Sea Kayak School

My son tried the Sea Kayak School for Beginners in the Odaiba Kaihin Beach Park by the Tokyo port authorities. I haven't got on. It's also the first time for my son. My son really enjoyed the sea kayak. As far as I saw, getting on a sea kayak on the peaceful sea looked easy.

Windows Vista SP2

I updated my pc to Vista SP2 2 days ago. It has not been changed so much. To start a windows application seems quicker than SP1 a bit. SP2 supports BD-R. I hope to use BD-R in order to back-up for my photo, video and music files, because the size of these files has been much larger.  I can only put these files for a few months into a DVD-R disc.

The Star Principle

Richard Koch wrote the good seller book "The 80/20 Principle". This book also tells how to make a money easily. However, the methods are very difficult to find an efficient area.

He tells main two principles for a successful business.

• Be the top leader in a niche business
  
• The niche business has to grow fast
  

He shows many cases on the two principles, but the principles is to understand easily, but it's so hard to achieve.

Working Problem in Japan

There are many problems of working in Japan. Mika Tsutsumi and Makoto Yuasa tell the problems comparing with the Unites States. They explain some people of the middle class and lower high class in the Unites States such as doctors, lawyers and accountants drop into the low class or quit their jobs because they can't pay their business insurance fees for lawsuits. They also predict the situations would be occured in Japan in the near future though the lower incomes and temporary workers are focued now in Japan. Only becoming a government employee will is best, won't it?

Word Origin

Thousands paperbacks are published in Japan, but allmost all paperbacks are not worth to buy or read, because the publishers publish too many paperbacks with easy understanding titles or contents. I spent only about 20 minutes to read the paperbacks. However, this book is worth to read  very much.
Takashi Waguri calls a hunter of word origins my himself. He has written series of word origins on a magazine. It's difficult to explain the origins of Japanese words in English. If you understand some Japanese, please read this book. I recommend strongly.

War in Heaven

The Japanese Government makes huge budget for the Space every fiscal year. The budgets have been spent for developing the rockets, satellite and joining into the ISS projects.
We should pay more for ecologies and green energies. My opinion could be a short range,  couldn't it? Mankinds have to go to the Space. However, GSP or BS-TV are very convenient. I've used some commercial services through the Space.

Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution

Thomas L. Friedman wrote the million seller book "The World Is Flat". He writes this new book that tells the earth is HOT (climate change), the world is FLAT (globalization) and the people are CROWDED (population issue). We've faced on this issue since 1973 when the first oil crisis was happened. However, I forget the issues soon. I want to live more comfortable, happier and cheaply though they will happen large crisis for my next generations. Geniuses will be born and the heros will help the earth and my next generations...
However, I threw away my own car 10 years ago. I and my family take public transportations. I change all lights at home to compact fluorescent lamps or LED. How do I do anything for the Earth and my next generations?

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Wife of "Ge-Ge-Ge"

Shigeru Mizuki is a famous comic writer in Japan. He usually draws comic on Japanese monsters "Youkai". His wife tells her life with Shigeru Mizuki. They had been poor for a long time since their marriage. However, the wife believed her husband. It seems old-fashioned, but it's the most brilliant part of life.
"Ge-Ge-Ge" means Shigeru. When he was a little child, he couldn't pronounced his name correctly. He pronounced "Ge-Ge-Ge".

The most famous his comic "Ge-Ge-Ge no Kitaro" in 1968

Historic Festival

My wife and kids went a local historic festival in the Kawasaki Public Museum. The Geisha Parade "Oiran-Dochu" was held. I wanted to see the parade, but I rook the lecture...

UK Education Systems

I took a lecture "UK Education Systems" on the International Understanding Class by the Kawasaki International Center. The speaker was a teacher in the Shirayuri University, who came from UK, of course. This class was very interesting. There are some prod & cons of every education system.

Overview

• In the UK, primary school ages 5-11; secondary school, ages 11-16 or 18.
• Children tested on reading, writing, & use of numbers when they start primary school, from age 5.
• National tests in English & maths at 7, 11 and 14; also in science at 11 and 14.
• National tests in English lang. & lit., maths, science and some others at age 16.
• Exams in 3-5 specialist subjects at 17 and 18

General Exams

• Ages 5, 7, 11, 14: Tests in core subjects
• Age 16: GCSEs
• Age 17: AS-levels
• Age 18: A2-levels

Change in Political Administrations

The Democratic Party has aimed to change in the political administrations in Japan. They have occpied the major in the Upper House in Japan already. Jiro Yamaguchi researched the current situations and history of the national elections and the political partiies in Japan. He insists to need change in the administarions in Japan. However, he also has some questions whether the Democratic Party has enough abilities to have the administrations. There are many politicians who want to stand in the spotlight, but there are much less silence forces under the floor in the Democratic Party than the Democrtic Liberal Party.
I don't still opt my next vote.

Athletic Festival

The Athletic Festival was held in my kids' school. It's fine and hot! My kids got in races and mass-dance. My son's team of the cavalry battle won against four teams!



I love the large ball game, but I had not done this ball game in my school.

Checkbook Politics in US

As the Amazon rating, Kensuke Karube, a corespondent in the Jiji Press, tells the mechanism of the money politics in the Unites States very well. I could understand the systematic and legal methodologies of the money politics in USA.
As you know, Lobbyists are very important and major positions in the politics. In addition, political action committee (PAC) is also very important to gather money.. It seems the Noukyo in Japan.
However, there are a large gap between Japan and US on thoughts of money in politics. It's not banned in USA, but the Japanese dislikes to support politicians with money...

Good Evaluations of Your Stuff Bring Better.

Kazunori Ueda , CEO of the Bandai Namco Group, tells his thoughts to work for a company. I agree with his thoughts completely. Especially, the balance between his work and home is very important. He worked hard until late night until middle of thirty's. However, when he became a manager, he left his office at 6pm every day. Sometimes, he works over time, but he leaves his office at 5pm next day. He continues this style after becoming the manager. He tells managers should get many things out of the office and take care of thier stuff and family.

IFRS for Beginners

IFRS is adopted by IASR. IFRS will be implied on listed companies in Japan in 2015. There are some opposites. They insist on proect the Japanese accounting policy because it depends on the Japanese culture. However, all money invests into companies in Japan comes from foreign countries. It must be necessary to standarize the accounting system. Actually, when I want to invest into other countries, it'd be hard to search a better company with a good financial condition.

The Logic of Strategic Negotiation

Hitoshi Tanaka is the negotiator in the Foreign Ministry in Japan. He achieved to held the meeting between Japan and N. Korea. He tells how to arrange his successful negotiations. It's important to find the negotiating points that both sides get different ot common profitable points. However, he's not sure whether his success points could be shared with his stakeholders. It's a difficult point.

The Tao of Warren Buffett Warren

Buffett gave the brilliant words to my investing or my life. I have to revise my strategy....

• You can't make a good deal with a bad person.
  
• It's easier to stay out of trouble than it is to get out of trouble.
  
• The market, like the Lord, helps those who help themselves. But unlike the Lord, the market does not forgive those who know not what they do.
  
• My idea of a group decision is to look in the mirror.
  
• The reaction of weak management to weak operations is often weak accounting.
  
• You can always juice sales by going down-market, but it's hard to go back upmarket.
  
• You have to think for yourself. It always amazes me how high-IQ people mindlessly imitate. I never get good ideas talking to other people.
  
• In looking for someone to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. But the most important is integrity because if they don't have that, the other two qualities, intelligence and energy, are going to kill you.
  
• Never ask a barber if you need a haircut.
  
• A public-opinion poll is no substitute for thought.
  
• If you let yourself be undisciplined on the small things, you will probably be undisciplined on the large things as well.
  
• The fact that people are full of greed, fear, or folly is predictable. The sequence is not predictable.
  
• We also believe candor benefits us as managers. The CEO who misleads others in public may eventually mislead himself in private.
  
• What we learn from history is that people don't learn from history.
  

@Budokan

The greatest singers have played "at Budokan". Koji Wakui is the producer to make the legend of "At Budokan" in the world. The singer who has played "at Budokan" means "BIG" in the world.
I haven't been in Budokan though I've been in the Tokyo area for 18 years. why? It's an easy question. Because, I'm not a "BIG" audience. :)

Louvre Exhibition

My family went to the Louvre Exhibition of the National Museum of Western Art in Ueno because I've got a free ticket for stock holders. My daughter was interested in the famous paintings because she likes a painting class in school. When I arrived at 1pm, the waiting time was about 60 minutes to enter. There were so crowded, because the National Museum is much smaller than the Louvre...
The paintings are not only so great but also tells lifestyles at that time.
There are about 70 famous paintings which are rented from the Louvre. I've been in the Louvre, but I forget watching them because I had the trip 18 years ago and the Louvre is so large.

The Winners Manual For the Game of Life

Jim Tressel is one of the best head coach of the American College Football. He tells how to make the best team which is not only for an American football team but also any other kinds of teams.
I belonged to the college football team "Big Green" in the Hokkaido University. The American football told me many, many things and brought many, many things to me. If I had not belonged to the team, I might have lived worse.
Jim tells the important Big Ten Fundamentals to make the strong team.

1. Attitude
   
2. Discipline
   
3. Excellence
   
4. Faith and Belief
   
5. Work
   
6. Handling Adversity and Success
   
7. Love
   
8. Responsibility
   
9. Team
   
10. Hope