This Nishi Shinjuku building is about to be demolished.
Too bad as another part of history will disappear
Ricoh GR
Wanted a quality camera for street photography.
Mirrorless, Ricoh GR II, Other…
And then decided to purchase the Ricoh GR, a bit less features than GR II, no WiFi. But much cheaper.
I carry it with me in my bag and expect to take photos (almost) every day.
First photo is the Shinjuku “installation”. It is an area which always has interesting commercials, events.
Photo is not that good; so need to improve the way I use the camera, angles, colours.
Still a lot to learn
Singapore Start-Up scene
Singapore Start-up scene is growing, with more VCs and more successes.
The following is a very nice review of the current status:
Fukushima Pride
What should I write?
That there is a website and TV commercial to promote products from Fukushima.
That I could not find any reference to actual radiation measurements of the products, yet the website mentions it is safe.
Would like to see Fukushima restored and brought back to life, but would also like to see how it is done responsibly.
Ameba blog changed Icon
Cyber Agent’s Ameba Blogging platform was known for their “Ameba” icon.
Make sense, Ameba Blog, Ameba Icon. When visiting Cyber Agent I already received “Ameba Water”.
Updating the iPhone application this morning I found out that the logo has changed. Still green, no longer an Ameba.
I kind of miss the Ameba
Train Experiences
Or rather a strange experience I had in the train yesterday.
Took the Yamanote line and as always put my bag on the luggage rack (網棚). Train was not busy, but different, as there were more women with children than the standard crowd. No doubt, the effect of Obon vacation.
Then, a 20 something woman appeared from behind, grabbed the ring (つり輪）I was holding and pushed me aside. Did not say a word, stared at my eyes and bowed. Push, stare, bow. Push, stare, bow.
Short pants, tiny shirt which shows her navel. Long brown hair in pony tale. Japanese? not sure.
As she was not talking, I decided to do the same. Move aside, stare, say nothing.
People around me were not sure what they were watching, and so do I. At least I know that I do not know her, but the people around me may had other thoughts.
Getting off at my station I was concerned if she will continue and follow me. Already planned to which police station to go and what to say to the cops, but luckily she did not follow me.
She did get out at the station, looking around a bit lost and then I lost sight of her.
Hope she is well, I am a bit shaken.
Google maps – Blurred Gimpo Airpot
As I was browsing Seoul map, I had hard time finding Gimpo Airport. Searching for it, I found it is a grey area with no details. Completely blurred out.
Was thinking it is some kind of security measure, but found out that the satellite imagery is very clear and detailed.
So, what is it ? Security ? mistake ?
Just for reference, you can see Japan Haneda airpot in Google map
Delaware , Unclaimed property
My parents received a letter from the State Of Delaware, unclaimed property, stating that they have some property of mine (stock).
I think I can guess which stock these are, and I am quite certain the entire claiming process will amount to nothing. Now need to figure out if I have the power to claim it.
-> Which may forces me to contact an accountant of a previous company which does not really exist.
Matayoshi Naoki won Akutagawa prize
Japanese comedian, Matayoshi Naoki, won the Akutagawa prize.
He won it jointly with another writer, but this story is making waves as it is the first time a comedian wins the award.
Akutagawa prize is the most respected literally prize in Japan, awarded twice a year to the best “serious” literary work. By “serious” meaning a literary work which is usually less accessible to the wide audience. The Japanese language, its beauty and complexity is one of the goals of this prize.
As a side note, Naoki prize is also coveted and it is more “readable” or easier (language wise) than Akutagawa prize.
I am currently reading his book, “Spark”, (Japanese “火花”）but did not form my opinion on it. One thing is for sure, it is not easy for me to read it.
Soumission by Michel Houellebecq
Finished reading the book in Hebrew. Wanted to read in English, but for some unknown reason it is quite delayed compared to the Hebrew version.
(I wish I could read it in French, but that is a different story)
Submission is definitely not what I expected it to be, probably due to hype and marketing of the book.
Describing France in 2022 under Islamic Rule, I expected criticism of paranoia of Islam.
Michel Houellebecq portrait was on “Charlie Hebdo” cover, depicted as Nostradamus. Again, expected some kind of angry, fearful book.
What I found was something completely different. Eloquently described by Adam Gopnik in the New Yorker:
The literary obsessions are important, since it turns out that the principal target of the satire is not French Islam—which is really a bystander that gets, at most, winged—but the spinelessness of the French intellectual class, including the Huysmans-loving narrator
The charge that Houellebecq is Islamophobic seems misplaced. He’s not Islamophobic. He’s Francophobic.
The narrator changes, he loses his Jewish lover who runs away to Israel. But then again, all his lover eventually run away.
Sex and social stature is no longer available, so he might as well convert to Islam and receive both.
And another quote from The New Yorker
This is not to say that Islam in France won’t continue to be problematic or that the extreme right won’t continue its rise or that the respectable republicans won’t be as fatuously self-destructive as Houellebecq imagines them to be. The next thing is just never likely to be the same thing. The fun of satire is to think what would happen if nothing happens to stop what is happening. But that’s not what happens.
And if it was not clear, I recommend this book