Did You Know?

Man our world is so changing.

Flying

Who wants to try this?

Homeowner Bailout

http://www.naturalnews.com/News_000737_homeowners_bailout_foreclosure.html">Obama Announces Plan to Tax Honest Homeowners Who Paid Their Mortgages

Welcome to America, where nobody is allowed to lose anymore: Not Wall Street bankers, not homeowners, and not even schoolchildren playing a game of kickball. "Everybody's a winner!"Except that everybody isn't a winner. The hard-working, honest Americans who pay their taxes and live within their means are now being forced to pay up and bail out all the scoundrels, bankers and over-spenders who put themselves in financial jeopardy and now expect everybody else to cover their losses.I remember a day when people behind on their house payments actually had to sell their homes and move into something smaller that they could afford. Such sensible decisions are apparently no longer tolerated in America's new economy.The lesson in all this? It is now becoming obvious that the only way to get ahead in America is to fall way behind. Fall behind on your mortgage payments and your neighbors pay it for you. Fall behind on your derivative investments and the Treasury bails you out. Fall behind on automobile manufacturing and the government subsidizes your complacency with repeated multi-billion-dollar bailouts.

This is some pretty powerful stuff. Sure there are alot of people who need help but is it the governments place to step in and bail everyone out? It is obvious that too many Americans live above their means, and I don't think that this measure is going to change peoples spending habits and really help them get on their feet and become really financially stable.

Economy Slump

This from the NY Times
_________________________________________________

With Dubai’s economy in free fall, newspapers have reported that more than 3,000 cars sit abandoned in the parking lot at the Dubai Airport, left by fleeing, debt-ridden foreigners (who could in fact be imprisoned if they failed to pay their bills). Some are said to have maxed-out credit cards inside and notes of apology taped to the windshield.

_________________________________________________



It must be some prison sentence if they can just run off and leave their car at the airport. But then again, it probably wasn't any of their money to begin with so maybe they could just run off. Or better yet why not just try driving out of the country.

How much would you pay for a strawberry?

People are getting laid off from the electronic industry and the automobile industry, and yesterday riding the train I noticed a number of business that have just closed up shop. In this downturn in the economy, on the news this morning I saw this news. Giant strawberries for over $500 a piece.
_________________________________________________

Tokyo, Feb 12 (DPA) A Japanese farmer has succeeded in breeding giant strawberries with a price tag of up to 50,000 yen ($560) apiece, media reports said Thursday.

The newly harvested fruit measure about 8.5 cm in length and weigh more than 80 grams, compared to the standard strawberry that weighs about 28 gm.

_________________________________________________

Quirky Japanese

Never know when something like this will jump out at you.  This is to tell people not to walk around with a lit cigarette, and for those of you not familiar with celsius the Fahrenheit equivalent would be 1,292 degrees. The sign next to it warned of not running onto the train because of the possibility of getting in the closing doors, noting that it was "dangerous and embarrassing". The scary thing is that probably more people would heed the warning because of the latter warning.

Happy Valentines Day

So in Japan they always do things a little different.  So on Valentines day it is the girls that hand out chocolate. Of course it is a big industry because the woman hand out to fellow employees as well as that special person in their life.  Well this year Valentine's day is on a Sat. and I think the chocolate makers realized with it being a day off there were not going to be as many people giving what they call "giri choco", obligation chocolate.  So one of the way to combat this was to introduce "gyaku choco", reverse chocolate.  Which is basically what they would say if a man gave chocolate on Valentines day, indicating they were doing things backwards.  Now to emphasize this they prepared some of this "gayku choco" with the packaging all printed in reverse.  What will they think of next. Found this good example on the shelves at my local convenience store.  Which I was going to but when I came home last night the shelves were all cleared.  I guess they realized people weren't going to actually buy anything on the actual day.

Fuji

Beautiful day for skiing〓〓

Asakusa

I took a quick trip into Asakusa to day to catch an antique show.  Well I wasn't that impressed with the antique show but Asakusa is always full of surprises. 
So if the bull on the roof of the Yakiniku restaurant isn't interesting enough, lets throw a Kabuki actor on the eves of some random shop.
And I don't know want this guy was all about, I didn't bother taking the time to read the sign, but he seemed to be getting his picture taken with a lot of foreigners.
And since the main attraction of the area is Sensoji Temple, you can always find something interesting like this.  He was just a stones throw from the McDonalds and I wanted too much to have the golden arches in the back ground.
After exploring the antique museum, and stopping of at Trunks-Ya, my favorite underwear store, I walked out of the store and almost right into Amol.  How interesting that in a city this size you can still just happen to run into someone you know.

Quirky Japanese

Exactly what do they want us to do @ home

For all the rest of the amusing ads go here.

Makihara Noriyuki

Thanks to Katsuya Oi for sharing this song on Facebook. There is an English version also, but it is not as good as the Japanese. I'll just post the Japanese, but listen to the English too. I will give a translation, that Katsuya wrote after I edit it.



My Translation
My Precious Gift

Just a little bit ago I found a wonderful thing.
I picked it up and my heart was filled with joy.
Then suddenly from the corner of my eye I noticed a man and realized that he was in greater need of this wonderful thing than I.
And even though I really wanted it too,
I decided to give it to him.
He was so happy, and smiled and thanked me over and over, and I knew that somewhere down the road I would certainly find even more wonderful things if I looked.

Later I came across another wonderful thing and picked it up.
And again just like before I noticed another person from the corner of my eye who also seemed to need this wonderful thing more than I.
And even though I really wanted it too,
I decided to give it to him.
He was so happy, and smiled and thanked me over and over, and I knew that somewhere down the road I would certainly find even more wonderful things if I looked.

All through out my life this happened over and over and I as I look back on my life I wondered, where is my wonderful thing.
And as I looked back along the path I had trod I saw many people smiling and treasuring there gifts, and I realized this was “My precious gift”

Katsuya's translation
The precious thing

On my journey, I was filled with joy, picking up a precious thing a while ago. Soon after looking around, I noticed I was not the only one seeking it out. The man in need seemed to yearn for the precious thing I found, but be too afraid to ask. Upon pondering, I decided to give it to him with realization that he needed it more than I would. Despite my slight hesitation, I was happy with his smile. Besides, I was sure that there would be more precious things that I could find along my path!

Later, I came across another precious thing. Soon enough I saw there was another man who seemed to need it more than I would. I ended up giving it away again. This time, however, regression barely surged though me, definitely weaker than last time. I was sure that there would be more precious things that I could find along my path. Besides, it was pleasing to see the man filled with happiness and smiling at me!

As I have come further, I kept running into many precious things, and people who really needed them. I couldn’t find the most precious thing for myself. But you know what? When looking back at the path where I walked along….

I saw a number of people cherishing what I gave, and smiling happily. At that moment,
An emotion I couldn’t even describe run through me. I came to know that I no longer needed to look for more precious things, because I already have one in my heart.

Thank the God! I finally have had gotten what I exactly wanted!

And for you Japanese speakers here are the Lyrics.
さっきとても素敵なものを
拾って僕は喜んでいた
ふと気が付いて横に目をやると
誰かがいるのに気付いた
その人はさっき僕が拾った
素敵なものを今の僕以上に
必要としている人だと
言う事が分かった

惜しいような気もしたけど
僕はそれをあげる事にした
きっとまたこの先探していれば
もっと素敵なものが見つかるだろう
その人は何度もありがとうと
嬉しそうに僕に笑ってくれた

その後にもまた僕はとても
素敵なものを拾った
ふと気が付いて横に目をやると
また誰かがいるのに気付いた
その人もさっき僕が拾った
素敵なものを今の僕以上に
必要としている人だと
言う事が分かった

惜しいような気もしたけど
またそれをあげる事にした

きっとまたこの先探していれば
もっと素敵なものが見つかるだろう
なによりも僕を見て嬉しそうに
笑う顔が見れて嬉しかった

結局僕はそんな事を何度も繰り返し
最後には何も見つけられないまま
ここまで来た道を振り返ってみたら

僕のあげたものでたくさんの
人が幸せそうに笑っていて
それを見た時の気持ちが僕の
探していたものだとわかった

今までで一番素敵なものを
僕はとうとう拾う事が出来た