the_harper said...

the_harper at 11:39 AM JST - 5th October

They burn them for public health reasons? As a doll cremation? As an offering to the kami of dolls? I think they'd be better sent to needy cihldren somewhere though.

Posted in Dolls' day at 11:39 AM JST - 5th October
the_harper at 12:35 PM JST - 27th September

So what is being done to foster HR and software development?

Posted in It's better to foster human resources and develop software. at 12:35 PM JST - 27th September
the_harper at 09:20 PM JST - 13th September

Waltery, try a quick google search to check your figures. Land area of: Japan - 337,835 Km^2, WA - 2,529,875 Km^2, Vic - 227,416 Km^2. So Japan fits into WA 7.5 times over. Victoria is 2/3 the land area of Japan. The figure for Japan is from the CIA World…

Posted in Only 3 governors support DPJ's toll-free expressway policy at 09:20 PM JST - 13th September
the_harper at 08:54 PM JST - 13th September

Does Japan have geothermal plants? It seems like a much more obvious way to generate green power without the expense of solar electric panels. :-7

Posted in Kyushu Electric may build large solar power stations in Nagasaki Pref at 08:54 PM JST - 13th September
the_harper at 01:33 PM JST - 12th September

nimbus; my understanding is that the vehicles will be deorbited and burned up in the atmosphere just like the ESA supply vehicle and (AFAIK) the Russian ones.

Posted in Japan successfully launches new rocket with 1st unmanned cargo vehicle at 01:33 PM JST - 12th September
the_harper at 08:47 PM JST - 8th September

Brown coal is Lignite as opposed to black coal which is Anthracite (but there's other types in between). Victoria has some of the biggest reserves of brown coal in Australia and uses them for generating power, but it's not as clean to burn as black coal. So the Victorians have…

Posted in Japan, Australian state of Victoria to collaborate on cleaner energy at 08:47 PM JST - 8th September
the_harper at 10:00 PM JST - 7th September

It's launching from the Tanegashima space centre south of Kyushu.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TanegashimaSpaceCenter

As far as I know, it's where all JAXA rockets launch from. None of the supply ships (Russian, EU, Japan) are reusable. As far as I know they ditch in an orbit which puts any remnants in the ocean.

Posted in Japan's 1st unmanned cargo vehicle to be launched into space Friday at 10:00 PM JST - 7th September
the_harper at 10:42 PM JST - 28th August

I saw a paper presented to a research conference almost two decades ago proposing batteries with replaceable electrolytes. That would be even better than replacing the whole battery. Instead of filling the car's tank with petrol, you hook it to a bowser that exchanges the depleted electrolyte for fresh. Recharged,…

Posted in Electric taxis to run in Tokyo, adopting battery switch system at 10:42 PM JST - 28th August
the_harper at 08:57 PM JST - 17th August

Wouldn't this service be better offered to foreign tourists at Narita? Or do ANA think only Japanese people would be interested in a piece of Japanese history? :-7

Posted in ANA begins rickshaw service at Haneda airport at 08:57 PM JST - 17th August
the_harper at 08:20 PM JST - 16th August

Don't swing your arms wildly while running in an emergency?

Posted in Mystery sign at 08:20 PM JST - 16th August