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<title>Keith's Web Blog RSS Feed</title>
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<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/index.php</link>
<description>Keith Watanabe's Website</description>
<item>
<title>Yoshinoya's Demise</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/2/12/6bec85cbab74cc9b63a610aef218fdd8.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[Well, they aren't officially dead, but they ought to be.  This company is basically what sustained me for a few months in Japan while I scrounged for work and started up.  Sadly, because of recent bans on US meat, Yoshinoya will not be selling gyudon (beef bowls) any longer.

I'm not sure what to say about this ordeal except that Japan is typically being xenophobic.  On the one hand, they have the right to be since they have no control over what's coming in.  On the other hand, I find it silly since Japan itself, I feel, probably lacks similar controls over the quality of their own food.  There were some noted outbreaks of mad cow and the chicken disease from what I remember, so it's basically calling the tea kettle black.

The other hypocritical instance is that Japan itself isn't that clean of a country, contrary to what they'd like the world to believe.  Now, they do take pride in cleanliness, but I have to admit that Tokyo is by far one of the dirtiest cities I've been in.  Also, the standards of handling people on the trains and disease control are subpar, imo.  It's not like I've seen them actively make attempts to curve the problems of overcrowding out here, which helps lead to outbreaks in close quarters.  I mean, if there was a strain of the SARS disease out here, Tokyo would be wiped out fairly quickly on the basis of transmission alone, imo.

But that point aside, I am sad to see Yoshinoya getting hit hard.  Some have complained that they serve poison, but it's cheap poison and it helped sustain me long enough and still does on occasion.  Hope you do well in the future Yoshinoya!
]]></description>
<pubDate>Thu, 12 Feb 2004 22:59:26 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/2/12/6bec85cbab74cc9b63a610aef218fdd8.html</guid>
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<title>America's Lawsuit Political Nightmare</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/2/14/02e6da66f178a6a352fe93fa4efad606.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[America has become a nightmare of lawsuits.  There's a frenzy to sue out of instinct either to quell other's constitutional rights or to get money fast (or both).  This is utterly silly.  

Sometime this past year, Bush instituted some law which limited the damages a patient could seek against hospitals, etc.  What should've happened is that the damages from a lawsuit in general should be limited based on categories of severity.  Who could ever forget the infamous case against (Carl's Jr.?) where the woman won millions of dollars over spilling coffee on her lap?

The biggest problem about overturning these laws is that the people making these laws either are originally were lawyers.  The situation becomes a case of arbitrary decisions rather than true interest in a person's victimization.

For me I make the analogy that today's lawyers are like the past's archbishops; they pass judgment and constrain our society to a governing body of laws.  Before it was God.  These days God has become money.

Regardless, the problem is that people are abusing this system.  Sure, we all feel like victims but in the end who really wins through frivolous lawsuit?  There needs to be some balancing measure in place to prevent this from happening.  I think good judgment is something that cannot be used here, because good judgment is arbitrary in itself.  Unfortunately, I don't see a simple solution in this.  But then again what is a simple solution?]]></description>
<pubDate>Sat, 14 Feb 2004 11:18:52 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/2/14/02e6da66f178a6a352fe93fa4efad606.html</guid>
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<title>Democrats</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/2/20/7f7f21212f61b3db94930bc055c2ca11.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[Hmmmm...this year's democrats running for office wasn't too bad.  Not too sure about Kerry's stance, but he seems quite typical as a politician.  Going on offense against Bush, but needs to be more concrete at the same time.  Clinton was far smoother.  Knew that he could deflect criticism and build his image by saying that what he represented was what the American public wanted to hear.

Bush is an easy target for political attacks.  But Kerry needs to also focus his campaign plan on what his platform really will do in improving America.  

Don't like Kerry's stance on the RIAA/intellectual property.  Think he'll end up doing nothing in the end.  It's too small on his radar screen, imo.  Probably will end up focusing on getting America out of debt if re-elected.  Big chore.  Probably also attempt to increase the labor market by stopping offshore outsourcing and providing more grants for technology, etc.  Clinton claimed to have done the same and took credit for those results.

Other issues would be to become politically more friendly to the rest of the world and apologize to other countries about Bush's "behavior."  Also, would probably end up revoking most of the unconstitutional laws like the Patriot Act when given the chance.  In other words, rolling back the clock to where Clinton got us.

I imagine some programs will be screwed.  Military spending will definitely be cut.  Space program likely will be cut.    Not one of the programs I'd like to see cut.  Probably depends on the success of any future space missions.

Hope to see him go after lawyers for once.  Fat chance considering politicians basically are or were lawyers at one point.]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri, 20 Feb 2004 00:04:22 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/2/20/7f7f21212f61b3db94930bc055c2ca11.html</guid>
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<title>Schwarzenazi</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/2/21/991104eb59ae441309a1639f3f704a7a.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[I'm ashamed of my home state.  Yes, it's old news that Schwarzenegger took office.  But he represents a perversion in what the American dream represents.  Or rather he's the postmodern version of that dimentia.

Just now, he's seeking to stop gay marriages.  While his reasons that "Our civilized society and legal system is based upon a respect for and adherence to the rule of law," his view, imo, is linked more towards his conservative Republican background.  This overblown hypocrite who's publicly known to have an "orgy" now threatens civil liberties through his political mis-vision.  Here's a piece of loogey that came from another country and was naturalized as an American citizen who's denouncing civil liberties.  I'm sure a huge reason why he came over was to seek opportunities.  Now, others who do not harm the state are being denied of their own opportunities.  Why should we accept this roided bozo as a politician when he won't accept civil liberties as part of his political platform?

Californians were deluded by their blind love for Hollywood rather than looking for a good reason to elect this guy.  Now, look at what happened.  Do you think that California will magically heal itself by getting someone you know only through watching movies?  People become powerful in Hollywood through their own politicking and greediness.  Here's someone that isn't interested in saving the state but to promote his own cronies just as any other politician.  At least if we got another governor we could've elected one that had some relevance in terms of their knowledge of civil liberties.

California out to strive as a leader for the other states to follow.  It has one of the largest economies and is influential because of its presence with Hollywood.  In order to maintain it's leadership, California must have leaders that can uphold higher standards in terms of civil law, rather than retreating our social advances.

Mr. Schwarzenazi if you want to save your soul, revoke your platform and move to the democrats.  Otherwise, here's a big fuck you.]]></description>
<pubDate>Sat, 21 Feb 2004 14:32:58 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/2/21/991104eb59ae441309a1639f3f704a7a.html</guid>
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<title>Ashcroft and Pancreatitis</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/3/6/bc3de816fa633874f98c1520d572bf24.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[Call me cold but I think this man got what he deserves.  I find it ironic that this happened while he was, according to a news source, "at a news conference where he was to announce terrorism convictions."  This man is someone who pronounces terrorism akin to the days of McCarthy.  Haven't we learned by now the folly of a Big Brother system?  Methinks it's Mother Nature herself who's pronouncing judgment of the truly guilty.  Either way, hopefully this guy is off the shelf until the next election so less trouble is created.]]></description>
<pubDate>Sat, 06 Mar 2004 10:57:34 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/3/6/bc3de816fa633874f98c1520d572bf24.html</guid>
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<title>Japan - US Relations</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/4/24/4ebe6ed317d09584fbff15981ee10d5c.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[I don't want to get into the politics of Koizumi's stance on Iraq.  However, one thing I do want to mention is that I think that because Japan "demonstrated" their presence in Iraq as an ally to the US, they should be given some kind of special trading privilege as well.  Something I wish the US would do is open up special visas for Japan for business exchanges.  Currently, it seems that the US only grants work visas (H1-B) for up to 6 years....that's after massive paperwork and cost nightmares!  The US should establish a special trade pact with Japan like NAFTA so Japanese workers can work in the states for long periods of time.

Some areas I'd like to see boosted as a result of such a law would be aeronautics, civil engineering, electronics and computers.  Also, there should be very easy programs for increasing the Japanese English ability.  Of all the Asian countries (and I might be wrong about this), Japan seems to me as the most deficient in English.  I don't think this is a result of being a stereotyped isolationist country (it seems they've embraced Western culture far more than other Asian countries, imo), but instead a problem with the education system.  Programs for increasing the Japanese teaching skills (including learning critical thinking, flexibility, etc.) would be beneficial to the country.]]></description>
<pubDate>Sat, 24 Apr 2004 00:52:01 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/4/24/4ebe6ed317d09584fbff15981ee10d5c.html</guid>
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<title>Upcoming Elections</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/4/29/8e14ceb1a125b73a489f155308263436.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[It's kinda nice being out here in Japan without having to hear or watch this kindergarden level mentality unfold in American politics for this upcoming election.  The theme for this year is basically the blame game.  From all of this I haven't heard one concrete word of what people will do if elected, although it's quite obvious that the Bush regime will continue to fuck up things in America and the world.

However, I do think that Bush won't be elected a second time.  He's just a gonner one way or another.  Instead, I find the rhetoric in all of this, particularly from the democratic side, to be highly amusing.  Bush is an easier target than spitting on the ground.  Still I hope that the democrats relent on just the character bashing and propose how they'd really fix the country up after these past four years of hell.]]></description>
<pubDate>Thu, 29 Apr 2004 11:27:00 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/4/29/8e14ceb1a125b73a489f155308263436.html</guid>
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<title>Nancy Reagan Supporting Stem Cell Research</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/5/10/ca643f7e7fc0a774555808a71d1beb52.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[I find it ironic yet moving when I saw this article on the net.  Despite her husband's conservative past, Nancy Reagan actually is pro-stem cell research and makes it clear with her own husband suffering from Alzheimer's disease the necessity of such research.  Her rationale is simple: "Science has presented us with a hope called stem cell research, which may provide our scientists with many answers that for so long have been beyond our grasp. I just don't see how we can turn our backs on this."

It's good to hear someone from the conservative side back such means.  The problem is not the research, but how people may exploit the research for monetary or other unethical gains.  I don't see a personal problem with this type of research as long as there's a clear social benefit that outweighs the cost.  As a society, we need progress.  Limiting our progress based on pure moral obligation is just as hypocritical; i mean, you essentially are killing people without allowing scientists a real chance of solving these problems.  

There are cases where this situation is abhorrent such as UCI's infamous fertility clinic case.  In that situation, it was a clear indication that the people involved were performing unethical means.  However, it's the individuals rather than the project on a whole that creates the problem.

Seeing my dad in the hospital from another stroke demonstrates the absolute need for science to continue progressing and exploring different avenues.  If we can avoid the 1984 mishaps, we can really benefit from these causes.]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 10 May 2004 01:24:00 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/5/10/ca643f7e7fc0a774555808a71d1beb52.html</guid>
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<title>Bush's Iraq Running Out of Control</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/5/15/79105bdc218caf55fdbc368f502dacbd.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[The more the US stays in Iraq, the more the Bush campaign weakens.  Why?  More and more scandals open up that merely exposes the fact that America should not be there.  The latest two scandals with the beheading and the abuse indicates what people outside of America have known all along and what Americans hopefully will begin to admit to themselves: they are uncivilized barbarians just as any other.

The beheading situation isn't necessarily a sad one to me.  The guy didn't really have it coming to him, but on the other hand, that's the risk you take when you're out there.  It's one thing when you're forced into a war as in America's old draft, but it's another when you go there by your own volition.  A friend of mine decided to work out there because his salary was considered "good."  Supposedly, he was working at Fluor Daniels at roughly $200k/year.  Now, for some of us who earn "usual" salaries working our asses off in an office, that's great.  But look at the conditions.  Give me a million dollars a day so I can work for two weeks and never have to work again.  It ain't worth the money.

The other scandal about the military abuse is nothing new; military people are basically trained gorillas who are infused with too much testosterone to be at a normal place (or else they're just a bunch of losers who can't make it through life).  Sorry, but that's the truth.  Why would any sane person want to join the military?  You're basically a human shield for some politician.  But since these are not rationale people but ogres, they do hideous things because they feel they can abuse their power.  Just like police.

Either way, Bush is an easy political target at this point from any direction.  Kerry should really focus on his own platform and let Bush fumble on his own accord.  If people in America aren't bright enough to see how fucked up this goober is, they shouldn't be legally allowed to vote.]]></description>
<pubDate>Sat, 15 May 2004 09:45:41 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/5/15/79105bdc218caf55fdbc368f502dacbd.html</guid>
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<title>Getting Votes From us ex-pats</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/5/18/5d370c81d5d2a85afeb61f7707b8e61c.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[If either of the parties want to appeal to us, the best way is to eliminate any federal or state taxes for people that work abroad.  First, this is a ridiculous idea.  We get nothing for paying tax while living abroad.  Why institute that rule?  Doesn't that just impel us to stay in our new respective countries?

Second, make airports more convenient.  I didn't like the fact that airport personal have to rummage through our baggages for 10 minutes.  You can train a dog better than you can train a human for these tactics.  Even detectors are a better option.

Next, get rid of that media monopoly plaguing the US copyright system.  It's just destroying innovation and social progress.  Anyone who secures this secures a huge vote from young voters.

Revamp the whole legal system to avoid easy lawsuits or ways for lawyers to make such high commissions.  It's a shame that the current "economic bubble" in America really is a bunch of lawyers leeching off of other people's misfortunes.

Finally, either finish Iraq up or get the hell out.  Whoever the next administration is will have to clean up this mess; whether it's making a global apology or taking a bulldozer and finishing this whole mess, they'll need to put a big bandaid over this mess.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 18 May 2004 01:12:00 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/5/18/5d370c81d5d2a85afeb61f7707b8e61c.html</guid>
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<title>Kerry On Economy</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/5/19/a9e252f994e3bed16a2322c5ed7c11c1.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[One of Kerry's best weapons against Bush is the issue of economy.  You can't say that the Bush administration improved the economy.  That seemed more like a partial recovery when things finally bottom'd out.  However, it's inexcusable for Bush's constant badgering to get more funding for the so-called war.  What does he need the funds for?  It's put America in massive debt just within the short period of time he was in office.  Now, the rising cost of gas due to the Iraq problem is getting out of hand as well.

I think many Americans can turn towards Kerry if Kerry begins focusing more on economic issues and economic reform.  One key platform point is to pull America out of Iraq or work closer with the Iraq people in settling the hostility against the American people, restoring trust (yeah right) and hopefully encouraging investors again to have faith in oil out there.  In my eyes, the Iraq occupation is costing America far too much.  I don't see any benefit at this point for America to be there; it's just costing lives and adding more hatred towards America besides exposing the military's inability to control itself.

The other thing is to halt the export of jobs overseas and penalizing companies for outsourcing labor too much labor to certain countries.  Outsourcing is not a bad thing, but if it creates something akin to the Banana Republics, then you have a problem.  One of the things that pisses me off is where America can get easy working visas.  So far only Mexico and Canada seem to benefit.  I don't mind Canada so much because of its education system, but Mexico is something I have a contention with.  I'm not a racist, but I think that America would do better in allowing people from say Japan to have longer working Visas.  Or at least loosen up the laws for non-NAFTA countries especially those that "helped" in this Iraq scandal.

Following that there needs to be reform in the focus on the creation of jobs in America.  There needs to be a focus on IT jobs so we have a future infrastructure.]]></description>
<pubDate>Wed, 19 May 2004 00:39:06 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/5/19/a9e252f994e3bed16a2322c5ed7c11c1.html</guid>
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<title>Illegible Prescriptions</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/5/29/b2a0cf2da7fba13b4865e597f98f0f08.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[Another humorous excerpt coming from the parody of politicians, Mr. Dumbaya Bush. So he's basically talking about the "use of technology in medicine -- including a cure for doctors' illegible handwriting." What's funny about this is the emphasis on the latter part of that statement. The article mentions that Bush stated:

"Docs are still spending a lot of time writing things on paper. And sometimes it's difficult to read their handwriting."

Whether or not this was taken out of context is purely irrelevant. Instead, it just further provides the impression that Bush is a moron who can't read period. Now, everyone has heard the typical handwriting doctor jokes, but never talk about illegible and Bush in the same sentence....especially when he's saying it! It just adds to the belief that Bush is dumber than a crack dealer selling next to a police station.

Whelp, to the public at large, if you enjoy having a world representative that iconifies stupidity, vote Republican this fall.]]></description>
<pubDate>Sat, 29 May 2004 18:24:06 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/5/29/b2a0cf2da7fba13b4865e597f98f0f08.html</guid>
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<title>Reagen Dead at 93</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/6/7/44bee577538e454d80a482fa7be67274.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[Well, this was huge news when it happened, but not exactly unexpected.  I think for me the thing is seeing an era of my life pass by me.  Sure, he was quite old, but such an influential stage of my life had gone on during that period.  The first Bush was quite forgetable, but Reagen was synonymous with the 80's in so many different ways.  I'm definitely a child and by product of the 80's, so seeing an icon like this pass away is kinda stunning.  To me it just furthers how the world is changing and this is somewhat symbolic.  Perhaps, his death will pave the way for more freedoms if we can get away from conversative image that somewhat started with him.]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 07 Jun 2004 23:03:55 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/6/7/44bee577538e454d80a482fa7be67274.html</guid>
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<title>Edwards with Kerry</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/7/31/b7524587043ca01f75b13b3054fab250.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[Okay this is a bit old, but I did like the idea.  Personally, I would've preferred Howard Dean on issues rather than Edwards as Kerry's running mate, but the combination did make heads turn.  I think most people would automatically vote for Kerry on the basis of a running mate compared to that old rat, Cheney.

Thus far though, the campaign has been mostly rhetorical battles that mention no concrete evidence of what either party plans to do once in office (typical of politicians).  Edwards has been mostly a supporter and one to assault Bush.  Which is fine, but let Bush assault himself by making mistakes as usual.  Edwards is better off using his energy to appeal to a younger crowd.  Get all the degenerate voters like me to eat his speeches on contemporary issues like job retention, better health care (US lags behind), more emphasis on crime prevention, gun control, loosening on Visas from favored nations (e.g. Japan), and rolling back the 1984 flavor that the Bush administration installed.  I think these are more pressing issues than Bush's bad track record.  People know it already; they need to know how these people will differ rather than providing something that resembles a typical online flame war.]]></description>
<pubDate>Sat, 31 Jul 2004 22:06:13 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/7/31/b7524587043ca01f75b13b3054fab250.html</guid>
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<title>This election....</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/8/15/ac2b9755288d0ca1b2594801fc7ccb60.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[is starting to worry me.  Both candidates haven't really impressed me thus far.  It's been just a verbal war, with Edwards only boosting Kerry's image as a typical right hand yes man.  But I suppose that's still better than Cheney who's just someone who aids his friends and fundraisers.  

Although I was supportive of the idea that Kerry took Edwards to be his running mate at first, I'm starting to re-think this situation.  I think Howard Dean or Alan Sharpton would've made far better running mates.  Edwards was just a popular name thrown in at the last minute to boost Kerry's campaign with flair.  The move at this point seems like a one shot deal as Edwards hasn't really moved beyond attacking Bush.

As I mentioned, Kerry isn't going to beat Bush by calling him stupid.  Everyone knows Bush is a crafty snake hiding behind his lack of eloquence.  He should be applying Clinton's political strategy of desecrating Bush as someone who attacks character and then rebuild his own image as one who's into progress.  People want to know specifics.  If you examine or remember Clinton's speeches, they often reflected his desire to utilize more concrete examples and would brush off the elder Bush with attacks like, "People want to hear what we're going to do; not character attacking."  That's a brilliant yet simple way of deflecting Bush and reducing what kind of politician he is/was.  

Kerry really needs to make a stand on issues like abortion, gay marriages, post-911 terrorist measures, etc.  Heck, I would prefer Ralph Nader to get on the bill at this point.]]></description>
<pubDate>Sun, 15 Aug 2004 22:46:01 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/8/15/ac2b9755288d0ca1b2594801fc7ccb60.html</guid>
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<title>Another Campaign Hint For Kerry</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/8/18/3293089e5ef4eb2917f787f873bfda16.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[In the wake of the Florida hurricane disaster, one thing came up for me: why aren't we better prepared for large disasters like this?  I find it offensive  that we're spending so much for the US military budget, but in comparison, do we have a significant relief fund for disasters?  Now obviously stopping a hurricane is pretty much impossible, but as mentioned by various critics, the fact taht our weather agencies, etc. underestimated this one's damage, we could be spending a significant amount of money in technologies and research for the environment to at least give a better understanding of how to handle this.

As a campaign thing, Kerry could theoretically promote this situation in his favor since Bush, on paper, had failed to really avert this type of thing.  I mean, you can say things like the deemphasis on environmentalism with the ignoring of the Kyoto Protocol is a possible cause for this type of recent weather patterns.  You have global warming causing all these bizarre weather patterns.  On top of that, you really need more research on environmentalism and weather as well as the effects of things like hurricanes on human habitat.

As I mentioned in another blog, there could be potential in improving the way housing is constructed out of this.  So you could have more money being spent on architecture/civil engineering schools, social engineering, environmentalism, etc.  I mean, I'm certain we are very capable of constructing more resistant structures to these situations where people don't have to lose their homes.  Things like this should be a tip that we need to improve our understanding of our environment and our own capabilities.

So for Kerry, rather than increasing the military budget and putting us into a bigger deficit, he could focus on education on these areas.  There's a huge economic boon that could be produced out of it since we're being forced to rebuild.  I mean, look at the Two Towers in NYC.  Situations like that allude to our need to improve our habitats for major disasters.  And the emphasis should start at the education level.]]></description>
<pubDate>Wed, 18 Aug 2004 00:17:06 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/8/18/3293089e5ef4eb2917f787f873bfda16.html</guid>
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<title>Kerry, Stop Trying to Defend Yourself!!!!</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/8/21/101809fcf49ce6a688e85df3cbcdb364.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[Kerry, you're wasting your money on campaign ads for defending your credentials as a Vietnam War veteran.  You're not just wasting your money but also all the campaign contributors money and tax payer's dollars on this crap.  Truthfully, I don't think the American public are worried about your record.  You are not talking the real issues at stake.  You're fighting a defensive game and taking snipes at Bush where you should be undercutting him through examining political issues that you will be signing in the near future.  If you're going to respond to Bush's nonsense, respond to his actual handling of legislation.  What would you do in his stead?  That's how it's going to be anyway.  You're saying nonsense like stopping the bleeding of jobs to overseas, but *HOW* will you do this?  *HOW* are you going to improve the economy?  *HOW* are you going to respond to the favoritism of Republicans towards upper class and the decimation of the middle class through the elimination of things like overtime rules?  *THESE* are the questions you should be responding to in your campaigns.

The thing is that the more you defend yourself on non-issues like being a Vietnam war veteran, the more you're letting yourself be a keen target for Republican rhetoric.  They want you to open yourself up and waste money trying to defend those issues.  Look at Arnold in California.  He had issues but he charged right ahead and focused on issues.  He focused on what people *wanted* to hear, not being so self conscious about his image.  

If you really want to beat Bush, you need to stop ducking the punches and take them while dishing out harder blows.  Stop going to the corner and feeling sorry for yourself.  Do something, say something relevant for the people out here.  That's how you beat that rat fuck.]]></description>
<pubDate>Sat, 21 Aug 2004 13:13:26 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/8/21/101809fcf49ce6a688e85df3cbcdb364.html</guid>
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<title>Watching the Country Disintegrate</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/9/2/9472063e39afa682274b8f2077b8a06a.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[It's interesting to note how many protesters at the Republican convention, which featured Bush's nomination, were arrested.  Thus far the count has tallied 900.  But what's pathetic is that they were arrested for protesting.  These days you have to obtain a license for a protest.  What happened to free speech?  There's no real free speech in America anymore, only that which is controlled by political parties and lobbyists.  I mean, a fucking license to protest?  What's the point?  Why do you have to register your activity?  The whole idea should be that you express yourself in any matter as long as it's not completely destructive or harmful to other people.  Use common sense!!!  But obviously common sense no longer exist in American politics, as politicians are ever exercising more control over American citizens.  

I hate bringing up the 1984 reference, but why is such an obvious an important book, although recognized, not dealt with in these situations?  Why don't people take up arms using a book like this to their government and saying collectively, "We don't want this fucking shit!"  

What's disturbing is that you're having this crap go on while so many people are just having problems trying to survive.  My mom is barely able to handle her bills at home while my dad lies helpless in a nursing home.  My family had worked an honest life and the best the country can do is provide a fucking bill?  There shouldn't be any fucking bureaucracy in these situations, just take a look at the fucking obvious.  Here's a poor guy with his wife who's barely able to support him.  He lost his job and couldn't get insurance so he couldn't seek proper help because he was too afraid of not making payments.  Now because of this shitty health care system where doctors make tons of money off of hapless individuals, so many people are screwed.

I hope that a social revolution breaks out.  There has to be one.  You can feel it rising as the discrepencies between classes rise.  It's never been about cultural matters; it's really about class systems.  Marx has been right all along.  Culture, race, and gender have been diversionary tactics to create new class systems.  But in the end you're still getting the dialectic have and have nots.  

Why are class systems created?  To create boundaries of human control.  To a degree, I think it's impossible to remove class systems, even the traditional ones bound by economic standards.  I think it's human nature (or our flawed nature) to need control over the environment.  Therefore we seek ways to create control.  And the class system is used to engender control among human beings by setting standards only the elite can mandate.

The thing is that even with a social revolution, I don't think we'll see this problem be resolved.  We're still going to be bound by our own nature.  Although I theorize that one day when Man has the capability to traverse off of Earth and onto other planets and worlds, we'll see the same problems as the old England vs America war.  Then when one side wins (probably the new colony), that colony will resort to the social system that you see in postmodern societies like America.  It won't be about rights in the end, but about control.  And history will continue to repeat itself because we are completely bound to our social nature.

]]></description>
<pubDate>Thu, 02 Sep 2004 01:12:42 -0600</pubDate>
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<title>Florida, Nepotism, and God's Wrath</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/9/6/d4dbdde73f5615282eda61f9f0f28625.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[The past three weeks of hurricanes hitting Florida to me is god (or perhaps mother nature's) wrath against the Bush family for the lies and their damage against the environment.  Call me cold but the damage against Florida might serve as a subtle reminder from Earth herself to the residents out there of the last election and what happened that cost the US (and the world) our current tyrant against ecology.

I just felt another earthquake tonight when just last week there was another one that woke me up at night.  This was after a horrid storm filled with lightning the other night.  These messages from Earth I believe are meant as a STRONG hint for the American public to vote completely democrate this coming November.

There was an interesting article on Yahoo which discussed about abolishing the Electoral College.  I couldn't agree more.  You'll never have a true independent win in the presidential election because of America's fucked up electoral system.  Instead, America will lag behind politically to serve all those backwards states that really don't have a fucking clue.  Amazingly yet not surprisingly enough the system has been assaulted many times, according to the article, in various attempts to get rid of it.  When you have a fucked up system like this, it's no wonder why so many people don't vote; they just feel the multiple layers of bureaucracy prevents them from doing anything meaningful, much less feeling smaller in their vote.  Otherwise, states like California could really help progress the rest of the country.]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 06 Sep 2004 01:10:59 -0600</pubDate>
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<title>Really Get Rid of Bush!</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/9/8/79eb7dcd1e5560b1d2f04b596aecd5d5.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[This guy has to be the biggest asshole in the world....with Cheney and all those cronies not falling far behind.  I was just doing some research over Visa issues and learned about MRP.  What a load of bureaucratic crap!  They claim it'll facilitate things but it just adds more shit to the overburdened airports as well as more headaches for people who just want to visit America.  And it's for EVERYONE....except Americans, of course.  I mean you're even doing this to VWP (visa waived program participants).  What's the point of having these programs in the first place?

America has to be one of the most xenophobic, racist, homophobic, alienated countries in the world....and that's saying a lot!  I wish California would get rid of the Schwarzenazi and send him and the rest of the assholes in Hollywood packing and let California be it's own sovereign country.  Just let California, Nevada, Washington, Oregon and Arizona separate from the rest of the US because we're tired of carrying their political load and ancient ways of thinking.

Either way, I just noticed that this crappy law will be taking effect really soon.  It's pretty disturbing how this fuckhead slips shit like this under the door and that no one really notices nor cares.  Do you idiots in America realize who you have on that podium?  Do you realize what you might do if you re-elect this asshole?  For Godsake get rid of him and his mafia.]]></description>
<pubDate>Wed, 08 Sep 2004 01:24:12 -0600</pubDate>
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<title>9-11 Rethought (Briefly)</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/9/8/44ea745c2c3aab735d75f9ba9efe4a70.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[In my view, 9-11 was not instituted by terrorist networks but by the American government.  Although there is no certain proof of either case causing the collapse of the Twin Towers in NYC (because there is no truly reliable evidence), what is certain is that the American government abused the aftermath to institute reform in American society, not to make it safer, but to increase its control over society.

There have been numerous reforms since then that reflected this absolving of America's constituted freedoms, even freely admitted by the President himself to enforce the idea of justifying our "safety."  Part of these reforms, imo, has been to increase America's already xenophobic populace, or even moreso, reify these beliefs.  You can see such policies as the recent act to instill a Biometric system as well as an MRP system at immigration.  Or the definition of those people who belong on "terrorist" networks as well as the complete villification of those from the Middle East (i.e. the "new" enemy).  

If you ask me, the party is supporting the beliefs of the few, which are the white, old, male conservative areas from the midsouth.  Then again that's generally what's come out of the GOP.  What's disturbing is the unquestioning treatment of the general public against these reforms.  Many people seem to be unaware that they're being done nor their consequences.  As a result our international ties have been weakened as we are more or less a rogue state in an increasingly globalized world (ironic terms).  Probably most Americans don't give a shit because they never bother to travel outside their little towns anyway.  But imagine how one would feel if you lived abroad, or if you were the person trying to escape your own country.  Americans are too selfish and self-absorbed to care about other people's problems.  More than that they are reactionary just as their hotheads let the Bush administration walk right over them when 911 hit.  

It's so easy to stick some ugly guy's face on a TV screen and call him the enemy when you don't even know whom he is.  When he speaks another language than your own, you can't even justify the reasons behind their actions.  But the fact that we uncritically just let things go because the government said "XXX did this!" is pretty pathetic.  As people we should have a higher responsibility than using our insecurities and prejudices affect our judgment.

For this coming election, I hope people wake up and ask themselves how they have benefitted from their last vote.  If they voted but were turned down, there really wasn't much they could do.  On the other hand, if they voted for the current guy, ask yourselves has there been an improvement?  TV, newspapers, etc. can give us statistics, but how have are lives improved?  How has society improved?  

You know the funny thing about 9-11 is that it makes you wonder how some guy from the middle east would be so symbollic in this kind of gesture as to recognize our culture.  On the other hand, when you examine the surrounding facts about that day (e.g. Bush being in a kindergarden, all of a sudden hearing this thing occur while reading to the kids), it seems more like a movie.  It's just too well thought out.  It makes me doubt that some guy whose hiding in some desert is going to put that much thought in this.  But damn wouldn't it sound good in American history books as the day America changed?  And who would be remembered?  ]]></description>
<pubDate>Wed, 08 Sep 2004 01:45:55 -0600</pubDate>
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<title>More Hurricanes</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/9/17/9869a518a8931c3f7ad552ead56a3605.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[Heard Alabama got hit after the other two pulverized Florida.  Another Republican state.  I think God is getting revenge against Republicans/GOP for being unfaithful.  Also, this is another state that laid my dad off.  I think my dad is secretly using some sort of power to get revenge against everyone who screwed him over.

Florida has been the unluckiest but I'm telling you it's Mother Nature, Earth and God sending a big fucking hint to people in Florida to get that piece of nepotism out of office and vote Democrat this coming election.  A shame that Jeb somehow survived all three but hopefully he'll suffer an embarrassing defeat soon enough along with his brother.  God and the Earth aren't exactly going to be merciful to you retired people in Florida if you let these bozos stay in office any longer.]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri, 17 Sep 2004 02:48:52 -0600</pubDate>
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<title>Iraq = no WMD?</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/9/17/c1aa20f37aca81fd3c7ed9999f611cb4.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[Seems like our guys just admitted that Iraq didn't have the WMD which supposedly justified why we extirpated the Saddam regime.  But I think we all knew that ;)  Despite all the intent shown in the "reports" of a potential for future hostile environmnet, all that is just potential.  It's like the movie Minority Report where people are being put away for crimes that haven't yet committed.  The thing is that you really don't know the future, and no system can predict it.  Yet in the movie they show how part of the system was corrupted and "hacked" by the very people who developed it.  In parallel, our own government had setup political rhetoric such that it gained some support from the American public and generally justified themselves to assault Iraq.  But all those claims were not substantiated and only based on suspicion.  Somehow though we managed to convince ourselves and the world of the cause this "war" would serve.  Over a year and a half later, we've suffered over 1000 deaths and general chaos in that area.  Oil has been on the rise and people are being gutted by companies.  But when you look at the people who supported this idea and what their motivations were, you become downright sick at the political bullshit and behind-our-back handshakes going on to help a few friends.  That's the American political landscape these days.

Unfortunately on that front, Kerry didn't really say anything to improve matters.  He supported the signing of the war.  Why?  Hard to say.  Sounds like he was trying to get a bipartisn crowd by aiming at the middle, but his political platform makes no sense except in terms of attempting to get more votes by aiming at the middle.  That makes him a weak political candidate, which is why he's only breaking even against Bush.  Obviously, people in America fucked up when nominating Kerry as the democratic representative.  As far as I see, he has no true political stance except to get Bush out of office by any political attack he can make.  But for "real" issues he's only abstracted himself as anti-Bush in almost everything, but still attempting to aim for the middle.  I think people are sensing this as well.  We really needed someone like Clinton running against Bush because Bush is an easy target.  However, Kerry's campaign manager or whatever is just doing an awful job at convincing people that he's something special that will do something for people in America.  

But if you ask me, campaign writing has become something similar to how Hollywood handles films; Hollywood likes sharp buzzwords and catchy lines, but nothing really well thought out, nor perennial with important content.  Same thing with the 2004 campaign.  I see a barrage of attacks that say absolutely nothing; it might entertain voters, but how are we going to benefit from a few cheap chuckles?  Being the president of the world's most powerful country isn't a joke.  It's not Comedy Central.  Heck even South Park has more content than what we're seeing.  But American politics is just a farce of itself.  Sad.  I was hopeful that things would improve just on the thought of the election (meaning that Bush would surely be ejected).  Now I'm not so positive.]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri, 17 Sep 2004 18:33:09 -0600</pubDate>
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<title>Another Reason Showing Californians Don't Know</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/9/21/ae7d97e1b9a3c01eabad834b92608dba.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[what the got.  Not surprisingly, the governator signed a law to enact in government agencies the prohibition of p2p software.  As a member of the entertainment industry, it's clear that this nazi fascist is going to put another damper on technological innovation, freedom of speech and in turn help his buds in Hollywood gain another footing over p2p networks.  

I really have to wonder who the hell voted this guy into office.  First, the whole California re-election a few months back was a complete joke.  When you see Gary Coleman, a porn star, and the guy who made Hustler magazine on the ballot, you know that your state is really in deep shit.  But the real joke was on the people who voted because Arnold's one liners easily hid any pretenses of his intentions in office.

Despite his comical political rhetoric, Arnold is just another politician to do what all politicians do: fight for himself and his buds.  What's worse is that he's doing this in one of the most important states in America.  (And he's doing this in MY home state).  It's sad we got goofs in the entertainment business like him and Sony Bono in office because they're clearly going to lobby for the entertainment industry, which California is (in)famous for.

Still what has this joker done for Californians?  Where's the promise of jobs?  Where's any promises except for more one liners from this guy?  I don't know how he's spending tax payers money (I partly do because he just fucked California health insurance up by making them responsible rather than the federal government).  But I do know that he's not delivering and is slowly making the state worse than what Davis had.

Another fuck you to Arnold.  Maybe some techgeek should invent the Terminamatrix to get rid of this guy for us.  Heck, I was polling for her in T3!]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 21 Sep 2004 02:01:57 -0600</pubDate>
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<title>Another slug in the chest from the Californian slug himself</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/9/23/d5e0a3e575d487dac4ef527ccf16cd38.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[Well, Californians are taking another bite in the rear as Schwarzenazi signed another bill (which was probably encouraged and helped funded by his buddies in Hollywood) to prevent "anonymous" people from swapping files.  Now you "must" have an email address to swap files.  Is this guy the biggest idiot in the world or what?  It's obvious that we got a muscle head with no conscious except for the greens and kickbacks from his friends in the movie and recording industry.

First as some pointed out on /., you can just create a fake email address and point it elsewhere.  Second, who the hell is stupid enough to register a real email address to get themselves implicated?  Who's his technical adviser on this?  Does he have a technical adviser even?

Enough of the practical stuff.  Let's talk this Nazi (and yes his father was a Nazi and Arnold is definitely a racist).  You gotta believe that Californians must've been all up at Berkeley smoking crack when they voted this joker into office.  How much has he improved the state?  He talks about doing things for the children, but that's like Vince McMahon doing WWE TV shows run by the fans.  You know it's window dressing to help boost one's ratings.

I find it immensely disturbing to be returning to a state that has fallen into this political debacle.  Although I get to return to the states with a cutey, I really want to stay in Japan because America is just too embarrassing of a country.  I think it's awful that my rights as a citizen to be happy are being slowly eroded by fascist parties in collusion to gain more control over everyone.  Then my parents can't even get state help when they've been honest citizens for the past 50+ years whereas asshole bankers/analyst are getting paid off by the MILLIONS for obvious white collar crime in NY.

My only wish is that some guy from the future name Kyle Reese pulls one for us and saves our future.  It's true that Schwarzenazi is the Terminator.  The Terminator of our rights and happiness.]]></description>
<pubDate>Thu, 23 Sep 2004 14:51:59 -0600</pubDate>
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<title>More Beheadings</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/9/23/cf29ceba540c0891f79692b6afe73446.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[More beheadings on the net.  What's disgusting is the American/UK reaction to all this: just apathy.  Despite the pleas from these individuals the US/UK governments have made no moves to negotiate for these people's lives.  In fact, there are no intentions to bargain.

Most of the current beheadings revolve around the issues of the release of several female hostages that the US holds in captivity.  One reportedly is a biological weapons researcher.

So what we're getting is basically several innocent men's lives being snuffed out unquestionably from the US/UK's pride.  I mean, there's no talks whatsoever to even give these people some time to go free.  Instead, the US/UK are shrugging their jingoistic shoulders and letting blatant, horrid murders take place.

That's our government.  We have people letting others do murders for them now.  The US simply wipes their hands clean by claiming that the hostages they hold aren't even worth a simple talk.  Isn't that great that you know you've voted for a government who has this much care over your life?  We've got navy seals, intelligence operations, the whole fucking armed forces that can wipe out the world if they wanted.  And yet, for a few people's lives we do nothing.

Although I think Kerry isn't bright, I do know for a fact now that Bush and his cronies are cold blooded murderers.  Murderes of our freedoms and happiness.  Why else would these terrorists go after us?  Because they know this too.]]></description>
<pubDate>Thu, 23 Sep 2004 15:03:39 -0600</pubDate>
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<title>Legalizing Prostitution</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/9/23/c22bd1af7c516f15c0eea26ca61542e8.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[After being in Japan for 2 1/2 years, I've come to realize that regulated prostitution helps create a stable society.  Despite laws in Japan stating the prostitution is outlawed, the government isn't exactly run by those figure heads you see on TV.  A good part, imo, is run by the underworld (aka yak).  Still what turns out is a fairly decent trade that allows women to earn a fair amount of money and men going home happier.

Seems immoral?  That depends on if you believe in Christianity.  For me I prefer having a girl on the street working and giving service than some guy shooting others because he's sexually frustrated.  In Japan, there isn't much of an excuse for guys to be sexually frustrated (unlike America where everyone is repressed by Christianity and Feminism).

The thing about legalizing and regulating prostitution would help the United States in terms of tourism, economy, lower violence, and the spread of disease.  Imagine if prostitution were legalized and the requirements were that sex was done through protective means (i.e. condoms), women were regularly checked on, and that men too were given check ups.

Part of the problem here is that a large people remonstrating against this are Christians and their ilk.  Now Christianity isn't the center of the world, despite what people like to believe.  Funny thing is that I think a lot of people who go into this business are Christians as well, but that they don't try to make excuses about their identities as opposed to blind fanatics who seem to find honor in blowing up an abortion clinic for saving unborn fetuses' lives.  But that's a huge mistake in the government for allowing these laws to be regulated using emotional and spiritual ties to deny people the right for service or to serve.  And it technically should be made illegal since it's clear evidence that the issue does not separate church and state.

The other thing that might be beneficial of this is that it'll increase women's competition to actually make themselves look attractive in the states, rather than going on Krispy Kreme diets.  Last time I went home, I was pretty ashamed at seeing people who could've qualified for planetoids.  Some of the people I've seen protesting this issue might fit in that category, so they try to keep their little hubby's locked up at home while they gorge themselves at Hometown Buffet on their hubby's meager salary.  Call me a hardnose, but after living in Tokyo for 2 1/2 years (especially Harajuku for one whole year), I think Americans have lowered their standards about themselves.  It's pretty bad that I've become a bit self-conscious about my weight, but it's actually good too.  Look at all the walking artery attacks awaiting to occur and see what I mean.  But if prostitution were legalized, there'd be competition between women since obviously the better looking you are, the more money you could make.  And if there's a lot of easy money to be made, why not do it?]]></description>
<pubDate>Thu, 23 Sep 2004 17:12:56 -0600</pubDate>
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<title>God Hates Florida</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2004/9/26/2a2e74b2036949cd73b5831abe3c63c0.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[Florida's recent hurricane situation reminds me of Clash of the Titans.  It's just a never ending story of an environmental assault.  Besides having Jeb as the governor and having the fateful recount, I can't really see what Florida had done recently to be on the receiving end of this.  All Florida needs to do is have Jeb get crushed by some internal force to convince me that Clash of the Titans isn't a myth.

What's funny to me is how a few Japanese friends who used to live out there said they preferred that state to LA.  One thing I do like about So Cal is that in terms of natural disasters the worst we experience are earthquakes and fires.  Earthquakes aren't even that bad considering the way things are constructed in So Cal (one of my love-hate issues)  And fires mostly occur in super dry zones of brush.  Where I live I mostly worry about bullets flying about.

Still one thing that makes you wonder is with this situation going on, the homelessness as a result, and the general chaos with a disaster state, how this will effect the election.  Meaning the voter turn out.  Makes you wonder if this is nature's way of preventing the state from voting Republican again....]]></description>
<pubDate>Sun, 26 Sep 2004 05:59:46 -0600</pubDate>
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<title>Regression</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/1/23/1f377a84f9c5b90c69df4d3093d43b51.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[It's 2005 and I utterly regret any decision in having faith in the American public for making a rational choice for a president.  Now, Kerry wasn't the best since in the end he was a moderate.  However, after all the horseshit that has come down in the past few years, it's amazing that the country has re-elected Bush.  (Yeah, this is a late entry but my site has been down and I just managed to migrate this to a new DB).  I find it ironic how the country is basically the world's most powerful nation and yet socially it's in the hole.]]></description>
<pubDate>Sun, 23 Jan 2005 19:04:35 -0700</pubDate>
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<title>No Name-Calling Week</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/1/24/a38d71a5fd06a60d16ede13cffcf21d8.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[Like I mentioned social regression.  Can you believe that America is resorting to censoring future generations despite the fact that we supposedly preach freedom of speech?  Here's the basics: they want to prevent kids from name calling in middle schools to create a "safe" environment.  Funny how we can have a president who slanders other countries for his own selfish pride, yet when it comes to our kids, we basically tell them that the opposite is the way to go.  

This is utterly stupid (as you'd expect me to say).  I think people should be able to slander each other willfully and without objection.  In doing so, we basically will be building future generations to be immune to the effects of being bullied by people in the office, which is the same thing.  Think about it.  The world doesn't give a shit about you.  Why sugar coat reality with nonsense?  Make kids realize that people are fuckers and that they couldn't give a shit if you are in debt, that your father is fucked up in a nursing home, that your mother has lost all sense of sanity and hope, that your family only cares whether or not you can give them a status report about your ailing father when in fact they have enough money and power to aid him, etc.  Telling people to fuck off from an early age is a *POSITIVE* attribute; they always tell you to take responsibility for yourself; but then you get a Christian guilt conscience when you try to make a decision for your own life.

So here's a fuck you to those faggots and cock suckers who came up with this shitty idea.]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 24 Jan 2005 12:03:41 -0700</pubDate>
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<title>Rice getting nuked by a different WMD</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/1/25/fcfb705ea8da316b041ac827f79bc7df.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[Man, i'm reading this article about this committee reviewing Rice for the position of secretary of state and the dems are just reaming her. But for good reason.  They might as well just come out and call her Bush's little whore.  It seems that in order to succeed in this administration you have to play suck cock.  It's plainly obvious that this woman will do whatever it takes to advance her own career.

I think one of the funniest quotes was the dems calling her a "Bush apologist."  Basically, she's going to bend over taking it in the ass while she sucks his cock in the front.  She doesn't have the dignity nor integrity to call out the president for what he is.  Even Bush's allies like Powell, Ashcroft, Ridge, and Rumsfield have ALL stepped down.  It goes to say something about this administration's tactics.

Now with the WMD investigation declared an utter failure, who's going to take the hit?  Only people willing to elevate themselves at the expense of the nation's credibility.  The other amusing point about the article was the discussion on the dems' attempting to instigate bipartisan politics.  Well, isn't that the point?  Fuck this unity thing.  Look what happens when the nation blindly goes into believing the credibility of these politicians.  A drawn out, costly war based on the ego of a few.  Because of this shit, America is going to be in MASSIVE debt for years.  We're essentially funding OTHER countries' rather than focusing on our own country for increased programs like better highway systems, education, space exploration and science.

What's sad is how Americans themselves attempt to justify their own stupidity in their selections.  I remember reading how one middle school teacher in the midsouth said she preferred a strong leader than a flakey one.  What the hell does that supposed to mean?  That you prefer a dictator that sends your kids to get killed while your homeland goes into massive debt, leading millions of Americans to lose their jobs while no regulation is instilled on corporations who take those jobs oversees for cheaper labor?  Get off the coccaine, America!  Bill Clinton might've not inhaled, but coccaine is still the worse of both worlds.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 25 Jan 2005 14:36:54 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/1/25/fcfb705ea8da316b041ac827f79bc7df.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>Race Replacing Powell</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/1/27/e118b4a66a7d3e1c9e08000eb1f4391d.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[There's a great, ironic quote from her:

"My door will be open."

I find this statement to be true in more ways than one. I had a great deal of respect for Powell, but I think he was placed in an awkward situation in dealing with the horseshit bureaucracy and coloring politics in his term.  It's no wonder why he stepped out as soon as he got a chance.  I find that anyone so eager in jumping at the opportunity of replacing Bush's former cabinet shows their lack of integrity in following such a dispicable dictator.  I'm still waiting for that poor captive in Iraq to have his situation addressed by the US government.  Obviously, there's a great deal of apathy in the way our people are being held captive by the government as the government seems more keen on their uncompromising agenda.  What they should do for all those morons who are so fervently pro-war (yet too cowardly to join from the luxury of their sofas) is send them to Iraq to rebuild their infrastructure.  Then when it's their turn in being abducted, they can plead their case to a deaf government.]]></description>
<pubDate>Thu, 27 Jan 2005 06:38:21 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/1/27/e118b4a66a7d3e1c9e08000eb1f4391d.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>Healthcare</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/1/30/5cf82380866bd511a1614a1b517ad389.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[I got kinda low balled by my next job with a temp-to-hire position.  I had to take it because I need money asap.  However, the thing that worries me the most is lacking health insurance.  The US government really needs to improve it's healthcare plan.  They should make all companies pay into a system where all employees receive a basic healthcare plan.  It would boost the cost of running a company, but any good company should care about the health of their employees; simple logic: if someone is sick they can't work at 100%.

If this plan had been enacted, my family wouldn't have so many problems with my dad going into an emergency room.  Cost likes these should really be absorbed by the government rather than the people.  I would prefer my tax money going to a good healthcare system than a useless war for some egomaniacs.]]></description>
<pubDate>Sun, 30 Jan 2005 06:16:54 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/1/30/5cf82380866bd511a1614a1b517ad389.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>America's Real Foe</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/1/30/8eb96968e8393b1b0a5fa81becdc74ff.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[Believe it or not, America's real foe is not terrorism.  It's economics.  Terrorism is just a (certain or few) politician's way to masquerade getting re-elected by getting stupid people to vote for them using FUDs.  Anyone who doesn't believe that Iraq was a big mistake has to be a complete idiot; anyone who continues to support what we're doing in Iraq is a fascist.

America has this distorted notion that it is a world power through sheer military power.  That's why we put so much money into military spending; we need to conjure up excuses to flex our muscles and intimidate everyone around us, including and perhaps especially our citizens.  However, unless you're absolutely blind to the casualties of war, supporting this type of regime clearly is a way towards self destruction or an Orwellian society.

As much as I believe there are too many stupid people here on cocaine and crack, I'm sure even they can see that this is infeasible.  We require economic power to sustain as a global power and cannot  continue to ignore issues like our growing deficit (from outrageous military spending), healthcare, social welfare, infrastructure, education, fleeing jobs, etc.  Yet I'm seeing the wrong direction when we can easily swivel that towards something positive.

Now what brought this ponderance upon me?  Well, believe it or not, it was an interesting read from Bill Gates.  He looks and compliments China on being inventing a new capitalist system.  Many of our largest companies are pouring huge dollars into China on the bet that they're going to be a major player (I think they already are).  Not only China though, but I think India is another obvious choice.  I found it interesting that India is sending a lander to the Moon in the near future.  This along with China's move towards space indicates territorial expansion.

Both countries are huge but also have the world's largest populations.  They also have incredible resources and economies.  Although we have programs for business development and space exploration, we aren't reaching that potential.  We've been hindered by military spending and ethics to really propel many of our programs further.  It's funny how America has become this bureaucratic nightmare; I recall onetime when some guy who came from NY to Nikko Citigroup told me that my team was faster than NY's when it came to getting their logins.  Now, I don't know if this is a specific issue to Citigroup, NY, or Tokyo, but it kinda was shocking especially when you think how formal Japan's systems are.

Overall though, America is just losing it's edge.  I think bureaucracy plays a huge part.  Look at the SEC and what they've done to investment banking.  There are so many regulations that it surprises me anyone can make any trade anymore.  And just to place a trade you'd end up doing tons of forms when it comes to taxation time.  It seems people are more scared of legal reprocussions than getting any true work done here anymore.  It's pathetic.  But according to Gates, China doesn't have that problem.  Fortunately, China isn't a Christian/Catholic based nation or they'd find even more problems outside of basic bureaucracy.  Either way, we're going to get our butts kicked.

What's the solution?  I'd like to say just throw away everything and hit the reset button, but that's obviously an unrealistic approach (can't say you can't do it, but too many people are greedy and selfish to give it a try).  I think one thing could be to devalue lawyers.  By nature, lawyers are what perpetuates bureaucracy since that's how they make their money.  Devaluing what they do would demotivate people from becoming lawyers.  By the same token, we should start scraping more laws and attempt to go with more common sense.  There are simply too many loopholes in laws and it seems like people make it a practice to find out how to jump through them in forming their business.  Yet when they're caught, rather than looking at a wholistic solution, we use duct tape to patch up the incident.  The whole thing is a shabby, unmaintainable nightmare.

I think many people are in agreement of removing a lot of bureaucracy.  It makes getting basic work done easier.  For instance, working in IT you often hear business people ready to do something and a programmer waiting to go.  But the thing that often prevents them from making a move is legal.  So I guess if you could add another foe it would have to be law/bureaucracy.  I just don't see it protecting us anymore.]]></description>
<pubDate>Sun, 30 Jan 2005 07:11:34 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/1/30/8eb96968e8393b1b0a5fa81becdc74ff.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>Iraqi President: Bush's hand puppet</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/2/1/6c163cb1393b6669333b2c8342d55b7b.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[It's interesting reading Iraq's president imploring us to keep our troops there.  He does have a point in that removing the troops would relieve the region of a stable guardian, there's a subtle message behind this: increase military spending.  The Iraq election did nothing except reify the US (read: Bush's) power in Iraq since it makes the current leader out to be a US sympathizer.  Obviously, the answer is that we keep our guys there.  Bush wants to solidify the US' power in Iraq and turn the region into a subordinate for the US, especially the Oil companies.

This situation is so fucked up and admittedly well played by the Bush administration because it gets their intended agenda across.  In theory we face a dillema that we ought to pull out our troops since it shouldn't be our problem anymore.  But if we do the country goes into chaos.  The only thing we need to do is stamp out any rebellions before we can send our guys into the New Colony of the West.

The only winners here are the Bush administration and his cronies (like the oil companies).  The Americans get jack shit out of this.  Oil prices have risen again.  Gas is up.  Where are the jobs that should be created out of this?  Where's the economic gain?  We lose because we'll put more spending into Iraq and further our deficit.

I think the next leader will be a democrat but they're utterly screwed up by this scorpion pincer political move.  If the democrats win the next election, they face a soaring deficit, global PR nightmares, and various other issues caused by this administration.  That essentially means they won't be able to solve those issues within their term so it'll be a black eye.  Predictably, they'll raise taxes which will drive middle America into the red.  Bush won't raise taxes to save face, even though it's the thing that needs to happen.  So if the good guys do this, they look like shit.

The thing is that the dems could also lose.  If that's the case, then Bush did his job anyway since his administration's policies will be appended onto the next candidate.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 01 Feb 2005 10:21:28 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/2/1/6c163cb1393b6669333b2c8342d55b7b.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>Horny Bush Trying to Screw America Again</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/2/1/e64f90539969b21b5fab77cbbfb986a9.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[Now they're saying that Bush is going to put a cap on all spending EXCEPT military (obviously for Iraq).  That means all your programs like space exploration, education, health, infrastructure, etc. go to the toilet because Fucker tricked all of you into voting him into office with your hard earned tax dollars and putting us into more debt than we can handle.  Isn't that great?  So I guess you can say half of the nation supports war mongering.  But not like they know anything regardless.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 01 Feb 2005 16:46:47 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/2/1/e64f90539969b21b5fab77cbbfb986a9.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>New American Power</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/2/1/b9fa7c1e9113d8ca8d6378aadaf67fca.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[I was watching Dennis Miller and they had a guest who discussed the whole blog phenomenon.  The interesting thing is how blogs have become such a huge thing in the world.  For the individual American, it's the new form of power (as well as power for anyone with access).  It's unprecedented level of expression and the ability to publish and be heard everywhere.  The key though is reaching a higher audience.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 01 Feb 2005 19:43:45 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/2/1/b9fa7c1e9113d8ca8d6378aadaf67fca.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>Welcome Dean</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/2/14/a9e05886f56eb9904b50335996c059c5.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[Howard Dean now will be head of the democratic party.  This guy should've been the one to run against Bush.  But the democratic split killed their own momentum on issues.  I wouldn't be surprised seeing this guy run in 2008.  Three candidates I'd like to see are Barbara Boxer, Hillary Clinton and Howard Dean.  Given the three, I'd choose Boxer first.  But if things come down to the wire, I wouldn't mind Dean either.  He's got a good attitude, although I think it's been said he's toning down his image to fit into the new position.]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 14 Feb 2005 01:12:30 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/2/14/a9e05886f56eb9904b50335996c059c5.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>Why Don't They Just Call Them Out?</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/2/16/f9648aa8539d0bd37dabc8d1aa337e38.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[Saw that useless Pat Robertson guy yabbering about the democrats opposition of the judicial nominees from Bush.  At this point, asshole fuckhead conservative shitwads like this guy might as well call the democrats and any non-ultra conservative, left wing liberal a Satanist.  It's boiling down to a neo-Holy War in politics where the Right has utilized and manipulated religion (or maybe the other way around) to support and mask their political ideologies.  That Christian Coalition is practically turning everything into a redneck, coked induced, backwater us vs them type of policy.  Eh?

That's why I'm an aethiest.  At least if God does exist, I'll claim that I belonged to none of the crappy sects that have perverted His name for power.]]></description>
<pubDate>Wed, 16 Feb 2005 09:35:10 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/2/16/f9648aa8539d0bd37dabc8d1aa337e38.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>Pothead Bush</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/2/20/c1baf04988bf3550d827ccf18c8e7274.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[So on top of the coke, now there's rumors spreading of Bush like da Bush. The quotes on the article are priceless like Bush not being in contact with weed for years.  What a hoot!  At least we have one source of where this idiot gets half his cornball ideas.]]></description>
<pubDate>Sun, 20 Feb 2005 15:16:06 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/2/20/c1baf04988bf3550d827ccf18c8e7274.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>more botched shitheadedness</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/3/4/17fe57068ae734a93b062ee9d93958cf.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[republicans are asking for less money for foreign aid and more for the Iraq clusterfuck.  i think if people aren't convinced by now, it should be obvious that america's priorities aren't in line with helping other people anymore.  we're slowly but surely becoming just a military power.  no wonder why we're outsourcing all our labor to other countries!  all that'll be left here are military jobs when this tyranny gets through.]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri, 04 Mar 2005 02:24:14 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/3/4/17fe57068ae734a93b062ee9d93958cf.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>can't trust the us government anymore</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/3/5/cc27b9330ac303a4cb8d4bd08eb1fc3c.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[Now, Bush wielding secrecy privilege to end lawsuits, most notably the ones for examing the practice of sending terror suspects to foreign countries where they might be tortured.  The chilling effect here is that the government effectively is  shutting the public out on its practices because opening any door would easily expose what a scam artist this asshole and his cronies are.  This is a guy who basically will screw anyone and everyone over who doesn't side 100% with his beliefs.  We truly have Hitler reincarnated in office.  Thanks all you fucking hicks for making us Nazi Nation #2.]]></description>
<pubDate>Sat, 05 Mar 2005 00:45:05 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/3/5/cc27b9330ac303a4cb8d4bd08eb1fc3c.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>bankruptcy bill</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/3/9/be95cf05a3f3d04180738cf88854ffbe.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[the credit card companies and banks are pushing a new bill to make it harder for people to get into bankruptcy and avoid protection by those laws.  basically, it says that there's a limit to how much protection a person can receive depending on their situation and that they'd still owe these companies money.  it's pretty fucked up because situations like medical bills would be killed by this measure.  it's even more fucked up because there was an article on how these asshole companies would make money off of bankrupt people.  pretty screwed up.  now they want more?

here's something for all of you: don't get credit cards!  i have three but only one is ever used anymore.  the other two i keep on the side.  i have a citibank visa and i'm thinking of closing it because they're adding more billing for say doing purchases overseas.  the interest rate on that thing always stunk so why even bother having it?  it's just another nightmare to deal with and i don't feel like giving that hideous company another cent.

i still prefer the japanese way of dealing with things.  they still don't rely on credit cards, don't have a concept of checks, but mostly rely on cash.  while that is far less secure in terms of dealing with situations where you lose your wallet, the reality is that you only buy with what money you have, not with the money you borrow and pay back at higher interest rates.

no wonder why they wanted to blow up all the credit card companies in Fight Club!  I agree!]]></description>
<pubDate>Wed, 09 Mar 2005 09:39:45 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/3/9/be95cf05a3f3d04180738cf88854ffbe.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>something to try</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/3/12/cdc0398e2bfd663c2cfe10de5cb0f84b.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[i don't know if i mentioned this in a previous blog, but here's an idea if you hate the current government regime.  get about 1000 people you know who share the same values as you do and move to one of these ultra conservative states like nebraska, iowa, missouri, tennesee, etc. and begin your own settlement.  places like california and new york have such a huge population that losing 100000 wouldn't damage the political settings.  however, the movement to other areas would hurt those states since they have smaller populations.  just look at how close the Washington governmental election came.

i've always had the idea of getting a huge network of friends to move to soem state like Kansas and buying up a large plot of land then starting up a high tech landscape.  why not?  land is cheap, there's really nothing out there.  it encourages growth in other states and there's potential to improve education by providing a large number of intelligent people to demand better education for their kids.  you gotta start a bunch of these though.  like 10-20 companies so that more people believe those are the places to go.

heck, i was hearing that arizona was getting more people out there.  only problem was wages since the cost of living is down from California.  but let's look at the long term consequences.  eventually you can vote in those states so you can vote democrat and gets these bastards out of office.  personally, i think one state we should move to is Utah.  that senator hatch is a major ass clown.  not only has he screwed people for the whole RIAA/MPAA thing (fucking kickbacks) but now he's trying to screw over poor people going through bankruptcies.  that guy bears no compassion so you shouldn't feel the same way by getting 10000 of your friends, moving out there and showing him what a real democracy is about!]]></description>
<pubDate>Sat, 12 Mar 2005 12:05:11 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/3/12/cdc0398e2bfd663c2cfe10de5cb0f84b.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>Michael Griffin to become NASA head</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/3/12/571f030fe1a2108dc7dbee4376d351ae.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[after the fiasco of the shuttle explosion a few years ago, NASA had been in turmoil especially with the former chief leaving to take another position at Louisiana State University.  now, after looking at his background, you'd think that he's a good blend for the job. but you always to question the motive of a Bush pick.  he's always got a hidden agenda.  having this guy in NASA might transform the space agency into something that supports the Bush ideology.  that is, more of a focus on military and counter intelligence rather than emphasizing space exploration.  after all he worked on missile defense systems.  things like that force you to question their antics.]]></description>
<pubDate>Sat, 12 Mar 2005 12:23:42 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/3/12/571f030fe1a2108dc7dbee4376d351ae.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>Freedom no longer exist in America</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/3/12/5bd8ca2339688727e6dde9bed3b3a347.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[The word freedom is simply a euphemism for hypercommodification in America these days.  I say that because all our rights are being eroded by large corporations ability to maneuver the law into sacrificing what we can do once we utilize their services.  Just today I was looking at the new AIM policy on how they can practically do anything with what you send over the wire.  They never asked their users whether or not they wanted that as part of the service, but just dropped it on a dime.  Or think about when we work for a company and how they practically own everything we do.  How can we be living in a country that boast freedom as a part of the fundamental right when corporations and special interest groups are running the show?

You pretty much have to be in a special isolated society to fight against such terms.  Corporations as interpretted as a living body can be seen as the new fiefdoms in the economic turf war.  We've always been at some sort of war, but these days it's completely based on economy.  You can't deny social darwinism; anyone who does is deluded.

What's left of our freedom is simply consumerism.  The right to buy.  So what you buy is what you own.  That's the limit of your freedom now.  And even when you buy something, you can't truly own it.  People are talking about how digital content, for instance, is going to become a rented entity.  I'm certain these media conglomerates are chomping at the bit, waiting for the right technology to come along to employ such an idea.  

What will be left of your life is simply tied to a new caste system.  Your economic level determines the amount of freedom you possess.  A guy like Bill Gates has absolute freedom in these terms; he basically can buy any right he wants.

Ironically though, what most don't realize is that absolute poverty is also a freedom.  By having no assets, you have nothing concrete chaining you to society; you have to look at yourself as a non-consumer.  Of course, that limits what you can or cannot do, but you don't owe society and at the same time, society doesn't own you.

This reminds me of the homeless in Japan.  You'll occasionally see these pockets of societies emerge in Japan such as Ueno-koen, or Shibuya-koen.  It's an amazing sight.  First, people over there are technically "homeless."  But what is a home?  A home in our definition is simply a piece of property you own.  But these people are living through tents and literally feeding off the land.  In fact, they even support each other. 

A person I met mentioned that one time he resided with them.  Quite an amazing story actually.  He had some money so he bought them some booze.  Because of his kindness, the people there were so grateful that they invited him into their society for a short period and provided him with food.  Food you say?  Bread, rice gruel.  

Call them stinky, call them leeches, call them anything you want.  But they're surviving and they owe people nothing.  They have real freedom since they don't depend on the rest of society for their needs.  Instead, they've defined their needs as being minimal, just enough to survive.

As I keep mentioning to people, everything that we have is an illusion of what advertisers and large corporations want to make you think you should own.  It's one thing if you, with minimal influence, decided that you require or want something.  It's another thing when a subliminal message from broadcasters and peers pressure you into purchasing unnecessary things.

Take my father for instance.  He bought a Toyota Tundra.  Absolutely useless.  Didn't even buy but put it on a lease.  It ended up fucking him over.  Why did he do it?  In a nutshell, he thought he was going to go fishing and would have this powerful, masculine vehicle that would enlarge his shrunken scrotum.  That's what those advertisers have you believe.  Instead, he simply could've borrowed my Corolla which is far more economical and I would've happily let him use in the interim.  That might be partial stupidity from him, but watching TV nightly and having a weak, uncritical mind turns you into a mass consumer.]]></description>
<pubDate>Sat, 12 Mar 2005 17:57:49 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/3/12/5bd8ca2339688727e6dde9bed3b3a347.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>Alaska is Fucked</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/3/17/1e51f03e8eb9eb0f2eb6926e3cd7de7b.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[So much for the wildlife preserve as our wonderful, fucking senate screwed over Mother Nature by voting to allow drilling to occur there.  Hey did you asshole old farts even see what happened to Florida and the rest of the East Coast this year?  Don't you think for a moment that the Earth is trying to tell you something in terms of messing with resources that are intended for preservation?

It's clear that this vote is just another payoff to the oil companies that help put this unified fascist machine in power.  Those bastards can't care about what happens to anyone outside of their pockets.  I mean, those guys are probably so old that if a AD&D ghost hit them, they'd drop dead from a 10d4 aging attack.

But what's going on is so sick.  Do you suppose drilling will lower the cost of gas/oil in America?  No.  It just will give more money to those bastard executives and their cocaine fucking shareholders.  Did going into Iraq help our oil output?  No.  It fucked us over and now we're in a long term, embattled state where oil has skyrocketed past historical records.  The only people supporting this has to be the executives and the politicians giving and getting kickbacks from these people.

One thing I'll guarantee is that if we get a democratic party in the next election, there'll be a MASSIVE audit against this current administration that'll send the entire group into prison for life.  These people are so crooked that they make the yakuza look like Greenpeace (eh, not a good comparison but you get the point).

This political regime has one purpose: to reinforce their power over everyone through every method possible.  You can't trust a single ounce of rhetoric they spew because it's all venomous lies.  Only the exceptionally weak minded (read: most Americans) believe in this hoax.]]></description>
<pubDate>Thu, 17 Mar 2005 00:28:25 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/3/17/1e51f03e8eb9eb0f2eb6926e3cd7de7b.html</guid>
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<item>
<title>Prevent Violence....With More Guns?????</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/3/21/b1b4f906a0b870aac33779f560da1f9c.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[This country is so ass backwards that it's now a pure comedy for the rest of the world to watch.  I missed out on the violent gun assault at a Wisconsin church recently, but I find it hillarious that these idiots propose that the solution is to allow people to defend themselves by carrying concealed weapons.  What's so fucking hillarious is that they're so willing to ban video games, make it harder for kids to watch violent movies, create more barriers with censorship....then to prevent more violence, we want more guns.  I fail to see the logic in any of this.  However, I do see massive humor in this.

First this shit is of course endorsed by the NRA, probably the most ass-backwards organization next to the other religious groups out there (which I assume are linked).  So you know there are political motives that will be exploited out of this incident.

Nonetheless, let's look at Japan by comparison.  While there are guns in Japan (those held by the police and underground organizations), the average citizen cannot purchase a firearm.  Most people don't even want one.  If you need to defend yourself in a one-on-one, you do it the old fashion way.

Yet here's a country that has tons of violent video games, horror movies, sex, etc.  Still it's one of the safest countries to live in (in terms of raw crime).  How can this be?  Do they simply cover up all the violent crime?  Well, not really because when a big crime hits, the entire nation hears about it.  Cross examine that with LA.  Shit happens all the time, most of it so often that it doesn't even get picked up by the news.  Sad, huh?

I remember in one debate in an English cafe with an older gentleman who stated that he believed homeless people should get guns to defend themselves.  I easily parried that argument with how having a gun empowers a person big time; they'd do more than merely defend themselves, I assured him.  Even a toy assault gun that looks real poses enough of a threat  to cause people to flee.  It happened right outside my window where a pair of guys used fake toy guns to rob a coin laundry mart.

Now here's the catcher of all this: the people advocating this are Christians and religious people.  Aren't these people peaceful?  NO!  Just because you're a Christian doesn't mean jack shit.  Just think of all the holy wars in the Crusader periods and consider that their motives were even more jingoistic than what we see these days. If I were God (and most days I'm sure I am), I would strike those idiots down with lightning and tell people that I've improved the human race.

Either way, this is all horseshit feuled by paranoia aided by the government and sensationalization by the media of the subject.  The truth is that Man is violent by nature; people have to accept that Darwin was correct.  You can deny evolutionary theory all you want, but human history has proven that people have not changed, not matured, but only honed and sophisticated what they were capable of before.

As far as curbing violence, just make all guns illegal and penalize gun manufacturers that sell to anything outside of a government sponsored organization like the police or military.  It's those people's jobs to protect people, not the average citizen.  If people are getting away with this, then it's the government's fault for not creating safety measures to protect people.  Giving more guns to the public is definitely not a positive solution in this.]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 21 Mar 2005 22:37:53 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/3/21/b1b4f906a0b870aac33779f560da1f9c.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>what an idiot</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/3/25/202e80087f0a6ef5e45a383d3c476eb4.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[how many times do i find myself saying this?  i'm starting to hate the person that says that Man is a rational creature.  how about a dumbass fuck instead?  check this out: some bozo decided to try to steal a gun to help "save" that Schiavo woman.  HUH??!?!?!

recall my earlier blog about preventing violence with more guns.  well, it's obvious that people are so stupid in this country that they're willing to risk other people's lives for a cause.  bush is such a wonderful influence, no wonder so many people voted for him.

i'm telling all of you out there who are frustrated with bozos.  let's form a network of 1000 people who give a shit about intelligence and real democracy and build a town in one of these midwest or Southern states and vote democrat!  there's nothing illegal about that.  we'd protect our own interest from hickville KKK members (i'm certain they couldn't even hook up a computer monitor to a light socket) by forming an alliance.  build a fort-like building archology where you have your office space, restaurants, gym, and living quarters inside.  then declare that a town.  it'd automatically boost the economy up in those states, raise the intelligence level (hopefully) of the area and promote better world politics by getting rid of those redneck politicians.  encourage young families to go out there too.  the cost of living will be far lower.  california is so screwed up in terms of the cost of living and taxes; only the most egotistical have to live here.  so let's do it!]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri, 25 Mar 2005 14:41:42 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/3/25/202e80087f0a6ef5e45a383d3c476eb4.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>The Schiavo Spectacle</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/3/26/58c774a78b34956856de5b3c0c4aed3c.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[This situation has become nothing except a frustrating example of how people can exploit a hapless victim's circumstance for the political means.  In examining each avenue from the politicians that exercise that they ought to be giving Terry the "help she deserves", I feel utterly disgusted in how those Republicans had transformed such a minute situation into a barrage to uplift their position in the eyes of the public.  It's sickening that this woman is able to receive so much attention for her condition.  My own father is in a similar state, yet my family gets zero recognition and definitely doesn't get any government intervention to help pull him and my family through this.

Then you have these symphatizers and even those radicals like that gun toting idiot who got arrested on the show.  And of course CNN just feeding us lines of garbage with their horrible "analysis" that's nothing more than one line jokes to boost their ratings.  All for one person.

But here's the sad part: it's all bullshit.  The real and only victim in this is Terry Schiavo.  Not her husband.  Not the family.  Not anyone in this.  Not a single person in this really cares about her in how she really feels.  Everyone second guesses her situation because they only selfishly try to put themselves in her position.  Truthfully though, none of us comprehend the day-to-day scenarios this entity faces.  Not these asshole doctors nor lawyers who are able to announce a verdict.  Not the politicians, Christians, and judges.  No one can truly feel what she does.

And yet, everyone has missed the whole point in this.  People are starting to talk about living wills as a possible requirement.  If suddenly they enact a law out of this to force people to have living wills, what of those like my family's case that don't and are put into this situation?  I don't think a living will is the solution and again this is a lawyer's wetdream of people being misguided on the correct issue.

So what is the correct issue?  How about spending all that fucking money we're sending away to Iraq and putting it into medical research in trying to prevent these things from occurring?  I seriously doubt that Michael Schiavo has any real desire to pull the tube if there were any realistic hope in all of this.  Only the truly malicious and selfish would want that.  Yet in his situation (and in many), that seems to be the only option because medical science has not caught up to the point of making this scenario hopeful.

Those people out there trying to shoot the judges or Michael should be using their angst and going after the ballot.  Tell your Congressmen, etc. that you want REAL medical treatment.  Hell, I wouldn't be ashamed for my tax dollars to be spent in a meaningful way to aid society as in true medical research.  That's where our money should be going.  Not just understanding vegetative states, but getting people out of them.  Why is that an impossibility?  We've mapped the fucking human genome already.  What's so fucking hard about pushing forward on issues like this?

If you ask me, I think doctors kinda want people to be in these states.  Think about the money they could make allowing them to be in these conditions with the families paying out the ass while their loved ones who have no hope stay lying in the care of a doctor who only treats top people like Christopher Reid because they have so much money.  What about us laymen who aren't given proper care in the first place because the government is too busy debating a fucked up budget going to Iraq rather than looking at things domestically and trying to improve our own health care back at home?  Don't you think that's where we should be dealing with things?]]></description>
<pubDate>Sat, 26 Mar 2005 21:25:52 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/3/26/58c774a78b34956856de5b3c0c4aed3c.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>South Park</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/3/31/1f23cdb3e09bf48f7bb93d29735c3c0d.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[Oh man.  There was a great South Park episode last night that touched on the Schiavo case (ironically she died this morning...how coincidental is that?).  Basically, they were arguing the "right-to-die" case, but the shows stance was that Kenny, who in spirit represented Schiavo, didn't want to be alive in a humiliated state.  What was even more ironic (and hence hillarious) was how Kenny was going to save the world because he was the only person that got to level 60 on the game Heaven and Hell, where the PSP2 was created by God.  When his friends attempt to keep him on the feeding tube (where he looks ridiculous with googly eyes), the angles from heaven argue that it's against God's will and that the doctors and people attempting to keep him alive are acting against God.

Then in one of funniest moments of the show, the little adviser to Satan, who basically was Wormtongue from LOTR, goes to the Republicans to feed propaganda into the Christians' feeble minds, thus propagating a massive media retaliation.  That part was so bitterly funny since that asshole from Texas, Delay, attempted to manipulate the press by sympathesizing with the Schiavo family right after being reemed with his questionable trips.

However, one of the best messages in the show came at the end where you had two sides: Cartman and the boys.  Cartman's view, as Kenny's best friend for life, was that he just wanted Kenny to die for his PSP2 whereas the kids wanted Kenny to live because they truly cared.  However, despite their intentions, each side's case was wrong for the opposite reasons as the Kenny's living will dictated that he woudln't "For the love of God" want to be shown on national TV like that.  Then a collective sigh went up, "Oh."

This was one of the most brilliant South Parks written fueled by media propaganda and the idiocy of those blindly following the story.  What's even more interesting is examining each party involved.  Kenny, who comes from a poor family, whose parents are redneck drunkards acts as a symbol for the pro-life side.  Mr(s) Garrison, as the neo-hermaphrodite, was that idiot trying to bring water to Kenny when the feeding tube was being removed (a truly cruel and bitter portrayal considering the type of character Garrison plays in the show).  Kenny, like Terry, wasn't exactly doing a smart thing when he died: he basically played the game and got hit by a truck; Terry, on the other hand, had an eating disorder that led to her condition.

When you sum up the show and compare it to the circumstances, there's a huge irony about how South Park, being from the "red neck, white bred, mountain town" acts as an emblem of this whole fiasco.  The more you see shit on TV, the more you think of how South Park isn't just this small, mountain town, but a more wholistic representation of America.  Sad, huh?]]></description>
<pubDate>Thu, 31 Mar 2005 11:51:02 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/3/31/1f23cdb3e09bf48f7bb93d29735c3c0d.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>Schiavo Dies the Pope Lives</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/1/9b6d509ee074942b2cbed31cdb3141dd.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[how bitter is that irony?  an aging piece of shit that has pronounced whether people should live or die gets to continue while a younger woman was in a vegetative state and could've lived a far more productive life meets her demise on the same day.  I wonder if the Pope's survival is gained through his bidding with Satan and sacrificing the children of the true innocent for his bidding?]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri, 01 Apr 2005 00:17:21 -0700</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/1/9b6d509ee074942b2cbed31cdb3141dd.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>The Pope is Gone</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/3/64eb74aac28e8c75f14ba5a17524e187.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[So much for the last political blog.  now there's going to be a holy war/bid for the top dog position.  all i can say out of this is that not enough of 'em are passing fast enough.]]></description>
<pubDate>Sun, 03 Apr 2005 21:22:12 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/3/64eb74aac28e8c75f14ba5a17524e187.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>China's Head Up Its Ass</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/11/283b469101e502790b902095b58ce6aa.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[The tension between Japan and China (and even South Korea) has been growing recently, quite a bit due to both historical records and more importantly Japan's attempt to gain a seat in the UN Security Council.  Lots of protest.  I can't comment on the historical issues except that people tend to live in the past too much.  But here's an instance where Japan had screwed so many people over it's haunting them until this day. 

Still, I dislike the pressure being placed on Japan by China's oversensitive nature.  I think this is a case where China's is quickly becoming more confident in it's increasing power both in economy and military.  As Japan is a key ally to the US and a historical enemy to many countries in Asia, China will do everything in its power to assure that they're sunk.

The other interesting tidbit is how someone was saying that China wants to align with India in becoming a technological superpower with China's hardware combined with India's software.  Reminds me of what I was writing in how China and India will somehow align with each other and become this new super power national alliance, especially in moving towards the colonization of space.

Going back to the situation with Japan though, I feel that the US should do more to ensure the safety of the country.  I don't exactly like the idea of those naval bases in Okinawa, etc.  However, I think they should alleviate the restrictions for the country and allow more people to come over here on a special visa since Japan is at constant risk.  

At any rate, for my girls Reina, etc. if things get tight, get the fuck out of there!  I'm ready to help you declare your US citizenship :)]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 11 Apr 2005 11:42:07 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/11/283b469101e502790b902095b58ce6aa.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>DeLay Next In Line</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/14/f18aa1490437be1c8406db14b8b9e54d.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[For impeachment.  This guy must have the taste of leather in his mouth because he's practically leaving both his feet from the comments he's been making.  Now, he's making more of a storm surrounding the Schiavo controversy to obviously throw people off the scent of his condemning acts on foreign trips.  This guy better resign for the sake of the Republican party because he's not just a black eye for them, but he makes the entire party look like raccoons.  

Hopefully, there's enough emotional sentiment and feeling against him that they vote him out of office.]]></description>
<pubDate>Thu, 14 Apr 2005 00:56:08 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/14/f18aa1490437be1c8406db14b8b9e54d.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>Congress Passes Credit Card Company Ass Kissing Law</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/14/65864db746f429e84472fdcb5a4ac42c.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[http://apnews1.iwon.com//article/20050414/D89FCIN80.html

news at 11.  let's support this moveon group online.  they have the best quote: "The Republican's agenda is the war against the middle class."  I like how they disguise this to make it seem that it's hurting the wealthy, but it's really going to hurt people like my mom who's supporting my father in a tight situation.

Along those lines, I noticed that the government seems gleeful in defranchisizing the middle class.  Thinking about the dot com meltdown there were a lot of people who went into bankruptcy as a result and even homelessness.  Shouldn't there be some kind of safety net for those people?  Why aren't there social reforms in place to secure people out there?  

by the way asshole hicks who voted republican, you're next.  just remember that when your supersized kid on the farm is starving after the ranch closes. you won't get any vote of sympathy for me farmboy.]]></description>
<pubDate>Thu, 14 Apr 2005 14:30:37 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/14/65864db746f429e84472fdcb5a4ac42c.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>Make No Apology Campaign</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/15/af7a6a3e38db03a9d47c5662efb4f392.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[I'm so sick of these Republican campaigns just blasting the democrats and evading issues by deflecting our attention to some non-issue.  I think what the democrats should do is start the "no apology campaign" where they fight fire with a nuclear arsenal.  It's only fair at this point as the country is essentially divided, except that somehow they have a slight advantage at the moment.  However, I fully endorse a more edgy campaign that pulls no punches, hits below the belt, and does everything to ensure crooks like DeLay and Bush are thrown out of office in the near future.]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 Apr 2005 00:57:31 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/15/af7a6a3e38db03a9d47c5662efb4f392.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>American Airport Screeners Still Suck</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/16/86da24a2949e58ad95b9456c3f33bab7.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[Okay maybe not.  But that's what the federal government wants you to believe in today's article/findings of current airport security.  My belief of what happened was that after all the prior airport security lost their jobs as the industry became run by the government, the airports simply hired and "re-trained" these people again.  Probably added a few procedures here and there, but overall unless they got a massive spike in pay, these people aren't going to get any more enthusiastic about their job, regardless of 9-11.  They have one of the shittiest, thankless jobs around where the government has made them look like the enemy.  So all the government has done is increase the amount of frustration between customers and these screeners.  Thanks a lot Bush for wasting tax payers' money.  I'd prefer that money to have been reinvested into airlines for research on how we can prevent airplanes from exploding if you want to talk security.]]></description>
<pubDate>Sat, 16 Apr 2005 01:43:36 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/16/86da24a2949e58ad95b9456c3f33bab7.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>Stop Making Us Fight Your Battles!</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/16/bcf8d32b2ef7bf76410435b8193bf574.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[The China thing suddenly made me reflect upon the way our society as a whole is structured.  After we're born we basically become a vicarious implement for our dying parents to live through.  The history of Japan, China and Korea, while tragic, needs to be progressed where the sentiment of those periods are left for only history books.  My gut feeling is that these older generations are forcing us to remember their issues for them and thereby causing us to uncritically assault our neighbors.  Think about.  What does a Shibuya girl have to do with a scholar in China who feels angry towards Japan for a few pages of rewritten history?  

The only people who care about such things are history/politics buffs and politicians (coincidence?)  Most of these people are those in government positions and are aging.  But why should we, the young (assuming that most of my audience are under the age of 40 or so), deal with the memories of the old?  Why should we become the instruments of the past, where our interconnections to each other are dependent upon past memories?  Shouldn't we be more concerned about pressing issues like the advancement of science to help breakthroughs in medical technology?  How about dealing with issues of poverty?  What about handling resource problems of overpopulation by advancing space exploration?

Having old people dictate to us our feelings based on a past negative experience is hindering human progress.   It reminds me of a time when my Key Club had us visit a Veteran for Foreign Wars dinner.  Some old guy, who obviously fought in WWII, starting talking to three of us (who are all Japanese American) about how they'd beaten Hitler and the Japanese.  It was so apparent that this person was senile and living in his past.  But at this point it was a glorified past basked in the political proganda at the time.  Yet as someone so thoroughly useless in this society, his only remnants of virility was symbolized through his collective memory of WWII (hence why he'd show up at a place like this).

Quite often you might hear about how some guy like this would "educate" their kids in this mode of thought.  To me it's not that history is unimportant because certainly we can learn through history our past mistakes.  But if there's one mistake we haven't learned is that we shouldn't be living through another like this.  This doesn't help anyone and that's the real bottom line in this episode of human relations.]]></description>
<pubDate>Sat, 16 Apr 2005 11:33:13 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/16/bcf8d32b2ef7bf76410435b8193bf574.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>$81 billion wasted</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/21/2b669b07a949caba53da459de38cc0c0.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[another round of American taxpayer dollars is being wasted for America's imperialistic nature- war spending.  So sad that our society has to put money into the military and bureaucracy rather than new roads, science, health, and direct care of the nation.  Just remember every tax dollar you're relinquishing is going into a bullet that'll enter someone's body.  Do you really conscientiously support that?]]></description>
<pubDate>Thu, 21 Apr 2005 11:54:33 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/21/2b669b07a949caba53da459de38cc0c0.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>Republicans/House Threatens Environment Again</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/21/8f39c3ade7ca0d71f692e2bd4c451d27.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[what's being disguised as an "energy bill" is really a front for allowing traditional companies for getting benefits from their friends - the Republicans.  For one thing the Alaskan Wildlife Refuge is being threatened by oil drilling.  Supporters of the bill are calling this "necessary" to make Americans less dependent on oil.  Well, going to Iraq hasn't exactly decreased gas prices has it?  In fact, us unconditionally hitting Iraq proved to have the opposite effect.  Not to mention putting the country into more debt.

On top of that, MTBE additives, which has caused lawsuits springing from drinking water contamination, is also being shielded.  As a result, communities around the country will be forced to handle the cost as opposed to the manufacturers.  More tax payer dollars being wasted which instead should be a social responsiblity by the companies that produce this poison.

Notice also that DeLay, once again, has his name enscribed in this.  You can see how he's basically Bush's right hand man in supporting these initiatives.  None of this benefits us, only large corporations.  They could argue that the companies are supporting American labor by creating opportunities in these areas.  But truthfully if you look at this, how many people OVERALL benefit from this?  Only the shareholders and execs on top see any real bottom line.  Workers in those companies won't probably see a dime.  And I seriously doubt that we'll see any economic benefit from decreasing our dependence on localized forms of energy like Alaska.  Instead, that money will probably end up being negated in the end as lawsuits spring up over the harm that's caused from this.  So we, the consumer, get zero benefit.

I'm going to demarcate every single instance of harm that asshole DeLay does.]]></description>
<pubDate>Thu, 21 Apr 2005 12:14:25 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/21/8f39c3ade7ca0d71f692e2bd4c451d27.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>US Becoming More Intolerant</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/24/891ad453754d2aed84d948edca663f32.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[Just read a brief article about the election of the new Pope and how he's similar to Bush in his ethical views....that is tolerant of very little.   The ideal makes me believe that the US in particular is moving towards a similar path of ultra conservatism.  Then you can see the trend of this being met with the removal of filibusters being made by Republicans against the Democrats in their cause of blocking the president's choice of judicial nominees.  Seems like a massive of conspiracy on both lines to alienate all liberal parties while the Roman Catholic Church and most powerful government in the world unify.  Call me paranoid but don't call this coincidental.  There's a holy war brewing and it doesn't feel good.

Reminds me of South Park the Movie where Satan/Saddam comes to Earth as a result of the mass breeding of intolerance. ]]></description>
<pubDate>Sun, 24 Apr 2005 18:54:33 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/24/891ad453754d2aed84d948edca663f32.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>Tragically Comic</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/29/86d7137d788c77a5d115632da8207b49.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[That's how I describe anything Bush or the GOF (Grand Old Farts) party does these days.  I guess it's Arbor Day so Bush planted a bush.  If you asked me it'd probably be a funky type because anything else natural would wither in his decrepit hands.  ]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri, 29 Apr 2005 12:40:26 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/29/86d7137d788c77a5d115632da8207b49.html</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title>US The Draconian Police Officer of the World</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/29/ce1ccab4b8fb5b8b8376d432b8c604a7.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[That's the only way you can describe US foreign policy.  Yahoo had a brief article saying that the US is hunting down on international piracy.  Big issue is over IP issues.  Of all the countries in the world, only the US really gives a shit about this issue.  They're mainly attacking China for it's loose laws on handling this issue.  Obviously, big corporations are pushing lobbyists to go assault other countries on the issue.  If things aren't resolved you'll probably hear threats of economic sanctions.

Here's some thoughts about this one.  Why should China really care?  They're going to kick the US' ass with all their resources, economic power, land, education, etc. whereas the US is becoming increasingly entrenched in bureaucracy because of the closing ties between government and the market.  You can't call the US a free market economy any longer with a straight face.  

Second, does the US realize that it has become the biggest bully on the block?  I doubt that it recognizes the long term moral and morale consequences in the scheme of things.  But the whole "American Dream" is quickly disintegrating into the World Nightmare.  Anything left in America as far as opportunity is concerned has become an illusion of material.  Only the top people gain any benefit.  But to get there you either have to exploit some form of nepotism or backstab your way to the top.  Forget Protestant Christian goodness and morality.  That too is an illusion to advance certain group's politics.  The only certainty in America is that you can't trust anyone.]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri, 29 Apr 2005 12:51:48 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/29/ce1ccab4b8fb5b8b8376d432b8c604a7.html</guid>
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<item>
<title>Medicaid cut in favor of Defense Spending</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/29/6e777f8eb1cab7a2b3503b373a437a07.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[I guess our country is more in favor of destroying the lives of other people rather than attempting to save our own.  Medicaid programs have been cut with the new bill the GOFs passed as with many other social, domestic programs.  The only real spending, of course, is in defense (how can you even justify that euphemism?  defending what?  just the politicians and business men on top).  

that means people like my family are screwed because my father is in a nursing home and my mom depends on government checks to pay for overpriced hospital bills.  it's already a horrible state because we barely are receiving a penny from the government.  now with this i don't know what will happen.  

a little lesson for migrant people: don't come here thinking you can have better care than your spot in the world.  if you already live in a first world country, there's no point in expatriating because most likely your system does a better job catering to your average citizens than America is at the moment.]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri, 29 Apr 2005 12:55:51 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/4/29/6e777f8eb1cab7a2b3503b373a437a07.html</guid>
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<title>Alternative, Renewable Energy</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/5/8/1095f07de25634865e9ab24634d6c648.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[Signed a petition today outside of Target which calls for the state to make a move towards lowering gas prices through finding alternative, renewable energy.  There were two other items on the ballot but I thought this item was clearly critical.  It's not just that the gas prices are outrageously high, but that the industry is crunching consumers while not offering efficient, cheap alternatives.  Fortunately, Japanese automanufacturers are providing newer, more efficient hybrids like the Prius, but the American industry pathetically clings to old standards (which is biting their rear as evidence from Ford and GMs' declining sales)

Still I feel this issue isn't satisfactory as we also depend on inefficient and/or dangerous modes of power like nuclear as opposed to cheap, renewable sources such as solar.  

One interesting company that is pursuing such efforts is this one: 

http://www.energyinnovations.com

i find what they do to be pretty innovating although it's taking quite a while for them to put a product out the door.  Not to mention their first targets specific cases.  still it'll be great to see more efforts in this area, especially with the crunches we've experienced in past summers.]]></description>
<pubDate>Sun, 08 May 2005 01:47:29 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/5/8/1095f07de25634865e9ab24634d6c648.html</guid>
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<title>what the hell is new hampshire thinking?</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/5/9/0a742634fcfd7fdb52118df7e8eaa17f.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/medicaid_cuts]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 09 May 2005 14:58:18 -0600</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/5/9/0a742634fcfd7fdb52118df7e8eaa17f.html</guid>
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<title>Cheney Off and Haliburton Gets Their Bribe</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/5/10/2111e5018e57f38252ee147b910d446f.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[Cheney got off the appeals court where he was being investigated for his 2001 energy policy task force that favored the industry.  Not coincidentally, the same day it was announced that Haliburton made $72 million in bonuses from the army in their work with Iraq.  Can't touch Cheney apparently.  He's got some serious inside connections that let him be protected.  But it's so obvious that even a blind person could see this.

I'm just waiting for this scrooge to get knocked off the bench because his ass is going to be some guy's target practice just like that guy from Enron.  I think the country's liberals should form a committee to have this guy impeached.  ]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 10 May 2005 16:59:42 -0600</pubDate>
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<title>theory on violence and junk food</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/5/14/60a883ce62545a886212442565923fe0.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[here's an interesting article that has a study on the location of fast/junk food spots and inner city schools:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/junkfoodoutletscrowdinnercityschools

my theory is that there is a correlation between fast/junk food and violence in America.  if i'm not mistaken, America is probably the country with the highest consumer ratio of fast food compared to the rest of the world.  also, for a first world nation, it is one of the more violent areas.  some people though tend to blame video games, movies and music on the rising violence here.  however, i believe that there are pre-existing biological conditions that excite and predispose people towards that format.  and that pre-existing condition is America's love for fast food.

the problem with fast food is in the general content.  the average fast food here consist of hamburgers, hot dogs, and pizza.  at restaurants, you generally find a heavy dosage of fried food.  but that's exactly it: food rich in cholestoral.  things that raise one's blood pressure.  since most americans stop exercising after high school, there's little to no outlet for ridding our bodies of these chemicals.  most people, i argue, tend to vegetate, preferring to stay at home watching TV or playing games rather than exercising.  this pent up state leads to a sense of dissatisfaction with oneself, especially in examining the glamour of TV.  because you're a fatass, you have no hope in hell of getting some hot girl on TV.  however, you completely sympathize with some guy whacking the baddies with a barrage of bullets.

the most notable form of expression outside of the home is in traffic.  note how some fuckhead with a big ford exhibition tends to run over people without any regard for their safety.  my thesis poses that these people driving these redneck vehicles are the same people who eat this garbage.  why?  one of the seven deadly sins: gluttony.  these people are socially unacceptable for the most part, obnoxious and most of all selfish.  other people's existence have no bearing so long as they get their fill, bulk up and end up becoming Eric Cartmens.  

but think about it.  when you eat a burger, don't you feel like shit afterwards?  generally, i feel angry at myself or something and i get these uncontrollable emotions of undescribeable rage to depression.  why?  probably because my body can't process this, bringing my energy down to low levels, and then not supplying proper vitamins.

within the past year I've been seriously working out, mixing weight lifting with good cardio exercise (between 30-40+ minutes on the bike).  lately, i try to eat more brocoli, salmon, and almonds along with apples and yogurt.  most of my meals consist of Healthy Choice or Jamba Juice with the power boost + fat burner boost.  I tell you, i feel so much better.  Despite my family problems, I've actually been quite positive.  I mean, I literally don't feel as depressed as I used to, if depression could be classified as a physical state as well.  I still get mad on the road with all the idiots, but not to the degree as I would before.  all this i attribute to the change in my diet.  

sure i still have a burger or two.  i'm human.  but generally speaking i've eliminated a lot of the junk in my diet and i feel so much better.  in fact, i've practically eliminated a lot of fast food from my diet.  no more McDonalds, Wendy's, KFC, or Taco Bell.  the only fast food i eat are subway and Jamba Juice.  i've cut subway down to once a week with most of my lunches consisting of Jamba or Healthy Choice.  the smaller portions are easier to digest and I don't feel like ass at work.  Also, little to no soda.  

i'm telling you people.  switch your diet over.  you'll feel the best in years (minus when you get in contact with some disease factory)]]></description>
<pubDate>Sat, 14 May 2005 22:23:50 -0600</pubDate>
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<title>Antonio Villaraigosa as LA Mayor</title>
<link>http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2005/5/19/62b685ae10314deacc583ddf17fbbdfc.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[Truthfully, I haven't kept much on the LA mayor situation, but out of curiousity I took sometime to read his views since an article on yahoo briefly mentioned his intent for creating a (REAL) subway system out here.  That in itself is going to be a monumentous feat, but one that, as an LA tax payer, I feel is absolutely necessary for the continued growth (and sanity!) of this state.

But reading his website and the issues he proposes, I'm definitely with this guy.  He's got some keen, concrete plans that more or less speak what I've been preaching on this blog for a while.  I really like his vision just for the traffic problem in LA.  He's right on target with everything he says there and I support him on all the issues.  Just improving light synchornization would be a godsend, especially in my commute!  

The part on his vision for the railsystem is a must though.  The railsystem here is an absolute joke.  Yeah it runs but it doesn't go anywhere near where some commuter like myself can hitch a ride easily.  It's definitely not like my apartment in Uchida where I could walk across the street and be on the train in a minute!  I like how he plans to extend the train around the city.  Although it probably won't hit near where I'm at, I'm looking at this as a future decision that'll gradually reduce traffic as more people become accepting of this form of public transportation here.

Also, I think his vision for creating more regional airports is great!  I hope he curbs the expansion of LAX just for the reasons he stated.  I mean, the traffic passing 