My opinion of this week(334):

Internet community vs. non Internet community

You Watanabe, one of our tadML member, participated in regular meeting
of MPC (Murayama PC Club) held on September 4. His purpose to participate
in the meeting was to learn the technical topic of the club on that day
concerning maintenance of PC. Upon his participation, Hirai san, 
the secretary of the club asked him to talk about his personal experience
about how he interfaced with PC and Internet through his business and 
personal life for club members.

His speech based on "Conceptual diagram on PC life" prepared by himself
was very interesting. The diagram contains a number common theme that
I presented in my book "How to enjoy PC intellectual life" written two 
years ago. Various new way of life are being made through learning of
PC and use of internet. People who learn PC and use internet should learn
the meaning, and scope of their possibilities. 

The theme which Watanabe san talked about were too broad to talk in
this limited space. I will break them down in various individual
subjects in our future discussion in ML and work session such as　Ranzan
seminars. I will also write them one by one in my home page in the 
future.

But one of the key subject to be talked first is a comparison of two
different communities that already exists or continue to expand
their existence day by day. Every people who started using PC and
internet should realize the meaning of participating in such new
community. This internet community is very different from other 
conventional community that is non internet and non PC. Most
people do not realize such difference.

I will not discuss now which communities are better or more valuable
from various point of views. But people who use PC, internet mail,
internet information, and so forth must notice that those method are
entirely different in communication style from old conventional style 
of communication. 

The meaning of difference of communication in style and methodrogy is
really great. The communication made in internet community will create
various new life style of people and new concept of values in their 
daily life. This difference will reflect in the difference in behaviors
of people in every aspects of our social life such as politics, economy
 and all other social and cultural life.

How much and the new internet community is now providing some effect
on conventional Japanese society which is hierarchy in principle?
How soon will Japanese society will change into network oriented
society? 

This is one of the key theme which I want to continue to study personally
and with our ML members. I was very pleased to see the topic had been 
presented by Watanabe san at this time at any rate.

2003/9/6
Tadashi HAYASE

My opinion of this week(335):

No principle of Japanese politicians 

It seems that Prime Minister Koizumi will be reelected again as President
of Liberal Democratic Party and as Prime Minister as far as various 
popular vote result made by several mass media. Any candidates in 
Presidential election in LDP who are against Koizumi have only very low
support votes from party members. In general election to be made after 
Presidential election of LDP, Naoto Kan, President of Democratic Party of
Japan will have little chance to defeat Prime Minister and Liberal 
Democratic Party judging from their popular vote at present.

Then, there will be no change on Japanese political world as a result
of two elections. Dominance of politics by the present ruling parties
will continue, which will provide only slow reform of politics and 
society in this country. I am quite disappointed to see such situation
at the moment.

Nonaka's announcement of retirement from political scene was expected
to provide some big influence to change the situation. But that news 
seemed to create only little wave. The main topics at present in Nagata
cho are candidates for executives for Party organization and member of 
Cabinet after two elections. Parties members who declared to support 
Prime Minister Koizumi are interested in such personal assignment to be
made by Koizumi. Prime Minister Koizumi will try various measures on 
such personal assignment, but he will sure to make some kind of 
reward-oriented appointment.  

The biggest doubt is stance of Aoki, an influential member of Hashimoto
faction. He openly declared that he and his partisan members of Upper
House support Koizumi for the sake of general election to come while
they will never agree with Koizumi's policy  measures. Koizumi himself
accepted such unreasonable support from Aoki and worked together just
for the election. What an absurdity it is!  

No deep-rooted criticism against such move are heard both from Liberal
Democratic Party itself and from other two ruling parties. Moral standard
and political faith of Japanese politicians is in that level. Much the
same is true on moral and principle of people in general about politics
in this country.

Why do they show much more indictment and angry against such political
situation at the moment?

2003/9/13
Tadashi HAYASE

My opinion of this week(336):

The target of my life

September 15 was the day of Respect-for-senior-citizens. There was a
good program of NHK which introduced the way of life of several people
more than 100 years old. In Japan, the number of aged people of more 
than 100 years old exceeded 20,000 in number. 

The reason why Japan is now a country with long living people is rather
obvious. Both natural and social living environment are good indeed. 
They eat a number of healthy and balanced foods good for health. But 
how to keep mental health as well as physical health is another 
fundamental condition for long life. 
 
"A sound body in a sound mind is" is a truth. But another truth is other
way, that is "a sound mind in a sound body". NHK TV program introduced
that phase of those aged people. First common condition is their carefree 
and elastic way of life. Second common condition for mental health is to
have some targets to attain in their jobs and hobbies in their daily life.  

In another NHK TV program "closed up today" broadcasted also recently,  
I enjoyed to see many Japanese aged people had attained world records in
World Master's Track and Field Games. All of those aged people are making
a great effort to attain better records in various kind of track and field
events. The important fact is that they try hard but enjoy doing it.

The ultimate way of long life is to live with a sense of purpose and 
accomplishment as far as I observe principle of those who spend happy
daily life. I have made up my mind that I will live in the same way in
the rest of my life.

What are my targets to attain, by the way? Well, it seems that I have 
some of them already. In AV BBS (Audio Visual Bulletin Board) which I 
enjoy everyday, I declared once that I would be able to play 1000 piano
pieces before I leave this world. That was a kind of joke, of course.
I just started to learn playing piano when I became 60 years old. The
target is virtually impossible. 

Horiuchi san, a constant participant of AV BBS, mentioned the other day
that I could attain that 1000 pieces target if I could put up one piece
of piano play in a week or so in next 30 years. I can not say that was 
a joke any more. I really decided to start challenging the target from
now when I saw the message.

In this connection, I have now set another targets to attain in my life.
They are one thousand of "My opinion of this week", "Senryu of this
week", "PC pictures or illustration of this week" and so on. As far as
those are concerned, I already announced some few hundreds in my home 
page and AV BBS. I will be able to attain them in next 10 years or so. 

Whether or not I can really attain such targets is not quite important.
I will enjoy the whole process toward many of those targets in may
daily life to come.

2003/9/20
Tadashi HAYASE

My opinion of this week(337):

Koizumi's policy speech

Prime Minister Koizumi made a general policy speech at the opening session
of the Diet.There was a big earthquake at Hokkaido yesterday and top news
of most mass media was on it rather than this political issue. But I was
quite surprised to see there were no news on it in both Yahoo and Nifty
news when I see them in this morning. There were news on the earthquake 
and the resignation of manager Hara of Yomiuri Giants. In Japan, the value
of Prime Minister policy speech is less than those news. 

That symbolizes rather low interest of people for political issue of this 
country. I was further disappointed to hear Koizumi's address at the diet.
Listening to his speech by TV, my wife commented: "he says the same thing
over and over again."　I agreed with her. Nothing new and nothing concrete
in contents.

He said in the speech. "After our lot of effort, we started seeing some
first sprout for structural reform. Let's try to make this sprout into
a big tree of reform." I understand what he wants to say, of course. But
it is too general. He should talk more about concrete structure about the
tree. What kind of branches and leaves does the tree will have? How big
is he going to make this tree itself and each branches? How soon will he
accomplish it? There were no concrete numerical targets at all on each
policies.   

Appraisal on achievement for each policies can be made only by setting
numerical targets. Some concrete steps and time should also
be presented together with those numerical targets. That is the promise
he commit for people.

Privatization of the post-office businesses and Public Road Corporation
have been mentioned by Koizumi in the speech. But there were again no time
table at all how soon he will accomplish them. 

New Democratic Party of Japan was born a day earlier of the diet session.
The party is going to compete with Koizumi administration more on policy
matters in coming general election. The word manifest is a kind of 
difficult. But I think their political stance is right compared with the
ruling front. 

For example, Democratic Party presented a policy making highway charges
free all over the country by a certain period of time. That is quite
concrete way to show policy on road administration in this country. The
real issue is not whether or not privatization of Public Road Corporation
is necessary. 

There are many critical issues related to our life to be discussed and
argued in coming general election. They are to be argued in more concrete
and specific way rather than general way as have been done since the birth
of Koizumi administration.

Election by images and faces should be stopped at any rate.

2003/9/27
Tadashi HAYASE