Direct, Personal Help to People in Sendai

Yuji as MC at our
wedding in 2002 

Yuji Igari is a good friend who lives in Sendai, the major city closest to the earthquake's epicenter. A music therapist by training, Yuji runs a small private practice called "Commuon" helping the developmentally disabled learn to interact better and express themselves through music. Needless to say, his fledgling business is now gone with no realistic hope of revival in the near future. Yuji's house is in ruins. He spends his days waiting in lines to collect rations of food and water for his wife and little boy. They spend their nights sleeping in his car.

Hearing from Yuji via Facebook brought the tragedy in Japan home for me. This morning, I asked him to put aside his pride and accept some money as help. Much to my surprise, he did not refuse. On the contrary, he was overwhelmed with gratitude. He and so many like him really need direct and immediate assistance, quite frequently in the form of money.

With his son
before the tsunami

I sent Yuji some money and have offered to send more if I can solicit the help of others. In turn, he has promised to share what I collect with the most vulnerable in his community. Being a person who has dedicated his career to helping those with special needs, I trust Yuji can and will do much good for those around him. But he needs our help.

Please donate $5 or $10 right now by clicking the link below, more if you can afford it. I will personally match every dollar that is collected between now and 24 March up to $500. Then, on the 25th, I'll send half of the total to Yuji and the rest to the Japanese Red Cross, which is doing amazing things in the Tohoku region.

Don't hesitate to give. Even a small amount will help.


Together, you helped me raise $1,090 for Yuji and the Japanese Red Cross. Many thanks.
The fundraiser is now closed.

Imagine if...

Imagine the reaction to the WikiLeaks scandal if Julian Assange were
Jordanian, or Palestinian, or North Korean. Right now, the outrage of
US and other politicians is directed at a despicable individual who
did a despicable thing. But what if he did the exact same thing, yet
instead of being a white Australian (and probably Christian),
happened to be, for example, Arab or Communist? My guess is that the outrage would
be directed not just at him but perhaps even more virulently at "his kind of
people," or even more likely, his country. Who knows, it might even
justify a retaliatory attack of some kind.

"Some Questions To Consider" Ron Paul Defends WikiLeaks "Killing The Mes...

Gosh. It's not every day you hear this kind of straight, rationality on the floor of congress. I've never counted myself as a fan of Ron Paul but this is pretty powerful stuff.

WikiLeaks Outcry (much ado about nothing)

I'm taken aback by the media furor surrounding the newest WikiLeaks post of US diplomatic cables. There are a few novel, quirky, and indeed embarrassing things in there, but on the whole, very little of it sounds new to me, and even that which is new isn't particularly surprising. A few examples: 

"Saudi King urges US to confront Iran over nuclear program" 

Is this supposed to be shocking? Should I be appalled that an ally would agitate for violence? How about when US senator Lindsey Graham does it habitually, or that other American hawk Joe Lieberman? I think it says something quite good about the American government that, despite the pressure, the US has not attacked Iran. 

"Putin called 'alpha-dog'" 

Okay, so this is a new way of saying something people have been saying for years. Everyone knows Putin's a manly man, that he's the domineering type, that he's a... well, an alpha-male, or "alpha-dog." What's the big deal? 

"Angela Merkel is 'risk averse'"

Good for her. She should thank them for the compliment.  

"US diplomats spy on UN officials"

Embarrassing? Yes. Reprehensible? Yes. Surprising? Not at all. World leaders are spied upon, whether they be leaders of countries or world organizations. That's what happens. The US does it; every country with the means probably does it. Is it a good thing? I think not, but it's the truth and it should not surprise us. 

"Karzai paranoid"

Wow. Really? This is supposed to be news? I read this in the NYT and Bob Woodward's new book months ago. 

"Karzai's brother a narco-trafficker" 

Sorry, I knew this too.

Why all the drama and indignation over this new cache from WikiLeaks? 

Some photos of my lecture at Meidai

The nice people at Meidai sent me these photos of my lecture and the panel discussion. Thought I might share.
  

  

Conference on Classical History and Literature at Meiji University

I was thrilled to take part recently in a conference at Meiji University in Tokyo called 交響する古代 ("Harmonious Classicus"?). The program at Meidai on "Interdisciplinary Studies on Ancient Japanese Studies" is remarkable for its organization, the wonderful facilities, and most of all, the very fine people. I gave a talk on the emergence of the concept of "rakuchu-rakugai" (洛中洛外) in medieval Kyoto, arguing that it was related to the need to use a new word to describe an urban landscape that no longer resembled the classical imperial city.

Japan's Economy in Perspective

Writing from Tokyo, Paul Krugman puts Japan's economic woes into perspective: "the US should be so lucky."