A Japanese was declared the oldest man in the world



A Japanese was declared the oldest man in the world. Sakari Momoi looks at 111 years 
Sakari Momoi 
A Japanese aged 111 years, Sakari Momoi, received on Tuesday the title of the oldest man in the world, according to local media, and his compatriot Misao joins the 
Sakari Momoi, born on February 5, 1903, in Minamisoma, Fukushima Prefecture, received the certificate attesting that record in the hands of a representative of Guinness Book of Records, the hospital in Tokyo where he was hospitalized, according to AFP, according to Mediafax. 
Visible in shape for his age, according to images broadcast by Japanese TV, Momoi, dressed in a black suit with a silver tie, said in a voice slow but firm, he hopes to be living two years. According to authorities in Saitama, a suburb north of the Japanese capital, where he lived many years, the Japanese still has a sharp mind, but not hear well. Communicate with others using writing and appreciate sumo parties. 
He loves reading, has a library of about 2,000 volumes. Previously, the title of the oldest man in the world was held by Alexander Imich, a New Yorker of Polish origin, one day older than Momoi, who died in June. However, Momoi is surpassed by 59 women, out of a total of 73 "super-centenarians" in the world, according to the Gerontology Research Group (GRG), which documents the birth records of people aged over 110 years. 
The oldest person in the world is Japanese Misao Okawa, born on March 5, 1898 the average life expectancy of Japanese men last year exceeded the threshold of 80 years, while Japanese women hold the world record in the field with 86.61 years. A quarter of Japan's population exceeds the age of 65 and, by 2060, experts expect this number to reach 40%. In September 2013, Japan had 55,000 registered centenarians.

Factors affecting the price decision

Factors affecting the price decision


All these factors are taken into consideration in determining the price of a good or service, having a role in the development planning stages pricing strategy. It is necessary, however, to discuss certain influences that can not be located precisely in a specific stage of the process of developing the strategy.
Cost is one of the main factors in pricing, preferred basis even expected demand. The different pricing costs taken into account, as follows:
- Research and development costs are substantial-car industry, creating a prototype is valued at over one million dollars;
- The cost of wages-are quite important, but not so mean weight Hotori that influence the price of a car;
- The cost of distribution-distribution of cars is quite expensive because it requires specific storage spaces and exposure (show-rooms) and labor in the field.
Demand: the quantity of a good that consumers are willing to buy at a certain time, depending on its price. The price of a product will be higher, the consumers will be less willing to buy it; The price will be lower, the greater will be the quantity demanded of that product.
A first conclusion is that lower prices bring new buyers. On the other hand most vendors (bidders) are aware that, at some point, boosting sales can be achieved only at the expense of price reductions. Discounts each (each new price) will meet on the market, a different quantity of goods sold.
So as a general rule, the quantity demanded in the market (ie the amount that consumers would be willing to purchase) increase every discount price.

Christopher Hitchens: Charles Dickens’s Inner Child | Culture | Vanity Fair

What I have been dreading for months, has finally occurred.   The last article of  Christopher Hitchens appeared in print.   Actually, it was published a few weeks after his death.    
The topic was not about himself.  He did not try to leave one last mark fortifying his fervent  anti-religious beliefs.  Instead, he chose the topic of one of his favorite authors, Charles Dickens.   
     For fans of Hitchens and Dickens, this final article is a bit of a present in and of itself.  For me, it was an emotional read.  Partly because in reading it,  the realization seeped in that  Hitchens spent some of his last hours that he lived, writing the piece.     Maybe he was making a statement?  That the enjoyment he had gotten from reading Dickens was treasured?   Surely an author's last printed words would be something they held dear.   It  made reading  it bitter sweet.

Christopher Hitchens

Here is the  link to the article.  In truly Hitchens style, he did not sugarcoat the author but described him as he honestly saw him.
     The book David Copperfield by Dickens is my favorite book.  It has been ever since I first read it many years ago.       
    The opening line of the book is:   
"Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show."   

     What a nice line to think about.
     It is a semi-autobiographical story of a boy's personal struggle to become an individual he can be proud to be--the hero of his own life. What could be more appealing, especially if it comes to pass?
    David Copperfield is one of the books of my life.  You know, one of the handful of books that leave their mark for all the rest of your years.  Dickens genius is in the details, in which he so cleverly endears you to the characters.  I am proud to be, as Hitchens states in his article, "one of those who study Charles Dickens, or who keep up the great cult of his admiration." 

Monday, October 1, 2012

We have had our house resided and painted this September, so I have had the camera out and about.  I shot  these photos of our yard and surrounding views in about 15 minutes.  I had some very photogenic and cooperative characters to snap pictures of...

Lovely Jane

Curious Myrtle

Dear Fern

Friendly CeCe

Elusive Jemima

Young Rooster, Dominick, testing out his new cock-a doodle-do.  

the neighbors' horses

Bossy Gabby

tooooooo many ducks

Mr. Pockets

 and finally, you always know where to find these girls. Free PS Vita Games They have been sitting on their eggs for weeks on end, with no baby chicks in site.  They are patient beyond belief!

Scratch & Sniff - our broody, broody hens...

Controversial Matters

 Thomas Hardy once described himself as a poet “who holds that if way to the Better there be, it exacts a full look at the Worst”.  
  He was highly critical of much in Victorian Society and tackled such controversial topics as aristocracy and lower class, religious view vs. agnostic argument and the horrors of war.  An example of the latter, and a particular favorite of mine, is below.  

"Had he and I but met

            By some old ancient inn,

We should have sat us down to wet

            Right many a nipperkin!

 But ranged as infantry,
     and staring face to face,
I shot at him as he at me,

     And killed him in his place.

 I shot him dead because —

         Because he was my foe,

Just so: my foe of course he was;

      That's clear enough; although

 "He thought he'd 'list, perhaps,

            Off-hand like — just as I —

Was out of work — had sold his traps —

            No other reason why.

   "Yes; quaint and curious war is!

            You shoot a fellow down

You'd treat if met where any bar is,

            Or help to half-a-crown."

  His two most controversial books were  Tess of the D'urbervilles and 
Jude the Obscure.   In these, he tackled head on, the difficult subjects of  education for only the upper class and a woman's virginity.    T. H's  books were burned in public squares and his name vilified.   After that, he stated that he would never pen another novel - which, much to the world's loss, he never did.    

  Which brings me to the all important question, "What is an author's responsibility,  as far as his/her belief system is concerned?"  
What is a human being's?   How much of a person's  opinion and hard-won core belief,  should he or she divulge?  
   When should a person remain silent and when should they speak up?