Comments on: Why the Frog Bridge is Stupid http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/02/14/why-the-frog-bridge-is-stupid/ Photos, Stories and articles on East Asia Sat, 20 Mar 2010 01:53:25 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Adamu http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/02/14/why-the-frog-bridge-is-stupid/comment-page-1/#comment-32941 Adamu Mon, 20 Feb 2006 02:47:52 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/02/14/why-the-frog-bridge-is-stupid/#comment-32941 I guess children's toys are acceptable. But enough with my strained metaphor! Sure, Japan is still number 2, but that doesn't change the fact that the economy was stagnant for far too long. There are several possible explanations for why this was, but the fact remains that projects like this are absolutely <em>not</em> intended as any kind of celebration of wealth. The idea was ostensibly to dump Japan's excess savings and bank liquidity into projects that would keep wages and prices afloat while Japan's businesses could pay down their debts. The problem is how they spent it -- i.e. on massive projects with no long-term benefit (the frog bridge is a novelty at best) that either add nothing or needlessly tack on to the infrastructure. Sure, Japan faces many problems. But the idea that one must ignore a problem in order to face something you think is more compelling makes no sense. I guess children’s toys are acceptable. But enough with my strained metaphor!

Sure, Japan is still number 2, but that doesn’t change the fact that the economy was stagnant for far too long. There are several possible explanations for why this was, but the fact remains that projects like this are absolutely not intended as any kind of celebration of wealth.

The idea was ostensibly to dump Japan’s excess savings and bank liquidity into projects that would keep wages and prices afloat while Japan’s businesses could pay down their debts. The problem is how they spent it—i.e. on massive projects with no long-term benefit (the frog bridge is a novelty at best) that either add nothing or needlessly tack on to the infrastructure.

Sure, Japan faces many problems. But the idea that one must ignore a problem in order to face something you think is more compelling makes no sense.

]]> By: Curzon http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/02/14/why-the-frog-bridge-is-stupid/comment-page-1/#comment-32745 Curzon Wed, 15 Feb 2006 08:45:47 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/02/14/why-the-frog-bridge-is-stupid/#comment-32745 Not my beloved Wakamaya, nooooo!! You spend way too much time commenting, Adamu! But great comments on this post (and to Nate too). Not my beloved Wakamaya, nooooo!!

You spend way too much time commenting, Adamu! But great comments on this post (and to Nate too).

]]> By: nate http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/02/14/why-the-frog-bridge-is-stupid/comment-page-1/#comment-32742 nate Wed, 15 Feb 2006 06:28:10 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2006/02/14/why-the-frog-bridge-is-stupid/#comment-32742 But what if that married couple has children? Are you going to pity them for having childrens' toys in their house? All those horrifically stimulating bright colors wreak havoc on any sense of decor, and sacrifice money that could be invested just for the sake of raising children well-adjusted and happy. Is it entirely illogical to actually use some of the excess generated by the market to improve the lives of everyone? As much as you believe japan to be in crisis, things are generally pretty bright. It's still number two in the world, well ahead of those hard-nosed capitalists that have been running the UK, and "developing" countries like mexico and thailand. The most threatening thing to japans future is the cynical self-centered generation of children that fill up the schools right now. When the propensity to defacement of public property makes this sort of bridge untenable in japan too, then japan is on it's way down. But what if that married couple has children? Are you going to pity them for having childrens’ toys in their house? All those horrifically stimulating bright colors wreak havoc on any sense of decor, and sacrifice money that could be invested just for the sake of raising children well-adjusted and happy.
Is it entirely illogical to actually use some of the excess generated by the market to improve the lives of everyone? As much as you believe japan to be in crisis, things are generally pretty bright. It’s still number two in the world, well ahead of those hard-nosed capitalists that have been running the UK, and “developing” countries like mexico and thailand.
The most threatening thing to japans future is the cynical self-centered generation of children that fill up the schools right now. When the propensity to defacement of public property makes this sort of bridge untenable in japan too, then japan is on it’s way down.

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