A few days in the snow

Went to Hakuba skiing from Dec 25 - 29. We met the Stummer family whom we know from their Kobe days. The first 2 days were beautiful with crisp snow and blue skies, the 3rd day was overcast and when it was time to leave on the 29th it rained.

All in all, a big success. Eva got some ski lessons and Conrad also spent a day with Ito sensei he, Conrad gained a lot of confidence on skis.

The Greenspan Standard

This is an excerpt of a recent article posted by Michael Nystrom on his website www.bullnotbull.com



It is well known that former Fed Chief Alan Greenspan was a disciple of Ayn Rand, who believed in (among other things) unregulated capitalism. When interviewed recently on NPR's Fresh Air, Greenspan was asked if he didn't see some irony that, despite his own self-proclaimed libertarian beliefs, he spent much of his time as one of the world's most powerful regulators.
Greenspan's response: Regulator? Moi?
Here is a transcript of the actual exchange. (This comes in the last seven minutes of the interview):
Greenspan: Well actually, we were not fundamentally regulators [at the Fed]. The vast portion of our efforts were not involved in bank regulation.
NPR: No, but you were regulating interest rates, which have a profound effect on world economies.
Greenspan: You're raising really a very interesting question. I have always argued that the gold standard of the 19th century was a very effective stabilizer. It kept inflation essentially at zero, and I felt it was critical for the tremendous growth that occurred for the American economy in the latter part of the 19th century. When we went off the gold standard essentially in 1933, we then had to have what we call "fiat money" which is essentially money that is - it's printed paper money. Which unless we restrict the volume of, can be highly inflationary.
The type of interest rate regulation that I and indeed most central banks in the last 20 years have been involved in...has been to try to replicate the laws and rules that were governing the gold standard. And so it is an odd situation where all the central bankers -- while none of them are advocating a return to the gold standard -- nonetheless try to replicate the various types of interest rate policies that the gold standard would have created. And it is an interesting question whether you call that regulation, or basically functioning of a central bank in stabilizing the economy."




In listening to his smooth, soothing voice, the meaning of his words can easily get lost. The man nearly puts you to sleep with what sounds like soothing wisdom. But in reading the above transcript, clarity returns with a vengeance. Allow me to clarify. What he said was: The gold standard was responsible for the tremendous growth during one of America's most innovative and productive periods, but unfortunately we "had to have" fiat money. (Really? We had to have it? Who made that decision for us?) Greenspan then goes on to admit that fiat money can be very inflationary, so it has to be regulated. However, in spite of the fact that he is the Chairman of the institution charged with regulating it, he is not the regulator.
How can this be possible!? Because, he soothingly reassures us, he was simply emulating the gold standard! He would have us believe (if we did not have brains) that he was simply an automaton - doing what the gold standard would have been doing automatically anyway. Which begs the question: If this is the case - if the gold standard worked so well - why do we need the Fed to attempt to emulate it?? Why not just bring the gold standard back?

This is an excerpt of a recent article posted by Michael Nystrom on his website www.bullnotbull.com

3 Year- Checkup Eva

On Sep 14 I had to take Eva to the ward office for her 3 year health and development check. What I hoped was going to be a quick in-and-out took 3 hours, as there were 100 other 3 year olds to be checked.


Eva weighed in at 17 kg and at 103 cm she was the tallest of the lot. While waiting for the various checks, she was also the noisiest. However, once it was her turn, she was brave and cooperative, while many of the other children started crying frantically when the doctors and dentists started working on them.

Happy Birthday Conrad!

Hard to believe, but Conrad just celebrated his 10th birthday.

His friends Deema, Oscar, Maurice and Brennan came over last night and the boys resigned to their Bionicles-madness for the better part of the night.

Outsheeping Sheep

Here's a quote from David Icke:

Humans have outsheeped sheep: Sheep need a dog to keep them in line - humans keep each other in line. Anyone that is different is punished with ridicule and condemnation.

Summer in California

Ah California!

Seacliff beach, perfect for fishing and enjoying the waves at sunset.

A picture of home

A while ago I spotted a painting in my daily newspaper that attracted my attention because it looked familiar in style and content. Upon closer inspection, I realized that it was painted by Egon Schiele and depicted Stein a. D., where my parents live and mom was born.

I had no idea that Schiele painted landscapes, but I quite liked the picture with its two central churches, the Danube and the vineyards in back. Since both of our children were baptized in one of the churches (the lower one; the uppoer one, the "Frauenkirche" is decomissioned and serves as a war memorial), I went on the internet and ordered a poster. I paid 50 USD, which I felt was expensive, but when the package was delivered some 3 weeks later (from China), I realized that I had purchased an oil painting on canvas. I had it framed and it now adorns our entrance hall and is a constant reminder of Wachau's natural beauty.

Memorial Day Celebration

This is Memorial Day Weekend in the USA. Memorial Day is a holiday in USA and serves to remember and honor all the men and women who died serving their country at war.


A tiny group, comprised of 2 Americans, 2 Japanese, 3 Austrians and 1 boy from Iceland attended the ceremony at the Foreign Cemetery in Kobe. A wreath was laid down at the monument for American Servicemen and then the US Consul, Mr Howard, gave a small speech.



Afterwards we enjyed the natural beauty of Futatabi, walked around the lake, saw turtles and carps and felt disappointed that there were no boats for hire, as the water level of the lake was too low.

Conrad's Concert

Last Friday we followed Conrad's invitation to the 3rd and 4th grade concert at Canadian Academy.

The concert was followed by an exhhibit of the children's artwork.

Family Hike

Golden Week in Japan! Sunshine, blue sky, no school for Conrad and Cyd and a perfect chance to take the family out into the hills of Kobe. Daddy was allowed to carry little Eva.

Visiting with friends

Just before returning to Japan, I had a chance to spend some time with my parents, my sister Susanna, her daughter Ivonne, old friends of the family Angelo and Vera. Coffee in the garden!

Easter in Austria

I was lucky that a business trip to Verona (Vinitaly) brought me also to my parents' home in Krems, Austria. My sister Susanna and her daughter Ivenne also visited, so the family was almost complete!



In good old Austrian fashion, the Easter Bunny hid colored eggs and other goodies in garden.

Wir haben Besuch aus Krems

Ganz spontan entschlossen sich Oma und Opa nach Japan zu fliegen um uns in unserer Situation zu unterstuetzen. Wolfgang ist beschaeftigt eine neue Firma zu gruenden, waehrend Cyd neben Beruf und Studium nun auch noch dreimal woechentlich zur Rehabilitation ins Krankenhaus gehen muss. Da ist es toll wenn Oma fuer uns kocht und Opa sich mit Conrad und Eva beschaeftigt!

Wir geniessen!

My last day at Alcotrade

Feb 28, 2007

After 15 years, today is my last day at Alcotrade.

It is time to move on. It was fun and I thank all my suppliers, customers and staff for their goodwill and support throughout the years, but now it is time to face new challenges.

I thank Cyd for her support and unwavering confidence in my ability to succeed and become the person I want to be.

Eine besondere Auszeichnung

Landeshauptmann J Proell ueberreichte im Sommer 2006 dem Herrn Mizuno aus Osaka eine spezielle Auszeichnung fuer seine Verdienste um den oesterreichischen Wein in Japan: das Ehrenkreuz des Landes Niederoesterreich.

Um dieses freudige Ereignis auch in Japan gebuehrlich zu feiern, veranstalteten seine Freunde, durchwegs Spitzenkoeche der lokalen Gastronomie, eine kleine Party, zu der auch wir geladen waren.

A Visit at the Great Wall of China, Nov 2006

Last November, on business in Beijing, I visited the Great Wall of China with my friend Larry. It was a crisp, cold day with blue sky and a phantastic view over the hills, along which this enormous wall crawls like a big, neverending caterpillar.

Both Larry and I had forgotten our digital cameras, so we took pictures with a disposable Kodac camera. Larry then scanned the pictures for me.

The trivia below is copied from wikepedia.

The Chinese were already familiar with the techniques of wall-building by time of the Spring and Autumn Period, which began around 8th century BC. During the Warring States Period from 5th century BC to 221 BC, the states of Qi, Yan and Zhao all constructed extensive fortifications to defend their own borders. Built to withstand the attack of small arms such as swords and spears, these walls were mostly made by stamping earth and gravel between board frames.
Qin Shi Huang conquered all opposing states and unified China in 221 BC, establishing the Qin Dynasty. Intending to impose centralized rule and prevent the resurgence of feudal lords, he ordered the destruction of the wall sections that divided his empire along the former state borders. To protect the empire against intrusions by the Xiongnu people from the north, he ordered the building of a new wall that connects the remaining fortifications along the empire's new northern frontier. Transporting the large quantity of materials required for construction was difficult, so builders always tried to use local resources. Stones from the mountains were used over mountain ranges, while rammed earth was used for construction in the plains. There are no surviving historical records indicating the exact length and course of the Qin Dynasty walls. Most of the ancient walls have eroded away over the centuries, and very few sections remain today.
The Great Wall concept was revived during the Ming Dynasty, following the Ming army's defeat by the Mongols in the Battle of Tumu in 1449. The Ming had failed to gain a clear upper-hand over the Mongols after successive battles, and the long-drawn conflict was taking a toll on the empire. The Ming adopted a new strategy to keep the Mongols out, by constructing walls along the northern border of China. Acknowledging the Mongol control established in the Ordos Desert, the wall followed the desert's southern edge instead of incorporating the bend of the Huang He.


Unlike the earlier Qin fortifications, the Ming construction was stronger and more elaborate due to the use of bricks and stone instead of rammed earth. As Mongol raids continued periodically over the years, the Ming devoted considerable resources to repair and reinforce the walls. The sections near the Ming capital of Beijing were especially strengthened.
Towards the end of the Ming Dynasty, the Great Wall helped defend the empire against the Manchu invasions that began around 1600. Under the military command of Yuan Chonghuan, the Ming army held off the Manchus at the heavily fortified Shanhai Pass, thus preventing the Manchus from entering the Liaodong Peninsula and the Chinese heartland. The Manchus were finally able to cross the Great Wall in 1644, when the gates of Shanhai Pass were opened by Wu Sangui, a rebel Ming border general. The Manchus quickly seized the Ming capital of Beijing, and subsequently defeated the remaining Ming resistance to establish the Qing Dynasty.
Construction and repairs of the Great Wall were discontinued under the Qing rule, as China's borders extended beyond the walls and Mongolia was annexed into the empire.

Toyota Estima Delivered

Feb 2, 2007.

Punktually at 10 am, Mr. Minami delivered our new car. We had to retire the ol' Honda Odyssey and switched to a Toyota Estima. It has 7 seats and affords a lot of roomy comfort. A TV screen folds down in the back which allows the children (or passengers) to watch TV or movies on DVD. Should be fun.

Cyd's checkup went well

Jan 31, Dr. Iwasaki removed the sutures from Cyd's shoulder. You can see how small the insicions actually are. There were 2 sutures in the fromt and only 1 in the back.
Now, rehabilitation will start so that Cyd can regain full movement of her right arm.

The Kyoto Protocol and GHG

The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty aiming to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions believed to cause global warming and climate change, the most pressing environmental issues of our time. The treaty requires developed countries to reduce GHG emissions to below 1990 levels, but does not set binding limits on developing countries such as China.
However, the parties to the Kyoto Protocol recognized that reductions in GHG emissions can often be achieved more economically in developing countries than in developed countries themselves. Therefore the parties created the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).
The CDM enables developing country parties who carry out projects that reduce GHG emissions to receive credits for these reductions. These credits can be sold to developed country parties, which use them to offset their own emission reduction requirements. For the developed country party this is often a more cost-effective option than reducing reductions from their own domestic operations.

The above introduction to the Kyoto Protocol is taken from Arreon Carbon's website. You can find more information at http://www.arreon.com/

The Kyoto Protocol and GHG

The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty aiming to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions believed to cause global warming and climate change, the most pressing environmental issues of our time. The treaty requires developed countries to reduce GHG emissions to below 1990 levels, but does not set binding limits on developing countries such as China.
However, the parties to the Kyoto Protocol recognized that reductions in GHG emissions can often be achieved more economically in developing countries than in developed countries themselves. Therefore the parties created the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).
The CDM enables developing country parties who carry out projects that reduce GHG emissions to receive credits for these reductions. These credits can be sold to developed country parties, which use them to offset their own emission reduction requirements. For the developed country party this is often a more cost-effective option than reducing reductions from their own domestic operations.

The above introduction to the Kyoto Protocol is taken from Arreon Carbon's website. You can find more information at http://www.arreon.com/

I love my crocodile

My friends at the kindergarten play with soft and cushy bears but I love my little 'wani'. It's cold and scaly and has big, sharp teeth.

Cyd's operation

Yesterday, Jan 23, Cyd underwent surgery at Shin Suma Hospital. Dr. Iwasaki performed an arthoscopy on her right shoulder joint to fix a condition known as "Bankart Lesion".

"Fill out these forms!" we were told... easier said than done.

We checked in at 8:30 am, and then were made to wait till noon for Cyd's turn. The nurse came to get her at 12:20 and they brought her back, still under narcosis, a little before 2 pm.


Dr. Iwasaki came by with pictures he took during the operation and explained what he did.
Arthroscopy allows the orthopaedic surgeon to insert a pencil-thin device with a small lens and lighting system into tiny incisions to look inside the joint. The images inside the joint are relayed to a TV monitor, allowing the doctor to make a diagnosis. Other surgical instruments can be inserted to make repairs, based on what is with the arthroscope. Arthroscopy often can be done on an outpatient basis.



Anaesthesia and painkillers are taxing the human body heavily. Cyd felt nauseous the rest of the day. I kept vigil at her bedside till 6 pm, then we packed up and returned home. She's recovering in her own bed now and is beginning to feel better.

DID YOU KNOW..?

The world's 225 richest people now have a combined wealth of $1 trillion. That's equal to the combined annual income of the world's 2.5 billion poorest people

Butter or Guns

Whenever a nation sets out to war against another, it is forced to reallocate its resources, as you can either use your time, material and ingenuity to produce a plough or a sword. (The cost in human blood is another expense.)

Americans - as all of us westerners! - have grown so wealthy and lethargic that we don't really feel the immediate financial impact of the current war in Iraq. Partly because nobody pays close attention to government (as we should) and partly because the war is not financed by increased taxes but by loans from China and Japan (who buy the US treasury notes!).

It is interesting to look at the cost of the Iraq war, a war that was supposed to finance itself with re-invigorated oil exports from Iraq's abundant deposits (the 3rd largest in the world).

Ironically though, Iraqi oil is off the global market since the US invasion.

Ignoring the impact on the oil price which the war undoubtedly helped drive up and which is estimated to have cost US citizens 150 billion USD, the war against Saddam Hussein costs a whooping 200 billion USD annually. At the time of writing, this has added up to 700 billion USD in direct spending. Again, let's ignore the additional future costs of veteran's disability pensions, loss of productivity, etc. and only look at the 200 billion per year of direct spending.

The human mind is not capable of imagining such astronomic figures, therefore I would like to bring this amount into perspective by looking at how much real 'butter' would cost by comparison: (I take my figures from an article by David Leonhardt in the IHT of Jan 18, 2007 and Lester Brown's book "Plan B)

Universal Healthcare: 100 billion annually
(all people covered in the US)

Universal preschool: 35 billion
(early childhood education for every child in the USA: half days for 3 year olds and full day for 4 year olds)

Immunizations: 0,6 billion
(for the world's children against measels, whooping cough, tetanus, polio and diphteria)

Reforesting the earth: 6 billion

Protecting biological diversity: 31 billion

School lunch programs for the 44 poorest countries: 6 billion
(Apparently the most effective population control is educating women. To get poor families also to send girls to school, it has been proven that school lunches is the most effective incentive. I am not excluding boys from this program, but when forced to make a choice, poor families send boys to school, not girls.)

I could go on an on.


200 billion dollars is a huge sum. Throw a tenth of that amount at solar research or at subsidies of renewable energy generation and you'd make a real dent in green house gas emissions and global warming, not to mention increased independence from OPEC.

Date for operation coming up soon

If you've been reading my blog you know that Cyd must have an operation on her shoulder joint (athroscopy). We have scheduled this op on Jan 23, so for the time all bets are off for at least 10 days after that (as far as my schedule and is concerened) , as I have no idea how mobile and self sufficient she will be and how much of my time and extra input will be necessary in cydcare and childcare.

Catholic Service in German in Kobe

High above the city of Kobe, a small german speaking catholic congregation meets once a month in the chapel of St. Franz Xavier. The chapel is actually part of a christian middle school (Rokko- Chu-Gaku)



Pater Kerkmann, who once was the headmaster of Rokko- Chu-Gaku, is now posted in Seto City in Aichi. He travels 3 hours by train (one way) to celebrate mass with us and we appreciate this enormous effort. 2 years ago, there were enough children at the appropriate age level that we could organise the first communion for them.





You are welcome to join us.

Visit the website of the german Consulate Osaka / Kobe for more information on church services:

http://www.osaka-kobe.diplo.de/Vertretung/osaka/de/04/Leben__und__Arbeiten/Katholische__Kirche.html

A Message from Apple

Incredible waste

Cyd and I, after using them for 7 years or so, were forced to upgrade our handheld phones. They worked perfectly well but the battery packs were dying and irreplaceable.




Sony, Panasonic, Motorola, Nokia, just won't allow you to refit your device with new battery packs - no, you have to get a new gadget. The Korean makers are not any better.


It gets worse: after purchasing new phones, we also had to toss out our old charger-cradles as well as all other auxilliary equipment such as car chargers, usb connectors and headphones - a nice pile of high tec garbage - since the new phones came with totally different jacks.



How many cell phone users are there world wide? A billlion? Two? Can you imagine the world wide pile of cell phones and their chargers as they swap phones periodically (I don't know how often, but am certain that Cyd and I belong to the 'slow' crowd as we don't upgrade very often). Look at Chris Jordan's pictures. You can see a bigger version by clicking on them. I highly recommend you also check out his website at

http://www.chrisjordan.com

where you can find more samples of his fine photography. (By the way, if you have any connections to galleries in Japan, please post me a comment, as I am trying to set up an exhibition for him in Japan.)


How easy would it be to eliminate this incredible wastefulness with simple legislation that all phones have to be equipped with universal ports so that there is only 1 standard for chargers and headphones? It's like I have to refit my electrical outlets in my home every time I buy a new appliance!

And we thought all was ok

Someone did a study and concluded that 60% of all babies born in India would be in intensive care were they born in California.

Wind Power is Exciting - and so is the human mind

I have been an avid fan, supporter and investor in wind power. Like most people, I think of windmills when talking about generation of electricity from wind power, but recently I came across these exciting futuristic-looking images of different approaches to harnessing the power of the wind.

I copied text and images from a site called http://news.com.com/ which is loaded with interesting stuff and I can highly recommend a visit there!

In another twist on wind power, inventors are designing kites and balloons to generate electricity.
The wind industry is undergoing rapid growth as utilities, prompted by government incentives, seek out cleaner sources of power generation. Typically, these commercial-grade projects involve large wind turbines, which stand 100 to 400 feet high.

Kites and balloons are not widely used, and they face some of the same challenges as traditional wind turbines, such as bird deaths and complaints over location. But that isn't stopping people from coming up with "flying" wind generators.
One company, Magenn Power, intends to build a helium-filled balloon that resembles a giant cog wheel.
As the wind passes over it, the system generates electricity through an onboard generator. Power is transferred to the ground via its tethers, according to company Chief Executive Mac Brown.






The advantage that high-flying machines have over traditional wind turbines is that balloons can benefit from more steady air flow, Brown said. The company's Power Air Rotor product would fly at 1,000 feet.
Magenn, which is seeking $5 million in initial funding, intends to sell a 4-kilowatt system to remote villages in Pakistan and India that don't have electricity. Over time, its plan is to develop systems that are tied to the electricity grid to customers in North America and Europe.


"The value proposition we have is getting wind power anywhere," Brown said. "With turbines, you have to site them on coastal or high-wind areas."
Kites, too, are making a go at more than recreational flying.
A company called KiteShip has developed a kite designed to help motor a commercial ship. The kite, whose largest size would be bigger than a football field, can cut a ship owner's fuel cost and pollution emissions by 20 percent, according to the company. A similar system is under development at Germany's SkySails, which says its oversize kite will be pulling a cargo ship sometime this year.









An Italian sensor manufacturer has proposed the Kite Wind Generator Project (KiteGen), which also aims to capture the power of high-altitude wind.




The research project imagines that power plants could be created with kites attached to a giant revolving "merry-go-round" structure.
Briza Technologies, meanwhile, has proposed what it calls the Hovering Wind Turbine, which is also meant to capture faster, high-altitude winds.



The idea behind the hovering turbine is that it would be used as an alternative to turbines in offshore wind farms.
Another advocate of capturing the force of faster winds is Sky WindPower. The company proposes that systems be placed in altitudes of 15,000 feet, according to the company Web site.

Motocross

As a conservationist Motocross goes a little against my grain and would not be the first choice of recreation for myself. The agressive noise, the consumption of gasoline, the obvious destructiveness do not fit into my concept of preservation and healing the planet. I must admit, however, that it is a great confidence builder and I enjoyed watching Conrad and Edi Kei do the kids course at Kawachinagano.




Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits. Motocross is derived from the French, and traces its origins to British Scrambling competitions. The name "motocross" is a contraction derived from the words "Motorcycle" and "Cross Country". So according to this definition of motocross from Wikepedia, the guys jumping and looping off a ramp on their motorcycles at a course in Kawachinagano are not Motocross riders but something else. What, you may ask? I guess they are full fledged thrill seekers and stuntmen.





I do have a question, though: what motivates a young man to ride a motorbike at full speed off a ramp, fling himself into the air and then, airborne, get off his vehicle to perform some tricks?

Enjoy these fascinating pictures of true athletes on their bikes.








Conrad and Edi Kei had a chance to meet the bikers during a break.