The Three Trillion Dollar War

"There are not any good wars, and there are not any bad peace."
It is an old words but it's true. Joseph Stiglitz and Linda Bilmes calculated the true costs of Iraq and Afghanistan wars. including invisible costs such as mental care for PDSD, pensions for veterans, compemsations for casualties and costs for governmental debts.
How will the Obama Administration deal with both wars? How will Japan conribute the peace in the world? The democratic party in Japan might win for the next national election, but I haven't seen their effective manifest. They can manage this difficult period, cant't they? As you might know, nobody expect the current ruling party.

The Best American Essays 2008

I was bored with reading the essays. As far as I see reviews on amazon.com, they are "a bad year for essay".  If you have a lazy afternoon, you could fall asleep soon definitely.

Shellfish Gathering

My family went to the Higashi-Koen Park in the Higashi-Ogishima yeaterday, and we tried to gather shellfishes on the beach. The sizes of shellfishes were still small. We released the shellfishes before our leaving.
It's still chilly to do outdoor, but we could enjoy this Spring.

10 Policies & 88 Rules

Yoshiyuki Kamata and his team in the Mitsubishi UFJ Research & Consulting tells how to succeed my business with 88 rules on 10 policies. I prefer:

• Can I accept to continue my current life if you die tomorrow?
  
• Do I want my kids to work for my company?
  
• Think of my tasks from the points of the president's view.
  
• Distinguish from self-actualization to ego-actualization.
  
• Do I wonder wheather "I have to work in order to eat" or "I must eat in order to work better and more"?
  

There are many precious rules on this book.

Polite Words

It's hard to use polite words on the good timing. Shigeru Kajiwara tells it'd become worse even though I use true polite words. There are pros & cons on using polite words. When I talk, I should select suitable words. It's sometimes casual, but the suitable words could be very good offensiveness.
He also tells there are many books how to use polite words, and these books said useing polite words  would bring great success to me. However, he warns using polite words on the unsuitable case might be far from others. He also tells there is the policy to use polite words in Japanese language by the Agency for Cultural Affairs . As far as I read the policy, the policy also worries about abusing the polite words or using same polite words to everyone anytime.

Password Cracking

Many passwords are necessary to live in the modern society. How many passwords do you use? They are cash cards, credit cards, PC and many secured web sites. Do you use secured passwords for them? Secured passwords are usually hard to memorize.. And so, it's  a trend to reduce the number of the passwords such as OpenID. If a site joins into OpenID, you could use your ID to other sites which join into OpenID. If many sites join into OpenID, you will memorize less IDs and passwords. Finally, you will use more secured passwords. However, if the password was cracked, your all sites would be attacked...
This book doesn't tell how to crack passwords, but you could learn password basics and how to use cracking tools.

Silicon Valley's Life Style

Noriko Kakiguchi writes the Silicon Valley Topics on the Nikkei's site. One of them is this book title "Why people don't distingush garbages in Silicon Valley". How do you think? I imagine there are many ecologists in the Silicon Valley. It's true, but people didn't distingush their garbabages on the strict rule, and so the local government developed a machine to distinguish garbages automatically, and the strict rules are soften. Finally, the resource recovery from gabages has been successful in Silicon Valley.

Successful Education System in Cuba

There are many books on the education syatem in Finland, but I've not seen any books on the education system in Cuba. I thought the education system in Cuba would be as sama as the N.Korea because these countries are the socialism and there are strong commander. The education system would have been brainwash. However, the system in Cuba seems very opened. Everybody can get a chance to go to higher levels. Of course, all schools are free.
The education systems in the advanced countries seem collapsed. Rich people in the advanced countries don't want their kids to go to public schools because they thought the public schools would have many issues. I aggree their opinions partially because I think there are some great teachers in Japan. However, there are very rare chances that my kids meet the great teachers in the public schools because good students in college did not want to be teachers. Teachers don't have any good salaries, and they have to be extened duties for their students. If a student have a large trouble out of school, his/her teacher is sometimes complained by his/her parents or their local society, or sometimes mass media. It's terrible.
In the past, many high educated women became teachers because there were not good works for women in Japan, but the law of Equal Opportunity Employment was imposed, and there has been many chances to get better jobs for women. many high educated women don't want to become a teachers....

Japan Won WBC, Again!

The World Champion!

Biography: Yumie Hiraiwa

The Nikkei-Sinbun Newspaper has the monthly biography . Yumie Hiraiwa who is a famous writer of TV dramas wrote the monthly biography. Her drama would be very cultural. I have not read her any books. I hope to read her book "Saiyuki". I've already reserved the book at the public library.

She siad she had been lucky to became a writer, but you could understand her writing ability is great.

Inside "Bic Comic"

Bic Comic is one of the popular manga magazine for adult. I read the magazine about 10 years ago, but it'd been boring. The magazine is the pioneer of the adult manga magazine. The publisher made the large market about 40 years ago. There were large barriers to launch the magazine because the company "Shogakukan" publishes many children's books.
However, I think the comic culture would be accepted to many countries, but the comic culture would have separate people with reading books in Japan. Some business persons read comics on the commute train. It's a shame.

F-22 Raptor

F-22 "RAPTOR" is the latest and strongest fighter in the world. Less information has been opened. Yoshitomo Aoki tells the newest technologies of F-22 from the fragmentary data. I am surprised with the advanced technologies and idea. I though there had been these technologies and idea in science fictions or animations, but they've been realized and still improved. Though I could refer to the many idea, it's awful..
As far as I watch the following videos, any missiles could not be traced because the angles of change of directions look so sharp.

Steal 6.5 Billion People's Hearts

TBS which is a private TV network in Japan became the host broadcaster of the Track & Field World Championships in Osaka 2007. This book is the documentary of the host broadcasting team of TBS. I was interested in this documentary, but I want more explanations and diagrams how to set cameras and microphones in order to broadcast the live. This documentary is written only description of the members' impressions.
In addition, I have not been able to enjoy the TV program of sports because there are many background stories of Japanese athletes or players for long times. I want TV networks to broadcast the live scenes of world class games more.

Shizuoka

My family had a trip to Shizuoka with the one day's free pass of local trains. It was rainy in the early morning, but the weather recovered. We enjoyed the great Sushi Donburi, sweet & fresh strawberry in the farm and the Shizuoka Oden, and we were impressed with the great view of Mt. Fuji and the Shogun's temple "Kunouzan-Toshogu".

Mt.Fuji from Miho-No-Matsubara


PHOTOS: Mt.Fuji - Sushi Donburi - Strawberry Farm - Toshogu - Toro Remains - Sunpu Castle - Oden - Shizuoka Station

Making Sound Decisions

Yoshiharu Habu is the 19th continuous champion "Eisei-Meijin" of Japanese Chess . He suggests how to decide his next move. Human Beings can't win computers on the Western Chess, but Computers can't win human beings on the Japanese Chess because there are many paths even if it's on the middle and late stages. Computers can't find the winning moves by the checkmate. He told even he could find out next 10 moves only.

He suggests that...

• Human's instinct could be 70% true.
  
• It's important to distinct from selecting information to throwing away information.
  
• Concentration like divers go deep-sea step-by-step.
  
• The brilliant talent means to keep the strong passions for a long time.
  

Why Japanese Won The Nobel Prizes?

Ken Ito addressed Japan has a lot of advantages to win the Nobel Prize because Japan is only one country to have self-absorbed technologies except Europe and the USA, and The purposes to invent in Japan are not for military. In addition, he pointed students can learn everything until the doctor degrees in Japanese language only. It's very rare.
Ken also told the Nobel Prize Winners are selected by the Swedish Academy with some political reasons. It become more interesting if you wondered the reasons why the scientists won the prize in the year. It's a strong message from the academy at that time.

Strange Days of Scientists in Japan

Shoko Matsushita is a board member of the Japan Women Scientists Association, and she is a famous blogger. She told some Japanese scientists' extraordinary life. However, I could understand the life because I went to the master course in the graduate school. I have the two years' experience in a lab though it was not so tougher than nowadays.
She addressed there are many issues in the circumstances of the scientists in Japan. Many post-doctors can have no jobs. She compared the situation in Japan with the USA. She said getting a doctor degree in Japan must be so easier than the USA. Many would doubt the quality of the doctor degrees. Actually, I also heard that it'd be so hard to get a job if I had went to the doctor course when I was in the master course, even though it's 20 years ago. It's not been improved.
I watched a documentary of the doctors. A woman could not find any jobs though they got the doctor degree in the Tokyo University where is No.1 in Japan, and No.19 in the world , but she is working as a cellphone seller. It's terrible, isn't it?

Differential And Hope

Fumio Takeo is a famous columnist. He's written the economical column on the Nikkei Shinbun newspaper. This book gathered his columns from the newspaper and magazines from 2000 to 2007. I could reconsider some significant issues in Japan such as pensions, temporarily workers and wider differentials of income and education.
He mentioned the seeds of the problems had existed in 1970's, but the differentials were small because the population structure was a pyramid and there were many young people who had small differential at that time. Nobody could not be aware that the differential is much wider.

How to improve your stuff

This book's amazon rate is very good, but I don't agree it because Masafumi Oniduka only said that workers should enjoy their jobs and he explained only the classic strategies such as SWOT. If you have not read or learned the business strategic methods, this book would be worth to read.
He addressed there would be many chances and improvements on your tasks if you're a temporarily worker. I have much questions whether he knows the current terrible circumstances of the temporarily workers.

Ponyo's Town

Hayao Miyazaki desined "Ponyo" in Tomonoura.

My parents and I took a walk around Tomonoura today. The weather was so beautiful!

It's a tough time, isn't it?

Naoya Minami is the resident priest of the Osore-zan where is the most famous spiritual or psychic place. Osore-zan means the fear mountain. You could experience many psychic phenomena easily and soon there.
He addressed his opinions on the current society and many crimes. I was impressed with his opinion about feelings of loneliness of modern people. The modern people seem to feel the loneliness because the speed of changing societies and technologies are too fast. Almost all people have not been able to catch up with the quick and large changing already. I recommend his book and his blog .

New Member

She is a new member of my parents' house. Her name is "TANGO".

Urban Detective Story

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's Detective 2nd Team treats intellectual crimes. Especially the team specializes in briberies by elite bureaucrats.
Masaru Hagiuda was the ace detective, but he quited the police suddenly before 2 years of his age limit. The reason has not been announced. He didn't tell the reason on this book, either. However, he told how to arrest criminals and let them confessions. It's so real. He said any elites would be weak against wads of money. It's a human.

Productive Meeting

Gaku Saito suggests the productive meeting makes new idea or action items. It doesn't mean the meeting would be productive if the meeting made them. He shows 11 techniques and 7 mindsets to let the meeting be productive.

7 mindsets: Define goals, Focus on a discussion point, Driving, See facts, Dtructuring
11 techniques: Define goals, Activation, Visualize, Direct, Wrap up, Logical control, Drill down facts, Structuring, Concept, Unity

Gaku tells the most important items are Goal, Visualizing, Logical Structure and Love...
I doubt this book is worth to read though the amazon score is high, because there are many better textbooks for meeting.

Akiyama Brothers

I love the historical novel "Sakano-Ueno-Kumo (the clouds above the slope)" on the Russo-Japanese War by Ryotaro Shiba. The hero in the story was Akiyama brothers of Yoshifuru Akiyama and Saneyuki Akiyama . Kiyoshi Ikeda analyzed the two people and Heihachiro Togo.
The public TV "NHK" will broadcast this drama from 2009 to 2011. I'm looking forward to watching the drama very much.
Japanese must remind the spirits of "Meiji" again.

What Is Strategy And Does It Matter?

Richard Whittington classifies strategy into four groups.

• classical : analyze, and make a plan, and then order the plan
  
• evolutionary : decrease costs, and increase options
  
• processsual : have principle, and accept markets
  
• systemic : do as the Romans do
  

type	planning method	targeting result
classical	intentional process	max profits
evolutionary	emergent process	max profits
processsual	intentional process	plural results
systemic	;emergent process	plural results

BEING LOGICAL: A Guide to Good Thinking

I sometimes talk something emotionally. If I talk about emotional novels or movies, it's not matter. If it's on business, it's problem. I think I'd be logical on business. It's true, isn't it? Dennis Q. Mclnerny tells how to be logical.
When I choose some new tools or productions, I may focus on the new technology area. I have to choose the product logically, the product could bring more benefits to many stuff.
In addition, I have to explain the reasons of my opinions and suggestions to managers and stuff. I must make more practices to be logical on talking, writing and listening in both Japanese and English.

Principles to be Logical

• principle of identity: a substance is only oneself.
  
• principle of excluded middle: there are not any middle positions between "being" and "nonbeing".
  
• principle of sufficient reason: there are enough reasons to exist.
  
• principle of contradiction: it's impossible to be and not to be at the same time from the same point of view.
  

Micro Marketing

The word "Micromarketing" is not still so popular. For instance, when I searched "micromaketing " on Google, the number is only about 154,000, meanwhile when I searched "marketing", the number is 671,000,000. It's about 400 times!
However, mass media people in Japan have recently used the word "charismatic"such as "charismatic hair stylist" and "charismatic clerk". There are some very good performers in a large chain store. The research of micromarkting would be started with the question why there are the good performers in the chain store though every store would be mostly same.
Yutaka Suzuki tells micromarketing has four important "P". The Ps must be important for every size of company, too. However, there are different strategies from large companies to small business.

Ps	LargeBiz	SmallBiz
Place	Market share by efficient supply & control	Select the location & size from research the area.
Product	Tactical & succession product developments	Build the suggestive selling space which depends on residents' lifestyle.
Price	Standard suggestive price	Everyday honesty price
Promotion	Expanding ads with mass media	Suggestive activation skills in a store, or events & campaigns in a store

マイクロマーケティング入門

How to Debut as Writers

14 writers told how to debut as writers. They are a life-style writer, a new age novelist, a gamble writer... There are many writing are. It's interesting. There are three major ways to debut.

• Introduce yourself from a writer to a publisher
  
• Submit your writing to an Award
  
• Become a famous blogger
  

All ways seem tough for me...
書く仕事入門

WAGNER REISE

The representative music of Wagner would be "Ride of  the Valkyries" of the "Der Ring des Nibelungen", and I imagine "Apocalypse Now" from the music. Chihiro Shioyama made a trip to trace the Wagner's life. Wagner's life seemed roller-coaster like this scene and music.
ワーグナー紀行

Communication Skill on IT Business

Hirota Ashiya is an IT education consultant. He shows many easy examples of communications on the IT business. If you have some issues to communicate with your managers, stuff or clients, please  refer to this book. There is a small check list on the book's site (sorry, written in Japanese only). Please try it if you're interested.
I tried it and my score was

• Total Score: 97%
  
• Basic Action: 100%
  
• Handling Peple: 95%
  
• Persuade: 100%
  
• Education: 100%
  
• Influence 95%
  
• Leadership: 100%
  
• Presentation: 100%
  
• Resolution: 100%

I should improve the two area of communication skills..
仕事がうまくいくコミュニケーションの技術

How to Enjoy with Family during Financial Crisis

- Go to public park & museum
- Use public transportations
- Visit  a free factory tour
....
My family has done everything. :)

Entrance Exam for Junior High Schools

When I went to school, it was not still severe to go to the famous junior high school. It'd be only for rich people. Miki Shima who has the prep-school "FELIX" told that the era of "Japanese Education As No.1" had been finished and I must not expect the education levels of the current public schools. Actually, when I went to prime school and junior high school, Japan was No.1 on TIMSS, but the position in 2003 was No.3, and the position in PISA 2006 was No.10. In addition, the global competitions in the era of my kids would be more tough. The education strategy for my kids must be very important.
中学受験テクニック

Summarize the Book You Read on a $1 Notebook

How do you memorize books you read? Nobuyuki Okuno suggests to summarize books you read on a cheap notebook. His suggestions are not anything new for me, because I've done here already. :) However, I don't use any notebooks but write what I learned from books in my digital devices because it takes double to move from the paper to the digital contents. It's nonsense.
読書は1冊のノートにまとめなさい 100円ノートで確実に頭に落とすインストール・リーディング

Queen of Clean

If you want to clean your home more, please prepare vinegar, baking soda, lemons and soda only. You can clean with them easily.
My wife tried some methods on the book, and she's surprised that it's so effective and so easy! I recommend this book because almost all Japanese live in the western style houses or flats.

Client State

As far as the long history, Japan after WWII would be a client state of the States. Gavan McCormack is a orientalist. He researched Japan and Far East very well. As far as I read this book, I have not seen more details of Japan political events after 2000. I recommend to read this book before the national election in 2009. He is a coordinator of the net book "Japan Focus ". If you're interested in him, please access the site. He's published many articles on Japan Focus.