Japan Prime Minister's new budget includes Manga Provisions!

President Barack Obama is not the only world leader focusing on new strategies to renew his nation's economy, deploying new strategies for raising revenue. Prime Minister Aso Taro today revealed his new ¥15.4 trillion plan for revitalising Japan's stuggling economy. The two leaders have some common themes in their approach such as reduction of dependency on carbon, provisions for retirement and health care, reform of the private financial sector and stimulus packages for their nation's citizens.

Prime Minister Aso also announced plans for heavy investment in Japan's "soft power" businesses such as anime, manga and fashion! The Prime Minister recognises the increasing popularity and power of these businesses, especially in the overseas markets. His plan calls for the creation of 500,000 new jobs in these businesses/arts over the next 12 years in hopes of tripling or quadrupling their revenue-generation.

This is awesome news for anime/manga addicts everywhere including Aso-san himself who is a self-proclaimed enthusiast. To think that the hobby interests of so many people like me are going to help rebuild Japan's economy is totally kool! It's wonderful in fact. Perhaps this will even help to increase the Prime Minister's diminished approval rating; he's already gained a few points in my book. Way to go Aso-san, keep up the good work!

Sources:
AFP News
jiji.com
Japan Today

***Please Note that I shopped this image for dramatic effect. I am definitely NOT poking fun at Prime Minister Aso, I think he's kool! But... this pic is entertaining, is it not?

Who won the War on Terror?

Disclaimer: I've stayed away from expressing my fierce political opinons recently, but what I've got to say today is my own editorial that many may find to be quite controversial. Anyone who is a republican and/or a George W. Bush / John McCain supporter is likely to have a big problem with it.

Basically, the conclusion I reached just a short while ago is that the "Terrorists" won. Now-- what do I mean by this? Well, let's look at the facts. In 2001, "Al Qaeda" attacked the World Trade Centre in New York-- the ultimate symbol of financial success and prosperity in the U.S. The U.S. government, led by George Bush and Donald Rumsfeld, promised that the situation would be controlled and resolved by way of an all-out "War on Terror."

What is it that really happened, however? What was the conclusion of this effort? 6 years after the start of this War on Terror, more than 4,200 U.S. soldiers have been killed, several of the country's largest and oldest financial institutions are out of business, a large percentage of U.S. citizens have lost their homes and/or are in the midst of serious financial trouble, and many of the largest, nationwide retailers are either out of business or nearing collapse. Additionally, the person recognised as the mastermind behind this destruction is still alive and in control of his international "terror" syndicate, and the insurgency in Iraq and Afghanistan is still going strong (despite what the media has been reporting).

How did we get into this situation? After the September 11 attacks, whether this was part of the plan or not, George Bush played right into the attackers' hands and ran up a gigantic national debt by spending money on this war at a frightening pace. This activity drove our already unsteady economy (sustained upon unjust financial practices, questionable business models and unbalanced lending methods) into a downward, unrecoverable spiral.

There are numerous harmful side-effects of this, including a lowering of our national credit rating, a severe slow-down of the national economy, a dangerous lowering of home-values across the country and record-breaking unemployment rates. So getting back to my opening statement-- although it took several years' time, the "Terrorists" ultimately got what they wanted-- to severely damage the confidence, success and comfort of American society. Indeed, the arrogance and self-righteousness that were exhibited by Bush and his cronies, on our behalf, have been humbled and downgraded.

In conclusion, I am so, SO happy that today is Bush's last day in office.

Photo: Alan Greenspan, George Bush and Ben Bernanke, courtesy of www.marketoracle.co.uk

American life = fear and distrust

Last night I saw Bowling for Columbine. I can't believe it took so long for me to see this incredible film! I am very glad I finally saw it. Once again Michael Moore delivered an eye-opening and thought-provoking analisis of a specific chapter in American life. As always, seeing his film inspired me to try and improve social conditions by starting with myself and working to be a better person. Also, as usual, Moore's film inevitably reinforced my resentment and contempt for this screwed up country and the powers the drive it.

In Bowling for Columbine, Moore reviewed the tragic events surrounding the massacre-suicide that took place in 1999 at Columbine High School in Colorado. He then went on to illustrate how this event is a microcosmic reflection of the American ideologue in its entirety. The point of this documentary is to demonstrate how Americans are raised and nurtured in fear and distrust. The film explores this in-grained fearfulness and reveals a social infrastructure that breeds violence, paranoia and suspicion amongst American people. Viewers also see how our situation provides vast opportunities for political dominance and the success of businesses that capitalise on fear.

There is a fundamental difference in America that results in 11,700+ gun-related deaths annually as compared to a yearly average of less than 100 in most other industrialised nations. As Michael Moore points out, this cannot be attributed merely to this country's bloody past or easy access to firearms. The root cause of this disturbing social phenomenon is the uniquely-dark and corrupt way that Americans are raised, educated and governed. I really believe that the concepts communicated in this film should be the foundation from which we all approach our understanding of political process, news media and social practice.

Was Barack Obama a Muslim at one time? If he was, why do we care?

 

In case you're like me and haven't been following, the internet is bursting with articles linking Barack Obama to Islam. As early as 13 months ago, an email chain started making its way around. It extracted various facts from Barack's youth and intertwined them with numerous exaggerations and outright lies. Some versions of this email even described Barack as going to great lengths to conceal his very active Muslim faith and cited his supposed attendance at a radical, extremist Muslim terrorist school while growing up in Jakarta, Indonesia. All of these smear-campaign emails are blatant falsehood, of course, and were busted on both About.com and Snopes.com.

For greater perspective, and an attempt at a more sane point of view, this topic was picked up by Daniel Pipes, who is director of the Middle East Forum, and is also a fellow-blogger as well as a columnist for the New York Times Syndicate. On Christmas Eve 2007, in his article entitled "Was Barack Obama a Muslim?" Pipes explored the question of whether Muslim people see Obama as an Apostate or Murtad. In other words, is Obama considered to have left the Muslim faith in order to convert to another faith (thus making him elegible for execution)?

Pipes reviewed information from Obama's past, such as being born to a Muslim father from Kenya (Barack Hussein Obama, Sr.). The article also described how Barack was later educated by his Muslim stepfather (Lolo Soetoro) after his atheist, caucasian American mother (Ann Dunham) divorced Barack Obama Sr. and then re-married. Pipes also cited the fact that Barack Jr. was registered as a Muslim when enrolled at school in Jakarta and that he often attended evening prayers at the mosque with his step-father.

Weeks later, Pipes was challenged and criticised by the not-for-profit research and anti-misinformation organisation, Media Matters for America (MMfA). Some of the information presented in, and sources used for "Was Barack Obama a Muslim?" were questioned and labeled as Falsehood. In order to refute these claims, Pipes published a follow-up articled entitled, "Confirmed: Barack Obama Practiced Islam." In his second article Pipes presented arguments to uphold the accuracy and relevancy of his claims. He concluded, therefore, that the challenge was unfounded and that Barack Obama, "for some years had a reasonably Muslim upbringing under the auspices of his Indonesian step-father."

There are two details surrounding this information that Daniel Pipes did not include, which I feel are important in one's consideration of Obama's situation. First-- Ann Dunham (Barack Obama's mother) divorced Barack Obama Sr. when Junior was only 2 years old. There could not possibly have been, therefore, much influence from his father. Second-- Obama lived with Lolo Soetoro (his step father) in Indonesia for only four years from ages 6 to 10, at which point he returned to Hawaii to live with his maternal grandparents. Any true Muslim upbringing that he had would have occurred during the late 60s, ending sometime in 1970-- BEFORE Obama hit puberty! This is important to note since in Islam, the punishment is much less severe for someone who becomes a Murtad in their pre-pubescent years, compared to the punishment an adult would receive (i.e. children are not punished by the shedding of blood).

Now comes the time for this blogger to draw conclusions of his own. First I presented the question, "Was Barack Obama a Muslim at one time?" According to Obama himself, he has always been a Christian and I believe him. For those of us like me with a secular perspective on life it simply does not matter anyway. What is/was truly in his heart can only be known by Allah or Jesus, whichever the case may be. The important point to note, however, is that if he was a Muslim, he be came a Murtad, or Apostate, BEFORE reaching puberty.

Second I asked, "Why do we care?" If Barack Obama is viewed as a Murtad by the world's Muslim population, he may be at the beginning of a very difficult journey filled with criticism and opposition should he become president, especially in the area of international relations. There is also a chance he might be risking death. Should he be elected, this issue is bound to come up time and time again and is likely to come to the forefront during times when matters involving Musilm nations and/or people are involved.

In summary I would just like to note that all of these emails, discussions and investigations, while possibly meant to expose "truth" and/or bring Senator Obama into disfavour, primarily contribute to greater strife between non-Muslims and Islam (something we seem to already have in greater abundance than ever thought possible). As always, voters are highly encouraged to conduct their own research and draw their own informed conclusions before heading into the voting booths this November. If we all follow this rule, the right candidate will be elected.