PSPINC CEO Kenichi Uchikura's Blog

Weekend Again

Apr

18

It is a weekend again. I will be play golf at Aldarra today with my friends. Dogs are staying at home relaxing. This is a picture of Tiny last night he was getting very sleepy. Pompom is already sleeping on a couch.

I hope you all have a very good weekend and com back strong on Monday.

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Panoramic Bellvue

Apr

17

My friend just moved in to top floor penthouse suite in one of the new high riser building. I took picture from the balcony. You can actually look down from there. It is very scary standing so close t the edge.

Please click on the picture to see bigger image.

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GREAT PRICE on LCD TV

Apr

11

This is an unbelievable deal. I just fount 52 Sharp AQUOS LCD HD TV for $1,099 plus $99 shipping. We just purchased the same TV for $200 more. I thought that was a super price.

If you are in a market for good LCD TV, this is a great deal. Here is the link to this site.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4531718&SRCCODE=SHOPPINGDF&cm_mmc_o=2mHCjCmtB55bETCjCVqHCjCdwwp

This is not a commercial. I am not getting paid.

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Crowne Plaza Hotel Seattle

Apr

10

On this Tuesday, we had Seattle Executives Associate meeting at Crowne Plaza Hotel in downtown Seattle. This hotel is a member of Seattle Executives Association.

I have a special memory around this hotel. This is the very first hotel that I stayed in Washington State when I was scouting for the location of the US office for my former company. That was in 1985. It is 24 Years ago. I was single then.

State of Washington, Dept. of Commerce people booked me to this hotel because they had best Japanese breakfast in Seattle. I dont know if they have Japanese breakfast at the Crowne Plaza now. I stayed in this hotel for about five days and moved on to Los Angeles, San Francisco. I came back again to Seattle again but this time I stayed at Bellevue Holiday Inn. I think it is Best Western Hotel now.

My former company decided to open an office in Bellevue in 1985 and I moved here. I was 26 then. I did not know that I would be starting my business two years later.

BTW, do you see a little black dot near the top of the building? There is a guy hanging up there washing the windows.

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Up Up Up Up Up Up Up Up Up Up Up ...

Apr

1

When the economy goes down, everyone try everything they can to reduce the cost without cutting any services. But there is one industry that increases the price and reduces the service. And when they are told to reduce cost, they cut the service so much that people must say yes to the price hike.

It is government. As of today, the State sales tax is 9.5% and 9.8% at the restaurants. When I came to Seattle, sales tax was 7.3% and that was the highest in the nation. The reason for that was Because Washington State has no Income Tax. What about Business and Occupation Tax (B&O Tax)? Why doesnt the government try to cut cost without reducing the service level? All you had to do is work more, faster and smarter.

I do not smoke, but as of today Federal & State tax on tobacco is over $3 a packet.

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Japanese Tourists in Korea

Mar

22

My friend just came back from Korea. He tells me there are so many Japanese tourists everywhere in Korea. That is because of the currency. Compared to a year ago, Korean won is about a half. That means, everything that you see in Korea is a half price.

Last tome I was in Japan, there was a line of people checking in to the flight that is bound for Seoul and Pusan. Economy is a funny animal. Regardless of the financial situation, there is flow of money from the high to low. That is what we learned in college (Economics 101). Let the economy do its thing, it will somehow work out.

Let the private companies be private. There is nothing government can do. If the government can do anything about the economy, Soviet still be a communist country.

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Washington State

Mar

20

Washington State

It has a population of 6.6 million. Democratic Party runs the State for a long time. When Gary Lock (I believe he is the commerce secretary for Obama administration) was the governor, the State had balanced budget and 2 billion dollar surplus. After the first term of current governor Christine Gregoire, the State is now facing 9 billion dollar budget deficit. That is $1,363 per person in the State of Washington.

The State government is planning to spend $1,363 that they do not have and pass that on to us by means of additional taxes.

When will the government know that they can not just keep spending money. I know it is for a good cause, but you just dont have the money to do what you want.

I am not happy about all the idiots of the large corporate managements, But the amount of money the government is spending is out of control. We need to do something about this. I know it is not only Governor Gregoires fault that there is 9 billion dollar budget shotfall, but she is in the position to fix it. I hope she will. The governorship is not a popularity contest. I hope she knows that.

As a small business owner, I do not want to pay for any waste by the government.

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Sounders FC 3 - Red Bull NY 0

Mar

19

Now it has started. The Professional Football Club (Soccer Club) in America. We long knew that America has the most number of youth soccer population in the world. So, it was just a matter of time before we see professional soccer here. Seattle has SOUNDERS FC and they just won against Red Bull NY. The team sold over 20,000 season tickets. Tonight game had 31,000 people cheering. Great start. Just like the start of J-League.

I hope it does not come to the point where city, or county or state must raise tax to support this franchise, which is a private business. We are doing that to Mariners, Sea Hawks and Sonics (they left when we told them we are spending no more tax dollar). Why should our tax be used to help private businesses?

Oh, I for got we are spending our tax money on AIG, CITIBANK, GM, CHRIYSLER Last I check, they are private companies. I am working to make money to pay tax so that idiots at those private companies can get paid huge bonus. What a deal. I would like to be on the receiving end of that transaction. The only way I can do this is to make company big and run it down. Run it down part is somewhat new to me.

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AIG popularity down, stock market up!

Mar

16

I received this picture from our company associate in Bonaire. He told me that he got sunburned on Saturday working on his yard. Compare to that, we had snow again this weekend. It is raining again today in Seattle.

I was listening to the radio on the way to work and heard people are outraged about AGI planning to give 165 million dollars in bonus after receiving 170 billion dollars from the US government. It is only 1/10 of a percent, but the act of using tax to payoff the very people who created this problem does not go well with public.

But, as I looked at the stock market today, it is going up. Why is that?

I believe now people are so outraged, the government will not be able to issue any more aids to other financial institutions and automakers. That will ensure the bankruptcy and dissolution of those companies. That seems like a bad news, but the very fact that market is reacting in the opposite direct shows people do not want government intervention any more. Let the failed companies fail and let successful companies succeed. The message is clear but it is a strong and hard message for some politicians and corporate executives.

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It snowed again.

Mar

15

It snowed again in Seattle. It is already mid. March. I played golf yesterday in rain, but it was not too bad. I was not expecting the snow this morning.

I was watching the news this morning. I heard AIG is giving 160 million dollars in bonuses. Tax filing is coming soon, and some of the taxes that I am paying will be used to pay executives of AIG. I hope they appreciate.

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