I started this blog a year ago. Small, but significant events have occurred about me in this year.
In December, Israeli has attacked Gaza again. The world repeats same processes over and over. On the other hand, the US President-elect Barack Obama promises that change is coming to America. Time Magazine named him as the person of the year 2008. The symbolic Kanji character for 2008 in Japan is "変", which means "change".
I hope to change my life for the betterment of my family in the next year.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Christmas
On Christmas Eve, we had a family Christmas party. Mari made a cheesecake.
Santa came to my house. Ken got "Tomy Plarail--Thomas the tank engine", which contains Thomas, freights, and plastic rails. He delighted and played with it at once. Ken believes in Santa Claus now.
Christmas party at daycare
Mari and I participated in the Christmas party at Ken's daycare.
Ken is always out of line. During chorus, he sat in the floor and watched his singing friends.
Then Ken took a role in a children's play "giant turnip", a folk tale in Russia. We watched it with little expecting, but Ken did it well. Although he fooled around too, we have never seen his team effort until now. Mari was moved and shed tears. Ken also sang Beethoven's Ninth Symphony together with his friends in the party.
After that, we cooked "tako-yaki (ball-shaped dumpling with octopus)" at our home. We got a tako-yaki cooker at the wedding of my cousin. It was my first experience of cooking tako-yaki, but I did it well. Ken had a lot of tako-yaki balls.
Ken is always out of line. During chorus, he sat in the floor and watched his singing friends.Then Ken took a role in a children's play "giant turnip", a folk tale in Russia. We watched it with little expecting, but Ken did it well. Although he fooled around too, we have never seen his team effort until now. Mari was moved and shed tears. Ken also sang Beethoven's Ninth Symphony together with his friends in the party.
After that, we cooked "tako-yaki (ball-shaped dumpling with octopus)" at our home. We got a tako-yaki cooker at the wedding of my cousin. It was my first experience of cooking tako-yaki, but I did it well. Ken had a lot of tako-yaki balls.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Phoo and shoe
"Sotheby's sets auction record for Pooh drawing"
A collection of original drawings from the "Winnie the Pooh" by A.A. Milne obtained around 1.3 million pounds (2 million dollars) at Sotheby’s auction.
On the other hand, it was reported that the former coach of the Iraqi national football team offered 100,000 dollars for the shoes aimed at President Bush, while Saudi citizen has offered 10 million dollars for them. The shoes appear to be far valuable than the original drawings for the Pooh.
After the incident, Bush joked to reporters, "I'm pretty good at ducking, as most of you know."
A few days ago, I played the online game "sock and awe" (http://www.sockandawe.com). This is a simple game to throw shoes to President Bush. I only hit 10 shoes him for 30 seconds. He showed his good ducking ability again.
A collection of original drawings from the "Winnie the Pooh" by A.A. Milne obtained around 1.3 million pounds (2 million dollars) at Sotheby’s auction.
On the other hand, it was reported that the former coach of the Iraqi national football team offered 100,000 dollars for the shoes aimed at President Bush, while Saudi citizen has offered 10 million dollars for them. The shoes appear to be far valuable than the original drawings for the Pooh.
After the incident, Bush joked to reporters, "I'm pretty good at ducking, as most of you know."
A few days ago, I played the online game "sock and awe" (http://www.sockandawe.com). This is a simple game to throw shoes to President Bush. I only hit 10 shoes him for 30 seconds. He showed his good ducking ability again.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Hearing aids
Humpty Dumpty and the messenger.
--I said it very loud and clear; I went and shouted in his ear.
But he was very stiff and proud; He said “You needn't shout so loud!”--
Photos are my hearing aids purchased from Widex Co Ltd. I attached small silver accessories on them. Sometimes children ask me what I am wearing in my ears. I usually reply them that I am using "alarm" aids. "These are alarm devices to let me know someone's lie, like this." I say and sound my hearing aids by producing feedback.I wish to get babel fish rather than lie detector. Actually I desire hearing aids associated with iPod, but these are not applicable to my hearing.
Badminton game
On Nov 30, I participated in a badminton tournament held by Wako city. I debuted in the game as a doubles player with Mr. Y.
The opposing pair was high-school students. We tried hard and showed animosity against their youth, but lost the game. I failed to relax my shoulders and frequently hit air instead of shuttle.
In the next game, we faced a mixed pair. The girl was quite cute, but we defeated them completely. We got the first win in the official game.
Photos in the first game.
I look somewhat funny. I am not good at this sport yet, but it is a pleasure for me having a thing that provides me to feel my growth.
The opposing pair was high-school students. We tried hard and showed animosity against their youth, but lost the game. I failed to relax my shoulders and frequently hit air instead of shuttle.
In the next game, we faced a mixed pair. The girl was quite cute, but we defeated them completely. We got the first win in the official game.
Photos in the first game.
I look somewhat funny. I am not good at this sport yet, but it is a pleasure for me having a thing that provides me to feel my growth.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Sunshine International Aquarium
On Nov23, I and Ken went to the Sunshine International Aquarium in Ikebukuro. The aquarium has a mini zoo and we could watch several animals very closely in there. Mari went to a beauty salon in Shibuya where a friend of hers working.
(Left) Ken stared at hamsters for a long time. (Right) A sea lion caught balls thrown by spectators.
(Left) A ring-tailed lemur and a six-banded armadillo. Unlike three-banded armadillos, six-banded armadillos cannot roll up into a ball. (Right) A patagonian mara. It looks like a deer but is a species of large rodent.
(Left) Swimming fishes in a large circular glass tank. (Right) Ken lied in front of a tank watching arapaimas (pirarucus). He said that it was the best fish for him.
Burrow-inhabiting fishes. (Left) Yellow-head jawfishes. (Right) Splendid garden eels (Gorgasia preclara).
(Left) Ken and pelicans. (Right) Ken and a penguin-shaped, illuminated christmas decoration.
We spent many hours in the aquarium. Then we joined Mari in Ikebukuro and had dinner in a restaurant.
(Left) Ken stared at hamsters for a long time. (Right) A sea lion caught balls thrown by spectators.
(Left) A ring-tailed lemur and a six-banded armadillo. Unlike three-banded armadillos, six-banded armadillos cannot roll up into a ball. (Right) A patagonian mara. It looks like a deer but is a species of large rodent.
(Left) Swimming fishes in a large circular glass tank. (Right) Ken lied in front of a tank watching arapaimas (pirarucus). He said that it was the best fish for him.
Burrow-inhabiting fishes. (Left) Yellow-head jawfishes. (Right) Splendid garden eels (Gorgasia preclara).
(Left) Ken and pelicans. (Right) Ken and a penguin-shaped, illuminated christmas decoration.
We spent many hours in the aquarium. Then we joined Mari in Ikebukuro and had dinner in a restaurant.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
fMRI
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a recently developed neuroimaging technique that provides high resolution, noninvasive reports of neural activity. fMRI is based on the changes in blood flow and oxygenation (i.e., hemodynamics) in response to neural activity in the brain.
Since fMRI has relatively wide availability, it has become a popular tool for imaging of brain function. For example, researchers from Northwestern University and the University of Haifa provided a biological basis for gender differences in language using this technique.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18262207
The researchers measured brain activity in 31 boys and 31 girls aged 9 to 15 and showed that areas of the brain associated with language work harder in girls than in boys during language tasks.
Using fMRI, an amazing technology has reported in the Dec 11 issue of Neuron.
"Visual Image Reconstruction from Human Brain Activity using a Combination of Multiscale Local Image Decoders "
http://www.cell.com/neuron/abstract/S0896-6273(08)00958-6
Researchers from ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories in Japan have developed a neuroimaging technology that can reconstruct arbitrary visual images from fMRI signals of human visual cortex. They succeeded in reconstructing what the test subjects were viewing, such as the letters "neuron", from their brain activity and displayed it on the monitor.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/cache/MiamiImageURL/B6WSS-4V4113M-P-8/0?wchp=dGLbVzb-zSkWz
The technology is quite amazing. In the future, it will be able to read one's thoughts or feelings directly from the brain. The researchers say, "More interesting are attempts to reconstruct subjective states that are elicited without sensory stimulation, such as visual imagery, illusions, and dreams."
Since fMRI has relatively wide availability, it has become a popular tool for imaging of brain function. For example, researchers from Northwestern University and the University of Haifa provided a biological basis for gender differences in language using this technique.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18262207
The researchers measured brain activity in 31 boys and 31 girls aged 9 to 15 and showed that areas of the brain associated with language work harder in girls than in boys during language tasks.
Using fMRI, an amazing technology has reported in the Dec 11 issue of Neuron.
"Visual Image Reconstruction from Human Brain Activity using a Combination of Multiscale Local Image Decoders "
http://www.cell.com/neuron/abstract/S0896-6273(08)00958-6
Researchers from ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories in Japan have developed a neuroimaging technology that can reconstruct arbitrary visual images from fMRI signals of human visual cortex. They succeeded in reconstructing what the test subjects were viewing, such as the letters "neuron", from their brain activity and displayed it on the monitor.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/cache/MiamiImageURL/B6WSS-4V4113M-P-8/0?wchp=dGLbVzb-zSkWz
The technology is quite amazing. In the future, it will be able to read one's thoughts or feelings directly from the brain. The researchers say, "More interesting are attempts to reconstruct subjective states that are elicited without sensory stimulation, such as visual imagery, illusions, and dreams."
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Fixed-sum cash benefits
On Oct 30, Japan's Prime Minister Aso decided to use 2 trillion yen (20 billion dollar) as a government's economic stimulus package. He announced that Japan government will distribute 12,000 yen/person of cash benefit to all Japanese citizens. However, many people have doubts about the effect on economy.
A fake newspaper article reported that the Prime Minister decided to give 2 trillion yen cash to "a" person. According to the article, a junior partner in the coalition government opposed the plan and presented a counterproposal that 20 thousands winners selected by lot will get 100 millions yen/person.
I feel the later is attractive. If the government distributes 10 millions yen/person, about 200 thousands persons (about one per 500 citizens) can get the cash benefits. If it is assumed that a family consists of five persons, one for every 100 households will win the handouts.
That is better than the original plan, isn't that?
A fake newspaper article reported that the Prime Minister decided to give 2 trillion yen cash to "a" person. According to the article, a junior partner in the coalition government opposed the plan and presented a counterproposal that 20 thousands winners selected by lot will get 100 millions yen/person.
I feel the later is attractive. If the government distributes 10 millions yen/person, about 200 thousands persons (about one per 500 citizens) can get the cash benefits. If it is assumed that a family consists of five persons, one for every 100 households will win the handouts.
That is better than the original plan, isn't that?
Monday, December 15, 2008
Hyakken
Hyakken Uchida was a Japanese prominent writer known for his elegant essays. I read a number of his essays and novels when I was in high school.
Do you like to eat doughnut hole? Hyakken liked to taste sort of like that, such as lotus root holes. He was also famous for being very difficult. I heard an anecdote about him when he was gifted a premium sake. He rebuked the donor that it will spoil his taste for his favorite sake. I thought that I want to find such my favorite things than having luxuries in life, although I do not like to be so difficult like him.
Photo is a bottle of umeshu. I bought it in Niigata in August. It is rich in aroma and sweet like honey.
Do you like to eat doughnut hole? Hyakken liked to taste sort of like that, such as lotus root holes. He was also famous for being very difficult. I heard an anecdote about him when he was gifted a premium sake. He rebuked the donor that it will spoil his taste for his favorite sake. I thought that I want to find such my favorite things than having luxuries in life, although I do not like to be so difficult like him.
Photo is a bottle of umeshu. I bought it in Niigata in August. It is rich in aroma and sweet like honey.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Dark Water
A dead body was discovered in the water tank of a shopping center in Japan. The body was a man suspected to have committed suicide a month ago by jumping off from the building. All restaurants in the shopping center have been using the water even while the man had been in the tank.
Dark Water is a 2005 American drama-horror film. The film is a remake of a Japanese film based on the short story "Floating Water" in a horror anthology by Koji Suzuki, the author of "Ring". He commented that he got the idea of the story from an urban legend regarding dead body in water tank. Now it came to reality, and shocked a number of people who had used the restaurants. Fact is worse than fiction.
Dark Water is a 2005 American drama-horror film. The film is a remake of a Japanese film based on the short story "Floating Water" in a horror anthology by Koji Suzuki, the author of "Ring". He commented that he got the idea of the story from an urban legend regarding dead body in water tank. Now it came to reality, and shocked a number of people who had used the restaurants. Fact is worse than fiction.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Doctors
In October, an emergent pregnant woman died after refusing admission from eight hospitals in Tokyo. As I was concerned in a previous entry (http://shinkammy.blogspot.com/2008/02/obstetrical-and-pediatric-problems.html), the maternity services did not work properly even for women who had regular prenatal checkups.
Mr. Nikai, the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, said the issue is not a political but is due to moral of doctors. Additionally, the Prime Minister Aso attributed the issue to doctors themselves. He also said that they lack in a common sense. These statements made a lot of doctors upset.
Doctors have different opinions over whether their number should be increased. Many of them worry about their situations and oppose the policy. They insist that improving their working conditions is more crucial rather than increasing the number. Indeed, increased dentists in 1970s led a serious issue of excess dentists in Japan.
In contrast to the shortage of medical doctor, the issue of excess postdoc is not a matter of public concern. In August, the members of "the waste destruction project team" of the Liberal Democratic Party singled out the project "promotion of career-path diversity for postdocs" as a wasteful, useless one. They mocked postdocs that foisting incapable doctors on businesses will bother and inconvenience many employers. Postdocs ought to establish their career path by themselves.
According to OECD Education at a Glance 2008 (http://www.oecd.org/edu/eag2008), a report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the total expenditure of Japan on education was 3.4% of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2005. Japan ranked bottom in 28 OECD member countries.
At the same time, OECD Health Data 2008 (http://www.oecd.org/health/healthdata) shows that total health spending of Japan accounted for 8.2% of GDP in 2005. The value was lower than the OECD average and ranked 21st among those of 30 OECD countries.
Mr. Nikai, the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, said the issue is not a political but is due to moral of doctors. Additionally, the Prime Minister Aso attributed the issue to doctors themselves. He also said that they lack in a common sense. These statements made a lot of doctors upset.
Doctors have different opinions over whether their number should be increased. Many of them worry about their situations and oppose the policy. They insist that improving their working conditions is more crucial rather than increasing the number. Indeed, increased dentists in 1970s led a serious issue of excess dentists in Japan.
In contrast to the shortage of medical doctor, the issue of excess postdoc is not a matter of public concern. In August, the members of "the waste destruction project team" of the Liberal Democratic Party singled out the project "promotion of career-path diversity for postdocs" as a wasteful, useless one. They mocked postdocs that foisting incapable doctors on businesses will bother and inconvenience many employers. Postdocs ought to establish their career path by themselves.
According to OECD Education at a Glance 2008 (http://www.oecd.org/edu/eag2008), a report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the total expenditure of Japan on education was 3.4% of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2005. Japan ranked bottom in 28 OECD member countries.
At the same time, OECD Health Data 2008 (http://www.oecd.org/health/healthdata) shows that total health spending of Japan accounted for 8.2% of GDP in 2005. The value was lower than the OECD average and ranked 21st among those of 30 OECD countries.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Mt. Fuji
When the sky is clear, I can see Mt. Fuji from my laboratory. See the photo, the mountain in the distance is that at sunset.In Japan, one can see Mt. Fuji in a wide area. I used to watch it at Omiya station during commuting from Niigata to Hachioji. I could see it more clearly in a few places in Hachioji, but mostly other mountains obstructed the view.
Korejanai robo
"Korejanai robo" is a handmade wooden robot made by ZariganiWorks Co.,Ltd. It looks like a fake Gundam, but it won a 2008 Good Design Award in Japan.
http://www.g-mark.org/search/Detail?id=34900&sheet=outline&lang=en
What is Korejanai? Please imagine following scenes in your mind. A parents buy their son a Gundam toy for Christmas. But it is not Gundam but a fake robot. Their son is disappointed and crys, "KOREJANAI (This is Not what I wanted) !"
The concept of this toy is as follows."It is the time to teach your son that life is not a box of chocolates. He cannot always get everything he wants without any effort."
I guess Ken should learn it. Perhaps I'd better buy Ken the robot for Christmas.
http://www.g-mark.org/search/Detail?id=34900&sheet=outline&lang=en
What is Korejanai? Please imagine following scenes in your mind. A parents buy their son a Gundam toy for Christmas. But it is not Gundam but a fake robot. Their son is disappointed and crys, "KOREJANAI (This is Not what I wanted) !"
The concept of this toy is as follows."It is the time to teach your son that life is not a box of chocolates. He cannot always get everything he wants without any effort."
I guess Ken should learn it. Perhaps I'd better buy Ken the robot for Christmas.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Mammoth genome
Sequencing the nuclear genome of the extinct woolly mammoth
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v456/n7220/full/nature07446.html
Scientist from the USA and Russia reported genome-wide sequence of woolly mammoth in Nature on Nov 20. The researchers determined 3.3 billion (80%) of the 4.17 billion bases of sequence from two mammoth specimens. The divergence between the two specimens is 1.5-2.0 Myr. The estimated divergence rate between mammoth and African elephant is half of that between human and chimpanzee.
It is a step forward to resurrecting a mammoth. Gon, a Stone age boy of a Japanese anime, often eats round slices of mammoths together with his family. Many Japanese wished to eat it, but it was obviously impossible. How soon will I be able to eat mammoth steak?
Gon and a mammoth slice.
http://pierrot.jp/title/gon/gon/gon-mv.jpg
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v456/n7220/full/nature07446.html
Scientist from the USA and Russia reported genome-wide sequence of woolly mammoth in Nature on Nov 20. The researchers determined 3.3 billion (80%) of the 4.17 billion bases of sequence from two mammoth specimens. The divergence between the two specimens is 1.5-2.0 Myr. The estimated divergence rate between mammoth and African elephant is half of that between human and chimpanzee.
It is a step forward to resurrecting a mammoth. Gon, a Stone age boy of a Japanese anime, often eats round slices of mammoths together with his family. Many Japanese wished to eat it, but it was obviously impossible. How soon will I be able to eat mammoth steak?
Gon and a mammoth slice.
http://pierrot.jp/title/gon/gon/gon-mv.jpg
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