Japan, the Empire of Mutants!

I witnessed the Japanese robotics R&D constant research in Japan for the last ten years, and recently, I was in Tsukuba to see the little ancestor of H.A.L. Well reality is up here now as a robotic suit that reads brain signals and helps people with mobility problems will be available to rent in Japan for € 1600, in a month time. Now isn't it a prodigious civilian invention? *



An invention that may have far-reaching benefits for the disabled and elderly. HAL - short for "hybrid assistive limb" - is a computerized suit with sensors that read brain signals directing limb movement through the skin.

The 22 pound (10 kilogram) battery-operated computer system is belted to the waist. It captures the brain signals and relays them to mechanical leg braces strapped to the thighs and knees, which then provide robotic assistance to people as they walk. Japan, the Empire of Mutants as I had written a few years ago in the French press magazine.

* Two Japanese particle physicists were awarded the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physics on Tuesday for discovering the origin of the broken symmetry that predicts the existence of at least three families of quarks in nature. They shared the prize with an American who discovered the mechanism of spontaneous broken symmetry in subatomic physics. It is the first time Japanese scientists have shared the same prize. The winners are Makoto Kobayashi, 64, executive director of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science in Tokyo, and Toshihide Masukawa, 68, professor at Kyoto Sangyo University in Kyoto, and Yoichiro Nambu, 87, professor emeritus at the University of Chicago, who is a naturalized American.

Quand la Chine "empoisonne" ses voisins

Des pesticides ont été employés par des industriels chinois tourmentant la chaîne alimentaire par l'imposition de fongicides (fongicides industriels), et autres insecticides, rongicides. Bilan, toute l'Asie est frappée. Des amis chinois me disent leur colère face au scandale. Les chiffres des hospitalisations en Chine seraient largement sous estimés. Crise du mal-développement, avec les effets habituels que sont la surproduction et le mépris des règles élémentaires de bonne gouvernance. Tandis que les foules nationalistes de Chine célèbrent la conquête spatiale, les retours sur terre sont un peu moins glorieux.



Après le scandale du lait frelaté qui a secoué la Chine, la liste des pays ayant décidé de suspendre des importations de produits laitiers chinois ou de les retirer de leur marché s'allonge: Aux Philippines, après la découverte de traces de mélamine dans des boissons lactées d'origine chinoises, deux produits commercialisés sous les marques Yili et Mengniu ont été retirés des rayons après avoir été clandestinement introduits dans l'archipel. Auparavant, le Brunei, le Cambodge, l'Indonésie, la Malaisie, Singapour, le Vietnam et Taïwan avaient interdit les importations de produits laitiers chinois, certains étendant l'interdiction à l'ensemble des produits contenant du lait, dont les chocolats.

Au Japon, une entreprise agroalimentaire a retiré du marché des milliers de petits pains, fabriqués avec du lait fourni par Yili. L'Australie, qui n'importe pas de produits laitiers de Chine, a ordonné une inspection des petits magasins vendant des produits asiatiques pour détecter d'éventuels produits confectionnés à partir de lait frelaté chinois. Quatre produits ont été retirés de la vente: le thé au lait de la marque Kirin, les bonbons White Rabbit, des confiseries chocolatées fabriquées en Chine par le britannique Cadbury et des biscuits de la marque Koala. La Nouvelle-Zélande a retiré de la vente les bonbons "White rabbit".

La Corée du Sud et la Thaïlande ont indiqué avoir lancé un contrôle de tous les produits laitiers chinois. Les autorités sanitaires de Séoul ont découvert des traces de mélamine dans des confiseries M&M's et des barres chocolatées Snickers (groupe Mars) ainsi que dans des barres chocolatées Kit&Kat importées depuis l'usine Nestlé de Tianjin en Chine. Mars a indiqué procéder au rappel de ses deux produits incriminés. La Birmanie, proche alliée de la Chine, prévoit de saisir et de détruire le lait en poudre chinois importé par mesure de précaution. Le Bangladesh a interdit la vente de trois marques de lait en poudre importées de Chine.

Oil shock? Use rice as a gasoline!

In a period of energy restriction, food crisis and limitations of food self-sufficiency in many countries, I just went to Niigata city on the Japan Sea coast with the Foreign Press Center press tour as I heard about some high-tech development for wise consumption and for the energy and the automotive industry. What a surprise when I saw the great plains or Niigata producing the famous rice brand "Koshihikari", a best among the best Japanese rice! Beautiful taste!

Rice is Japan’s representative agricultural product and new initiatives have begun in Niigata as a core rice-growing region. New trends include the use of rice flour to make bread, noodles and cakes instead of imported wheat. Seeking to produce and consume energy locally, a demonstration rice-plant bio-ethanol project has also been launched using a high-yield strain and bio-ethanol production is due to begin at Niigata’s East Port at the end of this year. Visiting Niigata, where we can see the Koshihikari rice harvest at its peak, we will do a story on the rice, today and tomorrow.

But Niigata is not just about rice, Niigata city under the dynamic Mayor Shinoda Akira, an ex-journalist from Niigata Nippo shimbun, looks far away as far as energy and food are concerned. (These two sectors are harshly targeted in the financial crisis currently jolting our world)

Niigata is the only place in the world where I will be able to use rice to move my car! How ? Thanks to bio-ethanol! Niigata city experienced a reduction of her agricultural population and re-organization had to be set under cooperatives and individual initiatives. You know how Japanese society can move fast when it wants! Here bio-ethanol is not to be the tool to destroy fields of rice (in other countries it is palm trees or corn) Here it is wisely limited harvest to unexploited rice fields and transformed thanks to the efforts of the city and academics such as researcher Mochizuki san (he also is an ex journalist of Niigata Nippo!)

Bio-ethanol production is becoming popular here and there all over the world. It is developed using local agricultural products, for instance, maize in the United States and sugarcane in Brazil. In fact, it is becoming a controversial issue inviting various opinions and criticism.

In Niigata, they use rice, the main agricultural product, and have launched a demonstration project, in which they grow rice, produce ethanol from it, and sell the ethanol-compound gasoline. The project is led by JA Zen-Noh Niigata (Agricultural Cooperative Association) in an association of the regional council member organizations including Niigata City and Prefecture.

In the program for FY2008, the strain “Hokuriku 193”, a high yielding variety, is currently being grown in the rice paddies in the cooperation of local farmers. At the end of this year, an ethanol production plant will appear at the Niigata East Port and start its operation.

It is expected that the cultivation of the high yielding “Hokuriku 193” strain, will be 2250 tons, and bio-ethanol production 1,000kl. The project also aims to contribute to the rice production adjustment, as it uses fallow rice fields and rice that is not intended as a staple food.

Then the bio-ethanol produced will be mixed with gasoline at the Zen-Noh Niigata Petroleum Station in the Port. Finally, in March 2009, the end product will be supplied at the JA-SS gas stations in the region.

Well maybe you want to know the name of this new product... well I give you a secret: there is a contest opened for naming this new car fuel. Take your chance and contact the City of Niigata. I am quite sure the laureate will receive a great price to propose as City officials Yamaguchi and Enomoto san told me. Who knows? Maybe you could start gardening your own fied of dreams?