JOHN
Saturday, January 27, 2007
This morning in Japan, Sunday, Jan 28,2006
The Japan Times leads with the story that made headlines in yesterday's Japanese papers, Cops raid Paloma over gas leak death. Other stories peaking above the fold are Canada's apology to Syrian-born Canadian Maher Arar, whom U.S. authorities deported to Damascusm where he was imprisoned and tortured for over a year; the U.S. banning luxury goods exports to North Korea; and Iraqi insurgents' impersonating U.S. soldiers to abduct and kill real U.S. soldiers.
The top story in The Asahi Shimbun is Japanese premier Shinzo Abe's creation of a special committee to consider strategies for countering declining birthrate and reviving families and rural areas, both of which are seen as deteriorating. Other stories above the fold include sharing of information on illegal business practices between national and local governments and the announcement that 17 universities have agreed on a system that will allow them to re-use each other's questions on their entrance exams. It is Sunday, and this may explain why no international news whatsoever makes it to the front page. posted by John 8:42 PM
The Japan Times leads with the story that made headlines in yesterday's Japanese papers, Cops raid Paloma over gas leak death. Other stories peaking above the fold are Canada's apology to Syrian-born Canadian Maher Arar, whom U.S. authorities deported to Damascusm where he was imprisoned and tortured for over a year; the U.S. banning luxury goods exports to North Korea; and Iraqi insurgents' impersonating U.S. soldiers to abduct and kill real U.S. soldiers.
The top story in The Asahi Shimbun is Japanese premier Shinzo Abe's creation of a special committee to consider strategies for countering declining birthrate and reviving families and rural areas, both of which are seen as deteriorating. Other stories above the fold include sharing of information on illegal business practices between national and local governments and the announcement that 17 universities have agreed on a system that will allow them to re-use each other's questions on their entrance exams. It is Sunday, and this may explain why no international news whatsoever makes it to the front page. posted by John 8:42 PM
Sanyo? What happened?
Responding to an earlier posting about Sanyo washing machines catching on fire, Timr observes that he has bought a lot of Sanyo products and the quality was great. What's happened, he wants to know.
Not knowing the details of the case, I can't comment on that. What I can offer is a bit of informed speculation that goes like this:
After WWII, the "burning generation," the corporate warriors who rebuilt Japan were fierce in their determination to catch up with and surpass the West. They knew that Japan's reputation for shoddy exports, back when Japan was synonymous with tin toys and dime-store knick-knacks was an obstacle they had to overcome. They did what they did in other areas, went looking for the world's best ideas, brought them home to Japan, improved them, and put them to work. In the area of Quality Management that was the work of Dr. W. Edward Deming on statistical process control, work still celebrated in the Deming Prize, described on the W. Edwards Deming Institute webpage as follows:
These efforts were hugely successful, resulting in production of great products like those Timr purchased. They were so successful, in fact, that subsequent generations didn't just grow up in affluence, becoming more interested in food, fashion, media, etc., instead of engineering;their fathers had won their war, leaving their children and grandchildren without their burning passion. Catching up with and surpassing the West? As far as the later generations were concerned, their fathers had been there and done that. What were they to do? Eat, drink, create funky fashion, write video games, produce TV shows, you get the picture.
The companies hardest hit by these trends and by growing competition from hungrier places like Korea, and now China, were second and third tier hardware manufacturers like Sanyo, whose managers were--and are--both finding it very difficult to recruit the hardworking, highly disciplined, highly skilled workers on whom their earlier success depended, while also being pushed incessantly to keep cutting costs. The result is predictable: cutting corners, less meticulous design, quality slips, accidents happen, recalls get publicized in the newspapers.
In the top tier, the Toyotas and Canons, the quality commitment and delivery live on. Wherever jobs have become routine, the workers aren't the brightest tools in the shed to begin with, and cost-cutting leads to corner-cutting, the results aren't pretty.
That, anyway, is how I see it. Jerry Bowles and Josh Hammond are both veterans of the QC Movement inspired by Japan in the 1980s. Perhaps they can chime in. posted by John 8:07 PM
Friday, January 26, 2007
Responding to an earlier posting about Sanyo washing machines catching on fire, Timr observes that he has bought a lot of Sanyo products and the quality was great. What's happened, he wants to know.
Not knowing the details of the case, I can't comment on that. What I can offer is a bit of informed speculation that goes like this:
After WWII, the "burning generation," the corporate warriors who rebuilt Japan were fierce in their determination to catch up with and surpass the West. They knew that Japan's reputation for shoddy exports, back when Japan was synonymous with tin toys and dime-store knick-knacks was an obstacle they had to overcome. They did what they did in other areas, went looking for the world's best ideas, brought them home to Japan, improved them, and put them to work. In the area of Quality Management that was the work of Dr. W. Edward Deming on statistical process control, work still celebrated in the Deming Prize, described on the W. Edwards Deming Institute webpage as follows:
The Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers (JUSE) invited Dr. Deming to Japan in July 1950. He held a series of lectures and seminars during which he taught the basic princiles of statistical quality control to executives, managers and engineers of Japanese industries. His teachings made a deep impression on the participants' minds and provided great impetus in implementing quality control in Japan.
In appreciation, JUSE (English), created a prize to commemorate Dr. Deming's contribution and friendship and to promote the continued development of quality control in Japan. The prize was established in 1950 and annual awards are still given each year.
The Deming Prize, especially the Deming Application Prize which is given to companies, has exerted an immeasurable influence directly or indirectly on the development of quality control and management in Japan.
These efforts were hugely successful, resulting in production of great products like those Timr purchased. They were so successful, in fact, that subsequent generations didn't just grow up in affluence, becoming more interested in food, fashion, media, etc., instead of engineering;their fathers had won their war, leaving their children and grandchildren without their burning passion. Catching up with and surpassing the West? As far as the later generations were concerned, their fathers had been there and done that. What were they to do? Eat, drink, create funky fashion, write video games, produce TV shows, you get the picture.
The companies hardest hit by these trends and by growing competition from hungrier places like Korea, and now China, were second and third tier hardware manufacturers like Sanyo, whose managers were--and are--both finding it very difficult to recruit the hardworking, highly disciplined, highly skilled workers on whom their earlier success depended, while also being pushed incessantly to keep cutting costs. The result is predictable: cutting corners, less meticulous design, quality slips, accidents happen, recalls get publicized in the newspapers.
In the top tier, the Toyotas and Canons, the quality commitment and delivery live on. Wherever jobs have become routine, the workers aren't the brightest tools in the shed to begin with, and cost-cutting leads to corner-cutting, the results aren't pretty.
That, anyway, is how I see it. Jerry Bowles and Josh Hammond are both veterans of the QC Movement inspired by Japan in the 1980s. Perhaps they can chime in. posted by John 8:07 PM
Friday, January 26, 2007
This morning in Japan, Saturday, Jan 27,2006
The big story in both The Japan Times and Asahi Shimbun this morning is the resignation of Upper House Vice President Giichi Tsunoda, whose campaign failed to report 25.2 million yen in political donations during the 2001 Upper House election. Tsunoda is a member of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), the largest opponent to the ruleing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Tsunoda said he quite because his staying in office would, "further increase the public's distrust of politics."
Above the fold, The Japan Times also carries stories on the UN Development Program (UNDP) halting aid to North Korea and Prime Minister Abe's opening the died with pledges to "fix education, Constitution."
The Asahi Shimbun has two more corporate scandal stories, about Paloma home gas heaters that emit carbon monoxide and have caused several deaths and Sanyo washing machines, seven of which have caught fire, including one "repaired" after a previous incident, resulting in recall of 160,000 machines. posted by John 6:56 PM
Thursday, January 25, 2007
The big story in both The Japan Times and Asahi Shimbun this morning is the resignation of Upper House Vice President Giichi Tsunoda, whose campaign failed to report 25.2 million yen in political donations during the 2001 Upper House election. Tsunoda is a member of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), the largest opponent to the ruleing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Tsunoda said he quite because his staying in office would, "further increase the public's distrust of politics."
Above the fold, The Japan Times also carries stories on the UN Development Program (UNDP) halting aid to North Korea and Prime Minister Abe's opening the died with pledges to "fix education, Constitution."
The Asahi Shimbun has two more corporate scandal stories, about Paloma home gas heaters that emit carbon monoxide and have caused several deaths and Sanyo washing machines, seven of which have caught fire, including one "repaired" after a previous incident, resulting in recall of 160,000 machines. posted by John 6:56 PM
Thursday, January 25, 2007
This morning in Japan, Friday, Jan 26,2006
Japan Times leads with
Faked quake data shut two inns. and
Fujiya to sell assets, seek Resona help over expected loss.
Fake quake data leaving buildings unsafe has been a hot button issue here since last year's big scandal about an architect who faked data for 99 structures, including hotels and apartment complexes. Fujiya continues to reel from discovery earlier this week that it was using past-expiration date ingredients in popular confections sold to children.
Asahi Shimbun leads with
National Pension to be 47% to 51% of current salary.
Two additional headlines above the fold are
Guilty managing director compensated.
Director convicted of improper payments to gangsters has been quietly receiving nearly US$200,000 per year as a contract employee of a subsidiary for the nine years since his conviction.
Youpack improper labeling
Post Office has been guaranteeing overnight delivery for its "Youpack" parcel delivery service. Turns out that isn't true for some parts of the country.
The Asahi story is notable for the mathematical detail provided. This is, mind you, a paper with seven million readers and an "intellectual" reputation. Still, seeing a chart with outcomes dependent on birthrate and average interest rate assumptions prominently featured on the front page isn't something I expect from U.S. newspapers. posted by John 7:01 PM
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Japan Times leads with
Faked quake data shut two inns. and
Fujiya to sell assets, seek Resona help over expected loss.
Fake quake data leaving buildings unsafe has been a hot button issue here since last year's big scandal about an architect who faked data for 99 structures, including hotels and apartment complexes. Fujiya continues to reel from discovery earlier this week that it was using past-expiration date ingredients in popular confections sold to children.
Asahi Shimbun leads with
National Pension to be 47% to 51% of current salary.
Two additional headlines above the fold are
Guilty managing director compensated.
Director convicted of improper payments to gangsters has been quietly receiving nearly US$200,000 per year as a contract employee of a subsidiary for the nine years since his conviction.
Youpack improper labeling
Post Office has been guaranteeing overnight delivery for its "Youpack" parcel delivery service. Turns out that isn't true for some parts of the country.
The Asahi story is notable for the mathematical detail provided. This is, mind you, a paper with seven million readers and an "intellectual" reputation. Still, seeing a chart with outcomes dependent on birthrate and average interest rate assumptions prominently featured on the front page isn't something I expect from U.S. newspapers. posted by John 7:01 PM
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
This morning in Japan, Thursday, Jan 25,2006
Japan Times leads with
State of Union address fails to delay 'end of Bush era' and
Kyuma:U.S.invasion of Iraq a mistake
Kyuma is Japan's Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma and his remarks are described as "a rare criticism from Washington's closest Asian ally."
Asahi Shimbun leads with
Three Education Law revisions go to Diet and
School lunch payment arrears reach 2.2 billion yen
Both stories are part of the continuing debate over whether Japan should return to a more rigorous and nationalistic form of education and the growing gap between rich and poor in Japan. posted by John 6:45 PM
Japan Times leads with
State of Union address fails to delay 'end of Bush era' and
Kyuma:U.S.invasion of Iraq a mistake
Kyuma is Japan's Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma and his remarks are described as "a rare criticism from Washington's closest Asian ally."
Asahi Shimbun leads with
Three Education Law revisions go to Diet and
School lunch payment arrears reach 2.2 billion yen
Both stories are part of the continuing debate over whether Japan should return to a more rigorous and nationalistic form of education and the growing gap between rich and poor in Japan. posted by John 6:45 PM
Jim Webb's Democratic Rebuttal to the SOTUS
If you haven't seen or heard or read it already--Hell, even if you have--point your browser here and click on the video to listen to my senator, Jim Webb of Virginia, give one hell of a good speech. posted by John 8:53 AM
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
If you haven't seen or heard or read it already--Hell, even if you have--point your browser here and click on the video to listen to my senator, Jim Webb of Virginia, give one hell of a good speech. posted by John 8:53 AM
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
How many Americans even know that this is happening?
Below the fold in this morning's International Herald Tribune is a story about the annual summit for government and business leaders in Davos, Switzerland. Here global leaders will consider many problems.
Below the fold in this morning's International Herald Tribune is a story about the annual summit for government and business leaders in Davos, Switzerland. Here global leaders will consider many problems.
The irony is that global awareness of the need for cooperation on issues like climate change, pandemics and terrorism has never been greater....[But] perhaps the greatest challenge: How to engineer collective action in a world where America is too weak to dominate but too strong to be disregarded; where old and new powers compete for influence and resources; and where a technological revolution has empowered ordinary citizens and those who want to influence them.posted by John 7:48 PM
This morning in Japan, Wednesday, Jan 24,2006
Japan Times leads with
Bush hits low point before union speech. A sidebar piles on World opinion cold on U.S..
Second story above the fold is
Another outbreak of bird flu feared in Miyazaki
The big story in this morning's Asahi Shimbun is
Japanese business sets up egg bank. Japanese donors have eggs extracted in Korea.
Other stories above the fold include
Four sites, including Mt. Fuji, added to world heritage list and
Permanent unit created to investigate child abuse.
The egg bank story is interesting in several respects. Childless Japanese couples are evading local law against sale of human eggs by traveling to Korea. On the one hand this plays into concern (already mounting for several years) about Japan's declining birth rate. On the other the mention of Korea evokes highly ambivalent feelings rooted in Japanese racism vis-a-vis Koreans, stirred by Korea's status as a successful competitor with Korea, complicated by the recent success of Korean celebrities on Japanese TV (particularly handsome young men idolized by middle-aged Japanese women). posted by John 7:10 PM
Monday, January 22, 2007
Japan Times leads with
Bush hits low point before union speech. A sidebar piles on World opinion cold on U.S..
Second story above the fold is
Another outbreak of bird flu feared in Miyazaki
The big story in this morning's Asahi Shimbun is
Japanese business sets up egg bank. Japanese donors have eggs extracted in Korea.
Other stories above the fold include
Four sites, including Mt. Fuji, added to world heritage list and
Permanent unit created to investigate child abuse.
The egg bank story is interesting in several respects. Childless Japanese couples are evading local law against sale of human eggs by traveling to Korea. On the one hand this plays into concern (already mounting for several years) about Japan's declining birth rate. On the other the mention of Korea evokes highly ambivalent feelings rooted in Japanese racism vis-a-vis Koreans, stirred by Korea's status as a successful competitor with Korea, complicated by the recent success of Korean celebrities on Japanese TV (particularly handsome young men idolized by middle-aged Japanese women). posted by John 7:10 PM
Monday, January 22, 2007
This morning in Japan, Tuesday, Jan 23,2006
Japan Times leads with
Japan and China to pursue nuclear-power cooperation
The key background is in the second paragraph:
Fact is that China is rapidly emerging as the major new market for nuclear power, and European and U.S. reactor builders are already hustling for business. Japanese firms don't want to be left out.
Asahi Shimbun leads with
Support for cabinet continues to decline, 39%
According to a poll conducted by the newspaper support for the Abe cabinet has declined from 47% a year ago. Confronted with a choice between the cabinet's focus on economic growth and taking steps to prevent further polarization between rich and poor, the public favors the latter, 45% to 30%. posted by John 7:07 PM
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Japan Times leads with
Japan and China to pursue nuclear-power cooperation
The key background is in the second paragraph:
The plan is aimed at paving the way for Japanese companies involved in nuclear power to do business in China, where reactor construction is expected to increase to meet mounting energy demands.
Fact is that China is rapidly emerging as the major new market for nuclear power, and European and U.S. reactor builders are already hustling for business. Japanese firms don't want to be left out.
Asahi Shimbun leads with
Support for cabinet continues to decline, 39%
According to a poll conducted by the newspaper support for the Abe cabinet has declined from 47% a year ago. Confronted with a choice between the cabinet's focus on economic growth and taking steps to prevent further polarization between rich and poor, the public favors the latter, 45% to 30%. posted by John 7:07 PM
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Priceless Political Images
"A picture is worth a thousand words" doesn't come close to describing the value of the classic Clay Bennett cartoons found in The Christian Science Monitor. posted by John 9:58 PM
"A picture is worth a thousand words" doesn't come close to describing the value of the classic Clay Bennett cartoons found in The Christian Science Monitor. posted by John 9:58 PM
This morning in Japan, Monday, Jan 22,2006
This morning both the Japan Times and the Asahi Shimbun headline the election of TV entertainer Sonomanman Higashi as governor of Miyazaki Prefecture. Higashi replaces Tadahiro Ando, who resigned last month and was arrested on corruption charges. Japan Times headline reads,
TV entertainer voted Miyazaki governor
Higashi fills post left vacant by scandal
Asahi Shimbun headline reads,
Sonomanma Higashi Wins Big.
Defeats candidate put forward by the LDP and Komeito.
For politics watchers here, the Asahi subhead is important. The LDP and Komeito are the ruling coalition that supports current Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The defeat of their candidate lends credence to speculation that Abe may be headed for trouble in national elections scheduled for later this year.
,The second above-the-fold story in the Japan Times features a picture of a statue of movie icon Godzilla and the headline,
Japan's biggest art museum opens in Roppongi.
U.S.-related news is below the fold. The two headlines read,
Clinton candidacy marks cultural shift and
U.S. 1-day Iraq toll highest in two years
The Asahi's second headline is
27.2 billion in welfare loans not repaid
The lead describes a recent report that 1/3 of funds loaned by local government bodies to poor families are not being repaid. In Tokyo the system that provides these loans is bankrupt. LDP politicians are considering how to revive it. The background here is a growing debate about the emergence of a visibly class society in Japan, where government surveys used to show 90% of respondents identifying themselves as middle class. Now the talk is about the winners and losers in the new restructured, increasingly globalized, freer market economy. posted by John 7:35 PM
Saturday, January 20, 2007
This morning both the Japan Times and the Asahi Shimbun headline the election of TV entertainer Sonomanman Higashi as governor of Miyazaki Prefecture. Higashi replaces Tadahiro Ando, who resigned last month and was arrested on corruption charges. Japan Times headline reads,
TV entertainer voted Miyazaki governor
Higashi fills post left vacant by scandal
Asahi Shimbun headline reads,
Sonomanma Higashi Wins Big.
Defeats candidate put forward by the LDP and Komeito.
For politics watchers here, the Asahi subhead is important. The LDP and Komeito are the ruling coalition that supports current Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The defeat of their candidate lends credence to speculation that Abe may be headed for trouble in national elections scheduled for later this year.
,The second above-the-fold story in the Japan Times features a picture of a statue of movie icon Godzilla and the headline,
Japan's biggest art museum opens in Roppongi.
U.S.-related news is below the fold. The two headlines read,
Clinton candidacy marks cultural shift and
U.S. 1-day Iraq toll highest in two years
The Asahi's second headline is
27.2 billion in welfare loans not repaid
The lead describes a recent report that 1/3 of funds loaned by local government bodies to poor families are not being repaid. In Tokyo the system that provides these loans is bankrupt. LDP politicians are considering how to revive it. The background here is a growing debate about the emergence of a visibly class society in Japan, where government surveys used to show 90% of respondents identifying themselves as middle class. Now the talk is about the winners and losers in the new restructured, increasingly globalized, freer market economy. posted by John 7:35 PM
Saturday, January 20, 2007
This morning in Japan
First, my thanks to Timr and Leftcoast for their encouraging remarks.
Second, a word of warning. What I read in my morning papers is limited to what I read in The Japan Times(an English-language paper sometimes criticized as being Japan's Pravda) and the Asahi Shimbun (the major Japanese paper regarded as being furthest to the left in its editorial stance--though we are, everyone admits, talking about very subtle differences).
That said, what pops out at me as I peruse the two front pages in the Sunday, January 21, 2006 morning editions is that while the U.S. appears prominently in The Japan Times, it is not mentioned at all in the Asahi Shimbun.
The main headline in The Japan Times is
U.S. says U.N. funds regime in Pyongyang
The lead reads: "The U.S. on Friday accused a U.N. agency of funneling millions of dollars in cash aid to North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, and questioned if the aid had been diverted to purposes such as nuclear weapons development."
Just below it is
Tougher rules eyed for N. Korea trade
The rules in question are Japanese government rules: "The government is seeking harsher punishment for violations of the Customs Law to curb illegal trade with North Korea and increase the effectiveness of economic sanctions."
Top right is the headline
China says it poses no threat to space
The lead reads: "China on Friday played down fears of a military space race after U.S. spy agencies said the communist country had shot down a satellite for the first time...."
The contrast in the headlines of The Asahi Shimbun could hardly be more dramatic. The main story is
"Natto reduces weight" program faked
The picture that accompanies the story shows executives of Fuji TV publicly apologizing for a program that used fake data to promote the idea that a diet including natto (fermented soy beans) helps dieters to reduce weight. To grasp why this is front page news, it is useful to know that the previous weeks papers have been filled with similar apologies and the resignation of the President of Fujiya, a confectionary company that makes cheap snacks popular with Japanese kids, that has just admitted using ingredients past their expiration date, a story which was itself a reminder of other stories within the past few years, e.g., Yujirushi Dairy's confessing that tanks had not been properly cleaned, resulting in cases of food poisoning.
The second main story above the fold is
Subway collusion under stronger investigation
The investigation in question concerns construction companies suspected of rigging bids for subway construction in Nagoya (the largest city in Chubu, the part of Japan where Toyota is based).
Other front page stories include continuing chaos in university entrance exams of English listening comprehension and a fire at a karaoke store that killed one teenager and severely injured three.
I am irresistibly reminded of the Japanese distinction between tatemae, what you show on the surface, and honne, how you really feel about things. Then, on reflection, I note that The Japan Times is published for a audience of self-consciously international, primarily business or government, people, while The Asahi Shimbun, though it prides itself on being the newspaper of choice for Japanese intellectuals, is much more oriented to the man or woman in the street. But, whichever is correct, if you see someone citing The Japan Times as evidence of what "the Japanese" think, it is best, I suggest, to take the claim with a large lashing of soy sauce. posted by John 8:58 PM
Friday, January 19, 2007
First, my thanks to Timr and Leftcoast for their encouraging remarks.
Second, a word of warning. What I read in my morning papers is limited to what I read in The Japan Times(an English-language paper sometimes criticized as being Japan's Pravda) and the Asahi Shimbun (the major Japanese paper regarded as being furthest to the left in its editorial stance--though we are, everyone admits, talking about very subtle differences).
That said, what pops out at me as I peruse the two front pages in the Sunday, January 21, 2006 morning editions is that while the U.S. appears prominently in The Japan Times, it is not mentioned at all in the Asahi Shimbun.
The main headline in The Japan Times is
U.S. says U.N. funds regime in Pyongyang
The lead reads: "The U.S. on Friday accused a U.N. agency of funneling millions of dollars in cash aid to North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, and questioned if the aid had been diverted to purposes such as nuclear weapons development."
Just below it is
Tougher rules eyed for N. Korea trade
The rules in question are Japanese government rules: "The government is seeking harsher punishment for violations of the Customs Law to curb illegal trade with North Korea and increase the effectiveness of economic sanctions."
Top right is the headline
China says it poses no threat to space
The lead reads: "China on Friday played down fears of a military space race after U.S. spy agencies said the communist country had shot down a satellite for the first time...."
The contrast in the headlines of The Asahi Shimbun could hardly be more dramatic. The main story is
"Natto reduces weight" program faked
The picture that accompanies the story shows executives of Fuji TV publicly apologizing for a program that used fake data to promote the idea that a diet including natto (fermented soy beans) helps dieters to reduce weight. To grasp why this is front page news, it is useful to know that the previous weeks papers have been filled with similar apologies and the resignation of the President of Fujiya, a confectionary company that makes cheap snacks popular with Japanese kids, that has just admitted using ingredients past their expiration date, a story which was itself a reminder of other stories within the past few years, e.g., Yujirushi Dairy's confessing that tanks had not been properly cleaned, resulting in cases of food poisoning.
The second main story above the fold is
Subway collusion under stronger investigation
The investigation in question concerns construction companies suspected of rigging bids for subway construction in Nagoya (the largest city in Chubu, the part of Japan where Toyota is based).
Other front page stories include continuing chaos in university entrance exams of English listening comprehension and a fire at a karaoke store that killed one teenager and severely injured three.
I am irresistibly reminded of the Japanese distinction between tatemae, what you show on the surface, and honne, how you really feel about things. Then, on reflection, I note that The Japan Times is published for a audience of self-consciously international, primarily business or government, people, while The Asahi Shimbun, though it prides itself on being the newspaper of choice for Japanese intellectuals, is much more oriented to the man or woman in the street. But, whichever is correct, if you see someone citing The Japan Times as evidence of what "the Japanese" think, it is best, I suggest, to take the claim with a large lashing of soy sauce. posted by John 8:58 PM
Friday, January 19, 2007
Do you ever get just plain tired of politics?
I am. And I've come to the conclusion that part of the reason is that I spend too much time reading political blogs. After my daily dose of Political Wire,MyDD,Washington Monthly, Talking Points Memo, Huffington Post, etc., ad nauseum, I turn to BestoftheBlogs with all the excitement of a slaughterhouse steer that has just been hit between the eyes to stun him before his throat gets cut. Since stepping down as International Vice Chair of Democrats Abroad, I find neither the inspiration nor the information to warrant my own additions to an already overwhelming babble. So the question I put to you dear friends is this. Should I (1) bag BestoftheBlogs alltogether or (2) shift my focus to how the world looks from Japan, where, since I read the morning papers here, I may have something to contribute? posted by John 10:52 PM
Sunday, January 07, 2007
I am. And I've come to the conclusion that part of the reason is that I spend too much time reading political blogs. After my daily dose of Political Wire,MyDD,Washington Monthly, Talking Points Memo, Huffington Post, etc., ad nauseum, I turn to BestoftheBlogs with all the excitement of a slaughterhouse steer that has just been hit between the eyes to stun him before his throat gets cut. Since stepping down as International Vice Chair of Democrats Abroad, I find neither the inspiration nor the information to warrant my own additions to an already overwhelming babble. So the question I put to you dear friends is this. Should I (1) bag BestoftheBlogs alltogether or (2) shift my focus to how the world looks from Japan, where, since I read the morning papers here, I may have something to contribute? posted by John 10:52 PM
Sunday, January 07, 2007
A Genuinely Useful Thought
From anthropologist/marketing guru Grant McCracken:
"But I digress. The point I wish to make here is that fantastic intellectual resources are now locked up in the "critical" school of cultural commentary. We can only release these resources when we persuade the offenders to give up judgment and take up the work of explanation, or at least investigation. More plainly, no more pony rides on the high horse of righteous indignation....Cease and desist judging us from on high. Or as my dear friend Hargurchet Bhabra used to say, it isn't popular culture anymore, it's our culture. Judge it if you must, explain it if you can." posted by John 11:25 AM
Monday, January 01, 2007
From anthropologist/marketing guru Grant McCracken:
"But I digress. The point I wish to make here is that fantastic intellectual resources are now locked up in the "critical" school of cultural commentary. We can only release these resources when we persuade the offenders to give up judgment and take up the work of explanation, or at least investigation. More plainly, no more pony rides on the high horse of righteous indignation....Cease and desist judging us from on high. Or as my dear friend Hargurchet Bhabra used to say, it isn't popular culture anymore, it's our culture. Judge it if you must, explain it if you can." posted by John 11:25 AM
Monday, January 01, 2007
Top News Story from Virginian Pilot Online
War? Famine? Political upheaval?
What could be the issue explored and exposed by the most-viewed story on PilotOnline.com in 2006?
Washed-up Doritos.
Yes, almost 200,000 times viewers across the Internet found their way to a page on PilotOnline.com bearing photos of a Hatteras Island beach littered with bags of Cool Ranch, Nacho Cheese and Spicy Nacho Doritos, spilled from a lost-at-sea shipping container.
Was it earth-shatteringly important? No. Did it change the course of human history? Not that we know of. But - come on! - that's a heck of a lot of beached Doritos.
Read more about it here.
What could be the issue explored and exposed by the most-viewed story on PilotOnline.com in 2006?
Washed-up Doritos.
Yes, almost 200,000 times viewers across the Internet found their way to a page on PilotOnline.com bearing photos of a Hatteras Island beach littered with bags of Cool Ranch, Nacho Cheese and Spicy Nacho Doritos, spilled from a lost-at-sea shipping container.
Was it earth-shatteringly important? No. Did it change the course of human history? Not that we know of. But - come on! - that's a heck of a lot of beached Doritos.
Read more about it here.
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This morning in Japan, Sunday, Jan 28,2006
Sanyo? What happened?
This morning in Japan, Saturday, Jan 27,2006
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Jim Webb's Democratic Rebuttal to the SOTUS
How many Americans even know that this is happening?
This morning in Japan, Wednesday, Jan 24,2006
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Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't really trying to get you.