blog - What I want to say

I finished a book "Leadership On the Line", which is a quite wonderful book! So, I'd like to first describe what I learned and will learn from this book on this blog. After that, a grand plan for my career, my commitment for rock-climbing, the relation between Barack Obama and me, Politics and History, future dreams, Accounting and IT, and so forth, I will mention here.

blog - Terrible Weight

My weight is not good. I've been trying to loose weight below 59kg, but still it's over 61kg (sometimes 60kg marked). Well, that's because maybe more muscle is equipped relatively than before, but in any case this figure is unacceptable. To win the coming competition, 58kg body must be earned.

Yesterday and today, I took alcohol. That should be blamed by the god of rock-climbing. Also I ate some bunch of meat (pork) under the urgent appetite of meat. To be healthier and live long, meat must be avoided as much as possible. On non-carbohydrate days, then what I should take in?

Well, rock-climbing challenges me in terms of nutritional excellence. I must overcome any unnecessary food habits. My physical body must be like iron. Fat should be gone. And at the same time, my spirit and passion should be energetic all days.

A challenge is coming.

blog - Chanllenges: Investment

I lost a lot of money in the process of the financial crisis. Actually, I don't loose anything though, my once huge profit is totally gone. But know this the world. I never abandon hope.

So, at the beginning of the year, I put this area's activity onto my resolutions. I'll rebuild my weakened portfolio (my portfolio is constituted mainly by Chinese stocks) by intensively evaluating bargain priced stocks.

And I still have an ambitious target that I will make 100 million yen through investing. That might have been a likely possible one, but at this very tough time though, I still remain faithful in the value investment method and the true meaning of capitalism.

I hold faith in the basic mechanism of money.

blog - Challenges: Leadership

A business trip I had in August 2008 made me think of leadership. I met a leader who was speaking about leadership and the life of strength. I was attracted and moved by him. I realized the sense of leadership.

One who are in his thirties should focus on honing his leadership, that's my opinion. At an organization, at a some group that you belong, at a PTA (Parents T... Association), you need leadership at a time when you want change. When you want to change something to its rightful place, when you want to make something better.

Leadership is what you need to get in to yourself. What if you don't wear this ability at work, with your family or with your friends? You should. You'd better. You must. And You can attain your leadership through the activity that you are willing to learn something new, something tough. A danger makes you tough, a greater leader. This should be kept in your mind.

Leadership, I should have.

blog - Challenges: Service

Obama opened up my mind. The sense of service and sacrifice is my target for 2009 and for my life. That's required in a today's world, especially for a person who has a wish of a better world. Then, I decided at the beginning of this year that I would make a donation 10 thousand yen a month. I did...

January: 10,000 yen to WikiPedia

February: 10,000 yen to WikiPedia

March: 10,000 yen to TBD

Service has a big meaning to me. Obama proved that he engaged in public with a selfless manner. I concern about the status of our nation's politics for far too long. If you have some kind of thought that you think you should do, you do it. Following the teaching, I move forward. I will put my service into the world.

The world is.

blog - Challenges: Change and Love!

I made a new year's resolution. That consisted of 7 parts. That is, English, Business, Climbing, Change and Love, Service, Leadership, and Investment. The most conspicuous thing is this; Change and Love...

I thought that Change is needed. Inspired by Barack Obama, the president of the United States of America, I sensed that change is also needed inside me, as well as in the world. I had undesireable things that had continued existing inside me for so long time, a portion such as fear or status quo. I must have thought my 2009 should be the year of Change and Hope. I'm going to follow the principle and his voice...

Change can bring new things to the government, the politics, and our lives. We can change our lives. We can start new things such as donating to some NPO, training our strengths, loving our friends. And Love, that can bring to us a new sense of resurgence and happiness. That surely makes us move to the next step. I'm happy to have this sense of, in the future, having a strong bond with somebody. I can see that actually.

Important thing, make you honest toward your own sense, past, present, and future.

blog - Challenges: Climbing

I'm a already good climber. I can send a 5.12a route and for bouldering, I can pass the first grade problem. Through its training, I have achieved unbelievable physical strength and mental power. My body is unmatched, and my mind is much stronger. It has been advanced according to a plan.

Now, I face a challenge. My next target is too high. That requires much more efforts and much more strengths. I need to train my body and my mind. A single arm pull up must be done easily, although I have not done yet despite three year effort. Fingers and arms I must put strength to. I will make them meet the demand of a higher grade.

Physical, mental, technique, and nutrition are keys to moving forward to the next step. I need to loose my weight below 59kg. I need to set concrete targets and achieve them for certain. Yes. I will have a competition in April, so I'm gonna win the first prize, making a revenge of the previous competition where I won the second prize.

Surely, I will devote myself to the rock-climbing area.

blog - Challenges: Business

I started a job-related activity (searching a new job) at the start of February. I visited several job consultant agencies, and applied for several opportunities. I failed once a position from one of the biggest software vendors in the world. The position fascinated me in terms of the product (the great CRM package) and the challenging work (Program Manager at R&D department). 

The failure made me disappointed, but soon I recovered and realized that the position requires a pure technical person. I have preference toward technologies of course, but it's not the one that meets the demand of the world class R&D position. For this several years, I've been putting a lot of efforts in other than technical area, such as business and English. So, I can accept the disappointed result as the world reflects truth.

But my journey's still going on. I'm now taking several opportunities ranging from Technical Support Engineer and Internal Project Manager to Project Manager at another largest IT vendor. Noticed by the failure for the previous opportunity, I started honing my technical skills once more. I'm reading a pro C# book, reading a network architecture, and preparing for my new project (which is that I build my own new service on the Internet).

A challenge makes my stronger and more enthusiastic.

blog - Challenges: English

As you know, English has been one of my biggest challenges in my professional life. As Japanese, I always feel learning English is quite tough for us. Lately, the irregularity of pronunciation annoys me so much! (e.g. why the intonation is different between offer and occur??)

But, the situation is changing. The hard push is making an impossible thing possible. Attaining 690 points on GMAT, I'm getting to be better off little by little, day after day. And these days, many times I am judged fluent in English, although it's far from native's.

Time and again, I struggled and depressed myself by the fact that I had not achieved my desirable target. Time and again, I felt powerless, helpless, and incompetent. But always, undaunted hope and unflinching determination have lifted me up from the darkness. Always.

Then I can conclude. I always struggle, fight, and accomplish. Something I accomplish.

Activity, job related

I've started job related activity since the beginning of February. I failed an opportunity, which was what I thought I'd really liked to do for for the first time. But understand, I'll never ever give my dream up for a petty expedience sake.

Through the process, I came to make firm my career plan. I realized what I truly want to do. Guided by the speech spoken by the greatest president ever, I found myself in a position to pursue my desirable happiness.

I had been feeling that there would be a nicer place for me. Rather, there would be a place where I exert more leadership, more courage, more technical excellence, and more enthusiasm. Feeling those kinds of thought, I decided something. I'll change my job again.

A life itself is amazing. A challenge itself is exciting. But the most important thing is what you can make realize in your life, what you do as much as possible in your life, what you put on your life. There must be various options in your life, but the range of possibility should be focused, and you need to begin your own journey especially in your thirties.

That's what I began in my thirties.

"The Leadership Challenge"

This is a kind of textbook. I can't see there any passion or any so-called big enlightenment, but this type of book brings to us a benefit of organizing thoughts. Here is the list of elements of how leadership works.

The Five Practices and Ten Commitments of Leadership

1. Model the Way

    - Clarify values by finding your voice and affirming shared ideals.

    - Set the example by aligning actions with shared values.

2. Inspire a Shared Vision

    - Envision the future by imagining exciting and ennobling possibilities.

    - Enlist others in a common vision by appealing to shared aspirations.

3. Challenge the Process

    - Search for opportunities by seizing the initiative and by looking outward for innovative ways to improve.

    - Experiment and take risks by constantly generating small wins and learning from experience.

4. Enable Others to Act

    - Foster collaboration by building trust and facilitating relationships.

    - Strengthen others by increasing self-determination and developing competence.

5. Encourage the Heart

    - Recognize contributions by showing appreciation for individual excellence.

    - Celebrate the values and victories by creating a spirit of community.

That's it.

essay - GMAT: Argument 38

The following appeared as part of an article in the business section of a local newspaper:

Motorcycle X has been manufactured in the United States for more than 70 years. Although one foreign company has copied the motorcycle and is selling it for less, the company has failed to attract motorcycle X customers?some say because its product lacks the exceptionally loud noise made by motorcycle X. But there must be some other explanation. After all, foreign cars tend to be quieter than similar American-made cars, but they sell at least as well. Also, television advertisements for motorcycle X highlight its durability and sleek lines, not its noisiness, and the ads typically have voice-overs or rock music rather than engine-roar on the sound track.

Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.

Answer:
The author of the article asserts that the reason why the company selling a similar motorcycle to Motorcycle X fails to gain popularity is not because the product, which is a copy product of Motorcycle X, doesn't produce exhaust sound. Supposedly, only the characteristic that makes different from Motorcycle X is the sound. The reasons that the author introduces are, first, that the difference in noise doesn't make sense in automobile, and second, that the advertisement of Motorcycle X doesn't appeal any noisy characteristics. His argument, however, has serious flaws, and thereby it fails to convince the readers of the newspaper.

First of all, the author fails to establish connection between the reasons that he cites and the unpopularity of the product that the foreign company manufactures. That is, the symptom in cars doesn't have a direct link with the one in motorcycles, and the fact that the Motorcycle X's advertisement doesn't stress the sound nature doesn't necessarily mean that the induction that the lack of similar sound of the counter product is denied. Therefore, to strengthen the argument, the authors should have showed a direct causal relationship between his premises and the symptom.

The biggest problem from a writing structural point of view is that the article lacks a conclusion. He says that the possible cause is not a good explanation for the situation, but he doesn't show any reason that he thinks of as a major cause. He should have at least mentioned his opinion at the article.

In conclusion, his reasoning is weak because of the reasons that he cites, and above all, his reasoning lacks the conclusion, and thereby it is not considered a good argument.

essay - GMAT: Argument 37

The following appeared in an article in a college departmental newsletter:

Professor Taylor of Jones University is promoting a model of foreign language instruction in which students receive 10 weeks of intensive training, then go abroad to live with families for 10 weeks. The superiority of the model, Professor Taylor contends, is proved by the results of a study in which foreign language tests given to students at 25 other colleges show that first-year foreign language students at Jones speak more fluently after only 10 to 20 weeks in the program than do nine out of 10 foreign language majors elsewhere at the time of their graduation.

Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.

Answer:
The article concludes that the method of foreign language instruction developed by the professor of Jones University is superior to any other programs that other universities have. The reason that the argument stands on is a study conducted at 25 universities showing that students at Jones have abilities of speaking more fluently than other students at other universities. The reasoning, however, has several serous flaws, and thereby fails to make it convincing.

First, and most important, the argument completely ignores a significant difference between a nature of the promoting program and the others, which is considered a major defect of the study. That is, the program that the article supports has a kind of special treatment which is to live abroad for 10 weeks. Supposedly, not all other programs have this kind of special investment that typically costs a large amount of money. This means that the study represents just a result of the students' proficiency, not a superiority of the programs.

Second, we need to scrutinize what proficiencies the study was intended to figure out. The article says that the students can speak more fluently, but what is the definition of speaking fluently? Does the study not focus on a grammatical aspect or not judge the preciousness? Since the article doesn't show this kind of information, we can't measure the level of the students at Jones, and judge whether the instruction method is superior or not.

Finally, we must cast a doubt on reliability of the survey. Since the article doesn't provide any specific information concerning the method of the survey or the interviewed group, we can't ensure whether the survey was properly conducted. What if students at Jones University were all from the country that the surveyed foreign language is spoken? What if students at the other universities take the foreign language courses as a second chose language class, which means that they don't fully focus on the classes? Unless the article shows reliability of the study, we are not in a position to approve that the instruction method has superiority.

In conclusion, for reasons that I mentioned above, the author of the article fails to convince the readers to regard the instruction method as superior one. To make the argument convincing, the author must at least show the detailed information of the study and then perform reasonable comparison that can make the readers find the method superior.

essay - GMAT: Argument 36

The following appeared as part of a recommendation from the financial planning office to the administration of Fern Valley University:

In the past few years, Fern Valley University has suffered from a decline in both enrollments and admissions applications. The reason can be discovered from our students, who most often cite poor teaching and inadequate library resources as their chief sources of dissatisfaction with Fern Valley. Therefore, in order to increase the number of students attending our university, and hence to regain our position as the most prestigious university in the greater Fern Valley metropolitan area, it is necessary to initiate a fund-raising campaign among the alumni that will enable us to expand the range of subjects we teach and to increase the size of our library facilities.

Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.

Answer:
The author of the recommendation says that Fern Valley University should entice contributions from alumni and invest the money in increasing the number of subjects and the size of its library in order to tackle a recent decline of the number of admissions and enrollments. The premise that the author stands on is a voice of the students saying that teaching is poor and the library resources are inadequate. His reasoning, however, has a significant flaw.

His flaw is that his proposal won't solve issues that the university has. That is, first, whereas the students appoint poor teaching, his proposal suggests expansion of the number of subjects. Will expanding the number of subjects solve students' dissatisfaction toward poor teaching? Probably not. It's precisely because students don't mention the number of subjects as their complain, and mainly because the heart of the problem lies with other places. Improper methods of teaching, a poor system of sharing information among faculty about the status of students, or simply, unhappy and inertia teachers complaining low salaries might be the problem for instance. Therefore, it's plausible that his proposed solution won't achieve his target.

Although his second proposed solution is to increase the size of the library facilities, this will also fail to reach the heart of the problem with a high possibility. The students mention inadequate library resources, not the size of the library. They possibly concern about the balance of genre, or maybe the obsolescent books. Therefore, simply increasing the size of the library and books won't solve the problem with a high prospective.

In conclusion, his proposal is inadequate for combating problems that the university has been suffering from. To make a convincing proposal, the author, in the first place, needs to analyze the root causes again and develop solutions that directly reach the heart of the problems.

essay - GMAT: Issue 42

The best way to preserve the natural environment is to impose penalties?whether fines, imprisonment, or other punishments?on those who are most responsible for polluting or otherwise damaging it.

Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the opinion expressed above. Support your point of view with reasons and/or examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.

Answer:
I don't agree with the remark saying that punishment is the best way to preserve natural environment. I, surely, think of it as a way of achieving preservation of natural environment, but it is just one way, not the best way.

Punishment is not a way to reach a heart of problems. Instead, the best way to preserve natural environment is, I believe, to educate people, or in other words, get people fully aware of the imminent troubles. Admittedly, some people restrain themselves from damaging environment if they know they are fined by doing so. What we should recognize is, however, that some people will come up with a sort of loophole to avoid the punishment. And, needless to say, awakened people don't need such punishment in order to discipline themselves. Therefore, I contend that punishment should not be focused; what should be focused is to enlighten people.

Moreover, difficult and realistic problems will appear if the strengthened punishment policy were to be introduced. How to define the scheme of punishment? How to detect the deficiencies? I know that it's relatively easy to measure the amount of noxious wastes from industrial plants, but I bet that it's quite difficult to do so for households. How we can reduce unnecessary wastes and protect our planet is up to people's awareness. Wars have almost disappeared because of people's awareness of the dangerousness and meaninglessness. Racial descrimination has almost been conquered because of people's awareness of what is right, not the penarties.

In sum, although I agree with the opinion that imposing penalties is one of approaches to preserve natural environment, my belief tells me what is more important; people's awareness toward the pressing deteriorating future that we should prevent from happening.

essay - GMAT: Issue 41

With the increasing emphasis on a global economy and international cooperation, people need to understand that their role as citizens of the world is more important than their role as citizens of a particular country.

Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the opinion stated above. Support your views with reasons and/or examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.

Answer:
The remark is oversimplified. Which is important between a role of being a global citizen and a role of being a citizen in a local community varies with situations and contexts where the citizenship is focused.

It's surely true that the world is connected, globalism surges rapidly, and we face unprecedented crises that require international cooperation. The world is connected in terms of both logical distances and political bonds. The Internet and the end of the Cold War make it happen. As a result, globalism becomes the most remarkable aspect in living in the contemporary era. Besides, such as the recent financial crisis that happened from a bankruptcy of Leman Brothers in U.S., crises that we have never seen before urge us to combat them worldwide cooperatively. This movement can not stop, and thereby the importance of being a global citizen increases according to the time being.

On the other hand, the importance of being one of members of local communities and countries never diminishes. Rather, according that globalism advances, the importance grows. To take an important role in global contexts, you must know your country and represent it as a kind of an envoy. To make the world better, you should first contribute to your local community and serve it as a volunteer. And, the development of your local community and country makes it happen that the world consisting of each country enjoys the prosperity.

To sum up, the remark saying that a role of being a global citizen is more important than a role of a citizen in own countries is completely nonsense, because the argument varies with the contexts, and ultimately both of them are important.

essay - GMAT: Issue 40

It is difficult for people to achieve professional success without sacrificing important aspects of a fulfilling personal life.

Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the opinion stated above. Support your views with reasons and/or examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.

Answer:
I, in general, agree with the remark that a certain amount of personal sacrifice is required to achieve success in the professional life. Surely, not-so-hard achievements can be easily attained without any sacrifices. However, for a great success or an unprecedented achievement, I have reached this conclusion by general deduction and personal observations and experiences.

My principle says that if you want something difficult to achieve, you need to sacrifice something commensurate with what you want. I lately read an article about Codolesa Rice, who is the secretary of state of the United States of America, a young black brilliantly smart woman, which says that she pitched in very hard to achieve the success studying in schools twice as much as others. Besides, we can easily observe that all people who are known for great achievements in history actually sacrificed something, and thereby they spent their lives completely different from others. Edison, an inventor of an electricity bulb, achieved his success saying 99 percent of perspiration is important.

My personal experience also supports the remark. When I achieved something such as winning a big deal in business, I always sacrificed a part of my personal life. I refrained myself from drinking alcohol or going out with my friends. I shortened my sleeping time instead to devote in study. And, I'm sure that I will in the future sacrifice something to achieve my targets. It's because I know that without the sense of sacrifice people cannot realize their dreams at all.

At the same time, we don't need to sacrifice what we can do without sacrificing. I mean, we don't necessarily need to leave our families behind in order to make success in professional lives. We don't need to give up our important activities such as exercising or volunteering at any cases. We can see all the President of the United States of America had and have their families and spent a certain amount of time with them. We can see many competent professionals have their hobbies or their volunteer work. Although a great power comes with a great responsibility, it's not necessarily the case that we always give up our important activities in order to achieve great successes.

To sum up, I generally agree with the claim that professional success requires personal sacrifice, although there are exceptions that we can enjoy both of them at the same time.

essay - GMAT: Issue 39

Courtesy is rapidly disappearing from everyday interactions, and as a result, we are all the poorer for it.

From your perspective, is this an accurate observation? Why or why not? Explain, using reasons and/or examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.

Answer:
I don't think that courtesy is disappearing and we are getting poorer for it. Courtesy is still alive and is thriving as a depth of our civilization advances, and people are getting more polite and compassionate little by little. I'll show my belief toward courtesy and mention how it has been changing through the time.

Courtesy is a kind of oil which makes our interactions better. When people put oil to a machinery device, the machine works better, for the oil makes the cogs and levers inside the machine smooth. Courtesy works as oil does. Anywhere people communicate with others, courtesy is needed to have good communication. People meet their neighbors in the morning, and they greet each other with courtesy. People have meetings with their business partners, and they negotiate and discuss with courtesy in order to build a win-win relationship which is only a way to make the deal thriving. If courtesy were not there, people hate each other and as a result, they devastate themselves as well as their opponents. And courtesy has been developed according that the time goes by. People have acquired it through the development in their civilization and humanity, because they knew that it was critically necessary to develop a good shape of the world.

At the same time, as the speaker concerns, advance of human beings brings bad aspects in terms of communication. The Internet brought us evolutionary methods to communicate, but it also brought us fewer opportunities to communicate with others in person. Industrization brought us exquisite convenience to live out, but it also brought us solidarity which is caused by the useful lives. And as a result, it may be said that people face a possibility that they undermine their ability to communicate with the others. I believe, however, that good aspects of our evolution overcome bad aspects of it. Therefore, people continuously develop their courtesy as a tool of better communication and as a result, people enjoy their development of humanity and prosperity.

To sum up, the opinion that courtesy is diminishing and people are getting poorer at courtesy is apparently exaggerated. It is just a small aspect of our whole nature. In my belief, people continue developing their ability of communication including courtesy and will enjoy better lives with courtesy.

essay - GMAT: Issue 38

Since science and technology are becoming more and more essential to modern society, schools should devote more time to teaching science and technology and less to teaching the arts and humanities.

Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the opinion stated above. Support your views with reasons and/or examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.

Answer:
I totally disagree with the opinion that teaching science and technology in schools is more important than teaching arts and humanities today. The speaker premises that contemporary societies require science and technology more and more, but arts and humanities, I believe, are also vital in today's society.

I agree with the statement that teaching science and technology is important, but it is not what can be compared with the importance of teaching arts and morals. Nowadays, it is said that the world is connected by our science in terms of the emergence of the Internet and the progress of globalism. At the same time, however, we can also say that arts and the sense of humanity can connect every place in our world with each other. In my belief, as the level of civilization advances, interests of people expand toward various areas such as arts, music, and sports. In this sense, although science and technology are necessary to teach in schools, it is not necessarily the case that teaching arts and ethics can be underestimated.

People can develop their cultural senses through being familiar with arts. Visiting art museums and enjoying sophisticated paintings, for instance, is a good way to cultivate spirit. In the sense, teaching arts and making students to equip themselves with an ability of enjoying arts is essential in today's world.

Humanity is an indispensable piece in living in today's tightly connected world. After 9.11, it can be observed that the world became a place difficult to live safely, but if I could find out something that could be clue to solving the intricate world, I would say that it is education of humanity. People have to learn the way of living with people who have different religion or belief. People have to learn the sense of compassion in order to remake the world a safe place to live. Teaching humanity is one of the most important factors to make it possible.

To sum up, I believe that teaching arts and humanities are still important, or getting more and more important, in today's world, while science and technology are also necessary. Arts and humanities help people spend better lives and connect themselves with each other.

essay - GMAT: Issue 37

Businesses and other organizations have overemphasized the importance of working as a team. Clearly, in any human group, it is the strong individual, the person with the most commitment and energy, who gets things done.

Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the opinion stated above. Support your views with reasons and/or examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.

Answer:
I totally disagree with the opinion that working as a team is much inferior to the power of individuals. Working as a team is the most essential for almost all enterprises, even though the importance of individual ability remains unchanged. I'd like to describe the importance of the team below, mentioning differences in various industries and the size of corporations.

Admittedly, the importance of the role of individuals varies with the industries. That is, enterprises providing a certain professional service such as law services and medical cares might not need the strength of forming team as much as the other types of business. A super intelligent attorney can bring big profits to the company, because courts are places where a few attorneys work at any given time. Almost all enterprises, however, need a power of teamwork, because almost all work that the company needs to perform requires a certain amount of employees; in other words, an individual can affect a limited influence. How does a factory of automobiles operate? How does a product such as a candy bar appear in front of customers? Tens and hundreds, or thousands, people need to work as a team to perform a very single task in the business function. In the environment, what an individual can do is limited, and above all, emphasis on individualism should not disturb the sense of cooperation that is essential to form a great team.

A size of the corporation might also be one factor of determining the degree of influence of teams. At a small business, certainly, a competent person can make a big change on the company, because the individual can do a certain work affecting the outcome of the business, and the influence of the individual reaches out a certain degree in the company. On the other hand, at big corporations such as Fortune 500 companies, the range that an individual can affect is limited. Thus, for the employees, it becomes important to work as a team rather than tend to exert his individual influence. From my personal experience, I have worked for both sizes of corporation. At a middle-sized company, I could enjoy my personal significance, while at a big-sized company that I currently belong to, I know the limitation of my personal influence and try to maximize the power of the team that I belong to.

In conclusion, my belief shows that working as a team is much more important than exerting personal influence at any organizations. Although the degree depends on the type and size of the business to some extent, how we work effectively and efficiently as a team will make a big difference for all companies.