Stigliz on 6 ways to rein in inequality スティグリッツさんの６つの格差対策

1)Change the way money runs into political process
2)Redistribute income by taxing on profit and carbon
3)Reform the system of CEO pays
4)Lend more to new businesses and households
5)Organize new way of education to improve society
6)Mobilize politically

１）政治へのカネの流れを変えよ
２）利益や炭素に税をかけて所得を再分配せよ
３）ＣＥＯの給与体系を変えよ
４）家計や新事業に貸与せよ
５）社会を良くするために新しい教育をせよ
６）政治的に動け

 http://gawker.com/joe-stiglitz-knows-how-to-solve-inequality-if-anyone-w-1725471687

黄金律について

昨日のＧＤＰ速報では年マイナス1.6％の成長率という。

2014年の実質GNIは524兆円、資本ストック（取付）1280兆円、資本分配率0.4なので、資本の限界生産性は0.4。資本減耗率を8％とすると、資本の純収益率は8％。これは実質経済成長率マイナス1.6％をはるか上回り、経済学的には「動学的に効率的」である。

一人当たり実質GNIは413万円。資本の黄金律水準の一人当たり実質GNIは446万円（413×1.08）。

よって、33万円だけ収入を増やす、今後5年で1.6％の経済成長が実現できれば、国民にとって望ましい。

The annual rate of growth of Japan's GDP is minus 1.6%, and is this rate good for the people? The real GDP per capita is US$36,000 and we may as well boost it up to US$38,880.(I assume the distribution rate of capital stock is 40%, the depreciation rate is 8%, and the real rate of returns on capital stock is 8%) If the economy stays at 1.6% per year over the coming 5 years, it will be possible and people will be happier.

Portfolio Careers

The old idea of lifetime employment is fading. More people will follow “portfolio careers”, switching from one employer to another as the economy changes. This will require them...to monitor the economy for new opportunities.Many more people are likely to be self-employed, offering services to a wide range of customers. In a sense, they will be artisans, not employees.

終身雇用という古い考えは消えつつある。人々は経済が変化し、今の会社から次の会社へと移る「キャリアのポートフォリオ」に従うだろう。これからは、新し い機会を見つけるために経済を観察することが必要となろう。より多くの人々は自営業者として、様々な顧客へサービスを提供するようになる。ある意味、雇わ れ者でなく、職人だろう。

Risk, Heart and Head - リスク、感情と勘定

 Which operation is better?
#1 It will fail with prob of 60%, #2 It will succeed with prob of 40%

These operations will bring the same result, but it doesn't seem to.

If you take a cancer test, then the test is positive. The positive rate is 80% and the prob you have the cancer is also 80%, isn't it? Given about 5 people suffer from the cancer per 0.1 million people and the prob is 0.02%.

Speaking from the heart, a nuclear power plant is quite dangerous at the risk of having a high level of radiation. You might recall Hiroshima and Fukushima. However, speaking from the head, what percent is the prob that you suffer from a cancer and that you have a nuclear accident? It must be quite low. It should keep you much far away from there.

 ある２つの手術の結果として、どちらが望ましいか。
１）６０％の確率で失敗する。２）４０％の確率で成功する。

どちらも効果は同じだが、印象が違う。陽性率が８０％の癌検診を受け、陽性反応が出た。８０％で癌だろうか。発生頻度が人口10万あたり5.7人であれば、陽性反応が出たとして癌である確率は0.0228％。ずいぶん低い。

手術に限らず、原発の危険性を考える時、「感情」に訴えると、我々は非常な危険にさらされるが、「勘定」に訴えると、原発が事故り、放射線を受け、癌になるリスクはいくらだろうか。おそらく、非常に低いに違いない。

On Hiroshima 広島ノート

日本は戦時中原爆研究をやっていた。陸軍の「ニ号研究」、海軍の「Ｆ研究」。「二号研究」は理化学研究所が中心となり行われ、予算が乏しく、とん挫したようであるが、私は「Ｆ研究」の存在を今回の産経報道（2015.7.26）で初めて知った。
私は、当時の陸海軍は、証拠が乏しいものの、マンハッタン計画と広島への原爆投下を知っていたと考えている。（長崎は当初福岡に落とされる予定だったが、天候不順で長崎に変更になったという経緯があり、これを当時の陸軍が予測できたか分からない）
問題は（１）なぜ日本は原爆研究をやったか、（２）なぜ海軍陸軍別々で研究をやったか、（３）なぜ原爆投下を国民に知らせ、避難させなかったか。広島は、 戦後社会でアメリカを超大国にする大きな儀式だった。さらに、結果として、皮肉にも大きな人体実験を米軍と帝国陸軍合同でやった格好となった。「原爆を持 てば国際社会で優位になれる」と陸軍は読み、実際その後の世界は「核抑止力」により秩序が立てられた。ＮＰＴ（核不拡散条約）の協議も進んでいない。思え ば、広島という原体験こそが、皮肉にも核兵器のない社会を遠いおとぎ話にしてしまったかもしれない。

Then the Imperial Japan had nuclear weapon projects: Ni-Go project conducted by then the Army, F-Go project by then the Navy. These projects are not well informed, first of all, there is few reliable documents about them to consult.
Every year the day of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima is coming on, I am sure that then the Imperial Japan knew the Manhattan Project conducted by then the USA and the date when A bomb would be dropped in Hiroshima, though there's no any more reference that supports it.

My questions are, #1 why did the Imperial Japan try to develop an A bomb?, #2 why didn't then the Army and the Navy cooperate?, #3 why didn't the Navy inform the citizens of Hiroshima of being A bombed and let them run away?
Hiroshima can be said to become a ritual that made USA a political and military hegemony in the post-war world. Moreover, as a result, then the Army let USA conduct, rather cooperated with USA to conduct, a human experimentation in Hiroshima on how an A bomb destroys the human bodies.
Then the Army might read that the Imperial Japan would hold power if it had an A bomb, and it is right; Actually the power balance of the post-war world has been maintained by such a nuclear deterrence. Reflecting how less progress NPT (NonProliferation Treaty) is making, I think it is the very experience of Hiroshima that ironically made real world far away from the world free from nuclear weapons.

自民党・民主党

自民党さんは「カネを増やす」ことだけ考え、民主党さんは「カネをいかに（貧困層に）分けるか」しか考えていない。「カネを増やして分ける」ことが重要ですが、それを言ってる政党さんないです。政治的に難しいんですね、きっと。

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Mr Abe's ruling party, claims income growth to be important, whereas the Democratic Party claims income distribution to be important. The important is, how to increase and divide income, but it must be politically very difficult to do.

Paid In Cash

Earnings don't have to be paid in cash; payment in kind is also fine. One month's worth of rice would be equal to my 3 hours' labor, and the right to have a date with a pretty girl would make me work for 5 hours. Money is a very good device in making the trades smooth, but may not be a good one in making our life happy. Payment in kind can also increase production and employment. To increase income is not only a solution to better life, but to satisfy our everyday life is also important.

男性は自信過剰

女性の給与が男性より低い。これは同じ職業、同じ学歴の男女間にも存在する。男性は女性より２倍自信過剰で、２倍出来高報酬を選ぶからだという。また、女 性の起業家ですら男性のそれよりも２３％低い報酬を得ていて、女性はビジネス的な成功より社会貢献を重視、男性より仕事に満足しているという。さらに、男 性の方が長時間労働に従事していることに原因があるともいう。

The Day Of SNS ＳＮＳの時代

I cannot help feeling that it is not each individual but major televisions, newspapers, ad agencies, and political and business people that can control the information even though we are in an age of the Social Networking Services (SNS); Something can get labeled as what is convenient for them. The point is what and whom we think we should choose, not what and whom they choose.　

SNSの時代だとは言え、情報は個人でなく、テレビ、新聞、広告代理店、政財界が握っていることを思わずにはいられない。何かが都合よく決めつけられうるのだ。大事なのは、我々が誰を何を選ぶべきかであって、彼らが何を誰を選ぶのではない。

Freedom of Speech on Charlie Hebdo

Nowadays the freedom of speech and press is a little too louder than the freedom of not being insulted.

Milton Friedman of Capitalism and Freedom once said, "My freedom to move my fist must be limited by the proximity of your chin." French cartoonists' fist hit their chin. Their pens cannot help being another way of terrorism. Anyway I do not smile at this type of satire.

Aging Society

Young people are those who want to look adult while old people are those who want to look a little younger. They are usually busy talking around here about how to stay fit and young, which makes me feel that the population is gradually aging.

The Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard

プリンストン大・UCLAの研究によれば、パソコンより手書きの方が学習効果が高い。

The Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard: Advantages of Longhand Over Laptop Note Taking,Psychological Science June 2014 25: 1159-1168

セックスレス Sexless

セッ クスしてますか。読売新聞夕刊（2015.1.19）によれば、16～49歳の既婚者への調査によると、４４．５％が1か月以上セックスしていない。原因 は、労働による疲労（週49時間以上の労働はセックスを減らす）、異性とのコミュニケーションが苦手な人が増加したと言う。自分も含めて、今は皆セックス レスだ。　

When did you have a sex last time? A recent study on married people aged 16-49 living in Japan caught my eye: Of them 44.5% have no sex for more than one month. The reasons are, tiredness from hard work (working more than 49 hours a week lessens sex), and more people dislike communicating with those of the opposite sex. Including me, many people have less sex. So what?

身代金 Ransom

In game theory, there's a question whether to pay ransom to a kidnapper. The official answer is, not to pay. The reason is, if your President or Prime Minister pays ransom to have you released, your neighbors and fellows will forever be targeted by terrorists for the purpose of ransom. But I wonder whether your President paying ransom will risk any other person in your country. For example, displaying kidnappers shot and their hideouts destroyed completely, or becoming unclear whether to pay ransom may not risk any other person's life. At any rate, the Japanese government has to solve the dilemma about their having two hostages released while punishing the Islamic State severely.

「ゲーム理論」では、「誘拐犯に身代金を払うか」という話がある。これには「身代金を払うな」という答えが存在する。いったん身代金を払うと、日本人は身 代金目的で世界中から狙われることになる。しかし、私は身代金を支払って人質を救うことが、将来の日本人の生命を脅かすとは限らないと考えている。例え ば、身代金誘拐の犯人をその場で射殺する、アジトを根絶する、もしくは身代金を支払ったかどうか明らかにしない、などすれば、日本人が狙われるリスクを減 らすことができるかもしれない。いずれにせよ、日本政府は邦人を解放することとイスラム国の実行犯を重刑に処すというジレンマを解かなければならない。

Don't Lose Your Sight

At school belonging to a collective body rather than being an individual, or cooperativeness rather than identity is long taught as of much importance. People generally applaud those belonging to big school and big company. Many scholars and congresspeople are now like full-time workers, and so are ISIL combatants.

The true fighters for poverty, freedom and happiness are quite rare in the world. The truly competent person is not a high-paid one, but one who makes a living with his or her own performance.Your good friends are not those who say just only good things to you, but can criticize you. Those who can tell difficult things are not smart, but can put them into something easy enough for honest children to understand are. Those who can make others enjoy themselves don't have a warm heart, but can enjoy themselves do. Those who are blamed a lot may be trustworthy, rather than those who blame a lot. Don't be part of a swarm. Don't lose sight of yourself.

学校では主体性よりも協調性が重んじられ、個人よりも組織に馴染むことを良しとする。本当の友とは、自分を痛烈に批判する人のこと。誕生日に「おめでとう」なんて言う人じゃない。

いい大学いい会社に勤めていることが褒められる。議員の先生も今や「正社員」感覚。本当の実力者は高給取りじゃなくて芸で食べていける人。小難しいこと ばかり言う人より、小学生にも分かる言葉で言う人がすごい。周りを楽しませる人より、楽しむ人がいい。文句を言う人より言われる人が信頼できる。ある意味 「都合のいい人」が多すぎる。つまらない。

英語 English

日 本では英語は必須科目である。なぜ英語を学ぶのか。英語の教科書には、アメリカ、カナダ、そしてオーストラリア人が登場する。つまり、彼らと会話するた め。つまり、白人社会と交流するためなのだ。自由、民主主義、テロと戦う、それが国際社会。それが常識。日本人は黄色いバナナ。肌は黄、中身は白。黄色の バナナからすると、中東社会が野蛮に見えてくる。テロは中東社会にとっても脅威であるが、それはただバナナになれなかった人の受け皿に過ぎない。

English is a required subject for all the Japanese. Why do they study English? In an English textbook, there are only Caucasian people from the US, Canada and Australia with whom they speak. That is, it's to talk with them. It's to get along with the Caucasian Western society, where freedom, democracy and the fight against terror are all taken for granted. Japanese are, so to speak, 'yellow bananas'; outside is yellow and inside white. For bananas, the Middle East looks so barbarian. The terror is also a great threat to the Middle East, but it just only prepares a room for those who have no clue to become 'bananas'.

On IS

イスラム国への空爆は果たしてイスラム国を撃退させるだろうか。第二次大戦中、当時の日本の帝国陸軍は戦略爆撃（空襲）が国民精神を鍛え上げると言って黙 認していた。シリアのアサド政権もイスラム国を黙認することで、反政府組織や有志連合の弱体化を狙っているかもしれない。空爆は帝国陸軍にとって都合が良 かったように、アサドやイスラム国にとっても都合が良いかもしれない。

Does bombing in Syria wipe out the Islamic States? In WW2, then the Imperial Army of Japan claimed that the US strategic bombing would build up the heart and soul of the Imperial Japanese and overlooked it. Assad of Syria might overlook the Islamic States and then struggle to weaken the anti-Assad and the Coalition of the willing. Bombing, as was convenient to the Imperial Army of Japan, may actually be convenient to the Assad and the Islamic States.

A Bitter School Day

When I was a student, there was a naughty guy at school who liked fighting. I could have beaten that guy while he was shitting at the bathroom, but I couldn't. If I had, I would have been beaten by his fellows. In addition, he could let no one fight with him by having fought with and won another who also liked fighting. The point is, not to fight is to make buddies and to fight much.

However, it may be possible for you not to fight by not fighting; Actually, that guy beat me and I didn't retaliate because I didn't think I could win him. Since then, he didn't beat me any more. No fight and no weapon sounds ideal and may lead peace, but at the same time that means that you should bear any attack at any time, and that you will be always in a danger of being beaten at any time.

中学生のころ、ケンカの強い奴がいた。ケンカの強い奴はババしてる間に（多くは学校でババしないが、そういう奴は堂々ババする。）金属バットで殴れば片付 く。しかし、そんなことすれば仲間が仕返しに来る。また、ケンカの強い奴は他の奴とケンカして勝率を上げることで、誰もケンカしなくなる。ポイントは、 「ケンカをしないためには、仲間を作り、ケンカする必要がある」のだ。

しかし、ケンカを買わないこともケンカをしないことになるかもしれない。実際、僕は そのケンカの強い奴に殴られた。勝てない事が分かっていたので耐えた（耐えられた）。以降そいつは僕の前から姿を消した。耐え難きを耐え、忍び難きを忍ぶ こと。我慢できればケンカしなくていいが、ボコボコにされるリスクは常にある。

Tie

I think that tie is of no use though I always have it on while working. One midnight I missed the last train and I was at a loss. But soon one cab came to me and took me home. Then the driver said, "if you didn't wear a tie, I wouldn't take you up. The (drunken) men in working clothes are so rude." Certainly whom to take up late night may be fatal for taxi drivers. Tie is one of the things that seem of no use in modern society, but as long as many people judge by appearance it should be a necessary item for men to do good business.

日本は豊か Japan is Wealthy

少子化対策しなきゃ日本は益々停滞する、と言うけど、日本は労働人口（青の折れ線）が減っても、稼ぎであるＧＤＰ（赤の折れ線）はむしろ増えている。非正 規社員が増え、格差が拡大し、生活が苦しいと言うが、２４時間働かずに済むし、安い賃金でもスマフォでテレビや音楽が楽しめ、パスタ、ワインや寿司が １０００円以内で手に入る。８０年代のバブル期の人たちよりはるかに豊かで快適な世界にいるのも事実だ。日本経済に問題は存在しないのではないだろうか。

People say that the Japanese economy has been shrinking, but the macro data says the opposite: with the working population decreasing (the blue line) the economy has been bigger and bigger (the red line). Many of the Japanese people worry that the less full-time jobs, the larger the income gap between the rich and the poor. But now each of them can enjoy more leisure, music and movie anytime and anywhere with the smartphone, and can have pasta, wine and sushi at less than $10. It was unthinkable in the golden 1980s. Now Japan is so affluent that they might get frustrated. Any problem in the economy? Probably no.

卵巣がん

日本における卵巣癌の発生頻度は人口10万あたり5.7人、陽性率は70-80％。仮に陽性反応が出たとして卵巣がんである確率は0.0133％～0.0228％。アンジーの決断がベストかどうか分からないが、母方の両親が癌で亡くなっている小生には他人事ではない。

【補足】　Ｐ（卵巣癌）＝0.000057，Ｐ（陽性｜卵巣癌）＝0.7～0.8，
Ｐ（陽性）＝０．００００５７×0.7～0.8＋０．９９９９４３×0.3～0.2＝0.3～0.2，よって、
Ｐ（卵巣癌｜陽性）＝Ｐ（卵巣癌）×Ｐ（陽性｜卵巣癌）÷Ｐ（陽性）＝0.0133％～0.0228％

教養とは

あらゆることを疑い、あらゆる情報の真偽を自分の目で確認してみること、必ず一次情報に立ち返って自分の頭と足で検証してみること、この健全な批判精神こそが、・・・「教養」というものの本質なのだ。東京大学　石井洋二郎

リーダー

この国に「強力なリーダーが必要だ」という声は依然根強い。そんなリーダー必要か。この国において「天皇」ほど強力なリーダーはいない。この国がちゃんと 安定していることが重要であって、誰が総理かは重要でない。この国が今まで平和なのは実は自由な経済活動でも優秀な官僚でもなく、日米安保と天皇の存在が 大きいように思う。

空堀 Karahori

大阪空堀（からほり）には古い家屋を利用したお店が多い。大型商業店舗の出店を規制する大店法の改正以降、大型ショッピングモールが次々誕生し、全国どこ も同じお店ばかり。大店法の改正は、地域独自の景観を犠牲にする形で、安くていい商品を消費者にもたらした。それゆえ、こういう風景はとても新鮮で心地よ く思ったりする。

There're many shops run in the old houses at Karahori, Osaka. Since the removal of the controls on large retail stores, there have many huge shopping malls appeared all over the country, and we feel like we could see the same stores everywhere. Such deregulation has provided us with cheaper and better-quality goods at the expense of the local landscape. That is why it's fresh and pleasant for me to walk and see such a nostalgic view.

You like Your Hometown?

My hometown is so insular that I don't like it. A couple of days ago I heard someone who once worked in my town saying, "I don't want to go back there,.." I agreed.

The press seem only to focus on the soundness of the local public finance while talking about the local town.

Rather, I feel it better to see how much favorable impression is given by the town. In Osaka the mayor struggles to unite its governmental activities to cut its burden and will take a vote. The problem is not to agree or not, but for such a reform to impress the residents favorably or not.

私の故郷は保守的な土地柄で正直好きじゃないが、私の故郷で昔働いたという人と話していた時も、「あそこ（私の故郷）へは二度と行きたくない」と言ってい た。共感した。地方を語るとき、財政や行政サービスについて論点が多い。ここで提案だが、「好感度」で自治体を評価してみてはどうだろうか。都構想も一度 やってみて、「好感度」が上がるかどうかで評価すべきだと思う。行政コストが高いか低いかはあまり関係ないと思うのだが。

Moss

"A rolling stone gathers no moss"; That means, people who are always moving can't cultivate or deepen their own knowledge and experience. However, such people never lack fresh idea and creativity.

Which is right? Anyway moss is always beautiful.

保守・リベラルは遺伝 Politica Atitude is Heritable

Political attitude is just as genetically heritable as height; The children of tall parents are likely to be tall, but nutrition and sleep etc. will also make them tall. The children of liberal parents are likely to be liberal, but education, companionship etc. will make them liberal. When it comes to politics, some will get so upset. If we recognize that it is just like a 'knee-jerk reaction', we can stay calm on it.

保守かリベラルか。それは遺伝で決まるようだが、身長の高い親の子は身長が高いけど、栄養や睡眠なども身長を高くするように、親がどういう意見を持ち、何 を見て育ち、どういう人付き合いをしてきたかにも大きく影響する。政治になると感情的になるのは「条件反射」みたいなものだと理解できれば、もっと冷静でいられるだろう。

派遣法

派遣法改正で「非正規が増える」というのは間違っている。製造業が低開発国へ移ったので、国内の製造ラインと雇用を縮小した。長期間無期限の「正社員」は 企業に大きな足枷となった。そこで「派遣・非正規」の需要が増えた。派遣法ではなく、時代が非正規を求めた。これからは「有期の非正規社員」として、自営 業者みたいに確定申告すればよい。わずらわしい社内の人間関係から解放され、どれだけ税金払ってるか思い知らされ、我々の政治意識も変わると思う。

On Market Economy

Modern (capitalist) economy is called "market" economy. A visitor from Mars sees the Earth from space and says, "Firms show as solid green areas, while markets show as red lines, so the economy appears as a spider's web of red lines and green areas...our Martian would not describe it as a "network of red lines connecting green spots" but as 'large green areas interconnected by red lines'" pp.168, John McMillan, Reinventing the Bazaar,

Well, market economy is not decentralized itself, but rather dominated by a large number of centrally planning agents, firms and organizations.

Nationality 国民性

「国民性」という言葉がおかしいのは、なんでも説明ができてしまうからだ。「彼が怒りっぽいのは韓国人だから」　「彼が女好きなのはイタリア人だから」　「彼女は借金を返さないのは、ギリシャ人だから」　これは人種差別以外の何物でもない。

Ethnicity is such a weird word that it seems to tell anything; He is always upset because he is a Korean. He likes girls because he is an Italian. She doesn't repay her debt because she is a Greek..Well,.. it's nothing but racism

フェイスブックのお友達 Friends in Facebook

facebookでの「友達」とは「通りすがりの人」のように思います。職場や親しい友を加えたらダメな気がします。

People are reluctant to post a comment so frequently because they add their real friends, coworkers, bosses and ex-girlfriends' friends in an integrated way. The way we talk to our friends is quite different from that we talk to bosses. I make it a rule not to add my neighbors as 'friend' in facebook. Facebook friends are just like "passers-by" whom I saw in my life or in facebook.

戦後観 Post-War View

At the end of World War II, the victors were more interested in bringing Germany and Japan into the community of nations than in seeking retribution for past sins. (Greg Mankiw, NY Times, July 17,2015) Greg is right and this is the common understanding of history. I doubt the countries and leaders (the victors) asking for contrition.

第二次大戦後、戦勝国はドイツ、日本に過去の誤りを謝罪させるよりも、国際社会に溶け込ませることにより関心があった。マンキュー（ハーバード大教授）先生は正しいと思うし、これが共通認識だ。私は過去の誤りを正そうする国家とリーダー（戦勝国）に疑問を持っている。

What is 'In Practice'? 実用とは何か

国 立大学の文系廃止が議論されている。つまり「実用」ばかりが要求されるのだが、「実用」とは一体誰が決めるのか。ベンジャミン・フランクリンが生きた１８ 世紀では、「電気」は「無用の長物」だった。経済の論理で考えても、人の育成や技術開発には不確実性が伴い、政府機関が投資をし、不確実性を分散すること が望ましい。文系廃止は全く理解不能な愚策である。

Government is now trying to prevent human and social science, which they see as "white elephant", from being taught at national universities. Who on earth decides which science is of use? In the 18th century when Benjamin Franklin was alive, electricity was at least of no use. From the viewpoint of economics, there's always huge uncertainty in educating students and developing new technologies, and thus it would be better for government to fund these activities and to help to break up such uncertainty. Human and social science sounds like they are of no use, but it is also clear that no one knows whether it is useless.

A Competitive Society and Altruism

A competitive society, some people say, makes the people so selfish that they can survive it. However, Ito, Kubota, and Otake (2014) claims, anti-competitive school practice is rather likely to make the students 'selfish' and 'uncooperative'; Competitive society rather makes people more altruistic and cooperative.

競争社会は、人を生き残りをかけるために利己的にさせる。しかし、伊藤・窪田・大竹（2014）によれば、非競争的な教育こそ生徒を利己的に非協力的にさせるという。競争社会こそむしろ人を利他的に協力的にさせるのだ。

ブランド店

先日、ジョルジオ・アルマーニの店でスーツを試着した。すると店員さんが、「お客様、よくお似合いでらっしゃいます！」、「お客様はスタイルがいいので、お客様こそアルマーニですわ。」　これは気持ちがいい。落ち込んだときは、ブランド店へ行けばいいかもしれない。

A couple of days ago I tried suits on at Giorgio Armani, and its salesclerk smiled and said, "You look good! ", "You have a nice style and you're a nice guy. Armani is best for you!" I felt like a room without a roof. If you're depressed, it might be good to visit brand stores.

大学の問題点

池田氏のG大学・L大学の話。グローバルのG、ローカルのLであるが、G大学はアカデミックな教育をし、L大学は職業訓練校。１０年以上前に聞いた「研究大学」と「教養大学」という話とほぼ同じだ。
　
しかし、「大学を作りすぎた」という話がないのは不思議だ。戦後、駅弁大学、つまり和歌山大学みたいな国立大を作ったが、大学数が急速に増えたのは９０年代以降で、さらに学部を増やし、補助金を与えている現状だ。

観光学、地域創造学、国際環境学、総合政策学など既存の学部を合わせたものに税金を突っ込む。新手の交付金目当て、「おれおれ詐欺」ならぬ「学学（がくがく）詐欺」にも思える。それよりも初等教育に金遣え、とはすごく正しい。

同時に、「大学に実務教育を」とは矛盾した議論だ。「実務」は職場で、「教養・哲学」は大学で学ぶべきもの。大学の役割と税金の使い道を再考すべきだ。

A Japanese Life

Seeing some people sleeping in the train, I wonder what a safe country Japan is, and at the same time how long they can't sleep at home; Many are working until late at night and their children are waiting at home for their dad and mom to come back.

電車の中で爆睡する人を見ては、日本の治安の良さを思うと同時に、家でしっかり睡眠がとれないものかとも思う。多くの人が激務の中で、夜遅くまで働いてい る。多くの子どもたちも、保育園や学童で、または誰もいない家で、パパやママの帰りを待っている。

Getting out of such a vicious spiral, Japanese may be able to regain a real heart; More or less, they can spend more time with their family and friends and increase their quality of life, which will let them realize what they live for.

そんな悪循環をやめれば、本来の心が戻ってくるかもしれない。少なくとも、家族や大切な人と過ごす時間を増やして個人の質的生活水準を上げることにより、 何のために生きるのかがはっきり見えてくるのではないだろうか。

People Choose When to Die?

One economist, who I think was Gary Becker of U of Chicago, once said, more or less people choose when to die; Heavy smokers or gangsters can be said to choose to die younger, otherwise people don't choose such careers.

However, I don't think people are so rational to know the ends, and it's a little surprise to hear that there's one who chooses the date to die. Honestly, no matter what reason she had, I cannot feel happy to think she must have had another choice to make; I do not think that her decision is true for those who are suffering from the same disease and having the same fate as she had.

金券ショップとベルトラン競争

金券ショップの切符どこから仕入れるんだろう？　クレジットカードは利用限度があるから、カードで切符を買って、その切符を売って現金化する。繁華街のテ ナントに中国韓国系のマッサージ店が入ってくる。いったん入居するとどんどん同業他店が入ってくる。そうすると価格競争（ベルトラン競争）が生まれそうで あるが、特別なサービスを付けてそれを回避している。

SNS and What to Choose

I cannot help feeling that it is not each individual but major televisions, newspapers, ad agencies, and political and business people that can control the information even though we are in an age of the Social Networking Services (SNS); Something can get labeled as what is convenient for them. The point is what and whom we think we should choose, not what and whom they choose.　

SNSの時代だとは言え、情報は個人でなく、テレビ、新聞、広告代理店、政財界が握っていることを思わずにはいられない。何かが都合よく決めつけられうるのだ。大事なのは、我々が誰を何を選ぶべきかであって、彼らが何を誰を選ぶのではない。

男女の収入格差

女性の給与が男性より低い。

これは同じ職業、同じ学歴の男女間にも存在する。

男性は女性より２倍自信過剰で、２倍出来高報酬を選ぶからだという。また、女 性の起業家ですら男性のそれよりも２３％低い報酬を得ていて、女性はビジネス的な成功より社会貢献を重視、男性より仕事に満足しているという。さらに、男 性の方が長時間労働に従事していることに原因があるともいう。

Money and Life

Earnings don't have to be paid in cash; payment in kind is also fine. One month's worth of rice would be equal to my 3 hours' labor, and the right to have a date with a pretty girl would make me work for 5 hours.

Money is a very good device in making the trades smooth, but may not be a good one in making our life happy. Payment in kind can also increase production and employment. To increase income is not only a solution to better life, but to satisfy our everyday life is also important.

自民党と民主党

自民党さんは「カネを増やす」ことだけ考え、民主党さんは「カネをいかに（貧困層に）分けるか」しか考えていない。「カネを増やして分ける」ことが重要ですが、それを言ってる政党さんないです。政治的に難しいんですね、きっと。

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Mr Abe's ruling party, claims income growth to be important, whereas the Democratic Party claims income distribution to be important. The important is, how to increase and divide income, but it must be politically very difficult to do.

黒人問題

１０代の黒人は１０代の白人に比べ２１倍警官に殺されている。しかし同時に、１０代の黒人は１０代の白人に比べて９倍殺人を犯すので、正しくは「１０代の黒人は１０代の白人に比べ２．３（２１÷９）倍警官に殺されている」となる。

人間関係

人から好かれるかどうか気にしなくても、という人がいるが、そこを気にするのは人情だ。最近学校で「コミュニケーション能力」が教えられているが、それは 「表面的な人間関係」をうまく構築することだ。それも必要なことだと思う。人間関係は家族、恋人、友人だけじゃなく、顧客、同僚、先生、取引先もある。ど れが重要なのかということだけれども、いろんな関係がある以上、むしろうまく適応する必要がある。「表面的」な関係もまた重要な気がする。

Some people suggest that we should not care whether we are liked or not in our community, but we people generally care it.

Recently many schools have taught 'communication skill' whose aim is to build a good 'surface' relationship between us. I think it is also necessary. Not only are there our family, boy/girl friends, and friends, but also our customers, clients, cowokers, and teachers in our social relationships.

Which is more important does matter, but as long as we live in a wide variety of social relationships, we need rather to adapt ourselves to the relationships we live in; A surface relationship is also important.

エルドガン大統領

トルコのエルドガン大統領の発言が女性の怒りを買っている。「女性と男性を同じ職業に就かせることはできない。男女の性質が違うんだからそれは自然に反し ている。」

エルドガン氏の言には一理ある。

女性が平等であることとは、男性のように行動することではない。男女はその性質において同じではなく、社会にお いて同じように扱われるべきだということに過ぎない。

しかしながら、女性には子を産まない権利があってもよく、男性のように働く女性がいてもよい。私は最 近、人は女性または男性として生まれるのではなく、女性または男性になる、というのを聞いた。その通りだと思う。元々の自分の性を嫌い、女装男装する人も いる。大事なのは、そういう人の権利についても同様に考えることだと思う。

The speech of Turkey's Erdogan made women angry.

He said, "You cannot bring women and men into equal positions; that is against nature because their nature is different." I understand Mr Erdogan a little bit: For women to be equal to men is not to behave like men. Women and men are not the same in nature, but they should be no more than treated the same in the society.

However, women can be allowed the right not to bear a child, and, of course, some of them can work like men.

Recently I have heard that people are not born as women or men, but become women or men. I think it's true. Some of them hate their own biological gender and then wear and behave like the other sex. The important thing is, I guess, to think about the rights of such people as well.

不況対策について

「不況対策って何があるか」とよく聞かれる。「変動相場制では金融政策が有効」だ。

逆に、カシャップ・星氏らが言うように、「不況対策はかえっていい企業 をダメにする」効果もありうる。

選挙のための公共事業や、経団連を喜ばせる円安策よりも、失業された人への給付など転職支援策をもっと充実した方がよいと 考える。

What should be done in the downturn? In the floating rate system, monetary expansion works well, but Hoshi and Kashyap say that it spoils good business. It sounds right and I think that helping the unemployed change jobs should be more necessary than public spending for the next election, or depreciation of the currency for manufacturers and business.

GDP and Real Life

GDP is the total income produced domestically and 'two-quarter continual decline in GDP' means 'recession.'

I've heard Japan is in recession since I was an elementary pupil, 20 years ago, but we can still eat. As I hear that it's getting difficult to make a living, I feel the economic value doesn't necessarily mean our life and happiness.

大学の授業料

大学の授業料は高い。１０年前国公立大では年間授業料４９万円だった。今は年間授業料５３万円。この１０年で８％伸び、消費者物価指数は５％下落した。授 業料は１０年で１３％上昇した。私大はもともと高いがこの１０年で９％上昇。同じ先生が同じ教科書で同じ内容を教えているとすれば、今の学生、親御さんの 満足度は明らかに減少している。

10 years ago the annual tuition of public university is around US$4,900 ($1=100yen).

Now it is $5,300 and has been growing at 8% whereas the prices 5% declining. That is, the tuition is 13% up.

In contrast, the tuition of private university has been growing at 9% for these 10 years.　Considering the same professors teaching the same thing with the same textbook, the welfare of the students is absolutely decreasing.

ティンバーゲンの定理

日本の最大の貿易相手国は中国！アメリカは２位。韓国は３位。４位はオーストラリア。

中韓は日本貿易の４分の１を占めます。貿易理論では「ティンバーゲン の定理」があり、「貿易数量は距離の２乗に反比例する」、つまり「近い国と多く貿易する」。

中韓とは切っても切れない関係だと実感します。

データ（１）円ベースhttp://www.customs.go.jp/toukei/suii/html/data/y3.pdf
データ（２）ドルベースhttp://www.jetro.go.jp/world/japan/stats/trade/　

Which country is the Japan's biggest trading partner?

China! USA is No 2 and Korea No 3. China and Korea contribute to one quarter of the Japan's international trade volume.

Tinbergen's Theorem claims, the trade volume is inversely proportional to the squared distance between the countries.

That means, a country trades more with nearer countries. It can be said that Japan cannot exist without China and Korea.

Midterm Election and Obama's Challenge

One American guy said to me, "don't talk about a neighbor's garden."

Well, I follow him and don't talk about the American politics.

I think Mr Obama did seek another way the former Presidents didn't take; Praha's speech of anti-nuke weaponry, Obama universal health care, and less military intervention, which all sounds less 'American-like'.

I think this is the way the world is changing, and many American people seems not able to follow the way. Anyway, I will keep an eye on what Mr Obama will do next.

Facebook and Sex

Have you had a sex with your partner recently? A couple of days ago I heard a neuroscientist saying that when we post photos or comments in facebook we feel as happy as when we have a sex. I don't know if it's true, but I haven't been interested in sex recently...

Islamic State and Bombing

Some recent cases unfortunately make Muslim look dangerous, but is it just because many of us don't know well what Muslim are? Rather we just see only part of the acts of the people who name themselves Muslim, don't we?

It seems right to bomb IS, Syria and Iraq because we can see many killed in youtube. However, we have no clue to know what truly happens there and moreover we have no reason to intervene the matter.

At any rate, I don't want the tax revenue to be used for bombing whose targets we really don't know.

On Empowering Women

Ms Obuchi and Ms Matsushima, both of whom were the symbols of empowering women under the 2nd Abe Administration, resigned from office. Promoting women's participation in the society is one of Mr Abe's policies, but does it mean that many women in suit with business bag work outside? I think that the point is somewhere else:

Because women do housework and men work outside doesn't always mean that women are of low social status, whereas because the number of women is almost the same as that of men in the Congress doesn't necessarily mean that women are of high social status and treated more equally.

The point is that people having the same ability, legal right and qualification should be treated the same, regardless of age, sex and race; It should not be because you're a woman that you have a degree of PhD or are the member of the Congress.

Mr Abe struggles to increase women in the Congress, the government and companies, but it can unavoidably be seen as wiping out his manly and hawkish image and aiming for women's vote only.

Malala and the Article 9th

Considering the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize for Ms.Malala, I am sure that keeping the world peace costs much.

In contrast, the Article 9th, disarmament of Japan, which was nominated for the 2014 Peace Prize, is the outcome of the dealing with the US; Then the US disarmed Japan, instead promised Japan to protect its land and the Emperor system.

This is, what is called, the Yoshida Doctorine, and Japan could become the 3rd largest country in the world thereafter without paying any cost of security.

Some Japanese claim that the Article 9th is worth the prize, but I doubt them and I would say to such people that there are the dead in the battlefields under the Article 9th.

マララさんの受賞から思うのは、「平和には大きな代償 (The Price of Peace) が必要だ」ということ。日本はその代償を免れる条件として、日本は「九条」を受け入れた。これがいわゆる、吉田ドクトリン(Yoshida Doctorine)というもので、「九条」は「日本の再軍備」を警戒したアメリカとの取引であり、日本は天皇制を維持すること、安保条約で守ってもらう ことを前提にこれを飲んだ。お陰で日本は超大国になれた。「九条」はいわばアメリカに『武装はしないから、代わりに安保で守ってね』という「取引」に過ぎ なかった。

Taro Impossibility Theorem

Men usually like tactful, gentle, sensible, skinny and charming ladies, but there's no such one in the world.

As there's no perfect democracy in the world, there's no perfect woman or man in the world; It can be one of impossibility theorems.

Proof? To be continued..