titian said...

titian at 03:28 PM JST - 14th July

Sounds nice. One more attraction, with a feature not common for Japan: Aizu University (est.1993) which offers to gaijins full-time, permanent positions identical to those of Japanese.

Posted in Aizu: A castle, sake and red cows at 03:28 PM JST - 14th July
titian at 10:35 AM JST - 13th July

There is an article about this issue, claiming that detrimental changes to DNA could result from environmental anomalies during the childhood. It's not about the scientifically implausible Lamarckism, rather - about the epigenesis:

http://www.physorg.com/news154627743.html

Published also in the Nature Neuroscience (Feb., 2009).

Posted in DNA affects suicide: LDP's Hatoyama at 10:35 AM JST - 13th July
titian at 10:08 AM JST - 13th July

Disillusioned: very, very well said. Exactly what I was thinking about. This "research" is absolutely pseudo-scientific - and Japanese are well known with their affinity to pseudo-science. Behavioral psychologists know that the interplay between the genes and the environment is what matters, and excluding the latter one from the equation…

Posted in DNA affects suicide: LDP's Hatoyama at 10:08 AM JST - 13th July
titian at 05:06 PM JST - 7th July

Richardson:

Titian's remark about the KGB probably is prompted by an incorrect memory of the poisoned umbrella used by the Bulgarian secret service to kill a defector in London years ago.

And your comment is maybe prompted by apparent lack of knowledge about the maker of the umbrella. Wikipedia: "...surreptitious…

Posted in Two women attacked by man with umbrella in Shinjuku at 05:06 PM JST - 7th July
titian at 12:32 PM JST - 7th July

I thought only KGB is using an umbrella as a weapon! Agree, the size and color of umbrella should be carefully investigated, and those kind of umbrellas should be banned. Ever better if everyone having even a legal umbrella is fingerprinted.

Posted in Two women attacked by man with umbrella in Shinjuku at 12:32 PM JST - 7th July
titian at 08:53 AM JST - 6th July

Sure, publication, especially in US journal is very important. It improves the chances for promotion, projects funding, etc... And public awareness, and readiness to tackle the potentially mutated flu virus with different drug from the very onset of the infection? What's this? Mottainai of course...

Posted in Osaka sent paper on Tamiflu-resistant virus to journal before announcement at 08:53 AM JST - 6th July
titian at 11:03 AM JST - 5th July

According to Japan Times, the killer said "His attitude at school always made me sick"... There is no excuse for the guy, however, I think it's just another case of inability to cope with bullying, plus the stress from the coming exams. JT also cites the school official: *"We are…

Posted in Student sent to prosecutors for fatally stabbing classmate at train station at 11:03 AM JST - 5th July
titian at 09:22 AM JST - 2nd July

Good! Hopefully, now ASDF will be able to distinguish between a flock of birds and a missile...

Posted in Advanced ballistic missile defense network goes into service at 09:22 AM JST - 2nd July
titian at 05:41 PM JST - 29th June

Well done Sensei! It seems that toilets are seen as something funny in the modern Japanese mass culture:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBuGxvrk100

Posted in Teacher, wife busted for filming women in toilet 'just for fun' at 05:41 PM JST - 29th June
titian at 01:21 PM JST - 25th June

BurakuminDes:

Anyway, do the people on the islands consider themselves Japanese? There are significant caucasian populations on these islands, will Japan immediately issue them Japanese passports if they take over the islands?

Good point, although a hypothetical one. If we consider the UN report "that racial discrimination and xenophobia in…

Posted in Russian lower house blasts bill to stress Japan's sovereignty over 4 islands at 01:21 PM JST - 25th June