minds.
We need to show compassion for the mentally ill without letting them run for President.
December 12th Birthdays
1997 – Hallie Stanfield, 1994 – Nesta Cooper, 1981 – Arya, 1941 – Dione Warwick
1915 – Frank Sinatra, 1997 – Jack Griffo, 1923 – Bob Barker, 1962 – Mike Golic