Pivo

So I've finally got around to using the old Google Video to get out this post that I started writing in March... So, after 2 months in the making, I would to introduce you to.. PIVO.

I ran across this display of Nissan cars the other day (on the 4th floor of a mall), and they were showing off some of their more environmentally friendly cars. They also had on display their latest concept car, the Pivo (Pee-vo). Gotta say, its a funky little beast. The doors slide open automatically, there's no back seat, but it still seats 3 people, and the main feature, well, a video's worth a thousand words..



The model driving it was pretty nice too. Friendly I mean. :)

Temping ain't easy ..

Anyone who has ever been to Japan should be familiar with those annoying people who stand outside of the train stations and departments stores shoving flyers and tissues into the hands of unsuspecting passersby, and generally making a nuisance of themselves. Well.. I got me a new part-time job as one of those annoying people. I hand out flyers for an English school. Its not that bad.. I get to pretend that I'm
"Flyerman", without the leather jacket, and without the Uptown Theatre, and without the eye contact; Japanese people are exceptionally good at ignoring things. Especially when those things are shoving flyers in their faces.. I have to say though, I'm a big hit wiht the over-40 ladies set. I think its cause lots of peoples' mothers want them to study english... I hope...

Acceptance

Whew, looks like another long while between updates, despite my promises to update more often.. Well I have the excuse that I don't have internet at home, I suppose. Well today's topic is "acceptance". Acceptance of life, liberty and the pursuit of "happyness" (which I saw the other day, and is an awesome movie, but for some reason is called "The Power of Happiness" in Japanese)..

Actually, I lie, its all about my acceptance to the Tokyo Institute of Technology's research student program starting in April. I'll basically be doing research in the fields of robotics and control systems, possibly emphasizing human/machine interface systems. I'm really looking forward to it, and I've been looking back at some of the material that I studied back in the day at school, and realizing, that this crap can be pretty tough stuff. Oh well, wish me luck.

Hot Eats and Cool Streets

Since I've arrived in Fukoka, I've been oot and aboot here and there looking for housing and a job and all of those other boringly insignificant things that keep us all from dying in the street, or wearing tinfoil hats. Well today, I came across what I'm assuming is Fukuoka's big signature mall, Canal City. It's huge. And its really funky looking. For starters its got about 6 floors of shopping, dining, a movie theatre, a musical theatre, and a Grand Hyatt Hotel. Also, its not so much one building as a series of buildings built together, with connecting bridges, and forming a huge courtyard, featuring.... dancing fountains.. Its like the Bellagio show in Vegas with less Celine Dion.

Well all that looking at stuff is pretty hungry work, so I went off to find myself something to eat. I managed to find some of the best unagi (eel) that I've put my lips on since I got to Japan. The eel was good, the rice was good, the miso soup was good. It was all good... with one minor drawback. Cleverly disguised in amongst all that deliciousness was a head... an eel head. But even that couldn't spoil this meal.

(sigh) now back to finding work...

Engrishified

I've been pretty impressed so far at the general lack of Engrish that I've encountered thus far in Japan. Sure there are the the occational "L" and "R" swaps, but that's not too terrible. And with North American 12 yr old girls walking around with "Jailbait" shirts, it's not too far of a leap to see a middle-aged Japanese lady walking around with a shirt that reads "I like it from behind". That being said, I was pretty amused to find a gold-mine of Engrish in my hotel room.. Here are some excepts of what I think they are trying to say (as translated from the Japanese) and what they actually write

Intended: When leaving the room, the small thing on the inside doorknob is the the lock

Actual: Still a key of door in outside room (a lock) of a doorknob of an inner door is small

Intended: If there are any unclear points, please don't hesitate to ask at the front desk

Actual: If there was an indistinct dot without hesitation to the front desk

Dunno; reeks of babelfish translation to me.