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Showing posts from September 16, 2012

Honshu and Okinawa

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I am back. I spent 10 days in Japan, 5 days for work on the main island of Honshu and 5 days of solo adventure in Okinawa. Travel is so invigorating dispite the uncomfortableness. Jetlag, anxiety, crowds, and other discomforts aside, it is mind-expanding and rewarding. Work went well. I flew a new airline (Skymark) from Tokyo to Naha. I am always wary of strange discount airlines and all the traps they set. However, I had a great expereince with "Sky". I was actually shocked. Super easy checkin at the airport, no extra fees even with extra luggage. The primary mission in Okinawa was to visit the Peace Park and the suicide cliffs of Okinawa. From what I understand, at the end of WW2 the inhabitants were encouraged to commit suicide rather than surrender to the Americans and get tortured and eaten. Besides other types of suicide, they jumped off the cliffs at the Southern end of the main island. If you have seen the original color footage taken at the time, I am sure you ...
Manufacturing In New York Region Contracts In September. Bloomberg News (9/18, Chandra) reports, "Manufacturing in the New York region contracted more than forecast in September as orders shrank, a sign the world's largest economy will get less support from the industry. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York's general economic index dropped to minus 10.41, the lowest since April 2009, from minus 5.85 in August." The Greater Binghamton (NY) Business Journal (9/18, Seltzer) reports, "It was the general business conditions index's second consecutive month below zero. That means more surveyed manufacturers reported worsening circumstances than said the business climate was improving." The Journal reports, "In September, 28.8 percent of manufacturers indicated business conditions eroded, while just 18.4 percent said conditions took a step in the right direction. The remaining 52.8 percent of respondents believed conditions stayed the same as last ...