Berkeley CSUA MOTD:Entry 52464
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2025/05/24 [General] UID:1000 Activity:popular
5/24    

2009/1/26-2/1 [Computer/HW/Printer] UID:52464 Activity:nil
1/26    Bought my XSi kit with 18-55 and 55-250 for only $750. The price
        has since then jacked up to about $950 because of US $ and
        the end of Canon's $100 rebate. I'll be selling it back on
        eBay for a profit. Expect Canon to release something completely
        new and better for this year's PMA. Canon rules.
        \_ Canon encourages employees to go home early and make more
           babies:
           http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/01/26/canon.babies
        \_ those lens you have are practically useless.
           \_ Obsolutely correct, and the people who buy from me on eBay
              do not get it. They're happy with a cheap camera, and I'm
              happy with extra cash on hand. Win-win!
Cache (2099 bytes)
edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/01/26/canon.babies -> edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/01/26/canon.babies/
VIDEO By CNN's Kyung Lah Decrease font Decrease font Enlarge font Enlarge font TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- Even before one reaches the front door of Canon's headquarters in Tokyo, one can sense the virtual stampede of employees pouring out of the building exactly at 5:30 pm Japan's birth rate of 134 is below the level needed to maintain the country's population. Japan's birth rate of 134 is below the level needed to maintain the country's population. In a country where 12-hour workdays are common, the electronics giant has taken to letting its employees leave early twice a week for a rather unusual reason: to encourage them to have more babies. Japan is in the midst of an unprecedented recession, so corporations are being asked to work toward fixing another major problem: the country's low birthrate. Tell us what you think At 134, the birthrate is well below the 20 needed to maintain Japan's population, according to the country's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. Keidanren, Japan's largest business group, with 1,300 major international corporations as members, has issued a plea to its members to let workers go home early to spend time with their families and help Japan with its pressing social problem. Video One reason for the low birth rate is the 12-hour workday. But there are several other factors compounding the problem -- among them, the high cost of living, and social rigidity toward women and parenting. In addition, Japan's population is aging at a faster pace than any other country in the world. Analysts say the world's second-largest economy faces its greatest threat from its own social problems, rather than outside forces. And the country desperately needs to make some fixes to its current social and work structures, sociologists say. advertisement The 5:30 pm lights-out program is one simple step toward helping address the population problem. It also has an added benefit: Amid the global economic downturn the company can slash overtime across the board twice a week. "It's great that we can go home early and not feel ashamed," said employee Miwa Iwasaki.