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Desert Island
A team of sociologists have planned an experiment in isolation. They send an Englishman, a Frenchman and a Japanese man to a deserted island and arrange to come back and…
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Playing with fire
I just reviewed a technical journal describing recent work-related accidents in our industry (electronics manufacturing) and came across an incident I coincidentally heard about from another source a few weeks…
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“That’s not my belly button, sensei!”
No matter how much amusement it would have provided in the years to come, I could not, in good conscience, allow an acquaintance to name his new children’s English conversation…
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MP3 o’ the Day
NWA fans, believe me – this is the shit: Nina Gordon – SOC (thx G!)
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Re: Leibniz and Newton Warring
There’s a recent Neal Stephenson interview over at Reason.
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1185 Letters
The longest word in the English language: acetylseryltyrosylserylisoleucylthreonylserylprolylserylglutaminyl- phenylalanylvalylphenylalanylleucylserylserylvalyltryptophylalanyl- aspartylprolylisoleucylglutamylleucylleucylasparaginylvalylcysteinyl- threonylserylserylleucylglycylasparaginylglutaminylphenylalanyl- glutaminylthreonylglutaminylglutaminylalanylarginylthreonylthreonyl- glutaminylvalylglutaminylglutaminylphenylalanylserylglutaminylvalyl- tryptophyllysylprolylphenylalanylprolylglutaminylserylthreonylvalyl- arginylphenylalanylprolylglycylaspartylvalyltyrosyllysylvalyltyrosyl- arginyltyrosylasparaginylalanylvalylleucylaspartylprolylleucylisoleucyl- threonylalanylleucylleucylglycylthreonylphenylalanylaspartylthreonyl- arginylasparaginylarginylisoleucylisoleucylglutamylvalylglutamyl- asparaginylglutaminylglutaminylserylprolylthreonylthreonylalanylglutamyl- threonylleucylaspartylalanylthreonylarginylarginylvalylaspartylaspartyl- alanylthreonylvalylalanylisoleucylarginylserylalanylasparaginylisoleucyl- asparaginylleucylvalylasparaginylglutamylleucylvalylarginylglycyl- threonylglycylleucyltyrosylasparaginylglutaminylasparaginylthreonyl- phenylalanylglutamylserylmethionylserylglycylleucylvalyltryptophyl- threonylserylalanylprolylalanylserine
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Japan doesn’t need Wally World
An interview with Aeon CEO Motoya Okada: Japan’s Answer to Wal-Mart? Excerpt: Q: So what can you do to resolve this? A: Well, we will continue to enhance our supply…
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Memories of Rain
Recently, the combination of late nights and wet roads evokes memories so immersive, I often find myself halfway home before realizing that it’s raining and I really should slow down.…
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Vinyl in Japan
A well-written introduction and shop guide pertaining mostly to the Tokyo area: Record Shopping in Japan In Osaka, I like browsing the Gorilla Records shop in the basement of the…
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Iraq Fishing Roundup
Last year I noted a fascinating article about US soldiers in Iraq passing the time by fishing the ponds at Saddam’s palatial estates: What to do when you’re bored in…
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Family Matters
I have quite a few relatives in Japan, and have met many of them over the course of my stay here. They are all from my father’s side of the…
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Men’s Rules
Download file (PowerPoint slideshow)