At 11:35 AM 1/28/97 +0100, Sebastian Weinberg wrote:

On Wed, 28 Aug 1996, David M Lerman wrote:

:   I can see what Richard is trying to do in this episode. The problem is with
:   the Inspector's reaction is that her hard-nose attitude isn't believable.
: Nouma
:   would realize that something is wrong. A police inspector does NOT

threaten a 

:   party that includes 
[snip description]

Err, I think you misunderstood this scene.  At the time you are
referring to, the inspector is *not* in any way under the control
of the spirit entity.  In fact, the spirit only takes control of
her because she endangers its plans.  Nouma would not notice
anything wrong because her anger and frustration is entirely real.

:     - a internationally prominent entrepreneur and restauranteur 

Internationally prominent?  Could you name the heads of the most
influential japanese businesses?  I couldn't.

  Actually, I'm in b-school, so I can name some, and by the time I finish,
  probably, a lot more.  However, we should assume that the Inspector would
  have done a computer search on the party.

:   Also, although a nice character point is made, I don't see the plans
: described 
:   as being sufficient to cut by half the personal fortune of Nabiki, who 
:   is probably one of the wealthiest people in Japan, i.e. a billionaire. 

Ah, don't confuse someone's personal net worth with the objective
amount of wealth she handles or theoretically possesses.  Most of
that wealth is static or untouchable, short-term.  She is funding
this from her own, private means, not corporate money.  Getting
all the equipment and other stuff she did in the space of less
than a day requires more money than just that needed to buy the
stuff.

    Even if we assume that most of her assets are not liquid,  they would
  still serve as collateral for short-term loans. Also, I assume that she is
  in the same wealth bracket as someone like Warren Buffett, whose personal
  wealth is indeed in the billions, rather than Douglas Warner, chairman of
  J. P. Morgan, whose personal wealth is not in the same league, but who heads
  a company with assets of 233 billion. The plane, maybe a few tens of millions
  (using current dollars), the same cost as a fighter jet. Satellite rental,
  about the same at most, likely less since a commercial satellite typically 
  costs at most a couple of hundred millions to build and launch, if I remember
  correctly.

:   In addition, I would expect a welcoming party of local company reps and

local

:   officials eager to help someone who has probably been profiled in every

major

:   business publication.

If she had announced her stay, possibly.  On the other hand, it's
rather bad business sense to bother a really powerful CEO on her
holidays, so they would tread lightly.

  So why would the Inspector stomp heavily? I agree, that she is not under
  the influence of the enemy, so why would she behave so stupidly? Is she
  really that eager to write parking tickets?  

                                                             TTFN,
                                                             dml