MY DAY AT NOKODAI

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Pearl and I today journeyed to Tokyo University of A&T (Nokodai) in Koganei to meet with old friends, many who spent assignments in Hawaii. The top photo shows us with Vice President Matsunaga, who was the first International Professor for the Blue Revolution. The next time we see him, perhaps, President Matsunaga.

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The lower photo is Matsunaga with Dean Akinori Koukitu. I presented a one hour lecture on SIMPLE SOLUTIONS. Rather than the usual PowerPoint format, I utilized a town-hall meeting to gain the participation of the audience. My blog page and Huffington Post articles were connected via the internet, so I was able to refer to key postings and topics. A key point I wanted to stress was that each individual can make a difference if change is desired.

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Just because our national government has a certain policy (such as promoting ethanol or opposing global warming) is not reason enough for supporting your country. If you think something is not right, do something about it. The Japan Times today quoted David Suzuki (who was recently polled as the greatest living Canadian):

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In Japan: 'there's a tremendous sense of social conformity, a reluctance to say anything that might get someone upset, or to disagree; that kind of conformity is crippling, because it does not give you an opportunity to change or try other things, when that change is neeeded.'

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This is generally true also in America, and probably rest of the world. On global warming, for example, politics have determined U.S. policy. Same for ethanol, which is misguided.

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All went reasonably well and, I trust, a few in the audience will be motivated to initiate necessary change. The presentation was followed by a campus reception, then dinner at a fabulous Italian restaurant (Primi Baci) in Kichijoji.

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My blog site has now been visited by 64 countries. I'm almost one third there, for there are close to 200 countries.

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The Dow Jones Industrials jumped $119 to 8076, bit lower for the week. Oil is surging again, up nearly $2/barrel to $51.55, while gold also increased, $9/toz to $914.

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