Thirty six applicants passed the first care worker exam held for foreign care workers under Japan's Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with Indonesia and the Philippines. While the passing rate, at 37.9 percent, was higher than the 11.3 percent passing rate of Indonesian and Filipino nurses applying for Japanese nursing qualifications under the same agreements earlier this year, the number is still far from ideal.
Accommodations to the applicants appear to have been made recently in the exams, including the use of furigana superscripts and the additional notation of English translations of disease names. The questions themselves seem to have become more of a practical nature. But still, technical words in Japanese appear frequently, and sentences can be difficult to decipher.
The half-hearted nature of the exam modifications is evident in the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's review of vocabulary. Expressions have been altered, but they are kept at a halfway point between "technical" and "simple," when "simple" would do just fine. Care workers deal with elderly people whose judgment and communication skills have become impaired. It is important that care workers get information across to their clients in easy-to-understand ways, and to intuit thoughts that clients may have trouble expressing clearly. How can a national exam that is meant to assess whether an applicant is qualified for this job, not employ clear enough language itself?
The health ministry defends its language choices in the exam, citing "the need of care takers to use the language in carrying out duties in cooperation with doctors and nurses," and "the undermining of academic foundations or confusion in the field" as its reasons. To the ministry, does making changes to the medical field itself not occur as a viable option?
Easily-understood language is necessary for patients and third parties to check on the quality of their treatment and ensure transparency. Such methods of communication can also be of use in securing informed consent. In addition, ministry officials must understand the boredom felt by students taking classes at colleges specializing in social welfare, where memorization of abstract knowledge is stressed, even while the knowledge and skills necessary in the field remain in constant flux. What sort of "academic foundations" are so important that they must be protected even if it means sucking the motivation out of students who could be future care givers?
Foreign candidates go through three years of practical training at care facilities in Japan before they are allowed to take the national qualification exam. Because their stay in Japan is limited to four years, in effect, foreign candidates only have one shot at the exam. Meanwhile, even without national certification, Japanese nationals are able to work at care facilities as official employees. Foreign candidates in training, however, are not considered "employees," which means that care facilities cannot receive government subsidies to cover their salaries.
Because of this, the number of foreign candidates has been dropping every year. The care sector is suffering a major labor shortage, many Japanese are being forced to leave their jobs to take care of aging family members, and there seems to be no end to the tragedy of elderly people facing death alone. Our already aging society is coming upon an even bleaker reality.
The health ministry says the care worker certification program is a "special case with regards to the economic partnership agreement, and not a solution to the labor shortage," and is not quite in step with other government ministries and agencies. This contrasts greatly with full-fledged efforts by South Korea and Taiwan to acquire foreign care workers. The care worker candidates who come to Japan are professionals. They have all attained university or other advanced degrees, as well as certification as care workers, in their home countries. We must be more humble and adopt the attitude there is much we can learn from them -- not the other way around.
Japan barely left an impression at the Nuclear Security Summit held in Seoul on March 26 and 27. This is despite a major debate on the ongoing crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant, as well as a lively exchange about North Korea's plans to launch a "satellite."
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda arrived in Seoul on the night of the 26th and left less than 24 hours later. Perhaps distracted by the consumption tax issue back in Japan, he merely engaged in short "meetings" with other heads of state, including U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao. In contrast, Obama arrived in Seoul on the 25th, met with his South Korean, Chinese and Russian counterparts, visited the Korean Demilitarized Zone, and called on the North Korean administration to practice restraint.
This is not to say that a long visit is always better than a short one. However, one cannot help but have serious doubts about whether Noda was able to communicate Japan's concern over the threat North Korea poses with its nuclear program and missiles, and its renewed determination to implement anti-nuclear terrorism measures based on lessons from the Fukushima nuclear crisis.
The summit in Seoul was the second nuclear security meeting; the first took place in Washington D.C. in 2010. With over 50 countries and regions represented, its goal is to prevent nuclear substances from falling into the hands of terrorist organizations, and to protect nuclear power facilities from terrorist attacks. The disaster at the Fukushima plant, in which power was completely lost due to a massive quake and tsunami, was deemed a situation that could be caused by a terrorist attack, and added to the conference's list of major discussion topics.
In a speech addressed to the conference participants, Noda stated the importance of anticipating the unanticipated, and vowed that Japan would reinforce power supply systems at nuclear plants and protection against radiation; conduct joint drills among police, the Ground Self-Defense Force, the Japan Coast Guard and the Maritime Self-Defense Force; and strengthen measures against cyberattacks. And yet, the impression remained that his speech lacked depth.
There's a theory that the kidnappings of Japanese nationals by North Korean agents were conducted in preparation for attacks on Japanese nuclear power plants. The chance of Japanese nuclear plants being attacked by North Korean missiles, or of Japanese nuclear plants near the Sea of Japan -- and therefore close to North Korea -- being commandeered by North Korea must be anticipated and prepared for. North Korea is a threat not only for its nuclear program and missiles, but as a possible instigator of nuclear terrorism.
The Seoul Communique delivered at the closing ceremony of the nuclear summit stated that nuclear terrorism was "one of the most challenging threats to international security" and that in light of the Fukushima disaster, "sustained efforts are required" to ensure nuclear safety. The promotion of "nuclear forensics," used to determine the origin of nuclear materials, is another significant move mentioned in the statement.
For many Japanese, nuclear terrorism may feel like something that does not concern them. However, regardless of the cause, we have experienced the horrific outcome of a nuclear power facility that has become uncontrollable. It is our responsibility to share our experience with the international community, and to draw on it in preventing nuclear terrorism. The world is seeking Japan's active participation in preventing nuclear terrorism and establishing East Asian security.
One point of note in the recently completed Ministry of Foreign Affairs whitepaper on Japan's overseas Official Development Assistance (ODA) programs is how many of the nations that came to this country's assistance after the March 2011 disasters did so expressing thanks for those ODA efforts. The report highlights once more how important ODA is, that it is in fact one of the pillars of Japanese foreign policy. However, we must make sure that the Japanese people know this as well.
Analysis of the links between last year's natural disasters and Japan's ODA programs comes at the very beginning of the whitepaper -- entitled "ODA and Japan's bonds with the world" -- which states that other nations are "strongly calling on Japan to overcome the Great East Japan Earthquake and make active international contributions starting with continuing ODA programs."
Japan's ODA heyday came in the 1990s, when it was spending more than 1 trillion yen per year on foreign development programs -- the highest of any country in the world at the time. Since then, however, budget crunches have seen that amount decline, and Japan is now fifth in the world in ODA spending behind the United States, Britain, Germany and France. The proposed ODA budget for fiscal 2012 stands at 561.2 billion yen, and while Japan's spending drops, other nations are upping their program budgets. In 2010, Britain increased its ODA outlays by 20 percent, while Germany and France are also spending more.
Japan's total spending on ODA programs is just 0.2 percent of gross national income (GNI), ranking it 20th among the 23 nations with major foreign assistance programs, which spend an average of 0.32 percent of GNI on ODA efforts. Meanwhile the current cellar-dweller, South Korea, plans to boost its ODA budget to 0.25 percent of GNI by 2015, meaning it could soon overtake Japan. With China also boosting foreign aid, especially to African nations, Japan's presence on the international ODA stage is getting slowly weaker.
Amid all this, Japanese public support for ODA spending is sliding. According to a 2011 Cabinet Office survey, public support for ODA stood at just 27 percent -- a 5 point drop from the year before. Also, the percentage of respondents who said ODA spending should stay at about current levels went from 43 in 2010 to 47 in 2011. Meanwhile, public worries over the opacity and efficiency of long-term ODA programs seem to persist. Furthermore, it's likely that now, after last year's terrible disasters, the Japanese people would prefer the nation's coin be spent on helping survivors rebuild their lives. ODA programs do indeed use up a lot of taxpayers' money, and it's perfectly natural that debate on ODA be fierce.
However, the basic foreign policy principle behind the programs -- that ODA helps build global stability, and global stability is connected to domestic stability -- is absolutely correct.
"It is the duty of Japan as one of the world's leading nations to take on the resolution of global issues," the foreign ministry whitepaper states, and so it is. It is not enough, however, to simply repeat this principle. Exactly how ODA works in Japan's interest must be explained properly to a skeptical public.
To take a couple of examples from the whitepaper, the public should know that products from the disaster areas in northeast Japan are being used in projects to help developing countries, and that ODA leads to business opportunities for Japanese firms providing, for instance, energy-saving and environmental technologies. There is also a need to think about ways to better the quality of ODA initiatives.
Japan began its ODA efforts in 1954 as a way to make war reparations, secure resources and promote peace. The aims of the programs, however, have changed in line with the times. To make sure that Japanese ODA meets the needs of this era, we call on our politicians to take the lead in deepening public debate on what forms our foreign assistance should take.
There are two types of atomic weapons. One is a uranium-kind or "Hiroshima-type" bomb and the other is a plutonium-kind or "Nagasaki-type" bomb. Iran says it is stockpiling enriched uranium for peaceful purposes but is suspected of having nuclear ambitions. Japan is also maintaining plutonium but is not suspected of going nuclear.
However, it cannot be said that Japan does not have military intentions. A policy of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes has implications for a diversion of nuclear energy for military use anytime. Nuclear energy is not unrelated to the military.
According to Akira Kurosaki, associate professor at Fukushima University who received the Suntory Prize for Social Sciences and Humanities for his 2006 book, "Nuclear Weapons and Japan-U.S. Relations," there were many materials to support the intentions of Japanese politicians and diplomats who tried to make Japan a potential nuclear power by promoting nuclear energy in the 1960s when the nation's post-World War II nuclear policy firmed up.
The prime minister at the time was Eisaku Sato (1901-1975). Sato presented four nuclear policies -- maintaining three non-nuclear principles of not possessing, not producing and not permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons into Japan, relying on an American nuclear deterrent, promoting the peaceful use of nuclear power and promoting nuclear disarmament.
The promotion of the peaceful use of nuclear power has a hidden intention of potentially possessing nuclear weapons.
Prime Minister Sato reacted bitterly to China's nuclear weapons test in 1964 and told then U.S. Ambassador to Japan Edwin Reischauer that Japan was fully capable of producing nuclear weapons with its scientific and industrial technologies. It was in 1965 that Japan's first commercial nuclear power plant in Tokai, Ibaraki Prefecture, achieved criticality.
In 1969, a study team of senior Foreign Ministry officials secretly produced an internal document on always holding Japan's potential to maintain economic and technological prowess to produce nuclear weapons. It was prepared shortly before the conclusion of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which allows only the United States, the Soviet Union, Britain, France and China to possess nuclear weapons. The No. 1 reactor of the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant was completed in 1970. The Mainichi Shimbun had a scoop on the Foreign Ministry in-house document in 1994.
Kurosaki says the four nuclear policies were not necessarily drawn up by Sato. He put together and rubber-stamped the policies formulated after heated debate through Japan-U.S. negotiations, bureaucrats in the Kasumigaseki district, industry and ruling and opposition party lawmakers.
Even after that, the undercurrent surrounding Japan's nuclear policy did not change. When North Korea's nuclear problems surfaced in the 1990s, calls for Japan to go nuclear emerged, but they are still minority opinions even to this day.
In 2007, former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and three other nuclear arms experts pointed out that the traditional concept of nuclear deterrence has become obsolete in the post-Cold War era. In 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama drew global attention by calling for a world free of nuclear weapons, but the world has subsequently witnessed Chinese and Russian military expansion and North Korean and Iranian nuclear weapons development.
I interviewed Kurosaki in his office at Fukushima University last week. High-pressure cleaning vehicles were flushing radioactive materials from the campus. A native of the city of Niigata, Kurosaki studied law at Tohoku University and served as an assistant at Rikkyo University and held other posts before assuming his current post in 2009. If atomic weapons and nuclear power are two sides of the same coin, the March 11, 2011 twin natural disasters and resultant nuclear crisis appear to have forced Japan to radically change the course of its nuclear policy.
Japan possesses 45 tons of reprocessed plutonium which could be converted to military use. That amounts to about 4,000 "Nagasaki-type" atomic bombs. Japan can reduce its reprocessed plutonium by burning it at a fast-breeder reactor or pluthermal plant (using mixed oxide of uranium-plutonium fuel), but the prospects are bleak.
One wonders whether Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda would say Japan can carry out a nuclear fuel cycle using its own technology even though he has been unable to bring the collapsed nuclear power plant under control. Is there an option left for Japan to go nuclear today?
A two-day nuclear security summit opened in Seoul on March 26 by bringing together leaders of 53 countries. There is no argument about the need for debate on ways to prevent nuclear materials from finding their way into the hands of terrorists, but I also want these leaders to discuss a policy not to produce a dangerous and excessive volume of plutonium.
Psychiatrists' work at their consultation rooms is not limited only to providing psychological care. Recently in particular, when searching for the background of depression and insomnia there are traces of other specific problems, including violence, work and financial issues among many others. It is no secret that psychologists borrow other professionals' help.
In my consultation room, I always keep a list of help organizations, and if the case requires me to do so, I sometimes introduce my patients to such professionals. At times it feels as if my consultation room is not a place for medical treatment but more of a mediation facility.
A new great supporter has emerged for medical professionals like myself. A service called "Yorisoi Hotline," which had previously been centered in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures -- the three regions most severely affected by the March 11, 2011 disasters -- is now expanding nationwide. For the time being, until the end of March this year, it will accept calls from people on a 24-hour a day basis.
The hotline's most appealing point is that it accepts people's calls regardless of the nature of their anxieties. Lifestyle problems, domestic violence, homosexuality issues, consultations of a suicidal nature -- people are free to consult with the counselors on any issues they may need help with.
Furthermore, the hotline also provides consultations in foreign languages. Of course, people of all ages are free to call.
For people who need consultations, the availability of such a hotline is very welcome. I think that the greatest anxiety of people who need help is where to turn for assistance. Furthermore, due to the nature of their problems they often have to visit a number of different professionals, sometimes even being told things such as "this is not in the range of our expertise," suggesting that they turn to other places for assistance. For people who already have anxieties, this may only discourage them from seeking help.
Naturally, consultants at the Yorisoi Hotline are not experts on all problems, so I am not sure whether they will provide adequate advice through a one-time consultation.
However, I believe that the single fact that there is a place where people can turn to for help when they are at a loss over who to consult with about their problems gives them much strength.
At the same time, however, I worry about the people who work at the hotline. I worry that they may get sick after working on a 24-hour basis and listening to a great variety of problems. I wish that all of society will support this ground-breaking initiative.
I must be cautious not to mention the Yorisoi Hotline too much in my consultation room. But to tell the truth, I've already taught its phone number to several of my patients.
To the consultants at Yorisoi Hotline -- please excuse me for increasing your work. However, I have a lot of confidence in you!
In this column, I have on previous occasions introduced the tireless efforts by filmmaker Masaaki Tanabe, 74, and others to record what happened to Hiroshima many decades ago. Now, their production panel is making serious progress on a computer graphics film reproducing scenes of pre-bombing Hiroshima within a kilometer of what was to become, on Aug. 6, 1945, ground zero of an atomic blast. Part of the film was unveiled to the public last week.
The crew of the "Enola Gay" B-29 bomber that carried the "Little Boy" atom bomb used central Hiroshima's Aioi Bridge as their bombing target. The film segment released last week shows groups of houses and buildings as well as lush stands of trees near the T-shaped bridge that could be seen before being reduced to ash by the nuclear blast.
Hiroshima was built on a river delta on the coast of the Seto Inland Sea, and the Aioi Bridge area would have smelled pleasantly of water and leaves. During the scorching summer people must have relished the shady embrace of the trees and the river breezes in the evening. Nearby, the ornate facade of the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall kept silent watch. After the blast, the building would go by another name: the Atomic Bomb Dome.
When Japan was about to enter the era of economic growth that was the post-war reconstruction period, people in Hiroshima were divided over whether to demolish the dome. There were people who insisted on preserving it in order not to forget the importance of peace and pass it on to future generations. Others wanted the building torn down because they did not want to be reminded of the horrors of the atomic bomb.
My late mother belonged to the latter group. In order to get to the heart of the city by tram, people had to cross the Aioi Bridge. It is still so even today. The Atomic Bomb Dome is just east of the span, and my mother told me she always averted her eyes from the skeletal structure when she was crossing the bridge.
She was only 1.5 kilometers from the hypocenter when the bomb went off, and was exposed to radiation from the blast. She remained reluctant to talk about the experience her entire life. Then again, hers is only one example of attitudes held by A-bomb survivors.
Nevertheless, my mother used to talk nostalgically about the splendor and beauty of the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall before it became the anti-nuclear icon it is today. Perhaps it symbolized the cheerfulness of the city in the pre-war era. It was designed by famous Czech architect Jan Letzel, and the copper dome was the highlight of the Hiroshima skyline. I believe my mother spoke of the hall out of a strong fascination with the structure.
The dome was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996, and there was no more debate on the fate of the building. My mother had already passed away by that time, so I can't ask her how she feels about it.
However, I now rather wish I could show her vibrant pre-war Hiroshima and the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall reproduced in CG -- the hall that she was always so keen to describe.
Filmmaker Tanabe and others built the recreation from rare photographs, archives and first-person descriptions, and the film is expected to be completed in three years. Though they have already collected so much, the crew continue to search out more materials and witnesses to the pre-war city.
I wonder if their efforts to reproduce the Hiroshima scenes that vanished in a mere instant of fire could provide some hints to reproducing the region devastated by last year's Great East Japan Earthquake.
In Hiroshima, there were movements to bring local residents and A-bomb victims together by reproducing maps of pre-war residential areas in the 1960s and preserving "pictures of the atomic bombing" in the 1970s.
Above all, I believe that it is time for young people to apply fresh ideas to reproduce pre-disaster Tohoku.
Chuo Mitsui was found to have obtained internal insider information regarding the public stock offering of a company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange from Nomura Securities Co., the lead underwriter of the deal.
This incident was the first to expose the collusive ties between a major corporate investor and a leading securities firm.
To restore the confidence that has been lost from the Japanese market, a full-scale investigation into what occurred and the implementation of further preventative measures are crucial.
A Chuo Mitsui fund manager obtained information on the new share issue of Inpex stock in 2010 from a Nomura sales employee before it had been announced.
Based on the information, Chuo Mitsui used Japanese stock funds that it manages for overseas investors to buy and sell Inpex shares, making about 14 million yen in returns.
This is the first time that a trust company -- a major player in the stock market -- will be fined for insider trading.
Compared to cases of illegal trading that take place between individuals, an institutional violation has a far deeper impact on the market.
Chuo Mitsui officials say that in addition to setting up a special investigative committee to look into the case, it will implement measures to prevent such incidents happening again in the future, including prohibiting contact between its staff who manage stocks and sales staff from securities firms.
Chuo Mitsui must take its responsibility seriously, and institute measures to enforce compliance with the law.
Nomura Securities, too, is hugely responsible in this case, which marked the first time that a sales member from a securities firm was found to leak yet-unannounced information to an investor as part of their business transactions.
Securities firms have an investment banking division, which handles companies' share sales, as well as mergers and acquisitions; and a sales division.
Because insider information tends to concentrate in investment banking divisions, securities firms are required to adopt strict measures to prevent any insider information from traveling to their sales divisions.
While it is still unknown how the Nomura sales division employee who leaked insider information to Chuo Mitsui obtained the information in the first place, it's obvious that Nomura's method for information management had been insufficient.
Due to a variety of factors, including a sluggish stock market caused by the Lehman Shock of 2008, securities firms have performed poorly.
If impatience and anxiety with lagging performance is what motivated the recent scandal, then the problem is deeply rooted and serious.
Nomura must conduct an exhaustive inquiry, and re-examine how they handle sensitive information.
In 2010, allegations of violations over public offerings of Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) and Nippon Sheet Glass Co. shares emerged, bringing with them accusations that overseas funds had been involved.
We urge the Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission to cooperate closely with overseas authorities to uncover the truth.
With regards to the latest incident, Chuo Mitsui will only be fined 55,000 yen -- because that was what the management fee amounted to.
But isn't this amount too small for a company responsible for destroying market credibility?
Current laws that prevent whoever leaked the information from being penalized are also at fault.
We seek a re-evaluation of related laws to allow for more effective prevention.
The Greek government, which has fallen into a fiscal crisis, has managed to get through a major bond redemption, avoiding a chaotic debt default.
We welcome the progress made in efforts to contain the eurozone crisis, which has plunged the world into turmoil.
But we must not fall prey to optimism that the crisis is over. The Greek government should not ease its watchfulness but do its utmost to revive its economy.
Disarray in the massive bond redemption was avoided as the Greek government was guaranteed the funds it needed for the redemption, thanks to a second rescue package worth up to 130 billion euros (about 14 trillion yen) from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, together with a debt reduction by private creditor banks.
These makeshift measures to rescue the Greek government, at least for the time being, appear to have worked.
In the United States, the Dow Jones industrial average has been hovering above the 13,000 mark, and Tokyo stocks have recovered to above 10,000. The euro, which had plummeted, has turned upward against other major currencies.
Apparently responding positively to a recent upturn in the U.S. economy, a sense of reassurance seems to be spreading in the markets.
Yet there remains a mountain of problems.
The Greek government has faced the possibility of default many times, rocking Europe and the world. It must not cause such turmoil again.
First and foremost, the government must steadily implement the strict fiscal measures it promised, including cutting the number of civil servants and their wages, and tackling fiscal reconstruction and economic revival.
The new administration, to be chosen in a general election slated for late next month, will assume a heavy responsibility. It must contain public opinion opposing strict fiscal management and will also be tested as to how well it can foster internationally competitive industries.
The Greek government's debt ratio is a massive 160 percent of its gross domestic product. The government aims to reduce this to about 120 percent by 2020 through fiscal reconstruction.
As the domestic economy has been deteriorating, however, Greece is expected to post negative year-on-year growth for the fifth straight year in 2012. It is difficult to achieve both fiscal reconstruction and economic expansion.
Should the government blunder in its handling of fiscal reconstruction, Greece may need additional assistance from outside. In Europe, there are other causes of crisis, as seen in the continued high yield of government bonds of Portugal, which continues to face fiscal problems.
The problem is that chiefly due to opposition from Germany, progress has been slower than expected in expanding the scale of lending of the European Stability Mechanism, which the EU will establish in July. Expanding the funding base of the IMF has also been put off.
To dispel future concern, it is vital to reinforce the safety net to prevent the market from falling into turmoil. The eurozone must recognize the reality of the crisis, reconfirm its solidarity and prove itself through concrete action.
>>"It would be embarrassing not to be able to contribute at all because I'm hung up on the little things," Sugano says. "
Having reported from areas deeply affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami and ensuing nuclear crisis since immediately after their outbreak, the question of whether I've been able to convey the disaster survivors' reality weighs increasingly more heavily on my mind.
Over the past year, survivors repeatedly told me that their "reality cannot be glossed over with pleasantries" -- words that hit me hard.
Sure, in most of the disaster areas I've seen, there have been countless episodes characterized by warmth and tight bonds.
Without any reservations, I've reported stories of victims supporting each other through their many challenges.
At the same time, however, I witnessed bonds being broken by the triple disasters.
I heard about people who have been kicked out of relatives' homes that they'd taken refuge in, and accusations of some people taking relief supplies all to themselves.
I agonized over whether to report on the negative incidents and sentiments among the survivors I wanted so much to support, and for the most part ended up barely doing so.
It was at such a time that I was reunited with a certain survivor, and learned the importance of facing head-on the ties that one has lost.
I met Hiroko Sugano, 69, of Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, at an evacuation center four weeks after the March 11 quake last year.
She had a friendly smile, and was busily carrying boxes of relief supplies.
In early May, however, when I again visited the same evacuation center, she was no longer there.
She had apparently returned home just a few days earlier.
When I asked another evacuee why Sugano had returned home, the only response I got was, "It's a long story."
It didn't seem like something an outsider like I should pursue any further.
Not long afterwards, Sugano appeared at the evacuation center, asking if it would be all right for her to recharge her cell phone there.
Seeing the same smile she had when I first met her, I felt relieved that she had been able to return home and that things had seemed to work out for her.
In the texts she subsequently sent me with her cell phone, she showed no indication that anything was wrong.
When I visited her in February this year, Sugano told me, "I was literally living by the light of a lantern after I left the evacuation center."
Four years ago, Sugano reached mandatory retirement at her company job, and returned alone to her parents' home, which had been empty.
She struggled to readapt to her hometown, which she had been away from since she left for Tokyo over 40 years earlier. Her ties with relatives and acquaintances there were no longer strong.
It was under such circumstances that the massive earthquake hit.
None of the other evacuees at the evacuation center were willing to take on the task of keeping track of relief supplies and maintaining name lists of the evacuees at the center.
In her years working in the corporate world, Sugano had accumulated a wealth of experience in administrative work.
Figuring that she may be the person for the job, she took on the center's general affairs.
At first, relief supplies were barely delivered to the center.
At one point, Sugano racked her brain over what to do with the seven toothbrushes that had been delivered from the government's disaster countermeasures headquarters, when there were 130 fellow evacuees staying at the center.
Sitting until night in the entryway, where a cold draft blew through, Sugano maintained a name list to keep track of the many people coming and going. Soon, she fell sick.
Sugano returned home, she says, because some fellow evacuees had requested that people whose homes had not collapsed in the temblor or been swept away by tsunami to go home.
With the elimination and merging of evacuation centers, space was at a premium.
Sugano felt dejected, as if her ties to her fellow survivors were being severed.
Back home, with none of the basic lifelines restored, she once again lived by the light of a lantern.
She felt hopeless, and pondered the possibility of taking refuge at a relative's home in the Kanto region.
But she couldn't give up now.
Her fellow survivors, including young brothers who had lost both of their parents and a former classmate who had lost her husband remained at the evacuation center.
She had finally made emotional connections with these local residents.
Life by lantern lasted for two weeks. Until gas and water supplies were restored, Sugano lived on boxed meals from the convenience store.
She also went to visit her fellow survivors at the evacuation center.
Recharging her cell phone was just an excuse for her to go.
Today, even if it's one of the people who asked Sugano to leave the evacuation center, she stops to chat with them when she runs into them on the street.
At her home, which was spared extensive damage, Sugano puts up friends who were not as lucky, and volunteers who come to the area to help with relief efforts.
But she still lets them stay.
"It would be embarrassing not to be able to contribute at all because I'm hung up on the little things," Sugano says. "
The volunteers are all valuable people who have come here for the sake of Rikuzentakata.
It's not a time to complain."
Sugano appears to be slowly rebuilding the bonds that were almost destroyed by the quake.
It was through the disaster, she says, that she's been able to become a true "Rikuzentakata citizen" again.
There's another story I heard, from a store owner in the Sanriku area of the devastated Tohoku region. Immediately after the quake and tsunami hit, there was one business owner who did not participate in the searches for missing bodies that the local volunteer fire company undertook, and instead focused on rebuilding their own business.
A chasm emerged between those who did and those who did not participate in the searches, with the former denouncing the latter for not wanting to "at least cover the bodies of fellow town residents with blankets."
Sometime later, the business owner began to participate in nighttime patrols, and at a one-year anniversary memorial, prayed for the souls of the dead with all the others.
"Right after the quake, different people had different priorities," says the abovementioned store owner. "Time will take care of everything in the end."
In the past year, I've taken 30 notebooks worth of notes in the disaster areas.
But I still worry whether I've been able to achieve any sort of understanding of the suffering that survivors are going through.
With the words, "reality cannot be glossed over with pleasantries," what survivors are likely asking of me is to understand what's going on in the hard-hit areas and to share what's most important with the rest of the country and the world.
The disasters' survivors are reminding me, in other words, of what it means to be a journalist.
The relationship of trust built up steadily by the United States and Europe with Afghanistan could break down at a moment's notice through thoughtless actions or unexpected incidents.
Many lives have been lost in retaliatory actions in Afghanistan, making the country's security situation more uncertain. This is the reality of Afghanistan as a battlefield.
The Afghan situation has deteriorated since the turn of the year.
In January, a video clip of four U.S. marines urinating on the bodies of dead Taliban fighters was hosted on a website.
An angry Afghan soldier killed four French soldiers belonging to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). Immediately after this, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said French troops would complete their withdrawal from Afghanistan at the end of 2013, one year earlier than scheduled.
In February, it was revealed that Korans were among trash burned by ISAF members at a U.S. base. A furious Afghan killed two U.S. officers, who served as advisers to the Afghan Interior Ministry. All advisers to Afghan ministries were withdrawn from the ministries immediately.
The series of incidents has increased distrust between Afghanistan and the United States and Europe. The schism yawned even wider on March 11 when civilians were massacred in the southern province of Kandahar.
There is no excuse for a U.S. staff sergeant to indiscriminately kill 16 civilians, including nine children. The U.S. government must investigate the case thoroughly in the hope of regaining Afghanistan's trust.
Following the massacre, the Taliban called off behind-the-scenes peace talks with Washington. This development is a cause for concern.
U.S. President Barack Obama has pledged to withdraw U.S. combat forces from Afghanistan by the end of 2014.
To realize a "responsible withdrawal," the Obama administration wants to promote peace and political reconciliation talks with the Taliban, which has its roots in the south of the country, while fostering and strengthening Afghanistan's security forces so the country can deal with its own public security.
New ideas are needed to bring the Taliban back to the negotiating table.
A U.S. public opinion survey shows a majority of Americans want the troop withdrawal advanced because of the intensification of anti-U.S. sentiment and the increase in the number of U.S. soldiers killed and injured in Afghanistan.
But if the United States impulsively pulls out its troops, it only will lead to the Taliban stepping up its military offensive to regain power. The international community must unite to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a hotbed for terrorism once again.
Due to the series of incidents by U.S. troops, the Afghan situation is on the brink of a serious crisis. To stop the Afghan security situation from deteriorating, Washington must redouble its military and diplomatic efforts.
In July, Japan will host an international conference on assistance to Afghanistan, at which Afghan President Hamid Karzai will be invited to attend as a guest. Tokyo must step up its indirect and nonmilitary support to help stabilize the Afghan situation.


Teacher will introduce the concept, "what is a polymer?" using video clips from the AGPA website (grades 5-8). Students will make a collection of common objects made of polymeric materials and formulate their own questions as to the make-up of these objects.
Students will realizes that polymeric materials can be found all around them and that polymers are more than plastics.
Students will refine their computer skills as they conduct Internet research on specific polymeric materials and processes.
Classroom computers with access to the Internet; one computer for the teacher's use needs to be connected to a projector. Print materials about polymeric materials may be accessible through the school's library.
The teacher will pre-assess the students' knowledge of polymers. One way to do this pre-assessment would be to show students various objects made from polymers and ask students what the objects have in common. Teacher will introduce the concept, "what is a polymer?" using video clips from the AGPA website (grades 5-8). Teacher poses these problems: What kinds of polymers make up everyday objects? How common are polymeric materials in our lives? Teacher guides students to formulate their procedure to answering these open-ended questions. Project should describe at least three polymeric materials, contain a display of 6-8 objects (in total) and an oral/written presentation of key findings. Assessment of engagement: Using questions, the teacher leads student to realize how commonplace is the use of polymeric materials in everyday objects. Before proceeding with students' research on the topic, the teacher makes sure that the students can describe common polymeric materials and give several examples of the use of these materials.
There are no safety issues related to this lesson, however, the teacher will need to stress to the students that any objects brought to class to display examples of polymeric materials must be safe to handle. The teacher will need to make available computers and other research references to facilitate the students' research. Give students time in the computer lab or using classroom computers to research the kinds and nature of polymeric materials. If students are skilled in using PowerPoint software encourage them to use this program to record their findings.
Assessment: The teacher monitors the students' work, making sure that they are describing at least three types of polymeric material and have decided on representative objects of each material.
Students report their findings and answer the posed questions. After all reports have been shared with the class, the teacher asks students to infer what their lives would be like if the products displayed did not exist or had been made with non-polymeric materials. For an assessment, the students summarize their learning in their journals. In their summaries ask students to respond to this question: explain how technology influences the quality of life.
Assessment: Have students draw and label a mini-poster showing the use of polymeric materials both in nature and at home. Require that their examples are different from the ones pictured on the website.
Misconceptions Students are probably unaware of the variety of polymeric materials and think of "polymers" as "plastics".
Science and Technology: Understandings about science and technology.
Science and Technology, Grade 6 Indicator: Explain how technology influences the quality of life.
None within the research; caution students to bring "safe" examples of polymeric objects to class.


I am not sure what the difference is here between these two options - why would allowing interest to capitalize be a good idea? What exactly does it mean by a 'refund'? And by "payments you make within 120 days", does it mean payments other than my automated payments?
I have currently completed my studies for the foreseeable future, and am now in the process of paying my loan off. Ideally, I would like to be paying the least amount of interest over time, and have the total amount still due on my loan paid off as soon as possible, so what exactly would the better option be here?
Additionally, for those curious, the loan organization is Great Lakes.
This election only applies to payments that you make within 120 days of your having received loan money. These wouldn't be required payments, which is why they are called "early" payments. For example, let's say that you've just received $10,000 from your lender for a new loan. One month later, you pay $500 back. This election decides how that $500 will be applied.
The first choice, "Apply as Refund," means that you are essentially returning some of the money that you initially borrowed. It's like you never borrowed it. Instead of a $10,000 loan, it is now a $9,500 loan. The accrued interest will be recalculated for the new loan amount.
The second choice, "Apply as Payment," means that your payment will first be applied to any interest that has accrued, then applied to the principal. While you are in school, you don't need to make payments on student loans. However, interest is accruing from the day you get the money. This interest is simple interest, which means that the interest is only based on the loan principal; the interest is not compounding, and you are not paying interest on interest. After you leave school and your grace period expires, you enter repayment, and you have to start making payments. At this point, all the interest that has accrued from the time you first received the money until now is capitalized. This means that the interest is added to your loan principal, and interest will now be calculated on this new, larger amount. To avoid this, you can pay the interest as you go before it is capitalized, which will save you from having to pay even more interest later on.
As to which method is better, just as they told you right on the form, the "Apply as Refund" method will save you the most money in the long run.
However, as I said at the beginning, this election only applies if you make a payment within 120 days from receiving loan funds. Since you are already out of school and in repayment, I don't think it matters at all what you select here.
For any students reading this and thinking about loans, I want to issue a warning. Student loans can ruin people later in life. If you truly feel that taking out a loan is the only way you'll be able to get the education you need, minimize these as much as possible. Borrow as little as possible, pay as much as you can as early as you can, and plan on knocking these out ASAP.
The second choice is a normal payment, just made early. This guards you against forgetting to make the payment later and incurring late payment fees -- which in this kind of loan are added to the balance and themselves accrue compounded interest.
The first option is an extra payment, applied entirely to the principal. That lets you avoid years of accrued interest on that portion of the loan, and reduces the loan's actual cost.
I think the extra payment is a better investment.


Question: How do we oppose a Trump war? Answer: In every possible way. I've spent the last 24 hours hearing about the "Mother of all Bombs" that blew up in Afghanistan, a piece of hardware that costs as much as a Michigan city's water budget. It disgusts me as an American taxpayer that I'm responsible. Most of my fellow Americans feel the same way: we stand with the innocent victims of this bomb attack, not with its perpetrator. We the people can never, ever, ever support Donald Trump as a wartime leader. Not now, and not in any future circumstance. I personally would not stand with Trump against an alien invasion from Mars. If there is a new American war, I believe a majority of my fellow citizens will actively refuse to support Trump's leadership. This presents a severe crisis of public loyalty in an already badly divided nation. We the people do not, can not and will not respect Donald Trump enough to follow his leadership in any military action.
But it's a dreadful fact that our country seems to be tilting towards war right now, already, even though we're only in the first few months of the surreal constitutional crisis known as the Trump presidency. (Some people sincerely believed that Trump was a dove, that he wouldn't abuse his military power if elected. We always knew this would happen, which is why we've bitterly opposed Trump since 2015.) Well, we all hope this next war doesn't happen, even Trump's most enthusiastic supporters. Because we all remember 2003, and we remember all the damage that overeager rush to war caused. But Trump is tilting our country towards war, just like George W. Bush did. We're not sure if the next enemy Trump and his "war room" will stage a televised attack on will be ISIS, or Syria, or North Korea, or Afghanistan. That decision appears to be in the hands of Jared and Ivanka. But it is clear that Donald Trump is enjoying the applause and distraction he gains with every new military action. Many misguided Americans support a Trump war, and this is no joking matter. We are a badly divided country, and it seems possible that a foreign war would become a civil war. Civil War? Sure, this sounds like hyperbole. But it's actually a sane reaction to the possibility of an American war managed by Donald Trump. That is an immoral option that we the American people do not accept, cannot accept, will never accept. Donald Trump has openly supported the use of torture. He has pledged in public, televised speeches that he will do "worse than waterboarding, believe me". This is a dealbreaker for the American people. We will not stand for this. It's espcially a dealbreaker, we hope and believe, with the proud soldiers of the United States Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force. Our soldiers and sailors and pilots are used to being firmly managed by leaders they respect. Our honorable military personnel understand the damage done in wartime by war crimes such as torture, and will not rally behind a leader who talks glibly about such matters. Among other war crimes he has pledged to commit is to plunder the oil in the Middle East, stating flatly that "next time we'll just take the oil". He has also stated that he believes the people of Iraq owe the United States of America gratitude for the Iraq War, even though it killed 600,000 Iraqi people and led to the brutal split of the country between Iran and ISIS. Trump also offends every American who loves freedom, because he violates the most basic rule of a free democracy: he doesn't tell the truth. He is a blatant, obvious, shameless liar, a liar far beyond the boundaries of any previous American politician, including Richard Nixon. Trump has not even been able to defend himself against charges of gross and ridiculous lying, to the extent that his associates have to explain that his dishonesty is a feature and not a bug. The idea that we the proud American people would be led into war by an admitted and known liar is absolutely insane. Another reason we will never follow Trump to war is that he is a known and admitted racist, male chauvinist, sexual predator. He has badly insulted many groups including blacks, women, Mexicans and Muslims. Finally, as if all of that were not bad enough, Trump has an embarrassing history of failure. He has admittedly also had many exciting successes, and yes, Trump does have a capacity for spectacular victories along with the failures. But a moral failure in wartime is not a failure the American people will accept. Also, as both Napoleon Bonaparte and Adolf Hitler found out the hard way, it's all too easy to have a bunch of spectacular victories and then lose the war. Trump's pattern of incompetence and showmanship is all too well established, and it's nearly a sure thing that a Trump war will spin off into chaos like most other things he's done. A few weeks ago, during the GOP healthcare fiasco, Trump mumbled into a microphone that "nobody ever knew healthcare could be so complicated". Americans are an intelligent people. We will not be led in wartime by a man this dumb. But the threat of a Trump war is real today, so all of this is no joking matter. We have been in the midst of a constitutional crisis for months, but as we tilt towards war we are escalating into a loyalty crisis. We may all need to look in the mirror and ask which side we're on, good or evil. I am pledging right here and now that I will never be loyal to the military leadership of Donald Trump. I am a free American, and I oppose Donald Trump with great pride. I hope that Americans who voted for Trump will also listen to their consciences and now stand against Trump, because I know that all Americans, whoever they voted for, are humane and moral people. Still, Trump will always have a loyal follower base, and I hope to continue to live at peace with those fellow Americans of mine even if our country is further torn apart. The fabric of trust that makes us all proud of our country is something that this crisis cannot fully tear to shreds, though it will try. When I argue with pro-Trump friends of mine, I am often asked to accept the fact that Trump won the presidential election. I do accept that Trump won by electoral vote, and I do accept that he has a strong base of support. But if we are tilting towards war, it's important to remember that Trump did not win the popular vote, and does not have a wide or well-entrenched base of support among the American people as a whole. Yes, he has a lot of enthusiastic fans. But the majority of Americans, including many who voted for Trump, are increasingly opposed to everything he stands for. And we who oppose Trump aren't really aren't in any mood to back down. Much less are we in the mood to "make a deal". I'm writing this on Friday afternoon, after a strenuous week at work, the week between Passover and Easter. A good time to pray for a quiet weekend around the world.
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Another classic of speculative fiction, which I have now read: the complex tales of Jerry Cornelius, his family, his allies and his enemies. It's difficult to call it a novel, or a collection of novels; the first book perhaps comes closest to having a conventional plot, but the second and third books in particular are rather free of the contraints of linearity. You have to really let the word pictures wash over you without expecting the narrative to behave as we are used to plots behaving. There's a consistent sort of post-Empire awareness behind the scenes, which sometimes bubbles to the top: in one passage in the fourth book, various English groups are presented as if native tribes in some far-off colony. Often such experiments seem just boring and self-indulgent, but this kept my interest.
Given the references to popular culture throughout the series of books, it's not surprising to find Doctor Who making an appearance. What is a bit surprising is the company the Doctor is keeping; he appears as one of a long list of characters in a masque, "all the old familiar characters of the mummer's play, of mime and pantomime, of folklore and traditional tale", a long list which starts with Widow Twankey, Polchinelle, Abanazar, The Demon King, and Mother Goose, and continues to include (in the crucial four lines) "The May Queen, Humpty Dumpty, Old King Cole, Sawney Bean, Springheeled Jack, Charlie Peace, Queen Elizabeth, Mr Pickwick, Charley's Aunt, Jack Sheppard, Romeo and Juliet, Doctor Who, Oberon, The Grand Cham, a Dalek, Old Moore, Falstaff, Little Red Riding Hood, Beowulf..."
The book was published in 1977, so the Doctor can be understood as any of the first four Doctors (perhaps indeed all four; perhaps most likely Tom Baker's particularly pantomimic persona). Moorcock presents Doctor Who (and the Dalek) in a completely different context from his frequent pop-culture references to Hawkwind, the Beatles, Pink Floyd etc; as an element of British historical lore, partly quaint and partly sinister. I don't know of any other such references to Doctor Who in classic sf; but I will be looking out for them.
Since I've been in LJ, I've found the perfect analogy for the experience of reading the less linear bits of the Cornelius stories for explanation to people in fandom: it's like reading a load of different fanfic stories for a canon you don't know about.
Actually, picking up any strand of Moorcock's multiverse is like that!
New Worlds 10 (1976) contains a story in which an old time traveller arrives on an alien planet dominated by robots. I believe there was also a granddaughter. (My copy has this story ripped out by my brother who owned it prior to me; I appear to have lost my unvandalised copy). I wonder who Anna Ostrowska is/was?
I have looked in vain for any other reference to Anna. The story seemed to have been written by someone about 8 years old, so maybe someone's kid/grandkid?


Did I propose this already?
Anchored rope "rails" floating lower than boats so that they don't get cut when a boat passes, allow large ships to advance by pulling on the rope, creating large "undersea railways".
A sonar unit replies to calls for location. The equipment is rented or sold, and the operation is run by pay for use.
Maintenance units automatically monitor the ropelines and fix or update them as needed.
Rather than a complete ropeway with "rails" have only a series of anchors with sonars and a buoy released to the surface when sonar signal received. An RC dinghy pulls a rope to the buoy and easily connects (with mechanical device) Boat then pulls itself till next buoy is needed. I suppose the system would be started in shallower areas.
When done the buoy pulls itself back down waiting for the next call via sonar.
It could be "virally spread" by ships spreading the buoy's as they advance, or sending them ahead of travel with a "sinker" dinghy supplied by the BoatRail company.
IMHO: This is the greatest of my ideas.
//This is the greatest of my ideas// Oh dear. Ooooooh dear.
River ferries have operated by this mechanism for hundreds of years, and still do today in motorized form. WKTE?
Mark Twain described a riverboat in Europe that used this, many years ago. The chain lay on the bottom, the boat had rudders at each end.
That was an up-and-downstream boat, cross-stream ferries are presently in use in many places.
I've ridden the hand-cranked Saugatuck chain ferry in Michigan, and the Akers ferry in Missouri (although that one has an overhead cable, not under water), and watched but not ridden White's Ferry on the Potomac.
There are quite a number of modern river ferries in Europe and the eastern US that run along submerged cables, either under their own power or drawn by motors on the shore.
How is this not baked and widely known to exist?
Windermere ferry in Cumbria is the first that springs to mind.
Publish an idea that allows routes to cross - I'll probably bun that.
I think this is an adaptation of the cable-ferry to trans- oceanic voyages, thus the idea is not quite baked, for reasons too numerous to list.
Now I know that this is the best of my ideas. Something close to it has been baked "BEFORE RECORDED HISTORY" according to Wikipedia.
First, [brain] thanks for the ferry boat link. We don't have rivers in my country and when I visited Mississippi it was far from the river, and I wasn't in 'touring mode'. so I was not aware of it. Kissinger is reported, upon crossing the Jordan "river", to have said: "That's it?" And the Bible also laughs at our river - Naaman, when told to rince in the Jordan says: "Why should I not rinse in Avnah and Parpar the rivers of Damascus, which have better water than any in Israel?"
[Alterother] Is correct, it's an adaptation to cross oceanic travel, and yes, please list some of the reasons that make it a novelty and not WKTE.
Here is an improvement that will make it bakeable: Rather than a complete ropeway have only a series of anchors with sonars and a buoy released to the surface when sonar signal received. An RC dinghy pulls a rope to the buoy and easily connects (with mechanical device) Boat then pulls itself till next buoy is needed. I suppose the system would be started in shallower areas.
It could be "virally spread" by ships spreading the buoy's as they advance, sending it forward with a "sinker" dinghy supplied by the BoatRail company.
[Absinthe] Please respond to this annotation and tell me if you still think it's WKTE. Thanks.
I don't know how buoys are held in place, but if it's just by a weight on the sea floor, there's a limit how hard you can pull on them before their anchor point moves. So they'd need pretty heavy weights.
Also you'd want to be pulling on something that's further forward from you than it is down, so that it trying to pull you forward rather than trying to sink you. So in deep water, you want to be pulling on something that's anchored quite far ahead of you. This seems easier if you do have a complete ropeway, rather than just buoys. Though I guess only requiring buoys makes the system cheaper.
You'd want the small dinghy to start towards the second buoy as soon as the first one is connected to the boat, so that it's ready as soon as possible.
And maybe have a spare rope or two between the dinghy and the larger boat. The dinghy travels to the second buoy and connects it to a rope that goes to the boat. The boat no longer needs its connection to the first buoy, so it disconnects somehow, and then sends the rope back to the dinghy along the spare connecting rope. The dinghy never needs to go back to the boat, anything that needs to be sent back and forth can be pulled along the permanent connecting rope(s).
ETA: maybe you want the dingy to go more than two buoys ahead. You could have a loop of rope that goes between the dinghy and the boat. The dinghy goes ahead, linking more and more buoys onto the loop. Once at least one is on, the boat pulls itself forward. Whenever the boat reaches a part of the loop that has a buoy attached, it removes it. If there are more buoys, it keeps pulling, otherwise it waits for the dinghy to attach another one.
I also don't see why this wouldn't work.
ETA: possibly silly addition - if you could have a multi-kilometre rod pushing the dinghy ahead, it wouldn't need a propellor. It could be telescopic, or inflatable, or some other mechanism so it's not always full length.


Can Microsoft take a bite out of Apple?
Microsoft has filed an objection to the filing of Apple's trademark application in the United States Patent and Trademark Office's Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, or TTAB, on the grounds that app store� is a generic term in common parlance. If Microsoft is successful in its bid to block Apple's trademark, then anyone selling applications could call the virtual storefront an app store.
If the term app store is just describing what it is, unless it has been in use for at least five years, Apple cannot get a trademark on this, Michael Feigin, attorney at Feigin and Associates, New York.
I'm surprised that it was accepted by the patent office, because it seems to be a fairly straight-forward description,� he said. If it is a store that sells apps, app store is a description, and everyone knows that app means application that is common usage.
Microsoft has the better position here the patent office should rule that the trademark should not be allowed.
Apple's argument is that it was first-to-market and has spend millions of dollars on advertising featuring the App Store moniker.
In the complaint filed against Apple with the USPTO, Microsoft argues that "app" is a common generic name for the goods offered at Apple's store, as shown in dictionary definitions and by widespread use by Apple and others, and that "store" is generic for the retail store services for which Apple seeks registration, and indeed, Apple refers to its App Store as a store.
Furthermore, "the undisputed facts further show that the combined term 'app store' is commonly used in the trade, by the general press, by consumers, by Apple's competitors and even by Apple's founder and CEO Steve Jobs, as the generic name for online stores featuring apps," per Microsoft's filing.
Based on the fact that the App Store is indeed a store that sells apps, Microsoft claims Apple should not be allowed to have a trademark on the "App Store" name.
With its Windows Phone 7 operating system jostling with Apple's iOS and others for market share, Microsoft is seeking any leg up it can get.
If its complaint proves successful, Microsoft would undoubtedly like to market its WP7 App Marketplace as an app store.
So which titan should win out? Should Apple's first-mover advantage take precedence, or should Microsoft's point about common usage win the day?
The answer could have repercussions for the entire mobile content distribution ecosystem.
I believe Microsoft has the better argument here because the words app store are individually and collective generic for a retail store featuring apps, because the term app store has been used by so many others in the marketplace to describe their app stores such that the term cannot function as a single-source identifier such as iPad or iPhone, where there is only one recognizable source linked to such marks, said Harris Wolin, partner at Myers Wolin LLC, Morristown, NJ.
Generic terms by their very nature should be in the public domain and free for all to use,� he said.
Please click here to read Microsoft's Motion for Summary Judgment in its opposition to Apple's App Store trademark application.
Click here to read an additional filing supporting Microsoft's opposition.
Mr. Wolin noted that this is only an opposition within the Trademark Office, which means that the final result is the life or death of only the trademark application.
Monetary damages or an injunction are not within the jurisdiction of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.
In other words, Apple filed an application for app store,� and Microsoft objected and asserts that the application should be refused on the basis of genericness, and therefore the application should be abandoned.
This result would allow Microsoft and others to continue to use the term app store� without being concerned about a lawsuit from Apple.
Microsoft filed the opposition because it”and others”would be damaged if Apple was allowed to claim exclusive use to the term ˜app store in connection with retail store services featuring apps, especially because the mark has experienced widespread adoption by others, and more especially since the terms app and store are each generic in their own right, Mr. Wolin said.
Even though Apple sent out cease-and-desist letters to some smaller players that tried to register trademarks, including the terms app store, it has not really reigned in the widespread public generic use of such terms, he said. In fact, Microsoft was able to point out that even Apple uses such terms generically in press releases, etcetera.
The fame of Apple's App Store cannot negate a finding of genericness.
While many consumers do associate the term App Store� with Apple, that may not be enough for the company to win the trademark battle.
Attorneys interviewed by this publication were unanimous in coming to the conclusion that Microsoft has the stronger argument here.
If the USPTO aggress that app is the equivalent of œapplication,� it seems as if it must find in favor of Microsoft. However, as with most legal arguments, there is some grey area.
m very surprised that the trademark examiner passed along Apple's trademark application for publication," said Andrea Calvaruso, partner at Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, New York. The trademark examiner never objected to the application on the basis that it is generic, which is Microsoft's argument he found it to be descriptive.
Microsoft has put in a ton of evidence in its filing, and it remains to be seen what Apple will argue in response.
Most likely, Apple will argue that it has become associated with the term by the consumer and stress the fact that it has spent so much money advertising its App Store.
Distributors of applications nationwide are eagerly awaiting the result of the dispute.
In its trademark filing, Apple did not even assert that they have had exclusive use of the term, so I am surprised that the trademark examiner did not find app store to be generic, as many other companies do use app or app store generically,€Ms. Calvaruso said.
Microsoft is saying ˜This term is generic, and we and everyone else that creates applications will be harmed if you let Apple have this trademark� she said.
If the term is generic, Apple might have been the first company to use the term app store, but if, as Micrtosoft alleges, everyone uses the term app to mean application, and Apple hasn't used it exclusively, I think that Apple is going to have a hard time convincing the trademark office that app store™ is not a generic term.


How to contact my bank to negotiate a foreclosure sale?
If you are getting foreclosure notice for your property, it would be wise to negotiate as soon as possible in order to save your property. If the bank gets more involved in the process, the chances of avoiding foreclosure might be reduced significantly. But you can always take some advice from loan modification firms and decide what you should do next. In most cases, banks never negotiate directly with the borrowers.
Contacting the bank online is the easiest and simplest way if you are interested to negotiate. If you are willing to buy a house with foreclosure deal then this might be worthwhile. But if you are a borrower facing foreclosure and wish to negotiate your loan then you should not hope much. Instead of contacting the bank, you can contact the lender. If anyone can save you from this trouble, it is only the lender himself/herself.
No bank is directly involved with foreclosure sales and conducts its business through third parties. Your local real estate agents or listing agents are assigned to close the deal. If you are a potential buyer, contacting the listing agent would be the best idea. But as a borrower, you do not have any loan modification options available for you.
Banks also give the foreclosure deals to various asset management companies to process. Banks always try to avoid direct contact with foreclosure by any means. The loan modification professionals cannot help you much if the bank has already given the foreclosure deal to the company. But while it comes to buying from a foreclosure sale, you will get lots of options provided by an asset management company.
If you can convince your lender to allow you some more time by paying a partial amount of the loan with the help of a loan modification attorney, you might get some more time. But you have to pay back the rest of the due amount on time; otherwise, you will be close to experiencing foreclosure again.


Liposis dolorosa. Its own entity or the common denominator for other lipoma-based diseases?
Liposis dolorosa is a synonym for Adiposis Dolorosa (the scientific name for Dercum's disease).
Unfortunally there wasn't even an abstract to be found for this study. I checked whether I could get in contact with Dr. Stormorken but I believe his now almost 90 years old and I'm not sure if he reads his emails?
I do believe all lipoma related conditions do share at least something in common and we can cross learn between the different conditions.
Only a few years after this article was written much was discovered about lipomatosis. This article is completely obsolete in my view. In my opinion, it shows how much more we know now than back then.
However, it would still be interesting to know what exactlty made them think so.


UPDATE: Images have come to light of the offender behind last night's armed robbery at a Maryborough petrol station.
The male offender is described of Caucasian appearance, about 180cm tall, a medium built and wearing distinctive clothing during time of assault.
His dark-coloured jumper has the letters 'GNC' on both the front and back in red, along with some other writing.
GNC is the name of a supplements company.
His tracksuit pants, also dark-coloured, say 'EVERLAST'.
At about 9pm on November 27, the offender entered the Puma service station on the corner of Walker and Ferry St.
He demanded money from a 21-year-old employee.
The exact amount of money stolen by the offender was unconfirmed, but Maryborough Police Detective Sergeant Michael Polit said it was a "small amount".
"(The victim) was shaken and traumatized by the incident but he was holding up pretty well and was able to assist police with a statement last night," Sgt Polit said.
"Whilst the offender wasn't armed with anything the victim could see, he stated he was in possession of a knife.
"Other than threats of knife, there was no violence."
Sgt Polit praised the young worker on his reaction.
"We don't encourage a victim make an attempt to fight back at the offender," Sgt Polit said.
Anyone with any information that could help lead police to the offender is encouraged to call Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000 or walk into their local police station.
EARLIER: Police are searching for a suspect after an apparent robbery at the Puma Service Station in Ferry St, Maryborough.
It is believed one person was involved in the incident.
Three police cars were at the scene of the robbery, which happened about 9pm on Sunday, while it is believed the dog squad is also looking for the suspect.
It is believed the suspect was wearing a black hoodie at the time of the incident.
A Queensland Police Media spokesman said no information was currently available regarding the incident.


Does blockchain technology alleviate security concerns or create new challenges?
Put simply, a blockchain is a shared database providing a token manager and programmable transactions that can be updated securely by many different actors in a network. All changes made to the blockchain are logged, effectively leaving a complete audit trail of data.
There is no reason to believe that blockchain technology represents a greater cybersecurity threat than classic database technology. Like databases, blockchains are layered and the insertion of a block is much the same as adding code into databases. Users are exposed to the same level of risk as they are when injecting code into a database.
In looking at blockchain security, technologists and system architects ask the same questions and have the same issues with security as they have with classic database architectures. What is different is the way of organising security. When a blockchain is distributed, a public key infrastructure (PKI) is set up and keys are distributed to users or to the system that has access to the blockchain and can introduce transactions into the chain. Again, this is a relatively classic PKI approach, which is well known to security specialists.
Blockchain uses very classic technology, on top of which sits a consensus engine. This is what makes a blockchain environment such a new concept.
Blockchain solves the problem of who has responsibility for adding something into a database when it is distributed. It is an algorithmic way of solving this problem. But behind this capability is very standard technology, which has been assembled in a very smart way to create something new.
In looking at blockchain security, technologists and system architects ask the same questions and have the same issues with security as they have with classic database architectures.
It is very early days for blockchain technology and it is not yet fully understood. Much of the experimentation with blockchain involves a mix of the technology with other, more classic applications. Not everything can be done by the blockchain, for example, you cannot attach a file. Developers must deal with diversity in the data and dealing with some of the issues is complex; there is not one way of doing things.
Discover the origin of funds promoters in Luxembourg, the different legal forms, the fund set-up journey and the distribution capabilities.


Richard E Grant facts: Who is his wife and daughter, how tall is he and what movies is he in?
Richard E Grant is one the UK's most respected and hard-working actors of the past few decades.
Now that the actor has joined the cast of the ninth Star Wars movie, and is nominated for an Oscar for the very first time, here are all the big and important facts about the talented star.
Richard E Grant age: How old is he?
Richard E Grant was born on May 5, 1957.
Richard E Grant wife: Is he married wife and how many children does he have?
Richard E Grant married voice coach Joan Washington in 1986.
The couple have one daughter together named Olivia, and Richard also has a stepson from Joan's previous marriage named Tom, who was seven when the couple met.
Joan is eight years older than Richard, and they met when Richard asked for her help to perfect a Belfast accent for a role.
He told the Independent in 1994: "I went to learn a Belfast accent from her and I then met her in this house, but she was still married to someone else. She was doing a play at the Royal Shakespeare Company and needed a black African accent. She told me that I was the only person she knew in London who could do this, and that I should come and make some tapes for her.
"I didn't go home that night. We found that we had a fair amount in common, and that we liked speaking a huge amount. She seemed very un-English in that way. We just got on instantly."
What is Richard E Grant's nationality and what does the 'E' stand for?
Grant was born Richard Grant Esterhuysen in Mbabane, Swaziland.
His father, Henrik Esterhuysen, was head of education for the British government administration in the British Protectorate of Swaziland. His father had English and Dutch/Afrikaner ancestry and his mother was of English and German descent.
Grant wears a watch on each wrist, one given to him by his dying father, permanently set on Swaziland time. He is a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and Swaziland.
What are Richard E Grant's biggest movie and TV roles?
Richard E Grant is perhaps best known for his breakout role in the 1987 movie Withnail and I, where he played the titular Withnail opposite Paul McGann.
He also achieved recognition as John Seward in 1992's Bram Stoker's Dracula. More recently, he played Dr Zander Rice Logan and Izembaro in the sixth season of Game of Thrones.
Other films include Henry & June, The Age of Innocence, Jack and Sarah, Spice World, Gosford Park, The Iron Lady and Jackie.
On TV, he has appeared in The Scarlet Pimpernel, Frasier, Marple, Girls, Downton Abbey and Jekyll and Hyde, and has also hosted a couple of documentaries including Hotel Secrets.
Richard E Grant height: How tall is he?
Richard E Grant is 6ft 2in (188cm), according to Celeb Heights.
Who will Richard E Grant play in Star Wars?
On July 27 2018, Disney announced that Richard E Grant had joined the cast of Star Wars: Episode 9.
However, it has yet to be announced what role Richard will be playing. Actors Keri Russell and Naomi Ackie also joined at the same time.
Was Richard E Grant ever Doctor Who?
Richard E Grant appeared in three episodes of Doctor Who as Dr Simeon /The Great Intelligence in 2012 to 2013.
He did briefly play The Doctor in the one-off Comic Relief spoof as 'The Conceited Doctor' in 1999.
In 2003, two years before Doctor Who made its comeback, Richard played The Doctor in an official animated web series titled Scream of the Shalka. However, it is no longer considered canon with the rest of the series.
What is Richard E Grant's net worth?
Richard E Grant has an estimated net worth of £3.05 million ($4m), according to Celebrity Net Worth.


One way to focus on everyday positivity is to create a gratitude journal; writing is a great way to look back on all the things we are grateful for, and it can make us happier. Writing a daily journal couldn’t be simpler. Every night, jot down a few bullet points under the following headlines.Things to be grateful for today –Look at the events of the day and list out all the things you can be grateful for. Things to be thankful for –Long term things in life that you can say ‘I am thankful for’.
It may seem obvious, but me-time can support positive thinking.And no, this doesn’t mean vegetating in front of the TV but making time for yourself every week.For example, you can be unhappy if you hate your job and all you do is work. Begin to look forward to taking time out for yourself to read that book, you never got around to or start attending that local spin class each week.
Positive thinking goes hand-in-hand with smart goal setting. Plus, goal setting can empower you and generate new ideas. When starting your goals planner, it’s important to write down the ideal situation, determine its importance, craft clear-cut goals, a target date to complete this and then take the small steps to achieve them.
Going through changes can be challenging to adjust to. But, if you trust in the process, you can soon start to reap the benefits. It’s not about making drastic changes to your lifestyle, but small, manageable steps with a little bit of patience. Even when the negative niggles come along, it’s essential to believe in the process; otherwise you may set yourself back.
Sometimes it is impossible to stop or control negative thoughts and pushing these aside can make things worse. For example, you might find yourself taking things to heart, beating yourself up over a setback or having a gloomy view of the future. It's important to open up your thoughts and not keep them inside. Try and talk to a loved one or write your feelings down, sharing your feelings can help to clear negativity of yourself.
It may come with some difficult decisions,but if you surround yourself with positive people, can help you feel positive. Look to the people who already inspire you –your mum, your best friends, your partner –and think about what it is in them that you admire. Do they share their happiness? Are they there when times are tough? The more you place these positive people in your surroundings, the more you’ll see the world differently.
Everyone worries from time to time, whether it be about family, work or your love life, we place a huge focus on the future. But if you take a step back, enjoy every moment, reflect on positive times, or even have a social media detox or meditate, you can truly be in the now. These small but effective steps to mindful living in the moment can help to lead to bright, successful futures, as you begin to recognise the possibilities and seize the opportunities of today.


Generate compelling shopper insights aligned to our Customers and brand plans with the aim to recruit new category drinkers, growing beer and spirits penetration.
We turn shoppers into buyers of our brands through marketing propositions that align to our category, customer and brand goals.
This team has been created to influence shoppers’ actions and change their behaviour… in order to grow our categories and in so doing, become an indispensable partner for customers.
This team will Win at the Moment of Choice with Consumers and Shoppers by developing insight led, breakthrough shopper marketing activities which generating sustainable profitable category growth.
Our innovation and brand plans will be developed with greater consideration to our Customer agenda and the needs of shoppers to ensure we deliver our both our category and brand objectives.
We work in one of the most interesting and diverse markets in the world. The only thing that is guaranteed is VUCA, but with complexity comes unparalleled business and personal growth opportunity.
Business model: KBL is part of EABL, a well-respected and stock market listed company that has been serving Kenyan consumers since 1922. This role reports to the Shopper Marketing Manager, who in turn reports to the KBL Head of Customer Marketing. KBL operates across beer and spirits, with strong share in both categories. As a result of our position, the primary purpose of this role is to generate compelling shopper insights aligned to our Customers and brand plans with the aim to recruit new category drinkers, growing beer and spirits penetration. Therefore, this role requires significant strategic capability, as well as the drive and problem-solving skills to execute brilliantly.
Leveraging Diageo’s portfolio and trade strategy to build insight generated shopper and channel plans that translate into a compelling activation cycles in partnership with customers.
Play a key role in the joint business planning cycle, identifying strategic alliances and opportunities that unlock growth for our categories and customers.
Build strong internal and external relationships being sought out as a credible & trusted Shopper Marketing expert and adviser.
Lead the development and execution of multi-channel shopper marketing campaigns that deliver the Customer, Brand and Shopper objectives.
Optimise campaign creative and touch points across the entire path to purchase to ensure we are influencing shopper behaviour.
Ensure campaigns are fully commercialised and deliver category growth with proportionate share growth for Diageo. This commercialisation will be complimented by a robust measurement and evaluation process to ensure all learnings inform new campaign development.
Passion for consistently delivering great performance and being able to identify clear priorities and focus on them at all times.
Be imaginative in finding solutions to issues and pursuing opportunities for the business which will ensure we continue to beat the competition.
Ability to work cross functionally with internal & external stakeholders / partners to deliver plans & activities.
Internal: Customer Marketing Unit, Shopper Marketing Team, Innovation, Consumer Planning Teams, Sales Operations, Finance.


Only about 10 minutes from the Worcester North Cinemas, Flip Flops in Holden is a great way to kick off any night.
My husband and I were seated shortly after entering and our drink order was taken right away. In addition to our usual waters, the pumpkin-tini sounded delicious, and Scott was happy to know there was unsweetened iced tea. Both drinks exceeded expectations. The pumpkin-tini tasted like pumpkin pie and eggnog, while the tea was smooth and rich without any hint of tannin or bitterness.
The rest of the evening continued to be as excellent as the drinks.
We ordered the appetizer of Thai Sticky Wings, which, while very sticky and delicious, were more Asian-fusion inspired than Thai. There were eight meaty legs with crispy skin drenched in the honey hoisin sauce and covered with fresh scallions. Scott also ordered the Farmer’s Greens salad, which had portion enough to satisfy both of us. The dressing was an oil-based Cesar that packed a nutty, warm flavor. All the vegetables were fresh and crunchy, and the selection of greens was plenty.
For dinner, Scott ordered the fish tacos, which came out with a beautiful presentation and tasted as good as they looked. There was a sculpted pile of rice and beans strongly flavored with cilantro in the center of the plate. Around the rice and beans, three corn tortillas lay open with a beer-battered fish chunk on a dollop of cilantro and cream dressing and on top of that was a pile of the simply dressed and colorful cabbage slaw. The corn tortillas, as opposed to flour tortillas, gave the tacos more flavor and chew. The fish, sauce and slaw complemented each other perfectly in flavor and texture.  Like the rice and beans, the tacos had a burst of cilantro flavor. The slaw was also freshly made and only lightly dressed, lending a fresh crunch.
My dinner, the lobster ravioli special, however, pushed the dinner over the edge from great to amazing. Rather than stopping at ravioli stuffed with lobster in a creamy tomato-basil sauce, which alone could have been served at the $20 plate price, this dish also came with mussels, shrimp and scallops with a mound of sautéed spinach in the middle.  Not normally a fan of mussels, I intended to give them all to Scott, but I ate half because they were so good.  Sweet, not-at-all pungent, and very tender, they—along with the perfectly cooked shrimp and scallops—were only enhanced by the creamy sauce that could have passed for chowder in consistency and richness. If that weren’t enough, the ravioli were the cutest little fish shapes cut from stripes of regular and squid-ink pasta.  The lobster filling was just that, too. Pure lobster. There might have been a touch of cheese, but these little fishies were heavy with meat.
The menu also includes burgers and pizzas, which we decided we needed to try at a later time. We did answer the temptation of dessert. Scott ordered tiramisu, and I had a peanut-butter bomba (peanut-butter gelato in a chocolate shell with a layer of caramel between). The tiramisu was rich without being oversweet, and the bomba required sharing because it was so big and rich.
The total for the night, including beverages, was $68.30.  Considering the quality of the entire experience, it was worth every penny, and we’d happily return again. If you’re looking for a fun night out with some amazing food, you have to check out Flip Flops in Holden.


Is it still improper to have your elbows on the table when you are eating? I have two boys 9 & 10, who seem to think I'm crazy. Any other table manner advice you can give me would be well appreciated. I'm trying to raise our boys to have somewhat decent table manners.
For informal dining situations, it's okay to rest an elbow on the table if you're not actually eating. But, if you're eating, then only rest the forearm or wrist on the edge of the table. One doesn't want to be hunched over their food. At formal functions, no elbows on the dining table.
Tell your kids that table manners are more than about proper eating; it's about being kind and considerate of others. Also, tell them although you know that they are smart and nice, other people will judge them on how they appear. Having proper table manners is one way people judge others, and they wouldn't want people to think that they're yahoo's, do they?
1. Eat with a fork unless the food is meant to be eaten with fingers. Only babies eat with fingers.
2. Sit up and do not hunch over your plate; wrists or forearms can rest on the table, or hands on lap. You don't want to look like a Neanderthal.
3. Don't stuff your mouth full of food, it looks gross, and you could choke.
4. Chew with your mouth closed. No one wants to be grossed out seeing food being chewed up or hearing it being chomped on. This includes no talking with your mouth full.
5. Don't make any rude comments about any food being served. It will hurt someone's feelings.
6. Always say thank you when served something. Shows appreciation.
7. If the meal is not buffet style, then wait until everyone is served before eating. It shows consideration.
8. Eat slowly and don't gobble up the food. Someone took a long time to prepare the food, enjoy it slowly. Slowly means to wait about 5 seconds after swallowing before getting another forkful.
9. When eating rolls, tear off a piece of bread before buttering. Eating a whole piece of bread looks tacky.
10. Don't reach over someone's plate for something. Politely ask that the item to be passed to you. Shows consideration.
11. Do not pick anything out of your teeth, it's gross. If it bothers you that bad, excuse yourself and go to the restroom to pick.
12. Always use a napkin to dab your mouth, which should be on your lap when not in use. Remember, dab your mouth only. Do not wipe your face or blow your nose with a napkin, both are gross. Excuse yourself from the table and go the restroom to do those things.
13. When eating at someone's home or a guest of someone at a restaurant, always thank the host and tell them how much you enjoyed it. At least say that you liked the dinner or mention a specific item that was particularly tasty, i.e. the dessert was great. Again, someone took time, energy, and expense to prepare the food, so show your appreciation.


Please post a question and the code you have tried.
the main element should have two paragraph elements as children.
Question: The main element should have two paragraph elements as children.
Question: Create a second p element after the existing p element with the following kitty ipsum text:Purr jump eat the grass rip the couch scratched sunbathe, shed everywhere rip the couch sleep in the sink fluffy fur catnip scratched.
You have to reset the code and add a second

 element with the above Purr text and wrap the two paragraph elements inside the element.


I found the following problem on my Google+ account: In the image below, the total length of the blue line segments is equal to the total length of the green line segments. The segments form an angle of 60° among each other.
After a while of thinking, I found a nice proof of this phenomenon. It is probably the standard proof, and it also yields a lot of generalizations.
This generalizes to finitely many vectors which sum up to 0. E.g., we can take the sides of the following pentagram as vectors.
The corresponding result can be seen in the next figure.
Of course, a special case is 10 line segments with equal angle 36° between them.


This hack is done using a global telecom network called Signal System 7 (SS7). This helps phone carriers across the world route calls and texts. The flaws discovered by the German researchers are actually functions built into SS7 for other purposes – such as keeping calls connected as users speed down highways, switching from cell tower to cell tower. However, hackers worked out a way to repurpose the features for surveillance because of the lax security on the network.
These include keeping calls connected as users speed down highways, switching from cell tower to cell tower. The program sent an iPhone to congressman Ted Lieu, a member of the House Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Information Technology. He agreed to use the phone knowing it would be hacked by Security Research Labs in Berlin - and the results were surprising.
Using the congressman's new phone number, the hackers accessed a flaw in SS7, a global network that connects phone carriers. They were then able to access almost everything on his phone, including listening to and recording calls, tracking his movement and viewing his contacts. Karsten Nohl, one of the hackers who cracked Lieu's phone, said that all phones were at risk.
'[We can] track their whereabouts, know where they go for work, which other people they meet when. 'You can spy on whom they call and what they say over the phone. And you can read their texts.' This hack is done using a global telecom network called Signal System 7 (SS7).
This helps phone carriers across the world route calls and texts However, hackers worked out a way to repurpose the features for surveillance because of the lax security on the network. The Berlin-based Security Research Lab, which discovered the problem last August, said a skilled person could exploit the flaws to eavesdrop on the phone calls, text messages and data traffic of billions of people. 'It's increasingly clear that SS7, first designed in the 1980s, is riddled with serious vulnerabilities that undermine the privacy of the world's billions of cellular customers,' said when it first uncovered flaws in the system earlier this year. Experts say it is one of the biggest threat to privacy breaches the world has ever seen. 60 Minutes points out that most hackers don’t go through SS7 to hack your device. The show interviewed Lookout Security cofounder John Hering, who highlights some of the other ways that hackers can get access to a phone. One technique was creating a ghost version of a hotel Wi-Fi system.
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Download Tutorial Autocad 2014 Bahasa Indonesia Job. Criminals, commercial spies and suspected terrorists are allegedly exploiting the security loophole for their own benefit by accessing the system. The flaws discovered by the German researchers are actually functions built into SS7 for other purposes 'It looks very legitimate.
So you're connected?,' says Hering. Sharyn Alfonsi, the 60 minutes reporters, say: 'I am. Navionics Cracked Ipa on this page. ' Hering: 'And I have your email.
Last year,, performed the same SS7 hack and showed it was able to intercept calls, steal data and geo-track someone's location. The investigation followed a phone conversation between the reporter speaking from Germany and Independent senator Nick Xenophon, who was at the Parliament House in Canberra at the time. With the help from German hacker Luca Melette, who works as a consultant in security agencies, he demonstrated the process of tracking and bugging vulnerability of smartphones by tapping into SS7. 'What if I could tell you senator, that it's possible to listen in to any mobile phone from anywhere in the world - would you believe me?' Reporter Ross Coulthart asked as the hacker listened on.
But Mr Xenophon responded: 'I find it very hard to believe.' Mr Coulhart went on to ask the senator for consent to have their conversation recorded, in which Mr Xenophon said: This seems like science fiction, I don't believe they can pull it off.