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New Banner – Tribute to BIG MAN
BIG MAN is one of the first landmarks you should memorize in Osaka, and I learned this the hard way ten years ago when somebody told me to meet them…
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Product Name of the Year – Deeppresso
The newest canned coffee offering from Georgia. Although the spelling reminds me more of Mississippi. I’m almost scared to try it without a solid network of friends and a handful…
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Encyclopedia
Taro’s grandmother passed this morning. She was 94, and one of the coolest old ladies I ever knew. The first time we met, she regaled me with her full knowledge…
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Standing Urination Prohibited
A sign specifically forbidding standing urination in the parking lot of Ms. K’s, a funky cafe in Nara where T plays gigs every week.
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I hate the term Web 2.0
Mostly because it is an overused marketing term with seemingly no real meaning aside from “a new generation of web sites with nifty features and groundbreaking/useful services.” However, there’s a…
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Bad Company Names
It’s official. A post-lunch stroll through the company parking lot confirmed my suspicions: Japanese CAD (Computer Assisted Drawing/Drafting/Design) companies have the funniest names. I’ve written about this one a couple…
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The End of the Nikkei Visa?
A while back I wrote a post regarding the Ministry of Justice proposing changes to immigration/foreign worker policy, and specifically how the Nikkei (Japanese ancestral) visa will be affected. Gen…
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Independence
I miss big fireworks shows on the 4th of July at the beach every year. Hell, I miss just having the day off from work. Barbecue, longnecks, bottle rocket wars,…
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Promoting Decay
Article in question: “YouTube” Web site has Japan’s broadcasters in a tizzy “Piracy of web contents, both in Japan and abroad, has been increasing recently,” an NHK spokesperson tells Shukan…
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Retirement Lawson
As if it wasn’t already official, convenience store chain Lawson has now sealed the fate for my beloved island as the Isle of Dentures (and Onions): Lawson opens 1st store…
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Ocean Odyssey
I have just watched possibly the best ocean documentary, ever. That’s pretty much all I can say, because it just completely blew me away. Well, on second thought, I guess…
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Sumoto River Barge
I took my camera to work last Thursday so I could snap some photos on the way home. This is a construction barge that’s been scooping mud from the river…
