24 August, 2005

Sushi, Harakiri, Nintendo

Nintendo will release GAME BOY Micro on 13th Septembet celebrating the 20th anniversary of the birth of Mario, character of a famous video game, Super Mario Brothers. Ummm it looks cool. I think it's gonna be one of the must-buy products of 2005. I'm not a hardcore computer game nerd and usually don't play video games much. But, to me, this appears attractive and approachable, even though I didn't get thrilled by Sony's PSP.

» HAPPY! MARIO 20th

24 August, 2005

Sleep and love

I'm not in Oslo, neither in Cardiff. I'm here in Tokyo, yes working. I've been too busy to write anything here for the last two weeks. As a result, I kept someone, who are kind enough to regularly check my humble blog waiting - I don't know anyone who read my blog, except for Sharon, one of the few loyal readers.

Anyway, I'd like to round up my latest news.
First of all, my intern at FICC inc. finished. And I became a permanent member this month, which is very good news for me. What three months! Time flies.

But if I talk about what has changed, being a proper member hasn't changed my life, because I'm constantly being given loads of stuff. Whether I'm an intern or proper member doesn't matter at the office.

Well, since I started working at the office, I've done many websites. And my latest work is a blog of an English school in Japan. And now I'm doing doctor's website and another blog for my company. Also coding some html for a Japanese-style hotel.

In addition, I'm studying CSS to get to the next stage. I'm planning to redesign this blog with CSS. In fact, I did my Japanese blog with CSS layout. If you haven't heard of CSS, just ignore this part.

Well well well, not much news except for my job. Am I sad? Am I one of the typical Japanese salaried workers? Shut up. I'm pretty satisfied. But I need sleep and love.

9 August, 2005

Robin Cook dies aged 59

Shocking news arrived last weekend.

Former Cabinet minister Robin Cook died at the age of 59. He collapsed while he was walking in the Scottish Highlands and was airlifted to hospital in Invernesson on Saturday.

When it comes to Robin Cook, I remember the moment of his resignation. He resigned from the Cabinet in protest over Blair's decision to go to war in Iraq.

From the start of the present crisis, I have insisted, as Leader of the House, on the right of this place to vote on whether Britain should go to war.

It has been a favourite theme of commentators that this House no longer occupies a central role in British politics.

Nothing could better demonstrate that they are wrong than for this House to stop the commitment of troops in a war that has neither international agreement nor domestic support.

I intend to join those tomorrow night who will vote against military action now. It is for that reason, and for that reason alone, and with a heavy heart, that I resign from the government.

» BBC News | Former minister Robin Cook dies
» rhydd's diary | A sudden lost to British politics
» Londonist | Not bad for a chemist's son...

» The Observer | Robin Cook dies after collapse on mountain
This article is particularly emotional.

He was hugely funny. I remember we had a Christmas night out - it ended up being in about February. He took us all to a jazz club in Camden; he loved jazz.

7 August, 2005

Who's blame to is the point or not - Hiroshima arguments

» BBC News | Memories vivid in Hiroshima park
6 August
By Chris Hogg

» BBC News | The men who bombed Hiroshima

Theodore "Dutch" Van Kirk said in an interview with BBC;

We turned to look back at Hiroshima and already there was a huge white cloud reaching up more than 42,000 feet. At the base you could see nothing but thick black dust and debris - it looked like a pot of hot oil down there.

Morris "Dick" Jepson;

Everyone's thoughts turned to what devastation there would have been down below - we all had that thought on our mind because we had seen what the bomb could do.

But it was the right thing to do.

Dr Harold Agnew;

What we did saved a lot of lives in the long run and I am proud to have been part of it.

There seems an idea that what America did saved many lived. If America didn't dropped the atomic bomb, Japan would have caused more victims. Therefore, he says he's "proud" of what they did. But I can never understand how he can say it. The atomic bomb saved a lot of lives in the long run? So the victims of Hiroshima don't matter? This remark is disgusting, indeed.

» BBC News | Hiroshima arguments rage 60 years on
3 August 2005
By Paul Reynolds

How could a president, or the others charged with responsibility for the decision, answer to the American people if... after the bloodbath of an invasion of Japan, it became known that a weapon sufficient to end the war had been available by midsummer and was not used?

This can be easy to understand if you're American. However, what I fear is that glorifying and justifying the Enola Gay's "achievement" lead to overshadowing the horror of atomic bombs.

Do they know what atomic bombs are?

What Japan should do is not to keep criticising America but to tell the story of the atomic holocaust. Seeing the increasing nuclear crisis, what can Japan do?

Here are two stories of suvivors.
» BBC News | Surviving Hiroshima: Keiko Ogura
» BBC News | Surviving Hiroshima: Yutaka Nakagawa

Eliminate nuclear weapons for the sake of the world peace.

4 August, 2005

Hiroshima

What we have to remember and we should not forget.

» BBC News | In pictures: Hiroshima then and now

Hiroshima marks its 60th anniversary of the atomic bombing on 6 August. The first atomic bomb used in war was dropped by the US army in Hiroshima on the same day in 1945.

2 August, 2005

Updating Norwegian photos, finally

I updated some selected pictures I took while I was travelling in Norway. There are 2 galleries; Oslo and Vesterålen.

» Norwegian Summer 2005