About train accident in Japan.

I guess you saw or heard in the news.
There was a train accident in Japan,
which killed 106 people.

Why did the tragedy happened?

One big factor is the tradition in Japan,
"strictness" about the time.
Trains MUST run ALWAYS "on time".
in fact, passengers can see "diagram",
a schedule of train arrivals and departures in every station,
and unless there are some emergency situations,
train arrives and leaves the station as it is written in the diagram.

There are also table of "how many minutes to arrive to which station",
"which station is good for changing to which lines",
"how many minutes to take in changing the lines",
etc.

about the subway in Tokyo, click here.

Q: Where is the borderline of "late"?
in Italy: after 15 mins.
in England: after 10 mins.
in Japan: after 1 min.

Usually, accuracy to the schedule must be within 30 seconds.
But in the case of Fukuchiyama line,
where the accident had occurred this time,
accuracy must be reported in "BY A SECOND".

The motorman who caused the accident was late for 90 seconds.
he had to arrive at next station on time.
or else, he will be suspended and his salary will be reduced.
thus he run at 100km/h in the railway,
where it's speed limit is 70km/h.

I wonder.
Must "Speed" be prioritized than "Safety"?

To the next step...

When DVD was introduced,
the world impressed and wondered.
It looked exactly the same as CD,
but a DVD can contain as much as 5 times of a CD.

That's an old news.
The issue is about "next generation" optical discs already.
it enables to increase the capacity,
by using blue laser instead of red laser,
which is used in the present DVDs.

The problem is,
there are TWO "next generation" optical discs.
"blu-ray disc" supported by Sony, Panasonic, etc.,
and "HD DVD" supported by Toshiba, NEC, etc.

"blu-ray" is characterized with it's capacity.
it can contain as much as 10 times of a DVD.
but it has no compatibility with the present DVDs.

"HD DVD" is characterized with it's compatibility.
the current industrial line for DVD can be directly turned into it.
but it has less capacity, just 6 times of a DVD.

What will happen, when there are two standards?

Hollywood is in the middle of vortex.
the whirlpool of the two makes them troubled.
If they just take one standard,
the consumers on another standard might not buy.
If they take both standards,
it will cost a lot.

Just like the battle between "VHS - beta".

Furthermore,
Chinese are developing the third standard.
although they are using red laser,
they might dominate the whole market,
if the battle of "blu-ray - HD DVD" continues.

Situation was too grave.
just this April,
the administration of both Sony and Toshiba discussed about UNIFICATION.

They will make an another standard,
which develops advantages of both standards.

These are the merits of the new standard.

1. It allows to lessen the cost.
2. It makes consumers not to worry about choosing the standards.
3. It spreads and enlarges the market faster.
4. It keeps from meaningless price competition.
5. It keeps the proper profit on the maker's hand.

I would support the technology of Japan.
but they must study more about management strategies.

There's no much time left.
Time won't wait for you...

Ecology Business. (From the issue of "New Journal From Japan")

Smokey mountain.
Well known as the mountain of garbage in the Philippines.
Scavengers look for metals and plastics from them to live for a day.
And enormous kitchen garbage, the main component of the smokey mountain, produce vast amount of methane gas, which pollutes the atmosphere.

Last year,
Mitsubishi brought a project.
It is the generator, which uses methane gas as fuel.
They say this project is feasible, and it contributes a lot to an area.
Its merits are:

1. It generates electricity, and improves supply system in the Philippines.
2. It doesn't use petroleum. the cost of production is not affected by the WTI.
3. It reduces the pungent smell of methane gas.
4. Greenhouse effect will be reduced. methane gas is 21 times more effective to catch heat than the CO2, which is emitted in it.
5. Mitsubishi will earn an ecology right.

And the last one is the main purpose of this project.

I'm gonna explain.

On February 2005, Kyoto Protocol took effect.
It says all about reduction of green house gases for the global warming.
And all advanced nation must reduce CO2 emission, with quota. Japan must reduce 6% from the amount emitted on 1990.
And when an advanced nation helps the third world nation for CO2 reduction, the amount reduced can be emitted extra. that is "ecology right".

Right now,
CO2 is traded with the price of 6 US Dollars per ton.

Clean air costs a lot.

We must not leave this problem to the next generation.

Column: The battle of M&A between Livedoor and Fuji TV.

"Money can do many things, but not everything."

"I'm not trying to takeover, I'm just trying to cooperate."

"We don't trust an IT profiteer."

"If you don't want to be controlled by the Capitalists outside, then don't list stocks in the market."

These are the words said in the battle of Merger and Acquisition(M&A) between Livedoor and Fuji TV, in Japan.

Here are the brief passage of the battle between them.

January 17, 2005
Livedoor, the newly founded IT company, announced to acquire 50% to 100% of the stocks of Nippon Broadcast, which is the parent company of Fuji TV.

February 8, 2005
Livedoor announced that they had acquired 35% of the stocks of Nippon Broadcast.

February 10, 2005
Against it, Fuji TV declared Take-Over Bid(TOB) to acquire 25% of the stocks of Nippon Broadcast, to lose effect of Livedoor.

February 23, 2005
Nippon Broadcast announced that they will issue reservation for new stocks to Fuji TV, to lower the proportion of the stocks possessed by Livedoor.

February 24, 2005
Livedoor applied a preliminary injunction of issue to Tokyo District Court.

March 7, 2005
TOB of Fuji TV ended, and announced that they had secured 36.47% of the stocks.

March 11, 2005
Tokyo District Court banned issue reservation for new stocks.

March 16, 2005
Livedoor announced that they acquired more than 50% of stocks in voting rights basis.

March 17, 2005
Livedoor plans to take-over Fuji TV by Leveraged Buyout (LBO). It allows to charter funds with buying company as collateral.

March 24, 2005
Nippon Broadcast lends all the stocks of Fuji TV to another IT company, Softbank Investment as a White Knight.

April 18. 2005
Finally, Livedoor and Fuji TV reconciled. They reached a consensus in business tie-up, Fuji TV buys all the stocks of Nippon Broadcast which is possessed by Livedoor, Livedoor allocates new shares to Fuji TV, and Fuji TV invests 12.75% to Livedoor. As a result, Fuji TV paid 147 Billion Yen (about 1.38 Billion US Dollars).

Electrification.

During the planning of houses,
Structure is important. So is infrastructure.

Q:
What are the 3 important infrastructures?
A:

1. Water supply and drainage.
2. Electricity.
3. City Gas*.

* This is not popular in the Philippines.
People "buy" Gas Tanks at Gas Station,
and bring it to the kitchen.

* City Gas usually means Liquefied Natural Gas.

This "Gas" is traditionally important factor in Japan.
Not only for the fire supply,
but also for "Hot Water" supply.
(Heating System, too.)
Those are essential during winter.

Japanese take "bath" in hot water.
(about 40-43 degrees Celsius)
and few LITERS of water is needed to fill the bathtub.

...

Did you notice that water can be heated using electricity, too?

And did you know that to heat using electricity is more Ecological and Economical?
it consumes less energy,
it produces no Carbon Dioxide,
and it is cheaper.

Moreover,
"IH Cooker" is attracting the attention of people.
It enables to cook without "Fire", to say nothing of a "Gas".

To cut the long story short:
Gas is not necessity.

The mode is "All-Electrified" house.
the house which doesn't use Gas.
It is extensively advertised by electric power companies.

And this time,
they are facing the apprehension of violation of Anti-monopoly Law.

"The electric power companies are in stronger position than the gas companies in competition, and it is necessary to correct the abuses." by Fair Trade Commission

They're doing their business.

But I'm not sure if their business is right.

It must be customer's choice, if they're gonna choose "Traditional" house or "All-Electrified" house.
Even if all the customers chose "All-Electrified" house,
it must be the taste of the times,
and I think Fair Trade Commission have no right to say anything about it.

Just like when cars usurped the position of horse-drawn carriages...

The "Good old days" is gone.
Don't be left behind the times.
Time flies.

Column: What is "IH Cooker"?

"IH Cooker" is attracting the attention of people.
It enables to cook without "Fire", to say nothing of a "Gas".

How?

IH stands for "Induction Heating".
You must have studied in electromagnetism.
Induction is the process,
that the Primary Coil (The cooker) "inducts" electricity to the Secondary Coil (The pots and pans).
The pots and pans must be made of Steel or Stainless Steel, which produces heat from resistance in it.
Thus, Aluminum can't be use, since its resistance is not enough to produce sufficient amount of heat.

Okay, scientific explanation is enough.

What are the merits of using IH Cooker?

1. Strong heating power : can be cooked in about 30% shorter time than Gas cooker.
2. High thermal efficiency : reaches 90%. (Gas cooker is only up to 55%.) Also, residual heat remains as 1/5 of Gas cooker.
3. Economical : about 20% cheaper than Gas cooker.
4. Safety : since it doesn't use actual "Fire", and doesn't heat non-metals directly, it is much more safe than Gas cooker.
5. Easy to maintain : since it is flat, spilled boiling overs are easily wiped.
6. Easy to cook : it conducts heat evenly, thus it doesn't need to mix or to stir during cooking.
7. Comfortable : it conducts less heat to the surroundings, thus it makes cooker more comfortable, especially during summer. It also enables to use electric fan or wind from aircon.

No wonder,
it attracts the attention of people.

Subway in Tokyo. (from the issue of "New Journal From Japan")

Everything is expensive in Tokyo,
especially the transportation fee.

I often ride in subway in Tokyo.
a ride to an adjacent station is 160 yen, worth 1.5 US Dollars.
and it is the minimum fee.

As the destination go farther, fee get more expensive.
But not "directly proportional", future engineers there!?

Okay, here's what I like in the subway in Tokyo.

1. Plural lines are owned by the same company, hence there's no extra fee in changing the lines. in short, you can ride in different lines in 1 pay only.
2. Some lines join converges with another company's lines.
3. Not crowded. usually train is composed of 10 cars with 4 doors each.
4. Fast.
5. Convenient.

Right now, 12 lines are in Tokyo. (subway only)
It covers the area about twice of Metro Manila.
And as you know, subway doesn't pollute air unlike the jeeps or buses.
Generally I like subway.

Conclusion:
To ride subway is expensive.
hehehe...

Have a nice day!

What is Mass Media for?

it was in internet, where I knew about the death of Pope John Paul II.

Many hours later, I just found a small article in the news paper, telling the same thing briefly. I took a little more time to see it in TV.

Duh.

I thought this could be the headline certainly. But the news are just focused on privatization of postal service or battle between Livedoor and Fuji TV (and Softbank too).

Hello? I want to ask to all the reporters, journalists and editors in Japan: Are you really working? They treat this news less important than the death of Ronald Reagan. Hey, do you know that the death of U.S. President is a news for a decade, but the death of Pope is a news for a century??? I couldn't understand the system of Mass Media.

I know, the population of Catholic people doesn't dominate Japan, but still, this must be the headline in this time of globalization.

Bicycles. (from the issue of "New Journal From Japan")

When I go to subway station,
when I go to the market,
when I'm crossing the bridge,
when I'm crossing the street,
when I go home,
I always see.

Bicycles.

Too many.

Of course, also in front of this internet cafe.

And I'm riding the bicycle, too.
going to subway station,
going to market,
crossing the bridge,
crossing the street,
and going home.

This is one face of Japan.

Why only few bicycles are in the Philippines?
bicycle doesn't cause traffic.
doesn't cause air pollution.
doesn't cause global warming.
and,
bicycle is the most energy efficient vehicle.
did you know?

I believe Philippines would be better if there's
more bicycles instead of other cars.

Do you think so?