A Journey to the Levant
Nikkei has an interesting interview on Japan economy with Bill Emmott, former Economist editor.
My take: reform of the Labor Market :
I think the big thing that needs to be done is to have a single labor law that applies to everyone, so to reduce the amount of protection for regular workers to make it easier to fire people, but then have the same protections for the irregular workers, so there should be one law for everyone.
There is something bothering about the ALS ice bucket challenge.
ALS is a horrible disease which deserves attention and funding, BUT.
1. Around 5600 Americans are diagnosed with ALS each year
2. ALS is most common among persons over 60
3. It is a terminal illness. We can improve the patients lives (and extend it), but the end is inevitable
ALS should get funding, research. We should care for the patients.
I am concerned about the Internet Meme. The discussion about ALS when we have so many bigger problems. Obesity, Ignorance, Racism, AIDS, Cancer that affect the lives of more people.
ALS will be discussed and forgotten. We will stay ignorant and ill
As expected, the book was better than the film.
Winner of 2008 Naoki Prize, it has some faults, but definitely more depth than the movie.
The movie and the book differ in the flow of time. While the movie flows from Hana losing her parents and ends with her fiance meeting her father, the book goes back in time.
From the wedding ceremony, back in time to her first date , two murders and eventually Hana as a 9 years old, losing her parents and adoption by Jungo. Each part is told by a different Narrator, including Komachi san, Jungo’s “girlfriend”.
I must admit that the last part was a bit tiring, as I saw the movie and felt it didn’t add enough to the story.
Books are always better!