(As it was January 1, only a few souls could be seen at this center of 12 million-populated Tokyo Prefecture...)TRUST
On TV, Mr. McGwire was aplogizing for his use of steroids, especially, in 1998.
He did not look like someone who really mastered the art of batting and hitting, though he was delivering 70 homers. Yet, Japanese baseball fans were all anazed. Many Japanese spent some money to travel, go, and watch Mr. McGwire at American baseball parks. However, no one would be sorry for that today, since it was a thing before 2001 and 2008.
SECTION I: TWO PAPER TIGERS?
There seem to be some concerns about the expression "China and the U.S., two paper tigers" I used yesterday.
First of all, the biggest concern in 1990's in Japan was how to avoid a global financial crisis triggered in Japan. Eventually Japan succeeded in avoiding a global financial crisis to be set off in Japan. But, it happened in the U.S. In 2008, the U.S. triggered the global financial crisis.
American politicians and economists spent a lot of time and days and nights just criticizing Japan for its lost decade in terms of economy before 2008, without praising Japan for avoiding a global financial crisis to be triggered in Japan.
And, without apologising to Japan and the world, American politicians and economists ran to China to have them buy all the more American Treasury bonds and notes after the Lehman Shock, while Tibetans and Uygurs were being suppressed violently by the Chinese Government.
Besides, eight years after 2001, situations in Iraq and Afghanistan in addition to international airliners are not improved. What's worse, Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia are added to the list of potential war zones.
As for China, their selfish and irresponsible behaviors even excited the ire of the U.K. at the recent COP15 Meeting, since China did not show any will to contribute to global cooperation and harmony by sacrificing its economy.
That is why I thought that the two heavily armed nations, China and the U.S., look like two paper tigers, since they have no will to tackle and solve real problems in the world.
Nonetheless, if Americans and Chinese who are not politicians and economists are offended by the two-paper-tiger expression, I am very sorry, since it is not for them definitely. It is for some responsible elites in the U.S. and China.
SECTION II: JAPAN VS. USA?
It is said that the Hatoyama Administration of Japan is now regarded as one of the ten possible crisis of the world.
It is because Prime Minister Mr. Hatoyama's behaviors look so anti-American.
Yet, there are so many military bases in Japan with tens of thousands of American soldiers while Japan has been the largest purchaser and holder of the U.S. Treasury bonds and notes except recent two years where China has bought more. Accordingly, there is no war between Japan and the U.S. like between China and the U.S. Besides, the Japanese Constitution forbids war. There would be no threat to the U.S. at all, even if the Hatoyama Cabinet was anti-American as much as Chinese leaders are.
Truly, Japanese people love so much American-style democracy and American people love so much Toyota, Sony, and many other Japanese businesses. Only, those politicians and economists who have never studied the Japanese democracy as well as Toyota and Sony are worrying that Japan would pose more threats to the U.S. than China does.
Nonetheless, Prime Minister Mr. Hatoyama bought 28 books yesterday as he visited a book store near the Tokyo Station one of which is Former Clinton administration Labor Secretary Mr. Robert Reich's "Supercapitalism."
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Robert Reich: Don't blame Wal-Mart, we're getting what we ask for
Tom Abate, Chronicle Staff Writer
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Supercapitalism
The Transformation of Business, Democracy and Everyday Life
...
Reich offers a sad glimpse at a cynical Capitol Hill, which he depicts as an institution overrun with registered lobbyists, nearly 33,000 strong as of 2005, up from 11,000 in 1997.
He explains why Google hired lobbyists shortly after it went public to use the law against Microsoft, and how Oracle hired private investigators in 2000 who bribed janitors to sift through trash for antitrust evidence against Microsoft.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/09/RVI8RM15E.DTL&hw=Robert+Reich&sn=001&sc=1000
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Prime Minister Mr. Hatoyama said that as he was a busy man it would take only five minutes or so for him to check each book, though there are several "capitalism"-related books in addition to two cartoon or manga books.
He did not buy, however, any book whose theme is, for example, the 9/11 conspiracy theory.
And, EEE Reporter does not support any 9/11 conspiracy theories (including one involving even President Mr. Barack Obama).
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Even foreigners are allowed to enter precincts of a Japanese Shintoism shrine.
An elite member of the U.S. Embassy to Japan actually visited a shrine in Tokyo and reported it on his blog.
http://japan.usembassy.gov/zblog/e/zblog-e20100106a.html
In this regard, Islam had better welcome more people whose religion is not Islam.
Otherwise, how can Muslims be trusted by non-Muslims? Religion is for mankind not for any specific faction of believers.
If a man is from the Vatican, Jerusalem, or Mecca, he must be treated as good as a Christian, a Judaist, or a Muslim is at any place on this earth which is owned by God.
Yet, do they really believe in their holy books more than money at Dubai, all of them?
2Pe 1:11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.
2Pe 1:13 Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;