strategist

Monday - JP National Holiday

Thanksgiving Day in JP. I am so thankful that I have a wonderful family and a job. Life is good now and I know it will get better very soon. God bless everyone.

BlackBerry from DOCOMO

Japan: Another Lost Decade?

When will Japan turn around this wayward ship? Far too many people are still worried about their jobs and their children's future (me included). If the Hatoyama Government cannot create change soon, I worry that the LDP will be ready to return in four more years and then, undue all that Hatoyama has done.

Drugstore.com: Airborne Products Blocked for Sale to Japan

Just when I was excited about ordering Airborne from Drugstore.com and having it shipped to Japan, the website blocked my order. From complete excitement to utter disappointment. What gives? Is Airborne some type of controlled substance that can't be shipped to Japan? Is it on some list of dangerous goods? I cannot believe it. I know have to look for some other substitute product.

Hey Drugstore.com: can you help me out here?

Christmas Around the Corner

With Christmas just weeks away, what will I give myself this year for a present?

Online Shopping from the US

I ordered some Atkins bars from LinkShare Shopping. Prices are good and the shipping costs not too high. It only costs about $20 to get a few items shipped over to Tokyo. Shipping is calculated by weight so it is best to order enough to get full value out of the shipping cost but not too much to tip the scale over into the next pricing zone.

LinkedIn Business Networking Event in JPN

Heading to tonight's business networking event in Tokyo. I passed on the word about the event to a few of my colleagues. Hopefully the gathering will be both productive and enjoyable. I'll get a chance to see some of my former colleagues and possibly meet up with some future ones as well.

I'll snap a few fotos of tonight and post them here and elsewhere. If you are in Tokyo tonight, drop on by.

US Congressman Alan Grayson Kicks Ass in Speech

I like this guy: wow! He sure took it to the House Republicans. What a speech. What a choice given to them: Follow or Get out of the way on the debate and legislation of health care for Americans. Yes, far too many Americans die each year because they have no health care insurance. Did he say over 40,000 died due to the lack of health care insurance? How can the Republicans stand against health care reform? I don't know what is happening to the party.

Read study: Health Insurance and Mortality in US Adults.

Please open your eyes and look into the eyes of so many families who cannot afford health insurance or those who have gone into bankruptcy due to one catrosphic illness in their family. How can the Republicans not care at all. How can they not care?

The Republican Party must kick out those who have lost any sense of compasion for their fellow man. Let the extreme right wing of the party follow the Becks, Limbaughs of the world. The mainstream of the GOP should take back the party.

Japan: Change in Tax Policy

Just read that the Japanese government plans to implement one of their election campaign promises: elimination of tax deductions for dependents and addition of child allowance payments. As of June 2010, I will love my tax deduction of $4,000 per year and gain a child allowance of $3,600 per year. Net loss of $400. I can live with this loss of take home cash. If my paying an additional $400 per year helps save the country, I'm all for it. But, if the extra $400 tax payment only pads the wallets of politicians, I am all against it.

I am so happy that the local Ito Yokado is offering $100 business suits. That is all I can afford now.

Congratulations to President Obama on Winning the Nobel Peace Prize

It is just outstanding. I have renewed hope that the US is destined for greatness once again. By awarding Obama the prize, the world should stand up and take notice that one person can bring great change to the world. Obama exemplifies the spirit of peace and goodwill toward all people. Although he inherited two wars, he is doing his best to bring a resolution to both conflicts. Remember that he only took office in January of this year.It may take time for this actions to bear fruit so patience is warranted.

Let's hope those fence-sitting politicians in DC can now use this great announcement to campaign and vote for the destruction of all nuclear weapons. Such weapons threaten the security of the entire planet. And they have no place in the 21st Century.

America - this is your day and your chance to shine again.

Chris Savoie's Nightmare in Japan

I find it hard to believe that the courts and Interpol are not taking a more aggressive role in this matter. Clearly the wife illegally removed the children from the US. As a result, she should be arrested by the police and sent back to the US to face charges. If the police in Japan refuse to intervene, the international community must bring pressure upon Japan to sign the 1980 Hague Convention on Int'l Child Abduction. The wife should be arrested and extradited to the US. She should work through the courts and fight for custody of the children. Taking the law into her own hands sends a dangerous message to society. What say you Noriko? Fight for your right in the courts. Stand up against your ex-husband. Tell the court why you did what you did. Tell them the truth and let the court decide the fate of your children.

9 Days in September

September has gone by very quickly. By the end of the month, I will have logged only 9 days in at the office. A couple of weeks I was abroad on business and for 5 of them I took an extended holiday break of 9 days. I just had to get away from the office. Too many long days and way too many projects were starting to drag me down. I really need to pace myself going foward. Too many long days are not good for my productivity. After putting in 12 hours in at the office, I found myself putting in another 2-3 hours a night at home. Just trying to keep on top of all my projects were wearing me down badly.

Christmas is just around the corner and I hope to use the year-end break to recharge my batteries fully for the 2010 business year. Next year will be like none other. Balls to the wall 24x7.

Berlin - Never Forget the Horrors of War

(Please read.)

Twenty Years After My First German Lesson, I Finally Made It

Let's pray that history never repeats itself. As I walked around Berlin, I tried to imagine what life was like there over the past 70 years. War. War. The Wall. The Cold War. Freedom. Reuniting. Peace. Berlin is such a beautiful city. It took my breath away.

Back in Tokyo

Arrived back in Tokyo yesterday morning. Long flight via LHR. 35-minute delay on the tarmac. Couldn't sleep on flight back. Stuck in middle seat.

Learned much while abroad. Need to re-evaluate life goals and career objectives.
Family is important; Gross excesses are out.
BlackBerry from DOCOMO

Berlin 2009: Hard to Imagine

It is hard to imagine that no more than 20+ years ago the East and West were separated by an ugly and horrific wall. A wall divided not only an entire country, the people, the world, and loved ones.

As I stood on the line still marked in the concrete, I could not help but take a minute to think of all those who died trying to go over the wall.

Germany has done an outstanding job of trying to freeze time in a few old sections to show where the two Germanies were once separated. I am so glad that the West is doing so much to bring the two parts back together.

I pray that the next 20 years will bring even more peace and prosperity to the country and the people.

China: No More Secrecy Online

Looks like the Chinese government is working with online companies to secure more information about web users. Not very good for democracy and privacy. Should investors be worried about their money in start-up companies?

[Disclosure: I have no investments in China.]

(NY Times)

Overseas: Biz Trip

Business trips are never easy. Especially when they are trips abroad.

Been taking lots of pictures. I'll post them later. Tomorrow, I will lug my suitcase to the train station and head off to the next city. I hope I don't get too lost. Must bring a map.

Two Punks in Dept Store

I don't know what parents are doing about the raising of their children but, I really believe they need to do much more. While at a major department store I saw two young teenagers who behaved quite poorly. Actually, I think the two young kids needed a hit upside their heads with a hockey stick.

Japan's General Election: August 30th, 2009

Are the LDP destined to lose the general election? Will the government mandarins start updating their CVs? The answer is 'yes' to both questions.

The incoming administration has decided to wrestle power away from the mandarins and place all policy and administrative responsibilities in the hands of politicans. I expect a super large purge of civil servants over the next 6-9 months.

Let's hope the people of JPN finally get 'real change' and not simple lip-service from politicians.

I know my taxes are going up and I only hope what I pay into state coffers now eventually help rebuild the social support system for those retiring in the next five to ten years. No one should have to live in poverty after contributing to society for a full 40+ years. Retiring should not equate to living in poverty.

JPN: Internet Competitiveness

Been thinking about this one for awhile now: how far behind/ahead is JPN with respect to the Internet/Mobile Internet compared with the rest of the world?

Lots of great companies here in Japan. I am sure there are many young start-ups out there trying to break into the 'bigs' but, need some nice private funding to get them to the next level. Will the DPJ (whom I believe will form the next government) step up and help? Or will the DPJ continue to live in the past (the glory years of Japan's global economic power? Or will the DPJ look towards high-tech and new industries to propel JPN back to double-digit growth years?

There is no denying that Japan is doing well in the mobile Internet space. But, I would like to see much more from the players in this space. Creation of knowledge. Storage. Retrieval. Dissemination. Refinement. Acceptance. Recycling.

The next generation of Intenet users will use computers and mobile devices in a way much different than how we use them today. Knowledge is the key.

Ecommerce will change greatly. Will the future youth spend as much money as we do yearly on the consumption of goods? Or will they spend money on the acquisition of knowledge?

I for one plan on getting my son in front of a computer very soon.