Ippoippo

… and then we are heading off for the sunny weather in the UK. It will be good to catch up with people back there for a bit.
I wonder how hot it will feel there, mind you sounds like the weather is causing all kinds of problems with electricity supplies (or is it something else going on ).

Anyway, in Japan related news, I’ve been reading the following articles.
Interesting to see how some Japanese doctors have a low opinion of American doctors. Whilst I understand their point of view on issue, Japanese doctors have some pretty strange ethical policies, like not informing patients if they are terminally ill with cancer.

Also, interesting to see that Japanese life-spans are getting shorter. Maybe it’s the diet getting more ‘Westernised’?

Hmmm, some pretty interesting comments on Japan coming 2nd in the Miss Universe competition this year. As soon as I saw the comments made my the Japanese, I was already guessing what the anti-Japanese posters would start splurting out in the comments section of that new article. Ahh, CrissCross Japan. Amusing as ever.

Finally, it seems that Peak Oil may be averted for a little while.
Scientist have found “Great Lakes” where “discovered possible evidence for lakes filled with liquid hydrocarbons”.
Only one slight problem… they are on the moon of Titan, orbiting Saturn. I guess Shell, Chevron and BP better start investing in giant Space Tankers!

… well not down here in Australia, since it’s bloody winter at the moment. (Very nice weather most days, and there’s a beautiful sunset again, as I look out of the window, east towards the Dangdenong Ranges).

Seems like it’s hot though in the UK. Once again, the UK has no idea with how to cope with the heat. In fact, it’s all creaking at the seems it seems, with more system failures. What’s worrying is that the UK seems to be adopting the Japanese/US style of running AirCon at home now, which is ramping up our energy usage. Last summer in Japan, despite the heat, we made a point of not running AC. It wasn’t that bad, as long as the windows are all left open.
The UK heatwave is actually making news in the English-language Japanese media too.

In the bizarre world of economics, I read this about China’s growth figures. That’s just crazy!!! Completely unsustainable.
If you really want to understand how it’s unsustainable, have a listen to the MP3 you can find here, at a presentation done by Dr. Albert Bartlett..

Finally, to finish off, some Japanese related stuff.
First off all, it seems that good old Emporor Hirohito (before his death) was not happy about 14 A-Class Criminals being enshrined at Yasukuni Jinja (Shrine). It’s somewhat bizarre on a few counts. First, what will the crazy Japanese Nationalists think now, given that Kami-sama (“God”, as the Emperor is in traditionalist circles) disapproved of what Nationalists like to rever? Also, from a Western point of view, it’s somewhat hypocritical for him to have commented, given there is some argument that he himself should have been classed as a War Criminal too?

Mean, once again, the Japanese tabloid media gives me a good laugh. This time with this story. Pretty impressive… “Ogoto’s infamy goes back decades, but is perhaps most notable because a special road had to be built around it in the ’70s so that the Emperor could bypass it and continue on a nationwide tour without his eyes being sullied by its sordid sights”. I can’t believe they built a special road for just one occaision… then again I can.

Been a bit of a quiet one. On Thursday, I had a bit of a heavy night, with a work get-together. So on Friday, it was just spent at home. Saturday was a bit of a pants day, when it came to the weather. So we pretty much chilled out, rather than heading over to the Richmond area of Melbourne.
In the evening though, we poppped next door to where we are staying in Melbourne, to eat in a Korean place called “Kimchi”. This place was a hell of a lot better than the Korean place I went to with work collegues (as nobody had actually organised anything that time, it was left to the non-local (Me!!!) to find a Korean place… I chose badly ). Mind you, this place is still nowhere as nice as Yuko and my favourite place back in Machida (Kanagawa, Japan). When we get back to Japan, we’ll be going back there again for some good yakiniku!!!

Not much news I’ve been reading. I saw a UK council has decided to save some energy. I like this idea!

I was also dumbfounded by this report, on a Japanese request to some locals in Iraq.

Anyway, that will do for now. Got a roast cooking in the oven, so better get to sorting that out.

Here is a serious case of “What The F**K!!!”

Meanwhile, the planet continues to sail on up s**t creek, what with near-war in the Middle East. Now, we’ve got sabre rattling generals in the Japanese Self-Defence Force wanting to have pre-emptive strikes on North Korea. At least this guy from the LDP is showing a bit of common sense.

The aeroplane industry is still taking hardcore drugs, especially when they come out with comments such as this. How on earth is air travel going to increase, with decreasing fuel reserves. Anyway, seems a lot more ‘normal’ people are starting to get concerned about such matters, as shown in this little story over at the BBC.