It we can get beyond the "yuck" factor, it's probably a good idea. -- Kirk
2024-04-22 21:27 JST 2024 It we can get beyond the "yuck" factor, it's probably a good idea. -- Kirk World's 1st recycled diapers go on sale at stores in southwest Japan - The MainichiKUMAMOTO (Kyodo) -- A major Japanese hygiene products maker began selling the world's first https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20240421/p2g/00m/0bu/06 … ↗ View original post on Facebook For a link to the original post on Facebook, open this page on a computer. Reactions: 6 · Comments: 0 · Shares: 1 ← 2024-04-21 17:02 JST 2024-04-23 12:16 JST → Around this time … 2024-04-28 06:20 JSTSean here:File under: A shout out to a teen hero.A local hero and 3rd year student reminding us that not just athletes come out of Kyugaku. Miharu-san, our intrepid hero, has embarked on a mission. In a world inundated with processed and fast food, she wants to remind us and the world of a humble food staple that has nourished people for over 2000 years: the Onigiri. The Onigiri, literally at our fingertips, or in the palm of our hands?🍙 2024-04-26 10:00 JSTJoe Tomei with another Kami Ezu FFF. This time, it's the Tatomiya sandwich cafe, which is just across the street from the Ezuko Boat House, with parking in front. The google map link, with tons of photos, is herehttps://maps.app.goo.gl/EJdEzwvAyn2t4qLj7As I mentioned last week, you can get to it by going to Kami Ezu and walking across the bridges that span the lake. The place has a nice airy feel with some outdoor seating, I believe Tatomiya is connected to the former MissFruitsParlor in Oe. (it seems that a lot of eating places in Kumamoto are in groups, which, with the price of raw ingredients, makes sense)I read one online review from a few months ago that expressed joy that they have a pastrami sandwich but lamented that there wasn't much pastrami. While it is not like Katz's deli in New York, I thought that there was a pretty good amount of meat in the sandwich. 2024-04-26 08:05 JSTHere's a share from Kuma Visit. -- Kirkhttps://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/pfbid02Z5dVnSLKEtCNn6ppWSqqYcS3f65STTx1EbSG2eDa11VimxZ4naH9Uum3P8yi5uc4l 2024-04-24 11:02 JSTKirk here. Today I'd like to share something that is tangentially related to Kumamoto (TSMC specifically) and something I think is just plain amazing, regardless of whether or not it's connected to Kumamoto. First of all, if you are like me until recently, you may not know that Nvidia is the third largest tech company in the world as measured by market capitalization. That puts it ahead of Google and Amazon!! Graphic source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1350976/leading-tech-companies-worldwide-by-market-cap/What does this relatively unknown giant do? Well, according to Wikipedia, it is a "software and fabless company which designs and supplies graphics processing units (GPUs)." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NvidiaIt's become a huge company because those wonky GPUs are what make the AI revolution we're experiencing now possible. And, something I find to be even more amazing is that Nvidia doesn't even actually make its main product -- it designs the chips and has companies like TSMC manufacture them on its behalf.With TSMC, I'm finally approaching the tangential connection to Kumamoto. Today, I found the following article in my "Kumamoto" feed:Nvidia Joins Forces with Japan's Tech Institute for Hybrid Supercomputer Projecthttps://www.tradingview.com/news/benzinga:390ce3c6f094b:0-nvidia-joins-forces-with-japan-s-tech-institute-for-hybrid-supercomputer-project/The article mentions TSMC in the context of Japan's desire to produce chips here in Japan, rather than relying on foreign sources. The Nvidia connection ends there, though, at least for now. The kinds of chips to be produced here are logic chips -- not the GPUs relied upon by ChatGPT and other AI companies. Still, I think the relationship between TSMC and Nvidia is interesting and provides some context for understanding the significance of what's happening here in Kumamoto. "TSMC’s dominance owes much to its now-retired founder, Morris Chang, who pioneered a model which separated producing chips from designing them." Nvidia, on the other hand, is the most successful example of a company specializing in design and letting TSMC actually build stuff for it.Source of last quote:https://www.reuters.com/breakingviews/tsmcs-most-complex-engineering-task-is-itself-2024-04-03/ 2024-04-23 12:16 JSTKirk here with a list, in simple Japanese, of various expat communities in Kumamoto. This kind of information is very welcome because I think a lot can be gained by bringing communities together, even if only through the sharing of information online, especially in emergencies (national disasters, etc.). There are several communities with which I am not familiar (and therefore haven't been able to introduce on this page) so I'm glad to learn about them. There are also several groups and sources of information that I know well and have mentioned or quoted on this page many times. Among them (in alphabetical order):Kumamoto Earthquake Experience Project (KEEP)Kumamoto Islamic CenterKuma VisitKumustakaWorld Friends AmakusaUnfortunately, one expat community that is not included is Kumamoto International (this page). I'm in the process of contacting the people who put the pdf together so that future iterations of the list can be improved.I found the list here:http://www.kuma-koku.jp/support-center/page213.html 2024-04-22 21:27 JSTIt we can get beyond the "yuck" factor, it's probably a good …World's 1st recycled diapers go on sale at stores in southwest Japan - The Mainichi (this post) 2024-04-21 17:02 JSTKirk here. A while ago I posted about the opening of the new Kumamoto Children's Book Forest (children's library; こども本の森 熊本) and asked if anyone had been inside to check out the collection of books in English. Although I got quite a few comments, no one reported on what they actually observed inside in that regard (see the url at the end of this post). Part of the problem may have been that it's not at all easy to gain admission. It's a very popular place and so, to prevent little kids from being trampled by a stampede of curious adults, they require that you have a reservation and limit the number of reservations they will take for any single period.There's a link to the reservation interface from the main website:https://kodomohonnomori.kumamoto.jp/The main website has a convenient Google translate button that lets you translate the site into English and other languages but, unfortunately, Google translate and the reservation system haven't learned to play nicely together (in other words, you can't make a reservation via the Google translation). So, you need to deal with the Japanese interface which is here:https://reserva.be/kodomohonnomoriIf you give it a try, you'll find that most days in the near future are full. At this writing, all weekend spots are taken for a parent and child (two people); only Wednesdays and Thursdays have openings. So, if you want to take a child (or some children) to the library, you'll need to plan in advance.In regard to English books, I was told when I visited the library (but wasn't allowed into the Children's Book Forest because I didn't have a reservation), that they are mixed in with Japanese books.By the way, if you haven't seen it already, I highly recommend that you look at the Kuma Visit bilingual post about the library:https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/pfbid02JSX5JX55y2GQuXpXAfdQxnjABg2LWMW2xgYcjEYfDanngwayPv4NPvjB1dxo3ZT9lhttps://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0s4FtH7rEnAQDc8UCsFGjcfhyfVkima3gPzuBPMnSruyAwKXvhYPV8usjHqpQzwMulこども本の森 熊本 2024-04-20 17:11 JSTAccording to the article, the luminescence is caused by the presence of a large number of noctiluca, a plankton that glows when stimulated. The article says that the video was recorded on April 16 in Amakusa. A map in the video that's embedded in the article shows the exact location:https://www.ntv.co.jp/englishnews/articles/2021z0f0qg7be5yx5adz.html 2024-04-20 15:03 JSTIronically, this old guy seemed to imagine that he was teaching some elementary school girls good manners by punching one of them in the face. -- Kirk75-yr-old man accused of punching young girl after argument over park trash in Japan - The Mainichi 2024-04-19 21:10 JSTKirk here with a job notice from Greg Howes at Freedom English School--- start quote ---Freedom English School is looking for a native-level kids' English teacher to teach part-time at our new Musashigaoka branch, opening in mid-May.The hours are Friday 4pm to 7pm, and Saturday 10:30am to 2pm. Experience is preferred but not absolutely essential. Applicants should love interacting with young children, and be willing to bring lots of energy into the classroom. The pay is 2,500 yen for each 40 minute lesson.Please contact Greg Howes at Freedom English School on 096-322-7100 or [email protected].--- end quote ---The photo is one I stole from the school's website: https://www.freedomenglishschool.com/I hope that's OK -- I usually like to have something visual to give folks an immediate sense of the topic. 2024-04-19 10:00 JSTJoe Tomei with Funky Friday Finds. Just down the road from where we were last week, Tatomiya sandwich cafe is Kohaku ramen, alternatively Shoyusobakohaku.https://maps.app.goo.gl/Z5ogTDvAumK2HcFq5Their insta page is herehttps://www.instagram.com/shoyusobakohaku/?utm_medium=copy_linkand it is lunchtime only (11:30-14-30) with Wednesdays and the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays.
