You Need a Laugh

Sunday morning in Japan. It's going to be an excellent day.


Here's a short from the movie "One Crazy Summer" that should give you a chuckle.

If the movie doesn't play, go watch it here. It's pretty funny.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4wJMvw_ra4

Thanks to Steve "Poots" Candidus.


Steve also always sends along these great quotes to ponder:


"...In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him
to be semi-human. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility
of becoming partly a dog..."   -   Edward Hoagland

"...Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and
your dog would go in..."  -   Mark Twain

Suicide Blogger

People create blogs because they have something that they want to say. The best bloggers, I think, are those, like musicians, who make their songs for themselves and don't care what others think. 

Tokyo has had some pretty bad sh*t happen 

to it before yet we're still here.

The best bloggers don't blog because they want to get high numbers of readers daily, they write what they want and as they please.


Someday, when I grow up, and am fully able to suppress my inner child, I want to completely say and write what I want. 


The music example above is a good one, I think. The best music comes from people who have a message they want to say to the world and don't care if it sells or not. If it does sell, great. If it doesn't, well, that's too bad. 


The best musicians are not going to change their music to Top 40 style just to get fans. Although, unfortunately, this happens far too often and that's why Pop music sucks so much. 


Of course, like selling many CDs or downloads, for bloggers it is also gratifying to get lots of readers.

2012 is supposed to be the end of the world. 

Hope you have your bags packed. 

When a musician sells out and gives up on his music for sales, then he "sells out" as the term goes. Selling out is a sort of lie. It is not telling the truth and it is doing something purely for money (though I cannot slag off anyone who wants to make money).


Like being truthful to your music, writing the truth on a blog is not a good way to make "sales." What I mean by that is it is not a good way to garner many readers.


Sensationalism sells.


Just look at the news rack at your favorite grocery store upon checkout next time; Gossip and rumor magazines galore. Gossip and rumor and innuendo sell. They are all a form of sensationalism. 


If you want many readers, then writing sensationalism sells. You needn't believe me. Just look at all the media. Sensationalism sells and that is a fact of life.


Newspapers, TV, magazines and the Internet do not sell well when they write boring stuff, like the truth. They need sensationalism to garner readers.


I don't know about you but I don't want the kind of readers who enjoy gossip tabloid publications. I probably couldn't can't get them anyway. I want to write the truth on this blog. That's also why there are no advertisements on this blog either.


Telling the truth is not as good as sensationalism to get readers. Sensationalist nonsense makes waves. Just look at the recent remarks from Keith Harmon Snow, Arnie Gundersen and Michio Kaku. 


These guys make outrageous unfounded claims. People actually listen to them and print up their absurd remarks.


Sensationalism sells.


I blast these clowns out of the water whenever I can. If I wrote more wild nonsense about Fukushima and how people in Japan were being born with extra limbs or animals were deformed or birds were dropping from the skies and joined in with the scare-tactics of the sensationalist crowds, I'd probably have a large increase in readers everyday.


But, as it is, I don't. I want to write the truth and expose the charlatans as best I can. Writing the truth and telling people that no one has died from Fukushima or that rabbits are probably not being born deformed, or that deadly radiation is most probably not being secretly bombed on the Tokyo populace, or that 1/3 of Japan is most likely not to be evacuated and will be quite inhabitable for the next few hundred years at least, thank you, is not exciting stuff. 


If I can, I just want to get the truth out. What I write is not exciting. So my blog readership, as with all truthful blogs on Japan, has declined.

When the truth is that things aren't as bad as all the doomsayers claim, then he truth is boring. The truth being boring doesn't capture the folks who like gossip or sensationalism (or watch American Idol on TV).


The truth doesn't attract so many readers. The truth can be quite boring. Boring will cause a drop in readership. Continued drops in readership may kill off the motivation of a blogger. No motivation, no blog posts. No blog posts, no blog.


Doing something that kills you could be suicidal.


That is what a suicide blogger is.


So, make a choice; are you true to yourself and your "music" or do you want to sell out?  

Notes and Dead Babies From the Fukushima Apocalypse

People really like to exaggerate. People really like to bend the truth to fit their agenda.


Most times that agenda is politically or financially motivated. At other times that agenda is pure and simple narcissism and those who are guilty of this are very many. These people insist upon being right no matter what and no matter how much facts get in the way.


Not being an expert on everything, and with a mass media background and much news experience, I like to stick with the facts... Just the facts.

Shell in Nigeria. For every 1 person who dies from nuclear power, 

900 will die from industrial uses of oil...

 And that doesn't include innocents killed in wars for oil.

The people who have an agenda are easier to understand than the narcissists, money is a great motivator. The motivation of a narcissist is a dark and strange place. 


Many narcissists are so often completely illogical that they write things and fail to recognize to comical nature of their comments.


In my post of June 20, entitled, Return of the Coal Industry and; Massive Health Problems and; Deaths Because of it, I wrote (and linked) to proof that about 3.3 million people a year, every year, die from pollutants from coal and oil based industrial pollutants. I also linked to proof that, per unit of energy, for every one person who has died from nuclear power, 4,000 die from coal industrial uses alone. Throw in oil and the death rate is more than 5,000 times and that doesn't include millions killed in wars for control of that oil. 

Aerial view of massive environmental destruction at Kingston Coal Factory

But the anti-nuclear crowd can't have that. They cannot argue with facts so they come up with nonsense comments. Like this one that was directed to me on Twitter:


"Is it OK for you to portray nuclear risk so low that someday coworkers will lose health, cannot feed their kids cuz they're dead?"


Yes, thank you. If you consider the level of risk so low then that is your value judgement. I portray the facts. That is what I deal in. What do you have to say about the fact that many more people die from coal or oil pollution than nuclear power? 


Also, those people working at Fukushima are not slave workers. This is not ancient Egypt or 18th century slave nations. Those people can quit that job anytime they wish. If they die? Well, have you never heard of life insurance? It was created for just such unforeseen emergencies as, well.... death.


Or is that case different if, as you say they "cannot feed their kids cuz they're dead," due to a much larger killer than nuclear energy; the coal industry and oil industry? Where are your protests about that which is demonstrated and proven as a bigger killer and destroyer of our environment?


By the way, I've noticed that protesting the oil industry is not the trendy flavor of the week... It sure was in the 1970's!


I sure do wish school's would start teaching math and logic as well as critical thinking skills. Our world sure could use it.... 


Sigh...


In a post yesterday, I blasted a writer for calling Fukushima "Japan's nuclear apocalypse."


It is total and complete nonsense to hyper bloviate and call Fukushima a "nuclear apocalypse." That's just total and complete rubbish.


I already explained what the definition of apocalypse is. It is defined as: "imminent destruction of the world and the salvation of the righteous. There's also great or total devastation and doom." 


Get that? Destruction of the world. Doom. Death. Everyone dead. This is not a fender bender.


About the BP Oil spill, some writers were even calling that an apocalyptic event. Total deaths? 11 so far. Many health issues and many more deaths to come most probably. But factually, only 11 so far. You call that apocalypse?


They called Chernobyl "apocalypse" too. So far, the total number of predicted dead from Chernobyl? According to the Chernobyl Forum: 4,000. You call that apocalypse? Very unfortunate for those who died, but hardly what I'd call "apocalypse." 


There's been a litany of events over the past 150 years that have been called apocalypse. The biggest one that comes to mind was World War II. How many people were killed in WWII? Over 60 million. 


They called that one apocalypse too. 60 million is a lot of deaths, but still not the apocalypse. Last I looked humanity was still infesting this planet. 


Words have meanings and when those words are misused, they become tools of propaganda. Intelligent people would be wise to take notice. Chernobyl happened over 25 years ago. They called that apocalypse? Laughable. Did you know that, since Chernobyl, over 17,500,000 people have died in car accidents worldwide? Over 1.2 million people per year and over 3,200 people per day die in car accidents worldwide! I suppose if we are going to be so loose with our terminology I could say that if you want to avoid the apocalypse, then you'll want stay out of your car and off the roads.


The total number of deaths from the Fukushima "Nuclear apocalypse" so far? 


Zero.


And this event at Fukushima some are calling "Japan's nuclear apocalypse"? Pardon me if I do not soil my pants in fear like some people are doing.




NOTE: Finally a big thanks to Michael Distacio of Rock Challenge Japan for reminding me of this great article. It heartens me that Scientific American, a journal of science publication, criticized the same article as I did. The only difference is that while I railed on Arnie Gundersen's nonsense. The Scientific American took other scientists to task:  


"...physician Janette Sherman MD and epidemiologist Joseph Mangano published an essay shedding light on a 35 per cent spike in infant mortality in northwest cities that occurred after the Fukushima meltdown, and [sic] may well be the result of fallout from the stricken nuclear plant.” The implication is clear: Radioactive fallout from the plant is spreading across the Pacific in sufficient quantities to imperil the lives of children (and presumably the rest of us as well)."


(snip)


That data is publicly available, and a check reveals that the authors’ statistical claims are critically flawed—if not deliberate mistruths.


Read more here.

Help the Save Minamisoma Project

Here's another charity that surely needs your help. It's called the Save Minamisoma Project.


The guy who is leading the charge is named Michael Anop and I can vouch for him as being a great guy and wonderful humanitarian.


Here's what Michael wrote about this event:


We're having a charity event for Minamisoma, please come help us support Minamisoma! For friends unable to make the event or outside Japan, we are accepting donations by credit card with 97.5% of proceeds going directly to the purchase of fresh vegetables. Y600,000 allows us to deliver 4 tons of fresh veggies. Together with Second Harvest we can deliver 10 tons+ of supplies.


If you want to support these great folks, please come to their party on July 6th in Roppongi. If you can't make that, you can still make online donations here: http://www.wazoo.jp/events/open.php?eid=232#.TfmlUN3xzpE

Michael Anop (sitting)

(Back L-R: Taro Furuskawa, Me, George Williams)

Event details: 

The Save Minamisoma Project

We are happy to welcome you to our fun gathering to enjoy summer drinks, and creative art and music performances for a good cause!

On Wednesday, 6th July together with the support of Abios Co., Ltd., Platinum Ltd., FCC, 57 -FIFTY SEVEN-, and many other friends, SAVE MINAMISOMA PROJECT will be hosting our 2nd fundraising charity event.

It's a perfect opportunity to catch up with friends and meet new people while raising money to support people in need.

***Save Minamisoma Charity Event***

Date: 6th July 2011, Wednesday
Open: 7:30pm- Start: 8:00pm-
Entrance: 3,000yen including 1 drink (100% donation)
Venue: 57 -FIFTY SEVEN- in Roppongihttp://www.fiftyseven.co.jp/home.html
B1F 4-2-35 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo

TICKETS OR DONATIONS? HERE:

http://www.wazoo.jp/events/open.php?eid=232#.TfmlUN3xzpE

Along with some performances by talented artists, there are remarkable prizes for you to win from a Virgin Atlantic trip for two to London to cool COACH goods for a lucky guy and gal as well as Park Hyatt Hotel Tokyo lunch and 57 Fifty Seven brunch for 2 to name a few!

SAVE MINAMISOMA PROJECT has been delivering food and supplies directly to the residents of Minamisoma, Fukushima-ken, which lies 35km of the nuclear power plant. They have suffered from 3 disasters: earthquake, tsunami, and radiation. And they are still in great need of assistance.

Your donations go to purchase fresh vegetables at a huge discount with an assistance of Second Harvest Japan, and they will be delivered directly to Minamisoma.

We would like to express our appreciation to everyone who offered their support by coming to our previous event on 2nd June at 57 -FIFTY SEVEN-. More than 150 guests attended and 676,724 yen was raised.http://saveminamisoma.web.fc2.com/0602report.html

Looking forward to seeing all of you with your friends and colleagues at this wonderful opportunity to give back to your community.

SAVE MINAMISOMA PROJECThttp://saveminamisoma.web.fc2.com/

TICKETS CLICK HERE!

Out-of-Control Nuclear Apocalypse in Japan is Here!

One of my all time favorite quotes is this: A religious man goes to church and thinks about fishing whereas a spiritual man goes fishing and thinks about god.

ELVIS COSTELLO - WAITING FOR THE END OF THE WORLD

I've been to church many times in my life. I was brought up in a Baptist household yet went to Catholic school. I've seen fire and brimstone. I been shamed into tithing.


Whenever a priest, pastor or minister screams from the pulpit spewing forth fire and brimstone about "the end," "apolcalypse" or redemption, is it so necessary for you to hear "evidence" of this from that man and his "proof" as written in scriptures? 


No, right? You know where he's coming from.


I have heard all the evidence before many times in my ife... It's always quotes from a 2,000 year old book. Nothing wrong with that. 2,000 years is an excellent run on the top seller list.


These men will go on and quote for you the exact place and chapter where "it is written"... 


The bombast continues... "The scriptures speak of the end of the world! Current events were predicted in the bible!" 


Or my favorite:


"The apocalypse is upon us!"


Like most of you who have heard this stuff, I yawn. I've been hearing this stuff all my life. Humans have heard these claims since the beginning of society. Hell, the end of the world happened just last May.


I'm still here. How about you? 


Whenever I hear people using this type of terminology like "apocalypse" or "the end" or "redemption," I usually question their sanity. Unless, of course, they are behind the pulpit whereby, instead of questioning their sanity, I know exactly what they want; I reach for my wallet. 


People who use these sorts of terms are usually trying to scare you into doing something that you wouldn't normally do or they intend to scare you into paying them money.


Gee, if the end is so near and the apocalypse is upon us, then what do they need money for? If I really knew the world was going to end soon, I certainly wouldn't be going to work and trying to make a living. Would you? I'd be out having fun or stone drunk.


I most certainly wouldn't be writing this blog, that's for sure.


In 1977, I fell in love with Punk Rock music. I really liked the nihilistic fatalism idea that many of the kids had back then. I thought it was much more realistic than the "Rah-rah High School!" nonsense that most of the brain dead were spewing.


I don't know if all of us so-called "Punks" believed that nihilism and fatalism (I didn't) but it sure was funny when applied properly.


One of my favorite times was when I was hanging out with some punks and some guy was complaining incessantly about how crappy his job or love life was (I can't remember the details and I think he was combing his hair while doing it), and this girl, instead of saying, "Shut up!" to him snarled, "Why don't you just kill yourself and do us all a favor?"


I laughed so hard. I thought that was hilarious! I still laughed when I think about that. 


I still think about that sometimes whenever I hear too much complaining. I always think that whenever I hear too much preaching... Whether or not that preaching is related to religion or not.


Today I was sent another pile of rubbish written by a nonsense writer (albeit very erudite, I'm sure) named Keith Harmon Snow who writes sensationalism to the extreme.


The article was entitled: Fukushima and the Mass Media Meltdown - The Repercussions of a Pro-Nuclear Corporate Press.


I was asked to read it and give an opinion. First off, I was wondering what Pro-Nuclear Corporate Press he was talking about? 


Was it Nancy Grace?

Or CNN's Anderson Cooper? Who garnered this criticism from a Japanese publication that followed him around.

In a live back-and-forth [from Japan] with a nuclear expert back in the studio in America, Cooper peppered his fellow reporters with questions like “How far are we from Fukushima?” and “Which way is the wind blowing?” Upon hearing that he was more than 100 kilometers distant from the Fukushima reactors, he exclaimed “Then shouldn’t we get out of here?” Whether he was doing this in order to build a sense of drama, or out of sincere apprehension, we don’t know. But what is clear is that he made no attempt to calmly ascertain the facts of the situation, and in so doing needlessly fanned the fears of the audience.'

If Anderson Cooper is not main stream mass media, then I'm colonel Sanders. You can go here, to the JP Quake Wall of Shame and find a litany of nonsense and exaggerration reported by the mainstream media.


Anyway, on the article in question, I couldn't read past the first paragraph. It totally gave this writer away. He is ranting, he is preaching. In his first paragraph, he described the following article as:

"... A sociological and technological discussion -- in the wake of the out-of-control nuclear apocalypse in Japan..."

Stop the presses!!! Did this guy actually write, "nuclear apocalypse in Japan"!? Nuclear apocalypse!? Oh really? 


Immediately I raise my hand and stand waving towards the pulpit. 


"Mr. Preacher, sir. Are you aware of the definition of 'apocalypse'?" 


"Indeed son, I am," says he. He holds the bible to his chest, closes his eyes, raises his hand and begins quoting the scripture from memory for his evidence. 


I, on the other hand, open my iPhone and look up the definition of apocalypse. 


It says:


Apolcalypse. Noun. Bible. The Book of Revelation


a) Any of a number of anonymous Jewish or Christian texts from around the second century B.C. to the second century A.D. containing prophetic or symbolic visions, especially of the imminent destruction of the world and the salvation of the righteous.


b) Great or total devastation; doom: the apocalypse of nuclear war

Gee! Great or total devastation? That sounds pretty bad. Nuclear war? Imminent destruction of the world? Salvation of the righteous? Wow! It's over, my friends. The end of the world!


Surely, Keith Harmon Snow knows something that we all don't.

Wait a minute! In the definition of apocalypse, under a (above), it says, "anonymous Jewish or Christian texts"? Anonymous? You mean, some guys, who wish to remain anonymous write this stuff? Two thousand years ago and they didn't want to put their names on it and we are supposed to fear this?


At least Keith Harmon Snow has the guts to put his name on his panic-stricken excesses. 

Then, in the article in question, after the author's introductory note, in his very first sentence, he writes:

"There is overwhelming evidence that a nuclear power catastrophe in the United States is highly probable."

OK. Well, since Mr. Harmon choose not to present us with that "overwhelming" evidence, I guess we'll just have to take his word for it. I wonder how well this sort of argument would stand up in court?


I wonder why any thinking person would bother to read anymore of this bombast? Isn't it obvious that this guy is neither neutral nor fair?


Just who is Keith Harmon Snow and what are his qualifications for making any claims concerning nuclear power? Is he any more qualified to make statements about nuclear accidents than, say, some Hollywood actor does about Global Warming?


Here's what SourceWatch says about Keith Harmon Snow:

"is an independent journalist, war correspondent and photographer. He has also worked as a genocide investigator and consultant to the United Nations and other international bodies. He has won three Project Censored awards for his Central Africa reportage, is a member of the Asiana Press Agency (www.Asiana-Press-Agency.com), and he also recently worked in Afghanistan." 

"Keith Harmon Snow has worked in varying capacities in some 16 countries in Asia, Latin America and Europe, and 14 countries in Africa. A human rights investigator [formerly] working with Genocide Watch and Survivor's Rights International, he attended the International Criminal Tribunal on Rwanda, and has testified at a congressional hearing in Washington, D.C.

What an excellent record on photography and being a war correspondent... Seems a tad bit light on the nuclear engineer and radiation expert department. But hey, maybe he read, "Nuclear Accidents for Dummies!" and got real good, real fast.

Probably not.

That a supposed reputable independent research publication like Global Research would publish this pablum is a complete embarrassment. This is tabloid sensationalism level "reporting."

Even Harmon himself exposes how credible what these "sources" that he claims are as proof in his first sentence in his "Author's Note." It says:

The following report was written after learning about the pro-nuclear and corporate bias of the Society of Environmental Journalists. The American Thinker has run a good article exposing the Society of Environmental Journalists that I suggest you read. It is entitled Global Warming Propaganda Factory. Here's a quote:

I have often wondered how the media are in such lock step on Global Warming. Well, I wonder no more. Recently, I came across a website for the Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ).  http://www.sej.org/  This website is veritable tool box for any budding reporter assigned to the global warming beat. If you're an editor at the Palookaville Post, all you have to do is send your cub reporters to this site and they'll have everything they need to write an article that fits the template and action line perfectly...


(snip)


The site is largely a compendium of links to global warming promoters. Many of the links use adjectives like prestigious, best respected, and reputation unrivaled to burnish their credibility. The so-called deniers on the other hand are described with adjectives like, highly polemical, outright false, and deceptive partisan attack dogs. The description of the Competitive Enterprise Institute is especially derisive, citing the often leveled false accusation that they are the tool of Exxon Mobil. And this is journalism at its finest?

The article in question that was published on Global Research By Mr. Snow is not neutral nor credible reporting. It is hysterical hyperbole. There are no basis in facts in that article. His very first sentence shows that he has abandoned all pretense of objectivity. 


By publishing pablum like this, the Global Research publication is losing relevance quickly and some editors need to be fired and quickly. Since when has Global Research become a sounding board for Global Warming propaganda?

That some writer, who knows nothing about the nuclear industry or the facts on the ground in Japan, would be allowed to write such idiocy is an embarrassment. That Global Research would publish this is a disgrace.

"Nuclear Apolcalypse"? Indeed.

That Keith Harmon Snow would write this stuff just shows what his intentions are: to sell stories so that he can collect money. When a pastor at the pulpit screams out about the end of the world and apocalypse, at least he has a 2,000 year old document. For his sources, Keith Harmon Snow has a bunch of poorly paid drinking buddies at the Society of Environmental Journalists.

Seriously, Keith Harmon Snow, if you really do think this is the apocalypse, then there's no hope. Everything is ruined. We're dead. You might as well give up your job and stop paying your rent. 

For the rest of us, we have lives to lead and a family to feed. We have dreams too.

If Mr. Snow, you stick by these preposterous words, "Nuclear Apocalypse" and really do think this is true, then, as my punk friends would say,

"Why don't you just kill yourself and do us all a favor?" 


Sorry, Snow, we have enough troubles on our own without hearing your nonsense. Unfortunately, just like the minister or pastor, the real reason Keith Harmon Snow writes this crap is because he wants to sell his articles & name for money. Sensationalist sh*t is a pretty easy sale.

I doubt that Keith Harmon Snow believes this nonsense he wrote. That's the difference between him and a minister... At least most of the men of the cloth believe in what they are saying....

Moteki eps 4-12

Kind of forgot about this show because the subbing stalled and it got a bit monotonous in the middle. When you start of a story with a loser character, you usually expect the main character to go through a character arc, ie learn to face his fears/problems, grow a set, clear his first hurdle by the middle and near the end fail his final objective once before ultimately achieve his goal. Its cliched but its the basic template for doing a character arc.

The much harder way to do a story is for the characters not to change which is rarely done and the one dorama I can think of that did it was Enka no joou. Its hard because the characters don't improve and continue to fail. Instead of being about characters reaching their potential or achieving their destiny, its about characters coming to terms with who they are and why they act the way they do.

While I found Enka no joou difficult to enjoy, I watched it all the way because I could see what the dorama was trying to do. Same with Moteki. It is more than just a harem dorama for adults. It certainly starts of as one but later becomes an examination of Yukiyo and his relationship with his harem and his best friend and all characters realising who they are.

The one good side to limited character development is that we don't get the lame ,"I've gotten stronger/more mature" speech at the end. The downside is that it gets pretty repetitive. Granted, Moteki's 12 episodes is more like 6 episodes since each episode is only half an hour but watching Yukiyo screw everything up again and again stops being funny after the first few episodes.

For this type of story to succeed, you really need a lot of humour and one very interesting supporting character to keep the audience guessing. Humour-wise, the first half of the series was pretty good and then suddenly it just drops off. The second half averages one funny moment per episode only.

My gripes aside, there are many reasons to watch Moteki, first of which is the awesome acting. Talent-wise, the cast for this midnight dorama beats 99% of prime time doramas. Second is directing. This show looks bloody awesome and they really maximised whatever limited budget they got. I mean look at the screencaps. It sure doesn't look like some run of the mill boring studio sets dorama. Everything looks inspired.

The third is of course, the soundtrack. Not sure if someone has uploaded it somewhere but it uses a variety of jpop song to great effect and is worth watching for it alone. I didn't enjoy Moteki as much as a wanted after its strong start, but I can't fault it for the way the story went. I just couldn't get behind a character who after all he has been through threw away two birds in his hand for the one in the bush.

Made in USA Chopsticks to Japan, China & Korea!

Yesterday, I was at a meeting of Japanese investment firms. They were talking about the difference between western ways and Japanese ways of investing in new companies and start-ups and how Chinese ways of business in this area are much like those of the United States.

There were many comments about the decline of the USA but one guy threw us a curve ball that was really interesting. During the meeting, one anecdote came up about how there is a town in the USA that is actually exporting chopsticks to Japan and China! 


I couldn't believe it, so I did a Google search this morning. Jeepers! It's true.


It's even in Time Magazine:

It seems everything we buy these days says “Made in China.” But millions of the Asian nation's iconic chopsticks are proudly made in the U.S.A.

Two hours south of Atlanta lies the source of millions of Chinese chopsticks. Who would have thought? It's hard to imagine a place more quintessentially red, white and blue – the town, nestled firmly in the heartland of Georgia, is called Americus.

And their luck runs as deep as their love for country: Americus has the ideal type of wood for making chopsticks. The abundant forests of poplar and sweet gum trees in the area strike the perfect balance between hardness and softness, making a comfortable yet sturdy eating utensil for many across the world.

What's more, the region is no stranger to wood harvesting, with pine manufacturers and paper corporations – think Georgia-Pacific – helping to ease the industry's barriers to entry.  Jae Lee created Georgia Chopsticks in November and is already producing 2 million chopsticks each day. They're selling their craft primarily to Chinese supermarkets but also are helping hungry people in Japan, Korea and the U.S.

So, I guess saying that the USA doesn't manufacture anything that other countries want to buy besides airplanes, missiles and bombs, the USA can still export a few lemons and a couple of other things to Japan and chopsticks to China!