Subject: Omens

Greetings from otherworld,

       Hi, all. Thinking about the fate of Japan today--after reading all sorts of gloomy predictions from just about every expert outside of Japan. An article in Time (ominously titled "The Sun Also Sets") went so far as to say that Japan's economy will slip so far in next few years that it will no longer qualify as a member of the G-8 major economic powers--and that it may indeed slip into parity with developing nations; Bush, Greenspan, and the rest of the world say certain clear steps need to be taken, but the decision-making party in Japan has its decisions made by groups that are still getting rich from current government policies and have no incentive to save the rest of the country. Anyway, after thinking about all this lately, I got a clear sign from God this morning. At Manyo's graduation ceremony, just as the national anthem began, the heavens opened and a hard rain hit the roof all at once, like a clap of thunder that refused to fade, drowning out the amplified piano and the patriotic voices. Study English, kiddies--you'll need it.

Peter