Around the Tokyo Station
Inside a Metropolitan Bus
A Step Ahead, A Different World (Un moment a venir, Eclairage different)
President Mr. Barack Obama finally announced the end of the combat phase in Iraq along with withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from impoverished Iraq.
In May 2003, the then President Mr. George W. Bush declared the end of the major combat in Iraq.
President Mr. Obama was televised from the Oval Office at night. President Mr. George W. Bush was televised from the deck of an aircraft carrier.
A future history textbook might simply read that "the War on Terror contributed to the reelection of George W. Bush in 2004 and the election of Barack Obama in 2008."
Indeed, I did not even start the EEE-Reporter blog in February 2003.
(I was watching live images, though blurred somewhat, an embedded reporter was sending to CNN viewers using a phone camera from an armed vehicle advancing on the wilderness of Iraq. I thought I was watching a scene of history. Since then, some people have earned a great amount of money in America and Dubai as well as China. Japan is not a direct beneficiary of interest of the Iraqi War, probably, though its regime change in 2009 was further spurred by the result of the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election.)
SECTION I: Ozawa vs Kan for Japan's New PM
So, the biggest news in Japan is that the tense negotiations between P.M. Mr. Naoto Kan and Mr. Ichiro Ozawa were broken off last night.
On September 14, a convention of the ruling DPJ will be held to elect its new head who is promised to be elected soon as new prime minister of Japan, though Mr. Kan's victory would simply confirm his position.
P.M. Mr. Naoto Kan is a former anti-Vietnam War student. Mr. Ichiro Ozawa is son of a conservative LDP lawmaker, succeeding his father's position to be elected as Lower-House member in 1969 and subsequently follow Former P.M. Kakuei Tanaka (Nixon's negotiating partner) for years, though Tanaka was accused of the Lockheed bribery case in 1970's.
Majority of Japanese voters support P.M. Mr. Kan rather than Mr. Ozawa who commands big political funds and many followers in the party.
The true concern for this DPJ leadership election is in how it will turn to advantage for the next general election. And, it is widely predicted that Mr. Ozawa's victory and his accedence to Japan's premiership would promise the loss of the DPJ in the next general election. Mr. Kan's victory would further intensify concern over economic policies of his Cabinet.
The rival LDP and other opposition parties must like "P.M. Ozawa" than "P.M. Kan," since their chance for taking over or sharing power would be drastically multiplied. However, the media and ordinary citizens dislike Mr. Ozawa's authoritarian stance. Mr. Ozawa speaks politely before a TV camera, but reportedly arrogantly to his followers behind a closed door.
Mr. Kan recently chose a foolish economist as his advisor, losing face somehow. But, he is humbly calling for cooperation to the LDP and other parties in addressing economic issues.
The Nihon Keizai (Nikkei) Shimbun conducted a net survey in late August on this issue. Its result might be more worth referring to, since Nikkei is so business oriented and widely read by Japanese corporate workers.
Which Should be Japan's Prime Minister?
Naoto Kan---66.6%
Ichiro Ozawa---33.4%
Which would take more effective economic measures?
Naoto Kan---49.3%
Ichiro Ozawa---50.7%
(http://www.nikkei.com/news/research/vote/q=9694E0E4E2EAE0E2E3E2E7E2EBE0;p=9694E0E4E2EAE0E2E3E2E7E2EBE2;o=F2F2F2F2F2F2F2F2F2F2F2F2F2F2 )
SECTION II: Global Warming by Energy (& CO2)
Increase in consumption of energy results in an increase of temperature, following the law of physics. CO2 has also some effect to add an increase of global warming.
Fluctuation of the average temperature is on an increasing trend.
(Click to enlarge.)If it is not due to the nature, the global warming must be first ascribed to the ever increasing use of energy by mankind and then secondarily to an additional effect of CO2.
(Click to enlarge.)If it is said that CO2 is wrong, it is not directly linked with a sin of rich material life.
But, if it is said that using energy is wrong, it is directly linked with a sin of rich material life.
No matter how much you blame CO2, rich men will not repent and come to use less energy.
If you blame energy consumption, rich men will be forced to repent and use less energy.
That is why you should not abuse the term CO2 so often, but correctly use "energy consumption" as much as possible.
SECTION III: Coalition's Planes Downed in Iraqi War
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Fixed-wing losses
24 (*2 to hostile fire, **2 to friendly fire)
Type.....#
F/A-18 Hornet..... 5/1**
F-16 Falcon..... 5
C-130 Hercules..... 4/1*
A-10 Warthog..... 1*
AV-8 Harrier..... 1
F-14 Tomcat..... 1
F-15E Strike Eagle..... 1
S-3 Viking..... 1
Tornado GR4..... 1**
C-23 Sherpa..... 1
Aerocomp Comp Air..... 7 1
Antonov An-26..... 1
Antonov An-12..... 1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aviation_accidents_and_incidents_during_the_Iraq_War
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Since the U.S. has industrial potential to produce thousands of F-15s, F-16s, and other military planes between 2003 and 2010, the above figures of loss do not mean anything grave (except related human losses and casualties).
In other word, it is not war. It must have been thought of as something different from war. Iraqi people, Saddam Hussein's military, and other insurgents, including AlQaeda, have had no intention to shoot down as many as Coalition's planes in Iraq. It means they have had no intention to make war with the U.S. in Iraq.
It is an incident, that is, America just invaded, with overwhelming forces, Iraq in a unilateral manner while no civil war was going on like in South Vietnam of early 1960's.
It is true that the two tall buildings and others in New York and the DOD building in Washington D.C. were attacked and demolished by AlQaeda in 2001. But, does the fact justify the U.S. military operations in Iraq, which cannot be even called war but one-sided exercise of American military power?
Anyway, it is not a war, since America lost just six of F-15s and F-16s in seven years, while America could produce thousands of them.
It is a kind of operations Israelis and Saudi Arabians might like to adopt.
*** *** *** ***
No typhoons have landed on Japan this summer (except the Okinawa islands).
As the high-pressure air has covered Japan so strongly with help from the westerly jet in the high altitude and so on, typhoons have just moved around Japan.
With the sun angle getting smaller down toward the south and the high-pressure air from Siberia gaining momentum, this quasi-tropical state of the Japanese islands will be over, and the westerly jet will return to its normal course.
This change of the season might be very drastic as expected to happen in this fall.
And, even in May this year, some northern parts of the Japanese islands had a foot-deep snowfall.
Maybe, if the summer is unusually hot, the following winter is unusually cold.
Truly, if love is unusually pure, the following effect is unusually prolonged.
(http://www.fukuchan.ac/music/jojoh/bodaiju.html )
Mat 9:1 And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.
Mat 9:2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.