106 Anonymous

As you see my blog tells very few information about me except the fact that I'm working in financial industry. I didn't tell who I am, where I live, age, nationality, sex, color of my eyes, and my job. There's no particular reason for it. I just feel comfortable as being anonymous.

This might be pretty odd in the Facebook era when everyone can anounce "I'm here!" to the world. Must be old-fashioned. But the truth is so simple; I don't try to use this space as a social networking tool. This is my neutral zone, free and easy gateway to speak my words and show my photos. This is my "Unofficial homepage." I think it's cool, and that's why I keep it anonymous.

105 Radio Ga Ga

「ラジオは家庭に入り込む」（クレイグ・ライス著『死体は散歩する』）

1930年代の米国、テレビよりラジオが主流の時代だからこの言い方になるのだろうと思っていました。でもラジオを聴いていてふと気づきました。テレビが主流になっても、テレビは入ってこない。ラジオは入ってくる。

それは、テレビには画面があるから。何だ当たり前のことをと言うなかれ。テレビで喋る人は、それがどこだろうと画面の中に居場所があります。彼らは、どこかよその場所で喋っている誰かです。が、ラジオで喋る人の場所はどこにもなく、声だけです。目に見える姿がないから、彼らは「どこかよその場所の誰か」ではなくなります。自分のそばに来て、すぐかたわらで喋っている声なのです。

はるか遠くの人やものに居ながらに接近できるのがテレビの魅力だとすると、ラジオは、どんな遠くの音も誰の声もすべて自分のかたわらで起きているように聴かせる力があります。ラジオは「家に入り込む」のです。

入り込んでも、その場を支配しないのがラジオのいいところです。新年のカウントダウンに集まったとき、よそのカウントダウンを伝えるテレビを眺めて数字を唱えてもつまらないでしょう。でもラジオなら、他の人の声を聞きながら自分は主役のままでいられます。親しい距離にいるのにうるさくない、いわば理想の友人といったところでしょうか。

"Radio, someone still loves you" ("Radio Ga Ga" Queen, 1984)

104 Audience

How can it be possible??

どうしてこんなことが？

I was overwhelmed when I happen to see the Stats page of my blog. It shows precisely how often, which of the posts, by what gadget (for what? I don't understand) your blog has been viewed, and where is the audience who see it.

たまたま、ブログの「統計」なるページを見てびっくりしました。ここではどのくらい頻繁に、どの記事が、どんな媒体から（これって何のために？）、自分のブログが読まれているのかが詳しくわかります。そしてどの国の人が見たのかも。

Amazing!

なんと！

Japan　655 + United States 84 + Russia 28 + Australia 16 + Canada 14 + Malaysia 10 + Germany 7 + Bangladesh 5 + Poland 5 + Romania 4

日本655回、米国84回、ロシア28回、オーストラリア16回、カナダ14回、マレーシア10回、ドイツ7回、バングラデシュ5回、ポーランド5回、ルーマニア4回

I have no idea why this blog had viewers in Russia, Malaysia or Romania, but would like to sincerely thank them who left footprint here. Not to flatter myself that I have readers in 10 nations, I should say that most of them are "Accidental Audience", which, even so, still pleases me a lot.

なぜロシアやマレーシア、ルーマニアの人がこのブログを見てくれたのか分かりませんが、足跡を残していってくださった方には心から感謝しています。10ヵ国に読者がいるんだ、などとうぬぼれないように、ほとんどの方は「偶然の観客」であったと言うべきでしょう。それでもとても嬉しいものです。

103 Steve Jobs

Today I started reading the blockbuster "The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs". I've finished only a third of whole book so far but already got a delightful shock. So I'd like to share it with you while I still remember the fresh feeling of the discovery and experience. (Some might notice already this post sounds a bit businesslike, unlike usual, affected by this book!)

Steve Jobs tells you to make a headline to get people's attention. So I make one about this book;

-This book is investment to you and a vote for Steve's way of revolution.

Steve also says that you should offer 3 key points to describe something. So I try it about this book;

-Fascinating, Real, and Essential.

102 Logo

"STARBUCKS COFFEE" logo will vanish from the cup,
...so, what about the sign? How we gonna find the shop without the name?

Over 40 years of successful branding, now Starbucks is saying that they will go ahead of it---they will change the logo and the words STARBUCKS COFFEE will vanish. In US voices against it are heating up already and personally I don't like it.

What they're thinking?

Starbucks' official comment is "a small but meaningful update...to ensure that the Starbucks brand continues to embrace our heritage...and also ensure we remain relevant and poised for future growth"

Ok fine, but why you have to erase the beloved name? The answer is "Starbucks will continue to offer the highest-quality coffee, but we will offer other products as well...our new brand identity will give us the freedom and flexibility"

Well I don't think so. I believe that your heritage is in your name which represent your very first step as a coffee bean store in Seattle and its spirit lies in the logotype of STARBUCKS COFFEE because the words have magnetic power when they signify something. With the name on it the Siren's smile is shining up.

If you offer black tea or mango juice I think you should be still proud of calling yourself as a coffee shop. It's not just who you are, but the wonderful evidence that a coffee shop changed the world's everyday scenary. Isn't it the identity you should keep to the future? Seriously I don't understand why you say "COFFEE" logo prevents you from being flexible for your future innovation.

But it's alright if you continue to give us the lighthouse at every corner of the world where we have a happy warm cup of coffee.

101 Brightest day

It's always nice to see good men and women gather to go out for the pray on new year's day. It's nice to join them to share the atmosphere of the brightest day of the year.

It's nice that my fortune cookie simply tells me to "Be good, and be of virtue." I liked its straightforwardness.