Dear People of the World (formerly Dear Americans)

I saw the dragon there, in Henoko, Okinawa prefecture, southernmost chain of the islands in Japan.

You might not believe that. This is the proof.

Yes, it looked like rainbow. But the sea is known to be sacred place for the dragon. The locals worship it and established a shrine on the sea coast.

Recently the dragon seems not very comfortable living there because of construction project going on his or her place. On the sea coast is US Marine training camp base, Camp Schwab. There is a plan to expand the base by reclaiming the sea where he/she lives.

 

The locals oppose the plan because their environment would be deteriorated as well. However, US military and the Japanese government never mind local resisitance movement.

 

Will he/she leave as the things are? I doubt it.

 

The sea reminds me of what I experienced 3 years ago in Kaminoseki, Yamaguchi prefecture in the mainland of Japan. Actually I learnt about that town when I joined environment activists meeting in Henoko. I met Kaminoseki activists who protest the construction project that reclaims the sea to build nuclear power plants there. They did the same things as locals in Henoko do, kayaking the sea to prevent construction work from proceeding.  

So I visited Kaminoseki later. There I saw the same scene.

Activists on the beach calling for the halt of the project but the authorities and power company never minded their voices. The project was about to be proceeded and the beach might be destroyed sooner.

I felt something when I was on the beach. I sympathized, and then prayed to call for the help.

 

Two weeks later a big earthquake and tsunami occurred in Fukushima. 4 nuke plants were destroyed by the nature and massive radioactives were released to the environment.

 

Now the construction is halted in Kaminoseki (not yet terminated.) No nuke plants are operated in Japan at present.

 

In that town, there enshrined the sea dragon.

 

Was it just an coincident? I just don’t think so. That is why I’ve been feeling fear.

 

I went to the cinema last night. It was a late show that starts 9 PM.

I was not particulary interested in the story of the film. I was only interested in music played in the film. One of the songs, I dream a dream, has caused a sensation recently by a British middle aged singer, Susan Boyle.

The story was about a man who escaped from probation and became a burgalar but later turned into an innocent man and tried to save others.

"Les Miserables" means "Poor people" in French. The story took place in an era of post-French revolution civil war in 19th century. People who are desperate, and in despair because of condition they were in.

I just could not get what messages the story delivers to the audience. The story goes on like a revue.

I just guess it tells life is not easy. You can't easily overcome. Even though you are desperate to change the world better, things cannot move as it should.

You should just be patient or keep dreaming. Dreams that never come true.

Does it mean we all live in hell and be as we are?

Yes, we are all "Les Miserables."

What happened to her? She was only at the age of 48.

She was a big star for me since I was in high school. My most favorite song was "I want to dance with somebody" and "Love is a contact sport."

In 1988 and 1989, I went to her rock concert held in Fukuoka where I used to live.

I enjoyed the concert very much. From a far away seat, I could notice her tall and slender figure. Her voice was just beautiful. When the words like "I love you" was heard from the spectators, she responded by saying "I LOVE YOU, too" and "I wish I could speak Japanese."

I remember what she said in the interview with Japanese music magazine at that time.

"I cannot be an actress in America because I am Black woman. There is no offer for Black woman."

But later she made her successful actress in the movie "Bodyguard" co-starring with Kevin Costner.

In that film she not only did great act but she sang great songs with great voice.

I can no longer hear her singing, dancing and acting. That is so sad to know.  

Gomeifuku-wo-oinorishimasu (Japanese way of praying for the dead people with respect. Literary it means "I pray for the happiness in the heaven.")

"Uptown Girl" is my favorite song sung by famous U.S. pop star, Billy Joel.

I recently heard the song again and then came up with new novel idea.

The title is "Uptown Girl."

The story is a daughter of big auto maker owner got out of boring party and stopped by a small bar.

She met a young bartender in a bar. They were alone and talking each other. He was surprised with her outfit which was unusual in the atmosphere of the bar. She wore high-class dress and pearl neckless.

They made friends each other and heard Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl" together. They felt kind of mutual with the song.

Next week the uptown girl met a bartender in the factory of her father's company. She worked as a regular worker in the company. But he was a a temporary worker dispatched from a greedy temporary help company. The temporary help company's main shareholder was in fact her father's auto maker. The aim of outsourcing was to avoid taking responsibility as employer so that the company didn't have to hire workers as regular worker. They never have to raise salaries and provide safe and secured environment and it is easy to lay off.

He worked under severe condition. He decided to form a union with his colleagues in the temporary help company.

She met him again and learnt what he was doing. She was shocked to hear how her father's company treated workers to boost profit. She found out how she had been spoiled and known nothing about what was happening in real world.

Then she decided to join his activity to better the condition of the factory workers.

The bartender had a dream of creating a great hybrid engine. He studied it but was never accepted because of lack of academic background.

The story is actually not only inspired by the song but real social issue of the world. How the rich people exploit working class people's labor.

I don't know how Billy Joel came up with the lyric of the song but it surely reflects class gap issue in the world, not only in the U.S and Japan but the rest of the world. It is recently getting serious as the economy went bad so a lot of corporations have to lay off so many workers.

But class gap is in fact the result of capitalist economy system as German economist Karl Marx described.

Maybe we can think about that by listening to the song. The song was created by Billy Joel but is also covered by British singers, Westlife.

Uptown Girl by Billy Joel

Uptown Girl by Westlife

This one is good covered version as well.