I think I might be reaching exhaustion point with the American political system. They seem to have really lost the plot somewhere.
The big debate now is the healthcare system and because of the huge investment the private medical insurance companies have in this game the loyalty money is being thrown around like its a (oh I forget the name of the mexican celebration animal every hits – will remember it shortly).
What i can’t quite figure out is that most many American have not yet worked out that a national health system works better. How can i say that well every other first world country other than the US has one, and sure we have our complaints about it, but it sure seems an awful lot better that what you guys have.
Isn’t it ironic that the key players supporting private medical care as the system forward already have really great medical plans? I am sure Sarah Palin would find it a different world if her son Tripp with down syndroyns was denied care because she had him after a certain age. Bet you didn’t think of that one Sarah, but guess what, the system you keep advocating will get around to doing that far soon that a government will get around to death panels (which was a complete and total lie, and been fully debunked by all).
I have now a new suggestion after seeing just how incredibly stupid the senators who pro port to represent the American Public are. America may be the No 1 economy in the world, but whom does it own most of its money to for all those credit card debits and government loaning. Umm that would be China!
it really made me think. I recall many years ago with a local election in my own country and my father asked me which party I would vote for. I was very young and replied well x party had a good advert. He then correctly asked me why? I was very young, but odd my answer at 14 years old seems very similar to these people.
I’ll happily concede that the clip was taken from a certain point of view and would only demonstrate the views of the clip producers. I did however think that a couple of the people did express cognitive arguments that should be well considered. Others were just completely blank and didn’t see that the packaging was far better than the actual contents.
Did you ever have the present which looked huge and just had layers and layers of wrapping until it was actually just a really small thing inside. Well thats Sarah Palin. Lots of pretty wrapping with no substance. I find it shocking that so many Americans don’t’ actually see this.
I’ll put it put blank. The women is a total fraud. She managed to get into politics and the governship of Alaska by appealing to the ‘average joe’. (and thats not a bad thing as I am average Joe and come from a very average joe family). I’ll also give some concession that she might have even done some good things in here time as governor, but she’s not got the right stuff to do the job.
She resigned from the position for no apparent reason at the time, but the highly suspected book deal was a fairly good factor.
Now she has abandoned the very hard job of being Governor (and held accountable for that position) to being a political was that still holds huge media appeal. People of Alaska, she didn’t leave the job to make your lives better by here ‘higher calling’. She left because it got to tough and the spotlight was on her. Then there was a great opportunity to publish a book that is making her even more money.
Now who would you prefer, someone who is really honest and does a good job and takes a hit on the pay. Or someone who takes the best deal for her and frack the state she was elected to represent. I mean how obvious can it be.
Well, basically he is loving it! He wasn’t sure about the place when he first arrived, it was obviously all very new to him!
He arrived from the Dog Inc team and then got introduced to his new home. Actually to be honest he has settled in faster than me!
All his things are here so the smells are the same for him even if the layout is different and he has had 4 days with me in the place now.
He is particularly taken with the carpet in the bedroom and dining room as its like a huge big Tonto bed just there!
The extra space is also fun for him as he can chase his toys so much further now! The walks are all new for him as well.
One small odd thing is that when I take him out I either have to carry him to the pet entrance or put him in a little cart (which i don’t have). Its a completely nuts thing designed by people who don’t own pets. I guess they are worried about people who don’t have pets being attacked by an overly vicious affection machine!
On that however Tonto is an amazingly friendly little chap and really well behaved, other dogs however a bark machines and I can see why people don’t like them.
He has however gotten very quickly used to the idea of being held in the lifts and just waits until we get outside. A silly little thing is that outside the pet entrance they haven’t put and area for dogs to pee! I’m teaching him to hold on a 20 second until he is over a waste grate an pee on that! The old building was brillant, it had a big stone garden just outside the door with no plants so he could pee away!
He also love the fact the place has two doors to the bedroom and is constantly running around to fine me!
Some other good news for him is that new fixed measure feeding regime is working and his is losing weight at a good measure. Also good for me having to carry him, so good for both of us.
There is also a gym right outside the door here, so as soon as I join no excuse not to go!
After spending many months now walking around the near seaside area’s of Tokyo and now living on an island in the Tokyo bay area I’m really surprised at how things are seen differently.
If you look at google earth and see pics of Miami and all the waterways and massive residential development on anything with water next to it. Then compare that to Tokyo and all the islands and waterways here you would think that Tokyo would be full of expensive seaside residences.
The case however is very different. Nearly all of the seaside here has been turned into commercial and industrial space. Ports aside, its incredible how all these islands have not been developed for people.
This is really east meets west. But also if you dig a little into history is does make some sense. When i first floated moving here my japanese colleagues where asking “why move there, its reclaimed land and bad for earthquakes”.
Not an invalid suggestion either. Alot of Tokyo is on reclaimed land on the island of Daiba used to be a rubbish dump! And lets face it earthquakes are a big issue here along with Tsunami’s (this is the place where the word came from!).
One factor of taking this apartment was that the building had been constructed with all that in mind and has foundation down into the solid earth (as solid as you can get here) and is designed to survive a Kobe strength quake. Tsunami with Tokyo bay are also negligible given the shape of the bay and entrance to the ocean.
Wow, I have really noticed just how tied up my modern life is with the internet. I think its become a real component of my life here as its my connection to the western world.
Living in the UK I had a full time internet connection and did use it alot, but here it has become a life line. A normal international phone call is horrifically expensive from here and having skype drastically reduces that.
I’ve also become quite used to getting my news almost real time from the web. Add onto that entertainment its been a challenge! Also I used to work from home alot and can’t do that either (maybe not such a bad thing there).
I thought it would be easy getting an internet hook up here, but its turned into quite the challenge. My old building was instant hook up, but this new building even thou its newer is quite another story. I think the issue has been because in this building we have fibre to door.
I am now thinking I should have told them just send me the box and i can hook it up myself. Apparently i have to wait until and engineer can come and install the box for me. Suspect he will be here about 15mins max!
After quite a bit of trepidation I’ve given notice on my old place (actually this entry is quite ahead). We gave verbal notice on the 1st of October and it was confirmed in writing after they accepted my application for the new place.
No going back now as the written termination notice is final! Some good points of the new place is that its brand new and the apartment has never been lived in (wow two in a row, how lucky am I). Also the building is very very pet friendly, there is even a dedicated pet entrance with wash down area and a dedicated grooming room!
The location also is quiet unique in Tokyo. The island is a joint venture between the government, local council and private enterprise. The whole island has been landscaped and designed for human living. There whole perimeter of the island is one big walkway with trees and right next to the sea/canal. Its not quite all residential as smack in the middle of the island is the major Tokyo Sewage Water Reclamation station!
Wow I am off for two days moving house and this week the craziness has found a whole new level!
Monday was a catch up day on the issues from the two days off and then before that was even half sorted out we had a public holiday! I finally got through all my emails on Thursday, just to start on the actual stuff that had to be done.
Its not friday and while most of the stuff is done for this week its been a total nuts week, I did notice the moon is now full again, so my theory of full moon nuts is still getting alot a traction!
The good news is that the apartment does have some sense of order now. Davina the housekeeper came in on Thursday and did a great job of sorting things out and the place is looking great.
There is still alot of work to be done getting everything stowed away correctly, but at least on the surface the place is looking good and presentable. I can’t believe what a difference 10 extra sq metre makes. Its fantastic. The extra space is really making a difference. My bedroom is so huge compared to the old place and the kitchen in the main room has more positives than negatives.
And its driving me nuts. There is a game called Evony that i’ve been playing online, and i just can’t get online to keep up with it!
Its also proving really hard not being able to communicate with everyone. No msn and no cheap phone, or email, or anything.
Hopefully they will hook me up this week and it should be really fast as its fiber to my door! The fiber connection is right there, just need them to put in a fiber router.
The new place is shaping up really well thou. The extra space is really noticable, and the new layout makes the most of it. As soon as the net is hooked up I’ll be able store the rest of the computer gear and get everything sorted out.
Had a couple of friends over for dinner on Saturday night. Wasn’t entirely sure of the menu other than my new recipe of Satay Chicken.
The new layout with the dining room in the small room worked perfectly! Its cosy, but very workable.
We had a wonderful dinner. Went Thai/South East Asian. From memory Satay is not a core Thai dish, but worked really well with the rest of the meal.
Still have some clearing away of things to do, think I’m waiting for the internet connection to be sorted so i can clear away the computer gear and then put the whole main room into place!
Little dog loved the company and was very well behaved the whole night, just slept under the table near his people! The wine and food flowed and was a great night.
