The customer is not always right

A Korean is going to sue his customer because he received racial discrimination from the customer.
There are many Koreans in Japan.
On the surface Japanese and Koreans are doing well.
But there is still discrimination behind.

The company he works for supports his lawsuit.
It's unusual but it's all right.

Say no to racism.
It's easy to say but hard to do.

Rainy season is over

It's so hot.

Can you forgive an unforgivable person?

Zidane's head-butt inspires summer song

In France they produced a funny song out of Zidane's sad incident in World Cup Germany.
I heard it the other day.
I don't understand what they say but it sounds entertaining.

It's a good idea to laugh out loud and forget bad memories.


http://www.laplagerecords.com/

Life and work

If you can make your work one of your hobbies, the work can be fun.
But you shouldn't believe your work is your life.
You shouldn't dedicate your life to your work.

Happiness in Philippines

About eighty percent of Filipinos think they are happy according to the social research institution SWS(Social Weather Stations).
That's a very big figure.

Many of them are poor and political situation is very unstable.

Feeling of happiness depends on the measure you use.

To live is to work.
They share everything they can.

Happiness is a tool to live through a hard life for Filipinos.

You've go to know there must be love

Mission: Impossible III

It was thrilling and entertaining.
I like the movie because they do funny things so seriously.

Never forget to pay respect to your patients

Patients are your teachers and mentors.
You learn from them a lot.

I see many elderly couples take care of each other.
They must have experienced so many difficult times in life.

You should think hard times come again and again until you die.
You have to go to heaven to have peaceful life.

Medicine progress everyday but there are still many diseases which can't be cured.
You have to face the fact and keep going.

Thank you letter for M

You have been so nice to everybody and always been cheerful and gentle.
You have a really wonderful talent to be friendly with anybody.

Your smile makes us happy when we are deep in trouble.

And your work performance has developed a lot.
You teach the newcomers very properly.

We are going to miss you.
But it's your life.

Make everybody around you with your smile and also make yourself happy.

Thank you for working with us for a long time.
We wish you good luck.

stupid but serious

I want to be like Nanao Aika.

She is so specially talented.

She speaks English, French ,Spanish and Japanese.
She has lived in various countries since she was a child.

She graduated from Tokyo university.

How else can I write?
I'm writing sentences which all begin with "She".
It looks so stupid.

I wish I could write a journalistic text.

Performa doesn't start up

My first Mac, Performa 5220, doesn't start up.
I bought this Mac in 1996.
It's been ten years since I started using it.

I used the emergency disk but the hard disk couldn't be found.

I heard a sad melody from Mac yesterday.
Does this mean Performa is no more alive?

I will read "The Macintosh Bible", which I have forgotten about for a long time, and find a solution.

Osim says

Japan was disappointed because of optimism.
By what reason was Japan optimistic?

Japan is a developed country but you shouldn't jump to conclusion Japanese soccer is advanced.

The car has stopped.
We all have to push it.

This is like a marriage in some point of view.
At first you can get along well but you don't know what comes next.

Zidane, Materazzi Punished by FIFA

Zidane's head-butt problem was settled.
He has to pay about $6,000 and do community service for three days with children.
That's very little money for him.
The kids must be very excited to work with Zidane.
How wonderful the punishment is!

Materazzi was also fined about $4,000 and was suspended for two games.
His insult to Zidane didn't include racial discrimination.
But he made Zidane so upset insulting his sister ( or mother? I'm not sure).
Italians are angry about this.

It's difficult to prove what Materazzi really said.
In soccer games there are many dirty words.
I don't know if this punishment for Materazzi is appropriate or not.

We will never forget this incident.

Former Yugoslavia soccer coach Osim to take charge of Japan

Never forget the bitter memories of World Cup Germany!

Heavy rain keeps falling

More than ten people died because of the torrential rain.
The rainy season is going to end, but we have to pay a price for it?

There was another tsunami in Indonesia.
We can't avoid natural disasters.
We are very fragile before the nature.

Australia to lobby for 2018 World Cup

The next World Cup will be held in South Africa in 2010.
In 2014 it will be held in South America.
Maybe in Brazil?
The president of Colombia says they may be a candidate.
And in 2018 Australia is going to become a candidate.

How old will I be?
Will I have enough money to travel?

I really want to go to World Cup my self.
In 2002 I went to Yokohama to see the final between Brazil and Germany.
It was very exciting.
I want to have the experience one more time.

CRIME EXPO SA

A South African man opened a website to warn people who are willing to go to the country in 2010.
There are many serious crimes in South Africa.
It's dangerous to visit the country to see World Cup in 2010.

Then, what should we do?

Big city and THE BIG ISSUE

I make it a rule to buy THE BIG ISSUE from a homeless when I go to Osaka.
The sellers of the magazine are very polite.
I don't know why they became homeless.
At least they are making efforts to make money and try to be independent.

There are many foreigners without proper visa in Japan.
I think Japan needs these people, even if they are illegal.

Homeless and illegal residents.
And there are many NEET people.
Not in education , employment or training.

We can start up something with these people.
I'll think about it.

The last phase is always the most glorious

I found out the phrase from the movie "calendar girls".

Even if you get old, you still have a chance and can change your life.

The end of the rainy season

There was a thunder this afternoon.
It must be the sign of the end of the rainy season.

I want to review the World Cup Germany and want to know more about world soccer.

Most of the country call soccer "football".
In Spanish it's fútbol.
In Germany Fußball.
In French le football.

Japanese soccer is still too immature to compete with the world.

one red paper clip

Started from one red paper clip, Kyle MacDonald finally got a house.
It's amazing!

They say "give and take".
Somebody says "give and given".

If I keep giving, some day I will be given a big gift?

farewell and welcome party at a steak restasurant

The restaurant was nice.
A chef cooked the steak in front of us.
Watching the cooking performance was entertaining.

For the first time in my life I ate foie gras.
It was so soft and tasty.

One of the assistants is going to quit because she's getting married.
She is a very good girl with a beautiful smile.
We are going to miss her.

Two assistants joined our workplace.
They are young and have a lot of possibilities.

I hope we can get along well.

People come and go

I stay in the same workplace.
But I feel as if I have changed jobs because there are some new workers.
They make me refreshed.

I want to be independent some day.
I want to make good use of my ability.

What kind of business can I set up?

Without World Cup

What should I live for?
World Cup Germany is over.
I'm looking forward to 2010.

I'm really sorry for Zidane.
What did Materazzi say to him?

There is still racism in the world.
FIFA had the campaign "Say no to racism" but you can't change the world so easily.

Zidane ended his career with a red card

Italy is the champion of FIFA World Cup Germany 2006.
It's all right. No problem.

Zidane had to go before the game was over.
I couldn't believe my eyes.
He hit his forehead into the chest of Marco Materazzi.

Materazzi must have said something insulting to Zidane.
Zidane couldn't stand it and went violent.

I'm so sorry.
France was almost getting the victory but it slipped away.

But Zidane is the most valuable player.
He got the golden ball award.
Is he satisfied with it?

Life is full of unexpected things.
Even Zidane has to suffer.

Germany got the third place

It was the last international game for both Figo and Kahn.

It's no doubt Kahn is a great goalkeeper.
He gave only one score for Portugal.

Portugal's score was assisted by Figo.
It was a beautiful ending for him.

Shweinsteiger scored twice.
He was too glad to get a yellow card by taking off his uniform.
He is still so young.

The game was nice.
Both of them did a good job.

The Final is approaching.
I have to sleep less.

Art is explosion

Okamoto Taro's wall painting "The myth of tomorrow" is opened to public now.
The painting was found in Mexico in 2003.
Taro was painting the wall around 1968 but the project was canceled.

The painting was damaged but was made up again.
The theme of the painting was atomic bomb.
It is the nightmare Japan can never forget.

I saw the wall painting on TV yesterday.
It was very energetic and impressive.

I want to go to Tokyo to see it.

Can we see Kahn?

Oliver Kahn may play as goalkeeper in the match between Germany and Portugal.
Which will get the third place?
Are they still motivated enough to fight?

The referee of the game is Japanese.
He is the first Japanese to judge the game after the first round.

World Cup Germany is approaching to the end.
It's a kind of sad.

"third-place play off"

Save the last dance for Zidane

Nobody can stop Zidane.
Ricardo couldn't stop Zidane's penalty shot.

Portugal was very close to a goal but couldn't reach.
This is the last World Cup for both Zidane and Figo.

Figo couldn't finish with victory.

Totti is also going to retire?

Italy vs. France...
Which one should I cheer for?

North Korea Launches Multiple Missiles

After Hide is gone

Who is going to lead Japanese soccer?
Hide was always standing apart.
He was not friendly to his teammates.

He really wanted the best.
Most Japanese like conformity but he doesn't.

A player like him is necessary for Japan to be strong enough to compete with the world.

The new coach Osim is also sorry for his retirement.

Hide says he retires but never quits soccer.
What does this mean?
Is he going to be a coach in the future?

two goals were too cruel

Nobody would have expected the game to end in that way.
At the very last minute of the extended game, Italy scored one after another.

I never expected Del Piero would score.

Germany didn't have time.
I thought they would win because they are the host country.

Italy is not only very defensive but getting aggressive.

Hide's new life

Hidetoshi Nakata is going to retire as a soccer player.
What is he going to do next?

He is very intelligent.
He may establish his own business.

He will be 33 years old at the next World Cup in South Africa in 2010.
I guess he can still play.

But it's his decision.

Life is a journey.

England and Brazil were eliminated

Poor Beckham.
He got injured and couldn't take part in the penalty shootouts.
He's going to quit the role of captain but will continue to play.

In World Cup no victory is certain.

France beat Brazil.
Zidane's play looked like a magic.
This is his last World Cup.

At semi-finals, Germany meets Italy, France meets Portugal.
They are all Europeans.

Why can't other countries win in Europe?

say no to racism

“The root causes of racism and discrimination are degradation and contempt for other human beings, whether it be for reasons of sex, race, disability or anything else. FIFA deserves praise for confronting the issues of racism and discrimination.” (Ann M. Veneman, Executive Director of UNICEF)

What a pity, Argentina!

If Abbondanzieri had not got injured, Argentina would have won the game.
They had to change the goalkeeper.
And then, they became defensive.

They needed one more goal.

They had to fight extra time, then had to go through penalty shootouts.
At penalties Germany had advantage because they were in their own country.

Argentina couldn't win.
Penalty shootouts depend on luck, I guess.

I sympathize for Argentina.