happylife

Reversal of the exchange rates

The exchange rate between Canadian dollar and the U.S. dollar has finally reversed; Canadian dollar is now more expensive than the U.S. dollar. I know that the exchange rate depends on the law of supply and demand and a lot of factors affect it; it's too complicated for me to understand, but as for me, I simply feel that the higher the currency, the stronger and richer the country. The U.S. dollar is getting lower and lower because of the war while Canadian dollar is increasing its value. Euro is keeping its value high while Japanese Yen is unreasonably low affected by the cheap U.S. dollar. European countries are like matured people who are older but wiser. Young American have more energy but they are wasting most of them for stupid wars while Canadian, who is a little bit wiser than his neighbor, is growing into the adult group of European countries. How about Japanese? Well, he is getting weaker as the follower of American. You might think this is a stupid idea full of bias, but I think that the international relationship is just the same as the human relationship in a small school class.

A delicate situation

I visited Camp Obihiro Sunday afternoon to watch the demonstrations of the Self-defense Force. Although it was reduced from a division to a brigade a few years ago, they still have a lot of arms including tanks, armored vehicles, rocket launchers and helicopters. It was an exciting demonstration and to tell the truth, I enjoyed it just like the fireworks festival. Most of the visitors were families with children and they seemed to enjoy more than I. Fortunately, we Japanese has not been involved in any wars for more than 60 years since the last war and most of us do not actually know what war is, but it is never guaranteed that this happiness continues forever. Against the will of most people and even the constitution, we have the 4th or 5th largest forces in the world and the government, which is now the hawks, seems to like to change Japan more militant. Sure, I know our delicate situation; we are largely counting on the U.S. which needs war to satisfy the domestic, wasteful oil demand and China is rapidly developing and may someday come into conflict with other countries including the U.S. It seems to be difficult to keep the present peaceful situations forever, but it mustn't be impossible to do it, or we shall be ruined altogether.

The National election in Japan

The National Diet of Japan consists of two assemblies; the House of Councilors and the House of Representatives. The former group is made of 242 members who are elected from the whole country and each half of the members are reelected every three years. The election is scheduled next weekend and therefore it is a little bit noisy in Japan these days. Politician's scandals are reported almost every day and speeches are made at any street corners. The major subject is about the pension problem which has been failed by the long, systematic injustice and negligence by the corrupted Social Insurance Agency. Most people are thing that it is the abuse of the long lasting Government party's autocracy and it is expected that the Government party is defeated by the weak nongovernment parties. I'm by and large in favor of this idea and I was thinking about voting. However, I found that I can't do that as I don't have the right of voting this time because I came back to Japan not more than three months ago.

Warped economics

Canadian dollar is now skyrocketing, especially to Japanese yen. It has accelerated since I came back to Tokyo. Fortunately or unfortunately, my decision to leave Vancouver was right; if I stayed there I would have wasted my money a lot. For example, the gas price in Vancouver was 70 cents per liter and the exchange rate was 70 yen for 1 Canadian dollar four years ago. It is now 1.20 dollars per liter and 116 yen for 1 Canadian dollar. It means that the gas price has increased almost 2.5 times just in four years. Most other things are in the similar conditions; everything is expensive and Vancouver is not an easy-to-live city any more. The Olympic Games in 2010 is one of the reason, but I think the bigger reason is on the Japan side. Although the Japanese government says that our economy is in good conditions, the interest rate cannot be raised because the economy is not so good in fact. Toyota has recorded the biggest sale, but it is a trick based on the extremely low exchange rate. Japanese yen is now too much underestimated and we will be facing a terrible backlash someday soon.

Advanced DST

Daylight Saving Time is a confusing rule which affects our daily life by shifting time. It is said that energy can be saved because people get up and go to bed earlier in summer seasons. In my opinion, DST is not so effective and the defect is bigger. I don't get up eariler and stay up late whether it is in effect or not. Under the bubble economy in Vancouver, more and more shops have expanded their business hours and people have got accustomed to staying up until midnight. I think it's better to prohibit all the shops open after midnight in order to save energy. What is most confusing about DST is that the rules are different in countries or regions and they sometimes vary. I can't believe that In some areas, 30 minute shift is adopted and 20 minute shift used to be adopted. I hear that DST is going to start three weeks eariler this year than usual in most regions of North America while not in South America. It is going to create three types of time differences for example between Vancouver and Chile. What a confusing and stupid situation! Anyway, the advanced DST is going to start next Sunday in Vancouver and I had to install a new software on my PDA. I have to adjust some built-in clocks in electronic appliances by that time.

Gun amnesty program

It's a kind of "Be honest and you won't be punished" campaign for illegal gun possessors. You will be allowed even if you had illegal firearms, if you voluntarily surrender them to the police for safe disposal. According to the local news, this campaign worked well and the government could collect more than one thousand firearms including a rocket launcher who was possessed by an old woman. As you know, guns are nothing but evil things, and Canada and its people are still sane because they can dispose guns by themselves. It's quite different from the neighbor country which forces other countries in middle east to dispose firearms while the country cannot disarm itself forever.

Big money

According to the news, the world's second richest man, Wallen Buffet is going to give most of his money to the world's richest man, Bill Gates who has just announced to resign Microsoft's CEO in two years and to devote himself to his foundation. Big money has the character to earn money was true here. Anyway, I don't like Gates and his Microsoft, but I can't deny the fact that he is a great businessman. Of course the work as a huge fund manager or investor must be different from those of a businessman, but I think I can expect him much better than other fishy funds or Japan's ODA. If his second job would work well and HIV/AIDS would be rooted out, I might get to like him.

Transportation conditions

Owing to the raise of the oil price, motorcycles are getting popular in Vancouver. I can see at least seven motorcycles in my parking lot. Of course the number is way less than in Tokyo, it is steadily increasing. From the view of a rider in Japan, Canadian riders are so polite that they wouldn't force themselves past other cars, which is of course a very dangerous manner, but it is inevitable at times if the traffic was busy. It's almost impossible to ride after other congested vehicles, if there is a room wide enough for your motorcycle to pass through. The more motorcycles with the busier traffic would cause the more traffic accidents related to motorcycles. Anyway, I found an interesting video of India driving. I really feel lucky because I'm not in India.

News in Japan

A lot of things are happening every day all around the world. Of course it's impossible to report all of them in any kind of media such as TV, newspaper, and the Internet, but I think the media in Japan is strange, even dangerous. It's full of bias because it gets often painted in one color if something shocking or curious happens. One famous, young president was arrested for fraud against the stock market in the beginning of this week. He had been one of the most popular guy in Japan appearing on TV almost every day just like a TV star, but he is now the most notorious suspect behind bars. The problem is that more than half of all the news in Japan are now occupied with his story. Any media are reporting repeatedly the same topic about him, including the information about his life in jail, how he and his company cheated the market, and so on. It's nothing but a gossip show. I don't think this matter is so important and there must be other more important affairs happening around the world. I don't know when and how the media in Japan graduate from this third-rate position.

Holiday is not a holly day

This is my first Christmas in Vancouver though I came here almost three years ago. I usually stay in Japan in this season, but this year, I'm still here in Vancouver and having my first Christmas. I think the Christmas is literally a holly day in Vancouver. Most people seem to take a vacation and live with their own family in their own home. I was surprised to see that even McDonald's was closed. The whole city is very quiet and filled with holy atmosphere. On the other hand in Japan, Christmas is used more in commercial way than in religious way. People spend lots of money for shopping, and cities get very noisy. When I was a student, Japan's economics was excessively good and people were excited about spending incredible money for the Christmas. Most gorgeous hotel rooms were reserved on Christmas Eve by young couples. They were so busy that some rooms were reserved almost one year before. It was incredible and it isn't so exciting now, but it is still noisy and I hate the Christmas in Japan. I'm happy to have such quiet Christmas.