We used to car pool when my child was in the first grade. There was a little girl in kindergarten who lived nearby, one of her parents was Japanese and the other American. They were nice people, dependable, good parents, and always friendly. Last week the American born parent was killed in a tragic accident, leaving a 7 year old and a 4 year old child.
He woke up, got ready for work like he probably did countless days, saying goodbye and heading out the door. No big deal. Only on this day his number was up. He sat on the bus, in the wrong seat, the doomed seat. A truck crashes into the bus not more than a couple of blocks away from his home. There were a few minor injuries, and he was crushed by the weight of the truck and killed. The sole fatality.
What a horrific accident, a terrible tragedy. This person was a happy go lucky type, full of energy and quick with a smile. Now he will never see his children again. Just like that his children lost a parent and he will never be able to tell anyone that he loves them. Not his spouse, his parents, brothers and sisters, and worst of all, not his children.
This blog is about living. The easiest thing to say is that we should live each day as if it was our last, always getting the most joy and fulfillment out of life because you never know when your time is up. Life doesn't work that way, in my opinion. Day in and day out we just can't live, most all of us, as if we might die tomorrow.
So what can we do? My advice is to do whatever you can to make your dreams come true. Change from work you don't like to something more suitable, or start a new business if that is your calling. Take that dream vacation or start that hobby. Your circumstances will dictate some limitations, no doubt. Just don't sit there doing the same old thing out of inertia. Set goals and take actions and see how things go.
Above all, give your spouse and kids a hug and tell them you love them. Every day if possible, just in case.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Litigious
Saturday night at 8PM the doorbell rings. It's a delivery of 3 bottles of sake. Last February we took a factory tour at a sake manufacturer. It was so cold back then, even inside the plant. The workers greeted us in a most friendly way and allowed a tour of about 30 people to go everywhere and see everything in the plant. They even let us common folks make our own sake, and that is what was delivered this past weekend. The invoice was included inside the box, as the company trusts us to make payment.
Sake rice is a special grain and it isn't anything like Rice A Roni or even sushi rice that you may have eaten. We spread the rice out on a giant cheese cloth looking sheet and then dumped it into the vat where we mixed it prior to it being set aside for fermentation.
The company makes expensive hand made sake and also a cheaper mass produced sake. The vats for the mass produced sake must have been 20 feet high. You can climb up on a rickety wooden ladder if you wear the slippers they provide. The vats are surrounded by scaffolding and boards are laid down near the top of the vats for people to walk on. You then mix the fermenting liquid with 10 foot long bamboo poles if you are brave enough to go up there. Oh, by the way, did I mention that we were informed that if you fall in the vat you will die from the strong fumes? Die!
The top 3 feet or so of the vat sticks up above the scaffold, so you would have to step or fall over a 3 foot high lip to fall in. Everyone went up there to experience real sake making and take a photo, kids included. I was shivering from the cold and from fear that either my 9 year old or I might fall in.
No one signed a release form and there were really no safety belts or barriers or anything. Adults were simply considered responsible enough to decide for themselves and their children if it was safe enough. The company had no visible fear of lawsuits. Do you really think the general public would be permitted to do the same in litigious America? Where lawsuits arise out of even the slightest perceived tort?
Life is better in Japan as a result of the lack of fear over litigation. People can experience life, resources are freed up for higher purposes, and it just feels better to be treated like a trusted adult.
In Japan, we were also permitted to tour the All Nippon Airline maintenance facility, use an indoor rock climbing facility, and ride a rented all terrain vehicle without signing release forms or feeling like we were taking some risk that a government mommy would protect us from. In America, experiencing life is restrained because of the litigious nature of society and worship of the false god of "safety".
Last time we were in a hotel in America, the iron in the room had a warning label that said you should not iron any clothing while you wee wearing it. Funny, but doesn't this sort of thing make you feel like you're a helpless child who needs to be told what to do and what not to do?
Sake rice is a special grain and it isn't anything like Rice A Roni or even sushi rice that you may have eaten. We spread the rice out on a giant cheese cloth looking sheet and then dumped it into the vat where we mixed it prior to it being set aside for fermentation.
The company makes expensive hand made sake and also a cheaper mass produced sake. The vats for the mass produced sake must have been 20 feet high. You can climb up on a rickety wooden ladder if you wear the slippers they provide. The vats are surrounded by scaffolding and boards are laid down near the top of the vats for people to walk on. You then mix the fermenting liquid with 10 foot long bamboo poles if you are brave enough to go up there. Oh, by the way, did I mention that we were informed that if you fall in the vat you will die from the strong fumes? Die!
The top 3 feet or so of the vat sticks up above the scaffold, so you would have to step or fall over a 3 foot high lip to fall in. Everyone went up there to experience real sake making and take a photo, kids included. I was shivering from the cold and from fear that either my 9 year old or I might fall in.
No one signed a release form and there were really no safety belts or barriers or anything. Adults were simply considered responsible enough to decide for themselves and their children if it was safe enough. The company had no visible fear of lawsuits. Do you really think the general public would be permitted to do the same in litigious America? Where lawsuits arise out of even the slightest perceived tort?
Life is better in Japan as a result of the lack of fear over litigation. People can experience life, resources are freed up for higher purposes, and it just feels better to be treated like a trusted adult.
In Japan, we were also permitted to tour the All Nippon Airline maintenance facility, use an indoor rock climbing facility, and ride a rented all terrain vehicle without signing release forms or feeling like we were taking some risk that a government mommy would protect us from. In America, experiencing life is restrained because of the litigious nature of society and worship of the false god of "safety".
Last time we were in a hotel in America, the iron in the room had a warning label that said you should not iron any clothing while you wee wearing it. Funny, but doesn't this sort of thing make you feel like you're a helpless child who needs to be told what to do and what not to do?
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Pre-Crime
In the Steven Speilberg film, Minority Report, a prediction that someone will commit a crime in the future is the basis for arresting and punishing them, even though no crime has ever been committed. In America and in Japan, the government uses similar tactics when it comes to punishing people for driving after drinking alcohol. Makes no difference whether or not the driver had caused an accident or was even driving recklessly, if they have a blood alcohol level above the legal threshold, they are arrested and punished, even though no crime has ever been committed.
In Japan, the legal threshold is a 0.0 blood alcohol level. That's right, if you have even 1 drink and get caught driving in Japan, you lose your license. Last year I noticed my next door neighbor was no longer driving himself to work. Suddenly, he was always the passenger and the baby sitter, or his wife, or someone else was always driving him in his car. It seems as if the neighbor got caught driving after he drank and lost his license.
The law here also stipulates that if you are a passenger in a vehicle that has a driver with alcohol in his blood, you are punished as if you were driving the vehicle while under the influence. Let's say it in unison "that's nuts!".
It is also my understanding that if a government employee is caught driving with alcohol in his system, he also is automatically fired. Is this harsh or what?
A very large percentage of Japanese live in big cities where it is very easy and safe to use a subway or train or taxi to go home after drinking. Out here in the sticks, they have a service to take drinkers and their cars back home from a bar or restaurant, but it is quite expensive. $12.00 US equivalent for a 3 minute ride home. It most certainly is cheaper and easier than paying fees, going to classes, and re-establishing a drivers license!
This government crack down on pre crime driving after drinking alcohol has wreaked havoc on the restaurant and bar industry in Japan. In addition to hurting an already weak economy, it has decreased opportunities for enjoying life, something government seems great at everywhere. I rate the Japanese laws about drinking and driving as one of the worst things about living here. A bizarre and harsh pre-crime punishment regime that is more suited to a Hollywood film than real life.
The only saving grace is that in Japan, unless you get in an accident, you will not be checked for alcohol. There are no random sobriety checks like we have in the free-est country in the world. The cops here don't wait outside of a bar to see some poor schlub drive away, only to arrest him as soon as he turns out of the parking lot. My experience is that cops in America engage in that sort of highway robbery.
So the punishment is more harsh in Japan, yet in America punishment is meted out far more randomly and frequently for the same pre-crime, non-crime. Which system is worse? All I know is that pre-crime punishment is an injustice that should be done away with.
In Japan, the legal threshold is a 0.0 blood alcohol level. That's right, if you have even 1 drink and get caught driving in Japan, you lose your license. Last year I noticed my next door neighbor was no longer driving himself to work. Suddenly, he was always the passenger and the baby sitter, or his wife, or someone else was always driving him in his car. It seems as if the neighbor got caught driving after he drank and lost his license.
The law here also stipulates that if you are a passenger in a vehicle that has a driver with alcohol in his blood, you are punished as if you were driving the vehicle while under the influence. Let's say it in unison "that's nuts!".
It is also my understanding that if a government employee is caught driving with alcohol in his system, he also is automatically fired. Is this harsh or what?
A very large percentage of Japanese live in big cities where it is very easy and safe to use a subway or train or taxi to go home after drinking. Out here in the sticks, they have a service to take drinkers and their cars back home from a bar or restaurant, but it is quite expensive. $12.00 US equivalent for a 3 minute ride home. It most certainly is cheaper and easier than paying fees, going to classes, and re-establishing a drivers license!
This government crack down on pre crime driving after drinking alcohol has wreaked havoc on the restaurant and bar industry in Japan. In addition to hurting an already weak economy, it has decreased opportunities for enjoying life, something government seems great at everywhere. I rate the Japanese laws about drinking and driving as one of the worst things about living here. A bizarre and harsh pre-crime punishment regime that is more suited to a Hollywood film than real life.
The only saving grace is that in Japan, unless you get in an accident, you will not be checked for alcohol. There are no random sobriety checks like we have in the free-est country in the world. The cops here don't wait outside of a bar to see some poor schlub drive away, only to arrest him as soon as he turns out of the parking lot. My experience is that cops in America engage in that sort of highway robbery.
So the punishment is more harsh in Japan, yet in America punishment is meted out far more randomly and frequently for the same pre-crime, non-crime. Which system is worse? All I know is that pre-crime punishment is an injustice that should be done away with.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Immigration
If you are not Japanese and you want to move here, it's not so easy. Firstly, Japan is a group of islands, thus you can not just walk in like someone might walk into America from Mexico. To legally live here, you must get a proper VISA.
You have several options. If you already have a job with a company based in Japan, there is paperwork to fill out, but you will generally be allowed to enter and live here. As for me, I am here based on being married to a Japanese citizen.
Even so, I could not simply enter. It was first required that I be sponsored by a Japanese person who has a job. The paperwork required that my sponsor states I have good character and that they show proof of their employment. It is not my impression that the sponsor is actually on the hook to make good on any debts I incur. As my wife and I had been living in America prior to moving here, she did not have a job here when I arrived and thus could not be a sponsor. Some other relative of her's kindly offered to be the sponsor. I believe America used to have a system like this.
After 3 years, if I have a good record (no legal or financial problems), I will be eligible for permanent resident status.
In America, I suppose there are welfare bums who sneak in to take advantage of the system. That probably accounts for much of the influx of immigrants, especially illegal ones. It is my understanding that many illegal immigrants snuck in from Mexico to earn cash during the housing boom via the construction trade. Now that there is a bust, many of those people have gone back to their home country.
The welfare state is quite beneficial to politicians in America. Democrats get votes and power by increasing the welfare rolls, while Republicans get their bread buttered by businesses who hire cheap immigrant labor. It seems as if Japanese officials prefer having an immigration policy that helps the country maintain its cultural heritage. Seems like that might have been a good decision, don't you think so?
You have several options. If you already have a job with a company based in Japan, there is paperwork to fill out, but you will generally be allowed to enter and live here. As for me, I am here based on being married to a Japanese citizen.
Even so, I could not simply enter. It was first required that I be sponsored by a Japanese person who has a job. The paperwork required that my sponsor states I have good character and that they show proof of their employment. It is not my impression that the sponsor is actually on the hook to make good on any debts I incur. As my wife and I had been living in America prior to moving here, she did not have a job here when I arrived and thus could not be a sponsor. Some other relative of her's kindly offered to be the sponsor. I believe America used to have a system like this.
After 3 years, if I have a good record (no legal or financial problems), I will be eligible for permanent resident status.
In America, I suppose there are welfare bums who sneak in to take advantage of the system. That probably accounts for much of the influx of immigrants, especially illegal ones. It is my understanding that many illegal immigrants snuck in from Mexico to earn cash during the housing boom via the construction trade. Now that there is a bust, many of those people have gone back to their home country.
The welfare state is quite beneficial to politicians in America. Democrats get votes and power by increasing the welfare rolls, while Republicans get their bread buttered by businesses who hire cheap immigrant labor. It seems as if Japanese officials prefer having an immigration policy that helps the country maintain its cultural heritage. Seems like that might have been a good decision, don't you think so?
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Firearms
If you live in Japan, you really don't have any right to own a firearm. Yes, it's possible to own one, but you would either need to be a criminal, like a gangster (called Yakuza), or you would need to have permission to own a firearm. It is not a rights based system. There is no recognized right of self defense using a firearm in Japan.
My Japanese father in law owned a hunting shot gun, with government permission. When he wanted to use it, he would have to go over to the Police station to retrieve it. After the hunt, he would return it. To me, it's quite safe to say that such form of ownership has nothing to do with defending yourself or your family. Isn't self defense the important reason for gun ownership?
The lack of any right to self defense with a firearm is one of the worst things about living in Japan. However, the great news is that there is almost no crime here. You could leave the door unlocked and no one would break in. Japan is that kind of place, particularly in the countryside where I live. Just last night at around 9:30 PM I saw 3 elderly ladies out for a walk, chatting like they do, with not a care in the world of a crime occuring.
Would you prefer to live in America and have some gun ownership rights, but also have to live in a high crime rate society? In most states, you can not carry a firearm with you outside of your home unless its locked up or disabled from being used. Plus, obtaining a firearm is subject to government approval (so callled instant check) and even fees, in some jurisdictions. Go ahead you New Yorkers and Washingtonians (the bad Washington), just try and buy a firearm for self defense. Bring your checkbook and don't hold your breath. It's tough cookies if you are poor or have been threatened by an abusive ex-spouse. The government idiocracy will do its best to keep you from defending yourself.
Then again, try and actually use your gun for self defense in America. Aggressive anti gun owner bigot government prosecutors in places like New York City are infamous for their hatred of gunowners and their frothing at the mouth attempts to jail innocent people. If you don't believe me, just ask Plaxico Burress, former New York Giants wide receiver who was jailed for accidently shooting himself in the leg while he was dancing at a New York night club. California, Chicago, Philadelphia, and other bastions of anti gun owner hate are far from the only places in America where someone could be jailed for simply exercising their right to self defense, using a firearm.
What I am proposing is that you would be better off in Japan, with its more honest system. No guns allowed, but in exchange, it's a safe, nearly crime free place to live. In much of America firearms rights are suspect and the crime rate is far more of a concern. Ideally, self defense rights and a low crime rate are what people really want. Too bad it's so hard to find.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Beach
Here's a small story that typifies my experience in Japan.
Went to the beach with my 9 year old and 2 of her friends this Sunday afternoon. It was a warm day and the beach wasn't crowded. No cops anywhere in sight; the lifeguard was there, but hidden from view and totally unobtrusive.
I drank a can of ice cold beer that I bought at the corner sakaya a block from the beach. Just one can. No one said a word about it.
The children went in the ocean and I kept an eye on them. Everyone was well behaved on the entire beach. No loud radios, drunks, bums, or slobs. No trash. No one allowing their dog to run around unleashed and harass people.
An 8ish year old girl shows up with a 2ish year old looking child, probably siblings. The 8 year old wraps the child up in towels just like a Japanese mother would do, to keep the sun off the child's skin. I looked closely to see, yet no parents are in sight. The older child places the younger child in an inner tube and they spend several hours floating around and enjoying themselves. Another Dad and I take turns keeping an eye on the nearby children, but they never need to be admonished, playing respectfully together and laughing. When I go in the water I leave my valuables in a waist pouch on the beach, with no fear at all that anyone would steal anything.
We all wash off at the public beach shower and walk home. Stopping for ice cream along the way. At 5PM, my 9 year old's friend rides her bike home, about a 15 minute ride to the other side of town.
Admittedly, it's not exciting and I hope you are still awake. If you read between the lines, you may understand how this vignette represents a very particular way of life in many respects. It would be easy to contrast this to my experiences in America, many of which were good as I lived in San Francisco, a most beautiful part of the world.
About America; it's bad karma to speak ill of the dead. Nonetheless, I keep getting drawn in because my relatives still live there, I have to pay taxes, and so many people there are in such absolute denial about reality in "the free-est country in the world" that I just can't keep from speaking out. There is something to be said for speaking the truth under a regime of lies, don't you think?
Went to the beach with my 9 year old and 2 of her friends this Sunday afternoon. It was a warm day and the beach wasn't crowded. No cops anywhere in sight; the lifeguard was there, but hidden from view and totally unobtrusive.
I drank a can of ice cold beer that I bought at the corner sakaya a block from the beach. Just one can. No one said a word about it.
The children went in the ocean and I kept an eye on them. Everyone was well behaved on the entire beach. No loud radios, drunks, bums, or slobs. No trash. No one allowing their dog to run around unleashed and harass people.
An 8ish year old girl shows up with a 2ish year old looking child, probably siblings. The 8 year old wraps the child up in towels just like a Japanese mother would do, to keep the sun off the child's skin. I looked closely to see, yet no parents are in sight. The older child places the younger child in an inner tube and they spend several hours floating around and enjoying themselves. Another Dad and I take turns keeping an eye on the nearby children, but they never need to be admonished, playing respectfully together and laughing. When I go in the water I leave my valuables in a waist pouch on the beach, with no fear at all that anyone would steal anything.
We all wash off at the public beach shower and walk home. Stopping for ice cream along the way. At 5PM, my 9 year old's friend rides her bike home, about a 15 minute ride to the other side of town.
Admittedly, it's not exciting and I hope you are still awake.
About America; it's bad karma to speak ill of the dead. Nonetheless, I keep getting drawn in because my relatives still live there, I have to pay taxes, and so many people there are in such absolute denial about reality in "the free-est country in the world" that I just can't keep from speaking out. There is something to be said for speaking the truth under a regime of lies, don't you think?
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