WaiWai For You

From the Mainichi Daily News its WaiWai fun for the whole family. As long as their over 18 and not members of some weird Right Wing group or Bill O'Reilly calling from the shower about falafel.

Idol curiosity has cybernetic songstress striking a chord with parents
Computer software that allows users to create their own songs and have them performed by a squeaky voiced "idol" singer is proving a massive hit -- among the middle-aged, according to Sunday Mainichi (12/9).

Called "Vocaloid 2 Hatsune Miku", the software uses computer-generated vocal sounds mixed with an actual human voice (in this installment, provided by voice actress Saki Fujita) that can be manipulated to perform any song.

The software, put on the market by Crypton Virtual Media, has proved popular because people can create their own tunes and fiddle with them however they like, apparently creating the image of being able to make a virtual idol singer in the home.

Cops pull plug on cabaret club serving pee on the rocks, plates of pubes
One of the most daring adult clubs in Osaka's Minami entertainment district has been shut down in what many say is the first strike in a campaign to clean up the area, according to Shukan Jitsuwa (12/6).

Six of the hostesses and a male customer of the "sexual cabaret club" Impulse were arrested last month for indecent exposure after the workers allegedly labored while entirely nude and the patron exposed his genitals.

Those alleged acts aren't the only indecency that appears to have gone on at Impulse

School libraries get textbooks that give the A to Z of AV
Junior high school libraries across Japan are about to get their first-ever books explaining in graphic detail the, er, ins and outs of the adult movie industry, according to Asahi Geino (12/6).

Headed for school library bookshelves is "Hito Mina Hadaka ni Naru (All People Get Nude)."The book was written by Baksheesh Yamashita, a 40-year-old veteran of 17 years working as an adult movie director.

"This book is not a sex education textbook," Yamashita tells Asahi Geino. "It's a book that explains what's going on in the adult video world now because I want junior high school pupils to know about these kinds of things."

Little Pebbles cultists smother on the yoghurt in bizarre 'bam bam' ritual
A carnally kooky cult with raunchy rituals and a German founder doing a long stint in an Aussie prison following a kiddy sex conviction are now making ripples with nipples in Japan, according to Flash (12/4).

Members of the Akita Prefecture-based Little Pebble willingly get their gear off for the weekly magazine and perform their ritual sex, with the scenes involving yogurt being generously smeared over the genitals and lots of mutual licking described in graphic detail by the magazine

Frisky filmmaker zooms in on Japan's 'palaces of hidden treasures'
Hihokan, literally "palaces of hidden treasures," are tacky sex museums that once dotted the Japanese landscape, but their image has taken a bit of a blow in recent years, prompting a philosophy student to make sure their heritage is preserved, according to Cyzo (December).

Ryohei Sasatani, the philosophy student from posh Doshisha University in the ancient capital of Kyoto, produced the self-funded tribute flick to the sex museums with "Showa Seichi Junrei Hihokan no Tainai (A Pilgrimage Around the Hallowed Places of the Showa Era <1925-1989>: Inside the Womb of the Palaces of Hidden Treasures

George Bush Doeasn't Know Peace

George Bush is holding a Middle East Peace Summit at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis Maryland this week with only thirteen months left in his Administration. Why anyone might consider this a break through in the peace process for that part of the world is beyond my comprehension.

George Bush's administration has avoided diplomacy at all most every turn believing (making an assumption here) that it wasn't sexy in the way armed conflict is. Throughout history armed conflict has achieved very little of course there are exceptions World War II being one of them. It begs the question: Doesn't being the leader of a country whose economic and military prowess has exceed that of any other known power in history make a case for diplomacy? Why then would one resort to armed conflict and the avoidance of diplomacy as a matter of stated policy?

George Bush choose armed conflict: Does he see himself as an historical figure in the making for having invaded Iraq a country which posed no political, economic or military threat to the United States under the guise of terminating a dictatorship and facilitating the emergence of representative government in a part of the world in which only three countries have that form of government with the rest being authoritarian regimes.

By rushing headlong into battle and avoiding diplomacy what has George Bush achieved? A Middle East which is more unstable today than when his predecessor left office. Iraq is a complete failure, Lebanon is politically unstable, Syria which could play a role in bringing stability to the region has been ignored as has the Palestinian Authority.

Iran is another case of incompetence at its highest levels. Starting with The Axis of Evil portion of Bush's January 2002 State of the Union Address. How does one except to engage a country any country in a meaningful dialog if one uses inflammatory language at every turn believing that will bring pressure to bear. Just the opposite has happened with the Iranian government taking an increasingly hard line stance on the one issue which concerns the Bush administration the most: Iran's nuclear program.

What has diplomatic avoidance achieved for President Bush and his administration one foreign policy failure after another. As for the Middle East peace summit its already a failure as President Bush has stated that

"U.S. cannot impose vision on Mideast, Bush says" President Bush on Wednesday told CNN he would personally "facilitate" peace negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis, saying the formation of a democratic Palestinian state was the best way to bring peace to the region.

Facilitating peace in Bush's mind means working the phones and leaving the real work to someone else like the next president.

Leadership has many facets to it from the mundane to moments when history is made yet how many times has positive history been made at the end of a sword or gun.
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People are constantly effusive about the Japanese education system. What's so great about it? That students are not encouraged to be curious beyond what is being taught them: Japanese classrooms are case study for controlled chaos. A majority of the students just ignore the teacher. Bullying is a constant. Its not only done by the students the teachers also actively participate. I'm sure you want your child going to school six or seven days a week.

Japan has been ruled by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) since 1954. As with any single conservative party rule they strive to be the first ones to create a future to past type nation. They dnai any complicity for example of Japanese Imperial Army human rights violations during the Second World War

Japan is so modern that there was a crisis over the secession of who was to become the next emperor. Why was there a crisis? Because in a modern country one cannot allow a female to assented the imperial throne that would smack of being open minded and modern when it comes to women's rights.
The police here are pretty interesting as they spend most of their day giving directions or solving major crimes: bicycle theft.

Riding the train here can be quite an education as well as helping to perpetuate stereo types. Yes, you do see salary reading those manga that best left under the bed, High school girls who change their clothes, groups of friends who get on the train sit together and then bring out their mobile phones and proceed to ignore each other, sleeping on trains in Japan is an art form and yes you do see the occasional Sumo wrestler.






Sidewalk vending is controlled by the Yakuza.

If you by something to eat at a convenience store here you will be asked if you would like it heated up and you'll be given the necessary utensil to eat it with.

Train stations have parking garages for bicycles.



Akihabra is where Japanese Geeks hang out



Wait those aren't Geeks.

For those who thought that vending machines for used panties was an urban legend:

Pedophile nerd gets hard lesson on not stiffing teen hookers
A junior high schoolgirl prostitute in Hokkaido narrowly avoided punishment after her big sister pimp called the cops because a geekish john had run off without paying, according to Shukan Josei (11/27).

Instead, the 14-year-old girl's client, 30-year-old heater repairman Tsutomu Igarashi was arrested after he allegedly paid the girl for sex on 100 occasions from October last year until July this year after they met up through a mobile phone matchmaking service.

Americas Primary Season

The American election cycle is always interesting in that what is important usually turns out to be irreverent. Take the term flip flop for example: For that term applies to someone who truly can't make a decision about the simplest of issues. Yet in politics that term is used like one might use a gun. An example: Former Senator John Edwards of North Carolina voted for the law which authorized the use of force in Iraq. Over time John Edwards position on that resolution changed coming out against the war. For most people that would show an ability to analyze a previous position find fault with it and admit it. That shows growth as a person. In the world of partisan politics that was called Flip Flopping In May of 2004 a group financed by T Bone Pickens called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth launched a series of attacks against Senator John Kerry for his actions during his service in Vietnam. That none of what this group published or the television ads they produced were completely untrue didn't matter to the American media or anyone else it was a Good Story. Therefore it was OK to perpetuate the lie.

Once again its primary season and the stupidity has come fast and often. John Edwards was back in the news for his alleged $400 haircut. Did it matter that this particular hair-cut was provided at 11pm by his special request which required a hairstylist to come to the hotel on their time-off? Of course not it was a $400 hair-cut given to a "rich" Trail Lawyer. Like a nightmare that never goes way it will live for ever.

For reasons that just escape me two the most "important issues" concerning Hillary Clinton's campaign are neck lines and her marriage to Bill. Now I know her marriage to Bill Clinton has never been the subject of any investigations, newspaper, magazine, blog posts or books. Yet again and again Americas mainstream media for reasons all their own keep publishing stories on these two subjects. Will Hillary's fashion sense impare her ability to govern? Somehow I think not. Just her marriage to Bill Clinton isn't as important as how she'll govern the country.

Ah the silly season when all the important issues are brought to the forefront by the lazy American Media.

Asian Headline News Thursday Nov. 15

Todays Headlines, Pakistan police charge Imran Khan, Myanmar authorities continue arrests of activists, U.S. policy on Iraq Shi'ites could aid Iran: report, Musharraf says he'll quit army this month,

Pakistani police have charged opposition figure Imran Khan under the anti-terrorism act after his first public appearance under the emergency.

Details were not given but one official said Mr Khan had been disturbing the peace by attending a student protest against President Pervez Musharraf.

Myanmar authorities continue arrests of activists
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) -- Myanmar's military junta arrested three more activists Wednesday, witnesses said, surging ahead with a crackdown even as it hosted a U.N. human rights investigator and insisted that all arrests had stopped.
The latest to be nabbed were at least three people handing out anti-regime pamphlets at the busy Thiri Mingalar fruit and vegetable market in Yangon, shoppers and other witnesses said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they feared reprisals from the government.

U.S. policy on Iraq Shi'ites could aid Iran: report
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration's courtship of the biggest Shi'ite party in Iraq could worsen a dangerous rift between rival Shi'ite groups and ultimately give Iran a greater political role, a think tank said on Wednesday.


The Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council, or SIIC, a cornerstone of the political alliance behind Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, has enjoyed close relations with Washington since the U.S.-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein in 2003, unlike the rival Shi'ite movement led by anti-American cleric Moqtada al Sadr.

Musharraf says he'll quit army this monthRAWALPINDI, Pakistan - President Gen. Pervez Musharraf said Wednesday he expects to step down as army chief by the end of November and begin a new presidential term as a civilian, warning that Pakistan risked chaos if he gave into opposition demands to resign.

In an interview with The Associated Press, he blamed former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, currently under house arrest, for fueling political turmoil, and rejected Western pressure to quickly lift emergency rule, which he indicated was likely to continue through the January elections.

This Week With Anpanman For President

Welcome to this week with Anpanman the front runner in the race to be the next President of the United States.





Anpanman is leading in the polls do to his superior intellect which he achieved by having a perfectly round head. Having been trapped there by centrifugal force and what a force it is. He can fly. Can your candidate? I think not. Does your candidates name come from the Spanish for bread of course not because your candidate has a real name. Whatever that may be. Did Anpanman vote against creating slided bread before he decided he was for it? How should I know he's a Japanese anime character.

Has Anpanman created controversy? Yes. When he accused Doraemon of being a blue robot cat without ears



Which, while completely true Anpanman was just playing to his wilded eyed base of blue cats with no ears haters.

If Anpanman becomes President of the United States what will he do for you the voting public?

Anime for all. Whether you want it or not

Sliced bread in all shapes and sizes

He will flip and flop with the best of them

Joining the Joe Lieberman party of one is out

Bill O'Reilly will be Secretary of Culture Wars After all we have to stop those attacks on Valentines Day

Anpanman will only get his news from his ardent supporters: Because it
will make him and you feel good

Anpanman for President because anyone else is just too real.

Fun News From Asia

That's right here's your amazing news from Asia. It's more fun than cutting brush with Bush.








Take the train get a free Peep Show

Teacher who flashed private parts on train arrested after hitting station worker

YOKOHAMA -- A drunk high school teacher who exposed his private parts on a train Wednesday night was arrested after hitting a station worker who attempted to question him, police said Thursday.

Masato Sato, 45, who teaches English at Meguro Gakuin High School, stands accused of assault.
At around 8:10 p.m. on Wednesday, a passenger on a Tokyu Railway Denen-Toshi Line train notified the conductor that a man was exposing his private parts, according to investigators. Alerted by the conductor, a worker at Azamino Station in Aoba-ku, Yokohama, asked Sato to come to a station office for questioning. The suspect then hit the worker in the face.

Sato attempted to escape, but the station worker overpowered him and handed him over to police officers. Sato was on his way home after drinking with a colleague.

Since Masto is an English teacher one has to wonder if he is now going to teach his students slang for the those private parts.

Old drawers are a gold mine

As online panty recycle biz blooms, traditional trade hits the skids
Fierce competition has radically transformed Japan's booming bloomer buying business, according to Weekly Playboy (11/5).

Shitagi Bijutsukan boasts of getting up to 100,000 visits a day to its site selling soiled skids from women whose ages range from their 20s to 50s.

"One of the reasons why access is so high is because so many people are using our forum to post photos of their wives posing in their underwear. At the same time as digital cameras having become cheaper and more functional, there has been an increase in the number of adventurous couples who like taking photos of women in their underwear," the operator of the site tells Weekly Playboy. "Panty shots used to be the domain of only a small number of couples who went quietly about their business, but with the Internet now a part of so many people's daily lives, more and more couples have become brazen about what they do. It's surprising even me."

I don't know about you? Its always been my life long dream to own a used pair of womens panties. Yea, right. Like I really want a nasty pair of used panties. In case you are wondering and I'm sure you are one can purchase a pair of used "high school" girls panties from a roadside porn vending machine near you.

WHAT WAS ON THE TUBE (OCT. 29-NOV. 2)
1. Much of the public anger against the loud-mouthed Kameda boxing family subsides after Koki Kameda, the eldest of the three brothers, apologizes for the blunders and behavior of his younger brother Daiki and father Shiro. Koki, speaking now less provocatively, leaves for Mexico to watch an amateur bout involving Tomoki, the youngest brother. 5 hr, 39 min, 13 sec

2. News breaks that Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and opposition leader Ichiro Ozawa discussed forming a possible grand coalition. And why not? It's not like there are any serious issues pending, like the ailing public pension system, hepatitis infections through tainted blood products, Japan's role in the war against terror, and Defense Ministry scandals. 4 hr, 40 min, 43 sec

3. Rampant mislabeling in the food industry has left a bad taste in everyone's mouth. Senba Kitcho, operator of the exclusive restaurant Kitcho, falsified expiration dates on precooked food and desserts in Fukuoka. In Mie Prefecture, Ofukumochi-Honke joins its rival, Akafuku Co., in a mislabeling scandal. And Mister Donut admits to using old syrup in its drinks. 2 hr, 4 min, 24 sec

Mislabeled Food This comes on the heels of mixing hamburger with chicken lips and feet.

Kameda Family: Just because Daiki turned a boxing match into a Pro-Wrestling bout why would anyone be upset.

Paris Hilton finds charity work

American socialite Paris Hilton may not be ready for her planned charity work in Rwanda, but she was up for judging a beauty contest in Tokyo this week.

Hilton and her younger sister, Nicky, each chose one finalist for the Miss Universe Japan contest Tuesday. A dozen or so more will be selected next month.

"I love Tokyo," Hilton said. "The shopping is great."

Hilton has promised to improve her bad-girl image since she finished a jail term in June for violating probation in an alcohol-related reckless driving case. She had announced plans to do charity work in Rwanda this month for the Playing for Good Foundation but later decided to postpone the trip.

I guess shopping in Rwanda isn't all that great!

Man steals car hits tree: Big News In Australia. Both live.

Paying respects to the dead only leads to jail.

A nationwide crackdown on gangs was launched on Tuesday morning and 931 alleged gangsters had been arrested by yesterday morning, the National Police Agency (NPA) said yesterday.

Twenty-two gang bosses, 201 gang members and 708 other gangsters were arrested in the crackdown, the agency said in a statement.

The crackdown came on the eve of the funeral for Bamboo Union gang leader Chen Chi-li (陳啟禮) today. Chen died of pancreatic cancer in Hong Kong on Oct. 4.

The police agency said the Bamboo Union was the main target of the crackdown, and six leaders of the gang's branches had been apprehended.

Alleged branch leader Chang Wei-an (張維安) and eight of his alleged gang members were arrested yesterday for selling drugs in Ilan County.

Never underestimate the power of death.

Bush ignorant of history: Karat

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat said on Wednesday it was “foolish” of U.S. President George Bush to have compared Lenin with Hitler.

Mr. Karat was reacting to remarks made by Mr. Bush a few days ago, where the U.S. President drew comparisons between Lenin, Hitler and Osama bin Laden. “It was foolish for him [George Bush] to have compared Lenin with Hitler or Osama bin Laden. It only shows that he is ignorant of history.”

Bush ignorant of history? George Bush is ignorant on every subject including life, liberty and happiness.

Asian News This Week

Casting a larger net this week in looking at what's been happing around the rest of Asia.



Monday October 1

Japan switches on earthquake warning system
The system, which has been tested for more than a year, went into operation at 9a.m. local time and is operated by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). It links together about 1,000 seismographs throughout Japan with a fast network and computing to calculate the location and strength of an earthquake within a few seconds of it occurring. The seismographs measure the weak but fast moving primary waves from an earthquake. These are followed by secondary waves, which move at about half the speed but which are much more destructive. The system attempts to beat the arrival of the secondary waves and provide a warning that strong shaking is about to occur.

How much warning people have will depend on how far they are from the earthquake.

Wednesday October 3

Minshuto lawmaker's support group reported ¥178 million in expenses for an unused main office

A support group of Kozo Watanabe, the top adviser to the main opposition party, listed a relative's apartment as the group's main office for 12 years and reported 178 million yen ($1.5 million) in operating expenses. The apartment, however, was never used by the group, sources said.

The group, Shinjidai no Kai (new era group), reported to the internal affairs ministry that the apartment in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward where Watanabe's nephew, Yuhei Sato, lived, was its main office between 1993 and 2004, according to sources.

Afghan deployment proving unpopular
Half of Australians oppose the troop deployment to Afghanistan, according to a new poll to be released in Sydney today, leaving both sides of politics off-side with public opinion.

While Labor's promise to pull combat troops out of Iraq is more in tune with public attitudes - 64 per cent of people now oppose Australia's military contribution to the occupation

From guns to greetings: Defrosting China's borders
On the winding Heilongjiang River, China's northeast border with Russia, Chinese soldiers ride in blue patrol boats, passing Russian houses on the other bank so swiftly that they soon look like matchboxes.

Patrolling the river is now routine, but it was unimaginable when relations between the two nations were strained.

"The border was once marked with barbed wire and dotted with blockhouses. Cannons were positioned against each other.

Thursday October 4

DPP asks president to serve as party chairman
By Flora Wang
STAFF REPORTER
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Central Standing Committee yesterday settled on President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) as the next party chairman.

Presidential Office Secretary-General Yeh Chu-lan (葉菊蘭), who presided over the meeting, told reporters that the committee agreed unanimously to urge the president to double as party chairman.

Yeh said the party would hold an extraordinary Central Executive Committee meeting tomorrow to make the nomination official.

Cayetano: Guinness award for Jamby's rumor-based rap

Sen. Ana Consuelo "Jamby" Madrigal should get no less than a "Guinness Book of World Records" for threatening to file an ethics complaint based on mere text messages and rumors, the chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee said Thursday.

“Again that was a text message and Sen. Jamby should be given an award by the Guinness Book of World Records for the only senator to want to file an ethics case based on a text message and ‘chismis’ (gossip)," Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano said.

Clubs 'treat' police to ensure smooth business

Hadi Mahmud, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Restrictions on operating hours imposed on Jakarta's entertainment centers during Ramadhan and concerns of raids by Islamic groups have prompted owners to strengthen relations with the authorities to ensure smooth business.

"We just want to have a safe business environment during Ramadhan. It's essential that we maintain good relations with the authorities," Eva, a spokeswoman for Club 10 Executive Karaoke Club, told The Jakarta Post last week.

Friday October 5

Little expected from UPA-Left panel's 3rd meet
NEW DELHI: The UPA-Left panel will hold its third round of discussion on the Indo-US nuclear deal on Friday with faultlines drawn sharper than before, and amid clear indication that CPM representatives would ask the government for a categorical response if it intends to hold safeguards negotiations with IAEA.

This article is from a Sri Lankan newspaper which has ties to the LTTE.

Recognize Tamil sovereignty’ – LTTE urges world
Tamil Guardian 26 September 2007 Print ArticleE-mail ArticleFeedback On Article
Pointing to the ‘genocidal war’ the Sinhala-dominated state is waging against the Tamils of Sri Lanka, the Liberation Tigers this week urged the international community to “recognise the sovereignty of the Tamil people, and support the peace process in accordance with this principle.”

The world should “provide appropriate opportunities to the Tamil people to express their aspirations, as have been given to the people of East Timor and Kosovo,” the LTTE also said.

Second Korean Summit

Kim Dae-jong met Kim Jon-il in June of 2000 in what became the first and only meeting between the leaders of that divided country. Whilst Kim Jong-il promised a reciprocal visit to the South that meeting never took place. Kim's successor Roh Moo-hyun is on the threshold of a second summit a little more than 5 months before he will leave office in February of 2008 by walking across the Demilitarized Zone into North Korea. Becoming the first President of South Korea to do so.

That first meeting came about because of Kim Dae-jong's willingness to view North Korea and its leaders as something more than a pariah state. President Kim sought a new approach one he called the Sunshine Policy. He believed that it was better to engage the North Koreans in ways that would ease tensions between the two Korea's rather than continuing with Cold War policies in place since the end of the Second World War which had resulted in overt and covert confrontations, but in terms of policy lead nowhere. Kim's Sunshine Policy had three tenants

# No armed provocation by the North will be tolerated.
# The South will not attempt to absorb the North in any way.
# The South actively seeks cooperation.

Dealings with North Korea are never straight forward and always difficult especially when armed engagements take place as happened in 2002 when elements from both navies became involved in a shooting incident which left 5 South Korean sailors dead. Or when the Bush administration accused the North of being part of an Axis of Evil which lead the North Koreans to break-off all contact with the South. North Korea's withdrawal Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty resulted in the emergence of the Six Party Talks consisting of North and South Korea, Russia, China, Japan and the United States. The Six Party Talks resulted in little being accomplished until the North Koreans test fired an underground nuclear device October 9, 2006. Talks resumed in December of 2006 with an agreement being reached on February 13, 2007 which on its face brought back the basic tenants of the Agreed Framework which was negotiated by the Clinton administration.

Will this summit result in any tangible agreements between the Korea's? Interactions between the two countries have really been a one way street. Every step forward has resulted from the South's willingness to provide North Korea with huge amounts of economic and humanitarian aide which in actual policy terms has resulted in very little being given back. So is the summit a waste of time?
If one were to look at it from the perspective of a Westerner you would logically conclude that this summit will only result in the South Koreans providing further aide to the North getting nothing in return. Yet a Korean would tell you just the opposite stating that they are one people and one nation and that it is their obligation to help their fellow countrymen as well as to further ease tensions between the two adversaries.

Rocks, Alan Greenspan and the News From Japan

Tuesday September 18

He may be the underdog in the race to become prime minister, but with his love of comic books and streetwise talk of pop culture, Taro Aso has plenty of support among Japan's disillusioned youth.
"Aso understands the youth culture," said 16-year-old Riku Shimoda, one of those who turned out to hear the two candidates vying to replace Shinzo Abe stump for votes in the neon-infested, teeny-bopper haven of Shibuya.

If one were watch the usual campaign rally in Japan 85% of those attending are middle aged or older. So its unusual for a candidate to attract any interest from the younger generation.

WASHINGTON — Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, in his new book published Monday, blames the Japanese government for causing a decade-long economic quagmire that followed the burst of an economic bubble in the early 1990s. In "The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World," he says Tokyo's reluctance to take bold action to resolve the bad-loan problems at Japanese banks, such as liquidating the assets of doomed banks, was more for "cultural" reasons than "economic" ones.

I know many people admire Alan Greenspan. However anyone with a rock rolling around inside their head could have told you that the economic malaise was the fault of Japanese government policy.

Theatrics must exit the political stage
Telegenic, a word often used in the United States to describe politicians, can hardly be used for Yasuo Fukuda and Taro Aso in the election to pick a new Liberal Democratic Party president.

Six years ago, Junichiro Koizumi heightened his popularity by screaming, "I will destroy the LDP."

A year ago, Shinzo Abe used his youth to gain similar popularity.

Who are these people kidding. Japanese politics could use more theatrics not less. Most Japanese politician's have all the charisma of white bread.



Wednesday September 19

Cops to offer ¥100,000 for tips that catch sex traffickers
The National Police Agency will start offering rewards of up to ¥100,000 from Oct. 1 for information leading to the arrest of anyone forcing minors or foreigners to be prostitutes or hostesses, officials said.

The campaign is being carried out in conjunction with Guardian Angels Japan Inc., a nonprofit organization of public security volunteers. The red-capped Guardian Angels will be in charge of accepting tips via a toll-free number, and the police are calling on the public to contribute anonymously, if necessary.

This is a policy which should have been implemented a long time ago. This particular case will show you why. Lucie Blackman disappeared in July of 2000 while working as Bar Hostess in Tokyo. Even though she was reported missing Tokyo Metropolitan Police refused to investigate the case. It wasn't until pressure was applied by the Tony Blair's government that the police started to investigate.

HIRATSUKA, Kanagawa Prefecture--Surfers rescued two boys from drowning but could not save a third at a dangerous spot off a beach in the Shonan area over the long weekend.

The surfers jumped into the water to pull out the kids in two separate incidents at the same place.

On Sunday, Yukio Sakuma, 47, and Hendrik Boschen, 29, a German company employee from Oiso, Kanagawa Prefecture, pulled two elementary school boys from the surf at a beach in the Togahara part of Hiratsuka near the mouth of the Hanamizugawa river.

3 newspapers ordered to pay libel damages

Wednesday, September 19, 2007 at 07:12 EDT

TOKYO — The Tokyo District Court on Tuesday ordered three vernacular newspaper publishers to pay libel damages of up to 1.65 million yen to a physician for publishing a story distributed in July 2002 by Kyodo News but the court rejected the doctor's demand for damages from the news agency, citing "considerable reasons for misreporting the facts."

TV Timer: TV commentators declare open season on ailing prime minister

Thursday September 20

Ratio for education spending dismal
Government spending in Japan on education was about 3.5 percent of the nation's gross domestic

product in 2004, the secondlowest ratio among advanced nations next to Greece, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

When spending by parents and students was included, Japan's ratio was the fifth lowest.

NOVA looks to shut down schools amid financial crisis

Major English language teaching chain NOVA is considering shutting down a large number of schools, it emerged on Thursday.

NOVA's income from lesson fees has decreased since the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry issued the language school a partial business suspension order over its practices. Because of this, the school is apparently pushing for a turnaround, hoping to cut costs by trimming and merging unprofitable schools.

They conveniently left out the reason why NOVA was nailed in the first place. Prospective students are asked to fill out an introduction card. Unbeknown-est to the students NOVA was using these cards as signed contracts.

Niigata nuke plant rooftop catches fire

Thursday, September 20, 2007 at 15:26 EDT

NIIGATA — A small fire broke out Thursday morning from a power cable of a makeshift air conditioner on the roof of the quake-hit Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture, Tokyo Electric Power Co said. It said no one was injured and there were no radiation leaks.

Another sign of safety first

Friday September 21

The Social Insurance Agency has revealed more embezzlement cases of pension funds--and more cases of the perpetrators being let off the hook.

The agency said Wednesday its investigation uncovered 47 new cases of pension premiums embezzled by municipal government employees, bringing the number to 95 from 48 reported earlier this month.

The total amount of money embezzled by municipal workers increased by about 27 million yen to about 228 million yen, the agency said.

All the crime and very little punishment

Game makers in marketing joust at Chiba expo

By SHINICHI TERADA
Staff writer

CHIBA — Tokyo Game Show, one of the world's largest gaming events, opened Thursday with the participation of a record number of Japanese and overseas firms — an indication that the industry is ready to take advantage of a brisk market boosted by the popularity of Nintendo Co.'s Wii console and dual touch-screen DS portable machine.

Sexperts tout erotic image training as the secret to a beautiful mind
Sex advisors for women have recently changed tack, going from counseling about detailed techniques such as how to achieve orgasm, to recommending they carry out some erotic image training, according to Spa! (9/25).

Advisors in publications like the recently released sex manual "Girl's Side Book" by the intriguingly-monikered "Pink Sensei" are offering detailed advice on the steps women need to take to imagine what a romp would be like before it happens, then how to make that fantasy materialize.

One from China

Nearly 500 school children in Fugong, Yunnan Province, China have to cross the often raging Nujiang River each day to get to school. The only problem is that there is no bridge.

And you thought your trip to school was an adventure.

Cartoons aid US lynch mob mentality of Iran

The following commentary was published in todays Asia Times.

Here is a clue why, despite billions spent by Washington on its global public relations campaign, the image of "ugly Americans" still persists in many part of the world, particularly the Muslim world. Just look at the vicious demonization of Iran and everything Iranian in Hollywood, the US media and, of course, the political rhetoric of American politicians.

A distasteful odor of hate ideology, repelling rational thought, is discernible everywhere, with Iran-bashing in vogue and evincing the darker side of US political culture, ie, the imperialist, xenophobic, intolerant and repressive sentiment of politicians and media pundits toward Iran.

Surges and Bench Marks

The bench marks and the surge were on the face of it, meant to help stabilize Iraq and its government yet as any thinking person is aware that has not been achieved. With no progress in either area one must ask these questions: Why did the government of the United States put so much stock in the bench marks? It wasn't just the Bush administration that did this members of both political parties felt compelled to believe in that policy as well. Who in Iraq benefits if these policies succeed? Are there groups groups within Iraq (such as Sunni or Shiite leaders) that would not be upset at there failure?

When the British were given the mandate to oversee Iraq following the First World War they made the decision to place power leaders from Iraq's Sunni community even though they were clearly a minority group with the territory that would became the country we know today as Iraq. Upon the British withdrawal from Iraq the power structure within Iraq remained skewed in favor of the Sunni's which continued until the 2003 invasion and overthrow of Saddam Hussein's government by U.S. and British forces. So the question is why based upon this history would the Shiite majority and its leaders want to share power with anyone be they Sunni or former Baathist party members. To further illustrate this point:

Muqtada al-Sadr is the son of Ayatollah Muhammad Sadiq al-Sadr and a member of a family that can trace its roots back to Muhammad. In 1999 Muhammad al-Sadr along with Mu'mil and Mustapha, two of his sons were assassinated by members of Saddam Hussein's regime.

Abdul Aziz al-Hakim heads the Iraqi Council of Representatives the largest political party in Iraq and like Muqtada al-Sadr is a prominent Shiite religious leader in Iraq. During the 1970's al-Hakim was imprisoned three times for opposing Iraq's Baathist government before going into exile in Iran in 1980. His father the Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim was assassinated in August of 2003 in Najaf. He is related to the al-Sadr Allowing Iraqi military and police to operate independently and with ``evenhanded enforcement.''family by marriage.
Given their history of personnel and family opposition to Saddam Hussein's Sunni lead government including the killing of family members what possible motivation would either of these men have for supporting any government in which they had to share power with those who oppressed them and Iraq's majority Shiite population.

Iraq's government and the Bench Marks: Following the elections in Iraq the Shiites because of their majority came to dominate government and given their previous status one would conclude that agreeing to these benchmarks would not be a course of action that they would endeavor to pursue.

Benchmarks as set out by the U.S. government

Legislation on ways to restore political, government and military positions to selected members of Saddam Hussein's Baath party.
Why would the Shiites agree to a provision which would, at even a minor level return to power any member of the Baath party?

An oil law to share wealth in ``an equitable manner'' among Sunnis, Shiites, Kurds and other Iraqi groups.
An oil law which gives control of Iraq's oil reserves to the major western oil companies something which no Iraqi should or would agree too.


Allowing Iraqi military and police to operate independently and with ``evenhanded enforcement.
Evenhanded enforcement means what? That all the ethnics groups will live in separate enclaves because the risk of living together is far from safe.

Reducing the level of sectarian violence and eliminating militia control of security forces.
Simply stated because the Shiite and Sunnis seek absolute control of Iraq there is no reason for them give their control of the security forces which they control.


Provide three trained and ready Iraqi brigades to support operations in Baghdad.
For the Bush administration this has to be the Freedman unit of its Iraq policy. Meaning that since the disbandment of the Iraqi army by the Coalition Provisional Authority in May of 2003 the Bush administration has always promoted "Once the Iraqi's stand up we will stand down." Except that it hasn't and will not happen until long after American forces have left Iraq.

Review the 2005 constitution and recommend amendments to meet Sunni aspirations.
To meet Sunni aspirations would mean the withdrawal of Shiite power something that is simply not going to happen.

Laws to begin disarming militias and demanding loyalty to the central government.
For the Sunnis it is this provision which they believe will restore them to power. Knowing this the Shiites and Kurds will never agree to it.

As for the American government: Why those in both parties have placed their faith in these benchmarks is beyond logic. Its as though they are using it as a means to show that they are not only willing to support and fight the Global War On Terror but that they are not soft on defense. Unfortunately political expediency does not lead to good governance. Only strong leadership will achieve this.

Weird News From Asia

Comics defying taboos, ditching slapstick for political satire

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
The Associated Press
Comedian Hikari Ota is doing what he does best on his weekly "news" show: taking aim at Japan's aging lawmakers.
"It's easy to spot them nodding off during Diet sessions," he tells the studio audience while a large screen on stage shows a napping lawmaker. "Sometimes they're even dead!"

Ota's treatment of authority figures might seem tame by some nations' standards, but in Japan it represents a bold foray into the formerly forbidden territory of political satire.

Japan's political leaders have been a sleep at the wheel for so long that they've gone into hibernation.

Keep off sex education, teachers told
The controversy on sex education for school children has taken a new turn. The Siksha Bachao Andolan Samiti, affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, has warned teachers that they may be violating the law if they take sex to the classroom.

In a letter to teachers across the country, they have noted that teachers can be charged under Section 354 of the IPC for outraging modesty of a woman, if they follow the exercises prescribed in the UNICEF training manual on sex education in their classrooms.

Taking a page from America's Christian Fundamentalists are we. Keep everyone ignorant about sex until its far to late.

Now for a degree in prostitution?
July 18, 2007 - 2:11PM

Funding for tertiary courses in prostitution could be considered under changes aimed at boosting quality and relevance in the sector, New Zealand education officials say.

But MPs on parliament's education and science select committee were told today that although courses in the world's oldest profession might be considered if providers put them forward, they would still have to meet tight criteria to get funding.

Talk about a career change.

Financial Supervisory Commission under probe for role in financial scam
Vice Chairwoman Susan Chang of the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) defended yesterday the role she and other regulators played when dealing with a financial unit of the collapsed Rebar Group.

Chang also said she and her colleagues will give full cooperation with investigators' into their allegedly giving preferential treatment to Great Chinese Bills Finance Corp.

She made the remarks when the Taipei District Court called yesterday half a dozen of FSC officials for testimony in the trial of former senior executives of the bills finance firm

US and Pakistan Partners In Prisons

Using fear and paranoia the Bush Administration created a legal system which any previous U.S. administration would have concluded was really a Gulag created by an authoritarian government. Even with the exposure of these abuses this administration has sought new and creative ways to insure that any person held within this system will be denied any forum of due process. So it continues with what can only be describe as their latest deal with the devil. To pay for the construction of new prisons in Egypt and Pakistan two countries where human and legal rights are an after thought.

Even though those held at Guantanamo Bay remain outside of the U.S. legal system they have continued to challenge their detainment at Guantanamo Bay. Last Friday the U.S. Supreme Court accepted a case which challenges the Bush Administrations right to hold them indefinitely without the prospect of due process which is a reversal from their refusal to accept a similar case from last here. All of this has become an embarrassment to the Bush Administration which is being pressured domestically and internationally to close Guantanamo Bay and allow those held equal protection and due process of law. Of course the Bush Administration is searching for another way which brings us back to Pakistan and Egypt and the prospect of the United States government providing funds for the construction of prisons in those two countries for continued purpose of preventing access to the American legal system.

In an article published on June 29 of this year in the Asia Times their reporter Syed Saleem Shahzad gives an over view of what will take place if this policy is put into place by President Bush and his advisers. (Dick Cheney)

Asia Times Online has learned that the Bush administration is considering a plan under which inmates would be returned to special facilities in their countries of origin, where they would be treated on a case-by-case basis.

With Pakistan currently involved in a judicial crisis because President Pervez Musharraf sacked Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry because he was seen as a legitimate legal threat to block Musharraf from seeking a second term under Pakistan's constitution when elections take place later this year. What of those already held by Pakistan on terrorism charges? A number of them have just disappeared into Pakistan's prison system with their families never hearing from them again. Based upon this evidence one would not reasonably expect those transfered to these jails in Pakistan to receive what any reasonable person would equate with equal protection under the law. As for the facilities where they are to be housed?

A top Pakistani official told Asia Times Online that a special facility has already been built in the city of Faisalabad, adjacent to Faisalabad Central Prison. Another such facility is under construction in Multan and is expected to be completed within the next few months. Work on a detention center adjacent to Adyala Jail in Rawalpindi, the capital Islamabad's twin city, has just started.

These facilities are being funded by the US and will fall under the jurisdiction of Pakistan's Ministry of Interior. Special staff will be deputed to the centers to work in conjunction with US officials.

Considering this administration's stance on torture and their willingness to abuse an individuals civil and human rights along with Pakistan's abysmal record in these areas and the fact that these prisons are being built further demonstrates this administrations willingness to operate outside of the usual legal parameters which protect the rights of those being held.

The G8, Global Warming and Asia

With the conclusion of the G8 meeting last week in Germany the worlds richest countries issued several end of conference statements one of which dealt with Global Warming. The press release was unremarkable in that as usual it said absolutely nothing about the issue of Global Warming and its impact upon the environment. So,what does the G8 have and its Global Warming statement have to do with Asia? Other than the fact that Japan is a member?
Outside of the United States the leading industrial nations of Asia are some of the biggest contributors of greenhouse gases in the world.

Note Because this is such an important issue facing Asia and the world todays commentary will only focus on China. With South Korea, Japan and India to follow.

Since the 1980's China's economic growth has been nothing short of phenomenal. Real wages and income have grown along with the economy thereby creating an expanded middle class which leads to political and economic stability. The downside to rapid growth is environmental degradation which inevitably leads to environmental destruction because of the continuing need to keep economic growth at a level which benefits your countries citizens. For China air pollution is a huge problem thanks in part to its economic growth and the need to provide its citizens and industrial sector with electrical power. Unfortunately for China this has meant construction of thousands of coal fired electrical generation plants, because coal is the one fossil fuel it has an over abundance of. While China may have increased its electrical generation abilities the consequences for having done this are no longer just effecting China.

One of China's lesser-known exports is a dangerous brew of soot, toxic chemicals and climate-changing gases from the smokestacks of coal-burning power plants.
In early April, a dense cloud of pollutants over Northern China sailed to nearby Seoul, sweeping along dust and desert sand before wafting across the Pacific. An American satellite spotted the cloud as it crossed the West Coast.

While this maybe a new phenomena to American's its a regular occurrence for the people of Korea and Japan as winter changes to spring it brings a shift it the winds direction and with it comes China's air pollution. Industrial air pollution isn't the only airborne problem to come from that part of the world in the spring. Yellow Sand Storms are also a major problem for South Korea and Japan.

The Korean government launched a campaign in Mongolia on Saturday to reduce yellow dust and sandstorms in the region.

The campaign called Greenbelt Plantation Project is an initiative by the Korea Forestry service to plant some 1.5 million trees in Mongolia to prevent rampant desertification.

Like air pollution these spring time dust storms not only reduce visibility. As with the case of industrial air pollution this dust also aggravates and increases respiratory problems for those living down wind.

China's population is also highly impacted by the increase in air pollution.

According to the World Bank, 16 of the world's 20 most polluted cities are in China. The industrial revolution transforming the world's most populous country is also destroying its environment. China is now the world's second-largest emitter of carbon dioxide, the main gas linked to global warming, and it is set to overtake the United States in 2009, a decade earlier than previously predicted.

What is the Chinese governments response to global warming and its effects on China's and the world's environment? Here are some quotes

China promised last week to better control emissions of greenhouse gases, unveiling a national program to combat global warming, but rejected mandatory caps on emissions as unfair to countries still trying to catch up with the developed West.

"China is a developing country. Although we do not have the obligation to cut emissions, it does not mean we do not want to shoulder our share of responsibilities," said Ma Kai, the minister heading the National Development and Reform Commission, the Cabinet-level economic planning agency.

Why do these statements sound like something the Bush Administration would put out.


The statement by the G8 on global warming

The goal is to agree to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2050, Merkel said, hailing the decision as a "huge success." She said it came after many rounds of talks and negotiations on climate change.

But the declaration falls short of an ironclad commitment, saying only that the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitters should "seriously consider" following the European Union, Canada and Japan in seeking to halve their output by 2050.

It would have been better if the G8 had issued no statement at all concerning global warming. Why? Because the United States the worlds leading producer of greenhouse gases and led by the worlds leading global warming denier refuses to accept any concrete scientific evidence that global warming can and will have a devastating effect upon the world and its environment. Without the leadership of the United States countries like India and China along with the other major world industrial powers see no need to produce any concrete measures which would reduce global warming.

The U.S. And Its Un-Democratic Allies

Choosing allies and enemies seems so easy until one is faced with a true moral dilemma. Then like a philosophical question it becomes difficult if not impossible to judge what is right and what is wrong. George W. Bush thought that he could do what no leader before him could. Without any introspection he believed that choosing between what is right and what is wrong would be as easy as turning off a light. He was wrong. He also thought that one could choose allies the same way. Again, he was wrong. If one were looking for the moral high ground in the Global War on Terror why one would chose Pakistan and Egypt as allies in this fight is beyond my comprehension.

Pakistan has been an on again off again ally of the United States since the 1980 invasion of Afghanistan by the former Soviet Union. Even though the Red Army captured and controlled all of Afghanistan’s major cities they were never able to fully control the country. Pakistan’s role in Afghanistan came through its Inter-Services Intelligence agency somewhat like America’s CIA. It was through the ISI that the CIA funneled weapons to the Mujahideen fighters in Afghanistan. With the withdrawal of Soviet forces Pakistan’s ISI involvement in the internal affairs of Afghanistan didn’t end. It was the ISI that helped bring the Taliban to power in Afghanistan in 1993. Also in that same year the United States placed Pakistan on a watch list of countries which it suspected were involved international in terrorism because Lt. Gen. Nasir then heading the ISI was preventing the U.S. from buying back Stinger missiles used by the Afghan Mujahideen and of supporting Harkat ul-Ansar a group accused by the U.S. of being terrorists. On May 28, 1998 Pakistan detonated a nuclear device just a few weeks after India and conducted tests of its own. This would lead to a nuclear stand-off between India and Pakistan in 2001 and 2002 over Kashmir the disputed territory of which each side controls half.

Pakistan’s current President General Pervez Musharraf came to power in 1999 through a bloodless coup. After the attacks of September 11, 2001 Pakistan once again became a useful ally as front line state in the War on Terror. So useful in fact that Pakistan has become the number one recipient of U.S. military funding through the Coalition Support Fund which reimburses countries for military spending. More than 10 times higher than number two Poland.
To suggest that Pakistan is now a Democratic country would be misleading. Since Musharraf sized power there have been elections: Its just lie to say they were free and fair considering that Gen. Pervez Musharraf was the only candidate for president and he his trying to remain president even though his term is to end this year with an election. Pakistan has done little to contain or control either the Taliban or Al-Qaeda both of which have a large presence in Western Pakistan. Last year the Pakistani army negotiated a settlement with tribes in North and South Waziristan which in effect allowed the tribal groups in those states to operate freely while the army remained in its barracks.

Egypt has had three presidents since the 1950’s. Gamal Abdel Nasser became president in 1954 and would remain in office until his death in 1970. Anwar Sadat succeeded him and would remain in office until his assassination by soldier during a military parade in 1981. Hosni Mubarak was chosen to succeed Sadat continuing to hold office today.

Since taking office there have been five presidential elections in Egypt with Mubarak of course winning every election by a landslide not that the outcome was ever in doubt even though opposition parties were allowed to field candidates for the first time. The ruling National Democratic party was able, as shown below to control the electoral process. This is what free and fair elections look like in Egypt:

• The National Democratic Party’s (NDP) use of violence
• The interference of Egyptian security forces, particularly in the second and third rounds of voting
• The arrest of MB members after the first round of elections
• Vote buying
• Low voter turnout
• The poor success rate of the NDP, and its cooption of independents who had left the party before the elections, and rejoined it after their election

Hosni Mubarak heads The National Democratic Party
The Muslim Brotherhood is the largest and most popular opposition party in Egypt.
Elections will be held June 15 to seat members for Egypt's Upper House of Parliament known as the Shura Council and the government is working diligently to maintain its grip on power.

Mahmoud's release came amid a continued government crackdown against the Brotherhood in the lead up to June elections for the upper house of Parliament, known as the Shura Council, that will include candidates from the group.

Police said 51 Brotherhood members and supporters had been arrested since Thursday, including seven Saturday in the province of Ismailia, located 120 kilometers (75 miles) east of Cairo.

Hosni Mubarak was elected to a fifth term in office in an election which took pace on September 7, 2005. The official results show Mubarak receiving 88.6% of the vote with the next highest percentage going to Ayman Nour of the Tomorrow Party getting 12%. Its estimated that only 40% of all voters are registered to vote and that the actual turnout for all elections is between 30% and 40%. Because the Presidential Election Commission controls whose name or names can appear on the ballot they are able to marginalize the opposition parties. The commission is of course controlled my Hosni Mubarak's ruling party. To suggest that Egypt is moving towards a more democratic state is far from the truth when it appears that Gamal Mubarak, Mr Mubarak's son is being groomed as his successor. Pluralism doesn't begin at the home of the current president who has ruled Egypt under an emergency decree since taking office in 1981. Dynastic and authoritarian would better describe the current political situation in Egypt a country which is the second largest recipient of American foreign aid after Israel.

According to the Christian Science Monitor up to 2004 Egypt had received $50 billion dollars in aid with an average of $1.3 billion a year in military aid and an average of $815 million a year in economic aid.

Iraq and South Korea. Are They The Same

Today President George W. Bush made a rather astonishing pronouncement when he tried to equate Iraq's future to the development of South Korea with the signing of the armistice that ended the Korean war. Can one be compared to the other it doesn't seem possible.


Korea became a nation state with the creation of Gojoseon in under the rule of Dangun. Koreans adopted the Chinese writing system which they call Hanja in the the second century BC with Buddhism arriving in the fourth century BC. These two events would have a profound impact on the people and rulers of Korea. When the Silla dynasty began in 676 this would solidify Korea as a single country with a shared language and culture which would not be interrupted until the Japanese annexed the country by the force of arms in 1910 and remain as its colonial ruler until World War II ended.


Modern Iraq is located in what was once known as Mesopotamia and is of course considered and rightfully so as one of the cradles of civilization. The
Sumerian's Are believed to have created the first known civilization and theirs was followed by the Akkadian's, Babylonian's, and Assyrian cultures whose influence reached beyond there area of origin. Because of its location those who ruled this part of the world were always susceptible to invasion. Among those who have ruled here: Islamic Caliphate , the Mongols and the Ottoman Empire. World War I came to an end with the British in control of most of the Middle East. Iraq was created by the British and they were the ones who established Iraq's first formal government. Iraq was never a true modern nation state until its creation. Political power in Iraq centered around these three cities Baghdad, Mosul and Basra.

How are Iraq and South Korea similar? That's a real good question.

Koreans have a single language are homogeneous, have a shared religion and they have a long history as a nation. After the partition of the Korean peninsula following World War the South Koreans began, what would become a long quest towards democratic rule. Yes, there was a military dictatorship which started with a coup my General Park Chung-hee and would last until 1988 when the first real honest and free elections would take place.

Iraq doesn't have a similar history not as it exists today. The country is divided along ethnic lines. With the Kurds holding a majority in the north. The Sunni's holding a majority in the center and the Shiites having a majority in the south. Their religion is not shared nor is their culture at least not as a Korean would see it. Iraq's modern history is that is dominated by the interests of western governments and those nations major oil companies all seeking to control Iraq's natural resources.


George Bush is delusional to believe that one can compare the situation in Korea with that of Iraq.

Sunday's Good Karma/Bad Karma

Really Good Karma

THE ASAHI SHIMBUN

FUKUOKA--One thing about meeting Yoshi Kuzume is that you can be pretty sure she'll give you a T-shirt.
It's her way of promoting peace. For the past two years, the university instructor has been spreading the pacifist message in Article 9 of Japan's Constitution by handing out T-shirts bearing the words--in Japanese on the front and English on the back

People need know that while Abe likes all things ultra conservative there is a large segment of the population who do not.

USA Patriot Act Karma

The Seoul Central District Court ruled on May 18 that a portal site should compensate others for damages if it does not take any action to tackle online replies written by Internet users for the purpose of discrediting someone.

This ruling will hold portal sites accountable for ignoring legal responsibilities for libel while virtually acting as the press by supplying news provided by the media. Therefore, the decision is expected to affect operators of Internet portals.

The presiding judge ruled against four portal sites in motion for compensation for damages amounting to 500 million won. The judge ruled that “Portals should give 16 million won to Mr. Kim,” who sued the sites insisting that, “I was damaged because they left online replies containing my personal information and articles defaming me on their websites.”

Always blame the provider for the wrong doings of others.

Stupid is as Stupid does Karma

By ASIT JOLLY

Chandigarh, May 19: The violence that spread like a contagion through the towns of Punjab in the wake of the confrontation between adherents of the Dera Sacha Sauda and Sikhs was greeted by masterful inaction on the part of the Punjab government, leading to speculation about its motives.

While the crisis was clearly precipitated by the Sacha Sauda chief when he appeared in newspaper advertisements dressed like Guru Gobind Singh, the deliberately slow response of the government in tackling the problem, many believe, is coloured by a desire to teach the Dera and its custodians a lesson for choosing to support the Congress in February’s Assembly elections.

Getting back at your political rivals in full public and legal view while using violence to do so.

Good Karma

CHENNAI: The 11 fishermen from Tamil Nadu, who returned to the Indian shores on Friday night after spending more than two months in the captivity of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, called on Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi at the Secretariat on Saturday.

Mr. Karunanidhi announced Rs.10,000 to each of the fishermen towards meeting their immediate requirements.

The fishermen, who were released in two batches of five and six, were brought from Rameswaram by road and presented before the Chief Minister.

A peaceful return.

Some Good Karma

Amid demonstrations staged by people in favor of and opposing the name change, the Chiang Kai-shek (CKS) Memorial Hall was officially renamed the National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall (國立台灣民主紀念館) yesterday.

The new plaque was unveiled by President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), who said the move symbolized an end to the country's authoritarian past.

"We're gathering here ... to bid goodbye to the old age and to show that we Taiwanese are all standing firmly behind the universal values of freedom, democracy and human rights," Chen said.

He also explained the significance of the date.

"Fifty-eight years ago, on this date, May 19, the Chinese Nationalist Party [KMT] regime ... officially declared martial law in Taiwan, which lasted 38 years," href="http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2007/05/20/2003361648">Chen said.

It's always nice to see a country confront its passed no matter how ugly it may be.
However you have to show respect for the gentleman who decided to drop his trousers in protest.

McClatchy's Iraq Bureau

Have you ever wondered what those Iraqi's who work for western news agencies think of America's invasion of there country

Leave

We are happy that we got rid of Saddam but we will never be happy to give away our country in return.

Sorry if our flesh harmed your knives... is that what they want us to say. Is this what they came for?

The failure of this invasion is a victory for FREEDOM and a defeat for radicals in U.S. and later in Iraq.

Order the troops to leave Mr. President. afraid for the safety and the future of this place... leave 20 thousands of your soldiers on both Iranian and Syrian borders and let us take over our own country. THIS COUNTRY WILL BE FREE... whether you take your troops out now or by the efforts of the good people of Iraq and America.

Now you know

News From All Over

Abe support rate rises to 43%; male backers outpace females

05/16/2007
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN

The support rate for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Cabinet recovered to 43 percent, buoyed especially by the increasing backing among men, according to a survey released Tuesday.

In the opinion poll conducted over the weekend by The Asahi Shimbun, the support rate was up by 3 percentage points from the previous survey in mid-April. The nonsupport rate for the Cabinet was 33 percent, a decrease from 38 percent in the previous survey.

What's surprising is that any one supports this fool who thinks the bad old days of the past are just wonderful.

Two Koreas Set for Cross-Border Train Test Run
The two Koreas hold ceremonies Thursday at Munsan Station in the South and Mt. Kumgang Station in the North before launching trial runs of cross-border trains. For the first time in half a century, trains will cross the Demilitarized Zone on the Gyeongui and Donghae lines, one headed for Kaesong in the North and the other for Jejin in the South.

Riding the rails of diplomacy to nowhere.

ULFA kills 3 more traders

Sushanta Talukdar

Death toll goes up to nine

Guwahati: Suspected militants of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) gunned down three more Hindi-speaking traders at Dergaon in upper Assam's Golaghat district on Wednesday.

Inspector-General of Police (Law and Order) D.K. Pathak told The Hindu that the militants gunned down two traders at Disoi Tiniali and the other at Ghiladhari around 7 p.m. The death toll in fresh attacks by the ULFA on Hindi-speaking people has gone up to nine with the police recovering one more body from Belbari under the Tengakhat police station in Dibrugarh district.

Earlier four bodies were recovered, while suspected ULFA rebels gunned down a trader at Borhat in neighbouring Sivasagar district.

Love your neighbor with all the hate you muster.

Police and Rangers did ‘good job’ in Karachi, says Aziz

* PM says no need for emergency or governor’s rule

KARACHI: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has categorically ruled out the imposition of a state of emergency or governor’s rule in Sindh and praised the police and Rangers for doing a “good job” in containing the volatile situation in Karachi.

“There is no need for an emergency or governor’s rule. The government is effectively bringing the situation under control,” he told the press after chairing a meeting on law and order at Governor’s House on Wednesday. “The government will not allow anyone to disturb the law and order situation. If any such activity takes place, we will certainly take action,” he said.

They did a wonderful job of making sure there was out of control violence.

German Police Declare No-go Zone for G8 Protestors
In a move criticised by left-wing groups, German authorities have said protestors will not be allowed near a Baltic Sea resort where G8 leaders will hold their June summit.

August Hanning, deputy interior minister, defended the decision by police to ban protests near the Baltic Sea resort of Heiligendamm during the Group of Eight summit of industrialized nations in June.

"As host of the G8 summit, we have a duty to do everything to protect our guests," Hanning told German public broadcaster ARD.

Making sure that Free Speech and the Freedom of Assembly are never far from the scrape heap of history.

Irate passengers set Constitución on fire


Several shops were destroyed amid the worst incidents at Constitución in 15 years.
Some of the injured also suffered from smoke inhalation as passengers of the former Roca line set fire to train facilities causing severe damage, and even clashed with police in a pitched battle after a train was stuck near Constitución at about 5pm. The Metropolitanos train concessionaire said that the stranded train prevented several departures from Constitución.

What would these passengers due if there was a real emergency? Kill all those might help in a rescue?

Militants bomb VP-elect’s home

•4 policemen killed •Explosion rocks Yenagoa

DENNIS NAKU, Yenagoa

ESCALATING militancy in the oil-rich Niger-Delta region yesterday assumed a frightening dimension, when unidentified gunmen bombed and destroyed the country home of vice-president-elect, Goodluck Jonathan in Otuoke, Bayelsa State, killing four policemen.

Similarly, an explosion rocked Barrat Hotel in the state capital Yenagoa, said to be owned by deputy speaker of the state Assembly, Bright Ereware, on Tuesday night, causing pandemonium as people ran for their lives.

In Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, a child whose identity is yet to be established as at press time was said to have been abducted by unknown gunmen.

Police said Jonathan’s house was partially destroyed and that the attackers also blew up a nearby police station leading to the death of two policemen.

Oh We Just Love the News

Uncle Dick Goes To Iraq

BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney met Iraqi leaders on Wednesday during an unannounced visit to Baghdad, and was expected to press for more progress in meeting political benchmarks aimed at ending sectarian violence.

So far no ones been shot in The Face
Dick gets yet another military Deferment.
He's also there to tell all parties that they should Work Together.
This from the same bunch that tried to create a single party state in America.

Thinking of Immigrating To America.

U.S. immigration officials sedated two foreign nationals against their will during failed attempts to deport them in Los Angeles, the men and their attorneys said Tuesday.

Indonesian immigrant Raymond Soeoth, 38, who was appealing his case for political asylum, was sedated with antipsychotic drugs in December 2004 at a San Pedro detention facility; Senegal immigrant Amadou Diouf, 31, also pursuing an appeal for permanent legal status, was medicated in February 2006 while on a commercial plane at Los Angeles International Airport, according to both men and the medical files they said they obtained from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

You had better hope they don't to deport Your Ass. Why?
Because your trip libel to start long before you board the plane.

Would You Like To Take Boxing Lessons?

Legislators in Taiwan threw punches, sprayed water and wrestled violently, in a row over an electoral reform bill.

The brawl broke out when more than 24 members of parliament from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) stormed the Speaker's podium.

They were trying to stop the Speaker addressing the bill, and accuse the opposition of delaying the 2007 budget.

That's right just become a member of the Taiwanese Parliament and you'll soon be a boxing legend and world champion. Good Luck

Bad Karma

Despite a massive infusion of taxpayers' money, all nine ex-Greenpia pension-funded resorts bled red ink in the first fiscal year after reopening, The Asahi Shimbun has learned.

At eight facilities, local governments have spent a combined 854.86 million yen to help the struggling facilities get back on their feet.

The earnings results released by six of the facilities showed that accumulated losses totaled 690.55 million yen in fiscal 2006.

Your taxes at work. Money thrown down the pit all in a vain attempt to somehow turn Straw into Gold.

Bad Karma

Japan's shoreline is awash with trash. Estimated refuse from late October to early December last year came to some 26,000 tons, the equivalent of three days' worth of garbage produced by Tokyo's 23 wards.

A nationwide survey by the land and agriculture ministries turned up a total volume of about 148,000 cubic meters of shoreline trash nationwide.

Talk about loving nature. Loving it so much that you kill it. After all everyone one knows what all that sand was meant for a Public Landfill.

Taking a Break from the Karma

Overpaid, underachieving Osaka cops scoop 'Japan's worst police force' title
Osaka Prefecture's cops are the worst in the country, with data showing that they're not worth the money taxpayers are footing for them, according to Flash (5/8-15).

The men's weekly looked at each of Japan's 47 prefectural police forces and tried to determine whether they were worth what they are paid.

Used to calculate the findings were four factors - arrest rates, police costs per capita, average salary and number of public scandals reported

Osaka just pipped Tokyo to take the dubious title, its 16.9 percent arrest rate among the lowest in Japan even though its pay and police costs trailed only the capital as the highest in the country

Well: At least you know the public is getting its moneys worth in Osaka with those highly trained Keystone Cops

Good Karma

A 29-year-old former female employee of a software game developer won a lawsuit against her boss, who forced her to go out drinking after work. The Seoul High Court ruled yesterday that the 38-year-old boss should pay the woman 30 million won ($32,342) in compensation.
On the first day she joined the company in April 2004, she was forced to drink at a welcome party with her coworkers. She repeatedly turned down the alcohol, and her boss said she could ask a male coworker to drink for her, but she had to kiss the man in return. She said she had no choice but to drink three shots of soju.

While it wont stop these types of parties all together perhaps with this ruling these fools will think twice: Maybe they will even think once. That's asking an awful lot of idiots.

Really Good Karma U.S. President George W. Bush's approval rating has hit an all time low 28%. You're the man George don't give-up I know you can drive it lower.

Six Party Talks Commentary

In 1994 the Clinton Administration discovered that North Korea was about to remove fuel rods from its reactor at Yongbyon which if repossessed could be used to construct nuclear weapons. Alarmed the Clinton Administration considered taking military action against the North Koreans believing that the program must be contained. In South Korea the government of President Kim Young-sam sought to dis-sway the U.S. from taking unilateral military action against the North Koreans knowing it would lead to a new Korean war destroying not only the north but the south as well, a long with the south's vibrant economy.


Even though the Clinton Administration believed that North Korea's removal of the fuel rods possessed a threat to the stability of Northeast Asia a threat which should be contained they were able to take a step back and consider other options. Former President Jimmy Carter provided one of the options. He persuaded the Clinton Administration to send him on a diplomatic mission to North Korea in the hope that that he could negotiate a favorable outcome to the current crisis. President Carter met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and was able to negotiate what would become known as the Agreed Framework. Under the agreement the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) was established. KEDO would under the agreement construct two light water reactors to replace those under construction and the one in that was already in use. They would also provide heavy fuel oil as part of the agreement until such time as the two new reactors were brought on line.

Dealing with North Korea is at best difficult usually bordering on the impossible because you can never be sure that their stated goals or positions will remain the same. Negotiations have taken place in which those representing the North have had no power to implement any agreements that might be reached or have the ability to contact those who do. For all of that the countries of Northeast Asia have continued to deal with the North Koreans at various levels when they had every reason not to.
Japan continued to have government to government contacts with the North Koreans even though they have test fired missiles with flight paths that took them over Japanese territory and kidnapped Japanese citizens.

South Korea which has had some real problems with the North in the past has never cut-off contact. Even though the North Koreans have made military incursions into the South, kidnapped an estimated 3,000 South Korean citizens, assassinated defectors in the South and have been involved in terrorist attacks against South Korean interests.

So after George Bush is anointed President of the United States by your Supreme Court; as one would expect the new Bush Administration's foreign policy will take a different tact from that of President Clinton's. So opposite in fact that diplomatic engagement seems to have been thrown on the trash heap of history. George Bush's State of the Union address in January of 2002 reveals just how bellicose, arrogant and blinded they are about how one views the world. They see the world in strict black and white, good and evil terms which would be fine if that was how the world really was. During the speech he reveals that North Korea, Iran and Iraq belong to an Axis of Evil and cannot be dealt with through diplomacy they must be ignored. Which is exactly what they do with North Korea for almost 2 years after the Agreed Framework falls apart in 2003 with the revelation that the North Koreans have started reprocessing nuclear fuel from their reactor. (There had been little or no contact between the two governments even before this happened)

When the Six Party Talks begin little is accomplished except for each side accusing the other of not negotiating in good faith. Even when an agreement is reached in the fall of 2005 it dies even before it can be implemented. 2006 proves to be no better than 2005 in terms of reaching any type of agreement on North Korea's nuclear programme. On July 4 North Korea test fires a series of missiles which land in various parts of the Pacific ocean. Then in October North Korea detonates an underground nuclear device to prove to the world they do indeed have nuclear weapons.
Six Party Talks resumed in December of last year with further talks held between the two parties in Berlin this past January.

Two days ago in Beijing a preliminary agreement was reached between all parties on the future of North Korea's nuclear programme.

A day after the accord was brokered, requiring the North to shut its main nuclear reactor in return for food and fuel assistance, the South Korean government invited North Korea to resume ministerial talks suspended after its nuclear test last October. Seoul announced that officials from both sides had agreed to meet Thursday in Kaesong, just north of the demilitarized zone.

Is there in any difference between the agreement now in place and the one negotiated 1994 with the Clinton Administration? Very little.

For all of the Bush Administrations pronouncements concerning this issue. Like their unwillingness to participate in direct talks with North Korea. Naming them as a member of the Axis of Evil. Freezing of their bank accounts in Macao, accusing President Clinton of rewarding bad behaviour, this administration just reached agreement with the North Koreans that as stated takes this issue right back to 1994 and the Agreed Framework thanks to six years of arrogance and stupidity by the Bushies. When if they had just done this in the beginning North Korea would probably not possess nuclear weapons today.

The American Media and Asia

America is of course the singular most influential country in the world and has been so for almost 100 years. American influence extends beyond politics and economics to include the media in its various forms. Where does Asia become part of the equation in what is reported on by the various news organizations in that country. Are hard news stories covered? Yes. As are the various forms of popular culture. The question then becomes which is most widely reported? Hard news or news about popular culture?


So, why the question? Because the reality of the situation isn't very good. Most media outlet's in America tend to ignore Asia when it comes to hard news unless it has to do with Lil Kim flipping missiles into the western Pacific or a major disaster has taken place such as the Asian tsunami in December of 2004.

Last Sunday the New York Times published a story on its front page about Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency and its alleged support for the Taliban and of harboring former Taliban leaders in Pakistan. From the reactions of not only the mainstream media but of bloggers in America one would have thought that these were the first revelations of the ISI's involvement with the Taliban. Which of course isn't the case. Pakistan's ISI involvement with the internal affairs of Afghanistan began shortly after the former Soviet Union invaded in an attempt to shore-up Afghanistan's Communist government. Their support of the Mujahideen through cash and weapons transfers would lead to the development of the Taliban.

Pakistan's involvement with the Taliban isn't the only hard news story either under reported or just ignored by the media in America.

In the Indian state of Assam during the first weekend of January the United Liberation Front of Asom carried out a series of attacks against Hindi speaking laborers in the state leaving more than 70 people dead. The ULFA has been fighting a separatist war against India since 1976. One of their main goals besides independence from India is the forced removal of all non-native peoples from the state. The ULFA has continued these attacks through bombings as well as with small arms fire. In addition they have begun targeting members of India's Congress party which holds the reigns of political power in the state.

How many people know that China is participating in President George Bush's War On Terror? Not many. Where is China taking the fight to the worlds terrorists? In northwestern China against the Uyghur's who are Muslims and live in the Provence of Xinjiang.

The attack by the Chinese Police on the alleged terrorist camp left 18 Uighur's and one Chinese policeman dead. It's the claim the of the Chinese government that the attack on the camp is part of the War On Terror as mentioned even though this has been an on going problem since 1998 with the Uighur's claiming wide scale abuse at the hands of the government, the army and security forces. They are also alarmed at the large influx of Han Chinese which has happened through the encouragement of the central government. Further evidence that other countries view the situation in Xijiang with alarm comes from the U.S. governments release of 5 Uighur's from Guantanamo Bay who had been held there since their capture in Afghanistan. Afraid that they would be imprisoned and tortured by Chinese authorities the American government instead sent them to Albania where they now live.

The above stories are important not only because they give Americans a window on to the world but because of the effects they can or will have on American policy. If Pakistan is one of America's staunchest allies in the War On Terror then why have there been continuous reports in the Asian media about Pakistan's ISI's involvement with the Taliban? In the cases of Assam in India and Xijiang in China further unrest could lead to regional conflicts because the populations of both states are not limited to that particular geographic location.

Instead of reporting on these types of stories on a regular basis the American media tends to focus on stories about Asian cultures. Should these kinds of stories be featured in American newspapers and other media outlet's of course. As, we all have a need to learn about the worlds cultures. The question is why are these stories given more importance than those first written about? Here is an example.

TOKYO ? Tomoaki Kurita presides over racks of cellphones lined up outside his shop on a busy sidewalk in Harajuku, Tokyo's catwalk of youth street culture where people attracted by the riot of phone options can stop to flip open and fondle the latest models of what the Japanese call keitai.

This story appeared on the front page of the Los Angeles Times after Apple Inc. announced the release of its i-phone.
Was the story interesting in showing the comparisons between Japanese and American mobile phones yes. Was it really worth putting on the front page of one of America's major newspapers? No. Because when comes down to it there is such a huge difference between these phones that you really can't compare one to the other.

The world does not exist in a vacuum no matter how much people would like to believe it does. Is America the most important country in the world yes. It isn't the only country in the world. Just as it isn't the only place in the world where news occurs. If you insist upon the world paying attention you you should pay attention to the rest of the world.