I have to say I expect more from National Geographic. Comparing all of Islam with Catholicism, the generalizations made in the quote from the Vatican’s Monsignor Vittorio Formenti. The article comes from the Vatican newspaper via Associated Press, but I have to wonder who decided this would be appropriate. I enjoy National Geographic, and really expect a lot more objectivity and truth. Have Sunni Islam grown to surpass Catholicism? That would be a more fair comparison. If you look at denominations, it’s probably safe to say that Catholicism is still the largest religious denomination in the world. Are we going to compare all Buddhists as just one group as well?
Article: Muslims “Overtake” Catholics, Become Largest Religion
I have a new blog written in Japanese and targeted toward families and fathers. A lot of talk about having kids and raising them in Japan, as well as some stuff about being an American father in Japan.
Here’s a link just in case anyone sees this.
BigDaddyJapan.com
by jay on February 14, 2008
National Geographic reports that Eocene period bats could fly, but lacked the radar that modern bats have evolved.
I know it’s not as simple all that, but I enjoyed the image in my mind of bats flying around, smashing into trees and stuff like little, winged, rondent-like georges of the jungle.
That’s my happy thought for today.
Powered by ScribeFire.
by jay on December 26, 2007
So it’s been a while since I’ve written on this blog. I took a break to study a bit more, and to focus my attention on my blog about news and culture in Japan:
newZjapan.com
But I’ve decided to take the time to give everyone a Christmas present that’s kind of good for humanity and doesn’t cost me or you any money.
If you want some good stuff to stuff in your iPods or Zunes or computer, then check out the audio equivalent of Gutenberg project. All free, all well read by amateurs, all books that are no longer in copyright (like the Gutenberg books). It’s free and is going to give you a ton of listening timel. It’s called Librivox and you can even do more if you have a voice to lend! Check it out.
(and feel free to check out my newZjapan page as well!)
by jay on September 14, 2007
I’m watching a tv show as we speak in which a reporter climbed to the top of Mt. Fuji to interview people at the top.
I’ve got two things bothering me… one is that there are little kids making it to the top with no trouble, another guy brought his BICYCLE!, another guy was wearing a suit and going to the top in LOAFERS, now a wedding party is at the top wearing suits and dresses.
There are chains at the side of the path these guys are climbing, and it seems more like a really long hike than mountain climbing.
So what’s the deal? I’ve been hoping to get out there and climb Mt. Fuji with my son when he’s a little older, but if it’s just going to be a long walk, I’ll climb a local mountain twice and save the money.
One more thing… a 500ml bottle of tea at the top, if bought from a conveniently placed drink machine is
500 YEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They cost 150 yen at regular drink machines and 100 yen in a supermarket! They should discount the heck out of it for people who were motivated to get off their butts and climb the thing in the first place.
Maybe everybody has a John-Travolta-Pulp-Fiction reaction, like the one he had toward Uma Thurman’s “five dollar milkshake”.
Maybe it’s more of an Eddie-Murphy-Raw kind of eating-a-cracker-in-the-desert kind of thing. You know, where you say, “Man, that must be a Ritz Cracker!”
I’m sure it’s easy to say that the tea was worth 500 yen because of how it tastes at the top, but if I do climb, and it’s as easy as it looks on this show I’ll bring up a cooler full of tea for everybody up there!
So anybody ever do it? Please tell me it’s harder than these guys make it seem.
by jay on September 13, 2007
Mainichi news describes the “Dialogue in the Dark” or “Dialog im Dunkel” event as follows:
“an event in which people can experience being locked in darkness with strangers”
My first thought was that this was a recipe for disaster, especially when you think of things like the problem with groping and all… then pile on the fact that this year’s will take place in an elementary school!… but what it actually seems to be, judging from the description on the original event, is a program to designed to promote awareness and understanding about blindness.
Maybe I misread it, but that basic fact seems to be missing from the mainichi article. The article made me think, “Oh, one of those crazy Japanese things that for some god-only-knows reason has made it into the paper.”
If the researcher for the article did a little google search for “dialogue in the dark”, said researcher would reach the original German site.
You have to wonder if the author of the article checked it out at all or just wrote something based on a partial understanding of a press release… So I go from “WTF” to “hey we should do that here in Kansai!”
Sounds like a good program, especially if they really do the wind, outdoor conditions, and let people touch a lot of different things, and experience a lot of things they don’t normally have to do in the dark.
by jay on September 9, 2007
Here is the same rice field from my July 3rd post, “Ahhh Rice Field“, as of September 9th.
Can’t you almost taste it?
by jay on September 2, 2007
Changing the blog around to try and make it better, so if you are reading this and something is weird… that’s what it is. Feel free to let me know if there are problems. I’m very new to this.
by jay on August 25, 2007
Philadelphia Skyline in the AfternoonWho could not love Philly?
by jay on August 25, 2007
So I was born, raised, and educated in Philly. Before I moved to Japan, it was the only home I ever knew. I was actually in high school before I even went to the suburbs of Philly.
There was one other place we went, that was down the shore to South Jersey every summer. Wildwood.
I love Philadelphia, with all my heart. So I really wish Philly would do more to show how great a city it is. Just the other day, someone asked me what state I was from. I don’t know what people in Japan think they can do with that data considering that some states are bigger than their country!
… but I digress, as I often do.
I answer this young woman with “I’m from Philadelphia, in the state of Pennsylvania.”
Her: “I thought Philadelphia was in England.”
Me: “It’s not even in NEW ENGLAND!”
Her: Blank stare
Me: Returning blank stare
Her: It’s not in Europe?
Me: Working the blank stare waiting for her to erode.
First of all, it’s a Japanese educational problem that they don’t know Philly. The world changed there, the trend was set for people to start taking charge of their own countries (I see France over there nodding… Yeah, France, thanks for the “Revolution Funding”. We won’t tell England if you won’t.)
Fifth largest city in the US (if Phoenix can keep its pants on), home of Rocky, Sixth Sense…
There are so many reasons for people in Japan to know Philly, but all they know is the cream cheese… is that even MADE in Philly?
Thanks for reading. Send me some Tastykakes, my friend, this may be a Kandy Kake kind of day. Maybe I need a Chocolate Junior, and a Lemon Pie for good measure.