My opinion of this week(338):

Interesting features of PC drawing

In the past two session of MPC (Murayama PC Club), we enjoyed drawing
some simple objects such as truck and house by using Paint installed
in Windows. It seemed that every participants of the club enjoyed them
one way or the other. Several tools such as drawing line, square,
circle, pencil, painting brush, etc.  and some drawing functions such
as auto color filling, brushing and softening effect, etc. are used
in PC drawing.  

Even to draw such a simple picture, there are hundred ways and steps, 
when it comes drawing by PC. They completely differ each other by people.
People have different capabilities and sense even to draw such a simple
picture. Some try to draw it as rational as possible in short
period of time by using several tools and function of paint soft. Some
draw it by using only drawing brush just like ordinal painting. 

The process of drawing picture by PC is somewhat different from writing
sentences by using word processor. They are different intelligent work
in every sense. In order to draw even such a simple picture, very
different intelligent works are necessary. When it comes drawing landscape
and still life, some more artworks and all sort of intelligence and
sense will be necessary which are very integrated work of left and right
brains.

I used to have no talent and aptitude for drawing. The same way today.
But I started to have a great interest and aptitude for painting since
I began to make home page in internet. Some illustrations were always 
necessary to make home page presentation. I used several free materials
or those sold at software shops. But I tried to draw some of them by 
myself even though they were not quite good and original. But important
fact was that several techniques and drawing talents were studied in 
those process in the past several years. Most important of all, I kept 
having a bigger motive to draw better picture. 

I will continue to try to draw better ones. I will learn to draw some 
landscape and life still pictures from now on. 

Two weeks ago, I wrote about my challenge to play 1000 piano pieces
in my life time. That's a big word. I have another one that is  drawing 
1000 pieces of pictures in my life time. 

Whether they are good or not is not big matter. Process for challenging
for such targets is important. I am very happy to have such interest and
motives in my PC life.

2003/10/4
Tadashi HAYASE

My opinion of this week(339):

Change of President of Public Road Corporation

On last Sunday of October 5th, Nobuteru Ishihara, Minister of National Land 
and Transportation Ministry called Fujii, President of Japan Public Road 
Corporation to make voluntary questioning concerning several pending issues.
Isihara's intention was to prepare necessary step to let him quit from the
position. The reason why Ishihara  selected this day is quite obvious. 
There was an unification ceremony of Democratic Party and Liberal Party on 
that day. Koizumi cabinet tried to make a big topic by it and to decrease 
the value of that topic of other party by creating another topic by 
themselves. 

Their strategy seemed to make a big success since the news were reported in
the top headline in many mass media. At the same time, Koizumi camp tried to 
show how they are proceeding their important policies such as privatization
of Public Road Corporation to people at this moment when general election
is going to be made soon.

Ironically speaking, however, Minister Ishihara was in trouble after this 
interview. President Fujii refused to resign from the position on voluntary
basis. Hearing that news report , I guessed  Minister Ishihara would quickly
make up his mind to dismiss Fujii from the position. But he did not do it. 
Exactly speaking, he could not do it for he had to take another procedure 
before dismissing him from the position. 

A personal hearing with Fujii is to be made to investigate several rational
reasons for dismissal. He could even appeal to a court if he will not agree
with the reason for the dismissal. 

Oh, no! I am quite surprised when I heard it. If it is a private corporation,
dismissal of any top executives including president is not so difficult as 
far as there were several reasonable reason and background. If any executives
could not attain the targets that they promised to attain to shareholders or
board of directors, they will be dismissed for that reason in many cases. No
other reason are necessary.

As far as such public corporation or public sector organization, there are
no targets or commitments for their sponsors or for upper organization. No
concrete or numerical targets or commitment exist in any cases. They are not
accused at all even though they made a big loss in their business operation
including this road corporation. That will not be the reason for dismissal 
from the position. Oh, my god ! I roared myself again.

This is the world they live. Were there any mass media that criticize such
unreasonable fact about public corporation although they report how Minister
Ishihara would proceed some necessary step to let Fujii quit from the 
position? The question is whether or not Fujii has ever tried to make any
financial statements such as balance sheet and P/L. The question is why
has his performance never been evaluated by financial statements.

What a strange world it is!

2003/10/11
Tadashi HAYASE

My　opinion of this week(340):

Japan series and World Series

I imagined that top news of NHK TV news of last night would be the
visit of President Bush to Japan. Second one would be the public hearing
from President Fujii of Nihon Road Public Corporation. Contrary to
my expectation, the top news was not either two. The victory of New 
York Yankees to World Series was one as a matter of fact. 

The reason why that became the top news is obvious, of course. It is
because of Hideki Matui who has done such a good job through out the
league season and post season games. Among so many important news in 
politics and other social matters, topics on baseball in US has become 
headline in Japanese TV. But I don't think it strange at all. It is a 
kind of good phenomenon in Japanese society in a way.

There was little chance to see Major league games in US decade ago. But
since several Japanese ball players such as Nomo, Sasaki, Ichiro, etc. 
started performing good play in major leagues, we have had a lot of 
chance to see major league games in Japanese TV. Performance of those 
Japanese players has hit the headline in Japanese TV in many occasions
in along with many other domestic and international news. 

I personally have never thought that they are merely news of sport events.
They are important social news in along with many other political and
social news. 

They are the news on pure competitive world different from fishy and
devious world of politics and business. Sports are entirely open and
fair competitive world as we see in base ball and soccer. Japanese 
professional baseball have lost some popularity due to good performance
of Japanese ball players in Major league. It may be a necessary step for
Japanese professional baseball teams to change for survival.

Japan series is starting today in Fukuoka. But it has been overshadowed by
the world series in US starting on Sunday. In order for Japan series to 
regain more popularity, it seems that total Japanese professional league
must make more structural reform in many ways. They must become more open
by removing the rule of limiting foreign players for three or so ,for 
example.

Japan Base Ball League must participate in World Series. The question
is how they can accomplish it. In many respects, it is a common topic for
many other fields in Japan such as business and academic worlds which are
still closed in nature internationally. 

2003/10/18
Tadashi HAYASE

My opinion of this week(341):

Obligation to protect official secrets 

President Fujii of Japan Public Road Corporation has finally been
removed from the position. The former President is going to appeal
for the court concerning the validity of the judgment made by 
N. Ishihara, Minister of National Land and Transportation Ministry.
It is expected there will be some big effect on going general election
campaign.

At the news conference , Minister Ishihara explained that he would
not provide any assurance to the request made by Fujii. Fujii and 
his lawyer requested to Ishihara to guarantee his legal position 
concerning the disclosure of the fact that several politicians were
involved with the issue in dispute. According to the belief of 
Fujii side, disclosure as such is prohibited by the Public Servant 
Law. Minister Ishihara said that such guarantee is not necessary 
because this case does not fit to any articles of the Public 
Servant Law which define the obligation to protect official secrets.
That is true, of course. But why didn't he just say that any facts
should be disclosed in this case at any rate. 

I just have a great doubt about common sense of Fujii and his lawyer.
If there were some socially unjust and illegal facts involved with
this issue, they must disclose them in public regardless they were in any
position. I don't think the disclosure itself will provide fateful crisis 
of Nation. On the contrary,it is necessary action to realize the justice
in this country.

What Fujii and his lawyer is trying to protect is not the public interest
but interest of national bureaucracy. Their stance typifies collusion 
between bureaucrats and politicians. 

Series of the troubles at this time started that Koizumi administration
tried to utilize the dismissal of Fujii as a political show for coming
general election. That was quite an unfair move. There would be lengthy
fight in court. It is possible that the court would even make a different 
decision. 

But regardless what would happen in the future, I believe such a man
who has such a low moral sense should leave from the position in every
way.

2003/10/25
Tadashi HAYASE