Silly Stuff

Because nothing should take itself too seriously, especially conventions about innovation and ideas, here is Tom Reilly taking a comic look at the TED in 2006. Enjoy!

What does a good short-shorts-wearing, kawaii (“cute”, well, cutesy might be closer) girl do in winter so as not to freeze her *%$ off? Of course! Why didn’t I think of that? 

One of my local Supermarkets is called Paré Marché and at the moment its walls are littered with posters wishing us “Merry Paré Marché!” Stores all over the city have similar posters and I’m not quite sure whether they are misunderstanding the phrasing or just approaching the whole issue of the commercial overload of this festival... More...

A quick post with some quick notes for friends of the blog and blogger For NZ. K., in case she has any time at all in her busy busy schedule on her trip home, thinking of you and letting you know we won the quiz last night! Yay! For readers waiting for the next instalment in my Moving to Japan Tips series – it will be coming next week,... More...

When in discussion about US politics lately, I have often found the situation deserved a reference to a magnificent English TV show called “Yes, Minister” (and later “Yes, Prime Minister”) and I’ve found that many of my American friends have not heard of this wonderful sitcom! I understand why it didn’t make it... More...

NB.. For those of you who have stumbled on this page looking for directions and aren’t interested in a review of the shopping district of Osu Kannon (to wit: is it really the best place to go for cameras et al.) – scroll down to a little above where the photos begin. Okay, I’m not actually accusing any person or persons of deliberately... More...

Annabel Crabb is one of my favourite journalists. I always hope to see her on the Insiders couch each Sunday for her deep political insights and ability to cut through the dross to the heart of the matter at hand in such a way that even Piers Akerman knows the argument is done (not that it stops him muttering one last remark under his breath like a... More...

The Daily Yomiuri is a Japanese Newspaper which has an English version and is available online. I’ve been reading it since Superman first came home with the news that we might be moving to Japan. Recently they ran a comic contest (just a single illustration really, not even strips so I’m not sure comic is the actually the right word but... More...

Much has been said about the culture shock of Westerners moving to Japan and in typical anxiety disorder management style I am putting my research skills to use to attempt smooth out the shock as much as possible. Obviously the first thing to do is crank up the expectation of difference to 11 – done, second: start learning the language –... More...

Now THAT is a proper working office… I bet he knows exactly how to lay his hands on anything he needs, too. Note that he has the TV on as well as those 3 monitors pumping away – how can he possibly get anything done? He doesn’t – he gets everything done!! hehe Clutterbugs UNITE!!!