Sorry for not posting this week.
The truth is, my computer got AIDS and died!
So, I had to get new one.
Instead of paying a bunch of money for a BTO, I decided to try my hand at building it myself!
Here're the new specs:
AMD 3.3ghz 6 core CPU
8gb RAM
Radeon HD 6850 graphics card
Some awesome motherboard that I can't recall the name of
Windows 7
All this for 750$!!
But, building it was not a walk in the park... but it works awesome now!! I can play Starcraft 2 on all the MAXIMUM settings and not a single hiccup!
Well, that's all for now, see you next week!
Stay Frosty!
2011年2月11日金曜日
2011年2月4日金曜日
Friday Free Day
So, being Friday, I just thought I would share some thoughts I've been having recently.
Someone in the comments once asked me about what I think of World War 2.
Now, obviously war is never a good thing, but putting that aside for a moment...
The ONE thing that war seems to do well is cause change. Both social and economic. For example, take a look at America with it's War in Iraq etc. For better or worse, it has caused change in America and in many other places around the world. Another example, technology that was developed for WW2 was then used and purchased by the average consumer (things like computers and internet etc) later. Also, the Vietnam and Korean wars led to the Hippy-peace-loving movement, and American people's constant hatred and distrust of their own government as well.
Japan, on the other hand, doesn't have an army and is forbidden to go to war a la their constitution. So, Japan has not had any of those social stimuli to change their thinking and social systems.
Of course I would never say that War is a good thing, because that would be untrue. But, I will say that the effects of war or not always negative... just mostly so.
Japan has had no need for civil rights changes because very few foreigners choose to stay here. On top of that, VERY few get naturalized to become Japanese citizens. Why is that important? Because until they do that, they have no foundation on which to stand and say 'We need better treatment'. Because, being still a 'foreigner' they will just be told to 'Go home if you don't like it'.
Japan has had no Malcom X, no Martin Luther Kings, no Rosa Parks. To be fair, foreigners are not treated nearly as badly as Black people were in the 50s and 60s. But, they are still treated... shall we say, unfairly.
Someone needs to stand up and protest or something.
Stay Frosty!
Someone in the comments once asked me about what I think of World War 2.
Now, obviously war is never a good thing, but putting that aside for a moment...
The ONE thing that war seems to do well is cause change. Both social and economic. For example, take a look at America with it's War in Iraq etc. For better or worse, it has caused change in America and in many other places around the world. Another example, technology that was developed for WW2 was then used and purchased by the average consumer (things like computers and internet etc) later. Also, the Vietnam and Korean wars led to the Hippy-peace-loving movement, and American people's constant hatred and distrust of their own government as well.
Japan, on the other hand, doesn't have an army and is forbidden to go to war a la their constitution. So, Japan has not had any of those social stimuli to change their thinking and social systems.
Of course I would never say that War is a good thing, because that would be untrue. But, I will say that the effects of war or not always negative... just mostly so.
Japan has had no need for civil rights changes because very few foreigners choose to stay here. On top of that, VERY few get naturalized to become Japanese citizens. Why is that important? Because until they do that, they have no foundation on which to stand and say 'We need better treatment'. Because, being still a 'foreigner' they will just be told to 'Go home if you don't like it'.
Japan has had no Malcom X, no Martin Luther Kings, no Rosa Parks. To be fair, foreigners are not treated nearly as badly as Black people were in the 50s and 60s. But, they are still treated... shall we say, unfairly.
Someone needs to stand up and protest or something.
Stay Frosty!
2011年2月3日木曜日
Thursday - And then there was snow...
In Niigata Prefecture, (just some backwater place) they have had record snow fall.
How bad, you ask?
Well, how about 4 meters!!
yup yup, with a total monthly snowfall of 409 cm, it is the most snow to EVER fall in that area, and probably everywhere else except like Russia or something.
It's so bad, they had to call in the Army (Well, in Japan's case they don't have an army, but whatever) to help clear it all out.
You know, people talk about Global Warming and such, but I just don't see it...
sauce: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110203a2.html
How bad, you ask?
Well, how about 4 meters!!
yup yup, with a total monthly snowfall of 409 cm, it is the most snow to EVER fall in that area, and probably everywhere else except like Russia or something.
It's so bad, they had to call in the Army (Well, in Japan's case they don't have an army, but whatever) to help clear it all out.
You know, people talk about Global Warming and such, but I just don't see it...
sauce: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110203a2.html
2011年2月2日水曜日
2011年2月1日火曜日
Tuesday Kanji Kanji
Today's Kanji are for the words for 'Loud' 'Annoying' or 'Shut up!'
うるさい 煩い 五月蠅い
All three of these are pronounced the same way. ＵＲＵＳＡＩ
Also, 黙れ！
ＤＡＭＡＲＥ！ This is literally the command form of 'to be quiet'.
So, now you know what to say when the crazy Right-wing Japanese nationalists come blaring their megaphones about the 'evils of foreigners.
Stay Frosty!
うるさい 煩い 五月蠅い
All three of these are pronounced the same way. ＵＲＵＳＡＩ
Also, 黙れ！
ＤＡＭＡＲＥ！ This is literally the command form of 'to be quiet'.
So, now you know what to say when the crazy Right-wing Japanese nationalists come blaring their megaphones about the 'evils of foreigners.
Stay Frosty!
2011年1月31日月曜日
Monday Me stay here long time
So, you decided that you want to stay in Japan short term,huh?
3-5 years in Tokyo? Looking to 'find yourself'? Trying to get a hot Japanese girlfriend?
Well, those are all..uh... interesting reasons, I guess.
Anyway, here are some tips for you.
1: I stated this before, but learn the language. Of course, 3-5 years is not enough time to become fluent or anything, (well, I guess that depends on you) but if you are planning to live and work and eat etc etc, you should definitely get past basic greetings and 'Where is the bathroom?'.
2: Where ever you live, be SURE to learn what the rules are. For example, in Japan every city has different rules about garbage and stuff like that. If you don't follow the rules exactly, they will hunt you down and ask you why you didn't. (Happened to a friends of mine)
3. Get used to staring. If you are Asian, then this might not be such a problem. Most of the time, people will assume that you are Japanese and even if you can't speak Japanese, they will just assume that you are Japanese but grew up in a foreign country. (The same friend I mentioned above is a Chinese guy from Toronto. People always asked him how long he has been 'back in Japan' lol)
If you are White or Black or some kind of non-Asian looking person, then people will look at you like you have a third arm growing from your forehead.
4. PAY YOUR TAXES!! A lot of foreigners who come here for only a few years think that they don't have to, for some reason. I guess in practice, if you don't pay for like 3 years and then go back home, nothing will happen to you. But, if you decide that you want to stay longer, they won't renew your Visa, citing how you refuse to pay your taxes so you have no reason to stay in Japan. So, just to be on the safe side, please pay them.
5. Know your priorities. Japan is a great country with lots to offer, but everything is expensive. So, you need to decide what it is you want. If you want to eat high quality food, then you won't have money left for anything else. If you want to travel or go shopping, then you'll have to eat Ramen for weeks on end. You just need to decide what it is you want.
If you dare, you could try playing Pachinko (kind of a Japanese casino). You'll probably end up wasting money, but if you are lucky (like I was) then you can get a lot of money and then just quit before you get hooked.
6. Finally, STAY AWAY FROM ROPPONGI!! Roppongi is a place that is crawling with foreigners. Now, that by itself is not a bad thing, but they only foreigners who go there are the scumbag nasty, don't-fit-in-in-their-own-country-so-they-came-here type. If you go there, there is a chance that you will catch the 'disease'. (The douchebag-foreigner disease). So, I HIGHLY recommend you stay away from there. (As a side note, if you DO happen to go there, maybe just once or something, stay away from the girls there. TRUST ME! They are succubus-viral-plagues. To use a famous joke, they really are like the town bicycle, if you catch me drift)
.So, I hope this has been a little informative.
Stay Frosty!
3-5 years in Tokyo? Looking to 'find yourself'? Trying to get a hot Japanese girlfriend?
Well, those are all..uh... interesting reasons, I guess.
Anyway, here are some tips for you.
1: I stated this before, but learn the language. Of course, 3-5 years is not enough time to become fluent or anything, (well, I guess that depends on you) but if you are planning to live and work and eat etc etc, you should definitely get past basic greetings and 'Where is the bathroom?'.
2: Where ever you live, be SURE to learn what the rules are. For example, in Japan every city has different rules about garbage and stuff like that. If you don't follow the rules exactly, they will hunt you down and ask you why you didn't. (Happened to a friends of mine)
3. Get used to staring. If you are Asian, then this might not be such a problem. Most of the time, people will assume that you are Japanese and even if you can't speak Japanese, they will just assume that you are Japanese but grew up in a foreign country. (The same friend I mentioned above is a Chinese guy from Toronto. People always asked him how long he has been 'back in Japan' lol)
If you are White or Black or some kind of non-Asian looking person, then people will look at you like you have a third arm growing from your forehead.
4. PAY YOUR TAXES!! A lot of foreigners who come here for only a few years think that they don't have to, for some reason. I guess in practice, if you don't pay for like 3 years and then go back home, nothing will happen to you. But, if you decide that you want to stay longer, they won't renew your Visa, citing how you refuse to pay your taxes so you have no reason to stay in Japan. So, just to be on the safe side, please pay them.
5. Know your priorities. Japan is a great country with lots to offer, but everything is expensive. So, you need to decide what it is you want. If you want to eat high quality food, then you won't have money left for anything else. If you want to travel or go shopping, then you'll have to eat Ramen for weeks on end. You just need to decide what it is you want.
If you dare, you could try playing Pachinko (kind of a Japanese casino). You'll probably end up wasting money, but if you are lucky (like I was) then you can get a lot of money and then just quit before you get hooked.
6. Finally, STAY AWAY FROM ROPPONGI!! Roppongi is a place that is crawling with foreigners. Now, that by itself is not a bad thing, but they only foreigners who go there are the scumbag nasty, don't-fit-in-in-their-own-country-so-they-came-here type. If you go there, there is a chance that you will catch the 'disease'. (The douchebag-foreigner disease). So, I HIGHLY recommend you stay away from there. (As a side note, if you DO happen to go there, maybe just once or something, stay away from the girls there. TRUST ME! They are succubus-viral-plagues. To use a famous joke, they really are like the town bicycle, if you catch me drift)
.So, I hope this has been a little informative.
Stay Frosty!
2011年1月28日金曜日
Friday Free Day - The best/worst law ever?
So, as we all know, Japan can be a little...uh... strange, at times.
But, I came across a law that not just I, but most Japanese as well, don't know.
刑法１７６条 Section 176 of the Constitution, or specifically the Law of Punishments, states this.
男女ともに性的同意年齢は13歳に設定されている
Translated this states: Men and Women (Boys and Girls) age of consent is set at 13 years of age.
W-w-w-w-w-what!!!!!
13?
Yuppers everyone. The age of consent in Japan is 13.
However, it's not that simple. (Of course not...)
There is another set of laws, called the Ordinance for Youth (loosely translated) which states that one may not force or coerce any young person under age 18 into, shall we say, coitus for your own personal, uh, benefit. Now, it seems to me that you should not force ANYONE into, uh, coitus. But, that's what it says...
Now, every prefecture as their own set of laws that, for the most part, say that you can't, uh, make a baby with anyone under 18.
BUT!! In 2007, a 36 year old man, wife and 2 kids, was having an affair with a 16 or 17 (I forgot) year old High School girl. Now, they had of course been having coitus, but besides that they had been actually dating! Like, for real!!
So, the girl's parents found out and they, as parents do, assumed that the man was just some evil nasty animal who humps everything that moves. So, he was arrested.
In court, he and the girl both said, and proved through pictures and emails, that they were seriously dating, and not just for, uh, coitus.
Guess what the judge said?
Ready for it...?
IT WAS OK!! THE MAN WAS LET OFF AND ALLOWED TO LEGALLY DATE THAT GIRL!!
The decision was that if you are dating 'for the purpose of or leading to marriage', then it is legal!. In other words, you can date a 13 year old if you, at the beginning or at least more often then not, go on actual REAL dates (seriously date) then it is OK!!
Now to westerners, the act of dating a 13 year sounds like pedo-bear right?
But hey, when in Rome...
Stay Frosty!(1000 internets to anyone who can tell me where that quote is from!)
But, I came across a law that not just I, but most Japanese as well, don't know.
刑法１７６条 Section 176 of the Constitution, or specifically the Law of Punishments, states this.
男女ともに性的同意年齢は13歳に設定されている
Translated this states: Men and Women (Boys and Girls) age of consent is set at 13 years of age.
W-w-w-w-w-what!!!!!
13?
Yuppers everyone. The age of consent in Japan is 13.
However, it's not that simple. (Of course not...)
There is another set of laws, called the Ordinance for Youth (loosely translated) which states that one may not force or coerce any young person under age 18 into, shall we say, coitus for your own personal, uh, benefit. Now, it seems to me that you should not force ANYONE into, uh, coitus. But, that's what it says...
Now, every prefecture as their own set of laws that, for the most part, say that you can't, uh, make a baby with anyone under 18.
BUT!! In 2007, a 36 year old man, wife and 2 kids, was having an affair with a 16 or 17 (I forgot) year old High School girl. Now, they had of course been having coitus, but besides that they had been actually dating! Like, for real!!
So, the girl's parents found out and they, as parents do, assumed that the man was just some evil nasty animal who humps everything that moves. So, he was arrested.
In court, he and the girl both said, and proved through pictures and emails, that they were seriously dating, and not just for, uh, coitus.
Guess what the judge said?
Ready for it...?
IT WAS OK!! THE MAN WAS LET OFF AND ALLOWED TO LEGALLY DATE THAT GIRL!!
The decision was that if you are dating 'for the purpose of or leading to marriage', then it is legal!. In other words, you can date a 13 year old if you, at the beginning or at least more often then not, go on actual REAL dates (seriously date) then it is OK!!
Now to westerners, the act of dating a 13 year sounds like pedo-bear right?
But hey, when in Rome...
Stay Frosty!(1000 internets to anyone who can tell me where that quote is from!)
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