Musings from a financial translator in Tokyo (and now London)
Posted in Cycling on Jun 26th, 2009
Heard about this on a recent FredCast. Was expecting this to be essentially one big commercial for Cervelo – and while it partially was, it was much more than that. Really interesting and beautifully shot, especially if viewed in HD: Part one: Beginnings Part two: San Diego Sling Part three: California, Part One Part four: [...]
Posted in Sports on Jun 25th, 2009
Most Americans will be familiar with the ‘Miracle on Ice’ – the story of the 1980 US Olympic hockey team. Basically 10 guys from Minnesota and a bunch of nobodies beating the Russians (the best team in the world at the time) in the round-robin and ultimately winning the gold medal. Well, this might not quite [...]
Posted in Japan on Jun 24th, 2009
I was talking to the MBH about Japan paying out-of-work immigrants to go home and not come back (see a few posts down). She mentioned that she had heard of some European country doing this recently as well. Wow, I hadn’t heard that at all, and thought maybe I shouldn’t be focusing only on Japan. [...]
Our car has arrived, and it looks sweeeet~ Mini Cooper
The long-term plight of Japan is well-known: First, a dwindling birth rate. Japan’s birth rate for 2008 was estimated at 7.87 births for every 1,000 people. That’s second lowest in the entire world – 220 out of 221 nations, second only to Hong Kong. Japan’s death rate (i.e., deaths per every 1,000 people) for 2008 [...]
Posted in Cycling on Jun 16th, 2009
Lots of interesting stories to this year’s Tour de France. – Alejandro Valverde, a great climber and considered to be a contender for the general classification title, might not be allowed to start the TdF due to a two-year ban on racing Italy for alleged doping involvement. He was never tried, never found guilty, and [...]
…out? ….gas? Neither – passed my UK driver’s exam. The UK didn’t like my US driver’s license – apparently driving on the other side of the road presented a problem for them. My MBH, who has a Japanese license, got a full UK license straight away; I had to go the full test route – [...]
Posted in Pet on Jun 7th, 2009
To chase the tennis ball, or not to chase the tennis ball….
Posted in Homebrew on Jun 7th, 2009
Some of you living in Tokyo might know Belgo’s, a Belgium beer pub across from the Shibuya police station. Many years ago when I was living in Tokyo, I would meet up with a fellow translator friend for beers every couple of months. He was the first person I met that was into homebrewing beer. [...]
Posted in Sports on Jun 1st, 2009
- Unfortunately the best part of the match for Everton was over after the first 30 seconds. – Everton to me looks like a team that plays better together than the sum of the individual parts would suggest. I didn’t see the likes of a Drogba or Lampard on Everton, yet they played Chelsea (and Man [...]