good news for people who love bad news

IPhone Use Disappoints; Apple Slides

2007-07-25T15:16:00.001+09:00

Title: IPhone Use Disappoints; Apple Slides
Source: LAURIE J. FLYNN, SAN FRANCISCO, July 24, 2007
Downloaded from: "The New York Times"
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/25/technology/25phone.html?ref=business

AT&T, the company which has an exclusive deal with Apple to provide wireless service for Apple’s new product IPhone reported 146,000 iPhone owners activated service in the day and a half between the phone’s debut and the quarter’s end. But some analysts had predicted the number of activations will rise 500,000 to 700,000. Why these differences happened? The reason is many IPhone customers activate their phone only during the first few days. After that they get bored to it, some analysts said. But demand for purchasing IPhone. All of IPhones sold out within the first two days, and Apple officials say they can’t comment on additional IPhone sales. However AT&T’s service is not so utilized by IPhone users. Eugene Munster, an analyst covering Apple compared the IPhone introduction to that of IPod. Apple sold 4.6 million IPods in its first quarter on the market in 2004 while Wall Street had expected 8 million sales. And he said the IPhone would show gradual growth like IPod did. Now only 60% of the customers of AT&T use data services including messaging, e-mail, and Internet, Richard G. Lindner, AT&T’s chief financial officer said. So data service has big potential for growth.
AT&T’s monopoly would raise their laziness for improving services I think. A competition is necessary in the market!!

Akita village hopes to be radioactive waste site

2007-07-25T04:30:00.000+09:00

Title: Akita village hopes to be radioactive waste site
Source: The Yomiuri Shimbun, Jul. 25, 2007
Downloaded from: "Daily Yomiuri Online"
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20070725TDY02001.htm

A mayer of Kamikoani village in Akita prefecture, Hiroaki Kobayashi showed his interests to become a candidate for a disposal site for radioactive waste. The plan of burying High-level radioactive waste of nuclear-plants below 300 meters. If the village run for this selection officially, two years of documentation screening and four years of detailed research will start. After this process, the final decision will be made. During the initial 2 year in selection, the central government provide annual 1 billion yen to any candidates. They can use this money how they like. When the study advanced to the next stage, more provision will supplied. The mayer want to help village's tattered finances by the financial support by the central government. Mayer said that "If we're able to get financial support by cooperating with the central government, it's like killing two birds with one stone," But a governer of Akita prefecture is be opposed to this idea.
Lately the problems of radioactive or nuclear plants are discussed actively. Earthquake stopped the nuclear plant and even a little radioactive liquid flowed into sea. but if it were not for nuclear energy, we would suffer from severe lacking of energy. Its a controversial problem.

South Europe hit by extreme heat

2007-07-25T03:47:00.000+09:00

Title: South Europe hit by extreme heat
Source: BBC, Tuesday, 24 July 2007, 13:46 GMT 14:46 UK
Downloaded from: "BBC"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6913152.stm

The record-breaking heat caused widespread fire in South Europe. Lately Bulgaria recorded the hottest 45C since record began, temperature in Romania reached 41C, Serbia, Greece, Macedonia suffered from this extreme heat. Belgrade, the capital of Serbia has introduced restriction of export agricultural products because of the draught brought by heat. the agriculture ministry said 30% of harvest has lost. Add to this, many fire broke out in all over the South Europe. And to make the matters worse, according to the Associated Press news agency, the blaze ignited mines and weapons that had lain buried in the ground since World War I. UNBELIEVABLE! Water-bombing aircraft in Greece, aircraft flied over a forest fire crashed. 5 people died all told. Thousands of firefighters, soldiers, local peoples have been struggling with the huge fire.
Natural disaster is happening in all over the world... North Europe are suffering from floods and rainfalls.
Heat cause scarcely no fires in Japan. Because Japanese atmosphere is really humid. Rather, in winter, lots of fires happen in Japan generally. A dryness is the reason.

Damage from earthquake estimated at 1.5 trillion yen

2007-07-25T02:35:00.000+09:00

Title: Damage from earthquake estimated at 1.5 trillion yen
Source: Reuter, Tokyo July 20,2007
Kyodo, Kashiwazaki, Niigata pref. Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Downloaded from: "asahi.com" and "japantimes"
http://www.asahi.com/business/reuters/RTR200707210005.html
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20070724a3.html

A vehement earthquake happened in Niigata prefecture caused nearly 1.5 trillion Yen in damage. A half of this stemmed from Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plants' shutdown. And the total of toll counted 11, over 3000 people are still in the refuge in the city earthquake hit severe, and infrastructure including roads or bridges must be repaired at least 1218 locations in ONLY Kashiwazaki. Almost all buildings in Kashiwazaki have been left untouched yet. Major auto parts maker Riken also damaged by this earthquake. Riken's parts is put in Toyota, Honda, and all domestic cars. So all car makers had to stop the line. Since July 23th, shipment and productions have restarted again. But Nissan Diesel is still in danger of suspension if additional draft delayed. And Riken's factory doesn't run at full blast.
Earthquake is an accompaniment to Japan. So it can be helped. But I believe Niigata can revive from the ashes like Kobe.

US urges new greenhouse gas goals

2007-06-01T14:14:00.000+09:00

Title: US urges new greenhouse gas goals
Source: BBC,Thursday, 31 May 2007, 18:22 GMT 19:22 UK
Downloaded from: "BBC News"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6708995.stm

The U.S. president George W Bush said U.S. set the long-term goal for greenhouse gas emissions, and also said he would hold a meeting together the U.S and 14 other major emitters, including developing nations to set the target by the end of 2008. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, also British PM Tony Blair welcomed this proposal. Germany was expected to call for cutting emissions in forthcoming G8 summit. Now U.S doesn’t ratify the Kyoto Protocol which set the target for cutting emission until 2012. U.S will take alternative approach to the global warming. And President Bush emphasis global warming can be solved through the development of new technologies, and U.S is in the lead of technologies. However there are some critics on his policy. BBC environment analyst Roger Harrabin said Bush’s speech about a new policy is short on details. A climate expert with the UK-based environmental group Greenpeace, Charlie Kronick said “The only way you can get a grip on carbon emissions is to cap and trade them globally," Mr Kronick told Reuters news agency. Forthcoming summit will become a focus of attention on a problem global warming.

Rallies as Venezuelan TV closes

2007-05-29T11:08:00.000+09:00

Title: Rallies as Venezuelan TV closes
Source: BBC,Monday, 28 May 2007, 08:30
Downloaded from: "BBC News"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6696699.stm

Title: Rallies as Venezuelan TV closes
Source: BBC,Monday, 28 May 2007, 08:30
Downloaded from: "BBC News"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6696699.stm

Thousands of people have demonstrated in Caracas to oppose President Hugo Chavez's decision that close Venezuela's oldest TV network, RCTV. Chavez says RCTV had tried to undermine his government. And a new state-sponsored TV network called TVES was established. RCTV and rights groups say Mr Chavez is limiting freedom of expression, and their supporters demonstrated. All Sunday police strived for keep both RCTV supporters and Chavez supporters apart. Police even used water cannon, tear gas and plastic bullets to disperse stone-throwing demonstrators. "The fight continues, freedom is something you have to fight for permanently," Marcel Granier, general manager of RCTV said.
Chavez lead the radical revolution since he re-elected in 2006. This affair looks like one side of his radical policy. And this can be blamed by many democratic nations, especially The U.S.

Birth dates missing from pension data

2007-05-14T10:23:00.000+09:00

Title:Birth dates missing from pension data
Source: The Yomiuri Shimbun , May 13,2007 (author not given)
Downloaded from: "Daily Yomiuri Online"
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20070513TDY02007.htm on May 13 2007

The Social Insuranse Agency said information on the birth dates of over 30000 members of the government run pension is missing.
Name,birth date,and sex are neccesarry data for recieve pension. Without these informations, their pension record will not be compiled rightly. The SIA will conduct an investigation into the matter.
The SIA has been caused many problems. I think they should reflect on their establishment, system, or The SIA itself overall.

Oita truck chase leaves trail of destruction

2007-05-13T23:30:00.000+09:00

Title:Oita truck chase leaves trail of destruction
Source: Kyodo news(Oita) , May 11,2007 (author not given)
Downloaded from: "The Japan Times online"
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20070512a7.html on May 13 2007

Desperate truck smashed 20 cars and damaged 3 buildings and rushed about 60km.
Trucker Fukutomi Nagatomo drunk a glass of beer and five glasses of "Shochu (Japanese strong liquor)" in restaurant in Hita, Oita prefecture. And he got out there without paying his bill, crashed into the restaurant, and he drived recklessly. About 10 police cars chased his 10-ton truck. Then, in this car-chase, the truck hit about 20 vehicles and smashed into a supermarket and a convenience store. In the end the truck stopped by laid spikes set by police and the trucker was arrested. Fortunately, no one was injured in this accident. The trucker said he did it because he was frustrated.
This is really sad news because my birthplace is Oita prefecture...

Abe aides file libel suit against Asahi

2007-05-13T22:50:00.000+09:00

Title: Abe aides file libel suit against Asahi
Source: Yomiuri shimbun, May 11,2007 (author not given)
Downloaded from: "Daily Yomiuri Online"
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20070511TDY03001.htm on May 13 2007

One current and one former secretaries of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe filed a lawsuit againt The Asahi Shimbun.
A reason of this lawsuit is that a commercial sign placed train cars of The Shukan Asahi, weekly magazine published by The Asahi Shimbun and an article of the magazine itself damaged their reputations. This sign suggested the two secretaries have linkes to Yamaguchi Gumi, the gangster(Yakuza) group includes Tetsuya Shiroo who shot Nagasaki Mayer Itcho Ito. And the article said one of the secretary was threaten by Yamaguchi Gumi. The magazine and the newspaper carried apologizes on later issues. LDP Secretary General Hidenao Nakagawa saids this lawsuit is naturally because publisher doesn't reflect on. ( http://www.asahi.com/national/update/0510/TKY200705100267.html )

Nakasone proposes new top law preamble

2007-05-07T00:24:00.000+09:00

Title: Nakasone proposes new top law preamble
Source: Yomiuri shimbun, May 5,2007 (author not given)
Downloaded from: "Daily Yomiuri Online"
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20070505TDY02006.htm on May 7 2007 at 0:20.

Former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone has proposed that the preamble for the new constitution.
To concrete, it refers Japan's history, tradition, and national character,which the current Constitution lucks. And it also states that, "Japanese citizens have had the Emperor as a symbol of the unity of the people for all time."
Nakasone said that proposal draft of preamble made by the Liberal Democratic Party is "sloppy" because its made in a hurry.
However, his suggestion of preamble of 2005 was revised by LDP's exclusive including ex-Prime minister Junichiro Koizumi in the LDP's comittee for drafting new constitution in 2005.
Now Nakasone retired LDP. But can he influence on the policy of LDP even now??