Great Salt Lake

 I find the Great Salt Lake truly remarkable.

Long ago, the Japanese provinces of Kai and Echigo were at war. Kai was an inland territory, and when its access to the sea was cut off during the conflict, it faced a dire shortage of salt. Upon learning of this, Uesugi Kenshin of Echigo—despite being an enemy of Takeda Shingen of Kai—sent salt to his adversary. What strikes me as so impressive is that, even in an inland region, one need not worry about a lack of salt.

Is the water supply in Utah secure?

The United States is geographically blessed; regions like the area around the Great Lakes or the Mississippi River basin have little to worry about regarding water. In an inland state like Utah, it is already remarkable that there is no shortage of salt—but the fact that a water source lies beneath a salt lake is a truly fascinating, almost romantic, notion.

I am confident that, with the advancement of science and technology, it will become possible to harness this resource.

However, while salt is virtually inexhaustible, water is a finite resource—so please be careful to ensure it doesn’t run out. It would be ideal to use a large underground tank for water storage, replenishing it whenever a supply becomes available. Look at what happened to the Amu Darya or the Syr Darya rivers—or the Aral Sea, for that matter; ultimately, such situations force people to abandon the land.

As for the third option—could it be something like naturally occurring RO (reverse osmosis) water?

Changing the subject a bit—has the hijab become optional in Iran?

During the Pahlavi era, there was an extreme push toward Westernization; however, looking at footage of women in Tehran on YouTube, most aren't wearing one. It seems that while the law itself may not have changed, the way it’s enforced has shifted. The Iranian people have really been through a lot—for instance, despite remaining neutral during World War II, their country was still occupied due to the agendas of major powers.

Foreign Minister Araghchi—who, if I recall correctly, was educated at a British university—explained Iran’s position regarding the recent major defeat of the Republican Party. He spoke in somewhat halting English, referencing the UN Charter to clarify his country’s stance.

He is a wonderful person who always maintains a kind, gentle smile, no matter the circumstances.

From Iran’s perspective, they would surely want to say, "Please, no more airstrikes"—to say nothing of the deployment of ground forces.

If you were to see people walking the streets of Tehran, they would be virtually indistinguishable from those you might encounter in Tokyo or New York.

Even nations locked in fierce conflict can reconcile—much like the Takeda and Uesugi clans, who mended ties over a simple gift of salt and went on to form an alliance.

Just as Darius the Great—who allowed the Jews, then a people without a homeland following the Babylonian Captivity, to return and rebuild their palace—I find myself hoping that, in light of the election results, the parties involved will take a broader, more far-sighted view.