Archives for: August 2004
High school English has little impact on Japanese
08/30/04 | by Jamie
| Categories: Links and Articles
Here's an interesting article I found that does a good job summarizing the state of English education in this country. My favorite line:
'It would also be nice if we have competent teachers, not like those JET teachers or part-time housewives who com… more »
Avoidinglife in Time... again.
08/30/04 | by Jamie
| Categories: Deep Thoughts
Avoidinglife.com has been blurbed once again in Time Magazine. This time it's the European edition. Strange how they release the exact same story in different parts of the world months apart like that. People in Europe and Asia often have to wait for Ho… more »
PS2 BB
08/30/04 | by Jamie
| Categories: Deep Thoughts
Sorry for the lack of updates, but I've been busy playing with my new toy. I'm also working on a short new movie about my perilous trip up Mount Iwaki this past weekend. I climbed Iwaki the 'Patterson way' i.e. in my car. I was supposed to meet Hugh, Lu… more »
Strange Searches Leading Here
08/26/04 | by Jamie
| Categories: Deep Thoughts
I decided to closely watch the referrer logs for this site today and make note of all the strange search engine keyword combinations that have lead people here. I have a feeling most of these people were a little disapointed by what they found (or didn'… more »
Avoidinglife.com Review
08/25/04 | by Jamie
| Categories: Deep Thoughts
Speaking of Ali G, some real life gangstas at Ghettocities Clothing have posted somewhat unflattering reviews of this site and many other 'famous' Japan websites. I'm not sure what these wiggers are doing in Japan, but their site has some great stuff on… more »
Understanding Otaku
08/25/04 | by Jamie
| Categories: Deep Thoughts
According to the results of a study released by Nomura Research Institute in Japan on the 24th, there are 2,850,000 people considered "otaku" in Japan, with a combined market power of around $2.6 billion. More here. I'm sure members of all these differe… more »
Charisma Man: The Movie
08/24/04 | by Jamie
| Categories: Deep Thoughts
The website FilmFights.com is having a contest next week for superhero themed short movies. I was thinking about making one based on the popular gaijin comic Charisma Man, since I figure I have just the right look for the part. Now where am I going to f… more »
Inaka Hell
08/24/04 | by Jamie
| Categories: Deep Thoughts
Here's an interesting video I found on another JET's website that shows how many gaijin feel about living in the inaka (country side). The video is zipped for some reason, so you'll have to unzip it first.
Former Blue Forest JET David Namisato has up… more »
Pretend Daddy
08/23/04 | by Jamie
| Categories: Deep Thoughts
More Noheji Gion Festival photos at Noheji.com
Okay, I know I just wrote a few days ago about how I don't like writing
"boring journal style" entries on this site, but for some reason I feel like it today, so here goes...
So Sunday morning, after… more »
Still in pain
08/23/04 | by Jamie
| Categories: Deep Thoughts
Hugh has posted a bunch of pictures from the Shichinohe newcomers' party that happened this past Saturday. I've long since recovered from the drinking, but my body is still in serious pain from the fighting. One would have thought with all the drinking… more »
Typhoon Ravages Noheji!
08/19/04 | by Jamie
| Categories: Deep Thoughts
The horror... the horror
So yesterday I was told by one of my JTE's that her husband (who is also a teacher at another school) wouldn't have to come to work on Friday because his school would be closed on account of the giant typhoon that was going t… more »
Zombies!
08/18/04 | by Jamie
| Categories: Deep Thoughts
Coming Soon... Resident Evil: Apocalyps
What on Earth has happened to Toronto since I left? Juding from the trailer to this new zombie movie, its gone to completely to Hell. Who knew Nathan Phillips Square was actually the headquarters of the evil zo… more »
My Dream House
08/18/04 | by Jamie
| Categories: Deep Thoughts
When I first met the new Hirosaki ALT Kate (a.k.a. the "New Jenny"), we had an interesting discussion about our common dream to someday live like a mole (or Hobbit I suppose) in some kind of underground dwelling. Perhaps after my stint in Japan I might… more »
QRCode Generator
08/18/04 | by Jamie
| Categories: Deep Thoughts
Do you know what QR codes are? They are the latest fad to hit Japanese cell phones. QR codes are a new kind of bar code that can be used to store a small amount of data. You may have seen them in magazines, business cards and the like. Just take a photo… more »
Keeping Entertained
08/17/04 | by Jamie
| Categories: Deep Thoughts
I just discovered a new weapon in the battle against boredom.. Winamp!
Winamp is a popular MP3 player that's been around for a long time, but the latest version has a cool new feature... streaming video channels. These channels are made up of all sorts… more »
View from above
08/17/04 | by Jamie
| Categories: Deep Thoughts
Inspired by Luke's most recent posting, I set out to see if I could find some satellite photos of my homes in Toronto and Noheji. Here's what I found:
Toronto, Bloor West Village area
Noheji more »
Days of Thunder
08/16/04 | by Jamie
| Categories: Deep Thoughts
Okay, normally I don't like to post journal style entries about all the places I've been and things I've done. No offence to my many friends with Live Journals, but to me writing stuff like "I went here, saw this thing, then went there" is pretty boring… more »
Downtime
08/14/04 | by Jamie
| Categories: Deep Thoughts
The site has been down the last few hours, and I just found out why...
Dear Valued Clients,
We are currently in a state of emergency. Even with efforts to keep all servers up and running during the category 5 hurricane charlie some of them have man… more »
Photo time
Got some new photos for ya:
See ya Jenny and Shelby. Hello newbies!
Nebuta, Neputa and Tachi-Nebuta (or is it Neputa?) more »
Pointless Update
08/12/04 | by Jamie
| Categories: Deep Thoughts
So I haven't posted here in a while and judging from the comments I'm getting, it looks like my dozens and dozens of fans are starting to get restless. Well the reason I haven't posted anything is because I honestly have nothing to say. Like I mentioned… more »
HP Sucks!
08/05/04 | by Jamie
| Categories: Deep Thoughts
If you are not a computer 'otaku' then you might want to stop reading here. You've been warned...
I hate my computer. It is such a piece of crap. I'm writing this update on one of my school's public computers because mine has once again decided to s… more »
New Photos
Domokun Hirosaki Neputa float, presumably sponsored by NHK.
So this week marks the one noteworthy event Aomori has every year, and that's the Nebuta and Neputa parades. Almost every city or town in Japan has some kind of summer festival, and Aomori C… more »
Nothing to do... again!
08/02/04 | by Jamie
| Categories: Deep Thoughts
Things have been pretty slow the last few days. Got nothing to do. Nothing at all. Even less than I did when I made vidblog 4. I kind of feel like my online cartoon hero Odd Todd, except I actually have 'monay' since I sort of have a job. I've just bee… more »
Blue Crush: Neistat Brothers Cut
08/01/04 | by Jamie
| Categories: Deep Thoughts
I just found a website that has my favorite movie of all time available for download. I love this movie a lot, but even I have a hard time sitting through its incredibly stupid plot and bad acting. Well the Neistat Brothers have been kind enough to trim… more »
XML Feeds