Notice of Night Construction WorkOh, no. They're coming back 2 work 2... a Sarah Palin and a Joe the Plumber.
Working from 8pm through 6am next week. Nice.
2/08/2009
Sleepless in Tokyo (Not Seattle)
Notice of Night Construction WorkOh, no. They're coming back 2 work 2... a Sarah Palin and a Joe the Plumber.
Working from 8pm through 6am next week. Nice.
2/07/2009
Back 2 Work
It's been 2 weeks since I started a new job. To simply put, my job is to predict the unpredictable. It ain't fortune-telling, though! In other words, the mission of my company is, to promote international trade and investment by helping customers, mostly Japanese enterprises, manage political and commercial risks in international business.
It's great to be working such a company when the world economy is in a once-in-a-century trouble and the importance of risk management is mounted more than ever. I haven't yet analyzed such risks as do my colleagues, but so far I have found more similarities than differences from my previous job. And my previous employer is one of the biggest customers.
After the first two weeks, I still have a lot to learn. Need more time and effort to enhance my expertise. What I have learned so far is how to cope with sleepiness. I've been getting back my acting skills as well. Wonder what the skills are for? Well, it's useful for pretending to be working hard! :)
Now I'm thinking to start learning tarot card or casino. :P
Any suggestions?
c'est la vie. et les affaires aussi.
It's great to be working such a company when the world economy is in a once-in-a-century trouble and the importance of risk management is mounted more than ever. I haven't yet analyzed such risks as do my colleagues, but so far I have found more similarities than differences from my previous job. And my previous employer is one of the biggest customers.
After the first two weeks, I still have a lot to learn. Need more time and effort to enhance my expertise. What I have learned so far is how to cope with sleepiness. I've been getting back my acting skills as well. Wonder what the skills are for? Well, it's useful for pretending to be working hard! :)
Now I'm thinking to start learning tarot card or casino. :P
Any suggestions?
Still talking 'bout Steel
The world has been keeping its eyes on those "Steelers" at the Capitol Hill who try to make the last minute touchdown by including a Buy-American (iron and steel) provision in its economic stimulus package. We'll wait and see whether they are as good as Pittsburgh Steelers that made it at last Sunday's Super Bowl. If the bill includes such a provision, other countries are most likely to retaliate with "Bye American". They are neither "Bestbuy" nor "Good-bye".
The shifts to protectionism is mounted all over the world. The increases in tariff and of government loan/guarantee are here and there. Professor Paul Krugman, a laureate of the latest Nobel prize in Economics, also discusses the benefits of "protectionism", but only when some specifications (contained, short-run one during a global liquidity trap) meet. The news reports from Davos in the past one week were colored by the criticisms on American capitalism for spreading the financial crisis.
Yet, fewer reports highlighted Putin's speech in his blame on the U.S. than in his remarks on the importance of economic liberalization. Interestingly enough, the premier emphasized the importance of free trade and so on. It's a bit self-contradictory while observing his country having increased its tariff on car imports and the state interventions in Sakhalin gas projects. Still, it's obvious the world needs market economy and the U.S. to come back with a solid, economic growth.
It's been a while since the Iron Maiden has gone. Now where is the "Iron Man" who save the world?
The shifts to protectionism is mounted all over the world. The increases in tariff and of government loan/guarantee are here and there. Professor Paul Krugman, a laureate of the latest Nobel prize in Economics, also discusses the benefits of "protectionism", but only when some specifications (contained, short-run one during a global liquidity trap) meet. The news reports from Davos in the past one week were colored by the criticisms on American capitalism for spreading the financial crisis.
Yet, fewer reports highlighted Putin's speech in his blame on the U.S. than in his remarks on the importance of economic liberalization. Interestingly enough, the premier emphasized the importance of free trade and so on. It's a bit self-contradictory while observing his country having increased its tariff on car imports and the state interventions in Sakhalin gas projects. Still, it's obvious the world needs market economy and the U.S. to come back with a solid, economic growth.
It's been a while since the Iron Maiden has gone. Now where is the "Iron Man" who save the world?
1/31/2009
Fit for Office?!
After a long, long coffee break, I'm back to work now.
Ever since I quit my job, Nikkei dropped by approx. 40%; Sony, Toyota and numerous, other companies announced thousands of jobcuts each. The unemployment in Japan has been up to 3 million, or by 0.5% to 4.4% last December. For those living in a country with unumployment rate of 6% or higher, the figure isn't that impressive, but this is the highest monthly jump in 41 years. Economic outlook is so dim that IMF has just lowered Japan's GDP growth rate in 2009 to -2.6%. Given such circumstances, I'm grateful to my employer for giving me this job opportunity.
I'm not as "fit for office" as Obama. From Day One, the new president of the U.S.A. immediately implemented his new policies by shutting down the Guantanamo Bay detention camp and working on $800 billion sitmulus package. On the other hand, I did nothing but greeting my new colleagues and reading some employee manuals on my first day. Still, I felt extremely exhausted. Hopefully, I'm fit to work physically like Obama's shirtless photo in Hawaii, though.
After only a week at a new office, it's hard to say I'm fit to the job, and able to get along with my colleagues (esp. my boss). At least the business is quite similar to my previous job, and the people are likable. I'm doing my best to be more polite and more respectful than usual. After all, one thing for sure: weekend's coffee break is, priceless even though such a break is far shorter than that long, long one.
Ever since I quit my job, Nikkei dropped by approx. 40%; Sony, Toyota and numerous, other companies announced thousands of jobcuts each. The unemployment in Japan has been up to 3 million, or by 0.5% to 4.4% last December. For those living in a country with unumployment rate of 6% or higher, the figure isn't that impressive, but this is the highest monthly jump in 41 years. Economic outlook is so dim that IMF has just lowered Japan's GDP growth rate in 2009 to -2.6%. Given such circumstances, I'm grateful to my employer for giving me this job opportunity.
I'm not as "fit for office" as Obama. From Day One, the new president of the U.S.A. immediately implemented his new policies by shutting down the Guantanamo Bay detention camp and working on $800 billion sitmulus package. On the other hand, I did nothing but greeting my new colleagues and reading some employee manuals on my first day. Still, I felt extremely exhausted. Hopefully, I'm fit to work physically like Obama's shirtless photo in Hawaii, though.
After only a week at a new office, it's hard to say I'm fit to the job, and able to get along with my colleagues (esp. my boss). At least the business is quite similar to my previous job, and the people are likable. I'm doing my best to be more polite and more respectful than usual. After all, one thing for sure: weekend's coffee break is, priceless even though such a break is far shorter than that long, long one.
1/14/2009
Thank You for Reminding
As a Japanese, I'm used to an earthquake. It's a part of our daily life. We have been trained how to escape and protect ourselves since six. But, this one is enough.
It was the last week of 2008 when a group of workers drilled and paved the nearby roads at day and night. A night! Every single night for a week!! Thanks to their hard work, our apartment was shaking and the windows vibrating. The shake and the noise of drilling sometimes woke me up at 3am.
As a descendant of patient samurais, I endured that, hoping for a happy, peaceful new year. I was wrong. They're back to my neighborhood again. A couple of days ago, a flyer was slipped into my mail box. It says they are laying a new underground water pipes. Drilling again!!
It was the last week of 2008 when a group of workers drilled and paved the nearby roads at day and night. A night! Every single night for a week!! Thanks to their hard work, our apartment was shaking and the windows vibrating. The shake and the noise of drilling sometimes woke me up at 3am.
As a descendant of patient samurais, I endured that, hoping for a happy, peaceful new year. I was wrong. They're back to my neighborhood again. A couple of days ago, a flyer was slipped into my mail box. It says they are laying a new underground water pipes. Drilling again!!
Bring in Da Noise
They are unwelcome Santa Clauses, coming back every year and doing similar work. A couple of years ago, the roads were paved neatly. Then, somebody else came to lay water pipes or something just in a year. So, the roads are a mess now. I wonder why they can't do all the work at once.
Bring in Da Bump
A civil servant once said all these constructions around this time of year has one specific purpose: spending the money to keep up with their budget. Otherwise, the budget will be cut next year.
Yet, this time it might have anothe objective: a reminder for us a week before Barack Obama's inauguration. George Bush is still in White House, but everyone's eyes are on Obama. John McCain was always (if not sometimes) in a top news story just until a couple of months ago. Now nobody wonder where and how Sarah Palin and Joe the Plumber are. Well, here they are! The female mayor (no governor) of my city must be a wanna-be Sarah Palin with the same slogan "drill, drill, drill!!" Joe the plumber and his friends are her big supporters laying water pipes. Sadly, the mayor's initiative is neiher for profit-making nor for national security.
1/04/2009
スタバカ日誌 - Bean Around -
A friend of mine told me the other day that Starbucks' Christmas Blend is getting worse year by year. I totally agreed with her. Last month I tried not to order drip coffee of the blend. But, it's not the only problem. Seemingly baristas don't know how to brew good, tasty coffee lately (I'll discuss it later).
Now Christmas is over, and I assumed I would have no more problems with that lousy blend. Until next December at least. I was too optimistic. The blend is still around with a different label: "Holiday Blend". I haven't specifically checked it, but it tastes almost same with the awful Christmas Blend.
Last year we, Japanese, were shocked by such news reports that meat processors labelled a different meat and food packers changed expiration dates and origins. I'm not saying that the specialty coffee brewer is making the same fraud. But, I am just disappointed. The only good news for now is that Starbucks stopped playing all those Xmas songs.
Now Christmas is over, and I assumed I would have no more problems with that lousy blend. Until next December at least. I was too optimistic. The blend is still around with a different label: "Holiday Blend". I haven't specifically checked it, but it tastes almost same with the awful Christmas Blend.
Last year we, Japanese, were shocked by such news reports that meat processors labelled a different meat and food packers changed expiration dates and origins. I'm not saying that the specialty coffee brewer is making the same fraud. But, I am just disappointed. The only good news for now is that Starbucks stopped playing all those Xmas songs.
1/02/2009
スタバカ日誌 - Caffeine and the Effects -
"Who the hell do you think I am?!"
Everybody at a coffee shop turned where the yell came from. A woman sat with her arms folded across her chest. She was staring at a man in front of her.
Perhaps it wasn't exactly what she said, but it seemed to me that's what she meant to say. She was blaming loudly on her fiancé that he gave her only a gift for her B Day and Xmas, and also that he booked their wedding without asking her schedule. In the end, the hysteric lady even mentioned he's got to cancel their wedding and to pay all the costs.
Everybody at a coffee shop turned where the yell came from. A woman sat with her arms folded across her chest. She was staring at a man in front of her.
Perhaps it wasn't exactly what she said, but it seemed to me that's what she meant to say. She was blaming loudly on her fiancé that he gave her only a gift for her B Day and Xmas, and also that he booked their wedding without asking her schedule. In the end, the hysteric lady even mentioned he's got to cancel their wedding and to pay all the costs.
spitfire
I wanted to advise them, "why don't you drink a cup of coffee first?" Cold coffee tastes lousy. A drip of caffeine only makes this fabulous, stylish, gorgeous fashion model-like girl even more untouchable, but it does have some effect on her boyfriend to relieve his pain: the pain of heartbreak. Or they shouldn't come to a Starbucks shop in the first place. That's why it is dubbed "the third place" not a battle field. Caffeine only helped flame on her anger.
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