Fokai:Friends&Family

GoHand in Hand.

Very appreciative of all the support that has come for me as a  person and as a proud employee of FokaiInternational. Things truly couldnt have happened without the support and love of Friends and Family. Respect from the start.Gratitude for Life.

For the undying support from East,West,North, and South. these are for you..

JUSTADDWATER:PohnpeiSurfResort&FokaiAmphibiousDivision

PohnpeiSurfresort escorts FokaiAmphibiousDivision into ESPN Brazil with another window into what was voted twice–the best surf camp in the world.
Thanks again Allois!

EnRoute:FukushimaJapan

FollowingEnsonInoue. with www.fokai.tv

FromGuamToThePhilippines:CasaNami

Casa Nami was formerly known as “Casa De Fiesta” and has been the host to many good times for Guam folks and their guests and visitors for over the past 20years. and has recently opened ints doors to our neighbors in the Philippines in 2009.It’s always a stoker to see Guam-based businesses venture overseas. this is athe Captains brief tour of CasaNami in the Philippines.

MatterOfConcern:TheGuamProductSeal?

So let’s get this straight, A non-native Senator on Guam, is trying to say that only Guam-based manufacturers are allowed to place the word “Guam” on products that are sold in Guam….even if the manufacturing doesnt exist locally to make custom goods with custom packing.

Now  however, we can support the restrictions of products saying “made on Guam” to be limited to products actually made on Guam but limiting locally sellable goods to the confines of local manufacturing is just as silly as saying you cant work to service our people unless you are of local blood…
For the people.Period.

the main issue is that products carrying the word “Guam” practice promotional power for Guam. Even if theyre made overseas, that shouldnt discriminate them from promoting our island. maybe Guthertz feels this bill will focus the support of local factories. Unfortunately locally and for whatever reason, we are limited to what we can produce in bulk

Dear All,
Thank you for expressing interest in the on-going discussion regarding the possible changes to Title 4 GAR and 12 GCA Article 2 regarding the Guam Product Seal.
As a result of the April 11 Roundtable discussion sponsored by Senator Judith Guthertz , the initial discussion and media coverage (Marianas Variety dtd April 12, 2011) indicates the Senator’s intention to introduce a bill to change the present laws which apply to products which are imported from other countries that have the word “ Guam” on them . As you may be aware the present statute allows for these products to enter Guam as long as the country of origin is indicated on the item. The changes being discussed now are meant to stop the importation of these kinds of products. In addition, discussion also surrounded the possibility of establishing a surcharge for use of the word “Guam” on any products, with the exception of those products which have the Guam Product Seal.

Many of us import “Guam” branded products to compete in the wholesale and/or retail market. Our decision to do so is based on the principle of supply and demand. Guam’s growing tourism market created the need for promoting Guam not only through its natural beauty, hospitality and cultural activities but also by offering a shopping experience which included “ value- priced gift items with destination packaging “. This form of marketing exists worldwide. A visit into any airport duty free shop offering souvenirs and gift items branded with the tour location but clearly imported from another country will attest to this. For many of Guam’s now price-conscious repeat visitors, the origin of the gift products is not as important. Those of us who import such products for sale to the tourist and local market do so because Guam does not have an adequate supply of manufacturers, raw materials or resources to fill the demand for value-priced “Guam” branded souvenirs, consumables or gift items. In fact, many products which bear the Guam Product Seal are actually made from imported products which are not readily available on Guam. This fact should come as no surprise to anyone who lives here. With a few exceptions for local produce, most every item in Guam’s retail stores is imported. According to the existing statute, as long as a minimum of 50% of the value of a product has been added on Guam, the Guam Product Seal may be used after permit application and approval. Based on this premise one can import all raw materials, assemble the item here and place a Guam Product Seal on it legitimately despite the fact that the item was only assembled on Guam.

The revenue generated by the retail sale of souvenir products is reported to be in the millions of dollars and does much to support our local economy, our workforce, as well as the tourist industry. In the very least the name of our island, “Guam “, is being promoted extensively. It is imperative that any changes in the law which would impact Guam’s fragile tourist market be carefully considered. The present legislative intent to stop the importation of “Guam branded” goods will have wide-reaching negative effects. Its implementation will limit the buying options open to our visitors and therefore limit the revenue possibilities. Retail sales totals will only be generated by the limited products available. Guam’s reputation for offering “value-priced” souvenirs and gift items will be lost. As a result, importers will be forced to bring in the same kinds of products but absent the “Guam” labeling. Guam-manufactured products will still not be able to compare in pricing and our visitors will leave Guam with souvenirs which do not have any “Guam” branding, thus squandering valuable promotional opportunities for our island.

There are those who say that the present conditions create an unfair advantage. In reality there is a niche for everyone in this market. Any person, tourist or otherwise, will pay whatever it costs to get what they want. It is the seller’s marketing strategies which make a product more desirable.

As a fellow importer and a concerned member of Guam’s tourism market, I urge you to voice your concerns to our lawmakers at this early stage in the law-making process. It is important that they understand the magnitude of the economic impact which poorly researched legislation would result in.
In closing, please feel free to contact Senator Guthertz and share your thoughts . Her phone numbers are 472-5834 and fax 472-3547. Her email address is judiguthertz@pticom.com The following individuals from her office will also receive comments regarding this matter. The email address for her Chief of Staff Ed Leon Guerrero is edleonguerrero@gmail.com . Her Deputy Chief of Staff is Robert Tupaz. His email address is rob.tupaz@gmail.com .

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Edi V. Alvarez
General Manager

Suncare Distributors
T: (671) 649-6646
F: (671) 649-6656
E: edi@suncareguam.com

TheFuture…

Hardcore Pre-training Ceremony@Purebred/LloydIrvin Jiujitsu

FreakingTheDream:JulesUrich

0:16-0:23 for seven  seconds of fame…but a lifetime to go with good vibrations from good friends in far places—

yet forever close to home.

ThanksJules!

Freaking the Dream on this side of Paradise.

TheAdventureContinues:Baghdad

Thanks to the extended family for keeping the SpiritAlive. Captain Fokai takes a brief tour of Saddam’s own house.

TheAMAZING..:JonathanTorres

Living Proof of the GrapplingGameplan and TeamLloydIrvin Jiujitsu’s growing legacy in Brazilian Jiujitsu and Submission Grappling–Good luck  to him and the  rest of Fokai’s extended family in this weekend’s

http://lloydirvinlive.com/blog/tag/jt-torres/

AnotherVersionofYAMATODAMASHII

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/16/japan.cultural.order/index.html

Tokyo (CNN) — I’ve been asked questions along this theme multiple times, from my friends and family in the United States to colleagues who work around the globe: How, amid Japan’s worst natural disaster in 100 years, can the Japanese seem so calm?

Food and water are both scarce. Electricity in the tsunami zone is nearly nonexistent. Survivors have lacked information about their missing loved ones.

But unlike other disasters where the world has observed looting, rioting and public outbursts of sorrow and rage, it has seen a country quietly mourning, its people standing patiently for hours in orderly lines for a few bottles of water.

This is surprising only if you’ve never lived here or experienced how Japan’s society operates. As a resident of Japan for three years, I would have been surprised if this country’s people behaved in any other manner.
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How Japanese cope with disaster

Across Sendai’s tsunami zone, both in the areas devastated and in the neighboring regions, you can see that Japan’s societal mores have failed to break down, even if the tsunami destroyed the physical structure of this coastal community.

At stores across the city, long, straight lines of Japanese tsunami victims have been waiting for rations in the city. No one is directing these lines; they’re organized by the people themselves.

At the front, which takes hours to get to in some cases, shoppers are limited to 10 food or beverage items. No complaints, no cheating.

No one should complain, says Mitsugu Miyagi, standing in line at a store with his infant, 6-year-old and wife, Maki.

When asked what happens if the city does run out of bottled water supplies, Maki states simply, “What can we do?”

Military and emergency efforts have been focused on the tsunami-ravaged regions or at the nuclear plant in Fukushima.

When it comes to relief, volunteer agencies and impromptu community groups have organized shelters and food distribution.

At the Monterey Hotel in Sendai, two chefs dressed in their signature hats from the hotel restaurant spooned out hot soup for breakfast. All passers-by were invited to eat. For many, it was their first hot soup since the tsunami.

But what’s notable is that the people who lined up for the soup took only one cup. They didn’t get back in line for a second cup; that wouldn’t be fair.

Even among the newly homeless from the tsunami, there is a sense of civility and community that creates pause among international onlookers.

Shichigo Elementary School in Sendai is now home to hundreds of tsunami victims. In a third-floor classroom, families have self-organized themselves on cardboard boxes and blankets. No one family has a larger space than the other, just as you see at any average family festival. Shoes are not allowed on the blankets in order to maintain sanitary conditions. Food is shared as equally as possible, even if one person eats or drinks a little less in order for everyone to have some sustenance.

Voices, other than the laughter or cries of children, remain subdued and calm.

Japan’s Emperor Akihito, in an unprecedented address to his citizens, pointed out that the international community has been “impressed” with the Japanese victims.

“These world leaders also say their citizens are impressed with how calm the Japanese people have remained, how they are helping each other and how organized they are. I think it is important that we share the difficult days and overcome this disaster,” the emperor said.
The Japanese from a young age are socialized to put group interest ahead of individual interest
–Jeffrey Kingston, Temple University
RELATED TOPICS

* Japan
* Nuclear Energy
* Earthquakes
* Tsunamis
* Emperor Akihito

Returning to the “how” question I’ve been asked by my international friends and colleagues, the answer comes down to national character, says Temple University’s Jeffrey Kingston. Kingston is a scholar of Japan and has lived in the country since 1987.

Kingston calls the behavior of the Japanese “remarkable but not surprising.”

“The Japanese, from a young age, are socialized to put group interest ahead of individual interest. Many criticize them for deference to authority, abundant rules and conformity, but this is the fabric of social cohesion that keeps Japan together,” Kingston said.

Kingston notes that Japan has been struck by disaster since its creation, and it’s accustomed to dealing with disaster. The survival strategy, argues Kingston, has been to rely on the group.

I know what Kingston is talking about. The social uniformity and obsession with rules has often driven me, the Westerner, to the brink of frustration. I have difficulty comprehending how Japanese children are taught this in school: The nail that sticks out of the board has to be hammered down. Interpretation: You don’t want to stick out, either as a failure or as a huge success, or display your emotions in an undignified manner. You simply want to be like everyone else.

Sometimes, to foreigners, Japan’s societal rules seems orderly and conformist to a fault. But no one can argue that in this disaster it is a tremendous benefit. I only need to think about my own home country dealing with triple disasters in the space of a few days to understand how Japan’s society has characteristics that simply don’t exist in any other large country.

It would be a mistake, however, to say the self-control of the Japanese means they are stoic in the face of this historic disaster.

Mari Sato is hurting, but as a Japanese woman, she is doing her best to be reserved and dignified, prized by society as admirable qualities.

Sato lived about two miles from the Sendai shore in a house neighbors easily recognized because of its signature pink roof. Three days after the tsunami, the newspaper ran before-and-after satellite images of her Sendai neighborhood. In the after picture, she says, there’s only crushed brown rubble.

“The pink roof,” Sato said, and began to quietly cry. Sato shook her head as she pointed to the bare section in the picture. “I never imagined a tsunami could do this.”

Sato’s tears fell down her face, dropping onto the newspaper revealing the devastation to her home. Sato apologized for her emotional display.

The Japanese victim hurts like any disaster victim in the world, but as she or he has been raised prefers to mourn as quietly and privately as possible.

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