October 1609 and 1969

Did you know that the internet started this week forty years ago (in 1969 October)?

It was much simpler then than it is now and it was only used by the U.S. military as a way for computers to “talk” to each other.
Supposedly the first message sent between two computers via the internet was “L-O-G”…and it crashed at “O”!

Do you remember what Yahoo! looked like when it first started in 1996?

Here’s a screen-shot of an early Yahoo! page from thirteen years ago:

What "Yahoo!" looked like when it first started in '96.

Also, four hundred years ago today in 1609 October, the Italian scientist Galileo invented the first telescope.

It was nothing compared to today’s telescopes, but it helped Galileo discover that the sun and other planets don’t revolve around the Earth (which was the common belief at the time).

When he published his findings, the Catholic Church dubbed him a heretic and demanded that he recant lest he tried in court for heresy!

Typhoon again

Earlier this month there was a 台風 (typhoon) that hit Japan. It was the first one to hit Japan directly in a number of years.
(Click here to read my post about it).

Well, the weather was very cool (today’s high temperature was 17° C in Tokyo), rainy and windy all day today…because there’s another 台風 (typhoon) near Japan.

Look at this weather map showing the rain over Eastern Japan.

This typhoon isn’t hitting Japan directly like the last one did.

Here’s a map showing the typhoon’s forecasted path…it was off the coast of Tokyo at 8:00PM tonight and it’ll be past northern Japan and closer to Russia tomorrow.

But the 天気予報 (weather forecast) from tomorrow til next Monday for Tokyo is for the rain to stop early tomorrow morning and then sunny and warmer!

Tokyo's weather forecast for 2009 Oct 27 - Nov 2

Baskin-Robbins Halloween

Today we went to a shopping center and stopped for a coffee break at the McDonalds and I noticed the display at the 「サーティワン・アイスクリーム」 (Baskin-Robbins) next to the McDonalds.

The display was for Baskin-Robbins‘ Halloween campaign. So I took a photo of it:

We didn’t buy any of the Baskin-Robbins Halloween desserts.
But we do enjoy Baskin-Robbins ice cream once in a while.

Baskin-Robbins is an American ice cream franchise that is very popular in Japan.
In Japan, it’s not called “Baskin-Robbins” though. It’s called 「サーティワン・アイスクリーム」 (“Thirty-one Ice Cream“) or simply 「サーティワン」 (“Thirty-one“).

I haven’t been to a Baskin-Robbins in America in many years. I guess it’s been about twenty-five years since I’ve seen an American Baskin-Robbins.

But I was thinking that if Baskin-Robbins in America has Halloween themed desserts they’re probably quite different from the ones that Baskin-Robbins sells here in Japan.

So I checked their websites and sure enough Baskin-Robbins U.S. Halloween treats are completely different from Baskin-Robbins Japan‘s.

Maybe it’s because I’ve been in Japan so long…but I think that food in Japan (including junk-food) is much better than the food in America.
The last time we visited America (in 2004), my family and I all enjoyed our holiday there…but we missed the food in Japan!

Compare for yourself Baskin-Robbins Japan and Baskin-Robbins U.S. Halloween desserts and tell if you don’t agree that the Japanese ones look much more appetizing.

The ad for Baskin-Robbins Japan:

"Baskin-Robbins Japan" Halloween sweets

And here’s the ad for Baskin-Robbins U.S.:

"Baskin-Robbins U.S. Halloween cakes

Whopper 7

Microsoft recently began selling their latest operating system in Japan called Windows 7.

And for one week (2009 October 22 – 28), they are running a joint campaign with Burger King Japan to promote “Windows 7“.

Until October 28th, Burger King Japan is selling an original burger called the “Windows 7 Whopper“!

What, you may be wondering, makes the “Windows 7 Whopper” different from the regular Whopper burger?

Well, it has seven burger patties!

Seven patties on one burger sandwich! That’s mad!

I’m sure they’ll sell many of these monstrosities. Mainly to people who want to try it for the novelty value before the campaign period ends and Burger King Japan stops offering it.

I won’t be buying it. Besides the fact that I have no interest in even trying to eat that much hamburger in one sandwich…there’s also the fact that the price for the thing is ¥1,450* (about US$15)!

* (The regular price is ¥1,450…but Burger King Japan will be selling the “Windows 7 Whopper” to the first thirty customers everyday who order it for ¥777.)
Here’s the ad for it:

"Windows 7 Whopper" available at Burger King in Japan until 2009 Oct 28.

While I was looking at Burger King Japan’s website, I noticed that they have Heineken Beer on their menu!

Burker King Japan sells beer

It says in the ad that a can of Heineken Beer costs ¥400. And you can buy a 「ハイネケン・コンボ」 (“Heineken Combo“), which is a side menu item and a can of beer, for ¥500.
Or if you buy any of the Burger King combo sets, you can change the soft-drink for a Heineken Beer for an additional ¥150.

I know that the Japanese fast-food chain “Freshness Burger” has beer on their menu…but I haven’t eaten at Burger King in quite a while. Now that they have beer on their menu, too…maybe I’ll visit a Burger King again soon (but I won’t be getting a “Whopper 7“)!

(Click here if you want to read another post I wrote about the spicy summer campaigns at Burger King and other fast-food restaurants in Japan.

And click here if you want to read my post about McDonalds Japan‘s menu.)

Tokyo’s voted one of the best…again

It seems that the world’s cities are constantly being rated.
And Tokyo, Japan has often been ranked #1 (for example, Tokyo has been voted the city with the world’s best cuisine many times)…and at least Tokyo usually makes the ranking’s “Top Five”.

A recent survey asked five groups of people to rate the world’s cities.
The groups were “Business managers”, “Scientists and researchers”, “Artists”, “Tourists”, and “Residents of the cities”.
Then the five lists were averaged into a final ranking of the “World’s Best Cities”.

The “Business managers” Top Ten cities are:

1. London
2. New York
3. Singapore
4. Hong Kong
5. Shanghai
6. Paris
7. Tokyo
8. Beijing
9. Zurich
10. Geneva

The “Scientists” Top Ten are:

1. New York
2. London
3. Tokyo
4. Paris
5. Seoul
6. Los Angeles
7. Boston
8. Singapore
9. Berlin
10. Chicago

The “Artists” list:

1. New York
2. Paris
3. Berlin
4. London
5. Tokyo
6. Chicago
7. Vienna
8. Los Angeles
9. Amsterdam
10. Madrid

“Tourists” voted like this:

1. New York
2. London
3. Paris
4. Beijing
5. Shanghai
6. Vienna
7. Tokyo
8. Berlin
9. Singapore
10. Hong Kong

And finally “Residents’” Top-Ten:

1. New York
2. Paris
3. Berlin
4. Tokyo
5. London
6. Amsterdam
7. Zurich
8. Vienna
9. Copenhagen
10. Vancouver

When the lists were averaged Tokyo was fourth place in the Global City Rankings.

Blue roses and strong beer

Suntory, the Japanese beverage company, has announced that they have developed the world’s first 青いバラ (blue roses).

These flowers will begin going on sale in parts of Japan on November 3 for about ¥3000 (US $32.50) per flower.

I’m not really so interested in a special flower…even a “world’s first”.

What does sound appealing to me is Suntory‘s new beer.
The 「ショッキ生エイト」 (“Jyokki-nama Eight“) with 8% alcohol!

Japanese Empress is 75

Today is the birthday of the Empress Of Japan.
She’s 75 now.

Last year, I wrote a post about her 74th birthday (and a few other things). Click here to read it.

For her birthday statement this year, she mentioned her sympathy to all who have had hardship due to the poor economy and she also expressed her happiness about U.S. President Obama’s Nobel Prize and his wish for a nuclear-free world.

She always expressed her gratitude to everyone who offered the Royal couple congratulations on their Golden Anniversary (50 years) this year, and the Emperor’s 20th year on the throne.

The Empress Of Japan

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Also, beginning today, doctors, nurses and other hospital staff in Japan were able to receive the 新型インフルエンザ (Swine Flu) inoculation.

Next week, young children and pregnant women will be able to receive theirs.

After that, people with chronic disease (such as asthma) will be in line to get the shot.

And finally other people.

The medicine that people in Japan will be receiving to protect themselves against this new flu is “made in Japan“…so it’s supposed to be safer.

—
By the way, speaking of 新型インフルエンザ (Swine Flu), did you know that a company in Japan is selling a business suit that looks just like a normal suit businessmen wear to the office…but it’s being promoted as the first suit that “protects the wearer from the Swine Flu”?

Two kids with big stories

Do you know the story of 春日めぐみ (Megumi Kasuga) or 佐々木偵子 (Sadako Sasaki)?

They are two young Japanese girls that were about the same age when they each had a tragedy in their life and how they reacted made them both famous in Japan.

Megumi Kasuga was a thirteen year old junior high school student in 茨城県 (Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan) when her father died of cancer.
In memory of her father, who wanted to travel overseas on holiday…but never got the chance, Megumi wrote a letter explaining that she hoped people around the world would take her favorite teddy-bear on a world journey.

She gave the letter and the bear to an American visitor in Japan, who in turn gave it to a Swedish tourist in America…who then gave to another tourist when she got back to Sweden.
And the bear’s journey began.

Megumi received letters from people all over the world wishing her well.
Some people were so touched by her story that they came to Japan to meet young Megumi in person.

Here’s the letter she wrote:

Dear Kind Person,

I’m a seventh grade student in junior high school. I’m 13 years old and live in Kashima City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. Kashima is located on the Pacific coast, to the northeast of Tokyo. It takes about two hours by car from here to Tokyo, and about one hour to Narita (New Tokyo) International Airport. Soccer is very popular in Kashima. Our city is the home of the only Japan League professional soccer team in Ibaraki Ken, the Kashima Antlers.

My father, at age 52, died of pancreas cancer on April 26 of this year, 1996. He loved to travel, but he didn’t have a chance to travel abroad, except his honeymoon in Hawaii. He was always very busy as a doctor at his hospital. He was also one of the team doctors for the Antlers. I would like to send this little hand-made teddy bear around the world to carry my father’s spirit to all those places that he never could go. My mother and I share this dream. Would you please help me, and take him with you? When you get to your destination, please give Mack to another person so that he can continue his journey. That way, my father can finally see the world through Mack’s eyes.

Thank you for your kindness. May your dreams also come true.

Peace and love,

Megumi Kasuga

P.S. If you can, please send me a picture of yourself and Mack wherever you go, so that I’ll know he is still travelling.

===

Sadako Sasaki was born on 1943 January 7 in 広島 (Hiroshima, Japan).
She was two years old when the U.S. dropped the atomic bomb on that city.

When she turned twelve, Sadako was diagnosed with leukemia and was given less than a year to live.
She had to stay in the hospital.

While she was in the hospital, she began to fold 千羽鶴 (1000 Origami Cranes) which are a good luck gesture in Japan.

千羽鶴 (1000 Paper Origami Cranes)

Sadako folded any piece of paper she could find in the hospital into a paper crane. Hospital staff, other patients and friends and family helped her and gave her any paper they could.

On 1955 October 25, Sadako’s mother made a special meal for her and gave it to her in the hospital.
The last word Sadako Sasaki said before she died that day at age 12 was 「おいしい」 (“It’s delicious“).

Sadako only managed to fold less than 700 paper cranes before she died.
Her friends and family folded the rest and put all 1000 paper cranes in Sadako’s casket with her.

Sadako Sasaki’s story has come to symbolize the need for world peace and there is a statue of her in Hiroshima.
People often leave 千羽鶴 (1000 Paper Origami Cranes) at the statue.

ゾンビランド

I just watched the movie 「ゾンビランド」 (“Zombieland“) starring Woody Harrelson.

This movie definitely isn’t for everyone…it’s a zombie movie, after all.

But I like some, but not all, zombie movies.
The good ones (including the above mentioned “Zombieland“) include “Shaun Of The Dead“, “Dawn Of The Dead“, and “Day Of The Dead“.

I also like some, but not all, of Woody Harrelson’s work.
His good ones (including the above mentioned “Zombieland“) include the American TV series from the 1980s “Cheers“, “No Country For Old Men” and “Natural Born Killers“.

Have you seen “Zombieland“?
What was your opinion of it?
Do you like zombie movies? How about Woody Harrelson’s work in general?

October 17

I came to Japan on 1990 October 17.
Nineteen years ago today.

Last year on this date I wrote a post about some of changes I’ve seen in Japan since I first arrived (Click here to read it).

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Also, seventeen years ago today, 服部剛丈 (Yoshihiro Hattori) died.

Do you know about his story? It’s quite tragic.
And it was big news when he was shot and killed in America in 1992…at least here in Japan.

He was a sixteen year old Japanese exchange student in Louisiana, America and on the evening of (1992) October 17 he and a friend went to a Halloween party that they were invited to.

They mistakenly went to the wrong address and when they rang the doorbell he was fatally shot by the homeowner who claimed in court that he thought Yoshihiro was a criminal trespasser.

The home-owner, Rodney Peairs, pointed his gun at Yoshihiro and said “Freeze!”.
Obviously, not familiar with that command in English, Yoshihiro walked towards Mr. Peairs and said “We’re here for the party”, at which point Mr. Peairs panicked and shot the teen.

This case became big news in Japan at the time. I remember it was on the news constantly.
What made it even more shocking to the Japanese people was that the U.S. courts ruled that Rodney Peairs was within his rights to shoot Yoshihiro Hattori under Louisiana’s law and they acquitted him of all charges.

Also shocking to Japanese was shortly after this case there were two more cases of Japanese exchange students being shot in America.
A TV reporter at that time said that if Japanese must travel to America they should be sure to understand the phrase “Freeze!” lest they become the next victim of America’s “sick gun-obsessed society”.