Lost In Translation

The Broken Window Theory

This article is from Japan Today:

Juvenile crime and the Broken Window theory

Psychiatrist Hideki Wada discusses the social problem of juvenile crime and the trend toward younger offenders and more vicious offenses in Seiron magazine in an article titled "Considering the Broken-Window Theory and Zero Tolerance as Ways to Prevent Child Crime."

According to Wada, in statistical terms the number of murders committed by minors is not rising rapidly. There are often ways to predict and prevent serious crimes, he says.

In many cases, perpetrators commit minor infractions before moving on to serious offenses, notes Wada, asserting the need to monitor and supervise them at this early stage and, if necessary, to take forcible steps.

The broken-window theory, explains Wada, holds that ignoring a smashed window encourages vandals to think that a building is unsupervised and invites them to commit more serious crimes.

It signifies the importance of enforcement and supervision at the stage when offenses remain minor. Zero tolerance, he says, has had a dramatic impact in American schools.

Under this system of rigidly enforcing school rules without listening to excuses, students are sent to a correctional school if they are late three times or have one fight and are expelled if they use drugs.

Wada also introduces the results of a survey showing that 80percent of children would welcome stiffer penalties for juvenile crime and stresses to the media that crime reporting in which understanding is expressed for the feelings of the perpetrator is dangerous. (Foreign Press Center) September 10, 2004

This is the second time I've come across this theory this week, but I guess that it has been around for a while, since I am under the impression that it was attributed to Guiliani while mayor of NYC.

Update:Wait I found this reference:

The "Broken Window" theory

This explanation of the "broken window" theory was written by Henry G. Cisneros when he was Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. It was published in a series of essays titled "Defensible Space: Deterring Crime and Building Community" - January 1995.

Where have I been?

A Student's Folder

I thought there were some interesting stickers on this student's folder.

DVD Notes: Six Feet Under Season 2

I thought I'd save some shipping charges from Amazon.com by picking up some DVDs in Hawaii (Six Feet Under Season 2, The Simpsons Season 4, Demonlover Director's Cut, and Goodfellas Special Edition). So as I make my way through these purchases I will comment on them. I started out with Six Feet Under Season 2. I really enjoyed the first season, so I was really looking forward to the next season, and it didn't disappoint. It is just another impeccably well-written and well-acted program with excellent production values that are being churned out by HBO (The Sopranos, Sex In The City, Curb Your Enthusiasm, etc...).

I particularly like the realistic characters that are largely likeable and easy to relate to. The acting is top notch- Peter Krause, Rachel Griffiths, Michael C. Hall, Lauren Ambrose, as well as the rest of the cast and supporting actors. This season seems funnier than the previous one, but maybe not, it's been a while since I?ve watched Season 1, perhaps I should re-watch it. However, I do think it is safe to say that this season is much darker as there are several storylines that deal with violent crime, serious illnesses, and sexual addiction. However, I think the overall tone is upbeat, it sort of promotes carpe diem since each episode begins with a death that is incorporated into the story as a motif or theme, and ruminations on how to live your life to the fullest, which seems to be the backbone of the show, since you never know when your time might be up. I find this refreshing in our contemporary world of irony where nothing heartfelt can be uttered in sincerity. I mean, really, life is too short. In addition to five commentaries, there is an interesting documentary on how they make the impressively realistic dead bodies for use on the show.

Discrimination

A bar called New Sharuru in Kawaguchi, Saitama Prefecture, displays a sign barring foreigners. It is located on highway 122 near the Kawaguchi-Motogo metro station.

This is from Japan Today. There is also a discussion about discrimination against foreigners here.

Favorite Places: Cafe/Book 246

I was back in the Omotesando area to teach at Aoyama Gakuin, so I decided to check out the new Cafe 246 in nearby Aoyama Ichome for lunch. It is a very stylish cafe and will be added to my list of favorites. It also has free internet access, magazines, and there's a book store next door, Book 246, that specializes in travel books. It is run by the company that publishes the bilingual magazine Paper Sky.

I'm always amazed at the attention given to the presentation of food in Japan, even if it's just curry and rice.

In The iPod: The Postal Service & Nick Cave

The Postal Service-Give Up is one of the two discs I picked up while in Hawaii. I believe it was recommended to me by my friend Phatrick from Seattle. It is another hip Sub Pop band (see The Shins). I have to admit they are of a genre that I thought I had outgrown, the synth pop. But their mellow synth music transcends the genre that was established in the 80s. I believe my favorite track is "Recycled Air," which is punctuated by the ethereal vocals of Jenny Lewis. I wonder if it is homage to the French band AIR? In fact, I feel most of the tracks with Lewis are impressive. Especially "Nothing Better," where Lewis takes the lead vocals ala Human League. But I also liked the paean to the ideals of the past in the sophisticated, "Clark Gable." "We Will Become Silhouettes" has a synth melody that reminds me of Depeche Mode, and I mean that as a compliment. "Sleeping In," is a study in contrasts as it discusses JFK's assassination and global warming, but contains the lovely chorus of "Don't wake me I plan on sleeping." This album was a surprise. Apparently they have done a cover of "Against All Odds" for The Wicker Park Soundtrack, I'd like to check that out.

The other CD I picked up was Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds' (1997) album The Boatman?s Call. I?ve been looking for Murder Ballads (1996), but it looks like I?ll have to special order it. This album seems less sinister; it?s an album of love ballads, and contains my all-time favorite Nick Cave ballad, the beautiful and transcendent, "Into My Arms." All of the songs highlight Cave's gravely, distinct voice with sparse and minimal instrumentation. "Into My Arms" and "Are You The One I've Been Waiting For?" are both on the DVD of videos that I bought earlier. However, there are several other gems like "Brompton Oratory," "There Is A Kingdom," "Far From Home," and "People Ain't No Good." There is a lot of religious imagery on this album, resulting in a sort of spiritual intensity, which seems somewhat distinct to the other stuff I've listened to, but I realized I have a long way to go before knowing the whole catalogue, but I plan to slowly acquire it. I've waited too long to "get into" Nick Cave-there's lots of great stuff here. I also think that he and Bryan Ferry are the two most stylish rockers out there. If he tours in Japan again, I will feel compelled to go.

The Final Sunset

This was my last sunset on the beach in Waikiki and it marks the end of my blog posts about Hawaii.

I actually had to go back to work last Tuesday at Heisei International Univeristy, the day after getting back from Hawaii. Today I went back to work at Aoyma Gakuen, Friday I'm back at Toyo Univeristy, and Monday I'll go back to Saitama Univeristy as well. So at least it's a staggered process, but a shock to the system nonetheless. So summer's been over since last week-where did it go?

DVD Notes: Get Carter & Rio Grande

I borrowed the original Get Carter (1971), starring Michael Caine, from a friend. I had seen the re-make with Sylvester Stallone set in Seattle-no comparison. Caine is clearly the superior actor. Sometimes I feel that British gangster films lack teeth, but not this one. Caine is a bad mutha ----er here. Hodges has a new gangster film (I'll Sleep When I'm Dead) out that looks interesting as well, looking forward to seeing it. I like how Hodges incorporated the swinging 60s into the film as well with flashy cars, miniskirts, and rock-n-roll. A forerunner to cool Britannia.

One of my friends expressed an admiration for John Ford westerns (he is convinced the meaning of life is in one), I haven't watched one all the way through as an adult, so I thought I'd take a chance on Rio Grande, which I got for cheap in Korea. And I found it hard to get through, stock character actors, cheesy saccharine musical numbers, stereotypes abound. There's no real discourse on why the Indians attack or what the army is protecting out there. I suppose it supposed to be light entertainment and I realize it is considered minor Ford. I guess I'll have to see Stagecoach or something else, cause this didn't do it for me. But maybe I'm not wired for it having seen too many of these types of film a child where the west has become mythologized. Generally speaking westerns aren't my thing, however I did like Jarmusch's Dead Man and Eastwood's Unforgiven among others.

Neon

This vintage neon sign was in The Island Steakhouse in Honalulu I believe.

Kurosawa's Influence

I came across this in Japan Today:

Kurosawa's influence lives on, six years after his death

TOKYO Six years after renowned moviemaker Akira Kurosawa died, his influence lives on, with a movie school bearing his name under construction in Japan and another planned in the United States.

Hollywood appears to have taken an interest in the human drama aspects of Kurosawa's works, instead of samurai fighting scenes, with DreamWorks, led by director Steven Spielberg, planning to make a film based on Kurosawa's "Ikiru" (To Live).

The original Kurosawa film released in 1952 portrays a civil servant who has worked for 30 years without purpose or satisfaction, only to learn he has cancer.

He decides to dedicate his remaining days to construction of a small park. Kurosawa dwelt on the meaning of life through the soul of a man facing death.

Hollywood earlier turned out its version of Kurosawa's 1954 masterpiece, "Seven Samurai," which was about seven samurai who are brought together to protect a village and its inhabitants from bandits.

In making "Seven Samurai," Kurosawa was the first director to utilize multiple cameras and his innovative technique had a huge impact on the movie industry around the world. The Hollywood movie was titled "The Magnificent Seven."

Kurosawa Production of Yokohama is constructing a building for the Kurosawa Akira Cinema College, which is due to open in the spring of 2006 in Tokyo's Adachi Ward and will have some 500 students.

The late director's motion picture staff will serve as instructors.

Hisao Kurosawa, production president and the eldest son of Kurosawa, said a movie school carrying the name of Kurosawa is also likely to open in California next year.

The two projected schools will promote interaction of instructors and students in the future, he said.

At the same time, plans are under way in Akita in Akita Prefecture to recreate the Kurosawa group's open door movie-making set, with a view to completing it in two years.

The stopover town seen in "Yojinbo," and some scenes from "Rashomon" may be recreated. The set will be open to visitors and used by Cinema College students to study shooting film on location.

Kurosawa said the reason movie fans continue to like his father's films is because they are both entertaining and artistic, and are big in scale.

He said the college will teach students Kurosawa's spirit and his staff's techniques.

The Hollywood film production based on Kurosawa's original version will encourage fans to see Kurosawa's movies again.

"We will have to keep conveying Kurosawa Akira in order to see genuinely good movies," the son said.

September 26, 2004

Amen.