Saturday, July 07, 2007

No More Phantoms


No More Phantoms


Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton reportedly said, "It’s instrumental in life.”

It is The New York Times that ponders on her belief (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/07/us/politics/07clinton.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp&adxnnl=0&adxnnlx=1183781306-8BoUunYU3qe5qybkajh7bg).

First of all, we live in the world of uncertainty. We have not set laws of the nature; we have not created the universe to implement the laws; and we have not known every detail of our evolution and development and expansion of the universe. We are simply allowed to live in the universe as an element of the nature. We are to be born, live, and die in the nature like any other creatures.

Yet, the God loved mankind and gave a higher spirit than that endowed to any other living things. This spirit is accompanied by wisdom that can appreciate the Great Wisdom of the Creator. However, the ability unique to mankind has been mostly used to win competition among mankind themselves. As mankind has not defined this ability, he or she cannot know its ultimate scope and implications. Thus, we live in the human society with inherent uncertainty surrounded by other fellows causing derivative uncertainty.

In that sense, indeed, to have a faith in the God Almighty who is the Creator of the universe as well as human souls and spirits is very instrumental in anybody's life.

Therefore, it is not so flattering to anybody to be informed that Mrs. Clinton said that it was "instrumental in life."

(Richard Nixon prayed to God with Mr. Henry Kissinger in the White House in their testing moment; accordingly, they both have survived, keeping their face in a textbook on the modern world history or diplomatic relations.)

Besides, it is not Americans that really need to hear her words. Citizens in the world can shape their views on Americans based on such words by the potential President of the USA.

Muslims may come to think that Americans are not like godless villains in their community, since the potential President of the USA is talking about her faith in God they know to be identical to Allah.

Indeed, Judaism and Islam are very useful or instrumental teaching for daily lives of pious people.

I hope that Mrs. Clinton's posture to the faith in God will prevent possible terror in the U.S. in the way any of her successors could not.

Her faith will be a key to US security if she becomes President; it is not for fun and games or nonsense like a phantom story.
* * *

A Fuji TV news program in Japan reported on a mission of Japan's Air Self-Defense Force (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Air_Self-Defense_Force). From a base in Okinawa, the most southern island prefecture of Japan, F4 Phantom jet fighters are frequently scrambling mostly to an attempt of mock invasion by Chinese military planes.

Most Americans have never been aware that China really worked well on the Clinton Administration in 1990's to virtually get tacit admission on their expansion and reinforcement of military capacity and capability.

It is a little worrisome problem that Japan still uses F4 Phantom jet fighters for scrambling (though it has 213 F15s); however, more worrisome is a concern as to whether Mrs. Clinton's possible Administration can say "No!" to the Chinese Communist Party for their unspoken request to the U.S. for another tacit admission on their further buildup of armaments. (Does Japan however really need, Madam Minister of Defense, F22s in this context?)

It is because Marxists like Joseph Stalin and Mao Tse-tung never respect Christian faith, no matter if the faith is genuine or rather more instrumental, since they are followers of Marxism.


(Money has value based on social and political arrangement of people. Then, if you can control the arrangement, you will be richer than those who are just trying hard to be rich following the arrangement, which is why Marxism once so much appealed to ambitious persons in troubled states.

Love has value based on God's will. Then, if you directly follow the God's will, you can be blessed more than those who are trying hard to be loved merely relying on human desire.

A wife who likes to talk about the faith is better than a wife who likes to talk about business and politics.

Mankind can manufacture a big plane or a jet fighter but cannot create a living plant from primary materials. Faith in God can be the real thrill and more dazzling than, say, even the best part of business and politics. And the rest is just what is accompanied a holy mission with.)


"...'...Isn't he the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon?'..."

Friday, July 06, 2007

Divine Comedy 2007 (III)

See an aerial photo of Narita Airport at
http://mapbrowse.gsi.go.jp/airphoto/photos/fullimage/CKT971X/C6/P0007.jpg.

Forests and pasture around the Airport have been too much developed, with regret.

Divine Comedy 2007 (III)


1. The Unknown Power Struggle for Decades
Japan has entered a national election mode. On July 29, 2007, half of its Upper House members (namely, 121 among 242 seats) will be newly elected.

A person of the largest influence in the Upper House is Mr. Mikio Aoki who has been a long and serious rival to Mr. Ichiro Ozawa, the representative of the Democratic Party of Japan, the largest opposition party.

On a superficial level, the rivalry seems to be between Prime Minister Mr. Shinzo Abe (the Liberal Democratic Party) and Mr. Ozawa; but as Mr. Aoki is a key figure who allowed a faction Mr. Abe belongs to to have taken the prime minister-ship contiguously twice (Mr. Mori and Mr. Koizumi) and who is a successor of leaders of another (once-largest) faction in which Mr. Ozawa once vied for power but lost, Mr. Aoki may be regarded as a true gray eminence or the power behind the throne in this decade in Japan, which however no foreign media seems to be interested in.

So, the July 29's election will be the final battle between the two old rivals, Mr. Aoki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikio_Aoki) and Mr. Ozawa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichiro_Ozawa), to put an end to their mysterious power struggles that have lasted, since Mr. Ozawa left the Liberal Democratic Party in 1993, over the death of four Prime Ministers from the now Mr. Aoki's faction in 1993, 2000 and 2006 .

2. From a TV Studio to the Diet
Japanese parties in every election try to choose several candidates from socially well-known people. Being well-known means mostly making TV appearance often in any style. As with other democratic nations, there have been unique lawmakers of the Diet in Japan who were an actress, a professional sportsman, a comedian, a TV personality, a TV announcer, etc., though majority are ex-bureaucrats or sons or daughters of ex-lawmakers.

As former Prime Minister Mr. Jyunichiro Koizumi is a kind of genius in appealing to voters through a TV camera and has made the ability a decisive source of his power, this trend of political commercialism is still gaining momentum, breaking an old-fashioned scheme of election based on traditional human, administrative, and business relationships.

In addition, for July 29's election, a female TV newscaster is going to run as a candidate from LDP. I am wishing her success just like every non-nonsense candidate. (She may become another female Defense Minister someday, as it is not so inconvenient, since Japan has renounced war in its Constitution.)

3. Media, Entertainment, and Advertisement
In this context, the U.S. is more advanced, partly because the economic size of the U.S. is 2.5 times Japan's and the U.S. is a multi-cultural society.

In the U.S. in 2006, according to http://www.plunkettresearch.com/Industries/EntertainmentMedia/EntertainmentMediaTrends/tabid/228/Default.aspx:
"- Total spending (including advertising) on media of all types in the U.S.: $900 billion
- Advertising spending alone in the U.S.: $296 billion
- The number of FM radio stations in the U.S.: 9,042
- The number of movie tickets sold each year in the U.S.: 1.4 billion
- The number of broadband Internet connections in the U.S.: about 50 million lines
- Advertising on the Internet in the U.S.: $16 billion
- Book sales in the U.S.: $25 billion"

According to certain statistics, the size of the advertising market in Japan is about 7.8 trillion yen ($65 billion).

The total size of the media contents market in Japan is about 12.8 trillion yen ($100 billion).

A million audiences seem to be required in advertisement using mass-media for justification of its operation; and ten million audiences seem to become a cool norm with further deployment of the Internet and intelligent cellular phones.

But, nowadays, a specific approach to a specific customer base seems to be required. In other words, ideally, ten million different or tailored commercials are desirable for appealing to ten million consumers.

However, candidates for election seem to be still performing their appealing simply by handshaking and eye-watching to as many voters as possible.

4. Ms. Paris Hilton in "Larry King Live"
"About 3.2 million people tuned in to "Larry King Live" Wednesday to watch King query Hilton on her three-week jail term for violating probation on a pled-down DUI charge and how it's changed her. That's about three times King's usual audience, and allowed CNN to score a rare victory over Fox News for the night." (http://www.zap2it.com/tv/news/zap-parishiltonlarrykingratings,0,6325420.story)

Consumers want a genuine heroine or hero doing something at the risk of her or his life that represents the Age, society, or civilization.

Media, advertisers, and politicians are all making a mistake. Their contents, goods, or personalities all look poorer and more miserable than Ms. Paris Hilton in terms of ability of reminding audiences, even remotely, of what they want, namely a genuine heroine or hero (if unethical to a certain degree in her case).

Now, it is time for the U.S. to have a genuine heroine who can really have Marilyn Monroe fall into oblivion.

5. Die-Hard
In Japan, voters hate to have Mr. Koizumi fall into oblivion; even there is expectation, though unrealistic politically so far, that he will come back to office of Prime Minister if Mr. Abe fatally fail in the coming election.

In the U.S., will the family name "Clinton" fall into oblivion in 2008?

So far, nobody seems to think that Ms. Hilton's case and Japan's summer election will affect the fate of Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton in 2008 which may have a significant influence on people such as Mr. Al Gore and Mr. Michael Moore.

But, as I once studied, the death of Princess Diana in Paris led to the 9/11 terror attacks. You cannot neglect any symbolic incidents.

And, eventually, you may see how much this Age is getting closer to God's anger, which may make you a bit little more like a genuine Christian as your ancestors so claimed to be.


(I never thought Marilyn Monroe was a heroine. But, I could see that the late Mrs. JFK was a beauty. Harriet (Elizabeth) Beecher Stowe is of course the most respected American woman by Japanese for her work 'Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852).' Just for your encouragement.)


"...I will rescue all the lambs and bring exiles home..."

Thursday, July 05, 2007

A Certain Beautiful Name on a Paper Bag


A Certain Beautiful Name on a Paper Bag



Last night, a Fuji TV news program introduced certain poor women in the Philippines.

They once lived on collecting some useful things from a huge heap of garbage called Smoky Mountain in Manila.

Along with development of the city Manila, more and more apartment houses have been built in the Smoky Mountain area.

Those poor women got into trouble. They could not even pick up useful things from a huge heap of garbage and make money by selling them.

But, behold, an Angel has come down from Heaven and given them wisdom.

The poor ladies in Manila who once lived on collecting some useful things from a huge heap of garbage have now become handicrafts women. They pick up old newspapers, slit them, and weave them in a shape of a bag and so on. They now live on selling their own works.

I do not know if their products made of old newspaper have been awarded any patents, copyrights, or trademarks, but their products look more valuable and better than brand-name goods.

So, in case, make a bag out of old newspaper with a nice design and style. Take a patent, a design right, or a trademark right. Sell them on the street, for example, before Tiffany's. You can make a fortune.

Yet, do not forget to include those poor ladies in Manila as co-creditors or joint-owners of your right.

Indeed, any bags with a certain beautiful name, such as "Paris Hilton," on it may sell well, even if they are made of old newspaper. Ms. Paris Hilton should consider joining their business.

Or, do you have any other names more suitable and profitable, such as "Mother Teresa," since there are one billion of her fans in the world?

Rather, how much do you think paper bags with your name on sell? One million per year? Find a sales manager.


(I really hate to claim my right on any of my works, since I have to be poor as I am a follower of Jesus Christ. All I can do is dreaming of a cell of my body getting a face value of one dollar each eventually.)


"DO NOT MAKE A BIG SHOW OF IT"

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

Drivers, Makers, Cars, and Ideas



A Little Information of Today:
Sales of Toyota's cars in the US market in the first half of 2007 are 1,331,074 units (record-high for Toyota), while GM has sold 1,880,718 cars. Following the two is Ford with the sales of 1,285,442.

The total market share of the American Big Three is now 50.2%.

Toyota should now start to think about building car factories in Afghanistan and Iraq.

A Little Thought of Today:
"Prius was first embraced by Hollywood stars and other celebrities and remains in vogue long after most cars have lost their buzz. Owners have included Cameron Diaz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Billy Joel, Bill Maher and Larry David."
(http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/04/business/04hybrid.html?_r=1&oref=slogin)

I wonder if Ms. Paris Hilton's case offers another chance for Japanese car makers to develop and promote a new type of safety cars, such as, "No Drinking & Driving Car."

Various car technologies are reportedly under development to prevent drunken driving. For example, Volvo is designing a system that only allows for start of an engine when a driver breathes into an alcohol detection device installed in a seat belt to prove his soberness.

If an automaker succeeds in introducing such a system into their cars and Ms. Paris Hilton, if drastically repentant, takes part in advertisement of such a model of cars, indeed we may find an answer as to why Ms. Paris Hilton has to be so much focused on with expectation of her drastic repentance. We may even say that it is for glory of God to be revealed!

With advent of such technologies to prevent drunken driving, thousands of lives will be saved every year all over the world.

Anyway, the success of Toyota's Prius may tell something important to those, including people of poor countries and Muslims, who wish to succeed in the U.S.

A Little Ideas of Today:
One of my ideas about a new car system is an ejection seat. A moment before a car is crashed, the seats inside a car with parachutes should be vertically launched high through a blown-off roof, though except in a low tunnel. Rocket seats may become a must in future.

Another idea is to install, along a road, remote detection equipment which can measure a state of soberness or intoxication of a driver by monitoring his or her physical conditions, such as movement of an eyeball, through a window or based on behavior of a car, and sends the information to patrol cars. For example, a high-resolution tracking video camera linked with a computer system running a real-time analysis program
may be used. Especially, British police may like to adapt it for their specific needs.


(Independence Day reminds me of the lunar landing by the crew of the Apollo 11 rocket and also battles in Vietnam, both together having been reported in those days. Where were you then? On the moon or in a jungle? Where were you?)

"...They will be as famous as wine of Lebanon..."

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

"Too Convenient Sickos"


"Too Convenient Sickos"

Japan's Defense Minister resigned today, taking responsibility for his inappropriate remarks, on the US atomic (nuclear) bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during WWII, which were too friendly to the U.S. or too convenient for making oneself look like a reluctant friend of the U.S.

Ms. Yuriko Koike, former minister for the environment and special advisor to the prime minister for national security, has taken over the position.
(She was once a TV reporter, which may be a convenient career nowadays, though she might have rather liked to pursue her original career until the end for her personal happiness, just in my personal view.)
* * *

Now, let's see the world ranking of manufacturers on sales of military equipment:

(Please use the small letter size of Internet Explorer for Viewing the table below.)
[No.]...[Name]............[Sales in 2002 / 2003].....[Country]
..........................................[unit: US$ Million]
1. Lockheed/Martin...............18,870.......24,910.......US
2. Boeing..............................22,170......24,370.......US
3. Northrop/Grumman...........17,800......22,720.......US
4. BAE Systems.....................14,070.....15,760......Britain
5. Raytheon..........................14,510......15,450........US
6. General Dynamics...............9,820.......13,100........US
7. Thales................................6,840.........8,350........France
8. EADS.............................5,630........8,010....France/Germany/Spain
9. United Technologies............5,640.........6,210..........US
10. Finmeccanica....................3,720.........5,290.........Italy
11. L-3 Communications..........3,020.........4,480.........US
12. Halliburton..........................480...........3,920..........US
13. Computer Sciences.............1,980..........3,780.........US
14. SAIC..................................3,000.........3,700..........US
15. Rolls-Royce........................2,850..........2,970........Britain
16. Mitsubishi.......................2,780.........2,430.........Japan
17. General Electric.................2,200.........2,400.........US

[Source: Sekai-Kokusei-Zue 2005/06;
http://www5.mediagalaxy.co.jp/yanotsuneta-kinenkai/index.html]

Since the U.S. had launched the military invasion of Iraq in March 2003, every major arms manufacturer, except Japan's Mitsubishi (No. 16), increased its sales from the level of the previous year.

(Japanese companies are forbidden to export weapons and arms by law.)

Notably, Halliburton's sales increased from 480 million dollars in 2002 to 3.92 billion dollars in 2003.

It should be also noted that Japan's Mitsubishi is the only major arms manufacturer that has less than 10% of a ratio between its arms sales and its total sales; the ratio of Mitsubishi is actually 2%, but that of Lockheed/Martin is 78%.

It is apparent that millions of workers in these companies and related industries globally have enjoyed nice salaries, handsome rewards, and lucrative compensation, even though they may be contributing much to the victory in the Global War on Terror.

However, more citizens, taxpayers, and consumers are being left behind.

It should be also noted that US companies accounted for 63.3% of arms sales in the world in 2004; European companies accounted for 29.4%; and Russian companies 1.2%, though in terms of export accounts of arms, Russia is No.1, and in terms of import accounts of arms, China is No. 1.
* * *

Withdrawal of US troops from Iraq will restore a sound state of global economy; but can millions of beneficiaries worldwide support the idea of the peace, sacrificing their higher level of a living standard?

Or, does Mrs. Hilary Rodham Clinton have any ideas and means to persuade millions of beneficiaries in the defense industry to accept withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and Iraq?

I do not think that Mr. Michael Moore, who recently made a debut in "Larry King Live," just for your information, or Mr. Al Gore, now notable as a film maker on environment, can make a film on the US defense industry, for example, with a title such as "Inconvenient Sickos."

I do not think that any American can do it; but people in poor countries and Muslims may be thinking that there may be some Japanese who can do it.

If I were to, though, I would not ask Mr. Gore or Mr. Moore to play a hero in the movie.

(I have, of course, some idea at least about a hero or a heroine as well as the title. In that case, Enron and WorldCom may look like an opening act. Indeed, a life of a soldier is more valuable than those of Wall Streeters. Yes, bring the industry into daylight! Soldiers have a right to know the truth. American soldiers deserve the truth.)


"...He will persist until he causes justice to triumph, and on him all peoples will put their hope..."

Monday, July 02, 2007

A Story on Mother Teresa

A Story on Mother Teresa

She was born in the Kosovo Province of the Ottoman Empire (now the city of Skopje, Republic of Macedonia) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Teresa). After WWII, she got a calling from God and decided to work for poor Indians.

In 1979, she received the Nobel Prize, though she did not attend the ceremony. Various people, such as Princess Diana, visited her, and she traveled all over the world to meet various people, such as the President of the U.S.

She also visited Japan three times, that is, in 1981, 1982, and 1984, and made a speech for lawmakers of the Diet on one occasion. She died in 1997, a week after the death of Princess Diana of England that once colonized India.

Though Alexander the Great could not get across the Indus, a Christian nun from his homeland 2,200 years later reached the Ganges to establish a legacy; Truly Jesus Christ is great; Jesus Christ is the only Messiah for us.

This June, the Japanese Government promised to offer up to US$30 billion to India which needs US$90 billion for developing and building its industrial infrastructures by 2019.

Though Mother Teresa received 6,000 dollars from the Nobel Foundation, Japan is offering 5 million times her award to the whole Indians, including so many poor people; Truly God is great, and the God is only god for us.



"...'Who is My Mother? Who are My Brothers?' Asked Jesus..."

Sunday, July 01, 2007

Divine Comedy 2007 (II)

From Tokyo to New York: 11,300km (7,060 miles)
Unit Costs of 747-400: $230 million (B52-H bomber: $53.4 million)

Divine Comedy 2007 (II)

1. Design of Jet Planes
I do not like the current design of commercial passenger jet planes. Its outlook, namely, a flying tube with wings does not look suitable for a long journey over the globe. There must be other designs (http://inri.client.jp/hexagon/floorB1F_hss/b1fha777.html).

It should be larger and wider, like a flying baseball park. I meant it must be like a big flying source with a tennis court or a few ping-pong tables, a walking deck, a kids' room, a convenience store, a library with free computers and phones, a medical room, a drinking space, a smoking area, and an air-sheriff's room. It should be like a ray, a flat fish like a baseball diamond.

2. Honda's Micro-Jet
It is said that when an engineer of Honda was depressed taking holidays in Bermuda, an American gentleman encouraged him to pursue his work in designing a unique jet plane, which vitalized the spirit of the Japanese engineer so as to complete his micro-jet plane project. The American gentleman is said to have ordered the Honda's jet later.

This jet has two engines, each mounted on a wing but not under a wing (https://hondajet.honda.com/default.aspx?bhcp=1).

3. Mr. Kiichi Miyazawa
Former Prime Minister of Japan Mr. Kiichi Miyazawa died on June 28, 2007 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiichi_Miyazawa).

His first experience abroad was his joining the Japan-America Student Conference in 1939 when he got on board a ship to get across the Pacific Ocean (http://www.jasc-japan.com/about/comment.html).

He was well known for his fluent English. But, he reportedly once said that he had found English he had learnt in Tokyo Imperial University was useless in the Japan-America Student Conference in 1939. His experiences as a bureaucrat working with Americans in Tokyo after World War II seem to have enhanced his ability in English. I suppose when he later visited and stayed at the Rockefellers' residence in New York, he had no problems in communications.

Former Prime Minister Mr. Yasuhiro Nakasone (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasuhiro_Nakasone), an ex-officer of the Imperial Japan's Navy, talked about the late Mr. Miyazawa last night in an NHK TV program. Though Mr. Miyazawa had a hard time to cope with influences of the Plaza Accord (1985) as the Financial Minister and became the Prime Minister several years after Mr. Nakasone who had a strong tie with the late President Ronald Reagan, Mr. Nakasone's rating on Mr. Miyazawa was very high, describing him as one of the most intellectual persons after WWII in Japan.

Both the politicians, born during the reign of Emperor Yoshihito (Taisho), grandfather of the current Emperor, can be regarded as the key figures who, consciously or unconsciously, made Japan ready for the Japan-US Money War in 1990's, in my very personal view. ("Old soldiers never die, they only fade away" - General MacArthur.)

4. Terror in England
EEE Reporter is against any terror on the earth. Stop it. Design useful industrial products or become a useful politician, if you are to sacrifice your life for your people in order to defeat the United Kingdom in fair and peaceful competition like Japan has done.

5. Hong Kong
On a roof top of an old, tall apartment house in Hong Kong, a mother and her lower-grade son who came from the mainland China are living in a very small and humble hut with a poor zinc-roof, while a five-million dollar flat is well being sold in the port city. Indeed, the age of revolution may be close in China, again.

Even in the U.S., when a private jet owner, while having no money to privately own a 747 or a B52, says to poor people, "Do you envy me?" stupidly or arrogantly, indeed a revolution may be close in the U.S.



"...(Not Even His Brothers Believed in Him)..."