2011/04/20

Ticker-Tape Update on Japan for Wed, Apr 20th, 2011

Here is a quick Ticker-Tape Update on Japan from NHK World News as of Wednesday morning, April 20th, 2011.
* Tokyo Electric Power Company has begun transferring highly radioactive water from the No.2 reactor to a waste processing facility at the damaged Fukushima plant.
* Tokyo Electric Power Company says radioactive debris and high humidity in reactor buildings are hampering the investigation by robots at the Fukushima Daiichi plant.
* Delegates have discussed nuclear safety at an international conference to mark the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster on April 26.
* A senior official of Japan's Foreign Ministry says that although the nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant is ranked at the highest level of severity, it is less serious than the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.
* SDF personnel sent to nuclear zone who flees in panic has been dismissed on disciplinary grounds.
* The IAEA will send a team of experts to investigate the cause of the nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant.
* French nuclear firm Areva says it has agreed with the Tokyo Electric Power Company to build a facility to decontaminate radioactive water at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex.
* Electronics maker Toshiba has developed a TV set with a rechargeable battery to help Japanese viewers cope with expected power outages this summer.
* The world's oldest man, who lives in the prefecture of Kyoto in western Japan, has turned 114.
* The vast majority of deaths (92%) in the March 11th disaster were caused by the tsunami and most of the victims were seniors.
* The northeastern Japanese city of Sendai has started removing wrecked vehicles from tsunami-hit residential areas.
* It's a nice spring day in Tokyo (and the election candidate's loudspeaker announcements are very annoying) **
To see more news and video visit: http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/
** This was not a paid news brief from NHK World News (as if you couldn't guess).

Posted via email from Thoughts From The Big Rice Bowl

2011/04/18

Meeting Strangers

As Tokyo is always too warm for me, on Kobuchizawa Mondays I carry my dress shirt in my pack and commute in the excellent UniQlo Silky Dry Under which looks like a good quality t-shirt. A tight good quality t-shirt.

Today at lunch another customer shared my table. He sneezed. That was my opening for talking about the sugi pollen to have a conversation roll in.

We had a good chat. He even commented on how good and muscular my upper body looks. I have to admit, the hard work really is paying off as my pecs, back, biceps, triceps and shoulders really are quite pronounced.

Especially in this UniQlo under that I wear during my Kobuchizawa Mondays...

Sometimes a body's gotta give himself a pat on the back for a job well done. After all if you can't love yourself then you certainly won't be able to love others.

I love me!
Cam

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2011/04/17

My Mt. Everest

Today on my calendar from the Universe, it says, "Don't let the dazzling heights you aspire to scare you from getting started. After all, few could climb Mt. Everest tomorrow, though virtually all could begin preparing."

I like to think that when I finally die at a ripe old age of 202 I will be abe to say that I have no regrets.

Thirty years ago my mom told me that she regretted quitting the piano and she warned me I would regret my choice to stop playing the guitar. At that time, I was 15 and didn't enjoy the music I was playing on my guitar. I had been learning for about eight years but was never able to play by ear and none of the music I might have liked to play seemed available on sheet music. I had no interest in rock music (still don't) and all the traditional classic stuff one learns for the basics was no longer appealing to me. So I quit.

And I have regretted it ever since. Ten years ago I bought a DVD to relearn how to play the guitar but my heart wasn't in it and I never took the next step of getting a new guitar.

Tonight after spending about 40 minutes practicing on my skates I took a ride to the recycle shop just to see what was there. It is amazing what you can find in Japanese recycle shops.

I decided it was time to begin preparing.

I left with an old Yamaha acoustic guitar ($50) and carried it home on my bike with a big bag of skates and padding strapped to my back.

It's time to prepare for my Mt. Everest.

I love you.
Cam

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2011/04/16

Check out the HTC Evo WiMax Android 3.0 smartphone if U see it & tell me what you think.

It looks like an excellent contender to all the other smartphones out there. Beautiful, large screen with very smooth, fluid movement. It is probably the closest to the ipso facto benchmark standard iPhone fluidity.

Also the Motorola XOOM looks cool but it competes with the iPad, not the narrower tablets which interest me more.

Both of these models are FINALLY being offered by my carrier who for some mysterious reason is extremely late in the smartphone/tablet market.

I still think the Galaxy is the best size for a tablet if you have to commute in a crowded train daily; the iPad and contenders are just too big to hold single handed and cart around in very cramped quarters. I'm sure they are grea when you have a bit more space or travel by your own vehicle, though.

I love you!
Cam

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2011/04/15

This Tsunami Reporter has True Grit!

Holy Crap! Take a look at this series of four photos http://tinyurl.com/AmazingReporter and be sure to read the caption. This is amazing. The reporter has "true grit". He obviously has passion for his job. Some may call him a fool, but are you a fool if you have complete dedication to your calling? Methinks not. Wow...

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Imagining My Daily Breakfast Just Got Easier

Ts3o0150

I eat this kind of breakfast every day. The meat changes and the style off the eggs vary, but the variety and the volume is aleways like this.

I eat this much at lunch as well as dinner, too.

There are twelve different foods on my plate. I love variety!

And I love you!
Cam

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2011/04/14

Follow Up to the Sheltie Photo Shoot in Fukushima: Many Rescued

Paula and several people were asking if we had any news about what had happened to the group of Sheltie dogs that showed up in the Japanese News. Well, here is some GOOD info for you: http://tinyurl.com/SheltiesRescued
Good news, eh?!
I love Japan!
Cam

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2011/04/13

Unbelievable Japan: Sendai Airport Operational Again!

The reconstruction speed and efficiency of Japan in the tsunami/earthquake zone is amazing! As of today, Sendai Airport, the airport everyone in the world watched get wiped out by the tsunami is operational. Flights are both arriving and departing for regular commercial flights by JAL and ANA.

It puts a lump in the throat and brings tears to the eyes to see how hard everyone is working to bring a sense of normalcy back to the area.

It makes me very proud to call Japan my home.

I love you!
Cam

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2011/04/12

Wow that was a good aftershock!

First time to be standing outside of my apartment waiting for the elevator.

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