Sunday, 21 June 2009
Thursday, 18 June 2009
I am Canadian
Try living next to the US. 35 million Canadians versus 350 million Americans. They have an uninformed / stereotypical view of Canadians which is challenged in this very, very popular beer commercial of the 1990's.
Follow along and read my comments below the video:
Explanation:
Hey, I am not a lumberjack or a fur trader
and i don't live in an igloo
or eat blubber or own a dog sled
[Still...Americans think this is the image of a typical Canadian. They ask us..sometimes...those that know where Canada is...]
or i don't know Jimmy, Sally or Suzy from Canada, though I'm certain they're really, really nice.
[Funny because it is not uncommon if you tell an America that you are from Canada, they will ask: "Ah, from Canada, do you know Jimmy in Toronto?" -- I am not kidding. This is why it's funny. It is true. Canadians find this hilarious...but annoying]
I have a prime minister, not a president.
[they think every country has a president]
I speak English and French, not "American"
and i pronounce it "about" not "aboot"
[Very common for American to ask Canadians: "Say "about", Say "about"!". They think it is hilarious....we think it is annoying. We do have more of an "oo" sound compared to "ow" - especially in eastern Canada, where they really do say "aboot"! And I ask people from Nova Scotia to say "aboot" ;-) ]
I can proudly sew my country's flag on my backpack
[For many, many years Canadians traveling abroad will sew a Canadian flag on their packpack so they will not be mistaken for American. Canadians pride themselves on an excellent global reputation of not invading, attacking or overthrowing nations. In Europe, if you speak English people assume you are British, or worse: American. When you tell them you are Canadian, their expression changes, their face lights up. It is so nice. I always appreicate it and never get tired of it.
FYI - Americans know about this flag on the backpack and some American travelers sew Canadian flags on theirs. Shameful.]
I believe in peacekeeping, not policing
[Canada is a long time supporter of UN Peacekeeping missions. In fact a former Canadian Prime Minister: Lester Pearson created the UN Peacekeeping Forces for which he won the Nobel Peace Prize]
diversity not assimilation
[America's vision: E Pluribus Unum - it is on the back of the US dollar bill - it means: from many, one. People move from many countries and many cultures to America. When you move to America, you must assilimate - become American. Canada has a vision and a policy of multiculturalism. People move from many countries and many cultures to Canada. When you move to Canada, you can be or do anything you like - continue to practice your beliefs and culture. Diversity]
and that the beaver is a truly proud and noble animal
[mmm....?]
a touque is a hat
[this is a Canadian word.]
a chesterfield is a couch
[From the English furniture maker. my parents always refer to the sofa as a "Chesterfield". Sound strange? What do Japanese call a stapler?...]
and it is pronounced "ZED" not "ZEE", "ZED".
[It is.]
Canada is the 2nd largest land mass
[It is.]
the first nation of hockey
[It is.]
and the best part of North America
[It is.]
my name is Joe and I am Canadian
thank you.
[Canadians are known for being very, very polite - compared to Americans. Thus the "thank you" at the end.]
Now you have a much better understanding of Canadians :-)
Thank you.
Follow along and read my comments below the video:
Hey, I am not a lumberjack or a fur trader
and i don't live in an igloo
or eat blubber or own a dog sled
and i don't know Jimmy, Sally or Suzy from Canada, although I'm certain they're really, really nice.
I have a prime minister, not a president.
I speak English and French, not "American"
and i pronounce it "about" not "aboot"
I can proudly sew my country's flag on my backpack
I believe in peacekeeping, not policing
diversity not assimilation
and that the beaver is a truly proud and noble animal
a touque is a hat
a chesterfield is a couch
and it is pronounced "ZED" not "ZEE", "ZED".
Canada is the 2nd largest land mass
the first nation of hockey
and the best part of North America
my name is Joe and I am Canadian
thank you.
Explanation:
Hey, I am not a lumberjack or a fur trader
and i don't live in an igloo
or eat blubber or own a dog sled
[Still...Americans think this is the image of a typical Canadian. They ask us..sometimes...those that know where Canada is...]
or i don't know Jimmy, Sally or Suzy from Canada, though I'm certain they're really, really nice.
[Funny because it is not uncommon if you tell an America that you are from Canada, they will ask: "Ah, from Canada, do you know Jimmy in Toronto?" -- I am not kidding. This is why it's funny. It is true. Canadians find this hilarious...but annoying]
I have a prime minister, not a president.
[they think every country has a president]
I speak English and French, not "American"
and i pronounce it "about" not "aboot"
[Very common for American to ask Canadians: "Say "about", Say "about"!". They think it is hilarious....we think it is annoying. We do have more of an "oo" sound compared to "ow" - especially in eastern Canada, where they really do say "aboot"! And I ask people from Nova Scotia to say "aboot" ;-) ]
I can proudly sew my country's flag on my backpack
[For many, many years Canadians traveling abroad will sew a Canadian flag on their packpack so they will not be mistaken for American. Canadians pride themselves on an excellent global reputation of not invading, attacking or overthrowing nations. In Europe, if you speak English people assume you are British, or worse: American. When you tell them you are Canadian, their expression changes, their face lights up. It is so nice. I always appreicate it and never get tired of it.
FYI - Americans know about this flag on the backpack and some American travelers sew Canadian flags on theirs. Shameful.]
I believe in peacekeeping, not policing
[Canada is a long time supporter of UN Peacekeeping missions. In fact a former Canadian Prime Minister: Lester Pearson created the UN Peacekeeping Forces for which he won the Nobel Peace Prize]
diversity not assimilation
[America's vision: E Pluribus Unum - it is on the back of the US dollar bill - it means: from many, one. People move from many countries and many cultures to America. When you move to America, you must assilimate - become American. Canada has a vision and a policy of multiculturalism. People move from many countries and many cultures to Canada. When you move to Canada, you can be or do anything you like - continue to practice your beliefs and culture. Diversity]
and that the beaver is a truly proud and noble animal
[mmm....?]
a touque is a hat
[this is a Canadian word.]
a chesterfield is a couch
[From the English furniture maker. my parents always refer to the sofa as a "Chesterfield". Sound strange? What do Japanese call a stapler?...]
and it is pronounced "ZED" not "ZEE", "ZED".
[It is.]
Canada is the 2nd largest land mass
[It is.]
the first nation of hockey
[It is.]
and the best part of North America
[It is.]
my name is Joe and I am Canadian
thank you.
[Canadians are known for being very, very polite - compared to Americans. Thus the "thank you" at the end.]
Now you have a much better understanding of Canadians :-)
Thank you.
High Tech Japan?
Japan is a wealthy country, isn't it? It is, in fact, the second largest economy next to the United States.
Japan is known for high technology, isn't it? It is, in fact home to dozen of global technolgy leaders such as Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba, Casio, Nintendo, Sharp and Mitsubishi. It is a nation that prides itself on high tech innovation.
Why, then, has this wealth and high tech talent not shown up in Japanese television? I am not talking about the television sets. I am talking about television content. It's pathetic. Production values from the 1960's. Something that American high school kids would do. No. Strike that. American high school kids would use far more computer graphics than TBS, Fuji or NHK.
It is a regular scene to see TV presenters holding up a cardboard sign and pealing off pieces to reveal the content beneath. This reminds me of very early days of American television.
In America, CNN has adopted a very cool technology called the "Magic Wall" that was introduced during the US Presidential election race.
Meanwhile, back in Japan, The Daily Yomiuiri website regularly crashes my browser.
But wait, I really must be careful what I say. It is not that Japanese television does not use any computer graphics. They do. In fact they use too much. Too many words on the screen, too many spinning kanji characters. Grotesquely sized and colours subtitles. Endless annoying pinging and sparkling sounds. Utterly intrusive and annoying. Just endless visual pollution and noise, noise, noise.
It is not confined to one type channel or one type of program. The problem is wide spread.
It is bewildering that a culture known for Zen and peace and serenity behaves this way. Why do they?
And, it is wildly ineffective. People just drown it out.
I recommend to the television industry in Japan get a Mac Powerbook and learn to use the very basic computer graphic and video production software. It is a small step to take, but it will go a long way in taking your production values out of the 1960's. Then, take a basic course in design. Less is more. This won't solve all of your problems - there are many - but it is a start.
learner versus learned
In a time of drastic change, it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists.
— Eric Hoffer
What does this quotation mean?
The speaker is talking about the importance of learning. The ability to learn and to continue to learn. The world is changing and will continue to change. Those who have the ability to learn will be successful - they will inherit the future - while those who have stopped learning, now live in a world - in their minds - that no longer exists in reality.
As an educator I agree with this. Nothing is more pointless and useless today in education that rote memorization. Information and facts are important. But, so too is a content, a framework and the ability to synthesize new knowledge and apply knowledge to problem solving. This is the ability to learn and this is valuable.
— Eric Hoffer
What does this quotation mean?
The speaker is talking about the importance of learning. The ability to learn and to continue to learn. The world is changing and will continue to change. Those who have the ability to learn will be successful - they will inherit the future - while those who have stopped learning, now live in a world - in their minds - that no longer exists in reality.
As an educator I agree with this. Nothing is more pointless and useless today in education that rote memorization. Information and facts are important. But, so too is a content, a framework and the ability to synthesize new knowledge and apply knowledge to problem solving. This is the ability to learn and this is valuable.
Thursday, 4 June 2009
Head in the Clouds
Head in the Clouds
Well, I found it.
I’ve long been searching for it, and now I’ve found it.
My new hobby. Something on which to focus my free time. There are so many things that one can see and read and do. But, where to invest one’s free time? Cooking, running, yoga, some sort of collection? There are just too many choices, too many things to collect. Where does one begin? So much choice, so hard to decide. This indecision has long prevented me from enjoying a relaxing past time and providing a confident answer to the ubiquitous question in Japan: “What’s your hobby?”
Recently, I discovered it on the Internet and I knew as soon as I saw that it was for me. This is something I can get behind. This is for me. What is it? Clouds. That’s right. As of today I am a card-carrying member of The Cloud Appreciation Society.
Sound crazy?
Sound like something only crazy, eccentric people would join?
I am member number: 16093. There are 16092 members before me. It should not be a surprise that the Cloud Appreciation Society is based in England, land of cheese rolling and other eccentricities. I think I have strong English blood because when I first saw this site I was immediately drawn to it. This was it: cloud appreciation. No expensive equipment, no special shoes or clothes, no rigorous examinations, nothing to buy nothing to collect. Just look up and appreciate and feel a connection with 16000 of my fellow members. What’s the purpose? No purpose. Why does everything need a purpose? Is there a purpose in spoon collecting? No, cloud appreciation, that’s for me.
However, now, when I reply to the question: “What’s your hobby?” I will have to learn how to respond to the head-tilting looks of confusion and the follow up questions that are certain to occur: “What?” “What’s that?” “Clouds?” What should I do?. Let’s see: Q: “What’s your hobby?”, A: “Golf”. There, sounds better. Perhaps I’ll save my true hobby for friends and any eccentric Brits I meet.
Screen shot taken to commemorate my membership: member number 16030 – before new members join.
The Cloud Appreciation Society
http://cloudappreciationsociety.org/
Well, I found it.
I’ve long been searching for it, and now I’ve found it.
My new hobby. Something on which to focus my free time. There are so many things that one can see and read and do. But, where to invest one’s free time? Cooking, running, yoga, some sort of collection? There are just too many choices, too many things to collect. Where does one begin? So much choice, so hard to decide. This indecision has long prevented me from enjoying a relaxing past time and providing a confident answer to the ubiquitous question in Japan: “What’s your hobby?”
Recently, I discovered it on the Internet and I knew as soon as I saw that it was for me. This is something I can get behind. This is for me. What is it? Clouds. That’s right. As of today I am a card-carrying member of The Cloud Appreciation Society.
Sound crazy?
Sound like something only crazy, eccentric people would join?
I am member number: 16093. There are 16092 members before me. It should not be a surprise that the Cloud Appreciation Society is based in England, land of cheese rolling and other eccentricities. I think I have strong English blood because when I first saw this site I was immediately drawn to it. This was it: cloud appreciation. No expensive equipment, no special shoes or clothes, no rigorous examinations, nothing to buy nothing to collect. Just look up and appreciate and feel a connection with 16000 of my fellow members. What’s the purpose? No purpose. Why does everything need a purpose? Is there a purpose in spoon collecting? No, cloud appreciation, that’s for me.
However, now, when I reply to the question: “What’s your hobby?” I will have to learn how to respond to the head-tilting looks of confusion and the follow up questions that are certain to occur: “What?” “What’s that?” “Clouds?” What should I do?. Let’s see: Q: “What’s your hobby?”, A: “Golf”. There, sounds better. Perhaps I’ll save my true hobby for friends and any eccentric Brits I meet.
Screen shot taken to commemorate my membership: member number 16030 – before new members join.
The Cloud Appreciation Society
http://cloudappreciationsociety.org/
Friday, 29 May 2009
World No Tobacco Day
Here's an idea I can get behind. It's an event called: "World No Tobacco Day". In 1987 the members of the World Health Organization [WHO] created this event in an attempt to bring awareness to the 5.4 million people who dies annually from smoking related illness. That's the population of Yokohama.
I found this statistic on a web site: In Japan, smoking is the leading cause of death and is responsible for 20% of all cancers. 50 percent of men and 14 percent of women smoke. The leading cause of death. Shouldn't the government, who's job it is to protect its citizens do all it can to reduce its nation's leading cause of death? Well...shouldn't it?
Lots more statistics here.
Japanese attitudes toward smoking is amazing to me as a Canadian. With all we know about the effects of smoking on health. For many years in Canada smoking in all public buildings - including restaurants and bars - has been illegal.
One package of cigarettes in Canada costs over Y1000, there are no vending machines for tobacco, there is no advertising for tobacco, all packages must contain a very large label (50% of the package). Visit here for a list of the array of very large images that appear on cigarette packages in Canada. It is quite disgusting, I think you will agree.
You can argue that it is about freedom to choose: If adults choose to smoke, that's their decision. Ok. However, it has long been known that second-hand smoke is as lethal (deadly) as smoking, itself. This is the reason why indoor smoking is banned in all areas - including restaurants - in Canada. In America - the land of freedom of choice - many states including New York and California, indoor smoking - including bars and restaurants - is banned. Even in staunch France, from 2008 public smoking bans - including restaurants and bars - are in effect. The law is supported by 70% of the population.
Where is Japan in all this? A wealthy, developed, educated country where smoking in restaurants continues and cheap tobacco is prevalent.
I feel that there is one good thing about being a smoker: it takes the mystery out of how you are going to die.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_No_Tobacco_Day
an idea I can get behind - to get behind something means to support it.
takes the mystery out of - to become known
I found this statistic on a web site: In Japan, smoking is the leading cause of death and is responsible for 20% of all cancers. 50 percent of men and 14 percent of women smoke. The leading cause of death. Shouldn't the government, who's job it is to protect its citizens do all it can to reduce its nation's leading cause of death? Well...shouldn't it?
Lots more statistics here.
Japanese attitudes toward smoking is amazing to me as a Canadian. With all we know about the effects of smoking on health. For many years in Canada smoking in all public buildings - including restaurants and bars - has been illegal.
One package of cigarettes in Canada costs over Y1000, there are no vending machines for tobacco, there is no advertising for tobacco, all packages must contain a very large label (50% of the package). Visit here for a list of the array of very large images that appear on cigarette packages in Canada. It is quite disgusting, I think you will agree.
You can argue that it is about freedom to choose: If adults choose to smoke, that's their decision. Ok. However, it has long been known that second-hand smoke is as lethal (deadly) as smoking, itself. This is the reason why indoor smoking is banned in all areas - including restaurants - in Canada. In America - the land of freedom of choice - many states including New York and California, indoor smoking - including bars and restaurants - is banned. Even in staunch France, from 2008 public smoking bans - including restaurants and bars - are in effect. The law is supported by 70% of the population.
Where is Japan in all this? A wealthy, developed, educated country where smoking in restaurants continues and cheap tobacco is prevalent.
I feel that there is one good thing about being a smoker: it takes the mystery out of how you are going to die.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_No_Tobacco_Day
an idea I can get behind - to get behind something means to support it.
takes the mystery out of - to become known
Friday, 17 April 2009
Some advice for a returning adult learner
I was writing to a student recently and thought I'd share it here.
I always respect a person’s decision to improve their education and improve themselves.
You will find that "formal" education does not have all the answers. In fact, people learn best "informally" from stories, from talking to others, from their own 'tacit' experiences.
Consider the knowledge that is important to you, beyond what is required. Also, I find that it is important to keep things in perspective.
A formal course of study can provide you with direction and knowledge and a piece of paper that looks good on your resume.
Thousands, or millions, of others have come before you. They have struggled at times. So will you. They got through. No one was born knowing any of this stuff. We all had to learn it at some point.
So, please bear this in mind. Formal education is directional and not final. It is a beginning and not an end in itself.
I always respect a person’s decision to improve their education and improve themselves.
You will find that "formal" education does not have all the answers. In fact, people learn best "informally" from stories, from talking to others, from their own 'tacit' experiences.
Consider the knowledge that is important to you, beyond what is required. Also, I find that it is important to keep things in perspective.
A formal course of study can provide you with direction and knowledge and a piece of paper that looks good on your resume.
Thousands, or millions, of others have come before you. They have struggled at times. So will you. They got through. No one was born knowing any of this stuff. We all had to learn it at some point.
So, please bear this in mind. Formal education is directional and not final. It is a beginning and not an end in itself.
South Paws
Are you left-handed? Do you know someone who is? How about someone who can use both hands in the same manner: for writing or throwing?
You will be surprised to learn that one job in the United States has a very high incidence of left-handed people. Can you guess? I will tell you later.
In western history, there has been a strong bias against left-handers. Look at the word 'left', and where it is derived from in various languages, to see this. In French 'left' is gauche which can also mean 'ugly', 'clumsy' or 'uncouth'. In Italian 'left' is sinistra which is where our word 'sinister', meaning evil, comes from. This is similar in many other Latin-based languages. The English word 'left' comes from the Anglo-Saxon word lyft, meaning 'weak'.
A 'left-handed compliment' actually is an insult. However, someone's 'right-hand man' means their most important, loyal and useful follower. Pictures of Satan, the devil, depict him as a left-hander.
Because of this, left-handers were treated differently, as outcasts or evil people. In the past, probably due to Satan being a left-hander, they were said to have been 'doing the devil's work'. Many left-handed people were forced to write and eat with their right hand. Changing a person's handedness forces them to use a different brain hemisphere, and often causes stuttering or other learning difficulties.
A left handed person is commonly referred to as a lefty or south paw. Why south paw?
The origin of this term is in the United States and it is connected to baseball. A long time ago, before flood lights and night games, all baseball games were played in daylight. Baseball fields were designed and built to accommodate the sunlight. In order to keep the bright setting sun out of the eyes of the spectators and the batter, home plate was oriented west. As the afternoon turned to evening, the sun would set, in the west, behind home base. The pitcher faced west. East was behind him. His right hand was on the north side of the field and his left hand was…south. Left handed pitchers became known as south paws. A paw, in case you don’t know, is what we call the hand (foot) of a dog or cat.
We have a special word for someone who can use both hands. They are ambidextrous. This is a rare word. Ambi means both and dextri means use. They are rare people, indeed.
Here is a collection of 1000 famous left-handed people from history. This UK website sells products for left-handed people.
So, how about that job in the United States with a very high incidence of lefties? In fact, it is President of the United States! Five of the last seven presidents have been south paws. Here they are: Gerald Ford, Ronald Regan, George Bush, Sr., Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama. Amazing. Why do you think this is the case? You might find some answers here in this CBC article from 2008.
Left handers have their own day. It is August 13, 2009
You will be surprised to learn that one job in the United States has a very high incidence of left-handed people. Can you guess? I will tell you later.
In western history, there has been a strong bias against left-handers. Look at the word 'left', and where it is derived from in various languages, to see this. In French 'left' is gauche which can also mean 'ugly', 'clumsy' or 'uncouth'. In Italian 'left' is sinistra which is where our word 'sinister', meaning evil, comes from. This is similar in many other Latin-based languages. The English word 'left' comes from the Anglo-Saxon word lyft, meaning 'weak'.
A 'left-handed compliment' actually is an insult. However, someone's 'right-hand man' means their most important, loyal and useful follower. Pictures of Satan, the devil, depict him as a left-hander.
Because of this, left-handers were treated differently, as outcasts or evil people. In the past, probably due to Satan being a left-hander, they were said to have been 'doing the devil's work'. Many left-handed people were forced to write and eat with their right hand. Changing a person's handedness forces them to use a different brain hemisphere, and often causes stuttering or other learning difficulties.
A left handed person is commonly referred to as a lefty or south paw. Why south paw?
The origin of this term is in the United States and it is connected to baseball. A long time ago, before flood lights and night games, all baseball games were played in daylight. Baseball fields were designed and built to accommodate the sunlight. In order to keep the bright setting sun out of the eyes of the spectators and the batter, home plate was oriented west. As the afternoon turned to evening, the sun would set, in the west, behind home base. The pitcher faced west. East was behind him. His right hand was on the north side of the field and his left hand was…south. Left handed pitchers became known as south paws. A paw, in case you don’t know, is what we call the hand (foot) of a dog or cat.
We have a special word for someone who can use both hands. They are ambidextrous. This is a rare word. Ambi means both and dextri means use. They are rare people, indeed.
Here is a collection of 1000 famous left-handed people from history. This UK website sells products for left-handed people.
So, how about that job in the United States with a very high incidence of lefties? In fact, it is President of the United States! Five of the last seven presidents have been south paws. Here they are: Gerald Ford, Ronald Regan, George Bush, Sr., Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama. Amazing. Why do you think this is the case? You might find some answers here in this CBC article from 2008.
Left handers have their own day. It is August 13, 2009
Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Pizza vending machine
TOPIC: Pizza vending machine
Japan is the land of the rising sun and the land of 5,400,000 vending machines, the most anywhere on the Earth. Most of these are beverage machines. Now, a new vending machine is set to be introduced that will make and bake a pizza in 3 minutes. You won't find this vending machine in Japan, a country that prides itself on gadgets. Rather, this machine was created in the land of pizza: Italy.
QUESTIONS
Why do you think this machine was developed?
Aren't there many places to buy pizza in Italy?
What possible problems do you see with this machine?
Do you think that a sushi or onigiri vending machine might succeed in Japan?
Read the story and watch the video here:
VIDEO:YouTube video clip
STORY: The Independent - Pizza vending machine
Japan is the land of the rising sun and the land of 5,400,000 vending machines, the most anywhere on the Earth. Most of these are beverage machines. Now, a new vending machine is set to be introduced that will make and bake a pizza in 3 minutes. You won't find this vending machine in Japan, a country that prides itself on gadgets. Rather, this machine was created in the land of pizza: Italy.
QUESTIONS
Why do you think this machine was developed?
Aren't there many places to buy pizza in Italy?
What possible problems do you see with this machine?
Do you think that a sushi or onigiri vending machine might succeed in Japan?
Read the story and watch the video here:
VIDEO:YouTube video clip
STORY: The Independent - Pizza vending machine
Wide Girls - Japanese stocks - The Economist
TOPIC: Japanese stocks
Wide girls
Mar 26th 2009 | TOKYO
"Mrs Watanabe is tiptoeing back into Japan’s stockmarket"
“NOT trusted” is how Japan’s Prime Minister Taro Aso described stockbrokers this month, before calling them kabuya, or “wide boys”. And with the Tokyo stock market scraping 26-year-lows in mid-March before soaring 20% in the past fortnight, the reputation of equities as an investment is shoddy at best. Yet some Japanese investors are throwing caution to the wind and beginning to buy.
QUESTIONS
Do you invest in equities (the stock market)?
Is it a good time to invest? Has the market bottomed out or do you think that the markets will get worse before they get better? In Japan, individual investors are rushing in to the market. Why are they doing this now? Do they know something the rest of the world doesn't?
LANGUAGE
wide boys / wide girls
tiptoeing
scraping
fortnight
shoddy at best
throwing caution to the wind
net buyers
tip the trend
A lot rests on Mrs Watanabe, the fabled retail punter who plays the markets
wade in
she and her kind
a big fillip
it elicited only cynicism from seasoned hands
Wide girls
Mar 26th 2009 | TOKYO
"Mrs Watanabe is tiptoeing back into Japan’s stockmarket"
“NOT trusted” is how Japan’s Prime Minister Taro Aso described stockbrokers this month, before calling them kabuya, or “wide boys”. And with the Tokyo stock market scraping 26-year-lows in mid-March before soaring 20% in the past fortnight, the reputation of equities as an investment is shoddy at best. Yet some Japanese investors are throwing caution to the wind and beginning to buy.
QUESTIONS
Do you invest in equities (the stock market)?
Is it a good time to invest? Has the market bottomed out or do you think that the markets will get worse before they get better? In Japan, individual investors are rushing in to the market. Why are they doing this now? Do they know something the rest of the world doesn't?
LANGUAGE
wide boys / wide girls
tiptoeing
scraping
fortnight
shoddy at best
throwing caution to the wind
net buyers
tip the trend
A lot rests on Mrs Watanabe, the fabled retail punter who plays the markets
wade in
she and her kind
a big fillip
it elicited only cynicism from seasoned hands
Friday, 27 March 2009
Bullish on Japan? Nonsense
Why I am bullish on Japan
I want to thank Mr. Koll for writing as his view highlights a way of thinking that is no longer effective.
It is clear to me that Mr.Koll has the wrong perspective on Japan and on the world going forward. As a former economic analyst with a major investment house, he is seeing the world in ways that no longer apply. He is looking at the world through the rear view mirror.
The R&D argument is easy to refute. As is the case with the education system in the US where more money is spent per child than in any other country. You would expect the results to be stellar. Far from it. It is not how much you spend, it's how you spend it.
If patents are a measure of economic success, does it really help the wealth of the nation if these patents pertain to some functionality of a vending or pachinko slot machine? sheer numbers of patents indicate nothing nor do patents on a vast array of technologies that may never be adopted. The number of patents in relation to economic output over the past 10+ years tells me that their systems are misaligned. They are out of focus. If,however, they are continually dominating patent awards and clipping along at 3-5% growth in GDP, then I'd say, yeah, they are really onto something and all countries would be rushing to Japan to study their success. They are not.
"The future will be designed and invented in Japan" Should read: "The future will be designed and invented in by a few companies in Japan for a little while longer until the Indians and Chinese have fully ramped up."
Creativity has been bred out of Japanese. That is no great revelation. The ability to get things done is clearly here, but those steering the ships are largely inept and inbred - in politics and in business - large and small. Ability, profit motives, efficiency and effectiveness are clearly absent from Japanese business. If the Japanese economy comes back it will take another 20 years. That's the amount to time it will likely take for all the deadwood to retire from the system.
Japan has been coasting for years on an explosion of wealth, savings blanketed in protectionism. Now that wealth is dwindling, the savings are going fast, and the population is ageing.
Japanese are not any more "hard working" than anyone else. They work long hours. Are they any more productive? Look at all the overtime, no holidays, no layoffs and economic growth that's been sliding for years. This is a very ineffective economy. Look at the other G7 countries where overtime is much less, people have holidays and there has been economic growth.
Japan today is the rich, spoiled child, now fully grown with no career, smokes, drinks, gambles and is living off a trust fund that's soon to run out.
All the "wa" in the land will not help Japan, the nation, regain it's former position.
At best, Japan will find its position in the world as the ageing engineer uncle who used to be wealthy, still knows a few things, but who no one takes seriously as the world has moved on while he still talks about the old days.
There is no vision in japan, no inherent spirit or drive like post-war Japan.
India and China will soon regain their positions as world leaders that they held a few hundred years ago.
Sadly, Mr.Koll is analysing the wrong things. The world has changed. Governments are and will continue to fall, banking systems are and will continue to collapse. Riots - have started and will continue. what we see now with bailouts is a necessary but short term window dressing. The media uses the word: recovery. This, too, is a misnomer. It's a whole new world emerging and we have to see it in a different way. The way that it is and not the way we think it is (or was) or the way we think it ought to be.
I want to thank Mr. Koll for writing as his view highlights a way of thinking that is no longer effective.
It is clear to me that Mr.Koll has the wrong perspective on Japan and on the world going forward. As a former economic analyst with a major investment house, he is seeing the world in ways that no longer apply. He is looking at the world through the rear view mirror.
The R&D argument is easy to refute. As is the case with the education system in the US where more money is spent per child than in any other country. You would expect the results to be stellar. Far from it. It is not how much you spend, it's how you spend it.
If patents are a measure of economic success, does it really help the wealth of the nation if these patents pertain to some functionality of a vending or pachinko slot machine? sheer numbers of patents indicate nothing nor do patents on a vast array of technologies that may never be adopted. The number of patents in relation to economic output over the past 10+ years tells me that their systems are misaligned. They are out of focus. If,however, they are continually dominating patent awards and clipping along at 3-5% growth in GDP, then I'd say, yeah, they are really onto something and all countries would be rushing to Japan to study their success. They are not.
"The future will be designed and invented in Japan" Should read: "The future will be designed and invented in by a few companies in Japan for a little while longer until the Indians and Chinese have fully ramped up."
Creativity has been bred out of Japanese. That is no great revelation. The ability to get things done is clearly here, but those steering the ships are largely inept and inbred - in politics and in business - large and small. Ability, profit motives, efficiency and effectiveness are clearly absent from Japanese business. If the Japanese economy comes back it will take another 20 years. That's the amount to time it will likely take for all the deadwood to retire from the system.
Japan has been coasting for years on an explosion of wealth, savings blanketed in protectionism. Now that wealth is dwindling, the savings are going fast, and the population is ageing.
Japanese are not any more "hard working" than anyone else. They work long hours. Are they any more productive? Look at all the overtime, no holidays, no layoffs and economic growth that's been sliding for years. This is a very ineffective economy. Look at the other G7 countries where overtime is much less, people have holidays and there has been economic growth.
Japan today is the rich, spoiled child, now fully grown with no career, smokes, drinks, gambles and is living off a trust fund that's soon to run out.
All the "wa" in the land will not help Japan, the nation, regain it's former position.
At best, Japan will find its position in the world as the ageing engineer uncle who used to be wealthy, still knows a few things, but who no one takes seriously as the world has moved on while he still talks about the old days.
There is no vision in japan, no inherent spirit or drive like post-war Japan.
India and China will soon regain their positions as world leaders that they held a few hundred years ago.
Sadly, Mr.Koll is analysing the wrong things. The world has changed. Governments are and will continue to fall, banking systems are and will continue to collapse. Riots - have started and will continue. what we see now with bailouts is a necessary but short term window dressing. The media uses the word: recovery. This, too, is a misnomer. It's a whole new world emerging and we have to see it in a different way. The way that it is and not the way we think it is (or was) or the way we think it ought to be.
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
The Incredible Shrinking Polar Bear
Read the article here:
The Incredible Shrinking Polar Bear
I have long known about the fate of the noble Polar Bear. I learned years ago that the polar ice cap is shrinking, that the annual ice floes do not last as long as they used to and as a result, polar bears can not feed long enough. They are getting thinner and female bears cannot sustain enough fat to bear (excuse the pun) as many cubs as they used to - three became, two and two has become one.
I have been know, for years, to refer to SUVs as "polar bear killers".
Vocabulary and Phrases
turning to cannibalism
to draw up an action plan
to subsist
to congregate
to recede
a vital fattening-up time
to see them through
a long summer fast
chair (a person and a verb)
delegates
desperation
deliberately
denning (den - noun, to den - verb, denning)
over-optimistic
The Incredible Shrinking Polar Bear
I have long known about the fate of the noble Polar Bear. I learned years ago that the polar ice cap is shrinking, that the annual ice floes do not last as long as they used to and as a result, polar bears can not feed long enough. They are getting thinner and female bears cannot sustain enough fat to bear (excuse the pun) as many cubs as they used to - three became, two and two has become one.
I have been know, for years, to refer to SUVs as "polar bear killers".
Vocabulary and Phrases
turning to cannibalism
to draw up an action plan
to subsist
to congregate
to recede
a vital fattening-up time
to see them through
a long summer fast
chair (a person and a verb)
delegates
desperation
deliberately
denning (den - noun, to den - verb, denning)
over-optimistic
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