Cannot Compare USA and Japan - A Reader's Letter

Concerning my most recent article at Lew Rockwell, "Gun Control and Japan" in which I wrote; 

"Is directly comparing Japan’s gun laws and crime rate with the USA a good and logical comparison? Does this make sense? Are the progressives bringing up a point that is difficult to argue against? Can we make an apples-to-apples comparison using Japan against the USA?

The answer is no. Unfortunately for the progressives, we can’t sensibly make that comparison and I want to show you why it’s absurd to even consider it. The only things that might make sense in a Japan versus USA comparison might have to do with economics, automobiles, love of sushi and baseball (and I’m not so sure about the baseball part). If we are talking about gun control, crimes, or even universal health care, Japan and the United States are two animals that are as different as night and day...

...I think it must be pretty obvious to anyone who thinks about it when talking about gun control and crimes (or even universal health care) comparing the United States to Japan is like comparing a steak barbecue to a slice of fish."

The response to that article was very good with only one person telling me that I am a moron (thanks dad!). But I did get one letter from a reader that really touched my heart. It struck me as a sort of whimsical (for lack of a better term) look back at a better time in America, though it is not stated so directly. In fact, this letter reflects my thinking (and chagrin) about the United States today.

Dear Mike,

As you are fully aware, it is not "fair" to compare two countries. It isn't even fair to compare two different US regions or even two US states, even when they share boarders! It isn't even an even ground when comparing a population of one state...before the devastating influx of illegals, but before that was the change in immigration policies.

What we are able to compare with just about any two countries is the government vs. the people. While culture and mindset may be different, most people groups, if left "alone," are much more interested in their family group, basic needs being met, and their culture/arts. Unfortunately, governments with power and money (debt) behind them, will not allow this to happen. The love of power and control is inherently evil.

I remember how much better life was years ago, even when the societal decent had been in motion. Our moral compass had not been totally removed. In every society since Adam, evil has been present, but at least in those years, there was still a societal veneer to cover up the ugly sewer life. Today, the veneer has been removed and people are embracing and celebrating filth and sewer scum as if it were natural and edifying.

I find it hard to believe with the influence of media upon all modern societies that the Japanese culture has not been affected by it. The changes are probably manifested differently. The US culture was probably "less restrictive" and already "under attack" than the Japanese culture in the early part of the 20th century. (Was the women's movement already underway in Japan as in the US starting with the "flapper" era?) War(s) is the quickest way to societal change. Those who "developed" the war(s) won, and those who were the patsies--all those who participated-- lost the war--no matter what the "history" books say. Society as we knew it was over, but most people didn't notice the slow decent into the abyss until now. It is probably too late. It is a very sad thing.

Mrs. R

Yes. It is a very sad thing. Too bad too few people seem to realize it... It is, indeed, far too late. 

"I remember how much better life was years ago...." Whatever happened to that wonderful place I lived in so many years ago in my youth? 

Thank you, Mrs. R. Thanks for the mail and thanks for allowing me to go back to my youth for even a few seconds.

Japanese Schoolgirls Now "Wearing Panties on Their Heads" Trend

OK. My friend in California, "Al", has written to me to ask if this "story about Japanese girl's wearing panties on their heads" trend is true.

I checked. It's true... Sort of... I'm not saying that there is a trend whereby Japanese high school girls are wearing panties on their head. I'm saying that it is true that there is a story about Japanese girls wearing panties on their heads as being a trend.

Well, no... Seeing is not believing. This is Japan after all!

And whenever there's this sort of nonsense of the Geek variety about Japan, I don't have any problem finding out about it. There's only one place to even bother looking to find the answer: The Akiba Blog!

I'm not saying this "trend" is true at all. All I'm saying is that I found this article; it is true that there is an article. Today, near the station, I saw dozens and dozens of high school girls walking home from school and did not see a one with panties on her head.

Akiba Blog has photos and the "story." It's in Japanese but you can use Google translate to get the story in English though.... But why bother? They say a picture speaks a thousands words, right? What more is there to say? 

Go there and check the story... For me, every time I look at the Akiba Blog, I feel like I have to take a shower and that's what I'm going to do right now...

Japan is One of the Best Places to Live in the World Reason #4: You Call This Crime? Man Steals $6 Chocolate, Hits National News!

You read that headline correctly.

In Japan, last night on the headlines of the world's biggest newspaper, the Yomiuri Shimbun; a newspaper that was established in 1874 - that has over 13.5 million newspapers delivered daily, ran a Headline News story read about a 44-year-old man who stole some Valentine's Day chocolate because, "He wanted some."

Saints preserve us! Is this the beginning of some kind of out-of-control criminal crime wave sweeping the nation?

Yes. They have Hershey Kisses in Japan! 

(And on Valentine's Day in Japan, 

the girls give the guys the chocolate - NOT the other way around!)

Now, this isn't just a story about why Japan blows away most of the rest of the world when it comes to a lack of crime, it also is a story about the general psyche of people in this country. 

But first, here's a quick and simple translation of the story:

The Yomiuri Shimbun headlines read; 

"Man claims, after stealing chocolate, 'I wanted some.'"

On the 16th of this month, police in Sendai in Miyagi prefecture arrested a 44-year-old unemployed man on suspicion of theft.

According to the police statement, at about 2:40 am on that day, the suspect was in Miyagino City in the vicinity of an apartment where a 31-year-old civil servant lived and saw some Valentine's Day chocolate and other items in a vinyl bag hanging from the handlebars of the bicycle owned by that civil servant. The chocolate had a value of ¥550 (about $5.93 USD). When the suspect took the chocolate, the 31-year-old civil servant gave chase and subdued the suspect.

Upon being asked why he stole the chocolate, the suspect was quoted as saying (testifying), "I wanted some chocolate!"

Feb. 17, 2013, Yomiuri Shimbun

The online edition of this story

Now, people are often asking why Japan I think is a much better place to live than, say, the United States and it's often difficult to point out specifics as to why. But when it comes to crime, Japan is miles away safer than just about any western country in the world. I never have to worry about my wife or daughters going out at night. 

But this little anecdote about the chocolate also shows us a glimpse of something very important about the Japanese psyche that is difficult to put a finger on.

This story shows what the level of crime is in this country and what people think about crime in general. From my westerner perspective, that this sort of story could even hit the newspapers is amazing; and we're not talking about some local newspaper here! We are talking about a national newspaper in a country of 130 million people that has a circulation of 13.5 million copies daily! 

This sort of crime would never make any major newspaper in the USA... I think even local newspapers wouldn't run this!

Also, one more thing about the Japanese... And this too is an intangible, but this article points to it. The Japanese are generally shy and humble people... Where I come from, Los Angeles, I hear it is a badge of honor for head bangers to get arrested and have a criminal record. Not in Japan. In Japan, a criminal record is a shameful thing. Shameful for that person and very shameful for the family.

I think when most Japanese hear this story they think, "Stealing is a crime and that's bad! He should never do that!" The Japanese pretty much have a zero-tolerance for this sort of thing... Of course that 31-year-old guy wouldn't let the old thief slide. Theft is theft in this country and a shameful act; it must be dealt with properly.

I think, "Poor guy." Heck, if that were my chocolate and he stole it (and I chased him - which I probably wouldn't do) and caught him and he meekly said, "I just wanted some chocolate..." I probably would have felt sorry for the guy and gave him the chocolate... Heck, I probably would have bought him some cigarettes and a beer too... After that? Who knows? If he were even luckier, maybe I would even have given him a Valentine's Day wink and a kiss too!

Poor guy indeed.

First Plum Blossoms in Tokyo Feb. 14, 2013

There's an old guy who lives in an apartment building near me who also collects and raises Bonsai trees. I see him outside everyday taking care of the trees that are placed outside of his apartment building. What is wonderful about them is not only their beauty and the art, but the fact that they are worth hundreds of dollars each yet he doesn't lock them up and no one steals them or vandalizes them.

You know what would happen to them overnight in the USA, right?

Anyway, I walked by on Thursday and was very happily surprised to see the first blossoms in Tokyo that I have seen this year so far. They were on one of the old guy's Bonsai trees. I asked if I could take a picture and he was very happy to allow me to do so. So here I want to share them with you.

The first blossoms of 2013. For me, these represent good fortune and prosperity!

This is a photo of the entire Bonsai tree. I'd say it was about 2 feet tall (about 60 centimeters) tall and about twenty years old. The old guy told me that the blossoms were out "About a week to two weeks early this year." That surprised me because this winter has been so cold and snowy. I guess Hanami (Cherry Blossom Viewing time) is going to come early this year!

Also, since those were the only plum blossom flowers I've seen in Tokyo so far, I wanted to share some more great Mt. Fuji photos I have. This one was taken by my friend, Yuki Koizumi.... Beautiful!

This next few were taken near my house by the Tamagawa River on Feb. 17, 2013. In the background, Mt. Fuji. In the middle, you can see the Japanese "Boys of Summer" (baseball players) playing baseball in February while it's freezing cold outside (the puddles on the ground were frozen!)

This one reminds me of one of Hokusai's "36 Views of Mt. Fuji" in that in some of those, it's difficult to pick out Mt. Fuji.... But there she is in the very middle on the horizon covered in snow!

To see more beautiful images of Mt. Fuji and Japan see: Images of Mt. Fuji and Isehara, in Kanagawa, Japan at New Year 

On Gun Control and Japan

When it comes to gun control in the USA the logic of the progressives works in a very curious way. They often like to cherry pick nations from around the world to compare with the USA. One of their favorite nations to use as a comparison is Japan.

The argument goes like this; “Gun crimes are out of control in the United States! In America, over eleven thousand people are killed with guns every year! Japan has strict gun control laws and only a handful of people are killed with guns annually. Therefore Japan proves that gun control works. The United States should have gun control laws like Japan!”

You’ve heard this argument. I’m constantly hearing it; “If the United States were more like Japan”… “If the United States had gun laws like Japan, then gun crimes would virtually disappear.”

Is this true?

  

Well, it is certainly true that overall Japan is a much safer place than the United States. The data show this to be fact. I would also venture to say that, in many ways, it would be better if the United States and American people were more like Japan and the Japanese people. But I suppose that’s a samurai sword that cuts both ways; there are plenty of unfortunate things about Japan and the Japanese that sometimes make me wish it were more like the USA and American people.

Is directly comparing Japan’s gun laws and crime rate with the USA a good and logical comparison? Does this make sense? Are the progressives bringing up a point that is difficult to argue against? Can we make an apples-to-apples comparison using Japan against the USA?

The answer is no. Unfortunately for the progressives, we can’t sensibly make that comparison and I want to show you why it’s absurd to even consider it. The only things that might make sense in a Japan versus USA comparison might have to do with economics, automobiles, love of sushi and baseball (and I’m not so sure about the baseball part). If we are talking about gun control, crimes, or even universal health care, Japan and the United States are two animals that are as different as night and day.

We probably can’t even fairly compare Japanese girl’s fashions

Let me show you why and then when anyone makes this sort of comparison, you should smile and remind them of these few points…

You want to compare the United States to Japan?

  

The United States is a country that isn’t even 250 years old.

  

Japan has been a nation for over 2,700 years.

The United States is a nation of citizens that came from all over the world. Pureblood Native Americans account for a mere 0.9% of the total population.

  

Japan is a nation that consists of 98.5% of the population as being pureblood native Japanese. These Japanese people are descendants from those folks who came here 30,000 years ago.

  

Some people consider that the USA has a huge immigration problem. In the United States, there are estimates of up to 20 million illegal aliens in the country.

Japan is not known to have an immigration problem. Japan is extremely strict on immigration. About 150,000 people per year are allowed to immigrate to this country.

Any child born in the USA is automatically awarded citizenship even if that child’s mother is in the country illegally. This accounts for about 380,000 new Americans annually.

  

Just because you were born in Japan doesn’t mean that you can get Japanese citizenship. Even those living here today, as permanent residents, whose grandparents were brought to Japan as slaves from Korea or Taiwan over one hundred years ago, are not given Japanese citizenship upon birth.

  

“Cultural Identity” and “United States of America” are not words that I often note in the same sentence. The United States is a good example of a country that is considered a “Melting pot.” 

The Japanese have an extremely strong cultural identity. Japan is a good example of one of the world’s few homogenous societies.

  

The United States was born in a revolution against a monarchy and all through its history it has had a civilian population that has always been well armed.

Japan was a caste society for thousands of years. The people – the peasantry – have never been armed. There was never any idea of democracy in feudal Japan and the people never considered rising up against the aristocrats and the warlords.

The United States was also founded on the principle that “All men are created equal.”

  

In Japan’s feudal caste society, 98% of the population was the peasantry; the remaining two percent were aristocrats, warriors and merchants. People were far from equal.

  

In the United States, the law of the land, written in the 1780s, says that the people have the right to keep and bear arms. People in the United States have a history of a country awash with guns.

  

In ancient Japan, the people were not even allowed to carry swords. The Great Sword Hunt was carried out in 1588 and disarmed everyone. The only ones who were ever allowed to carry arms were the warrior class. Guns? What guns?

According to the Global Peace Index, the United States ranks a lowly 88^th place (One rank above the People’s Republic of China). Japan is ranked as the 5^th most peaceful nation in the world.

  

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, in 2012, the USA had 56,600,000 people on some sort of government financial assistance.

  

According to Japan’s Ministry of Health Labour and Welfare, as of June 2012, there were 2,115,477 people on some sort of government financial assistance.

  

In the USA, the official numbers show unemployment at 7.8% of the population. Unofficially, according to Shadow Stats, the unemployment rate is about 23%.

  

In Japan official unemployment stands at about 4.2%. Unofficially it is at 5.7%.

  

And that’s just a few of the big differences. There’s much more but I think you get the picture,

Now, you tell me, after considering the above, is comparing Japan and the United States fair when it comes to gun control or even Universal Health Care?

  

Can we find a cure for gun crime in the United States by looking at how another country with a vastly different history, culture and people with a completely different experience have dealt with it or do we have to look within ourselves and our own nation?

  

Could it be that the gun crimes and murder rate in the USA have little to do with the numbers of guns and everything to do with what Henson Ong said at a gun violence prevention public hearing said,

“Gun control does not work. Your own history is replete with high school rifle teams, Boy Scout marksmanship merit badges. You could buy rifles at hardware stores. You could order them – mail order them – delivered to your home. Your country was awash in readily available firearms and ammunition. And yet, in your past, you did not have mass shootings… What changed? It was not that the availability of guns suddenly exploded or increased, it actually decreased… What changed was societal decay…”

I think it must be pretty obvious to anyone who thinks about it when talking about gun control and crimes (or even universal health care) comparing the United States to Japan is like comparing a steak barbeque to a slice of fish.

  

Men may be from Mars, and women are from Venus, but never forget that the Japanese are most definitely from Japan… Americans are from who knows where.

And that’s just the way it is.

今夜！Julieライブ決定！2月14日（木）渋谷 Last Waltz

Julieライブ決定！

(English below)

日時：2月14日（木）開場１８：３０　開演１９：３０

場所：Last Waltz

http://lastwaltz.info/access/

全席自由　ご予約\2,500　当日\3,000（税込み ドリンク別）

メールでの予約はこちらまで、lastwaltz@shiosai.com or info@irc2.co.jp

開場18:30　開演19:30

全席自由　ご予約 ¥2,500　当日 ¥3,000（税込み ドリンク別）

メールでの予約はこちらまで、lastwaltz@shiosai.comもしくはinfo@irc2.co.jp

1．ご希望公演日時　2．お名前＆フリガナ　3．人数　４．お電話番号

を送信下さい。折り返しこちらから確認のメールを送信致します。

＊Julie　プロフィール；

１９８４年アメリカ、カリフォルニア生まれ。

グラムロックに憧れ、小学生の頃から「rocky horror picture show」などのロックミュージカルを見て育った。「All That Jazz」を歌ったデモテープが関係者の目にとまりデビューが決定。2012年「BLACK SUIT & WHITE TIE」でアルバムデビュー。同年の夏に、日本人プロデューサーとイタリア人のクリエイターの共同プロジェクトのもと、イタリアで新しいEPのレコーディ ングとミュージックビデオの撮影を行い、新たにスタートする。新EPアルバム「J」を、2012年12月11日にリリース 。

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Julie on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/likejforjulie

Julie 

Valentine's Day Live!

Feb. 14, 2013 at Shibuya Last Waltz

This is world class production and performance! Watch!

Japan's Sultry Jazz Newcomer Julie to Appear Live in Feb. 14, 2013 at Shibuya Last Waltz. 

I wrote about Julie and her team. Please refer to Female Japanese Jazz Musician Breaking into Italy and the West:

"...the other day, I saw something that really made my heart sing and think, for the first time in a long time, "Wow! Here's some Japanese people who are really going for it and trying to sell their product, not only in Japan but around the world!" I went to a live jazz performance of a new artist named Julie.

It was a refreshing evening. It made my heart sing to hear REALLY top quality world-class performers doing music with style....

...Meet Jazz singer Julie. Her latest EP (now on sale on Amazon) is a refreshing break from the typical pop music scene. Julie does Jazz and in the traditional mode. The EP has been released in Italy and was produced, directed, recorded, engineered, mastered by an Italian film director. The video was also shot on location in Italy.  And one can tell immediately that this is not a Japanese production."

19:30 ~ (DOORS OPEN AT 18:30) 

VENUE: LAST WALTZ (http://lastwaltz.info/access/) 

TICKETS: ADVANCE ¥2,500 / DOOR ¥3,000 (tax incl./drink excluded) 

TICKET RESERVATION: lastwaltz@shiosai.com or info@irc2.co.jp

Linkedin MUST Be Hurtin' Fer Certain! They Say I'm in "Top 1%!"

Seriously... Today I got an email from Linkedin that said I was one of the Top 1% of all profiles viewed on all of Linkedin (200 million users) for 2012. They also have said that I have an "All-Star profile"... Really? 

I think that if my profile has been viewed in the top 1% that's pretty lame! (I mean for Linkedin; maybe cool for me!)

200 million members? Top 1%? That is cool, I suppose. But in my twisted mind, it reminds me of the trivial fact about alcohol hand-sprays. You know, the ones that you see at hospitals and doctors office entranceways that ask you to spray your hands before entering in order to kill bateria and any other nasties on your hands?

Well did you know that those sprays only kill 99% of all bacteria? Yep. That leaves 1% alive.

And did you know that in one sneeze, there are about 200 million bacteria? Yep. So, if the spray kills 99% and there are 200,000,000 then that means.. Let's see...

99% is actually .99 which means that 0.01 are stil alive. 200,000,000 divided by 0.01 leaves 2,000,000 left over.... So, if you spray your hands with this alcohol spray, then there could be 2 million little bacteria nasties still remaining. Delicious!

So, if there are 200,000,000 Linkedin users, and I am in the Top 1% viewed, then there are two million people just like me!!!!!

Wow! I feel so, so.... Unique.

Or maybe, most people take that Linked in too seriously. I did write once in How to Make Six Figures a Year From Your Linkedin Account - Linkedin Needs More Truth in Advertising - My Linkedin Page is a Big Joke 

Do you know what Linkedin is? Linkedin is a great place where you can connect with people you don't know or care about and brag about stuff that doesn't really matter. It's kind of like going to a high school reunion where everyone who thought they were hot stuff in school tries to impress everyone else that they are still hot stuff even though they now work part-time as a plumber or are on food stamps!

Heck, nothing wrong with food stamps! Join the crowd! I just got my Obamacard today so I get food stamps too! Hey Linkedin, where do we enter that sort of information on our biographies?

........ Maybe the wig is why I have never had anyone call me even once for a job interview after seeing my Linkedin bio!

Speaking of that, I been wondering exactly what the purpose of Linkedin is anyway? I mean, if it is a site to look for a job then that's cool, but what's the point of posting your bio on Linkedin if the only other people who are going to see it are also out of a job and looking for one too? 

Isn't that a contradiction? It's so confusing....

...Is Linkedin merely a place for unemployed men to be bragging to other unemployed men? Not hardly.

The truth is that Linkedin was designed for the gainfully employed to show their old high school girlfriend (who savagely dumped them just before the big year-end dance) that she made a mistake that she'll always regret because you - and only you - were the one who really loved her most (that b*tch!) When you understand that, then Linkedin makes sense. 

That's why you rarely see girls on Linkedin. They don't go there because they can't really figure out what the point is either (remember they were the ones doing the dumping). Did you know that, by my latest calculations that guys on Linkedin outnumber women by over 25 to 1!!!...

...I think Linkedin should have a "reality recommendations" part and, instead of just positive recommendations, it should also have a "condemnations" and "personal attacks" place where real comments about your shady character can be added. Stuff that can't be blocked by the page owner. Real opinions on your work quality and ethics (or lack thereof) like these from your former employers:

"So and so worked here for six months and things went fine until we began to notice huge amounts of toilet paper missing from the restrooms and forks, knives and spoons missing from the employee cafeteria." - Manager

Or, remember your very first job? Working at your dad's company?

"So and so was a totally worthless pile of crap employee. He was the worst putrefying heap of overblown bovine excrement imaginable. All his life he's been useless. Totally night and day difference between him and his extremely successful older brother." - Your father

Well, that was then and this is now. Actually, I've fallen on hard times so I cleaned up my Linked in account and make it more, er, serious in order to get gainful employment.

A look at my Linkedin description of my radio work should drive that point home:

Mike Rogers was born and raised in Los Angeles, a city even more dangerous and crazy than he is. His passport lists his occupation as 'D.J./comedian' and as we all know, passports never lie. 

He has worked as a professional DJ/Professional wrestling announcer/Sushi chef all around Japan entertaining and irritating audiences in equal measure for the last 27 years.  

With his two of his only three friends, Mike wrote and starred in many of Tokyo's most popular radio programs, including Good Morning Garbage, er, I mean, Good Morning Garage (GMG) and Channel G. 

Hopefully one day GMG will be syndicated nationwide, but as things stand, it looks like that will be the same day that you can ice skate and pirouette across the fiery rivers of hell. 

Mike has also done many TV shows and can often be spotted in a romantic kissing scene at a restaurant as the customer in the background... Yes, that's him. No, not him. The other one. Yes! That's him the one on the right with the bald spot! 

Frankly speaking, in the course of his career, Mike has received no awards worth mentioning but has received many a letter of complaint from listeners and offended fans, which is clearly a lot better.  

Mike is very pleased to be coming to ply his trade in Japan, as to be honest, he had all but burnt his bridges in his own. Mike has been fired from every radio station in Tokyo at least once. But, just like a radioactive cockroach Mike keeps coming back.  

Mike also makes TV shows and other stuff that you wouldn't really care about.

Maybe I should put back the entire slate of funny stuff and slap stick comedy that I used to have on my Linkedin page (like the position of "Top Tosser in Tokyo")... Think that will get me the CEO position at a huge international bank or Airlines?