Friday, October 23, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Hiroshima and Nagasaki as Olympic Co-Hosts
Should the two cities bid be allowed go forward as 'co-hosts' of the Olympics? Can Hiroshima and Nagasaki pull it off or is it just a pipedream?
On the one hand it seems like a great idea. In an age when peace is more and more on the minds of everyone, the two cities have a unique place on the world stage. And as the last bidding war final scenes in Denmark showed, it's not really a city bid as much as a national honor. Presidents and Prime Ministers don't usually fly off to international venues just to help out local cities with their issues.
The idea also has merit in these financially stressed times when one city, no matter how large, may no longer be able to afford to pay the overwhelming cost of such an international event.
There is precedent. Japan and Korea co-hosted the Soccer championships a few years ago and that seemed to work, but with such a large event as the Olympics, there are some basic practical matters that seem to need working out before a bid could be taken seriously.
Where would the openning and closing ceremonies be held, one on each city? That actually sounds fantastic. But how would crowds be moved from their hotels in one city to venues in another?
More problematic would be, where the Olympic village will be? Will there be two? Will the national team atheletes be divided with, say gymnastic atheletes living in one city and track and field participants in a different city? If they live together, how will they get to their venues in the other city? Will there be private high speed trains between cities or will they have to spend tiring hours on buses each way everyday?
Hiroshima and Nagasaki are not 'twin cities' like Tokyo and Yokohama or Osaka and Kobe. There is a sizable distance between them which, unless adequately addressed, would be a show stopper.
I hope they come up with a plan, it would be cool to see it happen, but like some in the IOC, I'm a bit dubious of success.
On the one hand it seems like a great idea. In an age when peace is more and more on the minds of everyone, the two cities have a unique place on the world stage. And as the last bidding war final scenes in Denmark showed, it's not really a city bid as much as a national honor. Presidents and Prime Ministers don't usually fly off to international venues just to help out local cities with their issues.
The idea also has merit in these financially stressed times when one city, no matter how large, may no longer be able to afford to pay the overwhelming cost of such an international event.
There is precedent. Japan and Korea co-hosted the Soccer championships a few years ago and that seemed to work, but with such a large event as the Olympics, there are some basic practical matters that seem to need working out before a bid could be taken seriously.
Where would the openning and closing ceremonies be held, one on each city? That actually sounds fantastic. But how would crowds be moved from their hotels in one city to venues in another?
More problematic would be, where the Olympic village will be? Will there be two? Will the national team atheletes be divided with, say gymnastic atheletes living in one city and track and field participants in a different city? If they live together, how will they get to their venues in the other city? Will there be private high speed trains between cities or will they have to spend tiring hours on buses each way everyday?
Hiroshima and Nagasaki are not 'twin cities' like Tokyo and Yokohama or Osaka and Kobe. There is a sizable distance between them which, unless adequately addressed, would be a show stopper.
I hope they come up with a plan, it would be cool to see it happen, but like some in the IOC, I'm a bit dubious of success.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Dollar Needs Resusitator
The Arab states have launched secret moves together with China,
Russia and France to stop using the US currency for oil trading
The end of dollar dealings for oil with moves to a basket of currencies including the Japanese yen and Chinese yuan, the euro, gold and a new, currency planned for the nations in the Gulf Co-operation Council is being planned.
The dollar will need CPR soon as a result of America's greedy and gluttonous lifestyle. The congress spends money as if it were toilet paper - and soon it will be worth as much.
If the dollar keeps losing value it will soon be uneconomical for Americans to buy foriegn oil. This doesn't really worry people so much beause they think with all the refineries in the US, it won't be a problem to get gas for my car.
Think again!
Russia and France to stop using the US currency for oil trading
The end of dollar dealings for oil with moves to a basket of currencies including the Japanese yen and Chinese yuan, the euro, gold and a new, currency planned for the nations in the Gulf Co-operation Council is being planned.
The dollar will need CPR soon as a result of America's greedy and gluttonous lifestyle. The congress spends money as if it were toilet paper - and soon it will be worth as much.
If the dollar keeps losing value it will soon be uneconomical for Americans to buy foriegn oil. This doesn't really worry people so much beause they think with all the refineries in the US, it won't be a problem to get gas for my car.
Think again!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
When and How to Pull the Plug?
People have been raising the roof recently about Death Committees being instituted and death advisors in the Health Care bill before Congress.
Obviously this concept has a myriad of politically incorrect pitfalls, like deciding who should and shouldn't die. Grandma or the mentally 'challenged' kid about to be born. Nazi and Stalinist purification come to mind.
There are so many conflicting interests here it's just safer to say nothing. But, in saying nothing these procedures are happening and will happen much more often.
People will ask, why? We are children of God, how can we kill our brother or sister? Those who are Darwinists should logically support culling the herd of the weak and infirm; but they won't because we have natural human rights.
So, let's look at the problem straight forward:
We are all in a boat, limited resources and limited space. Get it?
How about, no one likes to share (even though they say we should) and while some people are hording a little excess food and a nicer seat, others only have cramped spaces and a handful of rice. The boat is getting really dirty and really smelly and really crowded. It is impossible to keep clean with more and more people cramming into the boat and everyone is fighting over the space they have and won't help each other, so in reality things are going to hell fast.
What to do? Overcrowding in a garbage can isn't a great life.
Obviously we know what we should do, ought to do and want to do but NO ONE will do it. So, what DO we do?
Someone once said Its better to live a shorter happy life than a long suffering one. Perhaps its even better to never live at all. Crazy idea.
Is grandma happy stuck to the machine in bed and unable to move for however long her body can be made to function or should she go home to her family with reasonable care and enjoy her days?
Dangerous question: If we know a child is going to be born with a lifelong incapacitation, should we allow him or her to be born?
If we are going to have health care for everyone there will obviously have to be limits. I don't envy the government bureaucrats who have to enforce those limits because they will have to address these issues everyday: who lives, who dies. It will make the private insurance companies today seem like nice guys.
What is the definition of quality of life? When does the medical procedure become unreasonable? Soon we will be able to mechanically replace nearly every part of our body. We will be able to live to the ripe old age of 5,000 as a bio-robot. People die, all things die. The circle goes on, but how far should we stretch it? Should we stop it? Can the earth sustain that? Should we worry about it?
Ah, and speaking of sustaining things. If you now have private Blue Cross / Blue Shield, what are the premiums each year? Everyone, listen up: The new Health Care bill will require premiums be paid by every singla American. What are premiums called when the government collects them? Let me hear you say it: A TAX. That's right. In fact it will be a great big tax. I'm guessing $3,000 per year for a 30 year old single man to start out, with cost of living increases every few years. What do you think a family of four will have to pay?
* Just for your info; In Japan, I pay $3,000 per year for a family of three PLUS I have private supplimental which is on top of that. My wife is a housewife so she doesn't work. This brings the premium down some. The US will be equivelant. Bet on it.
Oh, and one more thing: there isn't a box to check if you want to opt out. You will be required to have a National Medical Care account and carry a card. You may have supplimental private coverage - and you can bet it will be available; but basic care coverage by all will be the law.
Oh, and one more more thing. Since you will have to pay for each child each month, I predict this will be one of the most effective birth control measures in history.
Talk about a motivating factor to pull the plug!
Obviously this concept has a myriad of politically incorrect pitfalls, like deciding who should and shouldn't die. Grandma or the mentally 'challenged' kid about to be born. Nazi and Stalinist purification come to mind.
There are so many conflicting interests here it's just safer to say nothing. But, in saying nothing these procedures are happening and will happen much more often.
People will ask, why? We are children of God, how can we kill our brother or sister? Those who are Darwinists should logically support culling the herd of the weak and infirm; but they won't because we have natural human rights.
So, let's look at the problem straight forward:
We are all in a boat, limited resources and limited space. Get it?
How about, no one likes to share (even though they say we should) and while some people are hording a little excess food and a nicer seat, others only have cramped spaces and a handful of rice. The boat is getting really dirty and really smelly and really crowded. It is impossible to keep clean with more and more people cramming into the boat and everyone is fighting over the space they have and won't help each other, so in reality things are going to hell fast.
What to do? Overcrowding in a garbage can isn't a great life.
Obviously we know what we should do, ought to do and want to do but NO ONE will do it. So, what DO we do?
Someone once said Its better to live a shorter happy life than a long suffering one. Perhaps its even better to never live at all. Crazy idea.
Is grandma happy stuck to the machine in bed and unable to move for however long her body can be made to function or should she go home to her family with reasonable care and enjoy her days?
Dangerous question: If we know a child is going to be born with a lifelong incapacitation, should we allow him or her to be born?
If we are going to have health care for everyone there will obviously have to be limits. I don't envy the government bureaucrats who have to enforce those limits because they will have to address these issues everyday: who lives, who dies. It will make the private insurance companies today seem like nice guys.
What is the definition of quality of life? When does the medical procedure become unreasonable? Soon we will be able to mechanically replace nearly every part of our body. We will be able to live to the ripe old age of 5,000 as a bio-robot. People die, all things die. The circle goes on, but how far should we stretch it? Should we stop it? Can the earth sustain that? Should we worry about it?
Ah, and speaking of sustaining things. If you now have private Blue Cross / Blue Shield, what are the premiums each year? Everyone, listen up: The new Health Care bill will require premiums be paid by every singla American. What are premiums called when the government collects them? Let me hear you say it: A TAX. That's right. In fact it will be a great big tax. I'm guessing $3,000 per year for a 30 year old single man to start out, with cost of living increases every few years. What do you think a family of four will have to pay?
* Just for your info; In Japan, I pay $3,000 per year for a family of three PLUS I have private supplimental which is on top of that. My wife is a housewife so she doesn't work. This brings the premium down some. The US will be equivelant. Bet on it.
Oh, and one more thing: there isn't a box to check if you want to opt out. You will be required to have a National Medical Care account and carry a card. You may have supplimental private coverage - and you can bet it will be available; but basic care coverage by all will be the law.
Oh, and one more more thing. Since you will have to pay for each child each month, I predict this will be one of the most effective birth control measures in history.
Talk about a motivating factor to pull the plug!
The Dance is Over - but the Circle Goes On
When I saw how old Patrick was when he died I was really really shocked.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Ok, You Want to Live in Japan (with Your Japanese Husband)
As any number of people will tell you, living in Japan is cool. Yes, as a foreigner you will have some limitations but unless you have unreasonable expectations, and if you get into the spirit, you really should enjoy life here.
Things to think about:
1.Do you like fish?
Japan is widely known for its healthy food (yes there are McDonald's for your homesick days). Japanese food is healthy and for the most part, delicious. Personally, I hate natto, but my wife and daughter love it. Go figure.
2.Do you feel safe?
Japan really is a safe country. There's a reason people are afraid to leave Japan. For this reason it is a great place for kids.
3.Culture and Outdoor activities
There is an amazing variety of things to do, see and go to. You could pick up a new hobby every month and the more Japanese you learn, the more very fancy doors will open.
4.Korea is just across the street.
OK, not really but if you have a kimchi fetish it's only an hour away. If you are American you get American prices even if you live in Japan.
5.Get a Job and stay busy.
You will have no upwardly mobile pressure. No one expects you to actually work. Just get a p/t job teaching English. You do this to keep busy and make spending money and avoid being lonely.
6.Lots and lots of free time
Study, study, study Japanese. When you have kids if you can't talk to their teachers and doctor you will be at a great disadvantage. Take up hobbies, Karate, flower arranging, tea ceremony – the list is endless.
7.Learn what your husband likes and learn to please him.
You might get him to come home a little earlier at night.
8.Learn your husband's favorite foods from his mother.
Suicide or murder are not an option. She will give you the stamp of approval for Heaven.
9.Have kids.
Then everyone in the family will love you (the grandkids actually) and you will be happy.
10.Your home is your life.
Things to think about:
1.Do you like fish?
Japan is widely known for its healthy food (yes there are McDonald's for your homesick days). Japanese food is healthy and for the most part, delicious. Personally, I hate natto, but my wife and daughter love it. Go figure.
2.Do you feel safe?
Japan really is a safe country. There's a reason people are afraid to leave Japan. For this reason it is a great place for kids.
3.Culture and Outdoor activities
There is an amazing variety of things to do, see and go to. You could pick up a new hobby every month and the more Japanese you learn, the more very fancy doors will open.
4.Korea is just across the street.
OK, not really but if you have a kimchi fetish it's only an hour away. If you are American you get American prices even if you live in Japan.
5.Get a Job and stay busy.
You will have no upwardly mobile pressure. No one expects you to actually work. Just get a p/t job teaching English. You do this to keep busy and make spending money and avoid being lonely.
6.Lots and lots of free time
Study, study, study Japanese. When you have kids if you can't talk to their teachers and doctor you will be at a great disadvantage. Take up hobbies, Karate, flower arranging, tea ceremony – the list is endless.
7.Learn what your husband likes and learn to please him.
You might get him to come home a little earlier at night.
8.Learn your husband's favorite foods from his mother.
Suicide or murder are not an option. She will give you the stamp of approval for Heaven.
9.Have kids.
Then everyone in the family will love you (the grandkids actually) and you will be happy.
10.Your home is your life.
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