Midsummer Day of the Ox

When I was a child, I used to think that the Japanese ate eel on the last Saturday of July because "doyou" meant Saturday, and Japanese normally ate eel during summer vacation.

In fact, "doyou" is one of the five elements in Wu Xing or Seasons. It is defined as a particular and discontinuous period identifying accurately the change of season. There are four "doyous" in a year. However, we usually just focus on the "doyou" of the summer season.

When we talk about the origin of "Doyou noushi no hi’’, there are several hypotheses in Japan. The most famous version is that of Gennai Hiraga who pioneered the Dutch Academy and created a particular genre of Japanese literature in Edo era.
An eel merchant, who faced serious slump in his business during the hot summer, asked Hiraga to overcome the bad situation. Hiraga told him that eating eel could help consumers vitalize because eel in Japanese is "unagi" which starts in letter U. In that era, people thought the same letter was believed to be auspicious. As a result, the famous Hiraga’s advice made the eel merchant successful in his business. Consequently, other eel merchants made the same promotion and this culture became deeply rooted in Japan ever since.

My demanding customer.

Last week I went to Matsumoto twice because I had my duty both at  Matsumoto and Tokyo simultaneously. My demanding customer, who is one of my important clients invited me to his party which commemorated with his accumulated performance for the past three to four years. He needed sponsors in his party.

At first, I refused his invitation through FAX because I already had my duty at the conference, which was held in Matsumoto City. As I wanted to see his reaction, I met him in his office directly. He told me that he decided to sever our relationships with icy attitude. His dispassionate attitude made me freeze. So I negotiated with my boss and asked him to get his permission to go back to Matsumoto twice. He reluctantly allowed me to do so, but he eventually approved my request.

I went to Matsumoto by express train and went back to Tokyo. Finally I was able to attend his party. When I meet him there, he bluntly talked with me. I gave him best wishes, then I've noticed that his firm face became slightly relaxed. I told him that I would go back to Matsumoto again. He smiled and  said to me,

 "Will you bring me rhubarb jam?".

Story about Tanabata

ストレステスト

菅直人が突然、ストレステストを全国の原子力発電所で行うということを言い出した。これは計画的なことなのか？

Radiation Level Report from Soma city

I received my gueiger counter

Takeru Kobayashi

When we introduce some successfull Japanese at present to foreigners, we instantly say 'Ichiro'.
I quiet agree with majority, but Takeru Kobayashi is also successful Japanese who can fight against international competitor.

He is a food fighter. In New York, he joined food battle outside the main studium. He competed with his rival who was displayed large monitor. Takeru has eaten 69 hotdogs outside the fighting stage, while official No.1 competitor are eating 62 hotdogs.

If

Gap between ICRP and ECCR

Supposedly most of the Japanese don't know what kind of rationale for the safety of radiation exposure Japanese government and TEPCO are relying on. We need to correct comprehensive information about radioactive protection so that we can judge and take action properly.

ICRP is the abbreviation of International Commision on Radiological Protection. The association was established in 1951. At first, it was developed to ease the anxiety about radiation protection in the medical field, but it gradually became the organization that justify a certain level of radiation exposure to expand the usage of radiation except medical front.

So the data based on ICRP tend to be more optimistic.

Horrible and true story

I'm sorry that I neglected to update my blog because of an insufficient zaky energy.

As tough summer has come to metropolitan area, we have to fight against burning hell.
I have already finished preparing hot season, so I just wait and see when sudden blackout will occur.

This summer we have to reduce electric energy consumption individually. Goverment also has already ordered electric companies to limit the electric consumption by 15%  at previous year levels.  If the paticular
designated company break the rule, the electric company can get fine from outlaw companies.

What an awful situation!! To make our uncomfortably hot situation cool, I'll introduce my horrible actual story that I experienced yesterday. I'm sure that this story is cooler than "Hanako San in the bathroom" or well-known"Yotsuya ghost stories".

Yesterday I received a email from the staff who worked at indirect department and decided to leave our company. I instantly found that it was farewell message to other staff. The former part of his greeting was very discreet. According to his email, he felt very sorry that he could not express his thanksfulness to the staff who supported him and hoped that our company would be more successful in the future.

But carefully checked, he left the latter part of his message below the two or three blank, so someone missed his additional words.

That message precipitated almost all viewer into horrible abyss.
The following is his message:



"Here is my email address.  XXXX(his real name)@crocodile tears  According to his strong wishes, he firmly refuses any floral tribute and condolence payment."



At first I can't understand what he wanted to say. Checked more about his email, he sent this email not only to himself but also to anonymous staff by using BCC(Blind Carbon Copy). I gradually realized that he tried to take his life away.  I became very scared and felt my heart  quicken.

Next morning I asked my colleagues if they received the  scarring email or not. All staff at headquarter might receive it. Most of them supposed that he might get axe due to his age and company's budget cuts.

No one knows if he is still alive.

Radiation level report July 1st.

I rented my Geiger counter to my friend, who is a doctor. She went to Soma city, Fukushima Prefecture. She left her child and her husband in her house and decided to go to the devastated city to support local official and firemen.