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Today is the autumnal
Today is the autumnal equinox and everyone is in a festive mood. Yesterday children pulled minature shrines through the streets. Today, we’ve got a neighborhood rummage sale going on, a kids’ bazaar. Most of the items were children’s clothing and toys but a few enterprising moms had snuck in some household goods. A woman called…
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Our neighborhood hums like
Our neighborhood hums like an air conditioner. Maybe it’s the ever-present trickle of water in the storm drains, or the distant traffic from the main road nearby, but I’ve been fooled twice in the past twelve hours. The shades in the dining room window were dancing during dinner. I heard the aircon, but the fins…
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Japan really, really wants
Japan really, really wants to be a leader in the field of IT. They have a vague, lofty goal of being “the most advanced IT nation in the world.” Whatever that means. The government is implementing policies to improve infrastructure and education. And they are sponsoring INPAKU Internet Fair 2001 but it is completely inscrutable…
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A few weeks back,
A few weeks back, we were waiting for a friend at Myogadani station. She was late and we had time to examine the bronze relief map of the station. It showed the layout of the exterior and interior, marking all of the key points: ticket vending machines, wickets, stairs, toilets. Everything was labelled in Braille…
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In times of uncertainty,
In times of uncertainty, there’s nothing like an earthquake to keep you on your toes. Or in my case, in bed with my head under the covers. The one that shook Tokyo at 4:30 this morning was a 4.4 with an epicenter in Tokyo Bay. It was strong enough to rattle windows and to wake…
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The dreams have started.
The dreams have started. The first few nights after the terrorist attack held blissful, dreamless sleep. Last night, current events crept in. But the dreams weren’t nightmares, exactly. In one dream, I was training as a spy. Part of the course was learning to compose coded messages in poetry while swimming. In another dream, there…
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“Gyo-zaaaaa! Gyo-ooOOoo-za!” I love
“Gyo-zaaaaa! Gyo-ooOOoo-za!” I love the food vendors who cruise the streets of Tokyo. The gyoza truck, with its delicious menu of potstickers, began making the rounds of our neightborhood this week. I smile when I see the little white van with its traditional red paper lanterns hanging from the open hatch in the back of…
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I tried to find
I tried to find something else to write about today but there really isn’t anything else being reported. So here’s an update on the Japanese perspective: Japan offered to send a 90-person team of police, firefighters and medical personnel to assist in the rescue, but they were told they weren’t needed. All airmail to the…
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Yesterday, Tokyoites were grim
Yesterday, Tokyoites were grim as news poured in from the US. The first question from everyone I saw yesterday was “Your family and friends are safe?” It was a relief to be able to answer ‘Yes.” As far as I know, everyone I know has escaped harm. Mobile news vans were parked in the financial…
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During the Gulf War,
During the Gulf War, I was part of an IRC-based news network. Dozens of us each took a radio station, TV station or other source and parroted back what they were reporting. People from all over the world participated, sharing news as it was reported. I never thought I’d be doing this again but when…
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